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
Dr. Phil
October 30th, 2010
11:30 pm
That trailer tramp will luv ya, no matter what
Raleigh Dog
October 30th, 2010
11:31 pm
6-6 or 5-7. If they were to lose to Idaho State, then Richt should be fired right after the game. At 2-8 against Florida, he just admit defeat and move on. He needs six years of wins just to get even. He’ll be long gone in six years.
Walmart Stock Report
October 30th, 2010
11:31 pm
Since the recent return of excess UGA gear for returns at our local stores, we have initiated a good will offering to Chile for the freed minors of all the returned merchandise… Unfortunatley, even Chile knows UGA’s reputation, and they refused our offering.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:31 pm
UGA will play in the Toilet Bowl this year.
Dr. Phil
October 30th, 2010
11:31 pm
Own it doggies. Man-up
Dan Mullen
October 30th, 2010
11:32 pm
Fake Urban Meyer- it does make you feel good even though you know I’m Chris Peterson to Urban Meyer’s Dan Hawkins. Guess what dude, the ship is sinking and you don’t even know it.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:33 pm
I told ya’ll the only table ya’ll will run is at the Waffle House. Run it and leave CMR alone.
Walmart Stock Report
October 30th, 2010
11:34 pm
Chile has refused our offering of the returned UGA merchandise…What are we going to do with all this junk?
Dan Mullen
October 30th, 2010
11:34 pm
I like Waffle House
Glenn
October 30th, 2010
11:34 pm
Maybe we can go to the Snickers Bowl Rome Ga. if there is such a place.
jtdawg
October 30th, 2010
11:34 pm
Corch Myer ?????
Where did you learn to spell, Floriduh?
Why does having passion about my alma mater’s football team mean I have no life, you say? Let’s see, I spend 98% of my time working, raising my children, loving my wife, excersising, various hobbying and other things, quite successfully, thank goodness, so what?
Im supposed to be happy that the team I support for a portion of 13 days out of the year (well, maybe just 12 this year) are perennial losers to their biggest rival? WTH is wrong with people like you? Oh I know. You have absolutely no competitive spirit at all do you?
You are the same person who passes out trophies to their kids for finishing 5th plase in the Three Legged race at every Spring Picnic…
I know what, if it bothers you that fans are passionate and competitive, then maybe you should stop following sports…. Yes I AM a SORE LOSER. Sorry. I don’t like to lose and I will never be ashamed to admit it. All I want is improvement, and if you can’t handle that, well then maybe YOU should be the one to find something else to do with your time.
Me, I am perfectly happy with how, and in what demeanor, I spend my time. You might need someone else to pat you on the bottom and tell you how to feel, but me, I’m perfectly secure with myself mister. Go spit buddy.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:35 pm
The ship will never sink. Beating a dawg is a good thing. We are still going to win the SEC championship and you don’t know it.
Not a Techster
October 30th, 2010
11:35 pm
5 – 7 and NO BOWL for the Dogs…I’m givin’ ya Idaho State. LMAO
CMR
October 30th, 2010
11:35 pm
All you non-UGA folks need to leave us alone! This loss hurt our feelings and you are only making it worse! Please, have some pity on this poor decrepit program. We are going to give it our darndest to play hard against Potato State University and if we win, Chuck Dowdle will give me GLOWING praise! I am glad he is such a homer!
Dookie
October 30th, 2010
11:35 pm
I LOVE IT!!!!
When are you UGA fans going to realize that you are NOT one of the top-tier programs? It seems like everyone else in the country knows that, but you continue to grasp onto your 1 title from 30 years ago! You are like Ohio State fans, but with less of a winning record.
Also, don’t always blame your head coach or your coordinators and look to fire them every time you lose. Maybe your program is just not as good as you think…
5150 P.O.A.D.
October 30th, 2010
11:35 pm
Damn Oregon is fast. I don’t know if they could handle a big bad D-line, but if they get past the line they are fast as hell. They may not be able to stop anybody either, but damn they are fast.
jtdawg
October 30th, 2010
11:35 pm
Dan Mullen -
We have ALOT of them. Much more the Mississippi. Hell, come to Athens and we might get you one for your very own…
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:36 pm
Just place it in a landfill and hopefully it will break down into natural gas and become useful.
