Independence Bowl: The better team won
Washaun Ealey and the Georgia running game took a while to get on track. (Associated Press)
The first half of Georgia’s game against Texas A&M in Shreveport didn’t look so promising for the Dogs, mainly because poor play by the offensive line stymied the running game and led to some questionable play-calling by Mike Bobo. The Aggies were having success with run blitzes on first down.
But A&M’s fast-paced offense wasn’t looking much better early on. Georgia’s much maligned defense looked good up front and got a lot of pressure on Aggies QB Jerrod Johnson, though linebacker and secondary play was sketchy.
Neither team scored in the first 27 minutes. They both looked rusty.
The difference in the first half was Georgia’s superior special teams play.
Georgia’s halftime adjustments on the offensive line were successful and the Dogs eventually took command of the game in the second half. And they seemed like the better conditioned team, too, as the Aggies looked flat-out tired in the fourth quarter. Thankfully, this wasn’t the same Jerrod Johnson that Texas saw in their regular season finale.
Basically, the better team won tonight.
It’s difficult to draw many conclusions about next season from this game since the Dogs will have a different QB and a new defensive coordinator. But I was encouraged by how Georgia ended the season.
How about you?
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
516 comments Add your comment
Go DOGS
December 29th, 2009
7:34 pm
Fair enough, Tech Man. We shall see how the next decade turns out.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
December 29th, 2009
7:38 pm
jojatek,
The better team lost???? Is that what GT said after they were run over by UGA. Another delusional GT spin expert.
ORANGE Matchup: Best team in Iowa vs. 2nd best team in Georgia.
Gooooo DAWGS sic ‘em, Woof, Woof, Woof.
Buckhead Bulldog
December 29th, 2009
7:42 pm
jojatek- I really don’t think the Aggies were/are a btter team than UGA. Yes, we have had problems this year. Heck, I at the end of last year that the 2009 year was gonna be tough when we lost Stafford/Moreno. I did not think we would get smacked around by UT or lose to UK, but we did because of slack coaching. I was thinking more like 9-4…and, maybe, if the ball bounced our way 10-3.
I could not agree more with your second paragraph. You do KNOW what will happen on this blog if things go sour on y’all in Miami?
I actually do hope you all win! Good luck!
wreckmaniac
December 29th, 2009
7:49 pm
GT JOE SUCKS: “Tech’s best team in the last century ??” Not really. The best team Tech has had in the past 20 years was the 1990 nat champ team which would have mauled any team UGA has ever had. Has UGA won a nat champ since the war ? If you want to start talking football history bring some game.
Buckhead Bulldog
December 29th, 2009
8:28 pm
wreckmaniac: “The best team Tech has had in the past 20 years was the 1990 nat champ team which would have mauled any team UGA has ever had.” I don’t the think 1990 GT team have “mauled” any of the UGA teams from 80-84. The 1990 team was damn strong team. “Has UGA won a nat champ since the war?” Yes, 1980- unbeaten,undefeated, untied, unanimous #1.
1990 GT Black Swarm D vs the 1980 UGA Walker/Scott O would have been a hell of a game.
concerned fan
December 29th, 2009
9:16 pm
DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THE FAN IN SECTION 212 THAT FELL WITH A HEAD INJURY? I AM STILL CONCERNED OF FAMILY AND HIS CONDITION*******************************
AltamahaDawg
December 29th, 2009
9:25 pm
“Amazing !!!! You give up 471 yards and 20 pts. and it is boasted by some of you the best defensive performance of the season and proof that Willie Martinez was no good. Most of you don’t even understand the game of football.”
Goodness knows I do hate to agree with anyone called Stinger but he is spot on. Can we get past the oversimplification, and outright embellishment of everything that happens in a UGA football game as a way to blame WM yet? Geez.
OSU game was a better defensive game, LSU was a better defensive game, the tech game was a better performance against a much better opponent that A&M. Auburn. Shutting out TTech.
I can guarantee if WM was still coaching, the exact same game last night would have been hammered in here.
