Georgia gets needed win but leaves room for improvement
Isaiah Crowell rushed for 147 yards but felt Georgia should've scored more touchdowns.
OXFORD, Miss. – Since the first two games of the season adjusted everybody’s expectations, let’s start with this: Georgia won a game on Saturday. Over an SEC opponent. On the road. These things aren’t taken for granted any more, not after a 2-6 stretch in the conference on non-hedged fields.
So in that sense, the Bulldogs’ 27-13 win over Mississippi was a step forward. It just wasn’t quite the sledgehammer maybe some had hoped for.
This was Ole Miss, one of the worst teams in the nation. It lost to Vanderbilt 30-7 last week. One group among the program’s normally relatively staid fan base, whose greatest focus generally is on picnicking in The Grove, even was moved to purchase full-page advertisements in five area newspapers. In so many words, they asked the school’s administration to strap coach Houston Nutt to a catapult and fire him into the gulf. Even angry Georgia fans haven’t gone that far when it comes to Mark Richt.
So the bar should’ve been set high Saturday for the Bulldogs. In many ways, they dominated an inferior opponent. They killed in real estate. The final yardage totals: 475 to 183. First downs: 25-8.
If this was Monopoly, the Dogs had hotels from Pacific Avenue thru Boardwalk, while Mississippi was mortgaging Baltic.
But the fact that Georgia struggled to score touchdowns and put this game away reaffirmed some of the team’s flaws. The Dogs scored three touchdowns (in the first six possessions). Then they fizzled. By game’s end, they had attempted five field goals (Blair Walsh missing three).
Richt accurately summarized, “When we get a defense tired, we need to stick a fork in them, and we weren’t able to do that.”
A road SEC win is better than losses to Boise State and South Carolina and a win over some pipsqueak from Myrtle Beach. But to beat Mississippi State, Florida, Auburn – maybe even Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky – Georgia will need to be better. Because every other conference opponent is better equipped than the Rebels to make you pay for a mistake.
Some of what happened could be attributed to the usual: dropped passes, missed blocks, etc. But some of it is on Richt. He didn’t send a great message to his players at the start of the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-1 from the Rebels’ 30, he sent in the field-goal team. The Dogs led 24-13. It seemed like the perfect time to try to pound the opponent for a yard and pass up a 48-yard attempt (hardly a sure thing). Richt played it conservative. Walsh missed.
Question: When a team starts the season 0-2 and the only win thus far has come over Coastal Carolina, shouldn’t there be a more aggressive approach?
Players tried to convince Richt to go for the first down. He later explained, “What I told them was if you want to get a first down, do it in the first three downs.”
Oddly, on the Dogs’ next possession, Richt took a huge gamble when he decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Dogs’ 44. Richard Samuel “made it by a thumbnail,” Richt said. (He later second-guessed himself, saying he should’ve punted.)
Georgia never was in danger of losing this game. It just never had the look of a wrecking ball, which is what you would’ve hoped for. Ole Miss had two touchdowns called back by penalties. Richt conceded, “It was a two-score [lead], and all it would’ve taken was one big play for them and it could’ve gotten really nasty and ugly, but the defense never allowed them to do that.”
There were positive signs. The defense was solid, allowing only one touchdown. Isaiah Crowell is turning into a game-changer. He rushed for 147 yards on 30 carries, including a 29-yard gain on third-and-9 from the Georgia 2 that launched a 99-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter that Richt called “the biggest play of the game.”
But even Crowell, after the biggest day of his young career, found himself talking about flaws.
“I’m happy with how the team played, but I thought we could’ve played better in the second half,” he said. “We should’ve scored [more] points.”
By Jeff Schultz
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719 comments Add your comment
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
8:43 pm
Jack
Tickets LOL thats hilarious
I guess you had enough fans in the 1960’s but lost them in the 90’s
Funny how GT blows away UGA in 1990. WOW big win there; UGA was a great team that year so great I remember they didnt win enough to even be bowl eligible
Funny
How GT has never won a unanimous National Title, You always have to share it with 2 or 3 other Teams
Funny
How UGA has 61 wins Tech has 39.