TheAntiMe
October 30th, 2010
11:37 pm
The sad thing about it is that – just like last year – as much as this team reeks, if UGA wins against Tech this year many brain-dead Dawgs will go around acting as if they had won the National Championship. Truly pathetic.
Gene Chizik
October 30th, 2010
11:37 pm
Fake Urban Meyer- I may look like I should be working at a Home Depot in Broken Bow, Oklahoma but you have no chance against me.
jellybeandawg
October 30th, 2010
11:37 pm
Tofu Dan:
The point is the Richt apologists don’t really care that Mark Richt has a loosing (17-23) record against ranked teams.
In fact they dont really care about the program at all. The only thing they care about is that their “precious” Richt remains the head coach. They will defend him and protect him at all costs, even to the detriment of the program.
DO NOT LET THEM FOOL YOU! These Richt apologists are not UGA fans, They support the Mark Richt Cult and nothing else. When Richt is finally gone, they will be gone with him and the program will be better of for it. Until then we will all just have to suffer through it.
jtdawg
October 30th, 2010
11:37 pm
jack wagon from mamby pamby land -
LMAO
Lee Ermey couldn’t have said it better…
Mr. Dawg
October 30th, 2010
11:38 pm
Back 30 years ago… the UF safety slipped
dawgster
October 30th, 2010
11:38 pm
SavannahDawg and Kyle..great posts and comments..everyone wants to fire Coach Richt…so who do we get that will guarantee that we have a great success against Meyer and Saban…i mean who is out there that will take us to the level everyone expects every year…I keep hearing the name Peterson…well can he come in the SEC and recruit the players he needs to compete with Meyer and Saban…Kirby Smart…maybe, but Saban runs that ship, so don’t be so sure that he’s the brains behind that defense..and i believe that ship has sailed..he had the chance to come back to uga and actually had tentatively agreed, but he didn’t…don’t think he will be offered again…lets see…Muschamp..he’s the coach in waiting at Texas…everyone wants change, but look at what has happened at Tenn, Notre Dame, and other places…the only person out there right now, that i think i would evern consider would be Dan Mullen at Miss State…but Caoch Richt is still a very good coach, no he doesn’t yell and scream like some of you want or display tons of emotion on the sidelines during a game, but his record deserves some respect…and no i’m not just being a homer…i am extremely upset with the lost…really unexcusable…i have serious issues with our OC at times..i would like to see some imaginative play calling from time to time…just to throw one play out…has anyone ever seen us do a shuttle pass…i know you don’t use them that often, but if you set the play up right, it can be quiet effective..anyway, go dawgs…
Common Sense
October 30th, 2010
11:38 pm
Bring the damn game back to Athens every other year.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:38 pm
Dan Mullen, does not want to come to UGA, the Notre Dame of the South.
jack wagon from mamby pamby land
October 30th, 2010
11:38 pm
jtdawg Of course you are- so proud of yourself. And what a wonderful example you set for your children and any other family that you have around. The ga kids lost- the Fla kids won. And you are blowing a gasket because you can’t crow about your team winning big against the Gators. I feel sorry for you pal.
Larry
October 30th, 2010
11:39 pm
Bobo is lousy and should be immediately fired.
Lakatos is lousy and should be immediately fired.
Grantham is lousy and should be immediately fired.
This team is lousy and will be lucky to ever win again.
On top of all that, we have a head coach, Mark Richt, WHO DOESN’T EVEN PLAY TO WIN!!!! 54 seconds left in the game, you try to WIN! You don’t ever play for a tie!!!!
For that, MARK RICHT SHOULD BE FIRED SUNDAY, DON’T WAIT UNTIL MONDAY!
jellybeandawg
October 30th, 2010
11:39 pm
Yea Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads would come in a heart beat and is an excellent Coach.
Dog Gone It
October 30th, 2010
11:39 pm
I would trade a couple of wins over Tech for a win or two against the Gators. But we will never beat Urban after that endzone debacle a few years ago. That was bush league and and Urban will rub our noses in it forever. Looks like another Weedeater Bowl if we even get enough wins to do that…………life sux for the bulldog nation
BUBBA GUMP
October 30th, 2010
11:39 pm
On the positive note……………..Murray will get only better and better He is clicking with the recievers,etc. I think 6-6 will be ok at this point. They fought hard didn’t they?
