Georgia loses to Kentucky, and the song stays the same
This is the picture? Do you really need to know more? An interception by Kentucky's Shane McCord of a Joe Cox pass set up the Wildcats' winning touchdown in a 34-27 upset of the Dogs.
ATHENS — They got bruised in Stillwater, blindsided in Knoxville and humbled in Jacksonville. Also, their dog died.
Nobody intended for Georgia’s season to unfold like a country-western song. It just sort of turned out that way.
So what were the objectives Saturday night? Easy. To create a memory for seniors who were playing their final game in Sanford Stadium. To diminish chances of the season ending in Shreveport. To look convincing enough in a win over Kentucky — whose 6-4 record entering the night mirrored Georgia’s — that the Bulldogs’ somewhat jaded fan base would start salivating over a possible upset next week on North Ave.
They whiffed.
With representatives from the Independence and Liberty Bowls in attendance, the Bulldogs held a 20-6 halftime lead over Kentucky, then unraveled like they have far too often. They committed four second-half turnovers. The Wildcats scored four touchdowns. Georgia went down, 34-27, in its final home game of the season, and it’s just as well because there probably are not a lot of folks around Athens who wanted to be subjected to another game this season, anyway.
Mark Richt is going to have a chore trying to keep his players pumped up after this one.
Most fans in the students section wore black. At this point, we can’t be certain if they were mourning the sudden loss of Uga VII, or the passing of significant bowl game hopes.
The Dogs just lost a home game to Kentucky for the first time in 32 years. Their record is now 6-5. It’s the most losses ever for a Mark Richt team. They would need to upset Georgia Tech and win whatever low-grade bowl game that takes them just to match Richt’s all-time low win total at Georgia in 2001 (final record: 8-4).
By any measure, it has been a dreadful season.
This won’t make things any easier for Richt. He has been fielding questions about the future of the program and what changes he might make, both in direction and his coaching staff. All this has been going with games still left in the season. Richt has been trying to lay out some tangible goals for his players –one of them was to close the season with five straight wins, which would have led to a respectable final record of 9-4.
Last week, the Dogs responded with a win over Auburn in possibly the team’s best performance of the year. But this was one of their worst — at least the second half was.
It looked like it might be an easy night. Four straight scoring possessions (two touchdowns, two field goals) to close the first half gave the Bulldogs a 20-6 lead. But if you throw out the Tennessee Tech game, do you know how many easy games this team has had this season? Zero. What could not have been predictable was a complete collapse.
It started when Branden Smith fumbled the second-half kickoff return. That set up one Kentucky touchdown. Joe Cox connected with Rantavious Wooten for a 43-yard touchdown to restore the Dogs’ 14-point lead at 27-13. But no lead has been safe with Georgia’s defense, not even against pedestrian teams like Kentucky. It’s why defensive coordinator Willie Martinez may have coached his final game in Athens, at least as the defensive coordinator.
The defense did nothing to help secure Martinez’s future. Late in the third quarter, the Wildcats closed to 27-20 when quarterback Morgan Newton hit La’Rod King for a 21-yard score. Early in the fourth, tailback Derrick Locke got behind the defense down the left sideline, snared a pass from Newton and blasted off for a 60-yard touchdown, tying the game.
Instead of responding with a score, Georgia responded with a meltdown. On the ensuing drive, Cox threw a pass over the middle right to defensive tackle Shane McCord. That set up the Cats at the Dogs’ 8-yard-line and led to Randall Cobb’s second TD of the game and a 34-27 Kentucky lead.
The meltdown was soon complete: While driving for a would-be tying score, Washaun Ealey fumbled a pitch at Kentucky’s one-yard line with 2:21 left. Another possession ended with an inteception. Checkmate.
This was not how Georgia expected its final home game to go. But it also didn’t expect the losses to Oklahoma State and Tennessee and so many other messes this season. The song never changed.