Funny
How a GT ACC champion couldnt beat a middle of the road SEC Team in UGA
Jack
September 24th, 2011
8:43 pm
Amazing Rodney how so many uga fans don’t know the obvious. Look at auburn tonight. LMAO
Jack
September 24th, 2011
8:44 pm
TV wasn’t like it is in 1960 like it was beginning in the 80’s you dolt. Gosh are you really this demented? Now I see your inferiority complex emerges
jack bull
September 24th, 2011
8:45 pm
2 things i took away from the game, 1)Bobo has ZERO confidence in his QB! I fully understand he wants some points when we get down to the 30 yd line, but time after time he continues to run that “shotgun and turn and simply hand the ball to the RB” play, he’s plainly showing me he has NO confidence in Murray to make the right decision on a 8-10 yd pass. and 2) Murray obviously has trouble completing the screen pass due to him being 5-10. He simply can’t get the ball over the line without air-mailing the ball over the RB’s head..
other than that, we kicked their arse up and down the field today, and truthfully, that’s 3 weeks in a row!
Jack
September 24th, 2011
8:45 pm
How old are you btw? Must be <30
5150 UOAD
September 24th, 2011
8:46 pm
@UOAD
September 24th, 2011
8:21 pm
Stop talking about Tech academics unless you actually went there. Now are you going to lie about and claim that you did?
I never said i attended TECH much less graduated. I am a NGC grad and a Kennesaw State Grad. my Dad is the TECH Grad. I have been attending tech games since 72.
USE the same name when you post and where did you go to college?
Rodney Dangerfield
September 24th, 2011
8:50 pm
I would cheer for WV to beat LSU but WV fans are more obnoxious than UGA fans. I could only imagine the chest thumping and trash talking if WV beat LSU. The UGA defense reminds me of the UGA fans after every celebration after every tackle even if it is for a 5 yard gain. I am UGA defense man, hear me roar!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
8:52 pm
Rodney Dangerfield
Distort to more facts
I know the BCS hasnt been around that long
TECH has not played in the 4 biggest, The TOP 4 BOWLS, The Main 4. which is the ROSE, FIESTA, SUGAR or ORANGE in 40 yrs.
Now I didnt call them BCS Bowls do you understand now
THe problem is you losers want to spin it and act like your Citris Bowl appearance playing #25 ranked Nebraska was the great win
You didnt get invited and you played a sorry Nebraska team (no competition I might add for a final game) now thats a joke for a national title
No matter what your tied in those bowls would have invited you if you were worth a visit and you havent in 40 yrs
Rodney Dangerfield
September 24th, 2011
8:52 pm
UGA defense man – I make sack on BSU QB, we down by 14 with just a few minutes to go, who cares, watch me dance!
@UOAD
September 24th, 2011
8:54 pm
Figured as much….so, the guy who never logged one hour of credit at the school is going to make arguments based on academics….about as logical as trying to latch onto FLA success when you have none of your own…think about it…GT could beat GA every season until the year 2031 and they would still trail in the head to head W/L record….sleep on that while you go to bed tonight hoping that FL beats GA again this year
Rodney Dangerfield
September 24th, 2011
8:54 pm
Distorting facts again! Nebraska was ranked around #12 when Tech played them.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
8:57 pm
5150 UOAD
You want to say it was Ticket sales and not the bowls and writers
Tell us how Miami got in the Orange Bowl in 1984 a program that was almost canceled and still to this day barely has 30,000 people come to games
Rodney Dangerfield
September 24th, 2011
8:57 pm
I’ll stop having fun trolling you guys. Good luck the rest of the season until you meet Tech!
Rodney Dangerfield
September 24th, 2011
8:58 pm
WTF are you talking about Flat Tire? Miami was not an ACC team in 1984, that’s how they got in the Orange Bowl.
Jack
September 24th, 2011
8:59 pm
What was the overall record since the mid 80’s? That’s when things changed because college football became more of a business and a very profitable one. You’re suppose to beat tech 80% of the time now. Look at the guys you recruit. If we had your recruits, and you had ours, we would win 95% of the time.
