Dawgs have nothing to be ashamed of after epic battle with Bama
The inability of the Georgia defense to stop Eddie Lacy allowed Bama to get back into the game. (Curtis Compton / AJC)
So, which hurts worse, getting blown out in the second half of an SEC Championship like last year, or coming tantalizingly close to a trip to the BCS title game, as the Georgia Bulldogs did Saturday night?
Both results are tough for the players and fans to take, but at least Mark Richt’s 2012 team knows it took the best team in college football down to the wire, and in the end was four yards and about 3 seconds away from playing for the national championship.
This latest SEC Championship loss was emotionally draining, no doubt, but the Dawgs have nothing to be ashamed of in their heartbreaking 32-28 loss to the Crimson Tide.
And while Georgia might not have gotten the win, no one can say quarterback Aaron Murray didn’t step up in a big-time game. Despite Bama’s Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon running wild as the Tide’s powerful offensive line wore down the Georgia defensive front seven and got Bama back in the game after Georgia led by 11 points in the third quarter, Murray kept his team in the game with his arm, completing 18 of 33 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown.
Alec Ogletree scores on a blocked field goal to put Georgia back in the lead. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
It was an up and down night, with the lead changing hands several times. Even special teams play, often a chink in the armor for Georgia, had its good and bad moments. The Dogs missed a field goal, but they made a first down on a fake punt and blocked a Bama field goal that Alec Ogletree scooped up and returned 55 yards for a touchdown.
In the end, it was traditional grown-man SEC football that won out. Just as Nick Saban predicted at halftime, the team that ran the ball better in the second half won, as Bama set a new SEC Championship game rushing record with 350 yards on the ground. Of course, he was hoping that would be the case because he knew that running was the only way his team was going to beat Georgia, as his offense simply couldn’t handle the Dogs’ pass rush.
Ironically, it was one of those rare occasions when Georgia had a running back break the century mark, as freshman Todd Gurley ran for a very tough 122 yards, and yet lost — because Alabama had two backs go for more than 100 yards as Lacy had an amazing 181 yards and freshman Yeldon got 153.
Yes, there are things you could quibble about, from Georgia’s continuing penchant for committing unnecessary infractions to the inconsistent officiating to some of Mike Bobo’s playcalling on key three-and-outs, the amount of time it took Todd Grantham to adjust to the Tide’s rushing attack in the third quarter, Bacarri Rambo biting on the wrong receiver on the play-action pass that won the game for Bama and, most all, the perplexing decision by the Georgia coaching staff not to spike the ball after Artie Lynch got the ball down to the Bama 8-yard line with 15 seconds remaining on the clock.
Richt’s explanation of the latter decision after the game made little sense; he said spiking the ball would have eaten up 2 or 3 seconds, but the Dogs easily ran off that much time before the ball was snapped on the failed fade pass that was tipped and ended up being the last play of the game. Yeah, you can’t predict a ball will get tipped, but a spike would have guaranteed the Dogs at least two shots at the end zone.
Oh, well.
All that aside, Georgia gave the Tide all it could handle in an absolutely thrilling contest. And at least CBS analyst Gary Danielson now knows just how “real” Georgia is. And so does an Alabama team that makes it to its second consecutive BCS title game by the skin of its teeth.
Feel free to share your thoughts on this classic Georgia-Alabama showdown.
Got some thoughts on the Dawgs or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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189 comments Add your comment
Football Guy
December 1st, 2012
11:29 pm
Ha
fb
December 1st, 2012
11:34 pm
Richt is not the problem. We had some bad decisions by offensive lineman recruits. We came up short but I am proud of the Dogs. They are so much stronger than last year. I beliive we can compete with anybody and we proved it tonight.
Aaron
December 1st, 2012
11:45 pm
once again, GA is the king of moral championships. face the facts, yall knew we were gonna run it down your throats and did you stop it? no, you let TWO backs rush for over a 100. RTR MIAMI haters
North Georgia Dawg
December 1st, 2012
11:46 pm
My heart was racing all game and the game tonight certainly was a heartbreak for me… but I am proud of this group of bulldogs. Opposing fans and ESPN were giving the dogs no chance for the most part and yet Murray finally stepped up in a big game. One turnover and few bad decisions. That allowed us to have that chance to win. 260 passing yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Not Brady-like, but very solid against a good Bama defense. I’m proud of these guys and Coach Richt.
dog poop
December 1st, 2012
11:47 pm
Dear UGA players, now you can go back to your crime and drug use, carry on and let the arrests begin. Thanks for behaving for a few months.
dog poop
December 1st, 2012
11:50 pm
don’t worry dog poops, you will sign another top 5 recruiting class in Feb., have a parade and beat your chest once again how 2013 will be the year just like you have the past 32 years.
bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
BillBo
December 1st, 2012
11:50 pm
Seems a pity to see posied Qb’s like Hutson Mason & Christian Lemay sitting on the bench, to watch Murray go 1-11 vs. ranekd teams.
