Dogs’ defense comes through again to clinch SEC East
Losing Isaiah Crowell made life difficult for Mike Bobo Saturday. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
You can make a pretty convincing case that Georgia won the 2011 SEC East Championship in large part because of the terrific turnaround in its defense this season.
Certainly, on a day when the Dogs’ offense was again missing its top two running backs, its offensive line regressed and its quarterback at times looked like he was throwing with his eyes closed, the defense was definitely the difference in clinching the division title against Kentucky.
Time after time Saturday against Big Blue Georgia’s sputtering offense put the ball game in the defense’s hands, and that proved to be the difference, as Todd Grantham’s troops held the Wildcats to just 165 yards of offense, almost completely shutting them down in the scoreless third quarter. The Cats didn’t get a second-half first down until late in the fourth quarter.
Georgia may not have gotten many style points, at least offensively, in a game where most of their scoring came on field goals, but at the end of the day it was enough, and the Dogs are on their way to the conference championship game for the fourth time in the Mark Richt era.
Now, admittedly, Mike Bobo was dealt a pretty lousy hand when Isaiah Crowell went out for the game with a banged up ankle. With chief backup Carlton Thomas also unavailable, third-stringer Brandon Harton (with an assist from fourth-stringer Ken Malcome) had to step into the fray, and he discovered quickly that even a mediocre SEC defense like Kentucky’s is a whole lot more challenging than New Mexico State. Both Harton and Malcome coughed up the ball to derail Georgia drives.
Unfortunately, it didn’t help matters that when Crowell went to the locker room in the first half Bobo’s playbook also appeared to have gone missing, resulting in one of the more predictable (and least successful) halves the UGA offensive coordinator has had in a while. The low point came at the end of the first quarter and start of the second when three straight runs by Harton were stuffed thanks to the OL letting themselves be dominated.
But the defense persevered (in spite of at least one ridiculously blown call by the officials), and eventually, Bobo started getting a little more creative in getting Harton to the outside (hello, toss sweep!) and the tiny back finally got his 100-yard game as a Bulldog.
And Aaron Murray, who was wildly off-target at times and had a middling day overall throwing the ball, did make a really nice play when he stepped up into the pocket before finding Marlon Brown open in the back of the end zone to open the fourth quarter with Georgia’s lone touchdown.
Still, it was the shutting down of the Kentucky offense in the second half and the turnovers forced by Dog defenders that won the day for Georgia.
They’re not all going to be pretty in a nine-game winning streak, but when a team that started out 0-2 earns its way to the Dec. 3 game at the Georgia Dome, that doesn’t matter a whole lot.
This has turned into a surprisingly good season for the Dogs. They have three games left in which they have the chance to make it a great season that might be talked about for the ages.
One step at a time, though. The SEC can wait a week. First, Georgia needs to focus on the Jackets.
Feel free to share your views on Georgia’s win over Kentucky for the SEC East title.
Go Dogs!
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440 comments Add your comment
Dawg48
November 19th, 2011
11:58 pm
Wow bailer just threw a long td pass 8 sec left
Still poor me a glass of cool aid I’m thirsty
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 19th, 2011
11:58 pm
Can you believe the Baylor game with 8 seconds left?
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 19th, 2011
11:59 pm
Bailer? HAHAHAAHH isn’t that who the UGA players have on speed dial when they get put in Jail.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
12:00 am
Crazy Kick and BAYLOR gets it too.
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
12:00 am
Sorry baylor
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
12:02 am
just kidding DAWG48 but you let me get that joke in.
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
12:03 am
I laughed still , dang spell Check got me on that one LOL
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
12:04 am
Stil the BCS computer is going to implode!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
12:05 am
What a Nutty few Days in FOOTBALL.
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
12:12 am
Still go back and look at my post at 9:58
I can almost say I called it
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
12:15 am
Cal needs the band to run out onto the field!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
12:18 am
Dawg48
November 19th, 2011
9:58 pm
Clemson 2 loss team
If Oregon gets beat 2 loss team
Oklahoma getting beat possibly 2 loss team
Oklahoma beats okie st 2 loss team
Just saying
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
12:19 am
Stanford is moving up with a WIN
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
12:19 am
That’s it
Dawg48
November 20th, 2011
12:20 am
Anyone want some loto numbers I’m feeling hot tonight!
