Gators didn’t give the game to Georgia — Dawgs took it
Aaron Murray made some clutch runs. (Jason Getz / AJC)
A few more thoughts about Saturday’s Georgia victory over Florida. …
My wife and I dropped by a Halloween party late Saturday, and one of my neighbors asked if I thought Georgia deserved to win, pointing to the points the Dawgs got as a result of Florida turnovers in their own territory — as if the Gators giftwrapped the game.
To the contrary, those Florida turnovers were anything but unforced. The first fumble by Chris Rainey, recovered by Bacarri Rambo, was caused by the returning Alec Ogletree (who bounced back nicely from a rusty start early in the game). And Frankie Hammond’s fumble, recovered by Shawn Williams, was forced by Jarvis Jones, who had a career day against the Gators.
Yes, the Dogs most certainly deserved their hard-fought win. …
(Speaking of Jones, he’s one of the nominees in ESPN’s Capitol One Cup Impact Performance of the Week vote. You can vote for him here.)
One of the more impressive aspects of Georgia’s win in Jacksonville was that it was in spite of several key players having off days. Aaron Murray missed nine consecutive passes at one point, and some of them weren’t even close. At times, he looked like he was on a completely different page of the playbook from the receiver. Blair Walsh continued his meltdown (though, frankly, I think that might have ended up working in the Dogs’ favor by prompting Mark Richt to be a bit bolder in the red zone, telling Mike Bobo to operate under the assumption that he had four downs to work with). Isaiah Crowell was sporadically effective but again ended up spending more time on the sideline than should be the case with any starting tailback. And the normally reliable Drew Butler had his worst day ever punting.
Had those folks played up to par and had Georgia’s special teams not been abysmal, the game wouldn’t have been nearly as close. …
On the other hand, give credit to Murray for making some clutch runs and throwing some nice balls, too, particularly on the two fourth-down touchdowns — though credit is also due to receivers Michael Bennett and Tavarres King for going up and taking the ball a la A.J. Green, despite being closely covered. Murray had a couple of passes dropped, too. …
I praised Bobo in Saturday night’s report for some gutsy calls, and overall I thought he called a good game. There were a few times when great play calls were undone by Murray’s inaccuracy. But there were several times in the third quarter when Bobo again fell into trying to run diminutive Carlton Thomas up the middle, a low-percentage play against just about any SEC defense. And while Richard Samuel came through big-time for the Dogs when he got the call to go up the middle, I wish Bobo would give up on trying to use Samuel on the toss sweep. It nearly always results in a loss of yardage. That’s just not Samuel’s game. …
From the silly is-he-or-isn’t-he-going-to-start pregame warmup business with John Brantley to the trading of timeouts as Florida tried in vain to draw Georgia offsides on a third-down play in the fourth quarter, Will Muschamp’s attempts at mind games were unsuccessful. Speaking of the third-down defense, Georgia’s turnaround from last year in that aspect of the game this season has been spectacular. …
And, lastly, didn’t it feel great to see Georgia finally be able to get a couple of first downs when it needed to kill the clock to preserve a win?
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789 comments Add your comment
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 31st, 2011
11:51 am
ARdawg…………….NO, but don’t Pound your chest and think the Dawgs have done something Special just because you are in the SEC playing the WORST teams in the SEC.
GATOR HATER.
October 31st, 2011
11:51 am
Mark Richt for PRESIDENT. WAY TO GO DAWGS.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 31st, 2011
11:53 am
Is Ben Jones going to practice his gut punches against New Mexico? He needs to be ready for the upcoming Auburn game.
timbo
October 31st, 2011
11:54 am
./Argument_begins
How many ranked teams has UGA played this season?
What is their record against ranked teams this season?
./Argument_ends
schmeckdawg
October 31st, 2011
11:55 am
Didn’t MusCHUMP guarantee a gaytor victory over the DAWGS this year at the Atlanta Gator Club this summer?
Well, you know what Tommy Boy said about guarntees!!!!!!
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
11:55 am
StilltheBar
There isn’t any chest pounding. Most all Dawg fans KNOW we’ve but a very long way to go. You nerd fans beat one very overrated Clempson team and all of the sudden your wins are quality? What about your loses?
DawginLex
October 31st, 2011
11:56 am
all you can do is play your schedule.
You have no control of how your opponent has done prior to you playing them
Any idiot should understand that
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
11:58 am
Ladies and Gents,
Don’t let these tech fans get to you. Alot of these lonesome losers are the ones who predicted Florida was going to clobber us. Tech fans have to be some of the most annoying, winy, pitiful sacks of you know what in the South.