I’ll say it for the 1,000,000th time.
MURRAY WAS THE WRONG CHOICE FOR QB. AS A LEADER, HE’S LED HIS TEAM TO A 1-11 RECORD VS. RANKED TEAMS. MARK RICHT CHOSE THE WRONG GUY TO PLAY QB FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS.
SC Dog fan
December 1st, 2012
11:52 pm
I just have to say it again before I go to bed, disappointed as I am. Very proud of this team. You stand toe to toe with the best of the best and sometimes you catch the breaks and sometimes you don’t. But to even have a chance, you have to stand and trade from beginning to end. And boy did we ever! Good job guys!
BillBo
December 1st, 2012
11:56 pm
Yeah, Murray never catches a break in the last 12 games against ranked teams. At least he’s consistent. On a positive note, Murray did complete more than 35% this time, and only threw one interception.
North Georgia Dawg
December 2nd, 2012
12:00 am
How do you guys know that Mason isn’t horrible himself. He may be worse than Joe Cox for all you know.
Crimson Pride
December 2nd, 2012
12:05 am
Murray is a good quarterback and Georgia has a good team. They just aren’t quite as good as the Tide. I swear, some of you morons on here deserve a team like Auburn and not Georgia. Richt is a good coach and had his team playing well today. If compare your current coach to Saban, almost no one will be happy because Nick wins the big games almost every time.
Crimson Pride
December 2nd, 2012
12:07 am
Since when is losing to the best team in college football this year make a team bad? It’s true what they say, you can’t fix stupid.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:09 am
No UGA QB could be worse than 1-1 vs. ranked teams like Aaron Murray. Hutson Mason or Lemay would have a better record and give UGA a better chance of winning. You can’t get any worse than 1-11. Bet Bobo misses the David Greene days when he coached a poised QB who could lead his team to big wins over ranked teams. Murray just isn’t a gamer, now we know.
Woo Hoo
December 2nd, 2012
12:10 am
That was an awesome game. I was beginning to think UGA might win, and the sun would rise in the west tomorrow. But all is well after all. Georgia is still Georgia. And the sun will rise in the east tomorrow.
Crimson Pride
December 2nd, 2012
12:13 am
I think you’re one of those fans who believes they are right about everything. But hey, my team won so I’ll thoroughly enjoy this win while you can state why you know everything and are a genius.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:15 am
Murray is a good QB? LOL. Yeah, against teams with losing records. Check out how Murray did against LSU, UF, and BAMA. Didn’t complete many balls, or throw many td’s. Or go back to Boise St, South Carolina, LSU, or Mich St in 2011 and you’ll find Aaron Murray had three turnovers in three out of four of those 2011 losses.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:20 am
Murray just didn’t get the offense checked into the right plays enough, and he STILL, after 3 SEASONS, REFUSES TO THROW A HOT ROUTE TO A CHECKDOWN RECEIVER. Loves to chunk it 50 yards down the field for interceptions into double coverage. Poor execution by Aaron Murray on the last play, got the play off too slow, and then threw the pass too low, and telegraphed where he was going, so the ball got tipped by the dlineman.
Some guys NEVER learn.
Craig
December 2nd, 2012
12:33 am
I do not understand how anyone can be happy with a loss. Would Bama Nation be happy if they had lost the game tonight? No, they play for titles. What does UGA play for? If the fans out there do not care about wins then lets be like Vanderbilt or Kentucky. Let’s stop getting top 10 recruits and just play for fun. By the way, let’s get rid of the 90k plus stadium and get a 40k one. This is all loser speak. UGA does not do the little things and it can be said they win mainly becuase they have the better talent. Here is another question, what game did UGA not have the most talent on the field this year? The players said we have the most talented defense in the country and go out to give up 500 plus yards (350 rushing) and 32 points. The team scored 28 points. I would figure the best defense could win that. Grantham has only had one good defensive outing and that was the UF game this year. Everyone, it is UGA, not Vanderbilt. We are suppose to be compare to a Bama, USC, LSU, UF, Oklahoma, Ohio St, or Texas. Notice I did not put SC in that group. You people have gone so long without winning, you think a 4 point loss to Bama is a win. By the way, Richt thinks so too if you listened to his comments after the game. To add insult, Saban throws us some pity by saying we should be in a BCS game. How about win and you dont have to worry about that.
