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.
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516 comments Add your comment
Rebel Fan
December 29th, 2009
9:57 am
Good win for Georgia last night. the game looked ugly for a while but finally Georgia was able to pull away. It was also a great win for the SEC. I see an 8-2 or 9-1 record for the SEC this year. i dont know if LSU can beat Penn State or not. WE are also 1-0 against the Little 12 this year. Now if Ole Miss and Bama can follow suit and beat their Little 12 opponents.
HOTTY TOTTY!!!!!! Go SEC!!!!
GT Joe
December 29th, 2009
9:57 am
Your coach’s wife is ugly too. Can’t she do better than Water Girl?
Sean
December 29th, 2009
9:59 am
Reminds me somewhat of Tennessee’s 2004 season. So much hope for the future after whipping A&M in the Cotton Bowl, then the train went off the rails.
wreckmaniac
December 29th, 2009
10:03 am
All the dawgs have to do after another lousy year is drag out the old worn out lines which are: 1. We did win a national championship once, didn’t we? 2. How about these new recruits ? 3. Wait until next year. These are the three famous bulldawg bumper stickers. The Koolaid factory continues to run.
Dawg Trainer
December 29th, 2009
10:05 am
Don’t remind me of that 2005 debacle. THREE quarterbacks and Fulmer spent so much time flip-flopping them they lost their confidence.
But those days are done.
FLA DAWG
December 29th, 2009
10:05 am
I’ve always maintained we have talent.
Paws Down The Dawgs were the better Team.
More talent and no Martinez and Fabris to mess things up.
wreckmaniac
December 29th, 2009
10:06 am
Did the trailers break down on the way to Shreveport ? There was no one there. Do dawg fans travel or were they too embarrassed ?
GT Joe Sucks and So Does Tech Nation
December 29th, 2009
10:09 am
To all Tech Fans, UGA sucked this year. I am a Dawg Fan, and if we have another year next year like we did this year we will be calling for Richt’s Head. But we still beat Tech. We sucked and we still beat you. Yes you are going to the Orange because your conference sucks, but UGA still beat you. You had your best team in a century, and UGA still beat you. We had our worst team in 10 years, and UGA still beat you. So shut up and go talk crap on a Duke Football Website.
Stinger
December 29th, 2009
10:10 am
What position does Micahel play? Just wondering.
Athens-Clarke police Capt. Clarence Holeman says 19-year-old Michael Anthony Randall Jr. of Athens shot himself above the ankle with a sawed-off shotgun when he tried to pull it out from his coveralls as he approached the store Sunday night.
GT Joe Sucks and So Does Tech Nation
December 29th, 2009
10:10 am
I hope the Orange Bowl is great knowing that you got beat by the worst UGA Team in 10 years. Better luck in basketball next week in Athens.
HungryDawg
December 29th, 2009
10:10 am
Before kickoff I was disappointed we were in the Independence Bowl, but after kickoff I was excited to be watching my Dawgs playing again. Great win for them and a solid way to go into spring practice.
jesse james
December 29th, 2009
10:11 am
way to go Dawgs and Coach Richt, that is the way to take care of business!
AltamahaDawg
December 29th, 2009
10:11 am
Red Dog 77, I remember back in my younger days, I poured gas down the bee hole. Then I figured, hmmm, I bet a lit match would really do the job………….I wouldn’t suggest it.
jesse james
December 29th, 2009
10:12 am
wreckamaniac – the stadium was alot like Historic Grant Field!
Stinger Sucks
December 29th, 2009
10:13 am
Hey Stinger we know all the Tech Football Students are role model citizens. I am sure less 10% attend actual Georgia Tech Classes. What about the morons on the scoreboard that sing rap songs to pump up your pathetic football.
