It was “a one-play game,” and Georgia couldn’t make it
Charles Scott breaks tackles, breaking UGA hearts as well. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS – So much happened Saturday that it was hard to sort sense from nonsensical, let alone winners from losers. LSU left at least 20 points on the field and won. Georgia played inspired defense for 57 minutes and lost. But after all the noise and passion and largess and, yes, excess, one sentence spoken by Joe Cox resonated: “It was a one-play game.”
LSU made the play. Georgia did not. LSU is unbeaten. Georgia has been beaten twice. LSU is a Top 10 program. Georgia, sad to say, is not.
From Jeff Owens, the defensive tackle: “What I take from this is that it’s a loss. No matter how pretty or how ugly, a W’s a W. That’s what you play for.”
Georgia did things Saturday we weren’t sure it could do. It sacked a quarterback. (Six times!) It found a back who could hit a hole. (Washaun Ealey, a freshman.) It stood in against a heavyweight opponent and trailed after 15, 30 and 45 minutes but led after 59. And still it lost.
It didn’t lose because its best player didn’t make another great play. He did. A.J. Green stole a ball in the end zone from Chris Hawkins with 69 seconds left to put Georgia ahead. The lead lasted 23 seconds. It didn’t help that Green was flagged for excessive celebration, which forced the Bulldogs to kick off from the 15. (According to the officials, Green “made a gesture to the crowd calling attention to himself.” Whatever.)
But credit LSU. Trindon Holliday returned the kickoff 40 yards, and another Georgia penalty — illegal procedure while kicking off — gave LSU the ball at the Georgia 38. Meaning: The Tigers were almost in field-goal range without taking a snap. Two snaps later, Charles Scott was in the end zone. Owens, Marcus Dowtin and Rennie Curran, the best tackler in the SEC, had shots at Scott and whiffed.
There’s your one play. LSU hit a home run. Georgia took three swings and sat back down.
“We got there,” Curran said. “We didn’t do a good job wrapping up. … We definitely missed an opportunity to achieve greatness and make history.”
The men of Willie Martinez limited LSU to 132 yards over the final two quarters, but they also yielded two touchdowns in the final three minutes. There wasn’t much that separated these teams, but at the highest level of football there isn’t. Big games come down to one play. You make it or you find your games aren’t as big down the road.
And let’s not dwell overmuch on Georgia’s celebration. LSU was flagged for one, too. Thing was, the Tigers tackled Brandon Boykin at the Georgia 33 with 42 seconds remaining, as opposed to letting him return the ball past midfield. Another tiny but telling difference.
“I don’t know what happened [on the celebration penalty],” Cox said, “but it must have been really bad for them to throw a flag after you score the go-ahead touchdown against the No. 4 team in the country with 1:09 to play.”
Said Mark Richt, speaking of LSU’s adjudged excessive celebration: “I thought they were well within their celebratory rights.”
Here Richt gave a little laugh. Earlier he’d likened this game to the 2002 epic that cold day at Auburn. Georgia trailed 14-3 at the half and could have been down by 24, but Jon Stinchcomb recovered a fumble in the end zone, and Michael Johnson outjumped a defender in the end zone on fourth-and-14. And then — we forget this now — the defense made one final stop to seal the SEC East title.
There was a time under Richt when Georgia made the one play, the winning play. That time was not Saturday. That time, it seems, has passed.
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1,022 comments Add your comment
defactodawg
October 3rd, 2009
9:07 pm
The game turned on the celebration call but it never should have come to that.Kickoff coverage is pathetic, the team is unsound, undisciplined and that comes from coaching. There must be change on the staff or CMR can take them all with him after he’s run out of town.
gatorhator
October 3rd, 2009
9:11 pm
ok can we now see what murray or mettenburger can do…seen enough of CHUCKy lets prep em for next year.
Nickie
October 3rd, 2009
9:11 pm
Enter your comments hereGeaux, Tigers!!!!
joecoxsux
October 3rd, 2009
9:12 pm
woof woof woof woof woof. hahahahhahahhaha
Geaux Tigers!!! L-S-U!!!
