Fortunately, Dogs aren’t about impressing pollsters anymore
Let's assume Blair Walsh and Drew Butler were not declaring, "We're No. 1" after the win. (AP photo)
ATHENS — If after one game you were convinced that this would be a dreadful season, and after two games you figured maybe the quarterback wouldn’t be so bad after all, and after three games you once again were ready to catapult Willie Martinez out of Athens, out of the state and out of a job, well, guess what? They’ve come full circle.
Maybe it’s best to just not assume anything about Georgia this season — certainly not an easy victory.
Blair Walsh kicked a game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired Saturday to give the Bulldogs a 20-17 win over Arizona State at Sanford Stadium. And that’s really all you want to know without a bottle of Tums.
Given that this is a bottom-line business, the Bulldogs will try not to think about how they got there. There was an offense that committed three more turnovers, leading to 14 of the visitors’ 17 points and left the team at a minus-9 in turnover differential this season. There also was an offense that produced only two field goals (and the three turnovers) in 10 possessions after two early touchdowns.
Joe Cox completed only 12 of 23 with two interceptions after the first quarter. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC).
There was bland and unimaginative play-calling and a stunning decision by coach Mark Richt to pass up a potential winning 45-yard field-goal attempt earlier in the fourth quarter to go for it on fourth-and-one (and the play was stuffed).
Good thing nobody is paying attention to polls this season.
“You’d like to think you’re progressing over the last three weeks,” Richt said. “It’s almost like we’re that record that gets stuck and the same things keep happening over and over again. The good news is at the very end we’ve been winning. We’d like to remove some of the drama if possible.”
The defense was strong. That would be the good news. But somewhere it is written that you should not be tied with Arizona State in the fourth quarter on your home field, particularly after leading 14-3 in the first quarter.
Haven’t figured this team out yet? Stop trying.
It was far different circumstances when these teams met at this time a year ago. The Bulldogs still had national championship aspirations. They won in Tempe 27-10. It was one of their best performances of the season, setting up meteoric expectations for Alabama week.
Then came the blackout. Then came the knockout. Bama jumped to a 31-0 lead and it was over. Neither the Dogs nor expectations were the same the rest of the season.
That wasn’t an issue Saturday. The season-opening loss at Oklahoma State smothered the rankings talk early. The wins over South Carolina and Arkansas were fun to watch, much like cartoons are fun to watch. Great offense, no defense, too many penalties and turnovers and exploding body parts.
The game was tied 17-17 when Georgia got the ball back with 5:40 left. But on first down, Joe Cox threw behind A.J. Green right into the hands of safety Jarrell Holman (who earlier returned an interception for a touchdown). This one he brought back to the Dogs’ 20. But the defense held again, and a 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked — by A.J. Green.
Green also caught a 56-yard touchdown earlier in the game. On the ensuing Dogs’ possession after the blocked field, he made a third-down 22-yard catch at the Arizona State 22. That ultimately set up the winning field goal. Pretty sure he was player of the game.
It looked for a while liked Georgia might have an easy night. Didn’t happen. Maybe we should all just assume at this point that there won’t be any easy days or nights.
First the offense stalled, then it started dropping engine parts on the highway (a fumble set up one touchdown and an interception was returned for another score). Suddenly, ASU led 17-14. The Dogs came back to tie it. After forcing ASU to punt, the Dogs drove into Devils’ territory again. But Richt elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 28 — passing up a potential go-ahead 45-yard field goal. Result: fullback Fred Munzenmaier ran into a wall.
They seemed destined to lose. But at this point we should just assume they’re not destined for anything. Except maybe to keep us guessing.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
617 comments Add your comment
WTF?
September 27th, 2009
6:40 pm
All of the bloggers on this site have to be white people that have NEVER stepped on a football field before. You have no clue when it comes to the hard fought battles and atheletes competing at this level. You all sit in the stands or in front of your TV watching the game and afterwards critique the calls made by the coaches or plays made by the players while the hole time you wish you could have an ounce of tallent the coaches and players have. Monday morning quarterbacks are sissy white boys!
