Georgia playing at level we haven’t seen under Richt
Dogs accept Governor's Cup after the win, but they're after something bigger. (Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS – This is new ground. Or, more accurately, new air.
Georgia had never reached this elevation before under Mark Richt — not in BCS ranking at this point of the season, not in perception of championship potential.
It didn’t feel like this even during those two SEC titles early in Richt’s tenure, when Georgia already had been cropped out of the national pictured. It wasn’t this real when a Sugar Bowl win left the Bulldogs with a postseason ranking of No. 2, after they already had been leapfrogged in the BCS and left out of the national title game.
Never before in late November under Richt could we look at Georgia and legitimately think: That team can win it all.
Now we can.
Georgia didn’t just beat Georgia Tech on Saturday. It humiliated the Jackets 42-10. The tilt on the scoreboard would have been even greater if Richt hadn’t pulled starters with more than 10 minutes left in the game.
The Dogs led 7-0 after one minute, 14-0 after six minutes, 28-3 at halftime. They made touchdown drives look like wind sprints, ranging in elapsed time from 29 seconds to 2:42. They dominated the game physically. When is the last time Georgia played with that level of urgency?
Linebacker Alec Ogletree and Georgia's defense have had a lot of reasons to celebrate lately. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
This team is playing with an edge it hasn’t for years. It has beaten its last four opponents (Ole Miss, Auburn, Georgia Southern, Tech) by scores of 37-10, 38-0, 45-14 and 42-10. That’s a composite dismembering of 162-34, give or take a limb.
Please, don’t come back with: “But look who they’re playing?”
Georgia has seldom stepped on opponents like this, certainly not in November when everybody, fans and pollsters, are watching.
With the score 42-3 Saturday, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo still could be seen and heard screaming in the coach’s box when things didn’t go well, at one point yelling into his headset, “Get your [bleep] off the field!” after the offense went three-and-out and players walked (not ran) to the sideline.
“Yeah, my dad texted me,” Bobo said later, somewhat sheepishly. “I guess he heard it on radio or TV. But you’re playing in Sanford Stadium. You should at least run off the field.”
Does this seem like the same Georgia team to you?
It was apparent after the win over Auburn: The Dogs are good enough to beat Alabama for the SEC championship. They are good enough to win its first national championship since 1980. They can pass: Aaron Murray has 14 touchdown passes, zero interceptions since the fourth quarter against Florida. They can run: Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall combined for 163 yards, four touchdowns and no carries for losses against Tech, and continue to look more like veterans than freshmen.
Most important, the defense, which had been expected to carry the Dogs all season, only to struggle early with suspensions and injuries and maybe a little bit of day-dreaming about the NFL, now is playing up to expectations.
This isn’t the same team that suffered so many hiccups in the first eight games. It’s certainly not the same team that lost at South Carolina 35-7, which prompted an egg assault on the home of some players and attacks via social media.
“At the end of the season, we might say that game helped us,” Marshall said.
“It was definitely an eye-opener,” linebacker Jarvis Jones said.
“This team is different. This team has something to it,” linebacker Christian Robinson said.
And then this: “I’m just glad my house is safe right now.”
This is the not same defense that was called out as being “soft” by senior strong safety Shawn Williams. Most agree he was on target with his comments, even if he was wrong to throw selected teammates (like Robinson) under the bus.
Richt said his team’s defensive leaders, most of whom passed up the chance to enter the NFL after last season “had a vested interest in his this season went.” He then added, “When Shawn Williams saw it slipping away, he felt he had to say something about it. He challenged everybody. He couldn’t stand what he was seeing. But I think everybody respected him for what he did. They may have not liked what he did but I think they agreed with it.”
Last year, Georgia reached the SEC championship game against No. 1 LSU. They led 10-0 after the first quarter, then gave up the next 42 points.
“We’re a different team,” Jones said. “We feel like we can beat anybody.”
They certainly look the part.
