Georgia will take an ugly win like this any time
Jarvis Jones had a monster game (three sacks, two forced fumbles) to lead Georgia. (Bob Andres/AJC)
Everybody is going to call it ugly. The quarterback was awful for most of the game. The opponent had six fumbles (four lost) and two interceptions. Two of the supposed best teams in the SEC swapped turnovers, penalties and dropped passes. If the late Sid Gillman was watching, he would’ve covered his eyes and screamed, “No! My eyes! My eyes!”
But does it matter?
Ugly is barely beating Kentucky after a bye week. Ugly is looking flawed against Buffalo and Florida Atlantic. Ugly is giving up 44 points to Tennessee. If beating the No. 2 team in the BCS — especially when it’s Florida — is considered ugly, it’s a canvas of ugly that the Bulldogs would wrap themselves in any day or night.
As Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, he of the three first-half interceptions, said Saturday night, “I know I’m going to get stressed out when I look at the film. But it’s still a great win.”
Georgia, drop-kicked at South Carolina three weeks ago, seemingly comatose in the SEC and again floundering in a season of high hopes, rode ugly back to respectability Saturday. The 17-9 win over Florida put the Bulldogs in control in the SEC East. They need only beat Ole Miss and Auburn to secure a berth in the conference championship — and in the process stomped on all those can’t-win-the-big-one claims.
Malcolm Mitchell danced into the end zone with a big touchdown after Aaron Murray's pass beat the blitz. (Bob Andres/AJC)
The win had historical significance: It was the Dogs’ first time winning in consecutive years against Florida since 1988 and ’89. That’s long ago enough that the coach for that first game was Vince Dooley.
The game also had personal significance for Mark Richt. Battered for doing so poorly against top-10 teams (1-9 since 2008), the Georgia coach stayed on the field long after the game was over, going from one end of the stands to the other, celebrating with fans.
Winning this game last season, some believed, may have helped saved his job. Winning the game this season was even more significant because of the Gators’ stature.
Appropriately, it happened because of
Mark Richt was only 1-9 against top 10 teams since 2008 before Saturday.
defense, in general, and Jarvis Jones, in particular. Jones had three sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He knocked the ball loose from tight end Jordan Reed at the Dogs’ 18 with five minutes left, as Florida was moving in for a potential touchdown.
Jones’ amusing self-analysis: “I don’t know my stats, but I think I had a good game.”
The defense, whether motivated by external criticism or the internal slap from safety Shawn Williams, who called his team “soft,” had one of its better games of the season. Florida was held without a touchdown in a Georgia win for the first time since 1988.
Jones again: “I think what Shawn Williams did, he challenged us. Obviously we needed it. … Everybody was calling us names, calling us soft. ESPN, everybody on TV. Soft, soft, soft, soft, soft. As a man, you take it personal.”
Here’s a suggestion for Richt: Have one player call everybody a name every week. Couldn’t hurt.
Georgia led only 10-9 when Murray made amends for a mostly horrible night (12-of-24, three interceptions). On a third-and-5 from the Gators’ 45, he dropped back, beat blitzing safety Josh Evans and completing an 8-yard pass to Malcolm Mitchell. The receiver spun away from cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy and then cut across the field and ran to the end zone, giving the Dogs a 17-9 lead with seven minutes left.
The game’s only other touchdown — a 10-yard run by Todd Gurley — came early in the game following a Florida fumble. Of course. Florida had six fumbles (losing four) and six turnovers (Georgia three). The teams combined for six turnovers in the first half. They didn’t need marching bands — just the percussion section with the sounds of crashing cymbals with every bobble and misfire.
The Gators had only four turnovers in their first seven games. Yet quarterback Jeff Driskel fumbled on two of the first three plays of the game (Jones recovering the second). See, it doesn’t matter how ugly one team is if the other is worse.
Linebacker Jordan Jenkins said the team was inspired by a pregame speech by defensive end Cornelius Washington, who touched on all of the expected themes: no respect, big game, rival opponent.
“It was the craziest and wildest he’s ever been,” Jenkins said. “He was talking about how everybody was doubting us. He had us all pumped up and ready to go out there and knock some heads.”
Sometimes, that’s how games are won. The win is all anybody will remember.
