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
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
475 comments Add your comment
Dawgs = FAILCANTS
December 1st, 2012
9:46 pm
FAILCANTS are frauds….will be funny to watch them lose again in first round of playoffs…perennial losers…
Pmc
December 1st, 2012
9:46 pm
Great Game and love the effort outside of the stupidity of not spiking the ball and taking 40 seconds to think about it. Fact remains, Georgia and by proxy Mark Richt have proven yet again on the football field at least they aren’t good enough to be champions it’s a substandard program
GatorGuy
December 1st, 2012
9:47 pm
Dewnsav,
True. Couldn’t get into UF Pharmacy school, so got a job in Atlanta, working for Airtran. You know Airtran, they are the UGA of airlines. Nice, friendly, but not the best.
Jax was tough, but all those BCS titles are enough to keep the faithful happy. You may want to trot out that Ray Goff hat you got for Christmas last year. Wear it to Orlando.
IlliniDawg
December 1st, 2012
9:47 pm
Wow, folks on both sides are WAAAAYYYY too emotional about this. Dawg fans, there are about 120 NCAA football programs that would have loved to been in our place tonight, and frankly probably only a very very few could have played the game to a 4-point margin. And to have a chance to dethrone the champs with a last-minute drive, that’s what every team dreams of. I for one am proud of my Dawgs.
As for the Bama fans on this blog, your coach showed ten times the class that most of you have displayed here. Why the arrogance, hate, and condescencion? WHY? Is it outside of you to show even a little respect to the team that played the second-best game against you all this year?
Jeff Schultz
December 1st, 2012
9:48 pm
Folks — Haven’t read any of the comments but I’m assuming we’re on the same page: Great game, one of the best I’ve ever witnessed. Unfortunately for Georgia, the players and you fans, they lost. Here’s my game column, in case you want to shift commenting over there.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2012/12/01/georgia-earns-respect-in-defeat-but-loss-not-easy-to-take/
cmac
December 1st, 2012
9:48 pm
Will NEVER winn a big game with Murray at QB. Remember, this is the QB that lost to Colorado & Central Florida!! To hell with stats.
Speaking of stats, big mouth Rambo should keep his mouth shut about who has the best defense. Great defenses don’t allow 350 yds rushing in big games. They also make stops when your team needs them .. like when your team is up by 11 in the third quarter. Instead, within a span of 6 minutes, Alabama goes 65 yards in 6 plays & 77 yards in 7 plays to take the lead. SHUT UP RAMBO!!!
Pmc
December 1st, 2012
9:48 pm
The OC was Perfect on the last drive and all night. Not spiking it was nuts.
Fate
December 1st, 2012
9:48 pm
DawginNY,
We got our thug axes beat.
Love,
Fate
Trashtalkin'?
December 1st, 2012
9:49 pm
Delusional Dawgs – Thanks. I’ll check my spell check. If you want to get technical, though, you might should fix your “punctuation check”. But thanks again at changing the subject and trying to not talk football. You ARE good at that. And thanks for continuously pointing out that we run the state. It’s priceless that you as a Tech fan keep admitting that…
Dacusville Bill
December 1st, 2012
9:50 pm
I like Mark Richt, never could stand Jawgie though….Wish Richt was the coach at Tech, and ya’ll had Pitiful Paul—But Congrats on your great season—Hope ya get to play Clem and Son in the Chicken FeelayBowl–
Delusional Dawgs
December 1st, 2012
9:50 pm
@ NYDawg – youre right….cant believe all these maggots! did you say the game ended on the 4 yard line???? you were THAT CLOSE to the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP and choked it away??? Oh, SNAP that is a tough pill to swallow……..but, it was a great game at least, right? thats what counts!
Fate
December 1st, 2012
9:50 pm
Jeff,
Stop sugar coating it, Georgia sucks.
That’s that.
Missed the game
December 1st, 2012
9:51 pm
Alabama blew them out. I didn’t have to see the game to know that was going to happen. Good news, Dawg fans, local drug stores have plenty of Monistat available to salve your wounded hearts and foolish pride. My Gamecocks would have beaten the Tide by what? 24?
Dum-Bass
December 1st, 2012
9:51 pm
Role Tied !!!!! Go Abalama, beat Noter Dane!
NCDawg
December 1st, 2012
9:52 pm
dbc and the rest of you fools – yes Bama ran the ball well.. so what?! They damn near lost the game anyway! They couldn’t run out the clock on us and the Dawgs were one fluke play away from winning it all. The woulda, coulda, shoulda, nit pickers need to just f- off and go root for another team. Bama has a better offensive line than the freaking Falcons… and they still nearly lost the game despite the big (meaningless) stats.
The final play was an unfortunate fluke you idiots. They were trying to catch Bama flatfooted. The ball dropped right into Conley’s hands and he caught it. It was reflex. He will probably go the rest of his football career without ever being in that situation again. Those of you saying it was coaching… I sure hope you get your work nit picked and second guessed at every opportunity this week and that you are berated for every mistake you make. You are all perfect I bet.