By Jeff Schultz
Post-Thanksgiving blog blowout sale
• Short takes (UGA): Rambo’s ascent, Gurley’s comfort
• LIVE: Bulldogs, Jackets vie for more than bragging rights
• Upsetting Georgia would give Tech needed boost for future
• Weekend Predictions: Georgia will win on Red-and-Black-Saturday
• Vince Dooley: Joy from Georgia’s resurgence, pain from son’s firing
• Wonder why SEC is on top? Look at other conference finals
• Falcons win — but run before somebody changes their mind
• Short takes: Ryan awful, defense great, win important
• Georgia’s new reality: From on the brink to BCS title possibility
• Upsets launch Georgia into BCS title picture (updated game column)
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802 comments Add your comment
Wayne
November 25th, 2012
3:29 pm
Wow, seems Mr. BROWN gets upset when confronted with truths about the dawgs. And by the way I’ve been here for a spell and seen your Kool-Aid spewing everywhere. And let me get this right (just because you happen to be a part of this blog from when (since inception) means you think you know what you are talking about? Seriously, that shows your lack of mental ability already. I’ve never been one to spout off garbage about my team just because if I don’t bow before them I’m not a fan. Mr. Brown believes that having season tickets since 1975 warrants him special privileged and real insiders knowledge of the team (I know the type). Georgia may pull one out come Saturday (I personally don’t think so) but either way doesn’t change the facts. The entire CFB nation is down this year, no one has really dominated anyone or really looked that invincible. Lucky for Georgia. Until Georgia can prove to everybody and me that they can compete when it matters, against a team that matters, then they will continue to be a run of the mill team. And a lot of it starts with Richt. And to AGAIN (as if I haven’t spewed this enough on this blog over the season), Georgia will not win a National Title with Richt. He does just enough every few years to get Georgia close which warrants him another multi-year multi-million dollar contract. Between he and that clown of an offensive coordinator, I had better go back and see just how bad the teams really were that we beat. The team has talent, it does play pretty darn good against the ho-hums of the league, but their attitude (See Rambo’s comments after the game) and their coaching is always their downfall. If anyone else was coaching this team I might think they would have a chance, but not this group. People will believe what they want to believe, and if they haven’t the grey matter to look at things subjectively, well to them there is always next year. I wish the dawgs the best, for my sake at work (I think the entire state of Georgia has turned Alabama, even my own son), and for Mr. Brown’s sake as well. He needs the WIN worse than anyone I know.
UGA OWNS gtu
November 25th, 2012
3:31 pm
We love kicking sand in the face of gtu every year. gtu is a pathetic JOKE!
BWAAHAHAHAHAAAAAA
We’re better than you.
Always have been, always will be.
slim
November 25th, 2012
3:38 pm
We are not as good as Alabama. Alabama will expose what we believe to be a good team…look for another South Carolina result.
2AcreFarms
November 25th, 2012
3:43 pm
Only thing that bothers me about ND going to the NC is..they play one less game than either UGA or AL. Really not fair..
Shack
November 25th, 2012
3:53 pm
C’mon acre….. Both of ‘em feasted on cupcakes all year. Like ND or not, schedule was first class beating all the big brands…. Mich, mich st, Stanford, Oklahoma, southern cal…. And don’t give me the SEC is so tough, these jokers avoided everybody
GTBob
November 25th, 2012
3:56 pm
GTBob, why am I not surprised? You and your sick friends should move to San Fran.
Why am I not surprised that you hate gay people?
aprilglaspie
November 25th, 2012
4:17 pm
Bama D couldn’t handle Manziel, and Murray is a much better QB. Bama couldn’t operate against A&M D which isn’t on the same planet with UGA’s. Who knows what will happen, but acting like you’re a football expert and you Know, somehow, that Bama will beat Dawgs is proof of bias, stupidity or delusion, or some combination of the three.
Tampa Gator
November 25th, 2012
4:19 pm
Beast of the East…….
FSU scored on the last play of the game when the Florida players let Manual run untouched into the end zone out of respect for what he has done….and they simply did not want to hit him hard yet again….for fear of making the concussion he received from MR. MORRISON (legal hit) earlier in the game. It was a classy move by the Florida players….one waving him into the end zone.
Tampa Gator
November 25th, 2012
4:22 pm
aprilglaspie….
Sorry buddy……Murray is NOT as good a QB as Johnney Football. He is the best college QB in the country….no one even close. But Murray is still a very good QB. But…be real….fellow. Johnny Football is probably going to win the Heisman as a redshirt freshman. He is on a seperate level from all other college QBs. WIthout him….A&M would have won 4 or 5 games. He is that good.
GTBob
November 25th, 2012
4:33 pm
Bama D couldn’t handle Manziel, and Murray is a much better QB.