CONGRATS! On your over-rated win on an over-rated PAPER TIGER Clemson. Get a life BUGS!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 31st, 2011
11:58 am
DiLex………….but that takes the fun out of ALL fans to poke fun on the blogs. LOL. Hope your daughter is still doing well.
schmeckdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:00 pm
Gravy Train
October 30th, 2011
11:50 pm
Some so-called Bulldog fans wanted Muschump to replace CMR. Just look at what all of his yelling and screaming and cheast thumping gets him. A four game losing streak in the SEC. Florida is just as loaded with talent as any other SEC contender. They scored higher than Georgia in recruiting many times in recent years. They have a first class A – hole / defensive guru as a head coach and look at where they are. Down there with UT, Kentucky and Vandy. If being an A – hole were really a benefit to being a great coach, Nick Saban would never lose a game. PS: for all of the hire Kirby fools: Want to know how Kirby will look without Saban? Take a look at Muschump!
GO DAWGS and GO CMR!
**************************************************************************************************************
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WDE
October 31st, 2011
12:00 pm
@DawginLex sorry Lex its glaringly obvious that not all the idiots can understand that…you play your schedule , haven’t heard of anyone racking up a lot of “quality ” wins on teams that weren’t on their schedules..
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 31st, 2011
12:00 pm
Hello anyone there
People we lost the South Carolina game to what? special teams
Was that corrected under this coaching staff nope
Enter a sorry FL team and we almost lose to them by special teams
$3million a year and you would think that would be corrected by now.
My point play someone that is ranked like SC and commit the special teams blunders and you can bet you will probably lose the ball game
Its this stupidness that continues every single year here
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
12:01 pm
timbo,
Georgia plays a tough schedule most of the time. One year we have a lighter load and you cry babies act light UGA plays Vanderbuilt 12 times a year. I imagine your a closet fraidy cat Tech fan.
schmeckdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:02 pm
Has anyone heard now that Samuel is out, will Malcome get any PT. I don’t see it being good with just Crowell and the munchkins Thomas and Harton or Barton or whatever his name is!
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:03 pm
schmeckdawg
I dunno guy, Saban is a tough coach and he doesn’t run from interview to interview dissing teams or opponents. Face it, he’s not an ahole unless you work for him and he is the best coach in the land today. I always liked Saban. Give the guy his due
timbo
October 31st, 2011
12:03 pm
2 quality wins WOULD have been South Carolina and Boise State. And of course Clemson is over-rated since Tech beat them.
I don’t hear much from UGA fans about the schedule Boise State plays anymore. Gee, I wonder why?
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
12:04 pm
Let the haters hate.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 31st, 2011
12:04 pm
Hairy Perry……………you better make sure you beat Auburn then. That overrated Clemson team beat the 17-0 Undefeated National Champ Auburn Tigers to end the countries Longest Winning Streak.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 31st, 2011
12:05 pm
Dont lump me into the bunch that said we would be clobbered by FL
Just go back and look I said for weeks there was no excuse that we should lose to FL NONE
I said at the beginning of the year we should go 11-1 with our schedule the one loss coming by the typical poorly prepare Mark Richt team
I will say it now. No excuse in UGA not winning the rest of their games NONE
Koooolaide
October 31st, 2011
12:05 pm
Slow down on the chest thumping…. You barely beat a .500 team who may not make a bowl. Fla showed no interest in even trying to run the ball. It wasn’t the result of some stout over-powering defense. They had no choice but to line brantley up in the shotgun because he couldnt move. The UGA scout team could have sacked Brantley 6 times. Florida has 3 TD’s over the previous 3 weeks and NONE against AU which is the worst defense in the SEC. This was a sloppy game played by 2 mediocre teams that could have gone either way. Both teams would get rolled by 4 TD’s Bama orLSU. I wouldn’t be too excited by that win, it should have neen by a lot more. Thats a bad team you just beat.
schmeckdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:08 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 31st, 2011
12:00 pm
Hello anyone there
People we lost the South Carolina game to what? special teams
Was that corrected under this coaching staff nope
Enter a sorry FL team and we almost lose to them by special teams
$3million a year and you would think that would be corrected by now.
My point play someone that is ranked like SC and commit the special teams blunders and you can bet you will probably lose the ball game
Its this stupidness that continues every single year here
********************************************************************************************************
On top of horrific special teams play vs. USC, you left out an Aaron Murray (AM) pick six, an AM fumble that was returned for a TD and a fumbled handoff between Murray and Crowell that was run back to the 3 yard line! Of USC’s 45 points, I’ll only hang 14-17 on our “D!”
