Bulldog Nation wonders: Where do we go from here?
Was Georgia's humiliation by South Carolina more than just one loss? (Bob Andres / AJC)
So, how do the Georgia Bulldogs and their fans bounce back from the debacle in Columbia?
Saturday night, Mark Richt started making his case for shrugging off this disappointment and looking ahead when he said that “whether you lose by 28 or lose in overtime, it counts as one loss.”
True. But sometimes a loss is more than just a loss. This one hurt in a lot more ways than just the won-loss record. Richt’s team looked so bad that even the happy-talk ESPN announcers ripped into them for their disappointing showing in the nationally televised contest. I’ve no idea whether that sort of thing hurts in recruiting, but you’ve got to figure it’s certainly not helpful.
Plus, the manner in which the Dawgs lost and the fact that they once again failed when faced with a ranked opponent has left the UGA fan base pretty demoralized.
That malaise lasting the rest of this season and translating into more empty seats is a distinct possibility.
Richt is right that there are games still to be played and history has shown the Gamecocks are prone to stumble down the stretch. So they certainly could wind up losing two and opening the door for the Dawgs to return to the SEC Championship game if Georgia wins out (though at this point the SEC East playing out exactly the same way as last year seems to defy the odds).
And, of course, that would still be contingent on Georgia beating Florida, which at this juncture looks like a much bigger challenge than was envisioned six weeks ago.
Still, even if the Bulldogs somehow manage to make their way to Atlanta again, the prospect of facing the collegiate buzzsaw known as Alabama brings up visions of last year’s meeting with LSU. There’s a been there, done that feeling to that scenario.
Sure, a season with 10 or 11 wins is definitely preferable to what we went through in 2009-10, but if you’re not realistically playing for a championship, what galvanizes the fan base? What does Georgia have left to play for, if the Gamecocks win out? Finally beating Florida two years in a row for the first time in more than two decades?
It’s not like a win over anyone else on the schedule is going to excite Georgia fans (though losing to one of them probably would mark this as a train wreck of a season in its own right). If Georgia loses to Florida, say, and finishes 10-2, the result would likely be another non-BCS New Year’s Day bowl in Florida. I can hear the collective yawn from the Bulldog Nation now.
But hold on. What if Georgia does regroup, the offensive line improves, Todd Grantham’s defense finally decides to try living up to its offseason hype, and the Dawgs finally blow the Jacksonville jinx to smithereens and beat the Gators? Remember 2007? The Dawgs didn’t make it to the SEC championship, but they finished the season as one of the nation’s hottest teams, got a Sugar Bowl bid and wound up as the No. 2 team in the nation. I remember most Bulldog fans being pretty satisfied with that season. Who doesn’t like a postseason trip to New Orleans?
At least one analyst, CBSsports.com’s Jerry Palm, sees the makings of a similar story this year. Palm has South Carolina winning the SEC East, falling to the Crimson Tide in Atlanta and winding up in that SEC Championship loser’s purgatory known as the Capitol One Bowl.
As for the Dawgs, he sees them beating Florida and finishing the season 11-1. With Alabama playing in the BCS title game, Palm forecasts the Sugar Bowl would take a one-loss Top 10 Georgia team as its SEC replacement to face the Big East champion.
That might sound unfair to Steve Spurrier and Gamecocks fans, but as Palm notes: “Bowls, the BCS games in particular, have a history of passing over teams that lost their league championship game if there is any other decent choice. Bowls fear that those fans, who just traveled to a neutral site game at the beginning of December and went home disappointed, might not venture out in as high of numbers a month later. 11-1 Georgia would qualify as a decent choice. In fact, the Bulldogs might even automatically qualify under BCS rules if they finish in the top 4 of the standings.”
No, it’s not the sort of championship the Bulldog Nation hungers for, but as football seasons go, such an outcome would be not too shabby.
So, yes, as Richt noted, the sun did come up Sunday, the Bulldogs “do still have an awful lot to play for” … and Georgia fans still have a team to cheer on to better days.
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407 comments Add your comment
astrouga
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
cajdawg:
Agreed. We must demand more.
I am still amazed we got destroyed. All indications were a close game or at minimum a strong showing by UGA. The difference was coaching. On the field and off, Spurrier (like him or hate him — I hate him) prepared his team for the game, made adjustments that were needed when they were needed and did not settle for anything other than the best. Richt did not prepare his team to win this game. It was over the minute Rambo had the INT ripped away.