Craig
December 2nd, 2012
12:38 am
Crimson Pride, last I checked Auburn had a BCS title so if they never win again who cares. As I said, I am confused. Does UGA want titles or 10 win seasons. UGA gets top 10 talent. I could coach UGA to 8-10 wins with that talent. Let’s be honest, UGA was winning games before Richt got there. They just were not going to the SEC title game. If the school tells me I should not expect titles then I will stop waiting on them. Stop asking people to fill your big stadium and raking in all that money if you dont want titles.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:40 am
Johnny Manziel completed over 70% against Alabama. Even Zach Mettenberger had no problems against Alabama completing near 70% of his passes. Zach had a career best agaisnt Alabama passing it, and so did Manziel, Manziel wrapped up the Heisman against the lousy Alabama pass defense. Every ranked SEC Qb had a field day against Alabama’s pass defese. But Murray hit the wall again.
Same story, different verse.
The REAL Phil
December 2nd, 2012
12:40 am
How sad is it when Alabama fans are smarter and classier than UGA fans?
The REAL Phil
December 2nd, 2012
12:42 am
BillBo LeMay can’t even read the play signals from the sidelines. People like you that wouldnt know a football from a flying saucer shouldn’t be allowed here.
The REAL Phil
December 2nd, 2012
12:43 am
Craig how about if I were to tell you that we don’t need people like you in our stadium? Would you go away then?
Craig
December 2nd, 2012
12:43 am
Crimson Pride, that was Alabama that got worked at home by Texas A&M wasnt it? LSU had them on the ropes too. Wait until after the game on 7 Jan to say they are the best team. UGA has more talent but Richt, Bobo, Grantham, and Murray are the best defense against UGA winning in the big games. Murray had a good game if you look past the fact he misses a guy for a wide open TD and that he is too short to get his ball in the end zone on the final play. Bama is king but this team has flaws and the coach for ND has won some titles so we will see.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:44 am
Mark Richt doesn’t have the drive to be great.
Hire Chris Peterson or Kirby Smart before the SEC ocmpetition does.
It’s been 12 years.
Enough’s enough.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:45 am
I’d take Lemay over Murray in any game, anytime, anywhere.
What about Murray’s 1-11 record vs. ranked teams do you not understand?
Dawg4life
December 2nd, 2012
12:45 am
Look. I am angry too, but is firing Richt the answer? Who did we have before? Donan (he sucked by the way). How about before that? Goff (He sucked more). Before that? Oh yeah, Vince Dooley (National champion coach). Anyone want to guess how many 7-win or fewer seasons he had? Answer: 12, almost half of his tenure. Mark Richt has a MUCH better winning percentage. UGA has been traditionally terrible at hiring coaches, do you really want to take that chance? I don’t.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:47 am
Grantham can’t coach in big games. Seems like every big game in 2011 or 2012, Grantham’s defense ends up getting 30-45 points scored on it, except for the Florida game. The other 6 games the defense got lit up. The guy needs to be FIRED, IMEEDIATELY.
Craig
December 2nd, 2012
12:49 am
REAL Phil, what is your debate? Are you really happy that UGA cant win against the best teams in the country? Also, not to be funny but kicking someone out from being a UGA fan might just be a blessing. Maybe the problem is not Richt but the fact that lots of UGA fans down care about winning. I see no other way to explain it. By the way, that sound is more top recruits from the great state of Georgia going to Alabama because Saban can get them in the pros and they get to play and win the big games. You are sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Craig
December 2nd, 2012
12:53 am
I do not want to fire Richt but Bobo should be replaced. Grantham needs to get better too. It does not seem to me that Richt has a problem with losing these games. We lost 35-7 to SC. 28 points. How does that happen. By the way, what start player will get suspended to start next year. We play Clemson and SC the first two games. 0-2 anyone. Finally, name me the big game Murray has not had a turnover in?