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1,377 comments Add your comment
HATinGA
November 22nd, 2009
5:39 am
When you are sinking you have to hit bottom before you can push off and start back up, GOD I hope that was the BOTTOM!!
To all you Jacket bloggers
November 22nd, 2009
5:47 am
Hey Techsters,
You have accomplished basically nothing over the last 10 years, so shut up and learn some class. After you win a BCS bowl game, then you can talk smak, but until then please shut the heck up. You are all acting like a bunch of 7 year olds. I actually like Tech and CPJ, but you guys are turning me off as I am sure others feel the same as I. Look until you can consistently sell out your little small match box stadium, don’t say a damn thing about UGA fans leaving early. We sell out 92K week in and week out. The fans made their statement about the sorry product that was on the field by leaving early.
Spacedawg
November 22nd, 2009
5:47 am
Every team has a bad year! Our SEC neighbor to the south doesn’t. Even when Zook was there he would find away to only lose 5, We are wasting our time if we don’t fire Richt now. We will not turn this around. Next year we will be playing without an experienced quarterback (just like we were this year) and the whole interior defensive line will be brand new. And we will still lead the SEC and most of the world in penalties because our kids just don’t care. Look at Butler’s friggin face mask penalty tonight for instance. And to top it all off Richt will not fire his coordinators. He will not bow to pressure from the fans and media. He is too much like his mentor Satan Bobby.
DAWG gone it!
November 22nd, 2009
5:50 am
We are just awful. The 2009 DAWGS are just a train wreck into a hospital. This season has been painful to watch. No joy whatsoever. I see no hope for the future. I just don’t know to think except I have much better things to do than pay attention to this mess.
....KFC
November 22nd, 2009
5:50 am
…………..Kentucky Fried COX
'65 DAWG
November 22nd, 2009
5:54 am
I keep telling you. Cut off the money – it’s the only way for change.
Yes We Can!!!!!!!
November 22nd, 2009
5:58 am
Dawg Nation,
If we raise enough hell we can influence change on our beloved men’s sports programs in Athens. We just need to stay the course and campaign like mad dawgs until Evans and Richt are gone. If Barrack Hussein Obama can get elected, then I know that this proves anything can happen. This has been a depressing year for football, basketball, and politics. I say let’s campaign for the TCU coach, the UCONN coach, the CINCI coach, or hell, I would love to have Urban Meyer. I want a winner dang it!!!!!! I am sick and tired of this hypocrisy in Athens. Choir boy coach and his team leads the nation in penalties, and I still say the stupid celebration penalty in Florida 2 years ago is what started all of this mess. Richt should have been fined 50K for that crap. It was classless and has fostered a very undisciplined culture. Damon, grow some nads and address this issue. Adams, I believe you already have some nads, so check Damon on Monday, and if he has not grown any by then, then dang it, you cut some heads off. We are disgusted with this crap. Since Richt has been in office we are probably in the top 3 cumulatively in recruiting and our fans and students have to put up with these results? This is rediculous!!!! Do something soon or I am done with UGAG.
Colonel Sanders
November 22nd, 2009
6:06 am
Gainesville, Jacksonville, Knoxville, ATHENS.
It’s all the same.
The Willie Bobo Show must go.
HATinGA
November 22nd, 2009
6:06 am
The fact that this hole season has gone and yet he wont change QBs tells just how bad CMR hates to change. Cox has been horrid yet he is still the starter, unreal! We still dont know what we have behind him!
Yes We Can!!!!!!!
