Georgia earns respect in defeat, but loss not easy to take
Kenarious Gates drops to a knee as Georgia lost SEC title on game's final play. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
This was the day when representatives from every other conference, when every critic weary of the SEC’s six-year-plus rule in college football, should have come to the realization, “Oh. So that’s why they’re the best.”
Georgia and Alabama looked like the two best teams from the two best conference, if not the two best teams in the nation, and they just played a conference championship that saw four lead changes in the second half and the game not decided until the game’s final play.
What would happen if Georgia and Alabama played 10 times?
“It probably would look like that every game,” Bulldogs wide receiver Tavarres King said. “And there would be several different outcomes.”
Georgia doesn’t have that luxury. The Dogs lost the SEC championship game 32-28 at the Georgia Dome. They came that close to playing for a national championship.
They had a chance at the end, with quarterback Aaron Murray having driven the team from its own 28 to the Alabama 8 with 15 seconds left. At that point, we can debate whether Murray should have spiked the ball to reset the offense. But suffice to say, the game ended with a tipped pass that was caught at Tide’s 5, the final seconds ticked off and one team celebrated its impending berth in the BCS championship game while the other collapsed in exhaustion, uncertain of its bowl status.
The irony here was that Georgia probably gained more respect in defeat than in any of its 11 victories. The Dogs were criticized for a perceived soft schedule, for the way they were physically hammered be South Carolina, for the hiccups at Kentucky.
Yet on Saturday, even the opposing coach, Nick Saban, was moved to comment: “I think it’s a crying shame if Georgia doesn’t get to go to a BCS bowl game. That game came down to the last play. It’s ridiculous. Some teams are 7-5 and talking about winning their conference and going to a BCS bowl game? Something’s not right here.”
So yes, the Dogs proved their worthiness on this day.
Coach Mark Richt has made the program relevant again in the SEC, and therefore on the national scale.
Afterward, Richt said, “I told them I was disappointed. But I wasn’t disappointed in them.”
That said, Georgia lost to a better team.
Alabama was the superior team physically. The Tide rushed for 350 yards, led by Eddie Lacy (187) and T.J. Yeldon (154). The physical domination started with the Tide’s offensive line taking over the game in the second half, blowing open holes in Georgia’s defensive front. It continued with the Dogs, clearly worn down and drained, began to miss tackles.
“[The defense] got tired of being run against — I could figure that one out,” Richt said. “We just got knocked off the ball.”
At some point, it figured Alabama would try to get Georgia to bite on play-action, and that’s exactly what happened. With the Dogs leading 28-25, Alabama had a first down at the Georgia 45 when quarterback A.J. McCarron faked a handoff, stepped back and hit wide receiver Amari Cooper streaking down the left sideline, behind cornerback Damian Swann. The touchdown put Alabama, which once trailed 21-10, up 32-28 with just over three minutes left.
The Dogs had two more chances. They went three-and-out on one possession and quickly had to punt. They used their last two time outs during Alabama’s possession but forced the Tide to give up the ball one more time. They got the ball back with 1:08 remaining.
“We’ve had plenty of one-minute drives during the season so it’s not like guys were freaking out or anything,” Murray said later. “We were just like, ‘Let’s play ball.”
On the fourth play of the drive, Murray had a pass tipped and intercepted at midfield. But he and the team got a reprieve when the play was reversed by replay, which showed the ball hitting the ground. The quarterback then completed consecutive passes to Arthur Lynch, King and Lynch again. The ball was now at the eight with about 15 seconds remaining.
Richt decided to keep going and not have Murray spike the ball to stop the clock. “Even spiking the ball takes time,” Richt said. “We had a play called.”
The play was fade route to Malcolm Mitchell at the back of the end zone. But there were only nine seconds left when the ball was snapped, Murray’s pass was tipped at the line and Chris Conley caught it in traffic at the five (first instinct). He was buried and time ran out.
Richt: “In that play you want a touchdown or an incomplete pass.”
