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
Yeh ok pups.
November 24th, 2012
9:04 pm
ok way to celebrate a win over a now 6-6 team. Bama will take you guys out to walk and put you down. Keep dreaming about an SEC championship.
leg humper
November 24th, 2012
9:05 pm
Tech fan. Beating Ga today would not have made our season any better. We suck and Ga has a chance to be national champions.
Thomas Not Concise Brown
November 24th, 2012
9:06 pm
bama by 12, thats my vegas line bet.
G-dub
November 24th, 2012
9:07 pm
Beating a lousy Tech team does not mean you are playing on another level. Beating Bama would only show that you belong. Winning the BCSNC would be playing on another level
Rick James
November 24th, 2012
9:07 pm
@SEC Rules, man!
Georgia played one weak schedule this year. But hoo boy, they beat up on GA Southern and Tech.
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Tech fans always seem to forget that when Georgia beat Florida they were number 2 in the nation who also spanked FSU today.FYI..Mark Richt actually has the better record against Saban head to head..Do some research before commenting on things you know nothing about.
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 24th, 2012
9:07 pm
RTR – blah-blah-blah-blah-blah………. UGA has played at a different level the last four games. All that counts is who plays better NOW. LSU outplayed and out coached Bummer until the last 6 minutes of the game when Les MIles got stupid and went in to a prevent defense letting Bummer throw under neath all the way down the field. Texas A&M dominated Bummer on the line – on BOTH sides of the ball. UGA dominated their last 5 opponents – including #2 ranked Florida. UGA’s OL has grown up and the defense is now playing team defense. If you think Bummer is going to run over UGA you are in denial.
Not So Fast
November 24th, 2012
9:09 pm
Wow you know your a troll, RTR, if you refer to yourself in the third person. Funny how you just referred to rushing offense. Total offense, UGA 25, Alabama 44. Also, the defense us completely different since Shawn Williams called them out and all the suspended players got their game speed back. How many points did LSU give up to Ole Miss? How many did Bama score on LSU? Funny thing about statistics is they can be manipulated by any side to prove your point. That’s why games are played on the field. I can pull some more statistics out that shows how UGA has the advantage over Bama, just as someone could do to prove the opposite. That’s why games aren’t played on paper or decided by stats. If they were Kansas State and Oregon would still be undefeated. How many of you trolls are going to be man enough to come on here and admit you were wrong when if UGA wins?
Yeh ok pups.
November 24th, 2012
9:10 pm
you people are trying to make yourselves believe you are better than Bama. LOL well good luck with that.
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 24th, 2012
9:10 pm
Bummer’s schedule has been no more difficult than UGA’s. The two decent teams they played , A&M and LSU. actually outplayed them on the field physically. Bummer’s OL is over rated and under achieving.
Dawg Whisperer
November 24th, 2012
9:10 pm
Oh, contraire hump… beating the dawgs would have greatly enlivened your season. Now, you’ll have to listen to another year of yapping.
SEC Rules, man!
November 24th, 2012
9:12 pm
@rick james – good to see the SEC playing some D1 teams this week. Last week was a shame. But I love your song “can’t touch this”
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 24th, 2012
9:13 pm
Saban knows that man for man UGA has more NFL talent on the field than Bummer. He knows it. He is not stupid.
Football Bat
November 24th, 2012
9:14 pm
THINK ABOUT IT: If we play and beat ND for the NC, We will OWN their arses forever. The media will eat up this Herschel – Gurshell even if they hate us otherwise.
Yeti
November 24th, 2012
9:15 pm
Oh no, you can the Bama fans have had time after the Auburn game to ride down their dirt driveways, and go to the public library to use the public computers. They are starting to post in mass. In a way I hope Bama wins, what else do people in that state have to pull for since NASCAR is done for the year?
SEC Rules, man!
November 24th, 2012
9:16 pm
@football bat – way to reach back to 1980. I’m sure the ND fans are saying “ouch”
Ghost
November 24th, 2012
9:17 pm
LOL all the Tech fans have to live vicariously through other programs . GT like stump broke mule backing into another whipping by FSU.