JohnnyT
October 3rd, 2009
9:12 pm
The SEC should be ashamed. Both celebration penalties were ridiculous. Suspend the crew!
AC in Boulder
October 3rd, 2009
9:12 pm
that was the single worst call i’ve ever seen, It’s hard to rally after an absurd, game changing call like that.
Dawg1
October 3rd, 2009
9:12 pm
How can you say “that time has passed” when we made the winning play (or stop) the last 3 weeks?? I’m not happy about the loss either, especially when we had the lead with 1:09 to play but there’s no need for any sweeping generalizations about a team that pulled out a W the last 3 weeks and fell just short today. Not to mention the fact that we have 7 games left on our schedule and plenty more opportunities to make “the one play, the winning play.” Play tight ballgames 4 weeks in a row and go 3-1 in that stretch, losing only to the #4 team in the country?? I’ll take it.
Mary Wanna
October 3rd, 2009
9:13 pm
UGA and LSU should be ranked right next to each other at #15 & 16. UGA is still in the SEC east race, and all three units are capable of stepping up. Can the coaches? Doubt it, but you never know!
Bad Mojo for UF on Halloween.
Mark Bradley
October 3rd, 2009
9:14 pm
Come to me, Timmy, I will give you rest and love and also I hate Georgia and am a big fat impotent pathetic Florida/LSU fluffing concern trollsacksuck.
matt
October 3rd, 2009
9:14 pm
Two average teams. Lots of mistakes by both. Not the refs fault that the offense stuck up the joint in the first half. Defense played better but that was because the genius Les Miles was on the other sideline.
The Truth
October 3rd, 2009
9:14 pm
It was a great game and I hate to see it decided by the officials but give LSU credit and for once can we not bash WM the D played well enough to win… the offense looked horrible in the first half and the best player in college football AJ GREEN almost stole a W for the Dawgs ,,, great game but hate to see a bad call ruin the finish….
Here we go again
October 3rd, 2009
9:16 pm
I’m a tech fan… but the excessive celebration penalties were bogus.
BUT I think the refs could have also easily called intentional grounding in the end zone on cox earlier in the game, but didn’t. so there you go.
AC in Boulder
October 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
At least we are Georgia grads and fans. it’s better to wake up as a Dawg than a scumbag, trailertrash, inbred, uneducated LSU Pedophile. In other words, we win in life just like always…
UGAguy
October 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
Outcoached again, but a helluva game on a beautiful afternoon. That excessive celebration call was baffling and it changed everything. The guys on TV kept running replays, trying to find a reason for it, and couldn’t. But a little tackling practice might help in a 4th quarter with a slim lead.
JDW
October 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
I can’t say we should have won…we had our chances and as you say we did not make the one play. Still you should not diminish the impact of the celebration call. The play of the game should not be made by the line judge. The call impacted the game in a huge way. Even with our poor coverage of the kickoff the whole scheme changes if we have them at thier 48 vs our 37. They were already in field goal range and that dictated our coverage and defensive scheme. We had no room for error and it showed. At the end of the day we sit 3-2 but wouldn’t you like to finish those games without the calls against Rashad Jones and AJ?
Mark Bradley
October 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
I’m a pathetic loser and should be sacked after the next round of AJC firings.
The SEC Referees For Tonight's Game
October 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
Calm down bulldog fans, we COULD have called AJ Green for pushing off against every defender. Perhaps we will, then you will have a 3 win season.
dogcrap
October 3rd, 2009
9:19 pm
It’s really quite simple. ugag sucks!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
George
October 3rd, 2009
9:19 pm
Im curious why Les Miles gets all the breaks (calls, votes, etc..) and Richt doesnt. Has Jesus lost his pull?
JDW
October 3rd, 2009
9:20 pm
PS you guys quit yakking about intentional grounding…Chapas number 49 and an eligible reciever was within 2 yards of that ball.
