LIVE: Georgia leads LSU 10-7 at halftime, goes for SEC title
Here's Georgia stepping all over LSU -- the logo -- before the game.
No, I don’t know if Isaiah Crowell is going to play. (Figured that question might come up.)
Welcome to the SEC championship, or, as we like to call it: “The Game That Nobody Three Months Ago Figured Would Include Georgia.”
As coach Mark Richt said at his news conference earlier this week, “Well, I guess we could be out recruiting today.” This being the better alternative.
Les Miles and Mark Richt prepare to arm wrestle for SEC trophy.
There’s not much left to write. You can go to AJC.com/Sports/UGA to catch up on some of the terrific blogs written this week by Chip Towers and Tim Tucker, and I’ve listed the links to some of my columns down below.
But here are a few bullet points going into the game (4 p.m. kickoff).
• The Georgia offense: If the Bulldogs (13½-point underdogs) can’t run the ball against LSU, their chances to pull an upset significantly decrease. No running game means no effective play-action and little chance of keeping the Tigers’ defense off-balance. That said, Aaron Murray has been strong of late and will need to continue to spread the ball around to all his receivers.
• Crowell: We’re probably not going to know until kickoff whether he is playing. Yes, rumors have swirled most of the week on Twtter and message boards about the strength of his health, his head, an altercation that may or may not have taken place in practice, a suspension, etc. All I can tell you for sure is that nothing has been substantiated. Coach Mark Richt has remained mum on the status of all of his running backs since Wednesday. Crowell was at Friday’s walk-thru at the Georgia Dome and is on the Dogs’ dress-0ut list. Athletic director Greg McGarity said Friday he knew nothing of a suspension and told Chip and I, “I’d know, wouldn’t I?”
• Barring turnovers, I think Georgia keeps this game close for at least three quarters. The Dogs’ defense has been strong against the run (which is LSU’s strength). The question is what happens in the fourth quarter. The Tigers’ depth on the line and at running back enables them to rotate players and wear down opponents. LSU has outscored teams 115-28 in the fourth quarter and 229-61 in the second half.
Finally, I know a lot has been made of the fact that LSU probably will be in the BCS title game, win or lose (barring an unlikely blowout win by the Bulldogs, which could make voters think twice about putting the Tiers in). I doubt that will have any impact on the Tigers’ play. They’re undefeated and they have a chance to win an SEC championship. Those two things alone will keep them motivated.
Yes, Georgia has a legitimate chance to win this game. But it will take an almost error-free performance, and even then maybe a couple of turnovers.
That’s it for now. If and when we learn something more about Crowell, I’ll post it here.
Georgia blogs from this week:
• Georgia’s ascent a positive sign for future
• After Boise State, Murray foresaw Georgia in SEC title game
• Georgia has far better than ‘puncher’s chance’ against LSU
By Jeff Schultz
Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSchultzAJC). Friend me on Facebook (Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC).
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3,008 comments Add your comment
Matthew
December 3rd, 2011
8:28 pm
Hey JB – get a life, or a degree, or a friend…
Because really, you suck.
JB
December 3rd, 2011
8:28 pm
I bet DAWGFAN will end up on the side of a milk cartoon as he is MIA!!!!!!!!!
42-10 and another beatdown in the GA DOME THIS YEAR!!!!!! As you said last week about 20 times in your post after GT lost, BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! Enjoy the crow you loser!!!
TampaGator
December 3rd, 2011
8:28 pm
Mid Town…..
4 points to go…..
LSU 42, Georgia 10
LSU 41, Florida 11
Georgia by 4 over Florida…..not much to go.
Shultz sez
December 3rd, 2011
8:28 pm
“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.”
Old Dawg Fan
December 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
I never expected us to win this game. We hung in there till half time. LSU is something else. Murray was not impressive even though he had quit a few passes dropped. Crowell is too light weight I think to continue play in the SEC-he just can’t continaully take the punishment he will continually have in the SEC. If you would have told me we would have won the SEC East at the beginning of the year I would have said no way. Good year-somewhat weak schedule but I will take it. On to the Outback Bowl!!!!