Coach Richt and staff coached a great game… equal to the Bama staff. Saban and company made some pretty big blunders. Both teams left it on the field and in the end the Dawgs came up one play short.
Delusional Dawgs
December 1st, 2012
9:53 pm
@ Trashtalkin – sorry, didn’t mean to steer the conversation away from football, where it should be. So, back to that….did you guys really come thisclose to a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP but lose a game you “should” have won?? 4 yard line? didn’t spike the ball? missed a fg that would have helped a late FG win the game???
discuss…
Lee
December 1st, 2012
9:54 pm
Yes, Jeff. Alabama spotted Ga 14 points and still won. Blocked FG, fake punt. Richt still could not manufacture a win. Hope Richt stays at Ga. until he retires.
Jeffrey
December 1st, 2012
9:55 pm
AJC just hates Georgia.Jeff Schutz is an ass.Really, he & Bradley should write for University of Florida & Auburn.They just HATE GEORGIA.As,a paid subcriber who actually gets the printed paper.It’s just another reason I am not renewing the AJC
Silverdogg
December 1st, 2012
9:55 pm
I wonder why Gilliard was playing in the middle and not Herrera or Robinson, Gilliard got manhandled.
byteme
December 1st, 2012
9:56 pm
You should feel proud of how your dawgs played. And you should all be a little more respectful with your lewd and hateful comments about other teams before you know the outcome of a game…learn to be respectful. That’s what your coach does!
Delusional Dawgs
December 1st, 2012
9:56 pm
@NY Dawg – and that unfortunate fluke will haunt you for the next 32 years, unfortunately. I mean, it was SO CLOSE!! and the staff did coach a great game, bet a lot more dogbone stickers will be given out to place on the helmets before the nonBCS bowl game.
one play short……will that feeling EVER go away???
GatorGuy
December 1st, 2012
9:56 pm
To the future Nobel Laureate Mr. J. Schultz
We are ALL on the same page, and that page belongs in the fireplace this Christmas, or at the bottom of the birdcage (I am gonna skip to cliche “fish wrap” reference). Thank you for recognizing the unity of this community. One question: has Belue to Scott been put on digital. If not, it should be, probably decomposed by now. Send it to the Smithsonian. They can put it in the exhibit of Civil War photograhpy.
Pmc
December 1st, 2012
9:56 pm
Oh we’ll at least no trees will die
Trashtalkin'?
December 1st, 2012
9:57 pm
Delusional Dawgs – Thanks. That’s where I’d like the conversation to be anyway. Many other GT fans have been talking that way to begin with. Not sure we should’ve won it, but we definitely could have. I’m proud of the way our guys played even though the loss is hard. My wife’s a big FL fan and she’s been on both sides of these games. Never knew what she had gone through until tonight. Tough, tough game to lose. What’s going on in the ACC CG?
Missed the game
December 1st, 2012
9:58 pm
Soft schedule, soft as Cotton bowl bid. Sorry you got creamed today.
James
December 1st, 2012
9:58 pm
Delusional Dawgs – As usual, the Tech fans can trash talk on another teams sweat. Wait a minute, let me read on here, I am sure you have written somewhere that Tech grads are smarter, football doesn’t really matter, but yet you come on here to talk trash at UGA grads and fans, really? Is that contradictory? If it doesn’t matter, shouldn’t you be watching an educational program somewhere, like spongebob? Tech fans sure think football is important when they win a game. It is a great school and I am just busting you, not Tech in general, but you asked for it. You know how us sour grape UGA fans are.
Lee
December 1st, 2012
10:00 pm
Hey NCDawg….good observation except….Bama spotted you 14 points on blocked FG and fake punt , Richt still could not pull it off. Close game….maybe but you had to claw your way there. Running game and D win again. Bama going for 3 in 4 years….Herschel Walker is but a distant memory
NCDawg
December 1st, 2012
10:01 pm
Delusional Dawgs – you are a prototype arrogant Bammer that thinks Saban stuff doesn’t stink. The Dawgs gave you everything you could handle and you survived because of 1 fluke play. What about the fake punt and blocked FG…see, it cuts both ways you jerk off. Go brag on your own blogs… oh yeah… your podunk little town doesn’t have a newspaper online so you can blog there. Call your local radio shows and display your lack of class there.
CMR
December 1st, 2012
10:01 pm
Everyone, let’s pray not hate!
GatorGuy
December 1st, 2012
10:01 pm
Dear Mr. Fate
In this Holiday season, I think a little sugar is called for. True, Dawgs stink, but lets just pretend they are good, and once they touchdown in Orlando, we can go back to reality. Am I the only one here who still believes in Santa? Come on, if you think CMR and his boys are good coaches, then Santa is NOT a stretch. Bobo is the chief ELF.