Willie
October 8th, 2012
12:34 pm
Todds D played much better in the 2nd half. The coots only scored 14 points!
TossSweep
October 8th, 2012
12:35 pm
Enough Said!!!!
The Bulldog Nation went into full meltdown. Former UGA and NFL running back Terrell Davis Tweeted: “I don’t care what anybody says, when you’re the #5 team in the nation , you DON’t give a performance like this, period!!”
Added former Bulldogs and NFL offensive tackle George Foster on Twitter: “I’ve never been this ticked about a game I didn’t play in. I never thought I’d see a UGA team not show up for 4 whole quarters.”
SC Dog fan
October 8th, 2012
12:39 pm
Good article, Mr. King. I especially liked your line “sometimes a loss is more than just a loss,” in response to Richt’s attempt to minimize the significance of this one. I find myself drawn to post the same thing now that I posted after the Boise State loss: something along the lines of being okay with a competitive loss but getting tierd of the blowout humiliations. The fact that I’m able to recycle such comments suggest to me that this is not just “one loss.” It’s the same way of losing to ranked teams over and over.
astrouga
October 8th, 2012
12:41 pm
RE: TossSweep
Thanks for sharing — I totally agree with Davis on that.
bawbie
October 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
Fire Dave Perno!
joe jenkins
October 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
I knew the dawgs were going to be a bust before the season started and here are my reasons.
1. The suspendions of 4 starters proved some of our best players are not truly commited to the ‘G’
2. I haven’t been sold on grantham and it looks like i never will be. the 3-4 does not work here at UGA …because we cannot fill the gaps properly and opposing rb’s gash us.
3. We can’t win the big game anymore!!! Our last big win was in 06 over Auburn.
4. Our O-line lost three starters to the nfl….and this years O-line is much younger and we have uproven ol coach named friend
5. I feel sorry that christain robinson had his house egged….But he is one of the worst lb’s we have had in the last 10 years and walks around like he is an all-american
6. ray drew ….corey moore and jay rome aren’t what everybody thought they would be.
7. No depth in the secondary….and our starters are overated…rambo and commings are not as talented as everybody thinks
8. Aaron murray is a great athlete but not a true pro-style qb…should leard to throw on his toes like drew brees does to compensate for his height
9. mike bobo…do i nedd to say nymore
10. rodney garner should have been fired right along with willie in 09.
bawbie
October 8th, 2012
12:45 pm
Fire Howdy Doody! Fire Chuck Doodle!
Scotty
October 8th, 2012
12:45 pm
Look this averaging 10 wins a year in justifying Richt’s position is getting OLD! The dawg nation is not looking for JUST 10 wins a year from their football team we are looking for championships SEC and National! I am afraid until we get rid of this no emotion, stoic, cigar store Indian statue of a coach we will have neither. Did you see Spurrier and his emotion he was doggin out his QB in the fourth quarter for some infraction leading 38-0. 2-10 against ranked opponents since 2008!
bugsquacher
October 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
Ive had enough. I finished at UGA back in the glory years of the 80’s. Im tired of the missed opportunites and promises of banner recruiting classes
THIS COACHING STAFF HAS TO GO IN ORDER FOR UGA TO CONTEND FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSIPHS.
FACTS:
1-terrible record over the past few years against ranked opponets
2- talent on both sides of the ball this year is superior, FOR ONCE EVEN ESPN AND SI WERE SAYING HOW DAMN GOOD THE DAWGS WERE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL…
3- the schedule for this year set things up for the Dawgs to make a run at the NC. Fla state lost, LSU lost, we could have been sitting at #3. After the departures of players at the end of the season, we start another rebuild period, the schedule only gets tougher, OPPORTUNITY MISSED!
Ive heard enough……. TIME TO GO COACHES…. PAST TIME TO GO….
cajdawg
October 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
I posted this earlier:
This all boils down to expectation and desire:
UGA is perenially better than mediocre but less than great. Why? Because fans and administration don’t demand more. It is that simple
Let me expound:
Look at our neighbors to the west- Alabama. They believe it is their God given birthright to win a national championship at least once a decade. They will cycle through 10 coaches in 10 years if they have to, and before Saban they practically did.
Look at Florida, Zook was better than mediocre but not great. He was shown the door. If Muschamp goes 9-3 this year and is OK next. He is gone. Florida does play football to be better than mediocre but not great. They expect to win national championships and compete for national championships.
TossSweep
October 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
Ok, we’re not happy about the loss but this should not happen.