JB
December 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
8:25 JB post IS NOT ME
Snake Doc
December 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
Buckhead Bulldog – Sorry about the misspelling of your handle. I didn’t not mean to dis you that way. It was a spelling error only.
DawgGone
December 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
Tampa Gator ….why do you care?
stendek
December 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
Time for Mark Wretch and cronies to go! That was an abysmal embarrassment. The Dawg defenders played their hearts out. The punt return team players should be left behind in Atlanta. They are all flat out awful! Whoever considers Aaron Murray an SEC quality QB is delusional. His giveaways against major foes in critical games have become legendary. What a pathetic effort after the pick which resulted in an LSU TD! Wretch is a loser. The Dawgs will be losers as long as Wretch and Mike Dodo are at the helm! Put the defensive charge in charge. Send everyone else packing! Dawg fans deserve far better than this season after season. The Dawgs will always defeat technical institutes under Wretch but choke against decenr opponents. Is anyone as sick of this as I am? To heck with this bull!
Red Stick
December 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
LSU is simply a great team this year.
The Dawgs had a solid season and if they win their bowl they will have some momentum leading in to next season. I believe Georgia will be the SEC East favorites next season.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
SEC Champs
jerry
December 3rd, 2011
8:29 pm
@evil empire Last time I saw them, they had their tails tucked into their a–holes. ha ha ha ha
FSUfan
December 3rd, 2011
8:30 pm
wouldn’t it be funny if UGA played GT in Sun bowl…lol
good night UGAY
December 3rd, 2011
8:30 pm
stupid is as stupid does…
Mark my word...
December 3rd, 2011
8:30 pm
Post-game comments: “Everyday I’m commuting and I gotta get good gas mileage … When you get inside the truck, you crank up the engine, you know you’re in a powerful vehicle. That’s where Isaiah, Bobo, and I smoke our weed together.”
marc g
December 3rd, 2011
8:30 pm
Great job Georgia…I see great results for the next few years. Team is very young and to go from a 6 win season last year to this year’s results is rather remarkable IMO. Talk schedule all you want but you still have to go out and compete week in and week out. To everyone who chooses to continue to spread their negative energy, I say continue because our team is young and look at the amount of talent we are returning. Keep on hating haters and Go Dawgs!
Hurst
December 3rd, 2011
8:30 pm
kerryb, I have no idea what you’re talking about.
AZDAWG
December 3rd, 2011
8:30 pm
Bozo the clown…..what in the hell happened…its like you hit C(B)rowell’s spliff at half??? Crowell is gone (trust me Richt just sent me a text)…not sure I have ever heard a college kid booed off a field like that….even the anouncers called him out….good gracious happy feet Murray is horrible under pressure…another long 2 years ahead….off to church with CMR tomorrow…
On the brightside Malcome did more in the last 2 mins that the balance of the RB softies….
DAMON
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
I apologize to LSU because after the 1st quarter, I panicked, alittle bit…….please forgive me
TigerMeat
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
At the end of the day, the Dawgs just weren’t man enough. They couldn’t catch a ball, that’s why they don’t have any. Bill King is the poster child of balless, except for his mouth.
JB
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
WE need a 235 pound tailback with speed and heart. Gotta be one out there. We need to cut ties with Crowell. Let him go to FSU.
private plane watching
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
I never expected to win…. GA fans are a JOKE!!! You guys ran your mouth all week. Now, you never expected to win. Go home “Old Dawg”
Mr. Pibb
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
Linsey Scott, Linsey Scott, Linsey Scott!!!!! oops, that was the early 1980’s too. Sorry.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
Until we get an OC that knows how to call plays and make adjustments we will continue to lose big games
TampaGator
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
But….Mid Town…..
Dawg fans now have the entire summer to tell Gator fans how they are going to rip us apart again in Jax……it is what they do every summer. But Georgia made it to the SEC title game this year. Congrats. But the sun shined on you this year. I think it will be harder to get the sun to shine on you next year.
Lar Munson
December 3rd, 2011
8:31 pm
Hey Buckhead Bullnut,
U dawgbraths ain’t the only ones with them thar computers and smart fones. I’d say thays kwite a bit of LSU fans who can blog u dawgs.
