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.
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617 comments Add your comment
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
1:26 am
Please leave the politics out of the Dawg blog.
You want to listen to neal or rush or shaun fine.
Just not here please.
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
1:28 am
I’m gone.
Pleasent dreams every one
big dawg 89
September 27th, 2009
1:29 am
silver lining here, 3-1 and in my opinion only one way to go,,,,and that is up…don’t think we can get worse, do you?
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:31 am
yeah 45, but JSS is fair game. My family did not come to America til 1875. We missed the dustup. So I can make fun of an idiot just for the fun of it, without my non-pre-antebellum background. The family has been here in Augusta since 1878. We got nice housing cause Sherman never came by for a barbeque.
SC Dawg
September 27th, 2009
1:32 am
hey hamburger lips — the only joke is the school next to coke.
big dawg 89
September 27th, 2009
1:33 am
my nephew said Rambo would make some plays,,and he did… LSU is over-rated, we will take care of business next week
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
1:33 am
Well, hang on. We may need to revisit some civil war history tonight.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:34 am
big, never say that we cant get worse.
Fierce Dawg
September 27th, 2009
1:35 am
I have a GREAT idea. since most of the people on here have NO clue anyway, I say that anyone that WASN’T at that game tonight sitting in that crap for their team are not true fans and should not be allowed to post on here anymore. That ought to cut down on the ignorant crap on this site.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:37 am
My ancestors would have fought for the North with the most of the Irish. A great Irish regiment from Louisiana, part of the brigade that was the Louisiana Tigers. One heck of a regiment from Virginia that was on Marye’s Hill facing the Irish brigade. Slaughtered them behind fortificaitions.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:39 am
Fierce, I am changing my name to the blogger formerly known as Cuz.
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
1:40 am
Yeah you Confederate Propagandist?
Where shall we start. The War of Northern Aggression.
I thought we were the Georgia Bulldogs. Not the Mississippi Rebels.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:42 am
Blackout LSU. Blackout LSU.
No guts, no glory.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:44 am
Well to be honest 45. Both sides could have used Dr. Phil.
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
1:45 am
no knock on Mississippi indented.
Fierce Dawg
September 27th, 2009
1:46 am
anyway, apart from the ignorant a-holes and civil war gabble and what not, i am back home wet and sore, but happy. we are 3-1 even after not playing a complete game yet. the defense played much better, very proud of them, special teams were better, including AJ as our new addition to that bunch. Joe looked very confused at times, but Az State is from a major conference, its not like they dont know how to play football. they did very well at disguising their schemes and they confused Joe at times. wouldn’t have been that close without turnovers, and that can’t be the coaches fault. with the exception of short yardage play calling, i thought the coaching was decent tonight, including a slight drop in penalties.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:46 am
Actually 45, since I do not have a dawg in the fight, and I speak the truth. I am the Confederate Propagandist that he doth speak.
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
1:46 am
And yes it is indented.
JSS
September 27th, 2009
1:48 am
You stupid idiot, I wouldn’t waste my time with you if you were on fire in the middle of a gas filled tank… C’est la vie fool…
I’m 12th generation Georgian, now go give your next opponent more reason to wax your arses even worse than the Great Satan did last year…
Difference between a modern historian and Confederate propagandist: the modernist understands that States Rights is an out-dated oxymoron, and the rest of the Country has moved on to battling over what role localities will have in dealing with a centralized Federalist system… And this is my last statement ever to you… Go prop your ego somewhere else freak…
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:48 am
fierce, how sloppy was it in the stands? other than some drunk spilling his Jack Daniels.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:50 am
JSS. dont go away mad. I love destroying your massive ego. You are nowhere as smart as you think you are. Come back Dorothy. come back to Aunty Em.
TNDawg
September 27th, 2009
1:52 am
It’s funny how so many of you think UGA should be a title contender every year when Dooley, in all his greatness, did it exactly ONCE in 20+ years of coaching. Most of you would have fired Dooley long before 1980…..like the 2 years he went 5-5, 6-6 once……most of you are pathetic. Go home, sit on the couch and load up the VCR tapes of Donnan losing to Southern Miss, or 3 straight losses to GT.
I’ll tell you what– better yet, let’s call the AD and have him quit scheduling the OkStates and AzStates of the world and start scheduling Georgia Southern and New Mexico St again– who needs these games against BCS opponents???
