updated 3:51 a.m. ET Oct. 23, 2005

ATHENS, Ga. - D.J. Shockley watched the second half from the bench. His left knee was propped up and heavily wrapped. A pair of crutches were at his side. With its senior quarterback sidelined by a sprained knee, No. 4 Georgia hardly had the look of a championship contender.

Little-used Joe Tereshinski took over for Shockley and the Bulldogs barely survived against Arkansas, a nearly three-touchdown underdog that gave Georgia all it could handle before losing 23-20 on Saturday.

Coach Mark Richt doesn’t think Shockley will need surgery or miss the rest of the season, but he’s doubtful for the annual “Cocktail Party” game against bitter rival Florida next weekend.

“We’re expecting to get him back this season,” Richt said. “We just don’t know when.”

So, Tereshinski will spend the upcoming week preparing for his first career start against a team the Bulldogs have beaten only twice in the last 15 meetings.

“We can still accomplish our goals. We will accomplish our goals,” nose tackle Ray Gant vowed. “No one man makes the Georgia Bulldogs.”

But the Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) weren’t nearly as effective on offense after Shockley went down with about 10 minutes to go in the first half. They finished with only 217 yards — less than half of their SEC-leading average of 454 — despite facing a defense that ranked 11th in the conference at 424 yards per game.

After Tereshinski came in, Georgia basically turned the game over to its defense and special teams.

The Bulldogs didn’t take any chances in the red zone, settling for three field goals by Brandon Coutu.

Tim Jennings made a leaping interception just four plays after Shockley was hurt, leading to a touchdown that gave Georgia a 14-0 lead. Tyson Browning had a 52-yard kickoff return that set up a field goal. Coutu’s final 3-pointer came after Peyton Hillis fumbled a punt, with Mike Gilliam recovering for the Bulldogs at the Arkansas 19.

“The defense definitely had a lot of pressure on it after D.J. went down,” Gant said. “The things he can do, he means so much to this team. To lose a guy like that is devastating.”

Tereshinski did just enough to keep the Bulldogs on course for a spot in the SEC championship game. They would likely clinch the Eastern Division title with a victory over the Gators.

“When your number is called, you’ve got to be ready,” said Tereshinski, who was 5-of-9 for 91 yards. “I think I’m ready.”

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The junior came up big on his third snap of the game, converting a third-and-5 with a 16-yard pass to Mohamed Massaquoi just short of the end zone. Brannan Southerland dove over for a 1-yard touchdown on the next play.

Tereshinski also completed the longest pass of his career, a 43-yarder to Sean Bailey. That led to Coutu’s 32-yard field goal just before halftime and sent the Bulldogs to the locker room up 17-7 — just enough of a cushion, as it turned out.

The Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4) managed to keep things close, largely because of Darren McFadden. He rushed for 190 yards to set a couple of Arkansas freshman records. He also scored a pair of touchdowns, the first on a stunning 70-yard run.

“I’ve never been more proud of a football than I am today,” Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. “They laid their hearts and guts out for 60 minutes. They went toe-to-toe with the No. 4 team in the country.”

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