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
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
UGA has as many weapons on offense as Bama. Bama’s O-line is better but ours is young and getting better each week. They protected Murray pretty good against a good defense today. If we play to our potential on defense it is about as good as Bama’s. If we play them it will not be a blowout like people on here are saying. With JJ29 we have as good a chance as anyone.
Archibald Hole Broke
October 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
Calling it a night folks. God bless Marcus Lattimore. Get well soon, son.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:59 pm
Hey, I’m just kidding everyone. I’m just taking a break from a massive Dungeons and Dragons marathon at my friend Kyle’s house.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:59 pm
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.
————-
DawgNole: guess that makes three of us. And it is rich…you calling someone else a “jerk”.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
10:59 pm
UGA will be 13-1 National Champs,
just like 13-1 Alabama last year.
WTF
October 27th, 2012
10:59 pm
10-2 is a good year! Right? Go cook your husband’s dinner
Banned by Mark Bradley
October 27th, 2012
11:00 pm
uhhhh
Chizik is funny looking
October 27th, 2012
11:00 pm
Oklahoma has to be the worst-coached team around.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:00 pm
12-1 Alabama last year,
second in the SEC West
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
11:00 pm
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
10:57 pm
DawgNole:
Way out of my league? Why do you come down to my level then fool?
____________________
Nobody’s down to your level, Jimmy. You’ve got a stranglehold on it.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
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.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The reason they didn’t get a chance is because they did not play LSU in the SEC Title game. The way UGA was playing at the end of that year they would have beaten an LSU team that lost it’s last game of the year at home to Arkansas. They have a chance to play in that game this year.
pb
October 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
well I said I would apologize if Georgia pulled it out. sorry for doubting them. but they are by no means a great team.. But won when had to prove something.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
God Bless Coach Mark Richt
rlm
October 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
Well it takes a good team to make the other side throw interceptions and fumble. This happened in this game in spades. Did not like all the penalties and that needs to be cleaned up. No one talks about Ga winning SEC just SEC east.
Geno Cheese Stick
October 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
Cam, oh Cam, where are you? They are trying to run me out of town.
ugalee
October 27th, 2012
11:02 pm
The frustrating thing about this game is that it shows how uga can play when they are motivated and have actually hit in practice. Unfortunately we see that cmr’s teams lay about 9 eggs for every quality win against good competition. I like beating fla as much as anyone but remember this is a rebuilding gator squad vs a coach who has had 10 years to establish a program. enjoy this while it lasts
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
rlm, I don’t care what all the talking heads are talking about as long as we get a chance to play the game.
WTF
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
ugalee. You forget that “rebuilding” Florida team came in ranked #2 in the nation and didn’t get into the end zone today.
Southern Comfort
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
Pour old Lattimore. Spurrier just used him until he was spent and ruined his pro contract possibilities. I cannot believe that anyone would want to play for Spurrier. Last week he threw his QB under the bus and for the last couple of seasons he has used Lattimore to the point that he is used up before he can even turn pro early. If you don’t believe that, tell me what other running back is Spurrier using and how many carries does Lattimore get per game. He has worn the dude out.
Sad.
ARdawg
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
Jimmy
We think alike. No chance at a NC game for us but hopefully we can disrupt Bamas chance (although unlikely) even if we beat them. The SC loss is in the books and we blew it. This was a good win, I’ll take it
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:04 pm
rlm, they also didn’t give us a chance to beat UF today.
phil
October 27th, 2012
11:04 pm
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
10:36 pm
phil
October 27th, 2012
10:15 pm
Florida is our biggest game. Every year.
This was sweet, period.
____________________
Just don’t forget what I told you back at the beginning of the game blog: We play them because of that “little” chance of winning.
**********
i don’t have to be told after so many years of following this series, but you are right, of course. I didn’t expect to win today, but after the first series, you could see we had a decent chance.
I was at the 85, 87, 88 and 89 games and remain spoiled to this day. I hate losing this game.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
11:05 pm
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
UGA has as many weapons on offense as Bama. Bama’s O-line is better but ours is young and getting better each week. They protected Murray pretty good against a good defense today
—————–
Bama’s second team offensive and defensive lines are a match for our first string any day.
Can Bama be beaten? SURE.
I don’t have much confidence in US beating them, given the way we’ve played.
Still…
Should we beat them (assuming we get to play them) I just wish we hadn’t squandered any hope at playing for the MNC by losing to SC and playing like a cupcake against KY.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:05 pm
Southern Comfort
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
Pour old Lattimore. Spurrier just used him until he was spent and ruined his pro contract possibilities. I cannot believe that anyone would want to play for Spurrier. Last week he threw his QB under the bus and for the last couple of seasons he has used Lattimore to the point that he is used up before he can even turn pro early. If you don’t believe that, tell me what other running back is Spurrier using and how many carries does Lattimore get per game. He has worn the dude out.
Sad.
____________________________________________________________________
I’m no Spurrier fan but your comments make no sense. Lattimore is a running back. Running backs run the ball. Sometimes they get hurt.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:06 pm
GEORGIA 13-1
South Carolina 8-5
florida 7-6
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
11:06 pm
ugalee
October 27th, 2012
11:02 pm
The frustrating thing about this game is that it shows how uga can play when they are motivated and have actually hit in practice. Unfortunately we see that cmr’s teams lay about 9 eggs for every quality win against good competition. I like beating fla as much as anyone but remember this is a rebuilding gator squad vs a coach who has had 10 years to establish a program. enjoy this while it lasts
______________________
Sound perspective. Easy to get caught up in the ecstasy of this win today, but it will mean little if we choke in ANY of the last 4.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:07 pm
Jimmy, you’ve been proven to be an idiot and not a REAL UGA fan already so why don’t you just give up and leave. Get over the SC game. It’s done.