DAWGHATER:
September 27th, 2009
6:45 pm
DAWGS SUCK AZZ! You should be called the lucky dawgs. Your crappy school should have lost to SC and ASU. Instead of 3-1, you should be 1-3. Don’t worry, your luck runs out with LSU, TN, FL, and GT. That’s 5 loss season. Bank on it! THWG!
jerry
September 27th, 2009
6:46 pm
Every game Logan Gray comes in for one play and fakes a handoff and runs up the middle for about a yard. Is this some kind of f-ing experiment or what?
Super dog
September 27th, 2009
6:52 pm
Doom and Gloom
Doom and Gloom
No national Title in 29 yrs. 2 SEC Titles in 27 years only because FL lost out not because we beat them to get there. 3 and 19 verses Fl. Loosing to Tennessee for many yrs. Beating them because they have been on a downward spiral. Higher Ticket prices, Higher coaches salaries with no results. Doom and Gloom yes.
Fans that say everything is going good must have gotten tired of pulling for Miss St and started pulling for Ga. Because this is not the Ga I know.
Michael G.
September 27th, 2009
7:27 pm
“super dog”….if you are so disenchanted with the Dawgs, you are more than welcome to cheer for another team. Loser
Super dog
September 27th, 2009
7:36 pm
Michael G evidently the only loser is you since you enjoy year after year of losing to the same teams. Alabama Florida USC Michigan Tennessee etc want winning programs. And they don’t put up with mediocrity. Take a look at how quick Alabama has turned around. I like Richt I don’t want to see him end up on the hot he has done a lot for Georgia. But you are only as good as the people around you that’s in sports and business
DawginLex
September 27th, 2009
8:25 pm
Real smart yellow f@ggot, impersonating me. Nice try loser.
Get back to the grill at the Varsity boy. The rings are burning.
Wise ol Dawg
September 27th, 2009
8:58 pm
WTF, it is obvious that you flunked English 99, remedial English.
Forrest Gump
September 27th, 2009
9:08 pm
I will take these guys any day over the thugs of the last few years.
TechRules
September 27th, 2009
9:11 pm
With all the rain in athens yesterday, did it wash away all the trash the dawg fans left all over campus?
Big L
September 27th, 2009
9:22 pm
I hop CMR realizes that his staff is not his call anymore. If he wants to say loyal to low ball willie , then he can go with him. Boosters don’t care what you have done. the good years (2002&2007) we came up short . No national titles. Schools in the SEC don’t play. Tubberville was a couple of years removed from an undefeated season and look what happemed to him.
Steve
September 27th, 2009
9:24 pm
whats up with the dancing during the game on the field???? Should save that for after the game.
Toucherabbit
September 27th, 2009
9:51 pm
Dancing on the field was embarrassing. The great coaches demanded discipline. Richt should have yanked them off the field by their facemask eaten their lunch. THAT’S how you get players fired up. I went to the game, but it will be my last if our team starts playing streetball.
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
9:58 pm
Who are the only 2 SEC Non-Conference Losses All Season Long this year ?
Georgia lost to Oklahoma State.
Tennessee vols and Lane Kiffin Lost to UCLA.
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
10:46 pm
ACC has only 1 ranked team. Virginia Tech who got slaughtered by Alabama. Nice.
Miami of Florida is barely ranked, and now faces Oklahoma after they were utterly destroyed by Virginia Tech (who LOST to Alabama.)
Georgia Tech is NOT ranked in the AP Poll and NOT ranked in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
Auburn is ranked AHEAD of Georgia Tech even.
The SEC meantime has :
18 Ole Miss
17 Georgia
4 LSU
2 Alabama
1 Florida
Nice stinky little conference you have there ACC.
The stinky little ACC does NOT have a Winning Record against ANY CONFERENCE this year, again.
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
10:49 pm
What’s up with the Dancing on the Field of Play during the Game ?
Bad “Coaching Staff.”
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
10:50 pm
Red Dog 77 says in this blog above that UGA will The National Championship and that with 32 Seniors and Juniors, we are young. Wait until next year (or, the 1 after that.)
