Georgia goes up 10-0, then goes down hard to LSU
After early success, it was a difficult night for Georgia's Aaron Murray. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
(UPDATED: 9:20 p.m.)
This is when all involved with the Georgia program will tell themselves, “Well, we got here.”
They will cling to the fact an inspired defense allowed LSU only 12 yards and zero first downs in the first half. They will bang their heads against the fiberglass Uga’s throughout downtown Athens over the what-might-have-beens, if two dropped touchdown passes on their first two possessions hadn’t left the team with only a field goal. They will grit their teeth as they mold toy Honey Badgers out of Play-Doh, then crush them with their fists.
But in the end, the Bulldogs’ return to the SEC Championship game after six years resulted in an ugly tilt on the scoreboard. The final: LSU 42, Georgia 10.
That might not tell the whole story. But it reaffirms what we sort of knew: Despite the season’s 10-game winning streak and the remarkable resiliency we witnessed after a 0-2 start, the Bulldogs just aren’t there yet.
“It doesn’t seem real right now that our momentum stopped,” said tight end Aron White, whose first-quarter touchdown gave the Dogs a 10-0 lead. “It really catches you off-guard when all of a sudden the accolades and the wins stop. It’s definitely going to take a while to get over. But at the end of the day, I don’t think a loss to the No. 1 team in America from the best conference in America is going to take away from the season we’ve had. We can’t say we’re the best, but we can say we were pretty damn good.”
Hard to believe, the Dogs led 10-0. They would have rejoiced more if they didn’t believe that it should have been 21-0, the residue of dropped touchdown passes by Tavarres King and Malcolm Mitchell. They will wonder how a game in which they once held a 134-7 advantage in totals so completely spun out of control.
“Basically we lost the momentum, they gained it and we couldn’t slow it down,” coach Mark Richt said.
Three months ago, the Bulldogs left the Georgia Dome after a 35-21 loss to Boise State, leaving most wondering about their direction, their resilience and, most of all, Richt.
That shouldn’t be the case any more. But the sting of 42-10 losses tend to sting a while.
Following White’s touchdown, the Dogs’ next 10 possessions resulted in seven punts and three turnovers (all leading to LSU touchdowns). The Bulldogs saw a game that they were implausibly dominating get turned around by a gravity-defying punt returner known in the swamplands as the “Honey Badger.” Sophomore Tyrann Mathieu returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give LSU what the offense couldn’t: points. Then he brought back another one 47 yards early in third quarter – unofficially breaking seven tackles along the way. That set up a second touchdown and gave the Tigers a 14-10 lead.
Richt on Mathieu: “I’ll be honest: I enjoy watching the guy play football, other than when he plays against us.”
Soon, it was like somebody pulled the stopper out of the bathtub.
A fumble by quarterback Aaron Murray led to another touchdown. The Dogs’ wore down on both lines. LSU then ran them into the ground. The SEC championship was theirs, and the Dogs’ 10-game winning streak was over.
By midway through the fourth quarter, a Dome crowd that was two-thirds Georgia fans was two-thirds empty with a decidedly purple-and-gold tilt.
The Dogs will have a few weeks off before their bowl game. They’ll need it to recover — mentally moreso than physically.
About the what-might-have-beens: The Bulldogs’ defense forced six straight three-and-outs. But that success didn’t carry over to the offense. King dropped a third-down pass in the end zone on the first drive, forcing the Dogs to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Blair Walsh. Malcolm Mitchell dropped a third-down pass at the LSU 5-yard-line on the second drive, seemingly preoccupied with turning to run into the end zone. This time, Walsh missed from 45 yards.
A 10-0 lead against No. 1 just isn’t good enough when it should be 21-0.
“We wanted to have a better show then we ended up showing for 60 minutes,” Richt said.