Stinger you suck. If UGA loses to Tech I shut up and become humble. I have only had to do that 1 out of the last 9 years. Tech fans talk crap because they so are use to losing they would never be able to talk smack.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
December 29th, 2009
10:15 am
I don’t have anything against G Tech, I’ve actually enjoyed watching their baseball teams over the years, but the constant drivel that comes out regarding the football program makes me stand up and scream…………GO HAWKEYES. I was under the assumption that you had to be a high school graduate to go to Tech, but it seems that well over half of the fan base is at the most 11 or 12 yrs old. Maybe one day y’all will be able to compete with the big boys. But I doubt I’ll live long enough to see it. GO HAWKEYES
Stinger
December 29th, 2009
10:15 am
I wouldn’t get too excited about beating A&M. Did you realize that they had a 3-5 conference record and 6-7 overall? They also lost to a pathetic Kansas State team 62-14, lost to a very bad Oklahoma team 65-10, and even lost to Arkansas 47-19. Not a very good college football team. Really should not have been in a bowl game.
jesse james
December 29th, 2009
10:16 am
Hey Stinger – Why weren’t the Senior Football players’s majors told on the Jumbo Tron, but the Senior band members were? Just curious?
Stinger Sucks
December 29th, 2009
10:18 am
Stinger did you realize that Tech loss to UGA this year. Stinger did you realize that Tech has lost 8 out of the last 9 years to UGA. Did you realize that Tech seats only 35,000 nerds. Did you realize that you are pathetic with your comments. Stinger if your teams loses to a team do you really think 1 month later they are better than that team.
BILLY JACK
December 29th, 2009
10:18 am
I do agree with Bama Stan on this point I am pulling hard for all the SEC teams but Tennesee.They may not get the death penalty in 2011 but it will be close.I look for Bama to win 27-7 and wreckmania-GT JOE- and all the other Tech queers, all you have to do to remind yourselves of who your daddy is, look at the cleatmarks we left on your ugly faces during our last meeting.Now go curl up with your hideous tech coeds and wait for your orange bowl beating.
JacketFan
December 29th, 2009
10:19 am
Congratulations, Dawgs. Hope y’all are 11-0 when we see you next November …
Stinger Sucks
December 29th, 2009
10:20 am
Stinger I would not get excited about having to run a trick play to beat Duke, but you still will not shut up.
Stinger Sucks
December 29th, 2009
10:20 am
Jacket Fan I hope Tech joins a real conference, but I can only hope
gordon7
December 29th, 2009
10:23 am
wreckmaniac….. Did you watch the game? The stadium was virtually full…except for one end zone had a few empty seats. Attendance was 48,000 in a 50,000 seat stadium.
The folks who put on the ACC championship game should be so lucky.
Dawg Fud
December 29th, 2009
10:23 am
all the mistakes made by TAMU on special teams leads me to believe that we were not necessarily “superior” on special teams as much as they were just plain bad in that department – there is a big difference.
Dennis
December 29th, 2009
10:25 am
We was robbed! We was robbed! Fire the coaches! Fire the coaches! What’s that. We won! We’re the greatest! We’re the greatest!
Papadawg
December 29th, 2009
10:25 am
Sorry team, Sorry bowl but the DAWGS WON, what more could you want after this up & down year
jesse james
December 29th, 2009
10:27 am
Well if I ever get out of this closet here at Texas Tech, I hope I get to see the UGA-Tech game next November. 9 out of 10 will be great and Tech fans will still be talking about how they are the best in the state. Oh yea, here comes Coach Leach and the trainer, I hope I get out today. Man it is dark in here.
JacketFan
December 29th, 2009
10:27 am
StingerSucks-I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Conference strength is cyclical. We have six good teams in the ACC that are on their way to being great: GT, VT, Miami, FSU, Clemson, and BC. I expect next year these six will make a strong showing in their non-con games. In another 2-3 years, with coaching talent like Cutcliff and Davis, two or three more teams will work their way up. Those Florida teams had some time off, but with the crap Meyer just pulled, look for those bluechip recruits who were looking at UF suddenly start thinking about Miami and FSU and even out-of-state to Georgia Tech and Va Tech.
