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
fan
October 27th, 2012
9:53 pm
Surprised me!
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
9:53 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
9:35 pm
No MNC this year.
If we play for and win one…I will eat my computer.
____________________
No you won’t. Liar!
tripwire
October 27th, 2012
9:54 pm
Give M R a big raise, build a statue and plant four leaf clovers nearby,some people think they are lucky!
Dabo
October 27th, 2012
9:54 pm
WE RAID THIS STATE!
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
9:54 pm
returning to normal
October 27th, 2012
9:48 pm
When UGA gets spanked in the SECCG and in the Bowl Game….
____________________________________________________
Everyone said we were going to get spanked by Florida
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
9:55 pm
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
9:43 pm
Any Tampagator sightings?
Has he shown to take some medicine?
___________________
If the most arrogant of all fla fans on these blogs does show up, you can bet he’ll have a boatload of excuses for why his beloved gators lost.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
9:56 pm
Thanks Coach Richt
ugafancolumbusga
October 27th, 2012
9:56 pm
HOW BOUT THEM DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAY TO GO………… tired of hearing negative comments form uga fans.. sheesh.. GO DAWGS BEAT REST OF TEAMS THIS SEASON . JARVIS, IM PROUD OF YOU AND REST OF TEAMPLAYERS , KEEP THE UPBEAT TEAM WORK… GOD BLESS Y ALL…
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
9:56 pm
Dawgnole:
Didn’t I tell you…my computer is made of cake?
I’ll eat it anyway.
J Clay
October 27th, 2012
9:56 pm
One more note….where are all the experts that use to call CPJ a genius? Haha…they are calling for his head on the Yech board…he is out of excuses.
td
October 27th, 2012
9:57 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
9:48 pm
Guess what? For everyone of you so called fans that hate the coaching staff there are 1000 of us that love CMR and will support him for many more years.
We are sick and tired of the BS you lame fans show. When you can not even take one night off from being negative about the coaching staff after a win over Florida then it shows that you really hate the program. We do not need your kind around, You really should find another team because CMR is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
I know that just burns you up but those are the facts.
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
9:57 pm
Clay — I’d be very disappointed if we lose to LSU.
They have a good defense & a solid running game, but unless Mettenberger plays the game of his life, we win.
LSU almost lost to Aubie!!
TAMPADAWG
October 27th, 2012
9:58 pm
`HEY FOOLS GOLD YOU ARE AN IDIOT THIS IS A HIGH EMOTION GAME AND UGA CAM TO PLAY NO TDS IN THE GAME SINCE 88 YOU MUST BE A TECHY GO HOME!!! UGA WILL BEAT TECH BY 30 YOU TECH LOSER !!!
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
9:59 pm
Edvis
October 27th, 2012
9:48 pm
Jimmy is right. Winning all your games like this is one thing, getting humiliated by SC is another. If they win out, no matter how they win out, it’ll be terrific, and it’s great to beat Florida any year — but there’s nothing to indicate that this Georgia aggregation suddenly belongs on the same field as Alabama. And just because some of us are not falling in line with everyone who is hallucinating over this outcome does not make us lesser supporters of the program — Coach Dooley would agree.
_____________________
Have we already lost to Bama, dumbazz. No! So shut the hell up until we play them.
J Clay
October 27th, 2012
9:59 pm
Crimson – I would be disappointed for you too…I’m just saying its not a given, especially since it is at their place….you all should win for sure…anyway, hope we will get a chance to shock the world against you Dec 1….Dawgs really have not been same team since the last time we played you…
PreyDawg
October 27th, 2012
9:59 pm
Hey no hard feelings to all you Gator fans who come to our blog and like to have fun teasing us on our own blog. We DAWG fans just want to wish you all the best of luck as you vie for the national championship….oh wait…sorry…you won’t even be sniffing the national championship this year. I forgot.
Well at least you have the SEC championship to look forward to and we wish you the best of success….oh wait….we TOOK THAT AWAY FROM YOU TOO!!! Guess you guys just lost EVERYTHING tonight. Nothing left to play for now you jort wearing mullet headed loosers!!! We own you pukes. We own the series. We dominated you tonight (Not really Dawg fans but leave me along I am on a roll). You can send your Gayturs up to Athens next week, we need some jock straps washed out in the sink.
10-2 is a good year! Right?
October 27th, 2012
9:59 pm
I love people who think this forum should be a Georgia “love in” rather than a comment board on a newspaper web site. Also, love those who say that anyone who writes comments they don’t like are “spewing negativity” and aren’t supporters. Give it a rest. I’ll voice my opinion and if you don’t like it, so what? Go drink another PBR and relax.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:00 pm
TampaGator will just tell us how great they are recruiting for next year.
DawgVoiceofReason
October 27th, 2012
10:00 pm
10-2
You want “fire”, I guess you want Muschamp, then. Nobody yells at players and refs than that maniac. And guess what, he has NEVER won the GA-Fla. game. But you woudn’t give Richt credit for any fire or guts, would you? Did you see him during the game yelling at the ref? Did you see that he called for an onside kick, going for the win (not playing not to lose)? I can answer that; you have blinders on and not a clue.
Richt 4 Life
October 27th, 2012
10:00 pm
CMR will now be our coach for life! We’ll get our National Championship in 2013!
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:01 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
9:56 pm
Dawgnole:
Didn’t I tell you…my computer is made of cake?
I’ll eat it anyway.
________________________
Let them eat cake!
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:02 pm
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
9:57 pm
Clay — I’d be very disappointed if we lose to LSU.
They have a good defense & a solid running game, but unless Mettenberger plays the game of his life, we win.
LSU almost lost to Aubie!!