“egged and rolled.”
Georgia was No. 5 before the 35-7 loss to South Carolina. The Bulldogs fell to No. 14 in the Associated Press top 25 on Sunday.
Robinson, a senior, concluded that the toilet paper and eggs on the house were a result of the loss. He posted on his Twitter account, “Seems that people turn on you when you’re not perfect. Thought we were in this together.”
Coach Mark Richt says negative feedback from fans is not a surprise. Richt says players in the public spotlight must “be man enough to turn the other cheek.”
funny...
October 8th, 2012
12:56 pm
This should all be a non issue.
Mark Richt should have been fired after the Liberty Bowl loss.
Aaron Murray should have been cut. (family is still in our prayers)
Georgia has the money, facilities, fanbase, stadium, alumni, conference, tradition and support for a BIG TIME coach.
Gruden wants $6 mill a year. Pay it. Can you imagine the built in recruiting benefit of having that guy on the sidelines? Hell, just prop up Bear Bryant’s skeleton on the sideline. Better than Richt.
bugsquacher
October 8th, 2012
12:59 pm
I have the remaining season tickets to the Georgia games…any takers?… probably wont renew next year…..
1980
October 8th, 2012
1:09 pm
1980—a long time ago, way before I was born.
ApopkaDawg
October 8th, 2012
1:13 pm
Bill, where do we go from here? No where we haven’t been in the last 4 years.
What are the Bulldogs options?
– We are not going to have any coaching changes. CMR is going 10-2 or 9-3 at worst and nobody is getting fired over that.
- Murray is NOT going pro. He will be with us again next year and CMR is certainly not going to bench a senior b/c we all know that CMR is loyal to his seniors to a fault.
- Grantham seems to have stepped inline with the “comforting quiet” demeanor on the side lines. That certainly doesn’t work as the SC showed us first hand.
- CMR will not be changing BoBo’s position because he will fall back on all that “great work” his did over the first 4 games against cream puffs.
The good, bad, and ugly of all this?
Good – we have some time for the next Saban/Spurrier type coach comes along, because there does not seem to be one out there now. We are going to get 9 to 10 wins this year and a lot of programs would love to have that kind of season.
The Bad – our program is stuck in “neutral”. We are not moving forward in our attempts at getting to the mountaintop that is a BCS Championship. We missed our chance after the UCF loss to take action and bring in Dan Mullen.
The Ugly – we have a lot of talent on paper and we can’t seem to develop them. Also, the really embarrassing losses are coming far too frequently. Eventually, we are going to lose the recruiting war due to fear that a talented recruit will fall into obscurity (i.e Brandon Smith) or get embarrassed on national TV (i.e Bama 2008, UCF Independence Bowl, LSU SEC Championship, now SC regular season).
Hold fast UGA fans and hope CMR doesn’t take the ship down with him.
True Dawg
October 8th, 2012
1:14 pm
I love the Dawgs and always will. But the truth is the truth, the stats don’t lie, Richt just can’t get it done against top competition. Like him or not, this is what it is. This is what we have at UGA. You can’t blame Murray, he’s good enough. The receivers, the line, the backs, the defense, even special teams, they are all good enough to get it done. It’s the playcalling, the schemes, the decisions that are made (or not made) during the course of the game as it unfolds that decide the outcome AND that falls on the coaches. PERIOD!
Atlanta truth
October 8th, 2012
1:26 pm
Aaron Murray is a mockery of overrated non-talent. Until SC, they had played NO ONE. Looking at padded stats from cupcake opponents does not an elite QB make. He’s middlin’ at best.
joe jenkins
October 8th, 2012
1:29 pm
It seems like the players on this current team are incapable of learning grantham’s 3-4 defense. as prove sometimes they don’t know where to lineup and they are repeatley asking eachother in the games. I just think our talent is overated… corey moore…ray drew are really no where to be found…every year we recruit future stars that everybody wants and they come here and they get buried in the depth chart and they make any kind of noise till their senior year…and sometimes never. Washington is very overated and cannot pressure opposing qb’s….the defense will suck the rest of the year…unless somebody else steps up and helps jarvis pressure the qb.
Sunbury Ga dawg
October 8th, 2012
1:30 pm
On a serious note guys and all true Dawg fans, we need to contact the governor and get him to lower the flags to half mast because that game killed the spirit of the Georgia Bulldogs and true fans alike. That was an utter embarrassment to watch, same feeling i had during the blackout in 2008. I see we have not learned. I guess being so talented without leadership is OK.
rematch
October 8th, 2012
1:33 pm
I’m always going to be a dawg, but i am done for this year. That was enough! I am guilty of drinking the koolaid! I did it!