BTW- the ACCCG runner-up beat the same team that waxed you in Athens … Kentucky. Enjoy your blow-out of a lower-tier Big-12 team. See you next year. And, again, I hope you guys are 11-0. I think the best thing for this state is having two teams ranked in the top-10 face off every year. Enjoy your off-season.
chazzo
December 29th, 2009
10:28 am
I have tried to be the optimist all season. I have to question, though, were our special teams so great or did there’s just suck. The return was set up by a bad kick. A snap over the head of their punter. UGA did block the field goal, but it was poorly executed. In fact, the blocked punt was somewhat due to their punter taking about an hour and a half to kick the ball. Perhaps a better phrase is that our special teams were opportunistic. That is a good sign. I would say that kick off coverage was pretty solid. The D line was good. Still there were some bad angles and missed tackles. I thought Cox did a fair job at QB and that the play calling was good for him (quick, short stuff). Ultimately A & M’s constant blitzing kind of wore themselves out.
Not trying to be negative here. A&M is going to have a great team in a couple of years, but they are mediocre now at best. I am happy for the coaches and players and happy with the Win. It is just not cause for excessive expectations for next season like after beating the mediocre Hawaii team.
DawgTime
December 29th, 2009
10:29 am
Bill,
Any way you can start a petition for Russ so he can become the full-time mascot?
Mike
December 29th, 2009
10:31 am
Of course the better team won. It’s just so hard to watch a team with 5 star players being coached by 1 star coaches. It took 2 years for CMR to “get it” with the defense and special teams coaches. Damn, I hope it doesn’t take another whole season before he “gets it” with the offensive coaches. It is absolutely amazing that we fans are about 18 months ahead of the head coach. The offensive game plan and scheme last night was horrible. I can easily understand how Bobo would come up with such nonsense. However, I cannot accept CMR approving it. If it wasn’t for outstanding special teams play, and TA&M self destructing, this might have been a typical 2009 Georgia debacle. Even thought the score ended up being lopsited, I do not think Georgia’s offense could have gone 60 yards or more for a score. What was it at halftime – 99 total yards and 1 first down? What an offensive joke.
jason
December 29th, 2009
10:31 am
The thing I hope CMR takes away from this game is just how important he is to UGA with a hands on approach. Whether or not A&M was bad or not, you have to give props to Garner and the Grad Assts. The along with the vets on this D did a tremendous job. I don’t know where Bill gets off complaining about the secondary. I thought they played lights out. They seemed to be in position and locked on their man. As a matter of fact I saw more man coverage in this game and not Zone coverage, than I have seen all year. Sometimes you have to give props to a team for making plays. Afterall, A&M had the #5 offense in all of college football.
Bammer Steve
December 29th, 2009
10:35 am
You get routed by UT & FL and lose to lesser SEC teams plus OSU you you get this excited??? Per Kiffin, you will never beat UT; FL will not have a coach, but you still will choke and USCe will beat you next year. CMR will be fired next year…
JBD
December 29th, 2009
10:36 am
Jed – “Big deal you haven’t even sniffed the BCS Title Game.”
I think you forgot the year that we beat LSU but didn’t make the trip to the national championship. It was a controversy, but since the dawgs didn’t win the SEC championship, we had to settle for another BCS game.
I would consider those circumstances a “sniff” of the BCS championship in a very recent history. I can’t remember the last time that the Yellow Jackets were considered for the national championship…
GA Jim
December 29th, 2009
10:37 am
Guys, we beat an AWFUL TX A&M team!!! We will get hammered by FL, Lame Kitten, USC and Aubarn next year. I feel it’s time to remove the band-aid and get a proven winner!!!
how2fish
December 29th, 2009
10:38 am
Great game my hat is off to the 2 grad assists and the way the D played. Not going to read too much into this for next year the D line will be hard to replace as well as a new starting QB…all the talent in the world still needs experience to win in the SEC. I think the Dawgs can be better next year just not sure of how much better. I really hope that Tech can beat Iowa I really do..however that being said I would not expect any mercy from the Bull Dog Nation if you get to the Orange Bowl for the 1st time in how many decades and lay an egg. I’d love the Dawgs and Tech to be undefeated when we meet next year..give us a great chance of winning back to back ACC titles…Go Dawgs!