Ginger
October 3rd, 2009
9:20 pm
We had our chances… overthrew Green on probable TD in beginning and missed field goal, but players are human…Every Dog has his day….hopefully, corrections can be made…thought we did play much better defense today and had a lot of heart. Adjustment on offense..Cox has to be more accurate, play Ealey more–must have a running game…play Evans more on offense…need more consistent threats..potential is there…I chose to have hope rather than gloom and doom & despair
Mary Wanna
October 3rd, 2009
9:21 pm
stendec: Sending all Richt critics to Hell for (I assume) eternity is a little harsh on the fan base.
modawg
October 3rd, 2009
9:22 pm
Here’s another example of the refs deciding the outcome of a game. The call against AJ was uncalled for and even the announcers on CBS said so. The refs that make stupid calls should be suspended.
Gator Hater
October 3rd, 2009
9:23 pm
Granted, the dawgs didn’t play an inspired first half. There were alot of plays in the game that could have changed the outcome (Cox overthrows AJ in the first half, missed field goal, etc). With all the missed chances, we still drove the ball down field with the game on the line and scored the go ahead TD. The shame is an official can take a small gesture in an emotional situation and call such a costly penalty.
It did affect the outcome of the game!!! and anyone who says it didn’t is just plan ignorant…..but life goes on.
North Avenue Trade School Addict
October 3rd, 2009
9:23 pm
Aww…the poor wittle doggies. A.J. “Push-Off” Green, Reshad “Cheap-Shot” Jones and Joe “I Could Care Less” Cox didn’t get a chance to strut their wittle hip hop dance moves during the 4th quarter today.
Cry me an e-coli infested Chattanooga river.
Your leader, Saint Mark, was asked about being the most penalized – answer: “No big deal”.
Your leader, Saint Mark, was asked about dancing in the 4th quarter –
answer: “No big deal”.
Makes a Tech fan feel nice and warm inside. Here’s a toast to Saint Mark!
kevin
October 3rd, 2009
9:23 pm
Mark Bradley jinxed them dawgs
Jerry
October 3rd, 2009
9:24 pm
They got what they wanted unbeaten lsu versus unbeaten florida lets see what happens when tebow scores a touchdown and motions towards the crowd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
matt
October 3rd, 2009
9:24 pm
Modawg,
Whether it was a bad call or not, the Dawgs made tons of mistakes. Only losers blame the refs.
GeezusDawg
October 3rd, 2009
9:25 pm
A bad celebration call in the 1st or 2nd quarter does not impact the game because you have chances to overcome a bad call (2 or 3 more quarters). A bad celebration call with 1:30 (+/-) left in the 4th is inexcusable and inexplicably impacts the outcome of the game. Hats off to the D – GREAT game. No turnovers until the end (when the game was essentially over) – great job as well. Welcome to the big time Washaun!!!!
NXS
October 3rd, 2009
9:25 pm
Defense played very well considering they were on the field the entire second half… but the last three minutes were nothing to brag about. Booboo’s play calling was typically weak and uninspiring. And when we finally find a back that can run the ball, we pull him and give it to King. Go figure. The celebration penalty was a game changer and a pretty bogus call. Too bad the NCAA says kids can’t enjoy themselves when they make a great play. Of course, also too bad our team can’t act like they’ve been in the endzone before. I was hoping it wouldn’t be, but I’m afraid it’s going to be very long season….
jim
October 3rd, 2009
9:26 pm
Mark,
the gist of your article seems a bit out of line. Surely you actually pay attention to the ups & downs of college football from year to year? You write that “that time has passed” as if UGA is on a downward trend? it wasn’t 20 months ago that UGA was playing in a BCS bowl. you’d have to say that the future looks bright & this is NOT a program that is regressing? So UGA does NOT pull a rabbit out of the hat & “the time has passed”? What exactly does that mean?
and standec.. I can copy/paste, too!
stendec, go beat your blow-up doll & move on with life. I laugh at all of you who cry & moan about CMR…Assistants, I’ll give you some wiggle room on that. But go look at the top 25 rankings. There are probably only about 3 or 4 teams in the top 25 who are also not whining about their coaching staff to some degree. Same coaching staff here that finished #2 in 2007. There are probably some stupid fans calling for Pete Carrol to be fired, too. Geesh.