Not So Fast
November 24th, 2012
9:18 pm
Here goes some more stats for you RTR, going into today’s game UGA and Bama were tied in tackles for loss per game. Which is more telling than sacks, especially considering UGA has played two straight triple option teams (do not pass that often or do you understand that concept?). See I can manipulate stats just like you.
GATOR CHOMP
November 24th, 2012
9:20 pm
Georgia beat a 6-5 team at home. WOW are you serious. Georgia again had one of the weakest schedules in the nation again this year and still some how manages to fool people. Georgia again did not play LSU, Alabama, or Texas A&M and still thinks they can beat Alabama. Well next weekend when UGA loses to Alabama all you will here is Fire Mark Richt.
t2go
November 24th, 2012
9:21 pm
playmeortrademe…you are on some sort of medication or you just woke up from a 20 year nap…Notre Dame moving the ball at will on USC is not news…..USC is terrible on defense and the past month bares that out…the fact that they only have 13 shows what a sham Notre Dame being ranked #1 is!!!
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 24th, 2012
9:22 pm
On here last night I said Tech would score 10 points on UGA…. again I was right – even if 7 of the points were scored against the 3rd team defense at the end of the game. I said A&M would upset Bummer, that UGA would whip Florida and the only game I was wrong on was when I said LSU would upset Bummer…. should have. Southern Cal will be right with Notre Dame in to the 4th quarter and if they get ONE turnover in the 4th quarter we will see an upset. That will move Florida up to 3rd. Could it be a replay of UGA/Fla for the BCS championship? Stay tuned for my call on the UGA/Bummer game – coming soon.
Not So Fast
November 24th, 2012
9:23 pm
I know a gator fan isn’t coming on here talking smack? You shouldn’t have pulled a 2002 UGA and choked. If we suck your team really sucks because we beat you head to head.
SEC Rules, man!
November 24th, 2012
9:23 pm
@t2go – ND is the only undefeated team in Top 10. How in the world can they be a sham?
I'm a Georgia fan. It's a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:26 pm
Look for Florida to jump UGA in the BCS poll tomorrow nite…
t2go
November 24th, 2012
9:27 pm
@SEC Rules….you will see. They will get beat BAD by the SEC team makes it….
ReaList
November 24th, 2012
9:27 pm
Go Notre Dame. Making the USC defense look like they are actually mediocre(not the normal horrible Defense they are). ND Offense is slow. Vandy beat Wake Forest worse than ND did.
SEC Rules, man!
November 24th, 2012
9:29 pm
@t2go but how does that make a #1 rating a sham today?
DILLIGAF
November 24th, 2012
9:30 pm
UGA can absolutely play with BAMA and beat them. It’s a good matchup but the Dawgs have to come out on fire and play a complete game and control both sides of the ball. No mistakes and no penalties. Murray has to be surgical in passing without any brainfarts and bad decisions. As been proven, the Tide is not invicible. I’ve regurgitated my share of Kool-Aid at season’s end, over the years but this time it seems diiferent. There is too much at stake for personal pride with this team and I think that once the reality of the scenario sets in, this team will make it happen.
Also, as I’m watching the ND vs. USC game, and I’ve seen them play several times this year, they definately are not the best team in the country. The Dawgs, the Tide or even the swamp lizards can expose them as the pretenders that they are.
GATA!
UGA/85′
kerryb
November 24th, 2012
9:30 pm
I’m a Georgia fan. It’s a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:26 pm
Look for Florida to jump UGA in the BCS poll tomorrow nite…
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That won’t happen because UGA beat them.
Recruiting guru
November 24th, 2012
9:30 pm
Tech has been wrecked…..back to world of warcraft
Not So Fast
November 24th, 2012
9:31 pm
No way Florida jumps UGA. That’s about the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Florida was already number 2 in the computers behind Notre Dame and would have to jump UGA in the human polls which isn’t going to happen. If anything FSU might hurt Florida’s computer ranking (FSU’s highest computer ranking was 16 and they were unranked in one). Do you even know how the BCS works I’m a…stupid?
