Georgia short takes: Dogs should’ve spiked the ball
Jay Rome's touchdown catch gave Georgia 7-0 lead two plays after fake punt. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
(I’ll be back with my column on the Georgia-Alabama SEC championship soon. Until then, here are my three “short takes” on the game.)
1. Great drive until the last decision: Trialing 32-28, Georgia was given a second chance to drive for a winning touchdown when an Aaron Murray interception was turned over on replay, which showed the ball hit the ground. So with the ball at the Dogs’ 28 on second-and-10, Murray then capitalized when completed passes to Arthur Lynch (15 yards), Tavarres King (23) and Lynch again (26), moving the ball to the Alabama 8. However, with the final seconds (from :09 after Lynch’s second catch) ticking down, Murray did not take the ensuing snap and spike the ball to stop the clock. Instead, he ran a play and completed a tipped pass to Chris Conley, who was tackled at the Alabama 5 and time ran out. It was a great three plays and a dreadful fourth. While it’s no guarantee that the result would have been different, spiking the ball to stop the clock would have allowed the Dogs to set up for one more play, potentially a more successful one.
2. It’s still about blocking and tackling: I know Georgia parlayed a fake punt into a first down and eventually a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead, and Alec Ogletree’s 55-yard return of a blocked field goal (by Cornelius Washington) gave the Dogs a seemingly insurmountable 21-10 lead in the third quarter. But we saw again why football is still about being able to knock the other guy over. Alabama’s offensive line, widely considered the best in the nation, took over the game in the second half, enabling the Tide’s Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon to pile rushing yards and the team to drive to three touchdowns after trailing 21-10. As Alabama’s line physically beat up the Dogs’ front, Georgia’s defense started to tire and missed tackles.
3. Georgia proved its worth: It’s probably of little consolation to Georgia fans but the Bulldogs proved their worth in this game. Some doubted their standing of being the nation’s third best team, behind Notre Dame and Alabama (according to BCS rankings). There were criticisms of their perceived easy schedule and the way they were manhandled by South Carolina earlier in the season. But Georgia just narrowly lost a game to a program that has won two of the last three BCS championships and will be favored for another title against Notre Dame. There were four lead changes in the second half. If the Dogs don’t let down, they will have a chance in a bowl game to finish off a 12-2 season with possibly a top-5 ranking.
By Jeff Schultz
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475 comments Add your comment
Walter Cronkite
December 1st, 2012
8:29 pm
yes – this was a great loss as losses go…. LOLOLOL..Alabamer isn’t the Alabama of years ago… Hope Notre Dame spanks them!
Lil' Barry Bailout
December 1st, 2012
8:29 pm
“Murray did not take the ensuing snap and spike the ball to stop the clock”
——————–
Aaron Murray, meet Reggie Ball.
David
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Georgia gave it their best and left it all out on the field. Can’t fault any of the players, they played their hearts out and simply came up a few yards short. Our fans need to be classy and congratulate our team on the best season in over 30 years. Proud to be a Bulldog.
mikeaddington
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Game was lost on the second to last drive with stupid play calling by Bobo. 3+ minutes to play with 2 timeouts, we did not need to be playing for the long plays. we had Gurley running well and could have milked the clock with short passes and runs. then on the last drive, Murray looks to the bench and makes the spiking motion but evidently someone told him no, so he threw the deflected pass. Panicky play calling on last two drives is what cost us the game. that and the cumulative penalties that gave bama earlier touchdowns. Bama is better coached. And someone please tell me when tackling ball carriers by the legs went out of style. Williams tried to rap #4 on a run around end toward the end of the game when he had a clear shot at his legs and the guy just ran through him as their backs did most of the game. Did anyone see a leg tackle? I’m proud of our guys but disappointed by the small yet vital things that make champions being constently ignored by the players and staff. However, I’m glad Murray maintained his composure; he showed up to play today. To me, this loss goes on Bobo’s shoulders for getting away from the run early in the game and extemely poor play calling on the last two drives. What good does Gurley do two steps up and to the side of Murray then sliding to the middle as the play develops. He wasn’t a blocker and there was not enough time for him to catch a safety throw and run down the field. Poor poor play calling on offense. I thought Bobo was better than this. I was wrong.
Danny Ford
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Coaches Richt & Bobo are paying back the fans for trying to get rid of them last year.
FalconUGAFan
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
Thanks BamaBill..very classy.