Dawgsgone
October 31st, 2011
12:08 pm
I love the win and congratulations to everyone who worked so hard and competed. Still say special teams will (as they have all year) cost us another game and maybe more. Is it possible that CMR cannot see how poorly they perform or is he just too stubborn to admit that he was wrong in not having a full time ST coach on staff??. As for Walsh, on kickoffs if he can’t kick it thru the end zone, why not just kick it out ob bounds? They only get the 35 there and that is better than the other way.
Mad Dog One
October 31st, 2011
12:08 pm
To all fla fans UGA won we have won 6 games that are on our scheduel.I have never seen any crying when fla had an easy one. Grow up and deal with it. As for flat head on i 95 nobody cares what you think if you claim to be a DAWG fan we don’t need you. Ga. is young we will get better. That is a bitc# for some to deal with. fla & tenn will be better the east will not stay down much longer. But I am tired of hearing all the reasons UGA won the only reason UGA won we scored more points that is the way the game works. As always GO DOGS & GATA
p.s. GET READY TEK WE ARE COMMING BE AFRAID BE VERY AFRAID
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:09 pm
StilltheBar
Is that what you base your logic on? AU being last years champ and getting beat by Clempson? LOL, you probably should leave the football discussion to those that know football and get busy with your protractor
ATL XMAN
October 31st, 2011
12:11 pm
yea…Georgia wouldnt have beaten fla if georgia was not the better team,,its that simple…fla team is down this year. it happens Georgia took care of buisness and let take care of aub the same way.. a great win and good job dawgs!
timbo
October 31st, 2011
12:11 pm
@ Koooolaide – My point exactly. I was listening to a UGA report on some radio station this morning, and they were really patting the UGA defense on the back for this ‘great win’ over Florida. I don’t know exactly how many sacks they had, but I can tell you the Florida QB fell down every time he felt the slightest pressure. Florida must have some serious QB’ing issues for the coaches to stick with Brantley as long as they did. That guy is definitely NOT Tim Tebow.
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
12:11 pm
STILL AT THE UGA BLOG,
Sir I’ve wasted my time with you before. You’re a no life loser that hangs out on a UGA blog 24/7. You have much more to worry about than college football. OUCH!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
October 31st, 2011
12:12 pm
ARdawg why are you saying Clemson is OVERRATED? What are you basing it on? BSU is Overrated too but the Dawgs couldn’t beat them.
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:12 pm
Flat Tire
I think most Dawg fans will agree with you. We should win the rest. We should have beaten SC but alas, we did not. Yeah it’s an easy schedule although I doubt it looked easy when it was scheduled but, such is life. We had a grans opportunity this year and our Coaching staff (CMR) was asleep at the wheel and comatosed for the last 4 years. For me, we’ve improved and I see something in that
schmeckdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:13 pm
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:03 pm
schmeckdawg
I dunno guy, Saban is a tough coach and he doesn’t run from interview to interview dissing teams or opponents. Face it, he’s not an ahole unless you work for him and he is the best coach in the land today. I always liked Saban. Give the guy his due
*************************************************************************************************************
ARdawg, I am not sure what you are referring to. All I did was agree with a blogger that Kirby Smart is where he is because of Saban. I think Saban is a stud coach. What am I missing!!!!!!!!
KB
October 31st, 2011
12:15 pm
Flat Tire, you need to switch team teams, tech needs you.
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
12:16 pm
Any word on Samuel?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 31st, 2011
12:16 pm
Mad Dog One
Whose home address is Arkham Asylum
You stated “Ga is young and will get better” Ive heard that since Stafford left 3 yrs ago
I cant wait till next season listening to the excuses when we lose 3 games with a team that if Nick Saban, Les Miles, Steve Spurrier Jim Tressel and others would take our team to a National Title Game
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:18 pm
StilltheBar
AU wasn’t expected to win 5 games this year. They are or were expected to be nothing more than what they are. That’s the facts, they might wind up with 7-8 wins and it will prove to be a good year for them. They barely beat AU. Clempson has been slicing through that ACC schedule like poop through a goose but, who in the ACC is any good? GT? VT? Miami? There’s nothing there to call a quality win. You seem to like to refer to UGA’s schedule but, you really should take a gander at your own conference
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
12:18 pm
Still@the UGAblog,
Were saying Clemson is overated based on the fact they lost to sorry @ss Georgia Tech.
chazzo
October 31st, 2011
12:20 pm
fat tire, I mean flat head,
We lost to SC on offensive turnovers: a fumble into the end zone and another fumble rreturned for 70 yds. down to our one. Spec. Teams had nothing to do with it. It’s okay to rant and rail, but get your story straight.