Can you explain why Manziel is the front runner for the Heisman trophy and Murray is an afterthought then?
Joe Cox
November 25th, 2012
4:37 pm
GTBob. How did you like watching Ogletree manhandle your beloved bugs? Did it give you that funny feeling like when you used to climb the ropes at gym class? A sort of gratifying uncomfortableness? Because tech fans have to be sadomasochists to keep tuning in to UGA v tech. You can go on and on about recruiting and how UGA has superior talent but there’s simply more to it when we put a drubbing on you like that. Those -legal- tackles Alec put on tech were because he hates you and didn’t want you to win, ever. And you won’t ever. And while it’s your favorite habit to concede, please don’t; it’s laughable and makes you look weak. But I guess that’s the mentality of all things Tech… why should I expect anything different from its fan base.
Tide Rising
November 25th, 2012
4:37 pm
“It was apparent after the win over Auburn: The Dogs are good enough to beat Alabama for the SEC championship”
Now THASS funny. Lotta big talk from the dawg fans as usual. But the dawgs this week are going to face a level of physicality that they haven’t seen since last season’s seccg. And we all know how that game went.
Aaron Murray has never delivered against a great defense. Never. And he will be facing the no. 1 defense in the nation this week. This aint Tech, Au, GSU, or Ole Miss’s defense son. This is the Alabama D.
Tide Rising
November 25th, 2012
4:44 pm
aprilglasspie,
A&M is the only team all season to score in the 20s on Bama. LSU scored 17 and everyone else scored under 10. Tam had the benefit of 3 bama turnovers and LSU the benefit of 2 bama turnovers. Neither turned the ball over against bama. That is the only hope that UGA has in this game is that Bama turns the ball over several times and that UGA and Murray in particular plays a perfect game. And I can’t see that happening.
We are just too physical for the dawgs. You’ll find that out the first time our O-line punches your D in the mouth. UGA gives up over 150 yds a game on the ground. That is a recipe for disaster. A D that gives up that kind of yardage in the ground game has no prayer against a balanced Alabama offense.
Barring a perfect game, no penalties, no turnovers coupled with a slew of Bama turnovers the dawgs have no chance in this game. NONE.
GT
November 25th, 2012
4:48 pm
Best team I have seen since Dooley, congrads, well done. Now don’t stop, hope you beat Alabama by 40, and make us look better.
browndog
November 25th, 2012
5:00 pm
Just hope the SECCG game is close, entertaining and injury free. ND deserves to be #1 as they are the ONLY undefeated team not on probation. They earned it! ND finds a way to win aided by possibly a higher authority (not ESPN but the big guy that watches over South Bend) that wants to see the Irish back on top. Believe a lot of prayers were answered in the final moments of several of their games. Also thought Holtz’s head was going to exploded last night as he talked about ND. Good stuff.
Honey boy
November 25th, 2012
5:01 pm
GT blob.. Put a sock in it pal!, you can’t make any of us believe your spew… Your a ridiculous mouth breather…..
dap01
November 25th, 2012
5:13 pm
Lou Holtz and Mark May are like 2 drunk men trash talking before a big game. They are homers, they are biased, they are not too well informed and above all, they are sexually excited with the prospects of Notre Dame having an above average football team.
dap01
November 25th, 2012
5:16 pm
GTBob: How does it feel to have your players exposed as the weak players that they are? They were being thrown around like rag dolls.
Still think CPJ has Tech going in the right direction?
Rick in Macon
November 25th, 2012
5:16 pm
When you only play one team worthy of being considered a college team, what do you expect? If UGA had played anyone of any caliber, they’d be lucky to win two games. Alabama will eat them alive and UGA will go spiraling way down the polls…I can’t wait.
Rick in Macon
November 25th, 2012
5:31 pm
You have GOT to be kidding me! A team with the softest schedule in the SEC and you say they’re playing at the highest level ever under Richt??? Give me a break…when you make a habit of playing a middle school schedule, what do you expect?
Gary
November 25th, 2012
5:48 pm
I love it. We may not beat Bama. But at least we have the opportunity. I think either team can beat ND. But the trolls are out in force today. Love all the folks from Tech and others who are prying Georgia looses to Bama so they can celebrate a Saban win? Really, you are that mad at Georgia for some unknown reason you would rather see Bama win. I imagine they are saying the same crap on the bama sites. Gotta give the loosers credit. They are passionate enough to hate even when they are already done for the year, maybe lost a coach, maybe don’t have a bowl game, who knows where it comes from. All I know is the dogs and bama will be in atlanta fighting for the national championship….. and you won’t be. ; – )
clem
November 25th, 2012
5:50 pm
alabama not playing that hot right now; uga will still lose by 10 or better.