By Jeff Schultz
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844 comments Add your comment
MfG
October 28th, 2012
10:38 am
ugly is the new beautiful
! auburn couldn’t beat a group of blind guys in a touch football game! ole miss good, but not quite good enough! Florida, good but not good enough to overcome six turnovers, who is?
Dawg Reporter
October 28th, 2012
10:40 am
LSU is NOT going to beat Alabama. That is humorous! Bama is by far the #1 team and a lock for the SEC West.
aprilglaspie
October 28th, 2012
10:41 am
kingdaddy@9:31pm 10/27: Those very same tools are now claiming FLA wasn’t actually very good. Serious football credibility, you nitwits.
tell me again
October 28th, 2012
10:44 am
10 – 2 ……you’re a human case of the clap — you are criticizing the man for enjoying a great win over a team that was ranked # 2 and has been a thorn in our side since Spurrier was there? And so when he gets the “signature win” everybody has been saying we never get you are going to slam him for enjoying the moment? You sir, are a scab on a baboons butt – get a life. He richly deserved every moment of feeling good he could get last night – some of you people are a joke – you slam him when he doesn’t deliver and you slam him when he delivers on the biggest stage of the year – you’re pitiful. STFU and sit down.
lees
October 28th, 2012
10:48 am
I know these are really just young kids, but the unsportsman like penalties really showed a mindset that caused such an overall ugaly game
Smitty
October 28th, 2012
10:49 am
Legal Eagle is just a sad little person with no life so he is mad at the world for keeping him down.
myother
October 28th, 2012
10:50 am
Well they don’t call it the worlds largest cocktail party for nothing. The game looked like a drunken brawl.
Paddy
October 28th, 2012
10:56 am
GT Bob…….I know you would have rather us play good and lose. We live to play another day and you don’t. Sorry little fella!
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 28th, 2012
10:58 am
Florida lost
Oklahoma lost
Southern Cal lost
Oregon State lost
DAWGS move on up in the BCS standings today.
Cannonball Butler
October 28th, 2012
11:00 am
Quote: They need only beat Ole Miss and Auburn to secure a berth in the conference championship — and in the process stomped on all those can’t-win-the-big-one claims. Hey Jeff were you not the biggest critic of “Can’t win the big one” ? How’s the CROW taste?
Shouldn't have done all that acid in the 70's
October 28th, 2012
11:00 am
Okay. I’m happy. Thrilled. Delighted. And for the first time in my life I watched the game sober and I don’t have a hangover this morning so it makes the victory even better. But (there’s always a butt) listening to these guys on the Bulldog call-in Brunch on WSB makes me cringe. God we have got some moe-rons for fans. Great game despite Murray’s sabatage attempts. He’s been great in Athens but I wouldn’t draft him last in the NFL. Thomsa Dematroff: Did you see Jarvis? I say lets give our draft away again next year and make him a Falcon! And Jordan Jenkins is a man among boys, Ray Drew and Jay Rome are so far busts and it looks like
we got us a keeper in ‘ole number 56, Garrison Smith. That’s two pretty friggin good Garrisons we
have had become DGDs. Gotta go. Did you actually think I’d stay sober for the Falcons game?
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
October 28th, 2012
11:01 am
Hey CHURCH looked good this morning. All the UGa wives were there and they didn’t have to use so much make to cover their Black-eyes from a DRUNK HUSBAND after a UGA loss.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
October 28th, 2012
11:02 am
World’s Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 28th, 2012
10:58 am
Florida lost
Oklahoma lost
Southern Cal lost
Oregon State lost
DAWGS move on up in the BCS standings today.
==========================================
Yes UGa will be OVERRATED again this year.
Shouldn't have done all that acid in the 70's
October 28th, 2012
11:02 am
P.S. In the immortal words of Leslie Nielson in the greatest film ever made, Airplane, “It looks like I picked the wrooong day to quit drinking.”
GTBob
October 28th, 2012
11:03 am
DAWGS move on up in the BCS standings today.
Why do teams that have no chance at the BCS title game even worry about the BCS standings?
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 28th, 2012
11:04 am
Muschamp has a hangover this morning.
GTBob
October 28th, 2012
11:05 am
GT Bob…….I know you would have rather us play good and lose. We live to play another day and you don’t. Sorry little fella!
