Georgia proves only it also can lose a close game to Florida
Aaron Murray led rally but had too many mistakes in his first Florida game. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
JACKSONVILLE — It wasn’t humiliating. Is that better? After two mostly miserable decades in this rivalry and consecutive dismemberings of 49-10 and 41-17, should it feel better to know Georgia walked off the field and could have won?
“No — it’s a loss,” Akeem Dent said.
“An L is an L,” A.J. Green said.
“This kind of hurt more,” Washaun Ealey said.
Georgia came close Saturday. That shouldn’t be the objective.
Maybe comebacks say something about a team’s character. Maybe the Bulldogs grew up a little in the second half. Maybe the quarterback won’t have early-game jitters next time. Maybe one year again, they’ll actually beat Florida.
But this program should not be about gauging the degree of severity of losses.
They lost in overtime 34-31. They showed remarkable resolve by rallying from a 21-7 halftime deficit to tie it twice, the last time at 31-31 with 4:36 left in regulation. That’s certainly more resiliency and substance that the past two Georgia teams showed in Jacksonville.
A.J. Green's 15-yard touchdown sent the game into overtime.
But here’s the reality check. This is not a great Florida team. It entered with its worst regular-season losing streak in 22 years. This is certainly the worst team Urban Meyer ever has fielded. It’s so bad that a 4-4 Georgia team on the wrong end of a lopsided rivalry was favored.
The Dogs lost anyway. That makes 18 in the past 21 years.
“I really don’t look at it like that,” said athletic director Greg McGarity. “College players have a two- or three-year window. They weren’t here the whole time.”
He is right about that. The real problem is that the one-year view is no better.
At 3-4 in the SEC, they are dead in the conference race.
At 4-5 overall, they are clinging only to mathematical possibilities for a lower-tier bowl.
The Liberty Bowl never should be the objective.
Green has been through three of these Florida games now. He probably won’t go through a fourth. The NFL calls. But it will take some time to forget this one.
“I swear I thought we were going to win this,” he said.
The loss dropped Georgia to 4-5 and Mark Richt to 2-8 against Florida. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
The comeback started with a field goal in the third quarter, making it 21-10. The Georgia scored touchdowns on its next three possessions. Murray, after completing only 5 of 14 passes with two interceptions in the first half, went 13-for-21 with two touchdowns in the second.
And we wondered: “Where did this team come from?”
“We were clicking on all cylinders,” Green said. “We had the momentum.”
Trailing 31-24, Murray drove the Dogs from midfield with under seven minutes left. On third-and-goal from the 15, he found Green in the middle of the end zone to tie the score. The teams went to overtime.
One more Murray mistake decided it. He tried to hit Green in the corner of the end zone, but the pass was tipped by linebacker Jelani Jones and intercepted at the 11 by safety Will Hill. (He nearly returned it for a touchdown but was pushed out of bounds at the 4-yard line by Tavarres King.)
Murray on the interception: “I’ve just got to learn from it. I wish I could take that throw back.”
The Gators got the ball back and ran three plays before Chas Henry’s game-winning 37-yard field goal.
Green, as a member of the field-goal block team, had a close-up view.
“I felt like I was going to block it,” he said. “It was real close.”
How close?
“I could feel the wind from the ball. Then I turned around and thought, ‘Dang.’ I was hoping a bird would fly down and knock it down.”
That just doesn’t happen in this rivalry. Things go wrong. Meyer justifiably gets torched for deciding to bring “Time To Die” guy, Chris Rainey back from suspension for this game.
What happens? Rainey scores the game’s first touchdown on a 20-yard run.
But this was less about Rainey than it was about Georgia. The Dogs are better than they were at 1-4. But not a lot. Beating Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky doesn’t prove a lot. Nor does losing close. It just makes for a little more pain and a little less humiliation.
♦
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1,166 comments Add your comment
Dookie
October 31st, 2010
12:26 am
Georgia Fan:
The failure in your arguement is the fixation with ‘everywhere’…it is not this ridiculous everywhere. It is is some places, but this is getting extreme.
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
12:26 am
Man Oregon’s offense does not stop for anybody. They ran and threw all over the great Monte Kiffin.
I guess Chip Kelly was not impressed by Montes “Tampa 2″ defense. haha!
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:26 am
Deuces and GO GATORS.
