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
ARdawg
October 27th, 2012
10:38 pm
I saw nothing but a good hard fought game. Nothing ugly about it. Murray, well Aaron has some work to do and film to watch. Without his mishaps in the 1st half, the game isn’t even close. But, it was and a joy to watch. I called it a win before it started and ARdawg is happy
GO DAWGS!!!
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:38 pm
ATLcracker
October 27th, 2012
10:30 pm
I’m glad they won but I have to agree with Bill Stanfill’s son Jake who was interviewed after the game who was clearly embarrassed by by the lack of discipline and sportsmanship that both teams displayed to a national audience
——————-
As you say, it is about coaching. There is no excuse for the embarrassment Richt’s teams keep bringing to the university.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:40 pm
Go Georgia Bulldogs
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:40 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:27 pm
Oh yeah…and only losers call someone out for typos.
Like a girl whose daddy didn’t give her enough attention.
Loser!
_____________________
Only losers fall back on the “typos” excuse for their poor writing.
Thomas
October 27th, 2012
10:41 pm
I concur that win was ugly but now I have a full year of hearing the game was rigged, Pink Slips were dismissed with the exception of the offensive coordinator, he called a poor game and should look for another line of work.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:41 pm
go to bed little Jimmy gator
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:41 pm
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:38 pm
What did we lose by not beating SC? We control our destiny in the East and we will be ranked around where we were then. We lost nothing by losing to them.
———-
What we lost was any real chance at playing for the MNC.
No way we get voted into that game should we beat Bama.
Playing ugly, unprepared and unmotivated football gets you passed over
for the big dance.
It has happened before and if we manage to win the SECC, it will happen again.
Don’t have much of a memory do you?
tee
October 27th, 2012
10:42 pm
Great win today by the Dawgs…finally they stepped up and played great D!!! This will jump start us to Atlanta to play Bama or LSU. We’ll see what happens. Go Dawgs!!!!
ARdawg
October 27th, 2012
10:42 pm
kerryb
The SC loss didn’t have to happen. Don’t go handing out free passes because of a FL victory. If we show up at Old Piss like we did SC guess what? FL gets the east. There’s no excuse for that game, don’t try to make one because we won this one
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:42 pm
Archibald Hole Broke
October 27th, 2012
10:37 pm
I think we should all pause for a moment and say a special prayer for Marcus Lattimore. What a gruesome injury and the fact that it happened to such a good human being is doubly sad. It kind of puts or “differences” in perspective, no?
___________________________________________________________________________–
Yea, I felt really bad when I saw that happen. Sometimes we forget these are just 19-20 year old kids with their whole future in front of them. I have a 19 year old son. I can’t imagine how I would feel if that happened to him. I hope he will be okay. It looked like a break and Lou Holtz said that it would be better if it was. That would heal okay where another ACL tear would be bad.
Fair n Balanced
October 27th, 2012
10:43 pm
I was there….there is nothing ugly about this! This is beautiful!
ARdawg
October 27th, 2012
10:44 pm
The win was not ugly guys. It was a hard fought win. FL is a good team and we proved we are also. NOTHING ugly about the win
BobDawg
October 27th, 2012
10:44 pm
You know, every team is our rival. Tn, SC, AuBarn, UF, Bama(recruiting),Fla State(south Ga recruiting) Clemsun, now Vandy, Ky (east div). That’s why I don’t get into win streaks as we can’t win them all. This is a sweet win, though. And we will be moving back up the top 10 ladder with all the upsets today
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
10:44 pm
Archibald — it’s the worst part of the game.
Losses are easier to get over than seeing what happened Lattimore.
By all accounts, the guy does things the right way.
He’ll play football again.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:44 pm
maybe Florida can score a touchdown next week
Dawg Fud
October 27th, 2012
10:45 pm
Jimmy,
Could not agree more with your posts. You hit the nail on the head.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:46 pm
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:40 pm
Only losers fall back on the “typos” excuse for their poor writing.
—————-
And only poor writers feel the need to talk about the writing of others.
Can’t you find anything else to criticize loser?
I love talking literary smack.
BobDawg
October 27th, 2012
10:46 pm
I forgot Tech. Sorry GTbob
Archibald Hole Broke
October 27th, 2012
10:47 pm
@KERRYB Thanks for the kind words. You are absolutely right. These are kids!. They are playing a violent game and we all hate it when someone goes down (regardless of the team) like Marcus did today. God bless him and all the players out there.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:47 pm
ARdawg
October 27th, 2012
10:42 pm
kerryb
The SC loss didn’t have to happen. Don’t go handing out free passes because of a FL victory. If we show up at Old Piss like we did SC guess what? FL gets the east. There’s no excuse for that game, don’t try to make one because we won this one
———-
Amen.
The USCe loss
October 27th, 2012
10:47 pm
cost ga control over it’s own destiny for the MNC. Without that game it would probably be ALA #1 and UGA #2. Win in ATL and UGA would be playing for MNC. Don’t think UGA will jump over all the teams ahead of them regardless of outcome in December.
Big Dawg
October 27th, 2012
10:47 pm
Schultz, you know Nothing! You picked the damn Gators, along with all the clowns on Espn, stay off our bandwagon you damn loser, Dawgs Rule Now Suck It! Lol. Woof woof woof. If we beat Bama, Dawgs will be playing for BCS title! Hahaha
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:48 pm
Florida came up to Jacksonville and got their butt kicked good,
real good.
