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
Eric C.
October 31st, 2010
1:06 am
Oh I get it now…fake urban meyer and stiggywiggy are the same person, ha…that explains everything
UGA News Update
October 31st, 2010
1:06 am
Idaho State game moved to Tuesday afternoon kickoff on Versus.
DawginTX
October 31st, 2010
1:06 am
Jeff Schultz proves only he can write a marginally crappy column.
If we had one less turnover, you’d be saying that Georgia is back.
This marks the 5th time Richt has “lost close” to Florida. He’s won big once, won close once, and been blown out thrice.
Your column offers such great insight. Pound sand.
Bill Curry
October 31st, 2010
1:06 am
I was thinking about adding Georgia to our schedule, but I must be concerned about strength of schedule. We already have North by Northwest Louisiana Polytech State, and we don’t want to make it worse.
Tony Barnhart
October 31st, 2010
1:07 am
good night doggies…. enjoy your weekend
stendek
October 31st, 2010
1:07 am
Thanks Macrotech. Sort of like being ordered to march unarmed into a nest of armed to teeth snipers. Understood. Mike Dodo at fault not helpless QB. Thanks. Was serious. Appreciate response. Have great one. STENDEK
Fake Eric C.
October 31st, 2010
1:07 am
But are you and I the same person?
Eric C.
October 31st, 2010
1:08 am
Well gator fans, never knew how much I’d miss those whippings the Dawgs gave your gators in the 80s, but I still say they will never top the infamous endzone dance…that was worth a few wins, enjoy your outback bowl anyway
Eric C.
October 31st, 2010
1:09 am
Ha! you got me there “fake Eric C”….what a moron
Eric C. is bitter
October 31st, 2010
1:09 am
We’ll enjoy the Outback Bowl. You get ready for spring practice.
always a silver lining
October 31st, 2010
1:11 am
DawginTX Richt now 2-8 against Fla
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2010
1:11 am
Let me remind y’all of 5 reasons UGA is better off than you think. Reason 1-Beat Louisiana Lafeyette. 2-Beat Vanderbilt. 3-Beat Tennessee. 4-Beat Kentucky. 5-Beat Idaho St.
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
1:12 am
I hear that after today’s game, climatologists and theologians are collaborating to upgrade the probability of the chances of snowball survival in the fiery hereafter, from last place to second-to-last.
Jedi Falcon
October 31st, 2010
1:12 am
UGA SUCKS! FIRE MARK RICHT AND THAT ENTIRE STAFF!
Mark Richt
October 31st, 2010
1:13 am
Those lucky red panties that Damon gave me didn’t work today.
Myer: TIME TO DIE
October 31st, 2010
1:13 am
I am surprised not much is being said about Myer’s game plan to use Rainey on every play he could…no conscience whatsover…where was the National Women’s groups? Rainey did make a huge difference. Seems to me like ESPN and CBS and others just decided to overlook this one. Myer and Kiffin are the two worst character coaches in the game…anything to win.
I wonder
October 31st, 2010
1:14 am
Does Georgia lose because there are so many crybabies in their fanbase?
Lindsay Scott
October 31st, 2010
1:15 am
Where was I when I needed me?
KimZ'spackage
October 31st, 2010
1:16 am
Dawgs don’t cry. They whimper and yelp!
Red Dog 77
October 31st, 2010
1:18 am
Wow……..boy, we sure have alot of head coaches posting tonight ! I counted, oh, about 510 out of the 520something that have weighed in on this one. Call me what you will, but in the midst of a down cycle for Georgia, I couldn’t be more proud of “my” BULLDOGS. I guess you coaches out the don’t realize college football runs in cycles. How would you like to be the powerful Texas Longhorns tonight, or mabe Miami, Southern Cal, or Michigan ?………..Coach Mark Richt, Bobo, Lakatos, Garner, Grantham……..are about the most impressive assembledge of college coaches in the country………..And this BULLDOG stands behind them and our players 100%
macrotech
October 31st, 2010
1:19 am
stendek, I like your analogy…you were dead on! Best of hopes for you and yours!
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
1:20 am
Dawgies, take some consolation. I hear y’all got yourselves a number one ladydog junior varsity paint-ball team. Well, at least the recruiting class rating is tops. And you know what that means.
guydog
October 31st, 2010
1:21 am
Love the excuses…the bottom line is UGA can’t beat UF. The coach doesn’t matter, the players don’t matter….it’s just the same result year after year…an L in the loss column. Seriously, why bother anymore…it’s never going to change….I can’t believe CBS continues to televise this garbage…it’s like a train wreck…every year I watch just to see what new ways UGA can come up with to lose…glad to see we can lose in OT now…been waiting on that one for a few years.
No worries though…UGA should be due for a win in about 2014 and then again around 2021 maybe. Clearly God hates UGA.
Walmart Stock Report
October 31st, 2010
1:23 am
Attention Walmart Stock holders, due to the massive return of UGA gear, stock prices have shrunk drastically. Reports are they are they are going out and buying Bama gear.
Coach Richt's One Stray Hair
October 31st, 2010
1:23 am
Notice how quickly and suavely Mark put me back in place. He hates it when those headphones muss me up.
Mike Moonpie Wilson
October 31st, 2010
1:24 am
Me’n Cowboy Parrish wuz rootin’ fer ya.
