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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
649 comments Add your comment
Carl Spackler
November 11th, 2012
9:29 am
Can some blog, newspaper, sports channel, anyone, please give that horse’s arse buLLdawg/Thomas Brown his own venue…this way he doesn’t have to cut and paste his drivel over every UGA site out on the net…oops, I forgot…he been banned from some UGA sites for his blathering…
Tarryuga
November 11th, 2012
9:31 am
NO BLACK JERSEYS, JUST PLAY THE DAMN GAME!!!!
IT’S A FOOTBALL GAME NOT A FREAKIN’ FASHION SHOW!
BullDogMike
November 11th, 2012
9:31 am
Would somebody explain to me how Bama’s schedule was tougher than UGA’s. They had LSU, but didn’t they LOSE to Fla? (Who by the way did not score a TD on Ga.) And don’t give me this crap about A&M being better than Carolina was at the time we played them ( when they were at full strength). Just saying…Bama had a schedule no way any harder than what UGA had.
Shouldn't have done all that acid in the 70's
November 11th, 2012
9:34 am
Yowza, Yowza, Yowza. Nuf sed. Where are you GTBob? Have you forgotten how to type or did you simply slit your gold and blue wrists and faint at the sight of the bulldog red pumping out of your veins and down the toiletbowl of a season GT DB’s have had? Oh where, oh where are you, GTBob? Had enough snooping around a winner’s blog or did your Mommy call you home for dinner?
Shouldn't have done all that acid in the 70's
November 11th, 2012
9:35 am
BTW: Today’s hangover feels much better than the one after the SC game.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 11th, 2012
9:36 am
I would admit 11-1 was a great season except for one thing; that embarrassing no show game against SC
A loss by a few points is one thing; a blowout with your offense not even being able to score is another thing
Then you add a sloppy win against FL who basically gave us the game and our offense again was inept against another decent d-line this season has shown us nothing
rescue dog
November 11th, 2012
9:37 am
keep telling yourself that BullDawg Mike…
Nativebird
November 11th, 2012
9:41 am
This Florida Gator’s predictions: Georgia beats Tech 71-68. Why? Because they have a HC and Tech is currently without one…in fact, hasn’t had one for 5 years.
Florida State kills my poser Gator team 39-13.
Alabama beats Georgia In a good game, 17-13 and for the first time in 6 years the SEC by virtue of its annual cannibalization by the best conference top to bottom, the SEC is not in the BCS title game.
Vince Doodley
November 11th, 2012
9:41 am
Schultz, dont lose what little mind you have. Georgia looked great against the worst Auburn team in 100 years. Bama will name their own score against Auburn as well. TAMU would curb stomp Georgia.
BullDogMike
November 11th, 2012
9:41 am
Scooby…man you have got to be kidding! Get real ! The best teams don’t choke two years in a row, last year gamecocks had a sorry Auburn team at HOME and lost . That loss cost y’all the East. By the way we had already softened them up for y’all by beating them by 35pts. That’s what good teams do. Remind me again how many SEC East titles you have . Did you say one ! How many Sec titles ? ZERO!! Stick with baseball gamecocks are good at that …… Oh and by the way..you don’t lose to Gators this year if you are the best team in east..they didn’t score a single TD on us. LMAO!!
son's who?
November 11th, 2012
9:42 am
The only people crying more than Bama fans today are ESPN reporters. They STILL say Bama-Oregon shoulod be for the MNC, with Oregon vs. Notre Dame an acceptable second choice. Let’s face it Dawg and K-State fans, if you make it to the MNC the national media will PRETEND to love you, but you will not be the pretty, popular girl they wanted to accompany to the prom.
hit a single
November 11th, 2012
9:45 am
UGA has got to stop the run. We have had trouble doing that.
hit a single
November 11th, 2012
9:46 am
Hey Tommy Tuberville, do you feel like a real man this morning? No excuse for what you did yesterday!
ARdawg
November 11th, 2012
9:47 am
Patched
I’ll agree with you there. Losing by a few points in a hard fought game to an inferior team such as the chickens is bad enough. Getting blown out is a complete and total embarrassment.
Bama was out matched last night looking early like a similar type blowout. They fought back and lost with a modicum of class
BullDogMike
November 11th, 2012
9:50 am
Rescue..sorry, I forgot what an authority you were on UGA football. By the way a few years back ( all seasons) between Coach Stallings and up to Saban start, Bama sucked canal water. We beat them like a drum whenever we got to play them. I was there at Tuscaloosa at Saban’s first Ga. Game . I remember that night when Bama suffered the Matt Stafford beat down…don’t act like Ga has never beaten Bama. You’re beginning to sound like you work for ESPN
Scooby
November 11th, 2012
9:51 am
BullDogMike, put your ear to the keyboard. Three years and counting.