Lovin’ it, toadstool!
42-10
December 3rd, 2011
8:32 pm
will uga beat anyone in Bowl game…don’t believe so.
Edvis
December 3rd, 2011
8:32 pm
Is your name Hurst or The Rest of the Country? Which. Is. It?
HeeHawDawg
December 3rd, 2011
8:32 pm
I’ve got a tiger by the tail it’s plain to see
I won’t be much when you get through with me
Well I’m a losing weight and I’m turning mighty pale
Looks like I’ve got a tiger by the tail
CL
December 3rd, 2011
8:32 pm
I see Malcombe as the starter next year, bye bye IC,
Belcher
December 3rd, 2011
8:33 pm
Crowell has to go….NOW!!!!
JB
December 3rd, 2011
8:33 pm
Has the NCAA checked to see if these men at LSU are legal…..I mean, do they play on Sunday’s already…..Man
JB
December 3rd, 2011
8:33 pm
Matthew, you don’t like when someone comes on a uga blog bumping his gums huh?
Tell that to fans like dawgfan who raided the blogs on saturday and sunday all damn day last week with insults. Nothing like hypocrisy matthew. Notice i called him out personally matthew. Not all uga fans are like that but clearly that douche bag!!! If you can’t understand me returning the favor, then maybe you should consider completion of grade school first.
Snake Doc
December 3rd, 2011
8:33 pm
Red Stick – Seriously??? Seriously???? You can’t be that stupid, seriously???????
TampaGator
December 3rd, 2011
8:34 pm
Dawggone….
Why do I care about what?
blazerdawg
December 3rd, 2011
8:34 pm
Congratulations to the Tigers. Mathieu is amazing. I hope they win the next one.
Way to go Dawgs. Heck of an effort. A big game under your belt against a great team will is excellent experience and this is a wonderful team coming back. Looking forward to facing a Big 10 opponent on New Year’s.
Give em Heck Eagles! Beat Maine next weekend.
private plane watching
December 3rd, 2011
8:34 pm
Fire CMR, keep CMR, fire him…. we can’t figure what to do with our coach. UGAY, UGAY, UGAY
smart dawg
December 3rd, 2011
8:34 pm
JB, The FSU of 20 years ago is gone. However, the legacy lives on in Athens. Don’t forget who St MArk worked for back then. So Highsaiah is where he should be.
Lar Munson
December 3rd, 2011
8:34 pm
Let’s all get back in our holes and shut up till signing day or the 2012 preseason pole.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 3rd, 2011
8:34 pm
Until we get an OC that knows how to call plays and make adjustments we will continue to lose big games!!!!
JB
December 3rd, 2011
8:34 pm
We have not won a big event prime time game on the National stage since 2007. Name one.
TampaGator
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
CL…..you better hope Marshall and Crowell are your starters next year, not Malcome. There is a reason he only plays at the end of blow out games.
FSUfan
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
Why would we take your trash JB? He’s your Dream team just like Pulpwood Smith was.
Snake Doc
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
Flat Tire – Until this team gets someone other the the Orange Man Tan CEO this team is nothing!
Lar Munson
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
What the heck is a capital one anyway?
Glock 45
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
Did anyone else see IC turn his back on CMR and walk away? That’s why I have no respect for CMR.
42 UNANSWERED
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
@final SEC rankings…UGA will not avoid Alabama next season, the play them the next 2 years…next year is in Tuscaloosa.
private plane watching
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
We always have the dream team… where are all the GA homers????
Coffee Bluff DAWG
December 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
It was great to watch the UGA D at work in the 1st half. If you lose the TO battle with LSU then you lose the war.
Give credit to LSU – very tough.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 3rd, 2011
8:36 pm
We havent won a big game in 6 years and counting
Mr. Pibb
December 3rd, 2011
8:36 pm
All kidding aside, UGA’s running back situation is a mess. The big O line handled Tech last week, but look what happened when they ran into athletes of the same caliber. The offensive play calling was awful, just not very good. As for the defenese, they were not great against Tech and they disapeared in the seconed half tonight. Seriously, this was an embarassment. Goodness….