I love how everyone is on the Special Teams band wagon. Formulate an original opinion.
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:21 pm
My apologies schmeck. Perhaps I just read it wrong. I agree with you IE Kirby Smart . I thought you were referring to Saban as the ahole. He always struck me as a class guy, his coaching abilities speak for itself
Auburn
October 31st, 2011
12:21 pm
may not be any good but they did something Ga could not do ……..beat South Carolina
Dawg11
October 31st, 2011
12:22 pm
Is Mark Richt really not going to play Mason or LeMay the next two years??? This is going to be interesting…..
ATL XMAN
October 31st, 2011
12:22 pm
still at the bar…ga tech loss to two really crap teams in the acc and caught clemson napping on them just like everybody else is because tech is 1 on the 3 crappy teams of the acc.. clemson wasnt going to to go through acc without a loss anyways..every now and again a little team upsets a big team. tech will lose 2 maybe 3 more times but they can say ” well at least we beat a ok clemson team this year” even though you guys beat clemson just about every year now
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
12:22 pm
I’ve seen Tech upset Clemson more than a few times in my life. The end result. Same old same old.
'94 UGA Grad
October 31st, 2011
12:22 pm
Hey Funny,
Are you forgetting that the game ended with us at the 1 yard line? If we weren’t already winning we could have easily called a TO and probably scored another TD or at least a FG. FL was lucky the game was as close as it was. It should have been a blow out. I believe the tide is turning on this series. See you next year.
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:23 pm
Auburn
Don’t get your pannies in a wad. Truth is what it is, you guys ain’t very good this year. I don’t expect that will be the case next year.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 31st, 2011
12:24 pm
ARdawg
I agree we have improved……………..on Defense……….. and thats my point
We fired a moron D coordinator THAT RICHT REFUSED TO DO and replaced him with someone that is showing he knows what he is doing with the talent UGA can get
Offensively we look like a car that someone put water in the gas tank as we sputter choking along every game looking good one series and inept in another
But will Richt make a change to get someone that can take our offensive talent to the next level NOPE
But Im ridiculed on here for stating the truth. By the way you do know that UGA has the biggest O-line in both college and NFL; yes I said NFL and at times we look terrible
chazzo
October 31st, 2011
12:25 pm
Law Dawg,
Actually the throws to Bennett and to King were thrown perfectly. Murray put it the exact place where Bennet had a chance. Bennett even said that. To his credit, Bennett made a heckuva catch. I love that guy.
Darnit foks! We beat the Gators. Look at the stats. We controlled the line of scrimmage and the clock. And, all some of you down in the mouth fans can do is talk about negative crap, half of which you make up.
Hairy Perry
October 31st, 2011
12:25 pm
You Tech people really believed Clemson was a top 5 powerhouse? I knew Tech was going to win this game before they kicked the ball off.
Just Like
October 31st, 2011
12:27 pm
dog fans have always been. When they lose to a ranked team, of course that team deserved it’s ranking (Boise State #5) but when any other team beats a ranked team ( Clemson #5) that team obviously did not deserve it’s ranking.
schmeckdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:28 pm
ARdawg
October 31st, 2011
12:21 pm
My apologies schmeck. Perhaps I just read it wrong. I agree with you IE Kirby Smart . I thought you were referring to Saban as the ahole. He always struck me as a class guy, his coaching abilities speak for itself
*************************************************************************************************************
No problem!
1969 Graduate
October 31st, 2011
12:28 pm
What’s going on with our Special Teams?
I get it that there is a limit to the total number of coaches each team is allowed, making it impossible to hire a Special Teams Coach, without getting rid of another coach.
I get it that spreading around the S.T. responsibility is a common practice along the country.
I get it that our Special Teams are terrible.
What I don’t get is why?
We had the best kickers in the country. We still have the same people kicking. Now they aren’t quite so good.
Our Special Teams (overall, not just the kickers) used to be at least decent.
What happened? Why did it happen?
Who is responsible?
Hint: We know who is responsible. The Head Football Coach, the CEO, Mr. Mark Richt. But, what is the the rest of the story?
chazzo
October 31st, 2011
12:28 pm
LeMay will see time next year. Look for a two QB system Murray’s senior year. Barring injury or high jinx that is my prediction. I think Murray is a winner. I don’t know much about LeMay other than he looks great in practice games. I think both of their egos are in the right place, and they have the capacity to work a 2QB system.