Aaron Murray
December 1st, 2012
8:30 pm
I sure hope our faithful fans egged and rolled Richt’s house instead of mine this time… Bark Bark
Chick-Fil-A Bowl
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
Welcome Dawgs
Double Dawg
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
When you allowed 2 TBs to run more than 300 yards, you won’t win the game. The offense keep them in the game, give them some credit.
Fuzzz...
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
UGag just can’t win the BIG Game. Murray is 1-11 versus ranked teams. Beat the creampuffs they played but lost to USC and barely beat FLA. that was a bone-headed pass and catch with no timeouts left to end the game. No BCS bowl this year. Maybe next year.
Just Not Going to Happen
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
UGA won’t have a chance like this for at least three years. Our defense is going to be eviscerated at the end of this year. We won’t be able to stop anyone. The bowl game doesn’t matter but the next two years at least aren’t going to be watchable. This is some serious serious pain.
Bill
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
Murray should have stayed on the field and congratulated his opponents instead of running for the locker room like a Chicken S.
Georgia short takes: Dogs should’ve spiked the ball – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dogs Today Shop
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
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Dawgs = FAILCANTS
December 1st, 2012
8:31 pm
Cant wait….epic fail part 2 for loosah Ga teams….
kybodawg
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
even my 84 yr. old mother knows you spike the ball. so close. but thats why there bama and were ga. rember richts first year against auburn when he tried to run up the middle on the goal line with no timeouts. history repeats itself. this is our 4th and dumb.
Delusional Dawgs
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
how sweet it is!!!! once again the most delusional fans with get the consolation prize while the big boys continue to win the big games. Oh, i forgot, THEY RUN THIS STATE!!! bwahahahahahahaha!!!!
Double Secret Probation
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
Great game by both teams tonight. Georgia proved a lot of people wrong, but that is little consolation given the prize we were playing for today. Poor decision not to spike the ball when we got it 1st and 10 at Bama’s 8. But Murray wasn’t throwing the ball in the flat, it was tipped by a Bama defender. Murray was throwing the fade to Mitchell in the end zone. Too bad Conley didn’t have the presence of mind to swat the ball to the ground. That would have given us one more play as well.
Couch Potato Coach
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
Even I know to SPIKE THE BALL!!
Hairy Dawg
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
We won’t have the players to get the job done next year. That’s why this game was so damn big. All the Dawg haters will have their fun and that’s fine, but any fan would feel terrible if his team lost like that. That’s the only consolation I take.
ARdawg
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
It was a good game. The attempt to catch Bama out of position and get the TD was low percentage but, it is what it is. I for one am proud of those kids. They played they’re hearts out. No shame in that game. Quit with the 2nd guessing. If it had worked you’d be calling Bobo your second coming of Christ.
MTSeats
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
Spike the ball? No fecal matter. Murray to the NFL, in his dreams.
crusher dawg
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
Congratulation on a good season Dawgs……. We will miss the players that will be graduating or turning pro. Hold your heads high for you played a good game against a good team.
Why?
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
Seriously falcons shouldn’t even bother we know they will lose in div play, being an Atl fan is just horrible sometimes.
jaxdawgfan
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
We shot ourselves in the foot just enough to not be able to overcome the lopsided officiating. (BTW, is it true that the head linesman was unmasked after the game and revealed to be Steve Spurrier?) At any rate, the Dawgs played their hearts out and it was a great, close game.
graphite
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
Please don’t let Murray leave for the NFL. We want to see him one more year. He is running out of time to win a BIG game……. The Irish had better bring that luck with them,it won’t be Southern hospitality we show them…..2 in a row “ain’t” bad !!! RollOn……
bamaguy
December 1st, 2012
8:33 pm
“last few comments by “bamaguy” were not me.
Great game by Georgia. This is why the SEC is the top football conference in the nation. If Georgia can keep Murray and Jones out of the NFL, you will be back next year.
SEC Rules!
Aaron Murray
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Man… our best team in years and now we’re doomed to go to Orlando and lose in an emotionless meaningless bowl game
SteelerFan
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Whenever you get a graduation over 20% you may have players smart enough to ground the ball. Richt, BooBoo and Murray choked!
Mongo
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
How many yards did Bama gain after a UGA defender tried to STRIP the ball instead of tackle them SOB’s?
Jimmy
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
This was a great game.
We played hard and competively.