BobDawg
October 27th, 2012
10:48 pm
BigCrimson. Your Boys look like a well oiled machine. Your line play is always impressive
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:48 pm
Dawg Fud
October 27th, 2012
10:45 pm
Jimmy,
Could not agree more with your posts. You hit the nail on the head.
————-
Thanks! Good to know I’m not the only one feeling this way!
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:49 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:41 pm
What we lost was any real chance at playing for the MNC.
No way we get voted into that game should we beat Bama.
Playing ugly, unprepared and unmotivated football gets you passed over
for the big dance.
It has happened before and if we manage to win the SECC, it will happen again.
Don’t have much of a memory do you?
______________________
You appear more ignorant with every post.
If we “manage to win the SECC,” we will have beaten No. 1 Bama, and we WILL have a chance to play for the MNC. Why do you persist in posting stupid comments?
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:49 pm
Maybe Muschamp can get Charlie Weis back.
The USCe loss
October 27th, 2012
10:50 pm
35-7 with all the negative comments by the broadcasters will hurt their chances even if UGA wins out.
Big Crimson 75
October 27th, 2012
10:50 pm
Bobdawg — I enjoy watching em play Defense.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:51 pm
Maybe Muschamp can get to 8-5, instead of 7-6.
DawgVoiceofReason
October 27th, 2012
10:51 pm
Jimmy,
If only you realized what an embarrassment you are to yourself and your cause. As you said, there is no excuse for it other than your twisted mind.
“There is no excuse for the embarrassment…”
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:52 pm
The USCe loss
October 27th, 2012
10:47 pm
cost ga control over it’s own destiny for the MNC. Without that game it would probably be ALA #1 and UGA #2. Win in ATL and UGA would be playing for MNC. Don’t think UGA will jump over all the teams ahead of them regardless of outcome in December.
—————-
Cold, hard, reality.
Winning and losing is all that matters in the NFL.
In college ball…style points matter.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:53 pm
South Carolina will end up 8-5 without Lattimore.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:53 pm
UGA will jump and jump and jump
Southern Comfort
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
So where are all of your UGA haters. Did you have the conhones to admit your are wrong?
What a heck of a win. But it left me frustrated for the lack of an offense. I am exhausted just yelling at the tv.
DawgVoiceofReason
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy,
So now you are stating and admitting that we could beat Alabama. You have totally defeated your whole argument and prove yourself to be the court jester.
“No way we get voted into that game should we beat Bama.”
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
The USCe loss
October 27th, 2012
10:50 pm
35-7 with all the negative comments by the broadcasters will hurt their chances even if UGA wins out.
______________________________________________________________________
On Oct 6, 2007 we lost to TN 35-14. People said the same thing about us then. We finished #2 in the country.
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:46 pm
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:40 pm
Only losers fall back on the “typos” excuse for their poor writing.
—————-
And only poor writers feel the need to talk about the writing of others.
Can’t you find anything else to criticize loser?
I love talking literary smack.
_________________
Smack is all you’re talking, fool. You’re WAY out of your league.
BLAH
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
When GA actually puts a FULL team effort into a game for consecutive games, then I will be impressed. UGA didnt win…FLA gave it to them. Aaron Murray was terrible but the run game was good. Defense did great but gave up to many yards at end of first half and again towards the end of the game.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
Dawgvoiceofreason:
If you only realized how lacking of reason your post are…
You are quite funny…or would be if you weren’t so sad.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:55 pm
If you play the type of defense we played today you have a chance against ANYBODY.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:55 pm
Maybe Florida can get a coach in waiting
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:56 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:48 pm
Dawg Fud
October 27th, 2012
10:45 pm
Jimmy,
Could not agree more with your posts. You hit the nail on the head.
Thanks! Good to know I’m not the only one feeling this way!
_____________________
Now there’s two of you. You all proud of yourself? Jerk.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:56 pm
DawgVoiceofReason
October 27th, 2012
10:54 pm
Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy,
So now you are stating and admitting that we could beat Alabama. You have totally defeated your whole argument and prove yourself to be the court jester.
“No way we get voted into that game should we beat Bama.”
See…no reason here. Never said we couldn’t beat bama. Said it would take a miracle…and I stand by it.
And see…you miss the point entirely.
10-2 is a good year! Right?
October 27th, 2012
10:57 pm
All of Jimmy’s post’s are spot on. The USC game is just like 2007 when UGA could have played for a national championship if not for a beatdown at Tennessee which ultimately cost Georgia the division title and shot at a title. Every year there is at least one (or more) of these losses, just like every year there are off the field arrest, suspensions, you name it. There’s no respect for Georgia’s play on the field and plenty of ridicule for what happens off of it.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:57 pm
DawgNole:
Way out of my league? Why do you come down to my level then fool?
Keep it Real
October 27th, 2012
10:57 pm
Our QB stinks, our kicker stinks, our OC stinks, & we get over 100 yards in penalties. We lost right? Nope, we STILL beat the lousy Gators LOL hahaha sic Em woof woof woof Yee Haw Suck It Muschump it’s great to be a Gator Hater LOL
The USCe loss
October 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
Kerryb:
That is the point, UGA will not be the MNC because just like that year they lost a game they had the talent to win.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
Maybe Muschamp will learn how to make half time adjustments.
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
Quit flailing, Jimmy. You lost a long time ago. Get over it.