_____________________
Just be careful not to be arrogant about it, Big C. That’s what fla and their smarmy fans did–and you see what it cost them.
CDAWG
October 27th, 2012
10:03 pm
I really thought we would lose and was just hoping that we played respectful…wow I am going to eat my humble pie or crow, whatever, and enjoy this win tonight! We had this in us all along; it just took everyone getting mad. Did you see Richt getting mad? I did and it was great!
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:03 pm
the good, the bad and the 17-9
SCOREBOARD
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:03 pm
td:
I would have loved to take the night off.
The coaching staff gave me no reason to do so.
If we had played with discipline and with offensive coherence
I would feel great.
We won…but we still couldn’t put together a game
that makes us resemble a top ten ranked team.
The generous rankings will one day cease.
We already see precipitous falls from higher rankings when we loose.
SC, LSU, other ranked teams fall a few ranks.
We loose to SC and we fall 11 spots.
We are loosing credibility as a nationally prominent program. If we keep playing like crap on national TV we certainly will stop benefitting from favorable rankings.
td
October 27th, 2012
10:03 pm
10-2 is a good year! Right?
October 27th, 2012
9:59 pm
And your opinion just shows what a loser you are when you can not even enjoy a Florida win without making disparaging comments about the coaches and the team.
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
10:03 pm
I see y’all putting a C-Note on the board between the Aubie & Tech games.
TAMPADAWG
October 27th, 2012
10:04 pm
HEY DAWGS GREAT GAME GAME GREAT WIN THANKS TO ALL THE THE PLAYERS ANS ALL COACHING STAFF… COACH RICHT AND COACH G…YOU GUYS ROCK LETS FINISH THE DRILL AND WE WI LL SEE YOU IN THE DOME…GOOOOOOOOO DAWGS SICMMMMMMM !!!!
still a dawg fan
October 27th, 2012
10:04 pm
Today’s MVP – Shawn Williams
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:04 pm
ESPN is showing all of these defensive stats for Bama and I’m thinking…….Who the heck have they played so far?
Lil Wayne
October 27th, 2012
10:05 pm
Tired of hearing “ugly win”. Who cares? You’re not going to blow the #2 team in the country out 42-0. We won the game. Nobody said a thing when LSU beat Bama 9-6 last season. It was how tough Bama was. Give UGA credit.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:05 pm
Relax, Florida got slammed.
OrlDawgCop
October 27th, 2012
10:06 pm
How could anyone possibly make comments about firing Coach Richt on the blog tonight and not enjoy this win over the Florida Gators? You are some pitiful living miserable SOB’s….
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:06 pm
Reading Jimmy’s posts just makes me want to shoot myself it’s so depressing.
DawgVoiceofReason
October 27th, 2012
10:06 pm
10-2,
Some of us are just smart enough to enjoy a win against one of our biggest rivals when they were ranked as the number two team in the country, rather than harp on old complaints that we ALL have already heard. You have nothing original or intelligent to say and your perspective is way off base.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:07 pm
Reading Jimmy’s posts you would think we were 1-7.
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
10:07 pm
Nole —- we got too much respect for LSU to be cocky about it.
They’ll be some hitting in Death Valley Saturday night.
Dude n Sav'h
October 27th, 2012
10:08 pm
@Swami Sez and the rest of U slackers. U could find fault with JC and the cross. How is your personal life? CMR and his staff r just fine. If u and the rest of fantasy land have solutions, put away your paper towels and ur petroleum jelly and do better you Whitney good for nothin complainers
No. 10 Bulldogs force six turnovers, upset No. 2 Gators - ESPN | DailyBusinessNews.comDailyBusinessNews.com
October 27th, 2012
10:08 pm
[...] apart GatorsCBSSports.comGators may have just fumbled away season against GeorgiaOrlando SentinelAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -New York Times -Sports Networkall 615 news [...]
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:09 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:03 pm
We are loosing credibility as a nationally prominent program. If we keep playing like crap on national TV we certainly will stop benefitting from favorable rankings.
_______________________
Is that why we’ll move UP in the rankings this week? It’s comments like yours that leave the rest of us to wonder how stupid you really are.
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:10 pm
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:07 pm
Reading Jimmy’s posts you would think we were 1-7.
_____________________
Jimmy sleeps with Thomas Brown.
phil
October 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
Florida was only number two….
Meaningless win.
Lil Wayne
October 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
The entire O-line will be back next year which will be even better for us. Murray will be back. So will Gurshall. We’re losing King, Brown but that’s it on offense.
Tech got OWNED by BYU. LMAO
OrlDawgCop
October 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
Jimmy IS Thomas Brown!
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
Dawgs are movin’ on up
phil
October 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
Jimmy, you have mush for your brains….
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:12 pm
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
10:07 pm
Nole —- we got too much respect for LSU to be cocky about it.
They’ll be some hitting in Death Valley Saturday night.
_________________
Glad to hear you say that. I was thinking y’all would have your hands full in BR next Saturday, but the way you’re toying with MSU tonight . . . maybe not.
10-2 is a good year! Right?
October 27th, 2012
10:13 pm
DVOR
Good for you. Get back to me with your thoughts after the SEC Championship. If they win that, I’ll eat all the crow in the world. But today showed me nothing, and I want more from this program than sometimes celebrating a win over Florida.
DawgVoiceofReason
October 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
Jimmy,
Why don’t you and 10-2 get together and do whatever it is that the clinically negative do? Also, anyone who uses “loosing” when they mean “losing” and it it not a typo has absolutely NO credibility on anything. Even most jort-wearing gators know the difference.
OrlDawgCop
October 27th, 2012
10:14 pm
Jimmy, Phil, Thomas Brown…man you are one bored dude changing name to name…