Admit it, you’re our lapdog now. If we had been in the conference as long as you have, we’d have more titles. Typical doggie, living in the past. We have owned you lately, thats a fact.
757Dawg
November 11th, 2012
9:52 am
Oh Jeff Schultz,
Once again you’re drinking the Fool Aid and from the looks of the responding comments, so is Dawg Nation. CMR and UGA are the biggest teases in this country besides Pam Anderson and the Kardashian girls. Woooweeee, let’s see since Spurrier’s boys made us wear panties we beat the lizards (ok, they are 9-1 but have proven to have no offense) and listen to this murderer’s row of elite teams: UK, Miss, and Aub! Combined record, 8-22. And now you want to say that we are ready to go toe-to-toe with the Tide? Ohhh, I guess because we beat the lizards, and the lizards beat A&M, and A&M beat Bama, that means WE CAN BEAT BAMA! I see, it’s like connect the dots or the six degrees of separation kinda thing, huh? Please stop, Dr Schultz, you’re better than that. You forget one thing: Mike Bobo is no A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin, and that Manziel kid is Doug Flutie 2.0. He may not be a better passer than Murray, but he was able to hurt Bama with his legs. Did you see the Bama vs LSU game? That was real Grown Man Football! Everyone that follows the SEC knows that our beloved Dawgs are front runners. As long as we get off to a fast start, then we look pretty good. But if you hit us hard and early and get a turnover early in the game, we will crumble. You remember when Bama came to Athens in the Blackout Nite a few years ago. Well the Tide turned it from Blackout to KnockYourA#@Out night! Do you remember the SEC Championship game last year vs LSU. And now Saban will have a few weeks to prepare for our “offensive genius” Bozo. Bama will come in focused and with bad intentions. Murray threw three picks against the lizards; you do that vs Bama or LSU and it is a blowout. Please stop. UGA will come into the SEC title game with our typical “we’re just happy to be here” attitude because what school Pres Michael Adams and Dawg Nation loves is mediocrity! We are the Va Tech of the SEC. Do I even need to tell you our record vs Top 20 teams? ’nuff said. Let me end my comments with the statement all us Dawg fans instinctively spit out when we are confronted by a Bama/LSU/lizard fan about our nationally-televised Big Game failures: “Oh, you just wait til next year!”
Old Dog Class of 80
November 11th, 2012
9:52 am
“a legitimate threat to beat Alabama in the Georgia Dome in three weeks.”
I can hear Saban laughing uproarously right now (actually, not, he takes things seriously and will simply just prepare his team to whip Georgia good).
How many games have we WON versus how many have our opponents LOST? Watching last night’s game I saw a lot of what Auburn did badly (terribly) but not as much about what WE did well (we did actually kick the ball through the uprights all night – that is an improvement).
In the Florida game, we won because we only had three turnovers compared to their six (I will give credit in that game to Jarvis Jones – our one-man Georgia Team).
We are backing in again this year to a SEC East Title that in no way reflects Richt’s coaching ability – it is in spite of and not because of Richt.
Can we win the SEC Championship – yes, but only if we play our best and Alabama plays their worst. And maybe not even then. I for one do not see that happening.
I saw Alabama’s coach after the TAMU game taking full responsibility for his team’s loss – something you would NEVER see Richt do.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 11th, 2012
9:52 am
ARdawg
I will say with the practice game we have against the middle school option veer this week; a blowout of Tech by 30 points should happen
hit a single
November 11th, 2012
9:54 am
A&M caught Bama at the right time. Bama was flat and dug a hole they couldn’t get out of. Congratulations to the Aggies but Bama would beat them 9 out of 10 times. Trouble is you only play them once. Very impressed with Aggies QB. Still I will never understand why Bama didn’t run the ball in the last drive. If you can’t get 8 yards in 4 downs you don’t deserve to play in the NC. Saban got away from what has been so successful for him and the Tide.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 11th, 2012
9:55 am
Old Dog Class of 80
I agree; I have yet to hear Richt and Bobo take blame for their losses;
Its always the players fault due to poor player execution every time;
ATL DAWG
November 11th, 2012
9:56 am
To the obnoxious COCKS fans sitting behind us during the game in Columbia who would not shut the F up and stop badgering us- I will enjoy watching my team play at the GA Dome while you stare blankly at your TV in your armpit of a city.