In between is trouble. In between ended the game. Georgia was that close going to the national championship game. That’s something they will have to live with.
By Jeff Schultz
If you blinked, you missed a blog
• SHORT TAKES (UGA): Dogs should’ve spiked the ball
• Braves dump a pitcher (Hanson) they once viewed as gold
• Falcons’ offense hits a wall (but as usual it doesn’t matter)
• Braves need this free agent splurge on B.J. Upton to pay off
• Weekend Predictions: Georgia pulls the upset but Tech goes down
• Georgia’s best chance vs. Alabama may be to step on the gas
• SEC title would mean Georgia’s return to elite status
• Georgia playing at level we haven’t seen under Richt
• Upsetting Georgia would give Tech needed boost for future
• Vince Dooley: Joy from Georgia’s resurgence, pain from son’s firing
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This Just In.......
December 2nd, 2012
12:56 am
It’s amazing how they can put a fool behind a computer and they claim they know football. UGA and Alabama played there behinds off tonight. Easily this will go down as a classic in the SEC AND ALL OF FOOTBALL FOLKLORE, but yet you wussies whom I’m willing to bet my life, have never played at or near this level and wanna talk about woulda, coulda, and shoulda. You human turds are so pathetic with your assessment of what you think you know.If I asked what and A Gap was, most would be lost. What about zone, compared to man to man? Still think you know football now> What CMR and CTG, and CMB did tonight was commendable and good. Nick Saban and his staff are very good, and Alabama played there buts off. GEORGIA, HOLD YOUR HEADS UP MEN. YOU PLAYED LIKE CHAMPIONS TONIGHT AND WOKE UP A STATE, A CONFERENCE, AND A NATION. It’s sad that with this new Money system and conference re alignment crap that and 11-2 team will be pushed out, while 6-6 teams play for conference championships and a right to go represent as there best.Mark Richt has a 74% winning percentage in the SEC.the best conference in college football, and you gutless UGA fans(who really aren’t fans) come on the blg and whine about firing him. Tell you what, go find me a coach right now outside of Saban, Miles, and Spurrier who;s 21-6 in there conference, and that conference can claim the last six national titles. All time rushing leader in the NFL: SEC MAN. All Time sack man: SEC MAN. Three of last six Superbowl winning teams, QB’d by who? SEC MEN. Most players from one conference taken in the first round in the last four years? SEC Conference. Think you got what it takes to Coach here? No you don’t! HATERS BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU WANT, REMEMBER WHEN UT wanted FULMER gone? How’s that worked out.Go DAWGS, and see you next year same time, same Dawg station.
Help !
December 2nd, 2012
12:57 am
Nick Saban RUNS THIS STATE.
Nathaniel
December 2nd, 2012
12:58 am
Bama had a better offensive line and running game. But can’t say they had a better team overall.
Could have gone either way at the end.
azdawg
December 2nd, 2012
1:00 am
Say all you want about the last drive and poor clock management, not stopping AL just one time during their 3 TD run would have meant a win for the dawgs. Blame the defense, esp the front 7 for poor tackling (no leg tackles but once!!) and CTG for not being able to stop AL on any of those drives!! He waited on AL’s last drive to bring the LB’s up in run support. Blame also lies on our FG kicker. He makes that FG and GA needs only a FG to win aT THE End of the game instead of having to go for a TD. If GA has any scholly’s left this year they should get another FG kickewr signed. This kid stinks!!! I agree w/one of the above bloggers, it was this year the dawgs had their best shot. The cupboard will be bare on D next season. If AM leaves, it’ll hurt the O in spite of what folks think of him. He didn’t cost GA this game. The D should of stopped AL, plain and simple.