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
12:21 am
LOL.
Jay
November 20th, 2011
12:35 am
You guys enjoy insults while Dawg fans celebrate an eastern division championship.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 20th, 2011
12:41 am
Not buying Arkansas as #3
Bean Counter
November 20th, 2011
1:16 am
Carlton Thomas has missed three games this year for violation of team rules. Enough is enough!! It is clear he is not a team player and he needs to be gone. His suspensions not only hurt him but they hurt the team too. Pull his scholarship and give it to someone who will be there when the team needs them.
Joe
November 20th, 2011
3:06 am
Bill, the truth about Bobo is….No one is beating down the gates of Sanford stadium to hire him as a head coach or an offensive coordinator.
JE
November 20th, 2011
3:24 am
Wow, GA Southern scored three td’s plus over 300 yards vs Alabama, and we onlhy score one TD vs KY??
ole yeller
November 20th, 2011
3:54 am
I think Uga Dawgs have a pretty good “O” when everyone is healthy & ready to play (Note the Aub. game). The “D” on the other side of the ball is “STELLER” I think the football critics are begining to compare the Dawg “D” to Bama & LSU. I feel the SEC Champinship game will be a great game. It may even suprise a lot of fans.
The Dawgs Are Back - Golden Dawg Predicted it - Look it up
November 20th, 2011
5:05 am
Way to go Dawgs!
Where Dem Richt-Haters At? ….
Welcome Back, Fair Weather Fans – We missed yall.
Someone Please find my Golden Dawg blog -posted 11SEP: The morning after the loss of USC. Way back then, I predicted that UGA would go to the SEC Championship. I saw how hard UGA played, how talented our players were AND I could read a schedule. However, even I did not that our D would be this good.
Note: I also predicted that UGA would WIN the SEC Championship and a BCS Bowl Game, finishing 12-2. (So UGA has more work to do). No pressure, but Fantastic Job Dawgs. Congrats.
jack bull b right
November 20th, 2011
5:39 am
If Murray’s the SEC’s best, the SEC is in big-time trouble. His accuracy is suspect; how many long completions were underthrown and completed only because of poor defending ? He locks on his receiver and makes too many poor decisions on when/where to throw and when to throw it away. Can’t argue with his record this year, but he will be exposed when he plays a top-calibre defense, which hasn’t happened yet this year.
RADLY DAWG
November 20th, 2011
6:48 am
Well said Bill!!!!!!!!!!! it’s a team sport and the TEAM came together to pull this W out of their collective a–es! A win is a win is a win!!! Sometimes games of this nature serve a valuable purpose…they remind the players that the’re only a game away from losing…and in this case, losing a lot!! But they didn’t, because the TEAM came through! Absolutely stunning DEFENSE…great job TG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree, we need to start throwing to our fullback out of the backfield and the tight ends down the middle….my God, look at the talent we have at those positions….uhhh, hey Mike…wake up!!!!!!!!!! Gooooo Dawgs…SEC Eastern Division Champs!!!! Wreck Tech!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, crush LSU in Hot’lanta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Radly Dawg!!!
a ball
November 20th, 2011
6:51 am
Just because Murray has some big numbers doesn’t mean we can beat LSU. If he plays like he did Sat and most Sats LSU will kill us.
SEC Fan
November 20th, 2011
7:43 am
LSU’s defense will shut Richt, Bobo, & Murray down. If Grantham gets his boys to work overtime, the score may be respectable. So far as the bowl goes, I hope UGA plays the highest ranked opponent available. It will be these two games that will tell McGarity what Richt has or has not accomplished this year.