I'm a Georgia fan. It's a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:32 pm
Can’t believe how dumb you dawg fans are…BAMA 44 UGA 16…seniors came back for nothing…unless you want to count the Buffalo, FAU and GASouthern trifecta…I don’t, and neither do the BCS computers…pretenders have one more week in fairy tale land, then Bama lowers the boom….LSU, TAMU and Bama would/will roll you…if you would ever schedule them…
kerryb
November 24th, 2012
9:33 pm
You are stupid
t2go
November 24th, 2012
9:33 pm
Maybe fallacy is a better term…what I am saying is they are not the best! And that will be proven…
kerryb
November 24th, 2012
9:34 pm
You are stupid because you don’t even know that the SEC schedules the conference opponents each year. UGA has no control of that idiot.
I'm a Georgia fan. It's a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:35 pm
Kerryb, I see you still are dealing with those anger issues…girl, get some help!
kerryb
November 24th, 2012
9:35 pm
Bama is not capable of beating UGA 44-16. Not with UGA’s defense being better than Bama’s this year.
I'm a Georgia fan. It's a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:36 pm
Like a bass to a spinner bait! hahahahahaha! Girl you too funny!
Beast from the East
November 24th, 2012
9:36 pm
Congrats, Dawgs!
Kick some azz next week in the dome.
Go Gators!
SEC Rules, man!
November 24th, 2012
9:36 pm
Schultz – publish the latest strength of schedule ratings please
I'm a Georgia fan. It's a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:36 pm
Hide and watch girl!
Dawg Whisperer
November 24th, 2012
9:36 pm
I’m a Georgia fan. It’s a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:26 pm
Look for Florida to jump UGA in the BCS poll tomorrow nite
————————————————————
Not as stupid as your comments but keep trying, you’re entertaining all of us.
kerryb
November 24th, 2012
9:37 pm
I’m a Georgia fan. It’s a license to be stupid.
November 24th, 2012
9:35 pm
Kerryb, I see you still are dealing with those anger issues…girl, get some help!
_________________________________________________________-
You are a classic example how UGA blogs always attract dumba** trollers.
GA Girl
November 24th, 2012
9:37 pm
proof reading – it’s not that hard Schultz
braveslover
November 24th, 2012
9:39 pm
Georgia is a good second tier team but will never be at the elite level of an Oregon, Alabama, Ohio State, etc. Like Florida they get fat and stats on the lower division teams. Want to be an elite…you have to schedule the elites. So, yes, Mr. Schulz, you do have to look at who they play.
Dawg Whisperer
November 24th, 2012
9:40 pm
I like living on the second tier at #3 in the country.
kerryb
November 24th, 2012
9:40 pm
braveslover
November 24th, 2012
9:39 pm
Georgia is a good second tier team but will never be at the elite level of an Oregon, Alabama, Ohio State, etc. Like Florida they get fat and stats on the lower division teams. Want to be an elite…you have to schedule the elites. So, yes, Mr. Schulz, you do have to look at who they play.
_________________________________________________________________
Another dumb comment. So we should schedule a bunch of PAC 12 teams and sorry BIG 10 teams that can’t win more than 7 games. How was Bama’s schedule so tough. It was as weak as Georgia’s.
GTBob
November 24th, 2012
9:41 pm
Sorry, but this blog reads like Jeff is just setting up the eventual let down blog next week. Pretending UGA is playing at some high level just because they beat a horrible GT team is a little silly. I wonder if there are blogs in Alabama claiming greatness because they beat Auburn.
Not So Fast
November 24th, 2012
9:41 pm
By the way if any of you trolls on here are Gator fans you might not play for the national title even if Notre Dame loses unless UGA beats Bama. Oregon is #4 in both human polls. Florida is 5 and 6 in the human polls. So if they are still behind Oregon tomorrow they would need their computer ranking which is number 2 to hold. Which it would unless UGA loses to Bama. Because in that case Florida’s computer ranking would fall because UGA’s ranking would go down. Losing to 2 or 3 looks better than losing to a lower ranked team. So all you Gator fans should be cheering for UGA.
Dawg Whisperer
November 24th, 2012
9:43 pm
It’s the body of work this year Bobby. You’re not related to Bobby Dodd are you?
kerryb
November 24th, 2012
9:43 pm
We know there are no blogs even celebrating Tech as average. Way to back into a championship game. FSU is going to embarrass them for the second week in a row.