LIVE BLOG: Georgia seeks bowl bid (and revenge vs. Tech)
Georgia players, angered by a home loss to Tech in 2008, planted the "G" flag after last year's win at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
(This will serve as the Georgia live blog when the game starts. We’ll also have a Tech live blog on, as they say, another network.)
ATHENS — Hello and welcome to the last game this season that anybody at Georgia or Georgia Tech will remember.
The Jackets (6-5) still have a low-level bowl game to play. The Dogs (5-6) hope to still have a low-level bowl game to play. But tonight’s meeting is really about the final opportunity for either school to create a highlight in a
The memory of Tech players (like wide receiver Andrew Smith) mangling the hedges lingers with Georgia players.
mostly miserable season.
As Georgia defensive end Demarcus Dobbs said, alluding to the last four years of his senior class: “I don’t know if we’ve left a legacy. But I know if we don’t make it to a bowl game, that will be one legacy that we leave. … We’ve done a lot as a class. But the only thing that matters is how you finish. Nobody going to talk about the Sugar Bowl. They’re going to talk about what we did our senior year.”
Kickoff is still several hours away. But there’s no reason to wait until then to start the banter. This will serve as your live Bulldogs’ blog during the game. I’ll update it later when I get to the stadium.
A few thoughts before kickoff:
♦ Georgia is favored by as much as two touchdowns. Sounds about right. While strange things happen in rivalry games, the only absolute about either team is that the Dogs can put up points, led by the Aaron Murray-to-A.J. Green connection. In the last six games, Georgia has put up point totals of 41 (Tennessee), 43 (Vanderbilt), 44 (Kentucky), 31 (Florida), 55 (Idaho State) and 31 (Auburn). I realize Mike Bobo bashing is a favorite pastime of fans but offense hasn’t been the problem, defense has. And about defense . . .
♦ The only way I see Tech winning this game — other than via multiple Georgia turnovers and penalties — is if the Jackets run for a ton a yards and dominate in time of possession, keeping Georgia’s offense off the field. So the onus is on defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and the Dogs’ defensive front. The Jackets are without starting quarterback Joshua Nesbitt and their offense isn’t nearly as fluid with backup Tevin Washington.
♦ Tech coach Paul Johnson knows his team is undermanned this game. He’ll have to “steal” a possession or two. So a couple of trick plays, like a fake punt, wouldn’t be surprising.
♦ Neither team has a win over a quality opponent. The difference is Georgia still needs a win to become bowl eligible. If it can’t beat Tech, it doesn’t deserve a bowl. The Jackets had lost three straight until having to scramble to beat 3-8 Duke last week.
Now, about this rivalry. The road school has won the last three meetings. Tech has split two since Johnson’s arrival. But if the high point for this Georgia senior class was going 11-2 and winning the Sugar Bowl in 2007, one of the low points was losing to Tech at Sanford Stadium two years ago.
To punctuate the upset, Jackets’ players tore off pieces of the hedges — something Georgia coach Mark Richt has reminded his players of this week.
“Coach Richt’s definitely been quick to tell us about that,” guard Clint Boling said. “We’ve got pictures all over the locker room. We definitely know what they did last time they were in Sanford Stadium.”
Wide receiver Kris Durham, another senior, said: “That sticks out more to me than [beating Tech] last year. It’s something you remember. You can still Google and see the pictures. They’re very vivid online.
“Those [hedges] are sacred to us. That gets to you a little bit. We didn’t protect our own house. We didn’t protect the hedges. We can’t say anything bad about them tearing up our field because we didn’t prove it between the lines and they did. They beat us.”
OK, that’s it for now. If you missed it, here’s a link to my interview with athletic director Greg McGarity earlier in the week. He’s standing behind Richt and says the coach will be back next season, and I agree. While I’ve been critical of Richt and the direction of the program in the last two years, my view is he has earned the chance to turn this around.
I’ll check back later.
♦
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2,645 comments Add your comment
jack bull
November 27th, 2010
4:28 pm
my brother-in-law is employed at Tech, and Thursday my 6 yr old son asked him if he was a Tech fan, he said, ‘well, every two weeks i am’…then he said, ‘and i haven’t been mugged this year’.. guess you had to be there..
UGA-48 GT-45……..two very very bad defenses…whoever has the ball last wins..
War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle!
November 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Hey UGAKEV, Thuga Never Has been a top tier program in anything but offseason arrests. Hang on to those vhs tapes of the one hit wonder year of Herschel Walker. Get your red panties on sale at Walmart.
mo
November 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
God forbid UGA hire a female athletic director with a brain and common decency
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Buckeyes A.K.A. “SUCKEYES” You talk about a team down here in the south that we ALL laugh at. The Suckeye’s are world beaters until they play a real team from the SEC…… Hey Suckeye, How does that work out for ya?