Michael
November 25th, 2012
5:52 pm
Schultz has been drinking a whole lot of kool-aid. My Dawgs have crapped their pants in big games for as long as I’ve been here. Except for that magical 2002 season.
Gary
November 25th, 2012
5:53 pm
According to the Bama fans, Georgia should just role over and play dead. I wonder if they felt the same about A&M? There is a reason the game is played on Saturday. The players decide the outcome, not the loosers on the internet, the morons on TV or in print, or even the fans in the stadium. A bunch of kids are gonna go play football. We will see whose kids play better after 60 minutes. I hope it is the kids from Athens, but it won’t be easy.
Gary
November 25th, 2012
5:55 pm
By the way, how come no mention on ESPN how bad the ACC looked yesterday during college football final. The SEC wiped the floor with them again. They should be embarrassed to play an ACC champ game. Might as well be a trophie for participation.
35 - 7
November 25th, 2012
5:56 pm
UGA will land in the Crapital One Bowl. The Beatdown at South Carolina and the lousy performance against Kentucky exposed this team……
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
November 25th, 2012
5:58 pm
The odds are in favor of Murray having a great game since he has sucked for three years when playing better teams. This could be the week though and that is a concern. Now that Rambo tells us the Dawgs are more talented I am more worried.
I LOL at the guy thinking Murray is better than Johnny Football. Murray can throw it better but Johnny gets that football he makes great players look like one legged blind men chasing him.
Las Vegas has it Bama -7 and I just don’t see that. It should be even. Does that great UGA football machine plan to wear the black jerseys this time? You folks run that mouth about your one trophy football team already and if you win a NC it really will be bad in here. It’s very possible the doggies win it all and in addition get several more great recruits from Gene Gene the fired coaching machine over at the Barn. I don’t like where this is headed …just saying. I do hope Reuben goes to UGA instead of awebrin.
Muschamp gets last laugh
November 25th, 2012
5:59 pm
Florida has punched its ticket to the SUGAR Bowl. CYA mutts!
Different Perspective
November 25th, 2012
6:05 pm
@ 2AcreFarms
“Only thing that bothers me about ND going to the NC is..they play one less game than either UGA or AL. Really not fair…”
2acre, you really need to look at the # of “real games” ND has played and think you’ll agree Dogs have played 2-3 fewer games than the Irish have.
K
November 25th, 2012
6:13 pm
Why can’t uga? All you bama fans said a&m couldn’t beat you & how did that turn out?
ShowMeYurTD's
November 25th, 2012
6:30 pm
Rambo running his mouth sucks! Way to get Bama fired up. CMR control your players….GO DAWGS!
Buckeye
November 25th, 2012
6:39 pm
Help Wanted:
Auburn
Tennessee
Arkansas
Kentucky
SEC! SEC!
Buckeye
November 25th, 2012
6:40 pm
I’m on the Notre Dame train.
clem
November 25th, 2012
6:43 pm
train to nowhere
son's who?
November 25th, 2012
7:43 pm
My favorite moment from yesterday was hearing the CBS microphone pick up someone, later revealed to be Coach Bobo, scream at the UGA offense to “GET YOUR A**ES OFF THE FIELD!” when they were walking and not running to the sidelines. Coach don’t play that!
Buckeye
November 25th, 2012
7:56 pm
nite tom brown
Dawg Fan
November 25th, 2012
8:06 pm
Where are all the Bobo haters?
C from Marietta
November 25th, 2012
8:40 pm
According to cbs.sportsline.com. Flordia has jumped UGA to the 3rd spot. This is a bunch of BS. Didn’t Flordia lost to UGA ? Hmmm.
Could it happen where UGA wins the SEC and doesn’t play for the NC?