Greg
November 11th, 2012
9:58 am
To all you good Dawg fans who want to fire Richt because he’ll never win a the BCS find an Auburn fan and have a chat.
rescue dog
November 11th, 2012
9:59 am
BullDawg Mike, Matt Stafford is in the NFL now…Saban has been at Bama for a while…I can go to the library if I want to read about the “good ole days”…Bama 45 ugalosers 17…
AJ
November 11th, 2012
10:01 am
BCS Champ is about the best TEAM. Offense + defense.
Notre Dame has the 74th ranekd offense in scoring.
Oregon’s defense is ranked 54th in total yards.
UGA-BAMA-K St, are the ONLY 3 TEAMS ranked in the top 20 in BOTH DEFENSE SCORING AND OFFENSIVE SCORING.
Let the winner of BAMA-UGA play K St, to figure out the best TEAM in the nation.
Notre Dame eeks out wins:
20-17 over Purdue
13-6 over Mich
20-13 over Stan
17-14 over BYU
29-26 over pitt
Not BCS Chanp level.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
November 11th, 2012
10:01 am
Give credit to A&M for playing almost a perfect game. Nick and Kirby made a big mistake early in the game buy not sending folks to pressure Johnny Football. The kid played like a champ. We will get 4 years of this dude since the only way he gets into the NFL is if he buys a ticket. Bama’s weakness is we don’t have a pure pass rusher in our defensive line thus we have to send the house to get pressue. Bama is a tired and beaten up football team with AJ really hurting. Bama will struggle the rest of the season. UGA is in very good position to win the SEC and I would say the favorite at this point due to condition of Bama’s injury situation. Folks don’t really understand the AJ deal. His delievery is more sidearm and there is a reason for just that. I hate to see the spread come into the conference but’s is coming. You have to recruit specialty type players (LB’s) to attempt to counter that and with 85 limits that is tuff. Nick and Kirby do a great job when playing the typical offense with a team for down and distance but when they counter the spread it becomes all most impossible for them to play at the same level and you have seen that vs Ole Miss and A&M. Mizzou isn’t bad either but they don’t have the talent or size yet to actually beat us.
The stage is set for Mark to have a banner year if he can beat Bama for recruits will see that as a real plus I would think. Bama fans are down in the dumps but really need to get over since Coach Bryant didn’t win them all and neither will Nick. Bama will be in the mix each and every year as long as Nick is at Bama. We’re loaded for 2013 already with 22 freshmen playing this year both regular and redshirt guys. You need some schedule luck and some injury luck to get to the big show and we didn’t have either this year. I would love to see 8 teams in the playoff instead of 4 because the SEC is going to miss the game othewise due to our teams killing each other going forward. I think the East will be just two teams going forward with UGA and UF being those two. The ole ball coach will be gone within 2 and that will take care of our good friends at USCe. UT has so much ground to cover that it’s now clear when they show will return.
Roll Tide…the sun did come up this AM.
BullDogMike
November 11th, 2012
10:02 am
Scooby.sorry man you are right.. I do love the Dawgs.. But that doesn’t change fact that SC are chokers .. Stick to baseball like I said….just remember : win or lose , we’ll be at the dome ,you’ll be at home !!
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 11th, 2012
10:02 am
Scooby………says
“If we had been in the conference as long as you have, we’d have more titles”
Scooby are you on drugs;
SC was in the ACC and only won 1 conference title and that was back when the home computer was as big as Williams Brice Stadium
Your lousy program has only won 5 bowl games and 1 conference championship in 100 years;
Its about time you seek drug counseling if you think SC would have won more championships in the SEC
ARdawg
November 11th, 2012
10:03 am
Patched
I concur with your prediction. The only reason it won’t be worse is because the mop ups come in early on both sides of the ball
air of mendacity
November 11th, 2012
10:04 am
we need to move to fouth at least in BCS by end of season. Then have to have 1 of three (maybe two) undefeated lose. Finally, have to beat Bama in SEC championship. For all three to happen – not likely. BUT, if we beat Bama – then we really should jump N. Dame. Go USC and Texas – It is really our only hope.
Al
November 11th, 2012
10:06 am
South Carolina fans are so funny. Each year they win a few games and all of a sudden “BCS BOUND,GOIN UNDEFEATED” and then they come crashing down.