It was a good show for a short while.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,203 comments Add your comment
PROUDDOG
December 3rd, 2011
9:47 pm
UGA WILL BE BACK IN THE SECCG NEXT YEAR. SPURRIER AND LATTIMORE ARE GONE AFTER NEXT YEAR, UT IS A MESS AND MUSCHAMP IS IN OVER HIS HEAD.
2010 BCS CHAMPS!!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2011
9:47 pm
“man, my life sucks!”
I know your life sucks.
Brad
December 3rd, 2011
9:47 pm
Can you imagine what LSU would have done to Ga. Tech.
War Dang Dawg
December 3rd, 2011
9:47 pm
“When’s the last time UGA won anything?”
2005. Seems like a long time ago, I know.
We also won a game on November 12 by the score of 45-7. Maybe you weren’t around but Google “Georgia Auburn 2011″ and see what pops up.
Don’t you feel just a little bit stupid?
Auburn--2nd rate team from AL
December 3rd, 2011
9:47 pm
pibb,
uga has the 3rd most sec titles in conf history. never relevant, uh?
JB
December 3rd, 2011
9:48 pm
@9:45………..Thought Hindu’s were peaceful types….. Not all I guess……
Kiss The Ring
December 3rd, 2011
9:48 pm
Dalton…calm down. You will experience undefeated glory one day. I has seen it three times….playing decent schedules…its really nice.
2010 BCS CHAMPS!!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2011
9:48 pm
“UGA is no longer a top tier program”
They never have been. The only top tier programs in SEC history are Alabama and TN. Every other school has 1-3 titles and that’s it.
Redneck Bill from Trailerville
December 3rd, 2011
9:48 pm
OK, which wise guy swapped out the good dawgs for the normal dawgs at halftime?
All I got to say is, what a butt-whomping! LSU didn’t just lay a can on us. It was a whole barrel. Heh, heh, heh. I ain’t seen a beatdown like that since old Mr. Perkins caught Stew Farkin looking through a peephole at the girls toilet back in the 5th grade.
Don’t know that I want to see any more of the Dawgs this year. Not even if I got a free ticket to the Music City Bowl or wherever they’re going after this. I’ll just sign off by being a true Dawgs fan. I want the whole coaching staff fired and rode out of town on a rail. I want them waterboarded first.
That how we do it around here?
timbo
December 3rd, 2011
9:49 pm
We get it dawg fans, you dominated the 1st half. Congrats on your 10-7 domination. But, LSU dominated the 2nd half 35-0.
2010 BCS CHAMPS!!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2011
9:49 pm
“I has seen it three times”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!
2010 BCS Champs
December 3rd, 2011
9:49 pm
mom, i’ll be up to bed in a minute……i’m on my computer talking trash to uga fans! give me 5 more minutes. i’m killing them.
fljacket76
December 3rd, 2011
9:50 pm
War Dang Dawg- I posted before the Tech – UGA game that we were nothing more than an average team and didn’t see us winning that game. BUT, most Dawg fans have the most effective blinders in existence when it comes to the real talent level of this UGA team.
Bobo is Not the Problem
December 3rd, 2011
9:50 pm
Sign of a stupid coach:
“Basically we lost the momentum, they gained it and we couldn’t slow it down.”
No, Mark, ‘basically’ you got your a** handed to you. Basically, a smart coach made smart halftime adjustments while you assumed you didn’t need to change anything. Basically, you got outsmarted and outplayed again. Basically, you lost to the only three teams on your schedule that weren’t mediocre.
Basically, four other SEC coaches won BCS championships in the last 5 years. Four coaches with less tenure than you. You have delivered zero championships in 11 years.
Basically, you should be fired for believing ‘momentum’ determines the outcome of a game. If momentum is so determinative, how can it be lost?
FIRE MARK RICHT.
Kiss The Ring
December 3rd, 2011
9:50 pm
How many top 10 wins has UGA seen under Richt?
Auburn2006
LSU 2005 and 2004
WHo else???
Thats pretty weak.