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
12:56 am
UGA has 5 issues:
1- Richt isn’t driven enough to win a National Championship
2- Grantham isn’t good enough to win big games
3- Richt picked the wrong guy to be QB for the last 3 years, a guy who only plays big against losing teams, and is 1-11 vs ranked teams and usually plays below average in big games
4- Will Friend isn’t qualified to coach an offensive line
5- Players are more concerned about getting NFL drafted than winning big games, like Notre Dame was before Brian Kelly took over
Top Recruit
December 2nd, 2012
12:58 am
Dawg alum. Tough loss. Very tough on a player. As an alum, supporter, and fan it was a very good game to watch. Just great play after great play by players and coaches. The play of both squads was outstanding. To date this is the best SEC game of all time. This is what the SEC is all about. Elite play by elite teams…players and coaches. SEC is the best conference with the best universities in the land.
Take it to ND Tide.
And Dawgs take it to whoever wants to play us. Hopefully we do not move in the polls and go to the Sugar Bowl.
Congrats to the Dawgs on a great regular season and an outstanding play in the title game.
BillBo
December 2nd, 2012
1:07 am
Richt does JUST ENOUGH to NOT GET FIRED.
Is that the sign of a CHAMPION?
fb
December 2nd, 2012
2:01 am
You non-fans are idiots. We just lost to the best team in the nation. The ones who hate Richt were suggesting we would finish 6-6 before the Missouri game. We overachieved to some degree. Billbo, you obviously have not watched any game where Lemay played. He is so skittish it is sad.
Let’s go win our bowl, reload on defense and hit next year with a more polished O-Line. The O-Line improved but will be beasts the next couple of years.
BTW, I think Abry Jones would have made a huge difference tonight. The long runs came right down his alley all night.
I find it interesting how so many blame Murray. While he is a DGD, Jarvis Jones was a non-factor tonight.
Fair n Balanced
December 2nd, 2012
7:05 am
Mongrel- Get off this blog if you don’t have anything with saying. Im Proud to be a GA Bulldog and if we did something stupid to let CMR go, we would be far less off.
Watch uga self destruct
December 2nd, 2012
8:04 am
Georgia’s strategy to get the biggest, fastest, dumbest athletes always backfires on them. You can count on MR and his coaching staff to pull a boneheaded play or the “athletes” to do something equally as stupid. In any case, uga will never win the big games because choking is built into their dna
EasyMoney
December 2nd, 2012
8:09 am
I dont know who has squandered more talent; my t-bat coach when he didn’t play me all the time, the Atl Braves or Coach Mark Richt. Hey, but the money is gooood. Who care about pride. Pride can be a foolish thing. Hey water-girl; how about some more caviar and turn that big screen back to the Micky Mouse Club.
legionaire
December 2nd, 2012
8:22 am
Bill a loss is a loss. Great game between 2 great teams. I agree the officiating was questionable as it always is for any team playing Bama. Overall it was the kind of game I love to watch. I don’t think it helps for any UGA fan to point a finger of blame for a loss. UGA ran out of time. It was that simple. It was a great season.
LucyDawg
December 2nd, 2012
8:34 am
Having lived outside of the south for 15 years and understanding how others view us (ignorant for starters) it has long been a dream of mine that we could prove them wrong. However, reading the comments here by ill-informed (and possibly drunk) hotheads calling for the firing of the coaching staff and belittling team members just reinforces that stereotype.
For God’s sake, put on your big boy panties, man up and realize that these boys played an amazing game. Yes we can debate the “spike the ball” issue until the cows come home but if the pass play had worked (and it would have if the ball had not been tipped), we’d all be calling everyone a genius right now.
So stop rubbing salt in wounds. Hold your head high along with the team and coaches and repeat after me, “It’s GREAT to be a Georgia Bulldog.”
bill
December 2nd, 2012
8:54 am
I figure some of the wack-a-doodle bloggers on here hating UGA must have lost a lot of $$$. Then there is a Bama fan calling out Saban-Good Lord-look at his record. Bama will kill Notre Dame. ESPN staff and crew were in the Connecticutt streets when Conley fell down. They were all doing “self dirty deeds” to Irish dance music and Sweet Home Alabama.. Holtz and May were running naked down the street.
flintriverdawg
December 2nd, 2012
9:12 am
coulda….woulda……….shouda……..its an empty feeling for sure when those last few seconds evaporate and its all over after all the effort………not unlike that night of nov 6 about 10pm…………..thanks guys for one of the best games anyone could of asked for……….so close, so friggin’ close!