Offseason issues!
October 8th, 2012
1:35 pm
Hey Rambo,Olgetree,Vasser,Commings,
Offseason issues!
October 8th, 2012
1:36 pm
Hey Rambo,Olgetree, Vasser, Commings, thanks for giving all you had to the team during the offseason. Must feel good right now don’t you?
tireddawg
October 8th, 2012
1:37 pm
I cant believe anyone is suprised…..schedule ranked 117 has fooled the homers again this year. Same coach, same environment, same results……..
SC Old Dawg
October 8th, 2012
1:38 pm
the best answer is to see if UGA and play Furman or Woffard instead of USC – maybe UGA could get that Savannah State school on the schedule. If they could just eliminate the SEC teams, they may go undefeated. Just don’t play that ULM team. I want a schedule where the other teams just suck and this will allow UGA to win all the time. And we can see that the players and coaches are happy and believe that they are being coached to compete. Then, when UGA gets blown out in the bowl, we can blame it on their being tired from being out too late.
SC Old Dawg
October 8th, 2012
1:40 pm
at least there is no worry about any of the players going to the NFL
Atlanta truth
October 8th, 2012
1:43 pm
Georgia gets all these top recruits ——— I just don’t know what happens to ‘em. Eh, SC Old Dawg ?
Salio
October 8th, 2012
1:44 pm
ga should win out–fla is overrated and ga can beat them by 10+. 11-1 record and a good bowl game–a good season.
Eric C.
October 8th, 2012
1:46 pm
The defense has been the biggest disappointment this season!!!
They were totally unprepared for SC, but the signs have been there all along — like getting gashed by Fla Atlantic and Buffalo for explosive plays…and getting dominated by the UT OL.
We were duped into thinking this was a shutdown defensive unit as it showed in the first half vs LSU in the SECCG and during the first half vs Mich St in the Outback Bowl….but we now know that the 2nd half of those post-season contests reflects the UGA defense.
If we continue to see more blown assignments, soft inside rush defense, and lack of pressure by the front seven, then it will be a long rest of the season.
Desert Fox
October 8th, 2012
1:49 pm
LakeDawg
October 7th, 2012
10:52 pm
Agree. Many dawg fans have had their fill of watching a paper tiger knowing when the competition gets tough CMR’s teams just seem to fold, the coaching on both sides of the ball cannot stop the hemoraging or make necessary game changes to turn things around until its too late. The players are exposed as well. all these all americans (excluding Jones, he deserves the praise) make critical mistakes and can’t come through in the end when a lot is riding on big games. I doubt they’ll beat FL and as bad as AU looks, GA is primed for an upset after their performance in SC. No bowl or record will ever erase the memory of the beatdown they got by SC. They go up against a conf champion in a bowl game they will dissappoint again as they did in last season woeful loss to Michy St. Nothing will change until CMR is replaced.
dale
October 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
Would you really want to see this Georgia team play Alabama? What was the last marquee game Georgia won? A game in the national spotlight. I think it was LSU in the SEC title game in ‘05.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
October 8th, 2012
2:02 pm
Somebody told us UGA is still in the Top Twenty?! Why?!
LogicalUS
October 8th, 2012
2:08 pm
The absolutely worst fiasco for the 2012 UGA football is the “lost in netherland” remainder of the season in Athens…
Open Date
Ole Miss
Georgia Southern
GT
Open Date may be the most attractive opponent!
While the rest of college football is going thru the drama of college football falls, UGA is going to be lost in its own “going thru the motion” tour. Will these scores even be covered on SportsCenter and who in their right mind is going to trek all the way out to Athens for that boring nonsense when they can go to local bars\home and enjoy college football drama.
astrouga
October 8th, 2012
2:19 pm
RE: LogicalUS
Agreed. UGA with a win is an attractive game no matter who we play. But when you can’t even field an average performance, who wants to spend their money to watch it?
UGA became obsolete this weekend. Sure, we’ll finish with 10 wins and lose another bowl game – yeah. I guess the atheletic department will still make money, so that is all that matters to the folks at UGA.