Russ
December 3rd, 2011
9:50 pm
You UGA and Richt haters enjoy this night. You only got three of these this year, because that’s all the games Georgia lost. Florida and Auburn have dipped since winning it all. LSU and Bama will too. That’s just the way it works. There are no multi-year, long runs any more. Georgia’s on the upswing and you might not get too many times to rejoice over their loses these next few years. So, enjoy tonight.
2010 BCS CHAMPS!!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2011
9:51 pm
“uga has the 3rd most sec titles in conf history.”
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dalton
December 3rd, 2011
9:51 pm
Just trying to keep it civil on the blog. I really meant it when I said they’d be back. I’m just defending what UGA had to do to get to the game and they did it. So I don’t understand why some on this blog put them down for it.
2010 BCS CHAMPS!!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
Well, looks like BJ stole my blog handle. Gotta love the fact that I made her 300 lb arse angry.
2010 BCS Champs
December 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
if i could date auburn footbal…..
i’m sending an email to gene chzyk later tonight about how i was up all night talking smack to uga fans.
i’m awesome!
JB
December 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
Get ready for a 5 year extension. The thought process is that LSU and Bama Can’t stay this good forever…Florida now looks beatable and AU will be Automatic again after the miracle year.
Dude
December 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
Jeapardy answer: LSU & Georgia
Jeopardy Question: name a school that knows how to play like a champion and name a school who thinks they are a champion.
bull puppies
December 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
GT, never thought of as good this year, went down after their very iffy QB threw the game away via interceptions. What is the excuse for the puppies? Just plain suck? I thought this was a good bulldog team, but they turned out to play like bull crap as we knew this 0-2 team would eventually show back up
2010 BCS Champs
December 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
Holy crap! I googled “Georgia Auburn 2011″ and sure enough, Georgia kicked our butts severely this year! Man, do I feel stupid. I know, I’ll go talk trash to LSU fans. Oh, wait. Well, Alabama fans then! Oh crap, can’t do that either.
Hey Utah State fans, WE OWN YOU! LOSERS!!! 2010 BCS CHAMPS!!! ALL IN WITH SCAM!! WOO HOOOOOO!!!
Erk Russell's Dog
December 3rd, 2011
9:53 pm
Okie State is trying to make a case for playing in the BCS title game.It all depends on ESPN talking heads.For now the fix is still in and the 2nd place team in the SEC west is still in the title game. Saban better come on Espn football final wrap and do some lobbying for the Tide.I saw him with Corso ,Herbie Desmond and Erin this morning on Game Day.
JB
December 3rd, 2011
9:53 pm
SOMEONE STOLED MY TRALIER AND BURNT IT DOWN! WOO GOOOO DAWGS!!!!! WE RUIN THIS STATE AND WE OWNED LSU FOR ONE CORTER. WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Kiss The Ring
December 3rd, 2011
9:53 pm
Hey Russ…AU and UF have dipped after winning titles…and now are putting together top recruiting classes. I beleive AU is in line for their 3rd top 5 class in as many years.
JB
December 3rd, 2011
9:53 pm
Not me champ…….
Lambert Dawg
December 3rd, 2011
9:53 pm
0 first downs in the first half for the #1 team in the country. Defense played lights out for the first half. Unfortunatly, the game is 60 minutes. Got to make plays when you have the opportunity and you can’t, I repeat CAN’T, turn the ball over against a team like LSU. This hurts really bad.
l love Mark Richt and Todd Grantham. Pay these men whatever it will take to keep them together. This staff can bring us National Championships.
I have to remind myself what Rudyard Kipling told his son.
“If” you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same.
Congratulations LSU. Hope we meet again next year.
l just have to know how can Nick Saban is allowed by the NCAA to continue to be on ‘Game Day” and CBS arguing his case for playing for the national title? Saban is an active division 1 coach who continues to get air time on these networks for Alabama. If you don’t think this is unfair call and ask Game Day and CBS what a 30 second commercial cost on their broadcast. The bias by ESPN and CBS toward Nick Saban is at the point of being criminal. I hope miles kicks sabans A.. int the national championship game.