November 22nd, 2009
6:08 am
If BHO can get elected, then anything can happen. We need to lobby like crazy to get Richt out of office. Evans grow some nads and make change immediately. We deserve better than this crap. Since Richt took office we have probably recruited better than any team in the country and these are the results we get? These coaches and the AD are pathetic excuses for leaders of our football program. ‘65 Dawg you are dead on. Cut the money off and Adams will take care of this crap if Evans can’t. Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting. I said before the first game of the season that Cox is at best a D2 QB. But Mr. Celebration is so damn stubborn that he just would not pull that red shirt off of Murray. Now we have the same situation going into next year. All of this crap started 2 years ago when Mr. Hypocrisy pulled that stupid end zone celebration stunt in Jacksonville. That was classless and he should have been fired for that. We have been targeted every since that happened. I am sorry, I did not like us doing that crap then and I am still pissed about it. Richt doesn’t have a clue. The infamous celebration penalty has fostered a culture of undisciplined punks. It is embarrassing to our state. I know that if BHO can get elected, then we should be able to unseat Richt and his sorry staff.
Shreveport Weed Eater Bowl
November 22nd, 2009
6:12 am
Richt has this team in shambles.
Boots
November 22nd, 2009
6:12 am
That poor dog, Uga VII, died of a broken heart.
It bordered on animal cruelty to force that poor dog to watch UGA play every Saturday. Rest in peace. You were a damn good dog who represented a pizz poor team.
Tampa Wreck
November 22nd, 2009
6:14 am
Tough loss and tough year for the dawgies. That said, I’m still worried about next weeks game. You guys have the talent to beat anybody, and you’ve shown it in flashes. Just can’t seem to eliminate the stupid penalties and turnovers. Nobody wins turning the ball over as much as the dawgs have this year. However, eliminate the turnovers and penalties, and you’ll give Tech all they can handle next week. I don’t think you can stop the Tech offense, but our defense is still very suspect and likely not any better than yours. Tech is very beatable..
The real difference in the two teams this year is turnovers. Tech has done a great job this year in limiting turnovers, even with all the pitches, and UGA can’t seem to hold onto the ball. If that stat reverses next week, you will win.
I’ll have to admit that in past years, I was a little envious of y’all having CMR. The man can flat out recruit some talent. But the problems you’ve had the last two years are clearly coaching. Terrible to watch all that talent wasted. Will be interesting to see if CMR addresses in off-season. With the right moves, you can be back to top ten quickly (even next year). Let this go on another year, and you do permanent damage to your recruiting.
gators81
November 22nd, 2009
6:18 am
boy….your program is in shambles!!!….and i, for one, am loving every second of it. fsu /ga…it’s all the same to us…no longer relevant!!
17 of 20
November 22nd, 2009
6:20 am
Georgia has the best coaches in the south; please leave them alone.
Gman
November 22nd, 2009
6:21 am
UGA Class of 77 and I hope Tech beats us so bad that the fans leave at halftime. This will force Evans to Sh*t or get off the pot.
Spacedawg
November 22nd, 2009
6:21 am
AD Evans, maybe you should take a cue from your AD colleague at Georgia Southern. He didn’t pussyfoot around. Hatcher did not get the job done and was shown the door. Hatch go back to VSU they miss you.
Spacedawg
November 22nd, 2009
6:23 am
Hey yes we can. Your redneck is showing.
We need a lively HC!!!!!
November 22nd, 2009
6:24 am
Mr. Evans, did you see that crap of a game last night? I hope so, and I hope that this loss will be the straw that broke the camel’s back. There are many excellent young and energetic coaches out there who would love to get a gig like UGA. Get one of these guys in here that understands that it all starts up front. While Richt has done an exceptional job of recruiting athletes, he has failed miserably where it counts most: on the offensive and defensive lines. Do something quick. Your fans deserve better than this ugly team with no identity. Well, I take that back, they have an identity of a bunch of spoiled brat 10 year olds. They take the easy way out. Their work ethic is pitiful. Look closely at our fundamentals. I cannot ever remember a UGA team that tackles and blocks as poorly as we do. It’s pathetic. GT is going to win by at least 30. I’ll bet right now that the spread will be 19. If you need to establish a baseline of characterics of a good coach to use for your next search, then see CPJ.
Yes We Can!!!!!!!!