What are you living to play for? The opportunity to get beat by 30-40 points in the SEC championship game, which will embarrass the SEC east once again? Sounds great.
Cannonball Butler
October 28th, 2012
11:05 am
Aaron Murray needs to sit, and they need to pull Hutson Mason’s red shirt to give us a shot at the NC!
It ain’t going to happen with Murray at QB. He is still nutting up in big games and almost cost us this one. Reality check for Richt.
Paddy
October 28th, 2012
11:05 am
pete…….it is just not the Southern fans that really get excited about their teams. The same excitement can be felt in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Michigan Ohio and Pa., etc.. You must be from NYC or New England. We feel your pain.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 28th, 2012
11:06 am
13-1 — Dawgs run the table.
Cannonball Butler
October 28th, 2012
11:09 am
Hey GT Bob……It’s got to kill you nerds that we can play like crap still win and yall can’t even manage a win against Middle Tennessee. BaHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 28th, 2012
11:09 am
Thanks again for the motivational speech,
Shawn ‘hit real hard’ Williams.
GTBob
October 28th, 2012
11:13 am
Hey GT Bob……It’s got to kill you nerds that we can play like crap still win and yall can’t even manage a win against Middle Tennessee.
If Middle Tennessee St had turned the ball over 6 times we probably would have won too.
GTBob
October 28th, 2012
11:14 am
Thanks again for the motivational speech
Maybe everyone in the country should act like a thug on the field and call out all of their team mates in the media. Great motivation.
Cannonball Butler
October 28th, 2012
11:14 am
GT BOB a nob………you would still have lost by 3 points! BAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
GTBob
October 28th, 2012
11:19 am
GT BOB a nob………you would still have lost by 3 points!
Name the last time a team turned the ball over 6 times and won. Im not sure it has ever happened.
War Mongrel
October 28th, 2012
11:20 am
signature win??? hardly…fans knew Florida was way overrated…prepare yourselves for another SECCG butt-kicking, if you can beat Ole Miss…Tech could beat Auburn…buy your Chik-fil-a bowl tickets early…and pray Murray leaves after this season and gets a regular job, cause he ain’t NFL caliber…
Cannonball Butler
October 28th, 2012
11:21 am
GT Bob a nob………GT just sucks admit it, all you nerds have UGA envy! BAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Tampa Gator
October 28th, 2012
11:21 am
Congats true Georgia fans (not those who wanted to fire Richt last week) on a hard fought win last night. Bragging rights to you for one more year. Enjoy. But…..GO GATORS…..and GatorNation will not be posting to fire our coach and coaches this week. Just saying to those other “Dawg fans”……
Cannonball Butler
October 28th, 2012
11:24 am
Hey GT BOB a nob you got some help, maybe you and War Mogrel can go bond somewhere, like you famous tickle piles! BAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Tampa Gator
October 28th, 2012
11:25 am
Jeff Schultz
October 25th, 2012
3:19 pm
Aaron Murray vs. Jeff Driskel is an absolute edge for Georgia. But the rest of the product (on both teams) swings it the other way.
Jeff……
Murray was not better than Driskel. Neither were very good….but Driskel was slightly better.
The defenses were equal.
But those damn turnovers………..get you beat every time.
Patrick
October 28th, 2012
11:25 am
Looks like Teflon Mark can tip toe to the SEC championship game again after that thug fest in JAX. As a staunch UGA supporter it pains me to say that we’ll end up stuck with Bulldog mediocrity for another year at least. Yes, the better team got the’ W’ yesterday but will it end the year with a BCS championship or even a SEC crown? Hardly. I’d love to eat some crow but I’ll bet my UGA diploma that neither will happen this year–or any year CMR is at the helm.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 28th, 2012
11:25 am
Signature Win for the Dawgs
GTBob
October 28th, 2012
11:27 am
GT Bob a nob………GT just sucks admit it, all you nerds have UGA envy!
GT does suck. I have admitted that many times. We may be the worst team in college football. If you guys don’t beat us by 50 points then you should fire Richt. But even with all of that, I would much rather be a GT fan then a UGA fan. Being slightly above average at football just isn’t worth that.
Tampa Gator
October 28th, 2012
11:27 am
I am sitting here watching the replay again…..I like to punish myself. Jarvis Jones just pressured Driskel….and if he hadn’t…..Jordan Reed was running right down the middle of the field for a TD. Note to Jarvis Jones…….the NFL wants you….NOW.