Although I do beleive the quote was “that aught to tell you all you need to know about Willie Martinez.” It does? In reality all last night does is confirm that its not then name on the sidelines as much as it is the players desire. Holding the nations top rushing team to half thier yards aught to tell you all you need to know as well, or does it? 300+ rushing yards agasint the ACC champs should tell you all you need to know about Coach Bobo too? or does not moving the ball against the nations near last defense tell you something? If you figured out the game and every coaches ability from last night game you are a lot more in tune that any of the rest of us.
Florida Down Big in 2010
December 29th, 2009
10:30 pm
Florida gave up 490 yards and 41 points to the #29 ranked offense in yards per game.
Ga held the #5 ranked offense in yards per game to 21 pts, and less yards than Florida did Bama.
godawgs
December 29th, 2009
10:37 pm
Hi AJC People,
Can you have your techical guys please ban the guy who posed as me in the previous post under my handle/name and used curse words. Obviously, that was not me. Please ban whoever did that. Thanks a lot. I will not be posting on this article again.
godawgs
December 29th, 2009
10:42 pm
p.s. For your IT guys, the previusly mentioned post was NOT me, the post was here on a previous page at: December 29th, 2009, 3:33 pm, the handle they used was “godawgs”, and they used foul language. I would appreciate you banning this person.
godawgs
December 29th, 2009
10:44 pm
obviously, the last 2 posts were mine. Obviously, the 3:33p.m. Dec. 29 post was NOT mine.
RED DOG 77
December 30th, 2009
1:28 am
Goodnight everyone, my feet hurt and the old man is flat wore out…….GO DOGS GO GEORGIA BULLDOGS!!!!!!!!!!
Bobo always panics with bombs
December 30th, 2009
10:33 am
Long, long time observation on Bobo. He panics when the running game does not immediately click.
He has his pathetic Qb toss long bombs for easy pics and Cox did throw one lane duck, wobbly ball for a pic. He also went over and over to AJ when Rontavious has the hot hand lately or that kid Troupe. AJ was shall we say um “green” or maybe rusty. Having him in the game as our main man was dumb and the stats show it. Cox average 5.6 yds per toss.
IF ……..IF ………IF you really believe in your O line, then run it and run it and run it and then punt. I know A&M has a great O but we have a great punter. Throwing incomplete, wobbly bombs is just a wasted down. Why not toss some quick down and out stuff to move the darned chains? Bobo wants that bomb to make him look like a genius. He too ought to go.
Oh well ……….we won. In 2010, I for one would use our fullbacks more. I have known about them for a couple of years. They both are loads to bring down.
Gooooooooooooo Dogs. With some luck in 010, UGA can go far.
Gooooooooooooo Dogs and remember: 30-24 and 1-8 and 4-15 is so nice.
GO DAWGS
December 30th, 2009
3:37 pm
BAMA STAN ALABAMA DOES NOT HAVE 12 NATIONAL TITLES,SO PLEASE QUIT CLAIMING BAMA DOES.WE ALL KNOW THE REAL TRUTH BEHIND THE TITLES OK !!
DawgVoiceofReason
December 30th, 2009
11:35 pm
Old Bulldog Fan,
You may want to add the word “Miserable” somewhere in your handle. After an enjoyable win like we had, and all you have to do is complain. It’s people like you that make life miserable for the rest of us when we have to encounter you (see the reference to “What a drag it is to see you” in Bob Dylan’s famous song on the subject).
Joe Cox lead his team to 8 victories, including games where he had to play outstanding at the QB position for UGA to win (USC, Ark.). And he did that despite one of the worst defenses in UGA history, and including being second all time in touchdown passes. You don’t have to love him; just don’t slam him.
December 28th, 2009
10:05 pm
The main reason “we” won is the fact that Texas A and M was worse than we are. The “best” thing about this game is that this was “Joe Cox’s last GAME!!!!” Yea!!!!!
DawgVoiceofReason
December 30th, 2009
11:58 pm
This was a nice way to end the season, on an up note, after things didn’t go well earlier in the year. This game was a reminder of how big an advantage it is to be on the plus side of the turnover battle. I’m proud of the team for fighting to win this one and making adjustments in the second half to put the game away.
I’m also optimistic about the future with all of the young guys we have who got playing time this year and gave us glimpses of what they will do in the future.
Go Dawgs!!!