Or the one after that…
Camden Mark
September 27th, 2009
10:55 pm
OC calls the same plays over and over that are not working.DC plays panzy ass 2 deep and prevent zone all the time.Our coachs are getting embarrasing.What ever happened to the nasty aggressive attacking defence we were used to?On the other side I swear my mom could call a better game than Booboo.
Super dog
September 27th, 2009
10:55 pm
Fans
Dancing with the stars was having tryouts during the 4th qtr. I guess no one new they hold tryouts when a team is tied during a game.
Hopefully Ga Football will be having tryouts in practice this week. We know we have some great dancers now how bout some great players other than A.J. They will now be needed since we will about to play real football.
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
10:55 pm
I watched the Mark Richt show today.
CMR was very unhappy.
CMR said that he got after his team at halftime in the locker room. And, then in the 2nd half they did NOT respond.
CMR was not happy that with a 14-3 lead, we could NOT RUN the ball.
CMR was not happy that it was Arizona State who ran the ball against us.
If you cannot establish the running game, you are NOT winning in The SEC.
Of course, bigger than UGA being in fact now today The NCAA Number 90 Rushing Offense all season long this year, are the FUMBLES.
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
11:09 pm
Matthew Stafford, practicing in the NFL what we taught him here at UGA starting with him playing every game in 2006 :
Matthew Stafford had 5 interceptions and 1 fumble in the first 2 games, on target for the worst season ever by a QB.
Today, he did NOT fumble the football and did NOT throw an interception. Recall of course that while at UGA Matthew Stafford had 18 fumbles and 33 interceptions (51 total) and only 51 Touchdown passes. We did not win the games Matthew Stafford had fumbles and interceptions here, either. Today, Matthew Stafford won.
Is there a correlation between the fumbles and interceptions and winning or losing ?
If we continue to be as poorly coached as we are and have been here with CMR’s “Coaching Staff” then we will LOSE to LSU.
If I were on CMR’s “coaching staff” I would SELL OUT to Running the Ball every down against LSU and I would SELL OUT on Defense to put 8 in the blocks and STOP the Run. Of course, if our Running Backs FUMBLE, it will NOT MATTER.
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
11:13 pm
Richard Samuel fumbles the football.
Caleb King fumbles the football.
Carlton Thomas did not play, but he fumbles the football too.
We cannot get anything going in the Running Game because while we are capable of controlling the box with our OL, we DON’T HAVE A TAILBACK.
We are also capable of controlling the box against the Run.
BuLLdawg
September 27th, 2009
11:16 pm
There is no Football Game Plan on Defense. And, we have ALL this talent.
There is no Football Game Plan on Offense. And, we have NO TAILBACK.
Mt Airy Dawgfan
September 27th, 2009
11:26 pm
I hope and pray that the coaching staff just didn’t want to give LSU anything to see in the filmroom,but DANG I’d really like to see the DAWGS kick some a**
Michael G.
September 27th, 2009
11:34 pm
“super dog” – how quickly you forget the 2 conference championships, and 4 division championships since Richt has been here. It didn’t happen in the 20 years prior to his arrival. Personally, I like 10 win seasons, bcs bowls, and being in the mix for championships most years. Again, we neither want nor need fickle fans like yourself. Go cheer for some other team and stop calling yourself a dog. Loser.
meansonny
September 27th, 2009
11:48 pm
My biggest disappointment this season has been the OL. I was really expecting this to be a strength of the bulldawg franchise. It was debated as possibly the best in the SEC.
My biggest surprise has been the turnovers. What once was “in our losses, we had 3 turnovers” has become “last night, we had another 3 turnovers”.
My biggest hope is that we are young at a lot of positions. We have shown heart winning the past 3 games despite turnovers and penalties. We will improve. We will hold onto the ball. We will show some Saturdays where we click in all 3 facets of the game.
Let’s keep cheering and supporting our team. Let’s keep Sanford Stadium rocking next Saturday.