Yes Carolina has beaten UGA the past few yrs. but the SEC is a fight to the finish and on Dec.1 enjoy watching the SECCG from your trailer park home.
Dawg Fan
November 11th, 2012
10:06 am
The Dawgs needed Alabama to stay undefeated but I didn’t think we would be playing for the SEC title either. So, we still have a good shot at a national title when we beat Alabama ” not if”. We need some help but at least we got a shot. Unlike the ‘Noles, Jackets, or the Game Croaks. GO DAWGS !!!!
Bone
November 11th, 2012
10:08 am
Lessee, Bama wins on the road against an LSU team playing inspired ball; A&M runs up 20 quickly, but needs horrible play calling by Bama OC and a tricky tacky offsides call to win the game. Nah, UGA, I’m not sure you wanna tangle with this group just yet….but I gotta say I look forward to watching the game. RTR!!
hit a single
November 11th, 2012
10:11 am
Bone you are right. I hate to criticize coaching but passing the football on first down was a terrible call on Bama’s last possession.
alpharetta alice
November 11th, 2012
10:11 am
if georgia had played Notre Dame’s schedule, they would be a 3-4 loss team…you may wear the SEC patch, but you aren’t a quality SEC program…a pretender is what you are…a program that succeeds only when the top SEC programs are down, or, your pisspoor scheduling pays off…
hit a single
November 11th, 2012
10:13 am
Alpharetta Alice – go back to wonder land.
Al
November 11th, 2012
10:13 am
@Bone
No Bama’s secondary is not that good, thats why they almost lost to LSU and lost yesterday. And it WAS offsides…..typical delusional Tide fan.
Where was Harvey Updyke last night? I hope TAMU had extra security around there campus.
Al
November 11th, 2012
10:14 am
Notre Dame’s schedule??????????????? Please!!!
Dodge Carithers
November 11th, 2012
10:17 am
Georgia is just as good or better than any other team in the USA
ARdawg
November 11th, 2012
10:17 am
Wet Willie
Never in my lifetime have I seen such pure raw talent at QB as Manziel especially a Fr. NFL? maybe, maybe not but he’ll reek havoc in the SEC for a few years as long as A&M build the offense around him
Steve Superior
November 11th, 2012
10:19 am
What is it with USCe? They always get those great players and start out so highly ranked, yet they NEVER win the SEC East?
Gorilla Biscuit
November 11th, 2012
10:21 am
Screw all the haters. YOUR team will be watching OUR team in the SEC Championship game.
hit a single
November 11th, 2012
10:22 am
Mike Sherman did a heck of a job of recruiting at A&M.
Motocross Survivor
November 11th, 2012
10:23 am
So I guess all the dimwitted bubbas who just weeks ago were challenging players to fights online and egging players’s houses are all happy and cheerful again. LMAO.
son's who?
November 11th, 2012
10:24 am
Had Bama’s DB not abandoned his assignment and charged when “Johnny Football” caught his own fumble and threw the TD pass into the back of the endzone, who knows how things play out.
It proves that even the best teams, and Bama is most certainly one of the best, have to play disciplined football …. on EVERY snap.
hit a single
November 11th, 2012
10:25 am
Thank you Veterans! None of this would be possible if it weren’t for you.
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
10:25 am
Oh where, oh where are you, GTBob?
I am flattered that you are missing me. I was posting on here last night. You must have missed it. Once again, congrats on beating one of the worst teams in the FBS and your future Capitol One bowl berth.
alpharetta alice
November 11th, 2012
10:25 am
ND schedule is this morning ranked 28th…georgia is 40th…Bama is 14th…KState is 29th…Oregon is 45th…Sagarin/usa today SOS says only MissSt, of the SEC schools, has played a weaker schedule the uga..of course, if you are stupid enough to buy season tickets, you already know that…
439the
November 11th, 2012
10:26 am
Haters gonna hate…no sweat…Here’s the truth…
UGA won the east.
Anything can happen on any given Saturday.
People are always going to bash on other teams…don’t let it bother you.
Don’t waste your breath trying to use logic with these cretins. Let’s enjoy another SEC crown while they wallow in hate and despair…Love it!!!
GTBob
November 11th, 2012
10:27 am
Am I the only one who finds it odd that Texas A&M was a mid level Big 12 team and now they are one of the top 2-3 teams in the SEC? You would have thought with the incredible talent in the SEC that they would have gotten worse, not better.