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
Dawg95
October 31st, 2010
12:43 am
Shreveport or Nashville… I’m, there!
Look at the bright side
October 31st, 2010
12:44 am
41-14 – Great effort Vols
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
12:44 am
Dawggonit
October 31st, 2010
12:39 am
I’m so disgusted with Richt that I can’t even watch Helen Hunt movies anymore.
Bwaaa haha!
Dan Mullen
October 31st, 2010
12:44 am
I will continue to beat the Gators- you heard it here first.
Dawg95
October 31st, 2010
12:44 am
I didnt buy this 28 footer for nothin. Dogs are hale.
Jeff Davenport
October 31st, 2010
12:44 am
G8R8U2, just so we get all the facts straight, Rainey didnt threaten to hit a woman, he threatened to kill her. Just a small difference there that you might want to take on your little soapbox there.
And whether the name is Jenkins, Jones, or Jingleheimer, I dont remember seeing YOU out on the field at all today, so you can stop saying WE did this or that.
Maybe you should check how clear the view is from that glass house you’re in before you start throwing stones….
KimZ'spackage
October 31st, 2010
12:45 am
why don’t we talk about a team that weres Red and Black that want lose this weekend! The Falcons! Well they do have the week off, but I guess Ga took most of the weekend off too.
DawginTX
October 31st, 2010
12:45 am
In the past 21 years, there have been 8 games decided by a TD or less. We’re 1-7 in those games. Obviously, we’re cursed. I hope bad things happen to all Florida people.
Still proud to be a Dawg.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:46 am
@Look at the bright side,
After the UT game next year, I will be here and I will give you a “I told you so”.
Dawg95
October 31st, 2010
12:46 am
Yo Jeff D., you travlin to Shrevport?
Scoreboards
October 31st, 2010
12:46 am
Even though numerical, obviously can’t be understood by Tech Douches
Even if we suck, when we beat you – it means you suck more
jellybeandawg
October 31st, 2010
12:47 am
I support my team but the Coach and all of his Cult apologists are a Cancer and detriment to the program.
It is Cancerous supporters such as yourself who will keep UGA in mediocrity all because you choose to put a man ahead of the program.
You sir and your tumorous elk have done enough damage already.
Wawsaon Eeelie
October 31st, 2010
12:47 am
Anybody need a ride back to Athens?
all rightie then
October 31st, 2010
12:47 am
“The beatings will continue until morale improves.”
Scoreboards
October 31st, 2010
12:48 am
I’ll be waiting
I hope I’ll be able to sleep at night worrying about your prediction of the mighty “got my job because of my last name” beating us
KimZ'spackage
October 31st, 2010
12:48 am
Idaho St is a FCS team I don’t think that win will count towards 6 to go to a bowl. UGA needs to beat Auburn and Tech to get to 6 wins.
Les Miles Clock Management Team
October 31st, 2010
12:49 am
Fake Urban Meyer- when you lose your bowl game to some lame team from the Big 10 I will give you a”I told you so”.
Tony Barnhart
October 31st, 2010
12:49 am
I luv the dogs. I luv the dogs. I luv the dogs. SEC is the best. SEC is the best. SEC is the best. I luv the dogs.
Tony Barnhart
October 31st, 2010
12:50 am
And I’m Mr. COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:50 am
UGA is not significant in the national landscape anymore. Were they ever? Child please.
Dawg Fer Life
October 31st, 2010
12:50 am
We should fire UGA VIII. Why can’t we recruit winning mascots? Oh, we inbreed ‘em. I fergot.
TV Runs Football
October 31st, 2010
12:51 am
Foley made an agreement with CBS to keep the game close this year. The past two blowouts were bad for ratings. The outcome was never in doubt.
Jeremyisagator
October 31st, 2010
12:51 am
Don’t care what anyone on either side says, that was a heck of a game. Hard-fought on both sides…and to be honest, I can’t remember a game in which BOTH programs needed a win so badly. My hats are off to UGA and their players for fighting back so hard and playing so tough. You’ve got a good one in Murray…and I’m afraid his connection with Charles may be something we grow to hate over the next few years. I’ll enjoy this just like every other Gator fan…but as we’ve seen, these things go in cycles. And if I had to bet, seeing how much YOUNG talent there was tonight on both sides of the field, I’d say that both programs have a very bright future even though it doesn’t feel that way to either right now.
Go Gators, and see y’all again next year.
Les Miles Clock Management Team
October 31st, 2010
12:51 am
Tony Barnhart- should you be a fan of ACC- whose champ will have lost to both Boise State and James Madison?
SuperB
October 31st, 2010
12:52 am
Some facts:
* Urban Meyer is a superior coach to Mark Richt. He can coach rings around Richt.
* Who the Hell called the 3 plays in overtime? If Bobo, then he is an idiot.
* If Greg McGarity decides to continue playing in Jax every year– he needs to get fired!
* Sanders Commings is a waste of a uniform. He is awful, made 5 bad plays. and Rambo can’t catch.
* Georgia will NEVER beat Florida. It is so mental.
I am a Georgia grad and am sick of losing this AWAY game every year. If the Dawg fans want to go to Jax and play golf every year– OK. But we are in the business of winning FB games, not making birdies! THIS HAS TO STOP.
macrotech
October 31st, 2010
12:52 am
I know that there are a lot of frustrated fans posting on here. It’s understandable, but I think that uga will get back to their winning ways when Murray matures a bit. He’s got all the tools you’d want in your quarterback; he can hurt you with his arm and his legs. I agree with the earlier poster that mentioned his bad ’sense of timing’ when it comes to playing well and playing bad…this will be fixed as he gets more games under his belt. UGA will, more than likely lose Green after this season to the nfl…the dudes a beast, but this team will mature be strong. CMR, I’m certain, realizes this and knows that once they grow into their abilities uga will prove to be a tough team to beat. I’m not a dawg fan, but I can’t imagine CMR has forgotten what it takes to win…time will tell. Tough game, but a good one to watch. Either team could’ve won.