Mark Bradley
October 3rd, 2009
9:27 pm
Folks, the game wasn’t decided by a penalty with 1:09 to go. Nothing prevented Georgia from tackling Trindon Holliday, did it? Nothing stopped Georgia from tackling Charles Scott and blocking a field goal, did it?
I’m sorry I’m not giving you all what you want on this, but … actually, I’m not sorry. No matter what happens, you have to play the next play. And Georgia allowed a long kickoff return and a long touchdown run and a 2-point conversion and then failed to get a decent return after LSU’s matching penalty.
dawgdip
October 3rd, 2009
9:27 pm
Not only was the penalty bogus, but it was the wrong penalty. Shouldn’t it have been excessive celebration–a stupid penalty in college football anyway–instead of unsportsmanlike conduct? And where was the back-up quarterback when Cox struggled in the first half?
Buckhead Bulldog
October 3rd, 2009
9:27 pm
The last second heroics finally caught up with the Dogs today. Bad call at the end, but good teams never put themselves into those type of situations to begin with…and that goes for LSU, as well. I was not impressed with UGA in the first half, and I was not impressed with LSU in the second. Both teams have a lot of work to do if they want to have success with the remainder of their schedules. Ugly game all the way around…officials included!
boots
October 3rd, 2009
9:28 pm
Officials should not decide the outcome of a game. Period.
getalife
October 3rd, 2009
9:28 pm
Les thought he found the key to winning watching the Ga. Tech option on film.
Then he blew two forth downs and walked off the field at half time with time on the clock.
Both coaches suked but the talent on offense and defense belonged to LSU.
Scott and the receivers wanted this one but must play better against Florida.
Florida is a great team without Tebow but let the flags fly when Tebow makes a play.
cleveland jacket
October 3rd, 2009
9:28 pm
Enter your comments here face it Dawg fans you have a very average team this year, but I’m sure ANOTHER great recuiting year will solve all your problems. see ya in November
Mary Wanna
October 3rd, 2009
9:31 pm
Hey North Ave Addict, you livin’ in a van down by the Chattanooga River?
Georgia Raised
October 3rd, 2009
9:33 pm
What a tough loss!!! I’m surprised so many people blame the refs on the loss – did you see what happened on the return?!?!? I mean really, LSU got the same (terrible call) flag on the previous TD… anyway, at least the D was pretty good throughout the game but just couldn’t close it out. We should have won this one for sure, but we didn’t deserve it – if we had played all 4 Quarters, it would have been an easy win.
Lowcountry Dawg
October 3rd, 2009
9:34 pm
Cox should have been pulled early…or at least give one of our young Freshman QBs a shot…Early was impressive…why doesn’t he play more?
Defense played very well…until the last 90 seconds. We had Scott stopped, we just didn’t wrap him up and make the play.
The question now is this: How will UGA handle the loss? So far, from listening to the quotes by Rennie and JC, they understand. THAT comes from the head guy, Mark Richt. Also, I like how Richt made no big deal concerning the Unsportmanlike Conduct penalities…he understood the team did not play well.
We’ll lick our wounds, get ready to go to Rocky Top and show big “yellow-orange” who we are…
GO DAWGS!!!
Frank Lane
October 3rd, 2009
9:36 pm
On the intentional grounding non-call in the end zone. Look at the film again. The pass landed within two yards of an eligible receiver, number 49. That pass was closer to Chapas many of Cox’s other passes were to open receivers in the first half.