Rick James
November 25th, 2012
9:00 pm
@Wet Willie…keep on smiling
The odds are in favor of Murray having a great game since he has sucked for three years when playing better teams. This could be the week though and that is a concern. Now that Rambo tells us the Dawgs are more talented I am more worried
———————————————————————————————————————————-
This is such an idiotic observation..Murry is the only quarterback in the history of the SEC pass for more than 3,000 yards three years in a row.Tied for second all time with Peyton Manning in SEC for career touchdown passes..I guess he did all of this against bad teams.Quarterbacks get too much credit when teams win and to much heat when teams lose..He’s a very good quarterback you and GT Bob get over it..
Old Dog Class of 80
November 25th, 2012
9:15 pm
“The odds are in favor of Murray having a great game since he has sucked for three years when playing better teams”
I have sucked at golf for a long time, so I should be able to win the Masters now.
Dose of Reality
November 25th, 2012
9:26 pm
To all the whiners who say Georgia “avoided” playing anyone descent, if you had any brains about you, you would know that schedules are made years in advance – sometimes as much as 7-8 years ahead. There is no way to know how good a team will be when game day comes along. Also, Alabama was on Georgia’s schedule this year, but they got bumped by the SEC when they had to put Missouri somewhere.
Plus, the last time I checked, Alabama didn’t play Florida (11-1) or SCar.(10-2). They did play TA&M (10-2) and LSU (10-2), and we both played Auburn, Missouri, FAtlantic, Tenn.
So, all you Georgia-bashers, go find something else to whine about. As schedules go, the SEC East is the toughest conference in the land!
Old Dog Class of 80
November 25th, 2012
9:27 pm
“..I guess he did all of this against bad teams.”
Most of it. He certainly was left in the easy competition games for long periods. By the way, what are his stats on interceptions, particularly pick-sixes, compared to other QB’s?
I must have really pushed some buttons for Braniac to unload on me like he did. Can’t take the facts, Richt-o-phile?
Old Dog Class of 80
November 26th, 2012
6:36 am
“Georgia playing at level we haven’t seen under Richt”
What is really any different from last year? We lost two to good teams (one was the same team we lost to this year), then we “won out” and backed into the SEC East Title. Then we played for the SEC Championship. This year has been nearly identical, except for losing one more game, we managed a win over Florida. Yes, I think we are playing some better these last few games, but it is hard to tell since we haven’t played anyone good.
The proof in the pudding comes on Saturday. Good Luck, Dawgs!
Two Tech fans enter a bar
November 26th, 2012
7:57 am
Ken: I just bought two tickets to the ACC Championship game.
Joe: What did they run you?
Ken: Six bucks
Joe: BWHAHAHAHA
Joe: You could have gotten them on EBay for half that
Ken: Bartender can I have a Purple-hand?
Case of the Mondays - Friends of the Program
November 26th, 2012
10:03 am
[...] Georgia is heading into uncharted waters this weekend [AJC] [...]
LawDawg
November 26th, 2012
11:05 am
A level we’ve never seen under Richt…except for 2002 and 2007, you mean.
Bamagrad
November 26th, 2012
12:52 pm
REALLY!!! The games you are looking at in this article are ole miss, tech, auburn, and southern!! That is why you think UGA is back and will beat BAMA!!! How about the team that only beat UF bc they were given 6 turnovers by UF, or the team who barely beat Kentucky. This Georgia team barely beat Tennessee!!! UK ran for over 200 yards on UGA what do you think Alabama will rush for??? This is the UGA team I expect to see, not the one who ran all over WEAK teams!!! They will face a different animal Saturday!!!
UGA = Yawn
November 27th, 2012
12:18 pm
Give me a break Jeff. How stupid are you? Georgia did not play LSU, BAMA or Texas A&M during the regular season. 3 of the best teams. They did play USC – one of the best teams and got drilled. What exactly are you basing your opinion on?
UGA = Yawn
November 27th, 2012
12:22 pm
Bamagrad – UGA fans and alum are not that smart. Neither is Jeff S apparently. Pls smash UGA for all of us!!!
Buckeye Bill
November 27th, 2012
8:01 pm
Like it or not, the SEC was not as strong top to bottom this year. The Vols, Hogs, Wildkittens, were awful and M. State, Ole Miss, and Mizzou were just ok. UGA’s schedule provided them with an easy run against very poor teams except SC and FL, and an ok Tech team. I believe the record of UGA’s opponents was something like 50-70 excluding FL and SC. Add them and you have a .500 opponents record. WEAK at best. But the Dawgs went 1-1 in the SEC east against the teams that mattered and thus they are playing for a shot at the big prize.