November 22nd, 2009
6:26 am
No Spacedawg, your ignorance is showing.
rosezee
November 22nd, 2009
6:30 am
What do you think our record would be if Saban was coaching this team? Do you think we would be one of the most penalized teams in the nation for two years running? Do you think we would be such an undisciplined team or one that consistently underachieves? The braintrust running this program is as bright as a 20 watt bulb and if anyone expects anything different with the same bunch of BoBos running this outfit needs to have their head examined.
cat power
November 22nd, 2009
6:30 am
I posted only once on a different blog leading up to this game. I stated that it seemed that most (probably 95%) of the posts were about GA-GT and not our game. I’m not here to rub any salt into a large open wound, but I’m not sure your team was as focused as they needed to be. After making adjustments in the 2nd half UK was successful. Your team didn’t make adjustments, or simply thought they didn’t need to. I thought it was a great game and a nail biter at the end. The breaks went our way and we won; it could have been the other way just as easily.
I will say that I was extremely disappointed when I returned to my SUV to find that my flags had been cut off and the driver’s side had been keyed. I honestly just don’t understand the reason for someone to do that. It’s not as if we have dominated GA or did anything in the game except try to win it fairly. The Budweiser can left on my hood points to the answer perhaps… just too much alcohol. I must say this is my last visit to Athens. Great city and campus, but a disappointing visit even with the win.
Best of luck next week out of conference. Go SEC. GO CATS!!!
Sun Devil Dave
November 22nd, 2009
6:33 am
OMG – Coach, please tell your team to aim high not for their foot!!!!!!!!! BTW, fumbalina is a great name. To Kentucky of all team!! KENTUCKY!! Shrevport get ready, the bumkins are a coming.
17 of 20
November 22nd, 2009
6:33 am
The cats and dogs are good buddies.
MrZip
November 22nd, 2009
6:33 am
Maybe whats needs to be done is what happened in statesboro yesterday after a win,georgia southern fired the head coach at 5;30 pm,the only thing wrong is they should have fired the athletic director along with him,start all over with new folks,the athletic director is a funny joke at statesboro,should have been fired years ago/////////
rosezee
November 22nd, 2009
6:36 am
If mangement doesnt change expect more of the same – if you were a talented young recruit with half a brain would you want to play for these idiots?
I'm Sorry to Cat Power
November 22nd, 2009
6:39 am
Cat Power, for what it’s worth, please accept my apology for the idiot that keyed your car and cut your flags. I can promise you that this type of behavior is indicative of UGA fans. I guarantee you that 99.9% of our fans are good sports. It is a shame that your visit to Athens was unpleasant and will lead to you never coming back. Best of luck to you and the cats!!!!!!
I'm Sorry to Cat Power
November 22nd, 2009
6:39 am
should have been “is not indicative”
17 of 20
November 22nd, 2009
6:43 am
The Georgia fans are for the most part are subdued, they are good losers.
Big Dawg 97
November 22nd, 2009
6:45 am
Don’t worry Dawg Fans, the Bull Dawgs will DESTROY the Jackets 49-7 !
Go Dawgs!
'65 DAWG
November 22nd, 2009
6:49 am
Tear up that contribution check to the UGA athletic association, tear up that check for UGA season tickets, and see what happens. You will get change!
Ole Dawg
November 22nd, 2009
6:51 am
Penalties and turnovers. The mark of an undisciplined team. Richt and his staff should have taken control of these things last season, but it’s gotten worse. Perhaps it’s time for some heads to roll.
Duluth Gator
November 22nd, 2009
6:52 am
Hard to figure the Dawgs. We went through a down time with the Zooker but everyone knew he was a bad coach. Richt’s biggest problem appears to be that they don’t have a real good quarterback and the penalties and turnovers. Losing Stafford and Moreno was huge and you don’t replace that kind of talent plus, A.J. being hurt was also a key factor in the game last night but, the turnovers are killing the Dawgs.
17 of 20
November 22nd, 2009
6:56 am
If the Georgia coaches take everyone dancing today then everything will be OK.