Tampa Gator
October 28th, 2012
11:28 am
……and that was the same play that Jordan Reed fumbled on late in the game. I am still not sure why Florida did not pass more on first down more…..or even a little bit.
GTBob
October 28th, 2012
11:29 am
Patrick, I do feel somewhat bad for UGA fans. Their team plays terrible, somehow Florida plays worse, and Richt will probably get another raise and extension. Its like every time they are getting close to getting rid of the guy he wins one game that keeps his job going.
Tampa Gator
October 28th, 2012
11:30 am
Outdoor Party…..
No……signature wins would be wins in the SEC title and National championship games. They give you a “signature” trophy for winning those games. Anything else is just a win or big win.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
October 28th, 2012
11:32 am
World’s Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 28th, 2012
11:25 am
Signature Win for the Dawgs
…………………………………………
Hahaha………….was the SIGNATURE an X?
look at the stats and that was anything but a WIN. It was a SUCK LESS than the other guy.
IF the Gator doesn’t TRY for an ESPN HIGHLIGHT and just goes down The gators are down by 2 with a 2 point conversion to come with less than 3 min left in the game. that leaves PMS MURRAY trying to PASS to win in regulation or go to Overtime. Not a SIGNATURE WIN but a SURVIVE……BEAT LSU or BAMA in the regular season to get to the DOME then talk crap…….It was a Needed WIN for sure.
Tampa Gator
October 28th, 2012
11:34 am
I just watched the replay again………of Easley getting called for pass interferene on Gurley a (you can’t call pass interference behind the line of scrimmage….by rule)…..Gurley was 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage. That call should have never been called……and led to the final Georgia TD. Florida would have gotten the ball with 8 minutes left…..but probably still would have fumbled the ball going into the end zone. Oh well…….
Tampa Gator
October 28th, 2012
11:38 am
I have posted enough this morning……….time to take a break until recruiting season kicks back up again. Again….congrats true Dawg fans on a hard fought win. Gator fans are just embarrassed by the way our offensive players did not play last night. Gator D might be the best ever. Go get some more receivers…..Muschamp.
Gurshall
October 28th, 2012
11:40 am
Was watching the zier non time out. We would have won that one … Oh well.
kingdaddy
October 28th, 2012
11:40 am
Smart
Well we don’t have to worry about Tech being “OVER-RATED”, do we, lol…
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
October 28th, 2012
11:41 am
TAMPA……We were at the BAR and all the dWags thought it was a great call……..IT was the WRONG CALL but HEY you will NEVER get a dWag to admit that even if they read the rule book.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
October 28th, 2012
11:41 am
NO NO we don’t
kingdaddy
October 28th, 2012
11:44 am
April
DELUSIONAL::::Tech fans that lie so much, they actually believe their own lies…
Tech-fans eat boogers…Maybe you guys should try chewing gum once in a while…
Dennis "Gator" Green
October 28th, 2012
11:45 am
We knew who they were! We let them off the hook!
bamaguy
October 28th, 2012
11:46 am
Great win for Georgia, it was fun to watch (it is always fun instead of stressful when it is not your team playing). I will say this, Alabama had to pull off an “ugly win” against Tennessee in 2009 en route to the national championship.
BullDogMike
October 28th, 2012
11:53 am
GTBob, answer a question for us : When will Tech ever take football serious again ? I am old enough to remember Tech actually fielding decent teams back in the 60,s and 70’s. SInce then they have become a joke. The in state rivalry is not even that any more. We won our rival game yesterday. Just saying……….
kingdaddy
October 28th, 2012
11:54 am
Nativebird
Was the game in Athens? STFU LOSER…You think the lizards just gave up 6 fumbles & 2 int.s? I saw the Dawgs D. laying wood to your backfield allllllllll night. I also saw your great Oline knocked flat on their a$$ for 4 quarters. Nobody gave the game to UGA you fool. The Dawgs grabbed it by the throat, and the lizards coughed it up , and you are looking for any reason to blame this loss on anything other than the fact that the Doggies STOMPED A MUDHOLE IN THE GATORS A$$. Learn to live with it or jump off your trailer, I don’t care either way, you’re an idiot…