Georgia wins SEC East — and looks like threat to Alabama (UPDATED)
It was a night of celebrations for Todd Gurley, Aaron Murray and the Bulldogs. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
(UPDATED: 11 a.m. Sunday)
AUBURN, Ala. – This is the place where few expected Georgia would be after that ugly night in Columbia last month — not only winning games, but winning them impressively, humiliating an opponent on its home field. This is the place where many may have projected the Bulldogs to be before this season began, but certainly not since (because even Buffalo looked like a greater threat in the season opener than Auburn did Saturday night).
This is where Georgia is today: SEC East champions for the second straight season … and, yes, as improbable as it might once have seemed, a legitimate threat to beat Alabama in the Georgia Dome in three weeks.
Doubt it?
Why?
The Bulldogs thoroughly dominated Auburn 38-0. Georgia fans chanted, “SEC, SEC” in the second half. They were easy to hear because because by then most of the Auburrn fans had left.
Maybe body-slamming Auburn no longer is considered a monumental achievement for an Auburn opponent. The Tigers, two years removed from the BCS title, suddenly look two levels removed from Division 1. They’re having their worst season (2-8, 0-7) in 60 years.
But this isn’t a one night aberration. Georgia (9-1) has won four straight since the loss to South Carolina. It has won the last three by a combined score of 92-19.
A touted defense that looked out of sync for much of the season has allowed just one touchdown and four field goals in the last 12 quarters. Aaron Murray, who had three first-half touchdowns against Auburn, doesn’t look anything like the quarterback who had three first-half interceptions against Florida.
The Dogs run the ball. They stop the run. They’re not committing turnovers or dumb penalties.
While Georgia is ascending, Alabama is sputtering (relatively speaking). The Crimson Tide was fortunate to escape Baton Rouge last week with a win, and was upset Saturday by conference newbie Texas A&M — in Tuscaloosa.
“It’s been unbelievable,” said Murray, who celebrated his 22nd birthday. “Most teams might fold [after the loss to South Carolina] and think, ‘They’re going to win all of the rest of their games and our chances of making the SEC are slim.’ But we know anybody can win any week in SEC. South Carolina lost a couple, we beat Florida and now we’re heading back to Atlanta.”
Murray, who has been a different quarterback since Florida week. When he got to the team hotel, he found balloons and chocolate covered strawberries decorated like footballs, sent by his parents. He and teammates immediately scarfed them down.
His parents did not make the trip. His father, Denny, underwent surgery for thyroid cancer last month and recently underwent radiation.
“My dad had some radiation and he can’t be around people right now for three or four days, so he had to stay back,” Murray said. “Sad. First game he’s missed since I was like eight years old. He wanted to be here, I wanted him to be here, but it’s the best thing for him.”
There will be a bigger game upcoming for Murray’s parents to attend. Players and coaches generally limited their comments to the final two regular season games against Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech, not yet looking ahead to Alabama.
But safety Bacarri Rambo acknowledged, “I’m sure some people didn’t think we would [be in this position]. I’m sure a lot of people still doubt us. But we feel we can beat anybody.”
And even the coach Mark Richt said Georgia is no longer focused on winning just the conference title. A berth in the BCS bowl game is possible, although the Dogs would need to win out and get some help from the teams ahead of them in the rankings (losses by two of the following three: Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame).
“Atlanta is not the end of the road, we hope,” Richt said.
They did not respond well to an early hole in Columbia. But now for the first time, they are playing with a sense of momentum. They’re playing with an edge.
Assuming no hiccups against Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech, the Dogs nonetheless will be underdogs to Alabama in the Georgia Dome.
But this Tide team suddenly looks beatable. It was fortunate to beat LSU 21-17 win last week. On Saturday, Texas A&M made its first conference game trip into Tuscaloosa and won 29-24. Alabama allowed 418 yards in offense and forced three turnovers. (Auburn fans were grateful because when the Alabama score was flashed on the scoreboard it gave them something to cheer about it. That won’t cheer again until coach Gene Chizik’s firing.)