I though the whole game was poorly officiated. On LSU’s first drive an incomplete pass was ruled complete. I have it in slow motion. The LSU player’s one foot came down on the chalk, clear as can be. He was not in bounds. Would have stopped LSU’s first scoring drive. The excessive celebration penalties were absurd both directions. There was no bragging and no taunting, just exuberousness. I am an Georgia fan, but you cannot play a good team and have no offense for an entire half. We did not deserve to win, despite the comeback.
Mary Wanna
October 3rd, 2009
9:36 pm
HEY MARK BRADLEY: I know you’re reading this, so, as resident expert, please give us an answer: The newer rules on celebrations probhibit what exactly?
Appreciate your shots from the hip.
Steve-o
October 3rd, 2009
9:37 pm
All 3 “excessive celebration” penalties in the game were bogus–they affected Georgia far more than LSU. It’s like my mom used to say–if you want to win, you have to be prepared to beat the other team AND the referees. Today, Georgia could beat neither.
GeezusDawg
October 3rd, 2009
9:37 pm
Then, MB, SHOW me the excessive celebration. The fact that there was a “give back” call to Charles Scott illustrates how ridiculous college football has become. The facts is, Division 1-A football (as it should be called) is a multi-billion dollar business and when a business reaches that kind of profitability, there is typically oversight and regulation. I’m not saying there was a Huey P. Long influence, just that when BILLIONS of dollars (as a sport) are on the line, real-time arbitration from a neutral party should be an option on “questionable” calls. Hell, I would love to “self-regulate” myself.
George
October 3rd, 2009
9:37 pm
You want the real story/facts, listen to Kevin Butler. He tells it like it is. We are a B + program. Always have been. Period. 3 glory years (1 NC) with the greatest to ever play the game. Besides that, we are above average, never great.
Maybe next year, we’ve waited 29 years, whats one more?
Joe
October 3rd, 2009
9:37 pm
Hey Mark, if UGA is going to quit playing football, why don’t you follow in the old fart’s footsteps, Bisher, and start writing about Gtu everyday?
See how many web hits you get writing about that 2nd tier program.
Look, UGA is not going away. They are loaded to the gills with young talent, and Mark Richt will bring in new assistants or be fired.
UGA was the better team today, has the best player in the country and deserved to win.
They will win the rest of their games, and will pants Gtu and their high school offense.
Mark, if you want to go the way of Terrence Moore, please start writing platitudes about Gtu and start ignoring UGA. You would be doing all of us a favor by going the way of Moore.
I remember a time when super talented writers penned the daily papers. Now, there are just two-bit, yellow journalists, jealous of the talent of the many bloggers who bring real, insightful articles every day.
Gator Hater
October 3rd, 2009
9:37 pm
To all those who keep saying Georgia is going downhill….the fact is we lost 3 players to the NFL first two rounds. Two of them left early. Joe never got playing time and we still don’t have a running back.
If we can keep AJ around, and we mature as a team, we will be really good the next 3+ years. I also hope we can improve on our kick coverages, they are just pathetic..
Jeff
October 3rd, 2009
9:38 pm
dawdip, Vince Dooley pushed this rule into being. I’ve never like the rule. It’s bad for football. But, if you want someone to blame, blame Dooley for pushing so hard for the rule.
GeoffDawg
October 3rd, 2009
9:38 pm
I’m sick that the refs so often these days take the game out of the hands of the players and impose their own sense of morality on the outcome. They are not the examples of impartial integrity that anyone should emulate. Also, while LSU got a matching penalty, Georgia still had to go the length of the field to score a touchdown while LSU got the ball practically in field goal range from the get go. You move that ball fifteen yards back and Georgia doesn’t crowd the line of scrimmage and LSU probably doesn’t bust a TD run. Calling that penalty on LSU may have been the refs trying to look even handed but at that point, the damage was done. It would’ve taken a miracle finish for the Dawgs to come back from that hole.
North Avenue Trade School Addict
October 3rd, 2009
9:39 pm
Yeah Mary, I drove my chevy to the levy, but the levy ain’t dry