If Georgia recruits stay at home we will own Alabama and LSU. LSU is winning because they get the best players in Louisiana. If UGA can do the same we have a bright future and many championships to look forward to.
JB
December 3rd, 2011
9:53 pm
We’re gone winnd the 2012 title! mark it downd! We owns Florda!
Disinterested Party
December 3rd, 2011
9:53 pm
Hey 2010, I thought you went to Southern Union because your grades weren’t good enough for Auburn? Maybe I have you confused with someone else.
Mr. Pibb
December 3rd, 2011
9:54 pm
Russ, we get one more time to trash you. You will lose in your bowl game too. Richt this year when you lose a bowl game. Sleep well…..
JB
December 3rd, 2011
9:54 pm
I gradutated from colledge with my GED! McDonalds herd I cum!
Dude
December 3rd, 2011
9:54 pm
Dude
December 3rd, 2011
9:52 pm
Jeapardy answer: LSU & Georgia
Jeopardy Question: name a school that plays for four quarters and a school that plays for two quarters.
2010 BCS Champs
December 3rd, 2011
9:55 pm
I RULE!!!!1
i try to turn blogger’s comments around….only to learn that i get more pathetic after each comment
Typical UGA fan
December 3rd, 2011
9:55 pm
After we win the 2008 national title we’ll win the 2011 national title.
Thuga
December 3rd, 2011
9:55 pm
Thuga had no business being in this game. Should have been Bama or Arkansas vs LSU. Thuga beat noone this season. What a joke!
Kiss The Ring
December 3rd, 2011
9:55 pm
How is UGA recruiting going? Not good huh?
Typical UGA fan
December 3rd, 2011
9:56 pm
How many trailers would JB have to sell to pay for his college tuition?
Typical UGA fan
December 3rd, 2011
9:56 pm
DREAM TEAM!!!!! CROWELL IS THE NEW HERSCHELL!!!!!!!!
Typical UGA fan
December 3rd, 2011
9:56 pm
I love Athens but I’ve never been there!
War Dang Dawg
December 3rd, 2011
9:57 pm
Jeopardy answer: Everyone but LSU and Georgia
Jeopardy question: name the SEC schools that stayed home this year and watched the SEC Championship Game on television.
2010 BCS Champs
December 3rd, 2011
9:57 pm
hey “2010 BCS CHAMPS!!!!!!!!”
now someone stole my handle…..guess everyone wants a piece of you!
DILLIGAF
December 3rd, 2011
9:57 pm
Hey GT, I just saw your mascot Buzz on the Dr. Pepper challenge at halftime for the ACC CG.
That’s about as close to that game as your team will see this decade.
UGA/85′
GATA!
John
December 3rd, 2011
9:57 pm
At least Tech has been part of a National Championship since UGA…hahaha
JDawg1785
December 3rd, 2011
9:58 pm
Nice, War Dang Dawg!
Typical UGA fan
December 3rd, 2011
9:58 pm
“name the SEC schools that stayed home this year and watched the SEC Championship Game on television.”
Name the SEC school that got destroyed in the SEC championship.
Kiss The Ring
December 3rd, 2011
9:58 pm
Dont worry Dawgs…your 2012 schedule is more pathetic then 2011.
daddo
December 3rd, 2011
9:58 pm
Lambert Dog: If, if, if, if, if, if, if……..
Alabama: does, does, does, does, does…..
dan
December 3rd, 2011
9:58 pm
It doesn’t hurt that the Dawgs lost the game tonight. It doesn’t even hurt that we got blown out. It hurts that a team that brought their C game can still blow us out by 32 points. It hurts that in the last 6 years, 4 different SEC teams have won National titles; and we’re not one of them. And it hurts to know that those results are seemingly OK with the vast majority of our fan-base.