Barf
September 24th, 2011
9:00 pm
Flat tire is one fix a flat short of 32 psi. LOL
Barf
September 24th, 2011
9:01 pm
Miami got there because well the ORANGE BOWL IS IN MIAMI! IDIOT
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
9:02 pm
Rodney Dangerfield
Actually #19
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_Georgia_Tech_Yellow_Jackets_football_team
Barf
September 24th, 2011
9:02 pm
And 50% of bowl tickets go to corporations! DOH
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 24th, 2011
9:03 pm
Ole Miss sucks, so now news here. I predicted the Dogs would be 2-2 and after this weekend, but let’s check back in a few weeks after MSU, UT and Vandy. Oh yeal, then there is UF, who has absolutely dominated this program for the past 20 years.
The problem with Athens is everyone forgets fast how tanked this program is.
@Rodney Dangerfield
September 24th, 2011
9:03 pm
By your logic, how did Clemson, an ACC team, manage to play Nebraska in ‘81 season Orange Bowl???
Barf
September 24th, 2011
9:04 pm
Lsu should beat WV by 45. Md almost beat WV last week and they got blown out by temple today
Mike Bobo 17 INT
September 24th, 2011
9:04 pm
CMR will do just enough to keep his job, and everyone will start popping off about 2012 around February 2012. Athens loves to be mediocre…
5150 UOAD
September 24th, 2011
9:05 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
I never said anything about Tickets or Miami…………..FSU was at the same place as to canceling football in the early 70’s……..
At least MIAMI is more that 50% white. UGA is the White girls college in the state with a Sl….e football team. Tell me i’m Wrong! Please tell me I am wrong. A UGA degree for a Football players is called Reparations. 1 acre and a Mule kinds thing.
Herry Perry
September 24th, 2011
9:05 pm
Don’t let these tech fans get to you guys. They do this every year. Come on the blog running thier mouths about what a powerhouse tech has and how Georgia has no chance. Georgia looks like world crushers when they play tech no matter what team they field. Let them run thier mouths for a couple of months before the game is ACTUALLY played and then they will run back into thier little holes. And the beat goes on………………..and on…………………..and on.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
9:06 pm
Rodney
Your buddy UOAD wants to say Tech didnt get invited to a Major bowl in 1990 because of ticket sales
(a major bowl such as the rose, orange, fiesta, sugar. Im not allowed by you morons to say BCS level bowl)
My response was how did Miami get to the Orange Bowl when there fan base is smaller than GT
Mad Poot
September 24th, 2011
9:06 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville -
You’re a complete tool. Herschel isn’t there anymore. Neither is Belue.
Jeeze louise flat tire
September 24th, 2011
9:07 pm
Because the orange had a choice. Gawd are you that dumb? They COULD take an acc team if it had the ticket sales. Last time I checked, the sec wants and considers clemson an sec type team. They travel. They sell tickets. They have a large base because it’s bigger than a school like gt or most acc schools cause we focus more on academics.
5150 UOAD
September 24th, 2011
9:07 pm
Tech at least makes the players take a class without coloring books as the FINAL EXAM. UGA uses players for MONEY………..The SEC uses players to make money and it is their philosophy and you know it.
dogoneit
September 24th, 2011
9:08 pm
Guys! post comments not 3000 word essays. No one is going to read them!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
9:10 pm
5150 UOAD
I meant your buddy Jack sorry
But to respon Tech is mostly foreigners
reddog
September 24th, 2011
9:10 pm
We are an average team at best . Crazy if you think any game from here on is a given win, even Tech. We can only hope the other team plays worse than us on the given day.
Herry Perry
September 24th, 2011
9:10 pm
5150
It’s Friday night and you have been on this blog since it came up tonight! Man will somebody please find this guy a friend!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
9:11 pm
5150 UOAD
And the ACC doesnt use players for money with basketball
Please dude stop before you make yourself really look stupid
Just Askin'
September 24th, 2011
9:12 pm
Jeff,
There will assuredly be several Head Coaches who get their walking papers by the end of this season. Ole Miss, UCLA, and certain in state team all come to mind. Don’t you think it’s better to go ahead and start now so as to strike first in finding a replacement rather than just prolonging the inevitable and waiting until we are competing with other schools for top talent? It’s not like a lame duck season would have any worse result than what we’re going to see with the status quo.