ARdawg
November 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
5150
There’s more than enough nasty name calling Nerds to get their blog started. Just look at how many name calling Nerds there are here. There are plenty of bonehead Dawg fans but we haven’t cornered the market on boneheads, Tech has
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
Gators Fumble inside their own 18.
Tucker T
November 27th, 2010
4:30 pm
What’s up with the Ohio State fan talking trash on a UGA/TECH blog? Go get a life dude. This is something that both UGA and TECH fans can support.
Supes
November 27th, 2010
4:32 pm
Looking FLA trying to FUMBLE away another game…only makes u wonder what could have happened if UGA was competed enough to FALL on a couple of those fumbles FLA had in the UGA/FLA game this year…so far FSU has cashed in and recovered 2 of them…What a painful season as a UGA fan…worst FLA team I’ve seen in decades and we still couldn’t get it done against them in J-ville.
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:32 pm
If Tech and UGA played the Suckeye’s schedule both teams would win 10 games as well!
Coach
November 27th, 2010
4:34 pm
Privet hedges? Come on! The most damage ever done was by the UGA students climbing over the hedges after beating UT a few years ago. Look it up. Breaking off pieces of privet hedge is not “devastation.” (Privet is actually considered an invasive species.) But if that’s what motivates you, fine, but did anyone at UGA see Butler dig up the GT logo last year at Grant Field? Mabye Tech should dig up part of that 18 yard long “G” in the middle of the field. But that would be disrespectul, something Butler should be reminded of. Of course, CMR came from Florida State and …
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:34 pm
Yes even this years teams!
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:35 pm
Hey Coach.,…… I have a hanky for you crying like a little girl. Good grief!
War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle!
November 27th, 2010
4:36 pm
How many parked cars will Wayshon hit this weekend? He’s driving the team bus to the stadium.
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 27th, 2010
4:36 pm
FSU 10 Gators 7.
Tucker T you can play the ugly Tech girl card all you want. Maybe you don’t want a Tech girls hedges, but every gardner in Athens get a shot at a UGA girls hedges. HAHAHAHAHA I bring my Poulan WEEDEATER. I got one from my UGA friend. He has so many from all the trips to Shreveport over the years. LOL
War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle!
November 27th, 2010
4:36 pm
Pay J. Green will sell his jersey to the highest bidder after the game.
jack bull
November 27th, 2010
4:37 pm
see y’all later…be back in about 3 hrs… GO DAWGS..
Jeff Schultz
November 27th, 2010
4:38 pm
For the readers asking about senior day, it’s scheduled to start at 7:33.
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:38 pm
War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle = Another tech posser! I guess if you can’t beat a team, join a team that can! Don’t claim that your an Auburn fan because you would do nothing but embarrass the Auburn people.
1eyedJack
November 27th, 2010
4:39 pm
Florida sux!
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 27th, 2010
4:40 pm
Gators try a fake punt and give the NOLES the Ball. Ponder 1 pass play and a TD for the NOLES. Noles17 Gators7 with 10:45 in the 2nd QTR.
1eyedJack
November 27th, 2010
4:42 pm
Urban blight.
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 27th, 2010
4:42 pm
Jeff
any word on the Crew of Refs calling this game?
Jeff Schultz
November 27th, 2010
4:42 pm
5150 POAD — Haven’t seen refs lineup.
Tucker T
November 27th, 2010
4:43 pm
5150 P.O.A.D.
You started it bro. We will see how much talking you are doing in the 4th quarter when the score is 35-6 UGA. I think you will have mysteriously disappeared by then.
Jake
November 27th, 2010
4:43 pm
Look at those Seminoles roll over Uf. I told you the sec was overrated and living on the past.
When Fsu and clemson win you sec idiots will disappear except for the loser uga fans who will spin a win over a crap gt team.
Blackberry Pie
November 27th, 2010
4:43 pm
Jeff
Any Mutt arrests been reported yet?
Coach
November 27th, 2010
4:44 pm
One more thing… Why does UGA run out behind the US flag? Really, why?
5150 P.O.A.D.
November 27th, 2010
4:44 pm
OK will you ley us know when you see who the crew is?
Thanks Jeff
Jeff Schultz
November 27th, 2010
4:46 pm
Blackberry Pie — Hah. No arrests today that I know of. Actually it’s been pretty quiet lately.