Alabama wins SEC crown as time runs out on Georgia – Los Angeles Times
December 2nd, 2012
1:01 am
[...] to VictoryNew York TimesThe SEC Officially Rules the College Football UniverseWall Street JournalGeorgia earns respect in defeat, but loss not easy to takeAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)ABC News -SI.com -Gadsden Timesall 2,132 news [...]
bralinshan
December 2nd, 2012
1:02 am
Georgia was very prepared and absolutely ready to play the game. They lost a coin toss essentially. But, they were out-gained 512-394 and gave up 350 yards on the ground. The difference in the game was the mismatch between Alabama’s offensive line and the GA D-Line and LBs. Jarvis Jones was not physical in the trenches.
Interestingly, when ALA went down 21-10 they went right to the ground game and turned it around. I felt going into the game that the team that won would smoke Notre Dame. And, ALA will knock Notre Dame out by early 3rd Quarter.
Simply, The athletes in the SEC are just better. Bigger, stronger, faster, and just more physical. ND has no idea what’s about the happen to them.
Congratulations to GA for a game well played and an outstanding year. They should be going to BSC instead of FLA….
Boo Boo
December 2nd, 2012
1:05 am
`
Does Todd Grantham get another raise for the well coached tackling?
jpaul
December 2nd, 2012
1:10 am
Thugs
December 1st, 2012
10:39 pm
Respect? Are you kidding, if uga hadnt of played that soft schedule they never would have been in that game. They lost to 2 of the 3 good teams they played and the third had 6 turnovers. Easy to play one hard game a year. Thetis game wasn’t as close as the score. Once all those d players leave uga will be right back to middle of the pack with richt back on the hot seat.
you r a dick! u must be a Tech fan! good luck with PJ!
Disappointed Dog
December 2nd, 2012
1:10 am
For all of you jacka**** calling for Richt’s head, have you forgotten where this program was under Goff and Donnan? Have you forgotten that Richt has one of the best winning percentages of any active coach? Have you forgotten that we have won the SEC East five times under Richt.
I want a championship as bad as anyone but you are kidding yourselves if you think canning Richt is the solution. Who are you going to hire that has a resume that even remotely comes close to what Richt has accomplished? Oh ya, Gene Chizk won a championship, so he must be better than Richt. Maybe we can steal Larry Cocker from UTSA since he won a championship once upon a time.
Our loss today was not a result of being out coached or based on some failure with the game plan, It boiled down to time on the clock. Period. If we score on the last play, everyone is hailing the decision to NOT spike the ball. If we spike the ball and fail to score, everybody would be saying we had Alabama on their heels and should have run a play.
This coaching staff has the program headed in the right direction and only an idiot would want to change that direction now.
jpaul
December 2nd, 2012
1:11 am
thugs see above
jpaul
December 2nd, 2012
1:15 am
.Disappointed Dog
u r the man! dogs rock and tech sucks cock! we will continue to compete and we will win a NC soon!
William
December 2nd, 2012
1:21 am
Mark Richt when asked about being the most penalized team in the SEC was quoted as saying “It’s not a problem”
“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser” Vince Lombardi
33 years and counting
December 2nd, 2012
1:22 am
No you won’t little squirt!
33 years and counting
December 2nd, 2012
1:23 am
Referring to Jpaul… loser
captguitarman
December 2nd, 2012
1:41 am
The Puppies have nothing to be ashamed of. They gained a lot of respect. After Bama gets done with Notre Dame (it will be ugly for a team just getting by all year and winning only because of missed field goals, etc. when that Bama offense gets rolling), the Puppies will look like the number two team in the nation after tonight’s tremendous effort. Everyone makes mistakes. Whoever signaled Murray from the sideline not to spike the ball made a huge one because Murray clearly was signaling for approval to spike it – which would have allowed two more passing plays. Even the great Saban made a bonehead mistake by not calling time out at the end of the first half and losing a chance for a Bama touchdown. Mistakes notwithstanding, both teams played what may be one of the best, if not the best, SEC championship game in history. Hold your heads high, Puppies, you were a few seconds away from beating the ultimate national champion.