Two years ago at this time, Auburn was on the way to an undefeated season and Georgia was on the way to the Liberty Bowl (and lost).
Richt was at his absolute bottom in terms of how he was perceived by the fan base — at least until losing to Boise State and South Carolina last season.
When asked recently about handling the dramatic turn in fortunes, he said, “You just know it’s a part of the business. You’ve got to keep believing in what you do, keep grinding, keep evaluating what you do, because if you need to make a change, you make a change. Maybe you need to recruit differently or train differently in the offseason or try something different schematically. If you just totally abandon what you believe in and try to be something you’re not, you’re done.”
Georgia isn’t nearly done. A defense that underachieved so much of the season is now stuffing opponents.
Then there is Murray, he of the egged house following the loss to South Carolina and the three-interception first half against Florida. He completed his first 10 passes against Auburn. By halftime he had already thrown for 186 yards and three touchdowns. He completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Tavarres King, just after getting knocked to the ground by Auburn linebacker Cassanova McKinzy, which forced Murray to leave the game for a play. His threw a 56-yard strike to King, setting up Todd Gurley’s six-yard score.
This isn’t the same team we’ve watched for most of the season. It’s a team playing like a legitimate threat to Alabama and any other team in the BCS rankings.
And that’s something few could have seen coming.
By Jeff Schultz
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649 comments Add your comment
Rick James
November 10th, 2012
10:54 pm
That headline is going to give GTBob a heart attack..
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 10th, 2012
10:54 pm
A&M was just better than Bummer tonight. Bummer should drop to 5th behind UGA who crushed Auburn 38-0. It will be Kansas State, Oregon, Notre Dame, UGA, Bummer. LSU showed last week that Bummer is vulnerable through the air.
Dawglasville
November 10th, 2012
10:54 pm
It’s not perfect but it’s not bad. A lot can happen. Boy, that was profound. Good night.
JDawg
November 10th, 2012
10:54 pm
This teem is teribal get new coachis!
Dawgfanbrent
November 10th, 2012
10:55 pm
It may be funny, but not as funny as hearing Bama lost to Texas a&m. Haha.
hahahaha
November 10th, 2012
10:56 pm
@td You are so right! Who has Bama played this year other than LSU who they barely beat in the last few seconds on a lucky pass. Miss. State is not what everyone thought they were and Michigan is not even in the top 25 so get off your high horse Bama! I think A&M just showed who the true Bama is this year.
Mike slive
November 10th, 2012
10:56 pm
A title game without the sec is like a wedding without the bride
Rick James
November 10th, 2012
10:56 pm
So far this blog is Bama fan free..I wonder how long last.Like I said,they are not the unbeatable monsters their fans think they are.
JDawg
November 10th, 2012
10:57 pm
We will never win as long as cwire boy Richt is coaching. come on cwire boy get in peeples face liek Saban. He is a wiiner ecept for today but that dosnt count. Lets fire Richt. We will never win with him.
The Truth
November 10th, 2012
10:58 pm
I don’t give 2 bleeps about the SEC getting a team into the BCS Championship or continuing the streak of SEC championships…. unless it’s the Dawgs. F Alabama, F LSU, F Auburn, F Florida. I just want a Dawgs championship, otherwise I don’t care if Notre Dame Fightin Nobodies, K State Kleins, Nike$ Ducks, or Reinhardt College are the first ever 4 team co National Chumpions….. it’s Championship or bust for me and the Dawgs baby!!!
td
November 10th, 2012
10:58 pm
UGA lost to SC on the road to an evenly ranked team. AL lost to a 2 loss, way lesser ranked team at home.
Saban should be fired immediately.