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
12:27 am
Well dawgies. Looks like it’s time to fire up the old Lindsay Scott-Lindsay Scott cassette tape from days of yore. I see weedeaeters falling out of the sky.
Dr. Phil
October 31st, 2010
12:27 am
If one measures the size of their dick by wins of the home team…
can you say 3/21st. That’s 1/7 of an inch for you UGA boys.
Look at the bright side
October 31st, 2010
12:27 am
at least our coach isn’t a gynecomastic douche bag trying to run a gimmick offense in a turd of a “stadium”
KimZ'spackage
October 31st, 2010
12:28 am
What every DAWGS says to God at the pearly gates and after October.
Wait Until Next Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look at the bright side
October 31st, 2010
12:29 am
at least it’s still 30-24 and 73-66 over the both highly ranked yellow bee(yatche)s
Georgia Fan
October 31st, 2010
12:29 am
Dookie, I think what makes UGA fans so crazy is that if you look at the number of players in the nfl by state, Georgia is right there with Lousiana and just behind the big 3- Florida, Texas, and California, and ahead of Ohio and Pennsylvania. It seems logical that they wonder why they can’t make a run at a national title every few year or so.
Willie M.
October 31st, 2010
12:29 am
How’s the defense this year?
atlborn
October 31st, 2010
12:29 am
CMR has to go. I like him plenty but he can’t seem to beat UF. If you can”t beat UF you don’t have a good chance of winning the SEC east div. If you don’t win the east then you don’t play for the SEC title. If you don’t play for the title you wonn’t play for the national title. I wish CMR well but we need someone that can win titles.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:29 am
I actually liked some of the things I saw from UT. They will be the 2nd best team in the East next year. I am more worried about UT than UGA next year. I thought ya’ll would have tenderized the dawg this year. Ya’ll will next year.
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
12:30 am
Yea I guess us Dawg fans will just have to dust off our technicolor Herschel Walker DVD’s and relieve the “glory” of the 80’s. I know Its pathetic but that’s ALL WE GOT!
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
12:30 am
Hey, dawgies. I ran across a photo of your last national championship. Well, it may have been a daguerreotype.
Dawggonit
October 31st, 2010
12:31 am
There’s no reason to let today’s disappointment overshadow our three big wins over Vandy, Kentucky and Tennessee. Those programs are more on our level.
Reality
October 31st, 2010
12:31 am
Georgia Fan,
Want a history lesson?
Inbred Dawg
October 31st, 2010
12:31 am
I dunn figgered a way fer us Dawgs to winn the SEC East. All weez gotta do is two kiddnapp Urbin Mayer and Steve Sperrior and hold thim fer ransum. There teems wont bee abil to play inny moore games and we Dawgs can winn the East. What do yall thank about that fine idea of mines? Go Dawgs….woof woof arf arf
Steelers Fans
October 31st, 2010
12:31 am
Fake Urban Meyer- and you’re a douchebag
Dookie
October 31st, 2010
12:31 am
Georgia Fan:
That’s what kills you guys…you have to let go of that. You had one Herschel and Buck run, may not happen again, maybe it will, but don’t hold your breath.
The Thin Guy
October 31st, 2010
12:31 am
Take away Auburn’s QB and they wouldn’t be any better than UGHA. And they have to worry about Bama whilst Richie Rich owns Tech. Yep. The Pooches will beat the North Alabama Tractor School and cost them their No 1 ranking. Coach Richie Rich will win SEC Coach of the Year and get a 30 year contract extension. Heck. UGHA beat Kentucky who beat South Carolina who beat Bama who was No. 1. What you’all whining about?
GH
October 31st, 2010
12:31 am
I am done supporting the current staff.
Today was the last straw.
I would be fired if I repeatedly, annually, failed to perform.
The entire staff, from the head coach to the lowest grad assistant; they all should be fired tomorrow.
I love my alma mater, but I am fed-up with our football program.
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
12:32 am
UT is going to be a great football team shortly. I don’t necessarily agree about next year, but in 2012 watch out!
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:33 am
See, I told ya’ll about Steeler fans. They are an uncivilized bunch and you would think they have won 30 world titles. Just like Cowboy fans.
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
12:33 am
I heard that after today’s game, there’s a big change in order for the phrase “until hell freezes over.”
Bubba Dawg
October 31st, 2010
12:34 am
I need ’space’ for my ‘Winnebago’ for the Idaho St game. Any suggestions?