Buzzy Rosenberg
September 28th, 2009
12:01 am
Enter your comments here Quick! Hire Arizona State’s defensive coordinator now. THAT’S defense!
honest_abe
September 28th, 2009
4:55 am
meansonny i was thinking the same thing this morning. the o line has been a dissappointment. but stacy searels is regarded as one of the best in the business. i’m kind of confused as to why the moronic fringe isn’t calling for his head… lol
seriously though why’d they mess the line? i thought they played well last week. and then they shuffle vince back inside? is it because of the false starts? kid’s got talent but seems very prone to make mistakes.
thought rambo really stepped it up this past weekend. reshad jones has been a major bust.
hey bugkiller reshad jones would be eric berry with a diff coordinator right? HAHAHAH
BuLLdawg
September 28th, 2009
5:35 am
They give Reshad Jones NO coaching. Every play, play after play, he makes DIRTY PLAYS.
Still, nothing.
Gets burned.
Nothing.
Just send him back out.
Yellow Fuzz
September 28th, 2009
6:15 am
Here’s the deal. No one on the O line is great and many are not even good (by SEC standards).
But you guys are caught off guard because you have read about them so many times through their recruitment, their red shirst seaons, etc, etc. They are famous, so you just thought they were good. It’s called Koolaid. The only good thing about the O line is Searles.
BuLLdawg
September 28th, 2009
6:40 am
Our Offensive Line simply cannot block for the run against the good teams we play :
Number 12 AP Oklahoma State
Number 29 AP South Carolina
Number 04 AP LSU
Number 01 AP Florida
Number 26 AP Auburn
Number 27 AP Georgia Tech.
All Georgia Tech has, besides us, is :
Number 06 AP Virginia Tech
Number 22 AP Miami of Florida who slaughtered Georgia Tech.
THIS is why Georgia Tech’s Strength of Schedule for this season, is :
Number 45 SoS Georgia Tech
Number 4 Sos The University of Georgia.
Shut your pie holes Tech fans (both of you.)
Murray Hill
September 28th, 2009
7:06 am
BuLLdawg- even simpletons as yourself should know that the rankings right now are ridiculous. Does LSU look like the 4th best team in the country to you? Did you see that Cal got beaten 42-3 Saturday and they are still ranked? SOS is based on these silly rankings.
DanDawg
September 28th, 2009
7:52 am
SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!
JoeDon
September 28th, 2009
8:29 am
Georgia is laughable. There’s no leadership from Richt on the sidelines or the QB on the field. We’re going to get murdered from here on out this season.
Yellow Fuzz
September 28th, 2009
8:31 am
Stop living in the past dog nation. You are no better than Tech. In fact, you are worse (45-42). And your stadium and campus is a pigsty!
shards1967
September 28th, 2009
10:14 am
In December of 08, I said that “we will see a change in the UGA football program, come Dec of 09″. We are fast approaching that date and also a 6-6 season. The alumni and key administators will not stand for that. We will see that the offense was vastly over rated AND that the D staff and players, simply are not of the upper echelon quality needed to compete at the highest levels of the SEC.
Music City and another bitter loss to tech are fast approaching. History reveals that with two staright losses to Tech, begets UGA a new coach. We are on that track.
Be patient …………..change we can count on……. December 2009.
UGA class of 73
BufordDawg
September 28th, 2009
10:17 am
Better to be lucky than well coached. We’ll see how long that luck holds out.
how2fish
September 28th, 2009
10:31 am
Hey Tech must have won a game Yellow Fuzz is back…bet it doesn’t last.And our O line is middle of the pack for the SEC…they will STILL stomp a new mudhole in the Bugs..Nov 28th buggies getting closer…and folks we won this week..if and I know its a big IF we can prevail at LSU…we get the Vols..a week off and then the WLOCP..best hold on tight with this team this year will be a WILD RIDE..
Yellow Fuzz
September 28th, 2009
10:57 am
How2fish,
“Nov 28th getting closer”.