Jedi Falcon
October 31st, 2010
1:26 am
I used to be a Dawg Fan. But I moved to Florida and now I am a Gator Fan. I dont CHEER FOR LOSERS ANY MORE LIKE UGA.
GO GATORS!
Jedi Falcon
October 31st, 2010
1:27 am
URBAN MEYER AND STEVE SPURRIER OWN MARK RICHT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I Bleed Black & Red
October 31st, 2010
1:33 am
Just wait till we face those gators in the SEC championship game this December. We’ll get even then.
georjajim
October 31st, 2010
1:34 am
I am with Red Dog 77…I am neither ashamed or angry. We fought back in the second half. We fought to the end. GO DAWGS!
I Black Red and Bleed
October 31st, 2010
1:36 am
I think we should protest this game. Did y’all notice they never even started the clock for overtime?
I Red Black & Bleed
October 31st, 2010
1:38 am
No, we should protest the game because I SAW the clock before those gaturds even kicked that last field goal. There warn’t no time even LEFT on the dadgum clock.
Jedi Falcon
October 31st, 2010
1:41 am
UGA wont even get a Bowl Game this year. HAHA
real Dawg fan
October 31st, 2010
1:42 am
im sick of maybe next year …i can’t take much more of this.
stiggy
October 31st, 2010
1:44 am
maybe next galactic super-cycle
Dawg Forever
October 31st, 2010
1:46 am
You gaytuirds will be lucky if you go to the TOILET BOWL!!!!!
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Bulldog Joe
October 31st, 2010
1:47 am
56-4 Boise State last 5 years Chris Petersen
53-10 Florida last 5 years Urban Meyer
52-9 Ohio State last 5 years Jim Tressel
51-10 TCU last 5 years Gary Patterson
49-12 Texas last 5 years Mack Brown
49-14 Oklahoma last 5 years Bob Stoops
48-12 Southern California last 5 years
48-12 Utah last 5 years Kyle Whittingham
47-14 LSU last 5 years Les Miles
47-15 Virginia Tech last 5 years Frank Beamer
46-14 BYU last 5 years Bronco Mendenhall
45-14 West Virginia last 5 years Bill Stewart
45-15 Penn State last 5 years Joe Paterno
45-15 Wisconsin last 5 years Bret Bielema
45-17 Missouri last 5 years Gary Pinkel
44-16 Oregon last 5 years Chip Kelly
44-17 Cincinnati last 5 years Butch Jones
43-20 Hawaii last 5 years Greg McMackin
42-18 Auburn last 5 years Gene Chizik
42-19 Georgia last 5 years Coach Richt
Dawg Forever
October 31st, 2010
1:50 am
Thanks for the stats, Bulldog Joe. But how did Boise Stae win a game 56-4? Did somebody score three safeties?
Dawg Forever
October 31st, 2010
1:51 am
Dang, and they had that same weird score 5 years in a row?
Russ the Slobbering Reject Mascot
October 31st, 2010
1:54 am
Miss me yet?
Hairy Dawg
October 31st, 2010
1:55 am
What am I? Chopped liver?
Bulldog Joe
October 31st, 2010
1:55 am
2-6 Louisiana Lafayette, this is a “win” ?
2-6 Vandie, this is a “win” ?
2-6 vols, this is a “win” ?
4-5 Kentucky, this is a “win” ?
3-5 Colorado, oops
4-5 Aaron Murray as Starting Quarterback
40-19 Jim Donnan his 5 years here
42-19 CMR last 5 years
Aaron Murray would have won this game ‘Tween The Hedges, quite obviously.
Kreskin
October 31st, 2010
1:58 am
I predict UGA MMCCDXVII will be the next mascot to se a win in Jacksonville.
Bulldog Joe
October 31st, 2010
1:58 am
The Quarterback for the other teams have been better than Aaron Murray nearly every game we played
Bulldog Pete
October 31st, 2010
2:01 am
According to this here schedule I’m lookin’ at, we play somebody call Brigham Young East or something, before we play Tech.
Rainey on Big Bad Bruce's Parade
October 31st, 2010
2:02 am
I’ve been seriously misunderstood. I wanted my girlfriend to make me up some psychedelic t-shirts. What I said was “it’s time to dye”.
No. wait, since you guys are wanting to get rid of Richt maybe what I meant was “it’s time to Pat Dye.”
No, wait again, I was shooting craps, one fell off the table and I told the pit boss “it’s time to die.”
DawgGoneIt
October 31st, 2010
2:09 am
Time to go to Starkville and get Dan Mullen right now. The guy has won 7 games with NO quarterback. It’s scary to think what he could do with Murray. He also shows passion and energy..something this program has lacked for a decade. I’m sick of these same old quotes from our “leader”. The man is so content it makes me sick. 2-8 against Florida is unacceptable. Bring someone in here who knows Florida inside and out and knows how to beat them
Bulldog Joe
October 31st, 2010
2:13 am
I loved all the hot dog players CMR has recruited here, showing off like we have won the damn game
And, the taunting by Georgia players was non-stop
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
2:14 am
Why would Dan Mullen leave Miss State to go to Georgia? Would Cochise leave the Soiux to join Custer?
stiggywiggy
October 31st, 2010
2:16 am
If y’all hold out long enough, maybe you can get Vince Dooley’s grandson. Don’t y’all inbreed coaches the way you do mascots?