Reality check
December 2nd, 2012
9:36 am
Love the way Bama never gets called for holding or blocks in the back. People will say it’s because they’re ” well coached” yet they fumble 3 times, throw a pick, fall for a fake punt and have a kick blocked. I know the SEC referee office is in Bama but that’s awful. And the refs did it all season, ask other teams. Notre Dame will get a fairer shot with no refs from SEC to tilt the calls for Bama.
Dog4Life
December 2nd, 2012
10:12 am
I am very disappointed in the loss–always time for reflection and armchair QBing after the game–but it was a great game and UGA has nothing to be ashamed of. Listen to this naysayers, UGA played as hard as they could for four quarters and never gave up–some questionable calls and plays for sure, but if you are ashamed of this team, there is no help for ever pleasing you. Go Dawgs!!!! and thaks for a great season.
yarddawg
December 2nd, 2012
10:26 am
Monger ….. It would seem you are still a 5 year old. Proud of those Dawgs and will always bleed red and black.
yarddawg
December 2nd, 2012
10:32 am
Billbo and Craig ….. please go away. UGA does not need you and would be better off without you
DawginLex
December 2nd, 2012
10:51 am
Proud of the Dawgs. It takes a fully functioning brain to realize just how good we are. Some on here don’t have a fully functioning brain so they want richt fired. You are too stupid to go outside without an adult to drive you.
true dawg881
December 2nd, 2012
11:12 am
To all you crabs hating on georgia find anothier team.Im proud to be a dawg today last year and next year.This loss is a very tough pill to swallow.But the dawgs played like a champ last night Now i come on this blog and everyone bashing georgia football and florida fans talking crap remember this florida fans 2years in a row and muskratt will never beat georgia 1 field goal cost us that game go dawgs
Football 101
December 2nd, 2012
11:21 am
…… you gotta run the ball and stop the run.
ARdawg
December 2nd, 2012
11:35 am
Someone was going to lose this game. As it happens that someone was Georgia on that night. No shame in that game. The Bulldogs laid it all out on the field. They came to win and they played to win. If you are a bulldog fan and don’t appreciate the effort the players and the coaches put in that game please, stop being a fan.
Bama was a better team in that game. My hat is off to Bama Nation now, go beat ND and make all of us proud.
I’ve no doubt the two best teams in the country were playing in the SEC championship. Georgia was not the best team on that night.
On the last play for all you loudmouth hotshots who have likely never played the game. Yes a spiked ball might have given us 2 more plays. It might have given us only one more play. Not spiking the ball also sans the tipped pass would’ve caught Bama defenders out of position and a likely TD. One can second guess that choice until the cows come home. Neither could have been successful or both could have.
Tough loss Dawgs but I for one couldn’t be any more proud of your performance even if you had won.
It’s still GREAT to be a GEORGIA BULLDOG!!
DP
December 2nd, 2012
12:04 pm
The Dawgs have laid some eggs in big games in recent years but they gave 60 minutes of effort yesterday and have nothing to be ashamed of. To the minority of Dawg fans, the whining excuse makers whose latest excuse is Alabama was holding on every play but not called for it, since Alabama made most of its rushing yardage on plays between the tackles, if anybody was being held it would have been the nose tackle. Here’s a New York Times article on the game that includes quotes from GA nose tackle John Jenkins. Notice that he doesn’t say anything about being held, he says “They were technically sound. It was position blocking.” Not that anything is going to stop the excuses of the whiners. To them, suck on it. To the rest of Dawg Nation, congratulations on a great effort.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/sports/ncaafootball/alabama-can-thank-eddie-lacy-who-can-thank-the-line.html?ref=ncaafootball&_r=0
Jenkins, still baffled by Alabama’s blocking, sought out Fluker after the game. During the game, Jenkins would collide with Steen or Fluker, who would immediately get their hands on him and steer him out of the hole. If Fluker occupied Jenkins, or defensive lineman Kwame Geathers, Steen would come in from the side and move him just enough for Lacy to squeeze through.
“They caught me off guard because nobody had ever used it on me,” Jenkins said of the blocking strategy. “Somehow, he would draw my momentum to him and get in front of me. They were technically sound. It was position blocking.”