Richt’s coaching is not the reason we lost.
CHDawg
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Dawgs, this fan is very, very proud of you! Tough and bitter loss, but you played your hearts out; don’t hang your heads. Congrats to Alabama and good luck representing the SEC in Miami.
Why?
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Epic fail 3 in a few weeks
Nerds Suck
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Tech fans on this blog are so freaking pathetic. Your junior varsity football team is a joke.
Will
December 1st, 2012
8:34 pm
Georgia needs some bangers on the O-line like Bama has.
spider
December 1st, 2012
8:35 pm
the real national championship is next saturday….GO ARMY BEAT NAVY
Sec fan
December 1st, 2012
8:35 pm
Where are all the blind loyalist Uga fans from earlier this week predicting ridiculous final scores of this game? Guess what? You were all wrong! You lose! Lol
Wow...
December 1st, 2012
8:35 pm
…As I said twice this week lets hope CMR takes Spurrier’s advice that 12 years is about right to leave a program – again, that is a poorly coached team that does NOT take advantage of the final 15 seconds with a first down on the 8 yard line.
Both Murray and Conley totally missed being coached up, first by Murray not spiking the ball, despite whatever BOOBOO was telling him, and Conley for not knowing to just let the ball go when he knew he was not anywhere near the end zone…
Just another in the many coaching mistakes CMR and others on the staff have made over the past 12 years..
Ubob
December 1st, 2012
8:35 pm
Cut the CRAP…yes, they should have spiked….Yes, I’m angry…..but don’t take away a great season. We played toe to toe with Bama and came up just short. The pass was a fade to the end zone that was tipped short to our guy. If not tipped then it’s either a TD or one more play…..get real and see what really happened…. wasn’t supposed to be a pass to the flat. We lost the game not being able to stop the run in the 3rd qt. A great game, wanted to win more than anybody, but not ashamed of the way my Dawgs played. Just disappointed . we had a chance….
Missed the game
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
Did Georgia win?
Dawgify
December 1st, 2012
8:36 pm
Proud of my team.
old time dog
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
The advantage of playing a soft schedule is you get to the championship. The down side is you don’t get battle hardened.
bill
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
welcome to the typical out of sort UGA bloggers. Fire everybody including the trainers as they did not hydrate the players enough with 6:24 left in the third quarter. That is all the coaches fault. Like some said above if UGA scores on the last play-then staff is the greatest thing alive. What a bunch of whiny fans. Go Stanford.
Aaron Murray
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
Don’t blame nerds, nobody likes them either. For all of the talent in this state, why can’t a state school represent the state proudly?!? I should’ve stayed in Fla and gone to UF, at least I’d get to a BCS game
Uh, Jimmy...
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
…if it was not coaching, would we still have lost? We will never know will we, since the QB and receiver were not well coached for the moment…
just sayin
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
ALUM, if your diploma hinges on the outcome of a football game, that tells us a lot about you and your value of education.
Hurt Kurbstreit
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
Bummer. Should of spiked it.
NewnanDawg
December 1st, 2012
8:37 pm
C’mon dawg nation! Neither the coaches nor Murray are at fault. He was passing to the guy in the endzone, but it fell short after it was tipped. You just don’t expect, whether you’re a quarterback or a coach, for the ball to get tipped like that. Both teams gave it their hardest, and it came down to Alabama having a better O-Line. This loss sucks. Big time. But our situation could be way worse. We could be Auburn, Arkansas, or Tennessee. I am proud of my team and coaches. I don’t think the aforementioned fan bases can say the same.
DILLIGAF
December 1st, 2012
8:38 pm
Congrats to Bama….you were down by 11, turned the momentum and wore the Dawg’s defense down by pounding those big backs relentlessly. Now go do the same to the Leprechauns.
GATA!
UGA/85′
Apopka FlDawg
December 1st, 2012
8:38 pm
Our Coach lost this game. Anyone who knows anything about football knows you spike the ball and then settle down and plan plays to the end zone. Not our idiot coach. With no time outs lets throw a short pass to a receiver who is not close to the side line and run the clock out. But, our guys played great and the score was much closer than I thought it would be. Too bad our coaches make bad decisions.
Jimmy
December 1st, 2012
8:38 pm
On the issue of officiating:
How can they not call holding on Bama?
I could see it from my recliner.
The penalties were too lopsided given the holding.
The last play of the game was PI on bama…no call.
How can that happen.