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
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:25 am
Somebody’s copying me…again.
Abe Lincoln
November 11th, 2012
12:26 am
I don’t know how many they lost. They lost most of them of course. But they would have fared much better in that game if Grantham had been there longer. He took until the second year to get his guys in there and because of him, we now have a much better shot.
Who is your team?
Abe Lincoln
November 11th, 2012
12:26 am
Ok, I’ll take Abe’s name.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:27 am
Notre Dame Irish
November 11th, 2012
12:24 am
USC doesnt play Oregon if they dont beat UCLA first. Check your facts first, all you Georga people.
_____________________________________________________________
You’re right but they do play Notre Dame in the coliseum in LA and will beat them.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:28 am
Out of all the teams in the top Notre Dame is the most unimpressive. They don’t have enough fire power to beat USC in the Coliseum.
Abe Lincoln
November 11th, 2012
12:28 am
Hey Schultz,
You have the integrity of Clarence Moore and Cythnia Tucker. Not for a minute do you think that Richt can hang with a pissed off Saban but it generated 201 comments though.
DawginLex
November 11th, 2012
12:29 am
Where us that smartalec blackoutanyone?
Roll tide with pride?
Tide rising?
Those 3 turfs have been spewing their crap about how great Bama is all year
They need to man up and show up and take their medicine and eat some crow
Bama Man
November 11th, 2012
12:29 am
You doggie fans crack me up. Bama will destroy you in the SEC Championship game, much like the Carolina game. If you are lucky you will play in the Chick Fil A bowl against Clemson. A National Championship for UGGGGGGGGa,, not gonna happen. I write this as I watch Oregon ripping Cal, another team you can’t compete with in a game.
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
12:29 am
That headline is going to give GTBob a heart attack..
Jeff thinks UGA is a serious contender to beat Alabama because they looked good against a 2-8 team. If I have a heart attack it will be because I can’t stop laughing.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:29 am
Who cares about Saban. He couldn’t hang with Kevin Sumlin today.
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
12:30 am
dan
November 11th, 2012
12:12 am
Well the Dawgs did what they had to do, but as for beating Bama…well I’m sorry but they’re going to have to show me something. Do they have the horses to beat Bama? Yes. Does Bama have some weaknesses Georgia can exploit? Absolutely. But are the Dawgs mentally tough and disciplined enough to beat Bama? That I’m not so sure. I just can’t get that South Carolina A$$ Whipping out of my head. I would love to get behind this team, but I have seen the Mark Richt Car stall out far too many times. Bama has proven that when they get punched in the mouth, like they did today, they have enough pride to fight back and make it respectable. UGA has shown that when they get punched in the mouth, they fall apart and lose by 30. Sorry, not buying the Bulldog hoopala until they prove it vs. a team like the Crimson Tide.
__________________
We’ll find out soon enough. Let the season play out before you declare them dead.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:31 am
Bama Man, I haven’t seen Bama destroy any top team this year but they are good at beating up on the scrubbs.
Abe Lincoln
November 11th, 2012
12:31 am
Someone used my user name to say that, Jeff. That was not me.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:31 am
Bama will be playing in the Capital One bowl this year.
Abe Lincoln
November 11th, 2012
12:32 am
What team is what a joke a fan of??
Jim Mora Jr
November 11th, 2012
12:33 am
Hey, I am doing pretty good for my first year. Go Bruins.
Tundra Dude
November 11th, 2012
12:34 am
Jeff thinks UGA is a serious contender to beat Alabama because they looked good against a 2-8 team. If I have a heart attack it will be because I can’t stop laughing.
LOL!
Ditto, from the Tundra
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:35 am
91 Bama grad. Didn’t throw the brick in Curry’s office, but I applauded the person that did.
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
12:35 am
DawginLex
November 11th, 2012
12:29 am
Where us that smartalec blackoutanyone?
Roll tide with pride?
Tide rising?
Those 3 turfs have been spewing their crap about how great Bama is all year
They need to man up and show up and take their medicine and eat some crow
________________________
Not a chance. Their type never has the guts to stand behind their BS.