Flo-Ri-Duh
December 2nd, 2012
1:43 am
Four of the 5 starting OL for Bama will be playing in the NFL next year. At least three will be 1st round draft picks. Sure they are good – still UGA did stop them 6 plays in a row at the goal line.
westcoastdawg
December 2nd, 2012
1:47 am
Disappointed…:Did you write Chizik in a Dawg discussion? Youre out. Go to bed.
RichtRules
December 2nd, 2012
1:50 am
Next year is our year! Has to be, we were soooooo close. Be proud Dawg Nation!
Flo-Ri-Duh
December 2nd, 2012
1:51 am
All of UGA’s “O” except for Tavarres King (WR) will be back next year. To bad 2 starting WRs for UGA were out with injuries but that is football. Refs “no calls” were the difference in this very close game – especially the blatant helmet to helmet cheap shot on Murray by DL Dial. Ref was standing 10 yards away looking right at the cheap shot and did not call a penalty. That alone accounted for 3 points for Bama as the player should have been kicked out of the game and Bama should have been moved 15 yards back – instead Bama gets a field goal with 5 seconds left.
uclarules
December 2nd, 2012
1:52 am
4 of 5 will be drafted? How do you know? Perhaps more Dawg defenders will go than Tide OL….Why the buckspanking?
Flo-Ri-Duh
December 2nd, 2012
1:53 am
Any prick badmouthing Richt on here is a troll for GT or whoever. You cowards need to come out and admit you are not UGA fans.
RichtRules
December 2nd, 2012
1:55 am
Early td to Rome, curious, where was he the rest of game?
uclarules
December 2nd, 2012
2:00 am
good purnt..FLO boy..ur name does reek of Gater luvin though…
Flo-Ri-Duh
December 2nd, 2012
2:05 am
How do I know that 4 of Bama’s OL will be in the NFL next year? Because three of them are seniors and are projected to be high draft choices and the other is a junior projected to go in the 1st round. UGA will have one DL go in the 1st round – senior nose guard John Jenkins. Both starting DE’s will return to UGA. UGA will probably lose two starting jr. LB’s early in the 1st round and both of UGA’s safeties will be drafted in the 1st or 2nd round. They have one CB who will go probably 2nd or 3rd round. Hopefully junior Kwame Gaethers will return and start at NT. One starting DE will return – the other was a senior out injured for this game and he will be drafted – maybe 3rd or 4th round. So UGA will be mostly new next year. If Murray returns there will be 9 starters back on the offense. Both kickers are freshmen.
Flo-Ri-Duh
December 2nd, 2012
2:09 am
Sorry but I am no Florida fan as such. Pulled for the Dawgs today.
Flo-Ri-Duh
December 2nd, 2012
2:10 am
ucla – didn’t you lose today?
Fidlin1
December 2nd, 2012
2:12 am
The Dawgnation hurts together but the effort was full of smash mouth passion and the fire still burns in the heart of all Bulldogs. Go Dogs!
Had2bBAMAfans
December 2nd, 2012
2:12 am
Thieves Steal 800 Bags of Dog Food
ATLANTA — December 1, 2012
Authorities are investigating the theft of over 20,000 pounds of dog food from a pet shop in southeast Atlanta.
WSB-TV reports Intown Healthy Hound was burglarized after closing Wednesday, and the store’s owner returned to find thieves had stolen 800 bags of dog food from the shop.
James Galloway, the store’s owner, told the television station the stolen food was worth about $35,000.
Police say the thieves targeted an all-natural brand that is hard to find in many pet shops across Georgia.
Authorities say the suspects cut a hole in the fence of a building next door, climbed through a window and used a forklift to load pallets of the dog food into a getaway vehicle.
Police say the store is not equipped with a surveillance camera or alarm.
D.C.
December 2nd, 2012
2:13 am
Always leading the nation in penaties always helps to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. The offence was to timid early in the game on several opputunities after first going ahead. We gave Alabama plenty of time to catch their breath and then they were able to start ramming the ball down our throat and wearing the defence down.