BubbaDawg
November 20th, 2011
7:48 am
Some teams make us look really good – Kentucky just doesn’t happen to be one of those teams.
chazzo
November 20th, 2011
7:55 am
It was a sloppy game. There were a couple of crappy calls in the first half. Kentucky came to play and played the best they could. there coaching staff did a good job. UGA thought they would manhandle them and break all the records. Ultimately the D got it done and the O ate the clock up. No big sin there… It is hard to be emotionally ready for a game after a big win like the Auburn game. But, Tech will upset Georgia If the Dawgs don’t practice full tilt and take them seriously.
UK double covered the long routes. I don’t know why they didn’t stick to the shorter passing routes. Murray did hit his tight ends, and Orson caught 3 balls. I don’t know where some people are getting that Murray didn’t throw to Charles enough. Murray threw a couple of bad passes, one in particular was that awful interception. But he hasn’t thrown a lot of picks this year. Looking over to the sidelines is a new thing. Other teams do it as well. It is part of the no huddle. Murray is still a sophomore.
Hartman (sp?) runs with heart. You have to love that kid despite the fumbles. I completely understand why the coaches were impressed with him last spring. Malcome shows some promise despite the fumbles. The O-line didn’t look so hot at times, especially in the first half.
I hate announcers. CALL THE GAME. I didn’t like them gushing about Georgia the whole game anymore than I liked them gushing about UF or Auburn. Also, I really don’t think that it is an announcer’s job to reprimand players or talk about coaching for that matter. JUST CALL THE GAME!
Tech will beat Georgia if everyone is focused on whether or not we can beat LSU or Alabama and what player can break what record. One game at a time. UGA got another W. Good. Tech is next. Be ready.
no dog
November 20th, 2011
8:01 am
I think the dogs need to make a special plan for LSU and really work on that plan for a couple of weeks so you can be the sec champs.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 20th, 2011
8:02 am
We need a new offensive coordinator
Big time??? Not
November 20th, 2011
8:05 am
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes. Beat the nerds.
Scrod
November 20th, 2011
8:06 am
“You can make a pretty convincing case that Georgia won the 2011 SEC East Championship in large part because of the terrific turnaround in its defense this season.”
OR
You can make a pretty convincing case that Georgia won the 2011 SEC East Champtionship in large part because the SEC East has no competition this year.
jackyldo
November 20th, 2011
8:09 am
Murray made at least 2 throws to receivers that were covered when he had Orson Charles running wide open – 1st time if he hit Charles in the 1st quarter, would have been a TD. In the 3rd quarter he had Brandon Smith out of the backfield and with no one closer to 15 yards from him. Maybe the game was going a little fast for AM then as O line took a while to get warmed up..
A Win is a Win and 9 wins is sweet.. this is college and teams progress and regress regularly ..
BubbaDawg
November 20th, 2011
8:10 am
@Scrod
Shhh!
Captain Allen Waters
November 20th, 2011
8:12 am
Coach Erk Russell used to say 19 is more than 10 so we will take it! The game was not pretty but the win is all that matters to be East Champs. After taking 10 members of my family including 4 to their first UGA game in ‘09 when we gave the gifted turnovers to UK, I was glad we won by any margin. One of my nieces and brother in law were almost as disappointed as me, back then. Everyone knew they would play tough trying to get to a bowl. Considering all the upsets this past weekend, just focus on GT and then we will see who our opponent is in ATL. Anybody hurting in CU, OKS, UO or the other UO? NCS, ISU, BU and USC(West) happy? I have been a Coach Paul Johnson fan since his days at GSU and wish him and his team well except when they play us. I hope the season does not end in a boring rematch of LSU and UA so please give us a playoff like the FCS has or at least 8 teams! UGA fan happy for the Bulldog Nation worldwide and especially in India!
Joey
November 20th, 2011
8:18 am
I’m not gonna bash Bobo much because the OL and Murray were awful, and Richt has a headset on too. If he thought the playcalling was stupid he would intervene, right?
Isn’t it strange how many years Bobo has been coaching, and apparently never gets a HC job offer?
Lonnie Walls
November 20th, 2011
8:20 am
28 touchdowns 9 interceptions 9-2.
Snake Doc
November 20th, 2011
8:20 am
So far, has beaten only one team with a winning record, has only beaten one ranked team, ranked lower than UGA at the time and probably didn’t deserve to be ranked.