re: JacketFan
December 29th, 2009
10:38 am
Hmm….how long is a cycle in your mind then? The SEC has been the most dominate for AT LEAST the past 17 years, since the bowls realigned in 1992. We have the most National Championships and the best parity in a landslide. No offense, but the ACC is a joke. They are clearly the weakest BCS conference. Heck, UGA has just as many BCS wins as the entire ACC combined. Your second place ACC team (Clemson) struggled to beat the SEC’s 9th place team (UK) a couple of nights ago. And as far as your “soon-to-be great” list goes, get real.
Tech is going to lose all of GAILEY’S studs after season’s end, and Tech actually will have a semi-difficult schedule next year for a change, I predict they’ll be lucky to win 6. BC is years away from being a formidable team again. The rebuilding at FSU may take even longer than with BC. And Va. Tech has been the same team since the early 90’s. Always great in the preseason polls but never meets expectations. Same can be said about Clemson, but if Parker gets drafted he may very well leave the football team and no more Spiller next year. I look for them to take a huge step back along with Tech. The only team that you were halfway right about is Miami, they are the closest to being really good. But seriously man, how can you prop up the ACC with a straight face? Half the conference was .500 or worse this season to boot.
FSU is in the same boat as BC, years away from being what they were.
wreckmaniac
December 29th, 2009
10:40 am
Oops! I just noticed there are still Orange Bowl tickets available. Where o where are all the great Jacket faithful?
AltamahaDawg
December 29th, 2009
10:41 am
We got “waxed” by Kentucky? I’ve never understood the the tech football dictionary. 3pt loss = butt kicking. 4 TO meltdown = waxed. 6 point victory = never happened. But what do I know, I’m still trying to figure out how .125 = dynasty. (I guess .1111111 = the new domination)
Jacket Fan
December 29th, 2009
10:41 am
The last Jacket Cycle ended when Bobby Dodd left.
VOLS
December 29th, 2009
10:41 am
Good luck to ALL SEC teams except Bammer!!! I would rather pull for Satan than Saban or the bams!!! I hope your heistman boy gets bitc* slapped… He’s a joke ans so is the tied!!! Woll Tied Woll!!!
Jacket Fan
December 29th, 2009
10:42 am
I just can’t get that 30-24 out of my mind.
how2fish
December 29th, 2009
10:44 am
GA Jim you might want to root for another team…really if your a member of the Dog Nation I’m the Pope.on what planet to we lose to Auburn and USC ? Or UT for that matter they have nothing that I see to be scared of yes they had our number this year,but they have no great talent diference than the Dogs and the Lammer is not CMR and never will be what are the chances that in 9 years the Lammer has 90 wins ?? Please come out of the closet its really Ga Tech Jim isn’t?
GT Joe
December 29th, 2009
10:44 am
St. Simons – where is our Snuggy??
WonderDawg
December 29th, 2009
10:45 am
GT JoeBlow, your coach has a jowls and man boobs. Take that.
WonderDawg
December 29th, 2009
10:47 am
You’re right Stinger, A&M sucked. But they still had a lot better defense than the acc champs.
Sithdawg
December 29th, 2009
10:49 am
“The aggies looked flat-out tired in the second half” – hmm, I believe that’s what happens when you run a 2-minute drill the whole game. Hurry-up offense is a gimmick for teams that think they can’t win without putting a stupid amount of pressure on the defense. It’s just common sense that you’re going to run out of steam by the fourth quarter. Dur.
GT Joe
December 29th, 2009
10:53 am
Is it racist to make fun of gingers? I mean seriously.
GT Joe
December 29th, 2009
10:55 am
I can’t believe you are comparing CPJ’s man boobs to your coach’s wife’s. That is sick.