TS
November 22nd, 2009
6:58 am
Losing Stafford and Moreno was big but we have the talent there to replace them but for some reason they are on the bench. Aaron Murray should already be playing. This season has been bad but next season will not be much better because we will have quarterback issues again.
Let's hire CPJ
November 22nd, 2009
6:59 am
Let’s go after CPJ, we can afford to buy out that little measly contract the nerds are paying him. I know he would like to coach in the big time.
Paddy
November 22nd, 2009
7:00 am
I posted last week, we play KY not Tech next week. Poor preperation by our team and our fans!
Did Orson Charles go back to his dormroom at half time?
benny
November 22nd, 2009
7:01 am
I will say it again. I coached 2 players that were recruited and now play for UGA. When in high school they were benched for lack of heart, commitment and desire. One was more interested in the cheerleaders than in playing football. I told the recruiters this and have the emails. Why emails? Because the recruiters never talked to me and I was their defensive coach. These were not quality D-II players. As far as I know they were never seen in a game bu the recruiters. It was a letter writing campaign and edited video. Apparently UGA coaches think they can turn anyone around. Results show their lack of success.
mike
November 22nd, 2009
7:03 am
It looked like the ” DOG NATION ” has turned its rump to the team !!!! What loyalty !! GO JACKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Broken hearted in Atlanta
November 22nd, 2009
7:05 am
First it was UGA VII.
Then it was Oprah.
Now this.
The only ggod news is that I didn’t give a nickel to this crappy program in 2009.
SatchelBuzz
November 22nd, 2009
7:07 am
Jeff,…..ugag fans are “somewhat jaded?”. I’ll leave that one alone. Can’t wait to get them at our place. Beatdown is coming. That is all.
THWG!!!
GR82BAG8R
November 22nd, 2009
7:16 am
Tampa Wreck, you are correct. Georgia has the talent to beat Tech – - and they may well do it. That is why we play the games. All you Tech fans celebrating Georgia’s misery are going to be pretty sad if Georgia puts it together next Saturday. They have nothing to lose. What better way to save a season than to ruin that of your in-state rival.
Gdawg
November 22nd, 2009
7:20 am
SatchelBuzz why don’t you go back home to your mama. You are probably still there, living in the basement, eating their food, you jaded jerk! What has Tech done over the last 10 years? Enjoy this small window of success while you can, but until you win a BCS bowl game, don’t talk any smak. Remember, you guys tend to get choked up in your bowl games.
Gdawg
November 22nd, 2009
7:22 am
Benny, if you don’t mind saying, “what school did you coach at?”
Harry Dawg
November 22nd, 2009
7:23 am
Gymdogs rock!!!! The pride and joy of UGA athletics.
I say fire every coach except gymnastics and baseball……with a new AD doing all the firing and hiring.
Gdawg
November 22nd, 2009
7:23 am
I support Harry Dawg’s suggestion.
jerry
November 22nd, 2009
7:29 am
I suggest a new mascot. A bright yellow pussy cat. And it will be called Mascat.
c
November 22nd, 2009
7:30 am
who would you take from the GA TEAM FOR YOUR TEAM COACH RICHT, CWM , BOO BOO, COX , ANY OF THE LINEBACKERS (PLEASE DON’T SAY RENNIE) ANY OF THE LINEMAN, WHICH DB (BRANDON ) WHO WOULD YOU REALLY TAKE …….
jerry
November 22nd, 2009
7:30 am
I suggest a new mascot. A bright yellow pussycat. It will be called Mascat.
Reality
November 22nd, 2009
7:33 am
Big Dawg 97…that was afunny one.
Let’s Hire CPJ…..CPJ would not waste his time on your pathetic program.
GR82BAG8R….We are not worried after last night’s performance.
GDawg…..We will enjoy it. Lots of luck next week. You really are going to need it.
Go Jackets & Go Gators.