ItsTheCoachStupid
December 2nd, 2012
2:16 am
Heartbreaker……..
son's who?
December 2nd, 2012
3:21 am
Don’t get too ahead of yourselves c*ck and gator fans. Next years schedules are fairy equal. Dogs reload on D, the O-line should be stronger and better, got skill players coming back. Lots of talent on all three teams, It should be fun once again. College football is the greatest sport on Earth.
son's who?
December 2nd, 2012
3:23 am
If last night’s game s any indication, then the four team Playoff should be exciting.
son's who?
December 2nd, 2012
3:32 am
I’m proud of Aaron Murray. He hung in there and led the team down the field with a shot to win in the end. He didn’t panic and try to force things that weren’t there. i was proud of the Offensive live. They opened holes and pass protected well.
William
December 2nd, 2012
3:53 am
For those of you celebrating the “Respect” you feel Georgia earned this season… call the MD and have the Redcoat Marching Band make it the new GA theme song.
Dog8
December 2nd, 2012
4:15 am
The Dogs should go to the sugar bowl, not fla. Ga beat them easy and should get a bcs bowl. fla should go to a minor bowl somewhere. The SEC needs to order the sugar bowl to take GA!
2013!
December 2nd, 2012
4:17 am
Mark this down—the Dogs will be back to the SEC title game in 2013! They return most of their stars and will easily win the SEC east again. fla and sc will be down and Ga will beat them both. Ga can beat alabama in 2013, since alabama is losing most of their talent on the oline. Ga—to the BCS in 2013!!!
MRG
December 2nd, 2012
4:47 am
As a lifelong Alabama fan, I can’t help but be extremely happy about the game, but I have to admit that I feel bad for Georgia. If they play 100 times, UGA probably wins 50 and Alabama probably wins 50. These are they two best teams in the land and they are incredibly equal. I’m very glad that Alabama has the NC shot coming up, but Georgia deserves it just as much. I can’t understand people whining about the Dawgs or Richt here. They did nothing but earn a ton of respect today (they already had it from most of us anyway, but still.)
Brian Mayan
December 2nd, 2012
4:51 am
I’m sure Georgia fans want to fire richt……again!!
Recruiting guru
December 2nd, 2012
5:07 am
Guys, that was a hell of a game and i am man enough to admit that. Hold you head high dawgs, We love you. Good game Alabama!
Wewonthegame_lostonthescoreboard
December 2nd, 2012
5:33 am
Richt cost us a shot at a national title. Im confident we would have beaten notre dame by about 10 points. And no, next year we wont be nearly as good. Say goodbye to Jenkins, Jones, Rambo, Ogletree, King, etc. We will go like 8-4 next year. Spike the ball and we win that game. Simple as that. And GA Tech fans, if they are here, are pathetic. You guys beat us 1 time in the last 12 years. Wow, thats gotta be miserable.
Gators..
December 2nd, 2012
6:10 am
“The Dogs should go to the sugar bowl, not fla. Ga beat them easy and should get a bcs bowl. fla should go to a minor bowl somewhere. The SEC needs to order the sugar bowl to take GA!”
No, UGA benefited from 6 turnovers, 2 in the endzone to hold onto victory versus a team that went 4-1 against BCS top 12 teams. UGA went 1-2 vs top 12 BCS. And technically as per the way the SEC views the final standings, Florida and Georgia were co-champions of the SEC east with Georgia representing the east in the SECCG becuse of head to head win. I take no solace in being co-champions but look at the SEC website. Your beef shouldn’t be with Florida going to a BCS bowl because Florida earned that right this year by going 11-1 while playing the nation’s number 1 schedule. Your beef should be with lesser conferences getting automatic BCS bowl bids for playing in crappy conferences..