Herry Perry
September 24th, 2011
9:13 pm
5150,
NICE TO SEE YOUR ONE MOTIVATION IN LIFE IS HATING UGA! GET HELP!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 24th, 2011
9:14 pm
Mad Poot
Im a complete Tool?
Really lets see
In 40 yrs UGA 8 “”"BCS LEVEL”"” bowl games. Herschel played 3 that leaves 5 without having to have Herschel moron
In 40 yrs GT 1 “”"BCS LEVEL”"” bowl game
Who’s the tool
Herry Perry
September 24th, 2011
9:15 pm
The one good thing I saw this afternoon was Crowell and ……………………….that’s about it.
5150 UOAD
September 24th, 2011
9:16 pm
Herry Perry
put down the drink or water pipe. It is Saturday night. i talked on the tech blog at 9am to meet somebody. I was at the tech game. I made Smoked Salmon Omelettes and home fries. I have watched the Games. It is what you call tailgating at home with family and friends.
NRBQ
September 24th, 2011
9:16 pm
Congrats, Jeff.
Seldom has there been a larger gathering of “Look at me!” buffoons on one blog.
5150 Lobotomy must be your best friend.
Herry Perry
September 24th, 2011
9:17 pm
Flat tire,
Hey friend you don’t have to argue with fans of a team you beat 90 percent of the time.
Stale
September 24th, 2011
9:17 pm
I am sorry, but for as much as I love Coach Richt and want the best for him and the team, someone needs to pull him aside and tell him his offense is STALE!!! It has no creativity whatsoever. He has the most gifted athletes after Alabama and LSU and he nor Bobo know how to use them. And if something is working, they will go away from it. Why? It seems that Bobo and even Richt are suffering from a lack of confidence. If he doesn’t change something, he is surely going to get fired.
chase35
September 24th, 2011
9:17 pm
if i was one of the players and asked him to go for it on 4th and one and he woulda told me to get it on the first three downs i wouldve responded with maybe you should take over play calling!!!
REM
September 24th, 2011
9:18 pm
It’s pretty sad when mike mills had to say herschel walker is what your known for.
NWGADAWG
September 24th, 2011
9:18 pm
Richt and Co must be fired, we cant compete for the SEC until he is out
LoganvilleDAWG
September 24th, 2011
9:18 pm
That @750 Choke is a dipstick…as well as most of ya’ll complaining about the win, a win is a win & is not a L in the record book. Yes there are quite a few things that need to improve in order for us to be a better team and yes Ole Miss is not very good, but the DAWGS won & showing improvement in alot of areas. We have some talent, not as much as some of the better teams in the country but some young talent that is improving weekly. So lets take this win, see the good things we did and fix the parts that need to get fixed before the ugly bulldawgs come to Athens.
Show up early Saturday, make some freaking noise like these other college fans & stadiums do. Not like the quite nonintimidating stadium we have become…we made more noise before the place was closed in, and that is pitiful. So come on DAWG fans lets show everyone we are proud of our team & help them win some game…GO DAWGS
5150 UOAD
September 24th, 2011
9:18 pm
Flat tire….
the NBA has made college basketball and after thought for most Great BBall players. That doesn’t work for the NFL. Try again.
UGA '92
September 24th, 2011
9:21 pm
Richt is playing not to lose. Too many off-tackle runs on third and long to set up the punt. Too many times he lets the clock run out at half-time instead of going for a score. He will need to get more aggressive if he wants to survive the next 6 weeks.
Herry Perry
September 24th, 2011
9:21 pm
5150,
I don’t drink or smoke a “water pipe”, whatever that is. Hey I see yor “friends” must like you as much as we do. They probably suggested, “Why don’t you go inside and get on the computer, all by your self…………………….PLEASE?”
Mad Poot
September 24th, 2011
9:21 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
I’m a Gator Fan you slow ‘tard. Want to spit off your record against us over the last 20 years? Didn’t think so. So much for numbers. You pillowbag.