Look at the bright side
October 31st, 2010
12:34 am
Fake Urban Meyer (Trekkie Douche Pretending to Be A Florida Fan)
What have you seen from UT this year that you like? Incompetence, Bad Coaching, Lack of Talent?
Dooley will fail – count on it.
He’s never proven hmself just like Lane.
The only thing you have to worry about is hearing “Hi, I’m Chris Hansen from Dateline NBC”.
Dookie
October 31st, 2010
12:34 am
Geogia Fan,
I am out…continue being a fan, but don’t get too delirious or it will ruin the whole point of following the game. It also gives the ‘other fans’ more ammo against your fan base.
Bubba
October 31st, 2010
12:36 am
We’re gonna kick Idaho St.’s 1-AA ass
Steelers Fans
October 31st, 2010
12:36 am
Fake Urban Meyer- don’t compare us to Cowboy fans, we have more rings than them… than anyone, including you d-bag.
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
12:36 am
I hear God sets His clock for anthropological era changes by mutt victories over the Gators.
Dawh87
October 31st, 2010
12:36 am
Damn right we are.
Dawg87
October 31st, 2010
12:37 am
Damn right!
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
12:37 am
Facts are stubborn things,
We continue to choke, they continue to whip us while the players change but the result remains the same.
I’m not embarrassed for recognizing the obvious.
all rightie then
October 31st, 2010
12:37 am
stiggywiggy that’s cold! lol
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:37 am
Dooley will not fail. Look at what he took over. A program in disarray after the coach left after one year. A tough lost to Horsehoe Miles. UT is playing harder than UGA. Next year UT will beat UGA. Accept it and it will not hurt as much.
Georgia Fan
October 31st, 2010
12:37 am
Dookie, later- agreed but I’m just saying… we’re far from alone!
Dawg87
October 31st, 2010
12:38 am
Go Dawgs. Anybody got some camp site info in Shreveport?
Look at the bright side
October 31st, 2010
12:38 am
Dooley will fail
I’m not worrried at all
He’s never done anything anywhere
'92Dawg
October 31st, 2010
12:39 am
I’m as frustrated as the next fan, but there is no way you fire someone who has accomplished what Richt has and brings in the type talent he does. Look at Bear Bryants 10-11th seasons. Maybe they should have fired Beamer at VT after a few seasons? These are close losses and we could be undefeated. We are only a handful of plays from being ranked right with Auburn. Support your coach and team!
Dawggonit
October 31st, 2010
12:39 am
I’m so disgusted with Richt that I can’t even watch Helen Hunt movies anymore.
Les Miles Clock Management Team
October 31st, 2010
12:40 am
Dawggonit- you, sir, are awesome.
Dawg87
October 31st, 2010
12:40 am
Go Dawgs. What about campsites near Nashville in case we step up
Chuck Uga
October 31st, 2010
12:41 am
GR82BAG8R,
Exactly how will be go 7-5 this year? You think we can beat Auburn? ROTFLMAO!!! Can Newton has already scored twice, and we are two weeks away from that game. Only a complete moron would think we could win that game. We are going to be playing Tech for a non-losing season. At 6-6, we should NOT accept a bowl. If Tech wins, moot point.
On another note, what a complete waste AJ Green has been at Georgia his final year..
rickINcali
October 31st, 2010
12:42 am
Different year, same result!!…….Go Gators!!!
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
12:42 am
Fake Urban is right.
playing much harder the UGA. They are disceplined, well coached, never quit and play hard for 4 quarters.
Basically the exact opposite of a Coach Valium i.e. Mark Richt led football team. Once they get a little more talent and little more experience they will go back to beating us like they use to in the 90’s.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:42 am
Dooley leads UT to a victory over the world beater UGA dawgs by 14 points next years. Dooley, who use to be a ball boy at UGA, says he was inspired by the way UF has handled Georgia over the past 20 years…
Remember, you heard it here first.
Dawg95
October 31st, 2010
12:42 am
I’ve got room next to my RV
all rightie then
October 31st, 2010
12:43 am
Dawg87 No Shreveport this year- try Birmingham if ya get by Idaho St and Tech
yech fan
October 31st, 2010
12:43 am
id rather look good and lose
Bulldog Drummond
October 31st, 2010
12:43 am
We ain’t never shoulda stopmed up and down in that gater bole end zone back a few years ago. That warn’t polite. We wuz askin’ fer it. Fervever. God don’t forgive stuff like that there.