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
12:35 am
You’re right but they do play Notre Dame in the coliseum in LA and will beat them.
You are talking about a team that lost to Arizona. They aren’t that great. They could beat Notre Dame but I doubt they will. It will be the best defense they have played all season.
DawginLex
November 11th, 2012
12:36 am
Bama man you dam idiot. We can play with Bama.
Y’all ain’t all that
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:37 am
Tundra, Schultz writes for an Atlanta paper selling to Alanta and GA businesses. Of course he has to hype UGA but he doesn’t believe 20% of what he writes.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:38 am
GTBOB, the only good team ND has played is OK. I saw USC stand toe to toe with Oregon last week. That offense would score on ND’s defense and I’m not that impresses with ND’s offense. It’s mostly that Freshman QB running around.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:39 am
All of a sudden Oregon can’t stop Cal’s offense.
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
12:40 am
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
12:35 am
You’re right but they do play Notre Dame in the coliseum in LA and will beat them.
You are talking about a team that lost to Arizona. They aren’t that great. They could beat Notre Dame but I doubt they will. It will be the best defense they have played all season.
____________________
Not that great, true enough, but ND’s defense hasn’t exactly played powerhouses. I think they’ll have their hands full at USC–if only because it’s there.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:42 am
It’s still the same ND team that should have lost to Pitt that got handled by Youngstown State and Cincinnati.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:44 am
Has anyone seen the ESPN commercial with Matt Stqafford and Hairy Dawg? Funny.
AJ
November 11th, 2012
12:44 am
Bama is not playing well.
Obviously, UGA will be favored by maybe 14 in the SEC Champshp game.
I got UGA by 21 in that game, UGA is in sync on passing, running, and the defense is playing lights out.
UGA just won the only division with 3 teams ranked in the top 10.
If UGA beats Bama, UGA just won the ONLY conference with 6 teams in the top 10.
On to Miami, without a doubt at that point.
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:46 am
Since Big 12 conference game is gone, I wonder if pollsters will penalize them for that. They should.
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:46 am
KSU
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:48 am
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:46 am
Since Big 12 conference game is gone, I wonder if pollsters will penalize them for that. They should.
_________________________________________
Texas and K State is on Dec 1st. The same day as the SEC Title game.
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:50 am
But Texas reeks this year and that is regular season game. Clever that Big 12 scheduled on the same day as SEC conference game. BCS bowl selection is the next day correct.
Junior Samples
November 11th, 2012
12:51 am
Fish fry is on the horizon. Beware!
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
12:51 am
GTBOB, the only good team ND has played is OK. I saw USC stand toe to toe with Oregon last week.
Yeah, and Notre Dame easily beat that OK team at OK, holding them to to their lowest point and yard total of the season. USC scored a last second touchdown to only lose by 12 at home against Oregon. That is a very lenient definition of standing toe to toe.
DawginLex
November 11th, 2012
12:52 am
Oregons defense sucks
Kansas state would get mauled by the SEC champ
Notre dame almost lost to Pitt
The SEC champ should be in the title game period
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:53 am
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:50 am
But Texas reeks this year and that is regular season game. Clever that Big 12 scheduled on the same day as SEC conference game. BCS bowl selection is the next day correct.
________________________________________________________
Texas is 8-2 and has only lost to OK and West Virginia. They’ve won their last 4 in a row so they don’t reek.
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:55 am
USC plays with deflated balls. ADs are stupid people. First TN hires him, he screws them, then USC hires him and NCAA will come calling big time one day.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
12:55 am
GTBob, ND is teetering on losing. They will not travel to LA and beat USC. They even had trouble with BC to start the night and BC stinks this year.
aarh
November 11th, 2012
12:56 am
FB- They didn’t technically go to the SEC Championship game 6xs, bc in ‘07 they tied Tenn for the east as far as record goes, but lost the tie breaker head to head, they never sowed up in that game that yr. They can say they won the east 6xs, but they didn’t play in the actual game that many times though. It still is an impressive feat though nonetheless.