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:39 pm
Common Sense, you could play the game on the moon the result would be the same… UGA lost another to the GATORS.
BullDawg Mike
October 30th, 2010
11:39 pm
Next year, if the weather is nice as it was today, I will be enjoying a round of golf at my local Country Club. I am not going to sit thru this game again until something at Ga. changes concerning this football team. I will leave it up to the ones in charge to determine what this might be. I will DVR the game and decide later on that evening if I will spend (or is it waste) my time watching this CRAPPY game !!!
Georgia Fan
October 30th, 2010
11:40 pm
Wow, you’re right Dookie. Thanks for showing us the light. We don’t know why we used to cheer for our team, instead we’ll all cheer for your team. Thanks for showing us the way.
jellybeandawg
October 30th, 2010
11:41 pm
Yea Dan Mullen we have all the Waffle houses you can handle brother. Please come to UGA!
Larry
October 30th, 2010
11:41 pm
In answer to those who ask who should replace Richt. ANY COACH WHO WILL PLAY TO WIN IS PREFERABLE TO A QUITTER LIKE RICHT!
Turtsnap
October 30th, 2010
11:41 pm
Anyone that blames Murray is an idiot!! This is all on Bobo – and Richt for that matter. Piss poor play calling the last two full possessions for the Dawgs. They put Murray in a no-win situation with ludicrous play calling.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:41 pm
When we play AU, we will show the world how to beat them. I hope the are undefeated in the championship game.
Mark Bradley
October 30th, 2010
11:41 pm
It’s okay. I’ve got a Tech hatchet job in the waiting
Dookie
October 30th, 2010
11:42 pm
Georgia Fan:
There is a difference between cheering for your team and being delusional. Most teams have devoted fans but don’t act like their going to win the title every year and then act like they’re going to jump off bridges when they don’t. Don’t understand what I am saying, read almost every other post above.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:42 pm
Since Dan knows about Home Depot, he can build himself one. I like CMR.
jtdawg
October 30th, 2010
11:42 pm
jack wagon from mamby pamby land –
Ooops. I didn’t realize you were an impassionate loser from another state.
Care to debate what it is that I am embarassing myself about? What? Being tired of being kicked in the teeth every Halloween?
Yeah, you are right. I am embarassed. I am embarassed for thinking we might actually start turning this into a rivalry again….
Dan Mullen
October 30th, 2010
11:42 pm
Get a clue Fake Urban Meyer- I’m going to whoever is willing to pay the most.
jack wagon from mamby pamby land
October 30th, 2010
11:43 pm
Larry I nominate Larry for HC of the Dawgs starting tomorrow .
5150 P.O.A.D.
October 30th, 2010
11:43 pm
Yes playing the game in Athens will help. Just think St Simons beach will not have 10 ton of trash on it. Athens can just deal with the fans leaving 70 tons of trash on campus, pee, and poop in the hallways. Yes I am sure some of the Ga Islands would be happy to have the game in Athens and Gainesville over having UGA pigs crap on their homes.
Gator 4 Life
October 30th, 2010
11:43 pm
MSU – As long as we own the DAWGS it does not matter . Wait til next year and the year after that ,and the year after that ………………we will have flying cars the next time UGA beats the Gators.
UGA will always suck even with a FLA QB . The sad part is that Murray should have went to FLA. Don’t forget to use our favorite excuse the game is played in FLA aka North GA but Steve took care of that 95′96. We beat the Shxx out of UGA in Athens.
san diego dawg
October 30th, 2010
11:43 pm
Do you know what I don’t miss about the south? The answer is the hateful people commenting on these blogs. I have never in my life read so much vitriolic hatred as one sees on the AJC sports blogs. You people are worse than the liars blogging on the huffington post & daily kos. What is wrong with you people? Has the Atlanta traffic turned your minds into mush? I swear the comments bashing UGA are only topped by people hating the Falcons because Vick is no longer the QB. Your negativity and hatred is an embarrassment to the entire South.
Mark Bradley
October 30th, 2010
11:44 pm
Don’t worry, I know how to make ya’ll feel better hmmmmmmmmmm
jack wagon from mamby pamby land
October 30th, 2010
11:44 pm
jtdawg You’re a sick man- get some help for that ego thing. Your family will love you for it.
Fake Urban Meyer
October 30th, 2010
11:44 pm
The dawgs are world beater… NOT!