You damn right it is. And as I recall, you were barking mighty loud this time last year as your team was also working its way down the polls. In fact, I recall you were feeling pretty froggy the week we played your fugly azzes and you were talking smack on here all during the first half. That’s when the world changed for the dog nation. That’s when you took your 26-0, wet puppy, bitch slapping. You may want to think twice before you put your foot in your big mouth again this year, azzhole!
billytdoogan
September 28th, 2009
11:13 am
Enter your comments herethe amazing thing is you people still think bobo calls the plays
Kendawg
September 28th, 2009
11:23 am
It’s hard to believe anyone is ripping the defense today. They gave up only 10 points against a BCS school, and 7 of those points were on a very short field. I think only one player at UGA was better at his position than A J Green. He is fantastic. Herschel is the only Bulldog that I would say has been better at his position.
AltamahaDawg
September 28th, 2009
12:02 pm
abe, I was wondering that myself, in fact, asked the same question elsewhere. Searels is the O-line Coach and the Running Game Co-ordinator. Lack of production from that aspect as well as the majority of penalties and TO, have been square on his shoulders this year. All this “accountability” and demanding of better coaching performance, and YET, I don’t believe I have read one single mention of his name this entire year. Defense has been pretty good half the games so far. Running game by comparison is way behind that.
go dawgs
September 28th, 2009
12:29 pm
we’ve shown we can play well both offensively and defensively. We just need to do both in same game.
how2fish
September 28th, 2009
12:49 pm
Yellow Fuzz I’m not backing now you and the buggies will do on Nov 28th what you do 3-4 times and week at you world renowed tickle piles GO DOWN!!
Super dog
September 28th, 2009
1:00 pm
KenDawg AltamahaDawg
If you really think the defense was that great I hope you taped the game and re-watch.
Go back and watch how many times their QB who was 10-32 over threw wide open recievers not to mention their running back who did a fine job of running up and down on us.
Now had the QB would have completed a few more passes Im afraid to say there would not have been a happy outcome.
The defense looked the same, wide open people all over the field. I think we just benefited from a wet ball. They became one dimensional with the run and we finally stopped it.
Again I wish I could say the defense has changed but after watching coach Willie for 5 yrs its a Corso “Not So Fast” momment
Blue
September 28th, 2009
1:44 pm
Dawggrl; TIRED of UGA fans complaining about refs. Heard it after Bama and FL losses last year, heard it after OK State loss this year. QUIT YOUR CRYING. Put yourself in a position (by not turning the ball over) where officials calls don’t make the difference. And do you think that there were no missed calls the other way??
Super dog
September 28th, 2009
1:49 pm
BLUE
Good wake call comment
That70sGAdawg
September 28th, 2009
2:19 pm
FUHaterz: Instead of just picking grammar/typo fights, and bashing GA “realist”, how about some insightful comments??
Nobody said that Goff and Donnan daze were better, but is likely that everyone now plainly sees the weak Defensive and Special teams coaching since the West Va Sugar bowl when Willie was first in charge. You can love the dogs and point out weakness to make them better. If you hate FL so much, how can you live the last 15 years with ANY GA team. I watched our late 70’s – early 80’s team dominate FL EVERY year, so I know what good coached teams can do- with lesser players. Let the fans and alumni alike speak- it’s a free country last time I checked!!
Yellow Fuzz
September 28th, 2009
2:26 pm
How2fish
Nice use of the English language. Did you also get your Journalism degree for georgia?
AltamahaDawg
September 28th, 2009
3:08 pm
Super dog. I am sure of what I said, and what I meant by it, despite you trying to change the point. My point remains. And it had nothing to do with anyone saying our defense was “great”.
But you are just illistrated what I was saying. To you the game was about how 112 yards is “running all over us”, which it ain’t, and in reality our rushing attack was ever worse that that. And has been for 4 weeks. And our one loss is directly a result of that while at least our defense has done what it took to win.
I don’t know what to tell you about the defense being the same ‘ol. Holding somebody to 200 yard of offense, lousy per play average, lousy 3rd down conversion, 7 points, a sack, 9 TFL, 3 pass break up, 1 int, several rushed passes, doesn’t sound all that bad to me. I wish that were the same ‘ol thing. I’d take it every same ‘ol time.