Has beaten only has been or hapless teams. Due to a a very weak schedule we will now be subjected to four more years of undisciplined, under achieving play and teams. Boneheads – Too stupid to understand or know the truth.
What a joke!
Embarrassment awaits at the Georgia Dome
Northern Sympathizer
November 20th, 2011
8:28 am
Bill, why don’t you go coach the offense since you clearly know how!
Congrats to the dawgs on a great season.
ole yeller
November 20th, 2011
8:28 am
Enough of the bad press about the Dawgs “O”. REMEMBER “D” wins Champinships. “O” sells Tickets.
Black Mountain NC Bulldog
November 20th, 2011
8:28 am
JUNKYARD DAWGS!!!!!!!
We need to sign the RB out of North Carolina.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 20th, 2011
8:33 am
yes defense wins championships but you still need an offensive coordinator that can adjust to those defenses especially in the SEC and Mike Bonehead cant do that
chazzo
November 20th, 2011
8:40 am
4 top ten teams were upset this weekend. Yes UGA only beat one ranked opponent. Yeah, georgia got the easy draw from the west this season and UF and Ut are down. But, no one talked that crap about UF when they had the easy draw and beat a down Georgia team. Georgia is a very young team coming through some pretty major adjustments over the past couple of years.
I’ll take the nine in a row. Would anyone give them back? Should we decline going to the SEC because our schedule was too easy? NO. No other team in the world would. So, you don’t have a point. Shut up. Get on the bus.
chazzo
November 20th, 2011
8:46 am
Flat tire, I don’t agree with you often. I do think it is a legitimate criticism of Bobo about not being able to adjust. He is so married to stretching the field long that UK was sending two D backs ahead of every receiver.
I will say though that King had a TD if not for a UK guys getting away with pass interference. I will also say that if Hartmon and Malome hadn’t coughed up fumbles, the running game would have generated better passing opportunities.
In the end, they got it done, but they had best have their arses ready for Tech next week. I think Richt’s seat is still a little warm. The old faithful want to see UGA defeat UF, Auburn, and Tech in the same season more than they want an unlikely SEC victory.
Fair and Balanced
November 20th, 2011
8:47 am
9 wins is impressive. CMR can cool his bottom now. But Im telling ya now….we stand a real good chance of facing 3 opponents who are better than any we have played or at least better than anyone we have beat. If we lose those 3…..boo birds come out…..seat warming begins again. Go Dogs! Wreck Tech!
Texas Dawg
November 20th, 2011
8:50 am
Name one game that was big time other than last weeks AU game that Murry looked like an all sec QB…….he puts up numbers and looks great against team with loosing records………if he plays the sec cham game like he played yesterday we will get lose badly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thomas needs to be kicked off the team….three times in one season…..energy vampire…gatta go
Plat calling was really bad DEFENSE SAVED THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 20th, 2011
8:51 am
chazzo
I want you to read this article play close attention to what our arrogant OC, Mike Bonehead Bozo said
And you tell me is this the OC that you want at UGA
http://www.macon.com/2011/11/19/1792650/from-the-locker-room-we-aint-apologizing.html
This just in
November 20th, 2011
8:54 am
Can you just imagine the consequences if we had lost this game, which was a real possibility until the 4th quarter touchdown. Bottom line is we were playing a very weak team with the SEC East title on the line and we played like crap. The team was flat and execution was flat and too many dumb penalties again. Yes, we will take take the win and the title but don’t overlook the warning signs of poor coaching once again.
chazzo
November 20th, 2011
8:54 am
Scrod,
You can also make a case that UGA won the East because Lattimore was injured and Garcia is a lush. You can make a lot of cases, but what is your point? UGA won the East. We aren’t giving it back. No one had these types of discussions about UF. That is the game. That is why college football is so much fun.
UGA won nine straight. That’s awesome. I don’t care who they played. It aint over yet, though. Best get focused for Tech.
Another plus no one seems to mention. UK players were talking a lot of smack trying to get UGA players to foul. They were successful once. UK tried to take advantage of UGA’s special team woes. They were not successful.