What they’re saying in Georgia about Alabama’s victory in the SEC Championship Game (links) – Alabama – Crimson Tide News
December 2nd, 2012
6:14 am
[...] to be in BCS Bowl* Mark Bradley: Five yards short: In bitter defeat, a winning Georgia effort* Jeff Schultz: Georgia earns respect in defeat, but loss not easy to take* Junkyard Blawg: Dawgs have nothing to be ashamed of after epic battle with [...]
poise
December 2nd, 2012
6:22 am
i hope i get the last comment only sideline gatorade drinkers want to be first, like busting through the paper here we come, hope the other team make it easy….real georgia fan, loyal georgia fan, proud georgia fan yeah right….we are 1 – 12 in money & braggin-rites games, real, loyal and proud in this sense connects with losing, no excuses…-true fans, like me want to see georgia win, georgia win the big games & georgia win championships-….whats even more funny, i already know you going 2say you’re not a true fan…georgia only lost by 4pts & we coulda, shoulda on the last play & woulda had won…lol, admit you a fan of real, loyal & proud losing….alabama good luck in another championship game be it SEC or BCS….-ima true georgia fan, poise cost us-
poise
December 2nd, 2012
6:25 am
and it suxs, we blew a 21 – 10 lead, in the biggest game in the last 30yrs…
te29wr
December 2nd, 2012
6:26 am
Am I the only one who is tired of the classless Ala. fans who can’t even be gracious in winning It was a great ball game and all should be proud. Also I am tired of the BALD headed radio guys who could only play with themselves, as thay have no football skills, talk about how the coaches and players have to defend themselves for their play. And none of these guys are from GA, thank god.
BobDawg
December 2nd, 2012
6:26 am
…Couldn’t sleep much last night as this one hurt, But I’m proud of our Boys and the Coaching staff and I will never listen to Chuck and Chernoff on 680 again… I can’t believe Fat Boy Kings lousy question to CMR in the post game conference.. We had a Championship effort and the game could have gone either way. That’s all you want is a shot and we gave our best… I’m out…
Ga8TR
December 2nd, 2012
6:31 am
Just got a new Bulldog puppy to celebrate. Decided to name it “Spike.”
dome
December 2nd, 2012
6:33 am
I read 1 blog that says it was not our rushing defense which lost the game. Yes, it was. When make 6 first downs running the ball and they make 18 first downs rushing the ball and you have what we have in the ability to run the football 2012, there is a-no excuse for giving up on running the football and b-what were we thinking? Seems to me that we always knew Nick Saban and Alabama were going to run the football. We knew before the game, at half-time adjustments, and at the end of the game, that all Alabama was going to do was to run the football. Our game strategy had to be that Nick Saban would run the football, and that we must take that away from them. After 13 games, you can attempt to try to say that we had OL issues as an excuse for us not running the football getting Keith Marshall the ball in space. But, we never tried to run the football, preferring to pass instead. It’s what we do. The reason we lost the game, and did not look good many other games all season long, is that when you have 11 defensive players playing their last meaningful game here, you cannot be the number 79 in the country rush defense for the entire season. This is SEC for heaven’s sake. A passing offense who doesn’t have any commitment to running the football, cannot be number 79 nationally after 13 games in rushing defense. And, there is no excuse for it.
SteelerFan
December 2nd, 2012
6:38 am
A team that good with a coach that isn’t too bright is the problem. Richt has no clue what to do in game time audibles. Look at Saban, goes for 2 how did that turn out?
goFalcons
December 2nd, 2012
6:41 am
I promised myself I would never cry again after my Braves were robed in the play in game but last night I cried again! I am proud of UGA! They fought to the end! It HURTS BUT after I slept over my hang over and thought about it, atleast our teams are in the hunt, Great season UGA gave us and now after the Braves and UGA, we are lucky enough to have another shot with the Falcons. Yes it hurts but ppl think before u type. Don’t curse out our coach or Murray!!!!!!! They try to win to make us fans happy and I could not do any better and you could not either!!!!!!!!! It makes me mad when players play hard to make us fans happy and we put them down. Nobody hurts more then me and I will get over it. GO BRAVES, FALCONS, AND OUR DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!