See how stupid some of you CMR haters sound? What a bunch of morons.
ede
November 10th, 2012
10:58 pm
everybody saying fla. is such a bad team but UGA got blown out by the only good team it played…but didn’t that bad fla team beat
Disgusted Dawg
November 10th, 2012
10:59 pm
Extend Richt’s contract!!!
10 more years of winning meaningless games and losing big games in embarrassing fashion.
The SEC is weak this year. That means it’s UGA’s year to win it again!! Deja vu!!
Robert
November 10th, 2012
11:01 pm
“Barack” please.
Georgia will get plastered by BAMA
JDawg
November 10th, 2012
11:01 pm
td. Saban is a grate coach because he get in peeplse face. Somthing Richt wood never do. We need a guy to yell at players in front of peelple to call them out. This teem is soft because of cwire boy Richt and his idiot BooBoo.
hahahaha
November 10th, 2012
11:01 pm
Chetzik saves his job by routing Bama and knocks his hated rival out of the SEC championship!
Don't count your chickens
November 10th, 2012
11:01 pm
PLEEEEZ remember…Richt doesn’t have the greatest record in post season…Sabin does. Also, I wonder if the Dawgs, with 1 loss if they beat Alabama, would make the championship game over other undefeated teams…say, Notre Dame, and Oregon, or K-State…we NEED some help…it would be funny if Kiffin’s USC beats Oregon in the Pac-12 championship, AND Notre Dame…
Disgusted Dawg
November 10th, 2012
11:01 pm
Go tell it on the Mountian, over the hills and everywhere!! We love our Pastor Richt!
Right On Time
November 10th, 2012
11:02 pm
Navigated the SEC schedule better than anyone else in the SEC East.
Put ourselves in a better position than everyone else.
Are getting better and gaining confidence,
I will not predict a win against the bammers. However, they are beatable. Johnny
football is a better qb that Murray, but UGA D is better than aTm’s. Stranger things have
happened (05 SECCG vs lsu) than UGA winning. The bammers are not the cyborgs we all
thought they were,
That being said, I still dont see my Dawgs winning. We are in the game though, which kills
the visor.
td
November 10th, 2012
11:02 pm
Disgusted Dawg
November 10th, 2012
10:59 pm
How do you figure the SEC is down this year? Because Alabama and LSU have lost games? There will be more players drafted in the first round out of the SEC then last year. Yes the SEC is weak.
Dawg Fan
November 10th, 2012
11:02 pm
HEAD BALL COACH – UGA beat Florida who beat USC and LSU. UGA should be in the title game if they beat BAMA. They will give them a good game. The REAL USC needs to rise up and beat ND and Oregon
anygeorgiafan
November 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
That likes the fact that Bama lost is really stupid! With them losing it just cost the SEC (UA or UGA) a shot for the NC.
Robert
November 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
Oh yeah……..Georgia is national champions.
Weeee!!!
walter
November 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
wives being beaten in trailer parks all over alabama tonight!
JDawg
November 10th, 2012
11:04 pm
Im disgustid with you dog. we just won 38-0 but we dont care because we now we suck because of our sissy cwire boy coach that wont yell at peeple and his idiot side cick BooBoo that cant call plays like we cood.
RED DOG 77
November 10th, 2012
11:05 pm
Yup…………My BULLDOGS look pretty dadgum good…………seem to be getting our “thing” goin’ at the right time. Me?……….I think what had Grantham all fired-up was the stop on third down. I love me one coach Mark Richt, but folks I’ll tell you all one thing………………..The BULLDOGS got it together, and turned around with the hiring of one Todd Grantham…………the missing link………..Mark Richt’s Erk Russell…………..Yup……….I’m one happy as hell BULLDOG……………RED
UA Grad
November 10th, 2012
11:06 pm
I would like to congratulate Texas A&M and Georgia tonight on great wins. Hopefully we can rebound and finish strong in Atlanta.