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
12:57 am
Anyway, KSU vs Texa is not a conf championship. SEC champion should get extra AP/Coaches points for playing the best of other side of the their conference.
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
12:59 am
AJ
November 11th, 2012
12:44 am
Bama is not playing well.
Obviously, UGA will be favored by maybe 14 in the SEC Champshp game.
I got UGA by 21 in that game, UGA is in sync on passing, running, and the defense is playing lights out.
______________________
Damn, and I thought I’d had too many.
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
1:01 am
GTBob, ND is teetering on losing. They will not travel to LA and beat USC. They even had trouble with BC to start the night and BC stinks this year.
USC was losing to Arizona St tonight in the 3rd quarter. They lost to Arizona. They struggled against Utah. They aren’t the number one team they were built up to be at the beginning of the season. ND has had issues at times but I don’t see them losing that game. Personally I wouldn’t mind it though. I would rather see an Oregon/K-State MNC game.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
1:02 am
Oregon’s sorry defense will catch up to them before the years over.
kerryb
November 11th, 2012
1:03 am
Okay GTBob, bored go back and forth. You think ND won’t lose, I do. I’m done with it.
What a joke
November 11th, 2012
1:07 am
Worst Saban moments:
The entire Utah game,
leading 24 to 0 over Auburn at the half and lose,
and this BS with NC game appearance on the line
1st-6, TAMU6 4:27 A. McCarron sacked by S. Porter
2nd-6, TAMU6 3:54 E. Lacy rushed to the left for 1 yard gain
3rd-5, TAMU5 3:13 A. McCarron rushed up the middle for 3 yard gain
4th-2, TAMU2 2:30 D. Everett intercepted A. McCarron for 4 yards
Notre Dame Irish
November 11th, 2012
1:12 am
I am surprised USC is not on another NCAA probe with the deflating of the balls. For those unfamiliar with our team, there are 2 qbs – Golson and Rees. One is a runner and the other a passer. Coach Kelly always has other weapons up his sleeves ready to be deployed. We beat Stanford which beat USC, plus they lost to a 6-4 Arizona squad.
Notre Dame Irish
November 11th, 2012
1:18 am
ND scores just enough points to win. This is not the team that tries to run up the score 70-0 against lesser opponents (in order to win style points) which all the SEC teams are so used in doing.
It’s always about the win,” linebacker Manti Te’o said. “There’s nothing else that matters. Stats don’t matter. As long as we win, that’s all that matters to us.”
DawgNole
November 11th, 2012
1:20 am
Notre Dame Irish
November 11th, 2012
1:12 am
I am surprised USC is not on another NCAA probe with the deflating of the balls. For those unfamiliar with our team, there are 2 qbs – Golson and Rees. One is a runner and the other a passer. Coach Kelly always has other weapons up his sleeves ready to be deployed. We beat Stanford which beat USC, plus they lost to a 6-4 Arizona squad.
______________________
We’re familiar with your team–familiar enough to know that you have only one decent opponent left–at USC. Win out and you can stake your claim, but you better know that you’ve gotta have help–just like UGA–cuz you ain’t gettin’ to the NC game unless Oregon or K St loses.
7576DAWG
November 11th, 2012
1:24 am
The SEC is about to take 6 of the top 11 places in the BCS standings but because we do not have a play off teams like Kansas State, Notre Dame and Oregon will probably get to play the Championship games or other BCS Bowl games without having to beat one of these six SEC Power teams.
There is one way to keep the best SEC teams from proving that other high ranked teams from other Conference aren’t really in the same League as the best in the SEC. JUST DON’T PLAY THEM.
Can’t wait for the BCS to do the right thing and set up an 8 team playoff but there can’t be any restrictions as to how many SEC teams can participate. The top 8 get’s to go .
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
1:33 am
7576DAWG, are you really insinuating that all of the other conferences are intentionally not scheduling SEC teams in an effort to prevent SEC teams from proving their dominance? Give me a break. Its pretty well known that the SEC plays by far the weakest out of conference schedule every season.