UGA is 3-1 and 2-0 in the SEC. I’ll take it if you won’t.
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
1:52 am
I have many relatives that are Sons of Confederate Veterans.
They are no longer fighting any wars in the USA or dislike our northern brothers.
It’s about heritage and history not hate.
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
1:53 am
JSS, ever heard of the tenth ammendment? I bet you think it is as outdated as the second ammendment.
steve
September 27th, 2009
1:53 am
Am I the only person who has fighured out that on first down ga will hand the ball off to samuel up the middle and that usually gets us 2 yards. Then on 2nd and eight its the same thing. Bobo’s play calling is soooo predictable. On Ga’s second posession they threw the ball 4 times on first down and marched down the field and scored a TD. When will Bobo learn that 1st down is not a running down when your starting running back avg 2.5 yrds per carry
Fierce Dawg
September 27th, 2009
1:55 am
Cuz, it was dreadful for the first quarter, but after that it wasn’t bad. I just had to sit with a wet butt, wet thighs, and wet feet the rest of the night. that’s how you know you are a TRUE Bulldog.
Thomas
September 27th, 2009
1:55 am
“Georgia talent shows when u least expect it. Go DAWGS……Gators gotta go down!’
Dawggrl
September 27th, 2009
1:55 am
I will take it TNDawg. Fierce, I agree with you, we looked much better on D. AJ is a golden God and I can’t wait to watch what he does next. Monday I will be changing my desktop from the great Moreno hurdle of last year for the Green blocked field goal…
steve
September 27th, 2009
1:58 am
AJ Green reminds me so much of Plexico (without the handguns). He’s gonna be a stud in the NFL.
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
1:58 am
Cuz you have it wrong, It was the war of Indepence in the 1770’s not the war of 1812
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:01 am
you want to take me on in a war of history cuz you would lose lol
Fierce Dawg
September 27th, 2009
2:01 am
thats a good call dawggrl
steve
September 27th, 2009
2:01 am
cuz do us all a favor and Kill Yourself
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
2:02 am
And yes States Rights should be important to everyone.
Lately States Rights have become more and more relevant.
And they should.
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:02 am
cuz you must be a gamecock seems youre a little chicken lol
45ACP
September 27th, 2009
2:03 am
And I’m gone.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:06 am
cuz you run off and hide somewhere?
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
2:06 am
Now I have to tell the truth. My non-patronomics came over on the Mayflower and others settled at Fredricksburg VA near where Washington grew up. My last name ancestors were Irish and came to America in the late 1870’s. I actually have ancestors that fought in King Powhatan’s war, The French and Indian, The American Civil War of 1775 and every other except we quit at Nam. So what is the point, they were all Americans. JSS, you are a snob. But if you want to fight as a snob, can you beat a member of the Mayflower Society.
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:08 am
cuz come man go for it you afraid of a little history test lol
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:09 am
The American Civil War was not 1775 that was The American Revolution
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
2:09 am
old sounds like fun. And I agree, the war of 1812 was a rebellion, a second revoloution and a civil war or at least the first war between the states. Counting the New England states of course.
Kill myself, not hardly. I have a lot for which to live.
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:10 am
cuz you really have history screwed up lol
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
2:11 am
old, I respect your opinion. But the American revoloution was a civil war. You had neighbors fighting neighbors. Torys and rebels. Why was this not a civil war?
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:12 am
hey cuz lol
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:13 am
I guess you think Columbus Discovered America in 1750 or something like that lol
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:13 am
He wasnt even the first to do it anyway lol
BugKiller
September 27th, 2009
2:14 am
Things running through Tebow’s mind when he got hurt:
1) God won’t let me die a virgin!
2) Now who’s gonna perform unnecessary circumcisions without a mohel’s license on all those poor Philippine kids?
3) His offensive tackle’s knee!!!
…
…
… Too soon?
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
2:15 am
Amerigo Vespusios made it to America. LOL.
oldbrave
September 27th, 2009
2:16 am
To trully be in Civil War you have to be a Country we where not a contry but a British Colony The Revolutionay aganist the British Loylist The Troys was not a civil war
Cuz
September 27th, 2009
2:16 am
Actually the Icelanders made it to the Canadian islands first but who is counting.