RTR
Albert Einstein
November 10th, 2012
11:06 pm
I find the musings of the hoi polloi quite amusing. Whether it be the supposed UGA fans or the stalkers from other schools. Despite your slant the bottom line is that Mark Richt coached teams have won 6 SEC East Championships in his tenure which is a record to be admired. Certainly, it could have been better for all of you people who claim to be UGA supporters but all you do is hate or the schedule could have been tougher the last two years for all of you stalkers. It’s time to give praise to Richt and his teams for what they’ve done rather than what you expected in your warped minds. Do the math and you’ll figure out that no team in the East has won as much as Richt in his tenure. Certainly things could have been better but they are what they are so either acknowledge that your team has a pretty good coach or please, and I mean this seriously, crawl back under the rock from which you emerged (or go back into your mother’s basement) because you are embarrassing yourselves. Richt has his faults but he is a tremendous spokesman and figurehead for the entire University of Georgia. Virtually every school would be proud to have this good man leading their program. If you (and I mean both UGA fans and the stalkers) can see past your venom you’ll agree that he wins his share of games and leads by example and teaches his players right from wrong. If you don’t agree you simply point out how much of a moron you truly are.
Robert
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
Georgia 34
Alabama. 14. Final
Disgusted Dawg
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
Dawgs are so awesome. We just dominated the worst Auburn team ever. Our signature win – Florida – nearly lost to lowly Missouri last week and now the pathetic Ragin’ Cajuns AT HOME! We would whoop the Ducks – bring ‘em on. Our defense would stuff those Quackers.
You people are retarded!!!!!!!!!! Our defense would have 50 points put on it if we played Oregon, K-State, heck even Southern Cal.
hahahaha
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
@walter Ha ha ha! Good one.
TuscaReds
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
Threat to Bama??? You dang right… we looked pathetic out there today after scraping by crazy Les Miles. I know Saban has got us two championships teams, but today’s loss is unacceptable. This team was built almost as good as a NFL team and you lost to someone named “Johnny Football”. Are you kidding me? Saban, it’s time to turn this ship around fast before you get Chezik’d!!
JDawg
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
Your rite red. We need to make gramtham coach and get vangorder back as DC. Them we wood cick butt like Saban.
aaron in arizona
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
HEY!!!! Does anyone know if this is the first time we shutout auburn, or first shutout in auburn?????
thanks, aaron
Robert
November 10th, 2012
11:09 pm
Aaron Murray thinks he good.
Barack please.
Big Boy
November 10th, 2012
11:09 pm
Yeah , I would like to see the Dogs beat Bama and somehow get a shot at the #2 BCS spot. I think with the weak schedule and most of the conference down , they will finally keep the SEC out of the title game ! If ND beats Sou Cal we all know they will have one of the spots no matter what !
hahahaha
November 10th, 2012
11:09 pm
Disgusted Dawg is a closet tech nerd! Or a drunk redneck Bama or Auburnt fan crying in his trailer?
Snoop
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Do not bet against alabama as long as richt and bobo are coaching….
Buzz2011
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Dawgs can only score 38 points on Auburn? Auburn was winless..
Better find some offense leghumpers…
GT can score 38 points in a half and against
a better defense than yours.. sorry..
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Bamafan
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Enter your comments here
Difference in the state of the Bama program vs The Dawgs…down year for Bama, only playing for the SEC crown and limited shot at the NC…..for UGA, WOW what a year we’ve had!!! How many of you on this blog were even “alive ” when UGA won it’s one and only NC. UGA is like Clemson, Auburn, you win one everyone 30 years or so. Roll Tide.
KButler
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
K State??? Are you kidding me? They couldn’t be a mid level Big 10 team.
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!
Fidlin1
November 10th, 2012
11:10 pm
Thanks Murray for putting up a complete game. The offense eliminated costly turnovers and penalties. The defense has strung together 3 complete dominating games. The Tide has turned on Alabama and it’ll be a Dog day in Atlanta. Go DAWGS!!