HPUCK
October 8th, 2012
2:20 pm
No emotion ! This is football on the big stage. You need a coach that shows some emotion. There is no fire. Even after the loss and Richt being interviewed it was like “ok we lost but we can get better”. This doesn’t get it. Richt is a nice guy, but he has had enough time with this much talent and has not done the job. Time for change.
AirForce1
October 8th, 2012
2:27 pm
Stop waiting and hoping for other teams to “stumble” and care of your own business!
AirForce1
October 8th, 2012
2:28 pm
Take care of your own business
dwagdawg
October 8th, 2012
2:28 pm
Has anyone seen Superdawg? Just want to know if he’ll be keeping his word:
_____________________________________
superDawg
September 26th, 2012
7:50 pm
ss you are a little man that likes to hide behind others.If sc beats UGA I will come down and tail gate with you and your brethren at tek.
___________________________________________________
If Superdwag shows up, please ask him to RSVP on the GT blogs, and please make sure he is PUFFED UP.
Thanks
AirForce1
October 8th, 2012
2:30 pm
Hell….our schedule is not even remotely difficult this year??? No LSU, no Bama, no Misst St and it looks like Florida is only getting better.
Richt = 8-10 wins and mediocre bowl
October 8th, 2012
2:31 pm
I didn’t realize Aaron Murray was dealing with finding out his dad has cancer. As someone who lost my dad to pancreatic cancer, I can tell you first hand, getting that news about your father completely wrecks your psyche.
But again it’s on the coaches and preperation. Go back (if you can stomach it) and watch UGA and SC come out of the tunnel. SC players were amped up, fired up, and ready to hit someone in the mouth. Then look at how our players entered the field. They looked as though they knew what was coming and knew they couldn’t do anything to stop it.
I think we can all agree we have the talent. Talent has never been the issue in my opinon, but it’s situations like this one with Murray and the lack of preperation that floor me. Murray gets a pass here, but this STILL doesn’t explain the fact that since 2005 folks that’s 6 years, we have one and depending on opinion two signature wins in that span?!
Under this staff we’re good for 8-10 wins and a mediocre bowl game. I guess it’s time to saddle up and hitch my horse to that waggon and deal with it. At least the weather is nice here in Florida during bowl season.
Someone cited Auburn 06 as our last signature win, granted they were an 11-2 team, but I still say the last true signature win is LSU 05 in the SEC CG
AirForce1
October 8th, 2012
2:35 pm
^Very True
AirForce1
October 8th, 2012
2:38 pm
My name is Mark Richt and I am the very definition of MELONCOLY
AirForce1
October 8th, 2012
2:40 pm
Same old Dawgs….Capital One or Outback Bowl here we come…..nice weather in Florida. FML
dale
October 8th, 2012
2:43 pm
Auburn in 06 was an upset win. It wasn’t a showdown of two top teams.
joe jenkins
October 8th, 2012
2:45 pm
I hate it for murray about his father…i can say i relate to what he is going through. I just dont understand why richt didnt learn from playing joe cox…rarely does short qb make in the sec. You cannot win in this league without a good qb….
AirForce1
October 8th, 2012
2:46 pm
Why can’t UGA run a successful 3-4 defense??? Bama does.
RxDawg
October 8th, 2012
2:54 pm
“Richt is a good coach.”
I don’t disagree with that. But the enemy of great is “good”.
Richt = 8-10 wins and mediocre bowl
October 8th, 2012
2:57 pm
We could win with the 3-4 and Grantham was having success until Richt decided to nueter him. I like fired up CTG, calm subdued CTG doesn’t work. I think Richt could stand to learn from CTG about being fired up. Just tired of year after year of unprepared teams!!!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 8th, 2012
3:00 pm
Rich is a good coach
Sure
Against Buffalo, Western Carolina, Vandy, KY, Savannah Tech
He sure is
1969 Graduate
October 8th, 2012
3:01 pm
Oh, gosh, I’m so excited, we might be able to beat Kentucky this year. We’ve got two weeks to prepare.
That should be enough time for a cookout, and a swimming party, and a bowling party, and maybe we’ll find time to talk a little bit about how to arm tackle, how to go for the interception but allow the catch, how to blow assignments, and look at some film to see what went wrong.
Not that it even could happen, but can you imagine what a good coach would be saying and doing had their team lost to an arch rival on national television in such a humiliating fashion.
But wait…
Our coaches aren’t stupid (in spite of appearances). They know it wasn’t the players. They know they have all risen to positions of incompetence.
All together now. Who is the worst offensive play caller in big time college football?
Which head coach cares the least about winning?