All I can say
December 1st, 2012
10:02 pm
is that was a great looking loss. Ga looked really good in losing. Can’t ask for a better looking group of losers. If Ga looked that good in losing to SC you might be in a BCS bowl. Oh well, better losing next year.
tidog
December 1st, 2012
10:03 pm
All year long gurley and marshall share the load. Why change in the championship game ? I just don’t get keeping breakaway speed on the bench. Why take that part of your game away for Bama?
NCDawg
December 1st, 2012
10:05 pm
Lee – no those were plays that were made and plays that Bama DID NOT make. Just thank whatever you pray to that you did not lose. It was that close.
James
December 1st, 2012
10:05 pm
Gatorguy – Why are you going back to Belue –Scott days, UGA beat Fla this year, you forget? That means you really suck, you lost to CMR’s dogs.
old dawg
December 1st, 2012
10:06 pm
It pains me to say that we will always be a second tier program. It’s our destiny. Let’s give CMR another extension.
GatorGuy
December 1st, 2012
10:06 pm
Rep Cynthia McKinney D- Georgia sez
“AJC is a RACIST rag. Schultz and Bradley never, and I mean NEVER endorsed me in any of my political endeavors. You don’t need any more proof than that. And they don’t like Dawgs neither. I think they are waiting for Brenau to start a football program.”
Please send campaign contributions to my PO Box, should I choose to seek public office in the future, it will come in handy to pay for valet parking and other incidentals.
The Bear
December 1st, 2012
10:07 pm
UGA great game! I expected a tough game and was not disappointed!
Roll Tide
old dawg
December 1st, 2012
10:08 pm
Enter your comments here
NCDawg
December 1st, 2012
10:08 pm
GatorGuy – f-off. You guys didn’t get the shot at Bama because you LOST to the Georgia Bulldogs. It was there for the taking and you LOST. Just slink away in shame like a true reptile.
Delusional Dawgs
December 1st, 2012
10:08 pm
@NYDawg – wait, i though James said i was a Tech fan…..bwahahahahaha. podunk town with 23 SEC championships, bout to be 3rd NC in past few years. you are correct, were just not quite the metropolis that Athens GA is. and last I checked, the AJC is as close as we can get to a hometown paper, well probably get more post season ink than you guys will.
but, don’t worry, I’m sure you guys will regroup and have another go at it next year….AGAIN.
(Charlie Brown lines up for the kick, Lucy with the hold, and……….ARGHHHHHH!!!!) ROFLMAO
GatorGuy
December 1st, 2012
10:09 pm
Saint James
I do forget. No loss to CMR is easy to take, and it does cause amnesia, fits of rage, dementia, you know, all the things that Bobo suffers on Saturdays in the Fall.
My only salvation is that those losses have been mercifully rare.
DawginNY
December 1st, 2012
10:09 pm
G8TR, we also have 2 in a row over the swamp lizards. And yes, we do have football tradition that dates back more than 20 years.
Delusional Dawgs
December 1st, 2012
10:10 pm
@NYDAWG – what about the fake punt and blocked field goal? great plays! but in the end……just……not ……..enough!!!!!! bwahahahahahha
Pathetic
December 1st, 2012
10:11 pm
Coaching failures and leadership opportunities missed result in a loss that should not have happened. Defense was AWOL and that’s that. Again, pathetic. Losers showed up in that manner as should be expected.
DawginNY
December 1st, 2012
10:12 pm
Hey Delusional, Ramma Jamma Yellow Bees, let’s go poison Auburn’s trees. You guy are real class acts.
GatorGuy
December 1st, 2012
10:13 pm
NC Dawg
Does that stand for North Carolina? You couldnt find work in Goergia? Wow. That UGA degree is even less valuable than one from GaTech. Wait a second. I just created a rip in the time/space continuum with that statement. My bad.
Here’s an idea. I think Dawg fans would be wise to buy a timeshare in Orlando. Makes sense when you think about it. You could call it Richtsville.
NCDawg
December 1st, 2012
10:13 pm
old dawg – how about old dawg turd… that’s what you are. You and your kind make me sick… you aren;t a Dawg fan…
Trashtalkin'?
December 1st, 2012
10:14 pm
Delusional Dawgs – There you go again. Sticking your nose into GA’s business. Glad you spend your time following our program while Tech is playing in the Conference CG. Shouldn’t you be focusing on that game? Are you a closet GA fan? I’ll bet you are! It’s okay. You can admit it.
Delusional Dawgs
December 1st, 2012
10:15 pm
@G8TR/DawginNY
thats right, the UGA football tradition does date back more than 20 years. Actually, around 32 is more accurate. And we will continue to hear about if forever, and ever, and ever……but the rest of us will have to be content with more recent history, SEC championships , BCS championships, etc. Bama, Florida, LSU will continue their current tradition (and auburn, tennessee have more BCS champ trophies for that matter) while we will have to cede 1980-3 to the mighty dawgs. sigh…..
Trashtalkin'?
December 1st, 2012
10:16 pm
DawginNY – Well said. I’m afraid Delusional Dawgs just has no class. Oh well. What can you do to change guys like that? Is kinda to be expected of someone who cheers for Tech.