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:47 pm
Jake, Jake, Jake…. It’s not a comment, but a fact that the SEC is the number 1 rated coference, even in a down year, Your A she she conference is #7. I’m not making it up, please check it out yourself. The A She She conference is awful. Some of you techies that claim your conference is better than the SEC are just morons. That is equivilent to a person saying that the SEC is better than the A She She in basketball………
UGAKEV
November 27th, 2010
4:47 pm
whos whinning? I know I never said anything about nick fairley in any of my statements I have posted on AJC blogs. I could careless about what he did, Georgia just lost that game straight up. I just know there are a lot of Auburn fans that can not handle winning. They scream war eagle all day and don’t even know what a first down is…lol…its kind of pathetic but entertaining at the same time. The facts are Cam newton is a great football player and thats the only reason why Auburn is 12-0 and not 5-6. I don’t care what happened with him and whoever or if he got paid or whatever. He will be gone next season so Auburn better win the national championship this year or they will have to wait a long time again because as long is their defense is as bad as it is they will be a 6-6 team or worse unless they put a cam newton on the field every season.
Stewart
November 27th, 2010
4:47 pm
UGA offense has been great against teams like Idaho State. Put up 38 td’s on unranked teams. Even scored 8 td’s on ranked teams. Just powerful.
1eyedJack
November 27th, 2010
4:47 pm
Blackberry, stay tuned, after the game there could be multiple complaints for Assault and Battery filed by GT football players.
War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle!
November 27th, 2010
4:47 pm
Hey Suckeye, could you tell someone in the Thuga fan base to send someone to Auburn and bail the Thuga redneck who set fire to Toomer’s corner out of jail? He’s stinking up the jail.
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:49 pm
Hey War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle! ….. I mean tech posser. If a fan did that Toomer’s Corner then they need to sit there and rot!
Joel
November 27th, 2010
4:49 pm
Jeff-
Does Tech usally score first this year? I only ask because Georgia 0-6 when the other teams cores first.
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:50 pm
“Blackberry, stay tuned, after the game there could be multiple complaints for Assault and Battery filed by GT football players.”
Now that’s just funny right there. I don’t care who you are!
Kenneth
November 27th, 2010
4:51 pm
Tech fan here.
How does Murray do in rivalry games?
For example, how did he do against Florida?
Buckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:51 pm
Suckeye – Enjoy Bowl Season! I’m sure your game, um, if you have a game, will get HUGE ratings and your recruits will be hanging on every play.
UGA's Sack
November 27th, 2010
4:51 pm
Get ready to gargle my balls, St Simons and the rest of you nerds. We might suck this year, but we’ve still got more than enough to crush your ass. Time to get F’d in the A.
Bend over, motherf*ckers.
Sammy
November 27th, 2010
4:52 pm
Dude, Murray not good in rivalry games, had worst game of year against Gators, threw like 3 interceptions, and had a fumble too.
War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle!
November 27th, 2010
4:53 pm
When Thuga loses to Tech, will the Thuga Nation?
a) Fire up the FireMarkRicht.com site
b) Blame the refs
c) Blame Nic Fairley
d) Demand for Bobo to be fired
e) Demand for Grantham to be fired
f) Take off their red panties (That could get UGLY!!!!!)
g) Call the other team Thugs
h) Question why Thuga isn’t ranked in the top 10 every year.
i) All of the above.
Answer: i
Kenneth
November 27th, 2010
4:53 pm
How UGA’s run defense?
papadawg
November 27th, 2010
4:53 pm
Hey Dawgs stuff some hedge in the Jackets where the sun never shines
War Damn Fairley Cam Eagle!
November 27th, 2010
4:53 pm
Kenneth, the answer to How UGA’s run defense is “Nonexistent”
UGAKEV
November 27th, 2010
4:54 pm
War damn Georgia has had many great seasons in history without hershel walker… Georgia is going to be relevent win or lose because thats how great the university of Georgia is..The only thing that could possibly ever make auburn relevent is winning and that will only happen every once in a blue moon and even then nobody cares.
Suckeye
November 27th, 2010
4:54 pm
Hey Buckeye. How is that 0-9 against SEC in Bowl games working out for you? I know that you are praying for any team but an SEC team for your bowl match up! You Tool, get off the UGA/Tech blog.
first tier program
November 27th, 2010
4:54 pm
Tech’s back up QB will have his best game of the year.
Sammy
November 27th, 2010
4:54 pm
UGA hasn’t been good against teams that run well.
Auburn-lost
Miss St-lost
South Carolina-lost
In fact, they lost every game they’ve played against teams that run the ball well.
0-3.
1eyedJack
November 27th, 2010
4:54 pm
Murray ain’t playing Florida tonight.