10-2 is a good year! Right?
October 27th, 2012
11:07 pm
It will be difficult for UGA to go to the national title game, even if they beat Alabama in Atlanta. Oregon/Oregon State should be unbeaten, and either Notre Dame, Oklahoma, or Kansas State could be ahead of UGA in the standings. You think Georgia would get ahead of remaining unbeatens or Oklahoma unless they dominated Alabama (unlikely watching Alabama this season).
10-2 is a good year! Right?
October 27th, 2012
11:08 pm
That’s what a game like USC does to a season.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:10 pm
LSU 12-1 (head to head advantage) SEC West Champs
Bama 12-1 (2nd place SEC West)
ARdawg
October 27th, 2012
11:10 pm
’m no Spurrier fan but your comments make no sense. Lattimore is a running back. Running backs run the ball. Sometimes they get hurt.
True. Very sad for the young man
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
11:10 pm
Southern Comfort
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
Pour old Lattimore. Spurrier just used him until he was spent and ruined his pro contract possibilities. I cannot believe that anyone would want to play for Spurrier. Last week he threw his QB under the bus and for the last couple of seasons he has used Lattimore to the point that he is used up before he can even turn pro early. If you don’t believe that, tell me what other running back is Spurrier using and how many carries does Lattimore get per game. He has worn the dude out.
Sad.
_____________________
I’m not buying that. Lattimore was on his way to another big game when he got hurt. Anyone’s knee would’ve crumpled from the hit he took.
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
11:10 pm
ARdawg
October 27th, 2012
11:03 pm
Jimmy
We think alike. No chance at a NC game for us but hopefully we can disrupt Bamas chance (although unlikely) even if we beat them. The SC loss is in the books and we blew it. This was a good win, I’ll take it
———–
Yes, we think alike.
And as I said earlier…I was up screaming when UF had the ball stripped at the goal line.
I’ll take the win as well.
Just can’t take the coaching staff when we keep losing games like SC (being humiliated) when we have a real chance to take the program to the next level.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:11 pm
7-6 is a bad year,
right muschamp.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:11 pm
This game went about how I thought it would today. My prediction was 24-17 UGA. Thought I defense would play pretty good but didn’t expect no TD’s for UF. I knew that UF was overrated. They have a good defense but their offense is pretty average. They couldn’t get more than 29 yards of offense against SC in the first half of that game.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:12 pm
South Carolina has fell apart, barely beat the Vols.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:13 pm
Georgia is on a 13-1 mission.
DawgVoiceofReason
October 27th, 2012
11:13 pm
Agreed DawgNole,
We’re seeing the last spasms and whining of Jimmy, 10-2, and USCe loss, some pathetic sad-sacks who only find misery where everyone else finds joy, who only predict disaster when everyone else is still relishing today’s triumph on the field of play. .
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:13 pm
Jimmy is an obvious troll and not a real UGA fan.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:13 pm
South Carolina might beat Wofford.
Brainiac(Dawg For Life) / (CMR fan for life)
October 27th, 2012
11:14 pm
@ Jimmy:
“Richt must go” ??????
CMR is not leaving UGA !!!!!!!!!!!
Jimmy must go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you have a problem with that then you should call DELTA…………..right damn now!!!!!!!
Jimmy
October 27th, 2012
11:14 pm
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:07 pm
Jimmy, you’ve been proven to be an idiot and not a REAL UGA fan already so why don’t you just give up and leave. Get over the SC game. It’s done.
————
And you prove yourself to be an intellectual giant with that comment.
Only a UF loving hater would accept the poor preparation and play of our team this year in big games.
You must want UF beat us in the ground for the next ten years if you accept the mediocrity of our coaching staff.
Some fan you are.
Southern Comfort
October 27th, 2012
11:14 pm
kerryb – I know that this is a blog about the win over Florida tonight but I was responding to someone posting about Lattimore. What my point is that Lattimore has been asked to carry the ball 40+ times a game and no SEC back can do that without getting hurt often. Do you know of any other back on the SC roster that is being used? I don’t care how good the back is, the durability is in question when you carry the ball that many times in SEC games. IMO you only have so many carries in the life of a running back (college and pro) and Spurrier has used up most of them for his own selfish purposes. I feel bad for Lattimore, that is all.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:14 pm
Spurrier needs to retire, without Lattimore he is nothing.
DawgNole
October 27th, 2012
11:14 pm
10-2 is a good year! Right?
October 27th, 2012
11:07 pm
It will be difficult for UGA to go to the national title game, even if they beat Alabama in Atlanta. Oregon/Oregon State should be unbeaten, and either Notre Dame, Oklahoma, or Kansas State could be ahead of UGA in the standings. You think Georgia would get ahead of remaining unbeatens or Oklahoma unless they dominated Alabama (unlikely watching Alabama this season).
____________________
And your point is what? If UGA’s even in the mix at the end you’ll have to change your handle. Can you handle it, loser?
phil
October 27th, 2012
11:14 pm
Southern Comfort, what an all time stupid post about Lattimore….
He was hit on the knee, you moron. Put down the bottle, snuff out the blunt, sober up and watch the replay.
kerryb
October 27th, 2012
11:15 pm
Southern Comfort. Lattimore’s injury had nothing to do with durability.
Left Coast Dawg
October 27th, 2012
11:16 pm
10-2, I swear your posts smell of a Tech fan. Are you really a Dawg fan that just needs some attention or something…..geez!
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:16 pm
Mark Richt had his team ready,
Muschamp not so much.
World's Largest Outdoor Gator Beating
October 27th, 2012
11:17 pm
Florida and South Carolina have a lot of rebuilding to do.