KimZ'spackage
October 31st, 2010
12:53 am
UGA always has the Fulmer Cup and the Red Panties for 2010
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:53 am
Les Miles is a clock management super genius. You are the George W. Bush of the SEC. You are just luck. Keep playing with your crayons.
Kirk Herbstreit
October 31st, 2010
12:53 am
Fake Urban Meyer- you’re unranked dude.
Pop Warner
October 31st, 2010
12:54 am
Hey dawgies, you’re not even in my league.
Georgia proves only it also can lose a close game to Florida … economic university
October 31st, 2010
12:54 am
[...] from: Georgia proves only it also can lose a close game to Florida … By admin | category: University of GEORGIA | tags: athletics, bets-now, bowl-eligible, [...]
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:55 am
Red Panties was pretty funny. I am Damon Evans. Please don’t arrest me. I am out with my girlfriend and we are just having a good time. C’mon man.
Les Miles Clock Management Team
October 31st, 2010
12:56 am
Fake Urban Meyer- What does that make you? Al Gore?
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:56 am
We will win the SEC.
Scoreboards
October 31st, 2010
12:56 am
Good one Pop,
What a barrell of laughs
You’re a comical genius
I really mean that
What whit and satire
I can hardly type as my hands shake from laughter
Douche
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:56 am
We did invent GATORADE. LOL.
KimZ'spackage
October 31st, 2010
12:57 am
Don’t forget Russ is gone and Big Bad Bruce is Uga VIII now. That has to make things change fot the Dawgs right?
Fake Urban Meyer
October 31st, 2010
12:57 am
Deuces.
Les Miles Clock Management Team
October 31st, 2010
12:57 am
Fake Urban Meyer- don’t forget jorts, you invented those as well.
stendek
October 31st, 2010
12:57 am
Will someone more educated in football please answer something for me? Is Aaron Murray FORCED to run play sent in by Mike Dodo even if play doomed from start? Is QB allowed to audible? Change play? Call out brainless offensive dunderhead? Saw Mark Wretch was all over Bulldog player for scoring first TD. No wonder players hesitant to venture into end zone. Hope defensive coordinator moves on after season. Know he is tired of self righteous shet from head coach. STENDEK
all rightie then
October 31st, 2010
12:58 am
“Please, sir, I want some more.”
Amos Alonzo Stagg
October 31st, 2010
12:58 am
What game were those men in red playing? I’m not familiar with it.
Message to UGA AD
October 31st, 2010
1:01 am
I’m an UGA alum and I’m sick of the current arrangement with UF. Who agreed to play them 11 on 11? It’s ridiculous! I will not give a dime to this program until we get to play with 12 players at a time.
I Bleed Red & Black & Blue
October 31st, 2010
1:02 am
Please do not despair, bulldawg nation. We are not mathematically eliminated quite yet. If Auburn’s team bus collides with South Carolina’s, we have an outside chance.
Les Miles Clock Management Team
October 31st, 2010
1:02 am
Amos Alonzo Stagg- what, you have a problem with Australian rules football?
macrotech
October 31st, 2010
1:04 am
stendek, if you’re serious in your query (I say that in hopes that you’re not being sarcastic), I’d be stunned if Murray has the responsibility of calling audibles at the line…he hasn’t been around long enough to see what the ‘D’ is doing before the snap. He HAS to understand what they’re doing after the snap which limits his options. He’s having to learn on the job and this will profit his game in the future, but not many freshman QBs get to call audibles.
KimZ'spackage
October 31st, 2010
1:04 am
What time does the game against Idaho St Kickoff? would that be Saturday morning at 9am with the other little league games at Chastain Park?
Message to SEC Commish
October 31st, 2010
1:04 am
Do we have to play Florida every year?
s fla dawg
October 31st, 2010
1:05 am
The issue is that Florida has better atheletes and they have made up their mind they will beat UGA no matter what it takes. Myer will recruit any thug to win and will continue to do so. Myer and Lane Kiffin are the worst coaches of character in the game. The good news is that Florida will lose 2 more times this year and maybe bring next years recruiting down a notch…but UGA is going to get it second class in a row of below average recruits…Auburn, Bama, South Carolina, LSU and Florida will continue to dominate the recruiting wars and UGA will get 2nd and 3rd tier players. Lets face…we have to give up the FLA game forever as long as Ritch is there. It has become a total mental thing. The only way for UGA to win the SEC will be for other teams like Miss. St. to beat Fla. and UGA can only hope that other SEC teams can beat them in the future. I am not sure that any coach coming in will beat Florida…it is just a huge mental things with UGA players…truth be know, they are not better atheletes…both FLA corners shut down AJ all night. AJ is great…but the FLa secondary had no problem shutting him down. Ultimately the game was lost with Murray’s turnovers early in the game…just too much deficit to overcome. I think the coaches did everything they could to prepare except for play call number 1….after the first play of the game, Murray realized he wasn’t playing against Tenn, Vandy and Kentucky DB’s…the corners for FLA are NFL players…FLA, BAMA, LSU and AUBURN are recruiting future NFL players…UGA is recruiting the 2nd tier crowd.
always a silver lining
October 31st, 2010
1:05 am
Tony Barnhart
October 30th, 2010
11:20 pm
The rugged SEC has worn down even the teams. If the Dawgs win out, and UF loses every game, and SC loses every game, and Ky lossess every game , and Vandy losses every game, … then the Dawgs could win a six-way tie breaker of teams with 6 losses.
Just goes to show you how tough and rugged, and just how much better the SEC is.