Fighting to the finish, Georgia overrides Florida – and history
A sight seldom seen in Jacksonville: Mark Richt victorious. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Jacksonville — At halftime Mark Richt invoked the fresh memory of the St. Louis Cardinals. “Guys that don’t quit have a chance,” he told his Georgia Bulldogs.
Much later, Richt would tell the assembled media: “We didn’t quit.”
Folks can and will argue over the worth of one victory over a Florida team that hasn’t won since September, but no one can question the weight that had fallen on the Bulldogs regarding their strange inability to win this one game. “There was some history and some demons,” Richt said, and the way this game began it was as if those demons would beat Georgia by themselves.
Florida’s first play from scrimmage netted 72 yards. Its first touchdown came on a fourth-and-19 pass 7 1/2 minutes into the game. (Who goes for it on fourth-and-19 so early in any game?) Its second touchdown came on a 99-yard kickoff return by its second-best returner. Everything that had gone wrong for Georgia in this series the past two decades was going wrong all at once, but that, in a weird way, might have been for the best.
Said cornerback Brandon Boykin: “You could say a lot of bad things happened. We had to calm down. But this team is special. After we lost to Boise, I told people, ‘Don’t worry about this team.’ We’ve bounced back.”
Said offensive coordinator Mike Bobo of his team’s 17-3 deficit: “Nobody said, ‘Hey, here we go again.’ ”
Surely a few Bulldogs thought it, but they put aside any nattering negativity to focus on the task at hand. Said Todd Grantham, the defensive coordinator: “That game was a test of our mental toughness. We kept going. We kept playing the next play.”
One play changed this game and maybe the course of Georgia’s season. The same Richt who’d ordered a field goal on fourth-and-goal against Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl last December rediscovered the nerve that had marked him as a young head coach. Ninety seconds before halftime, his team down 14 points, Richt had Aaron Murray throw into the end zone on fourth-and-five. Michael Bennett hauled it down, and from there Georgia believed.
Said Alec Ogletree, the superb linebacker: “Once the offense scored right before halftime, we fed off that.”
The Gators’ offense, overseen by the famous Charlie Weis, would manage 32 yards and one first down in the second half against Grantham’s defenders. With quarterback John Brantley unable to work under center due to an ankle injury, Florida went almost exclusively to the empty backfield, and Grantham, cogitating on the fly, trumped Weis at every turn.
Grantham: “It’s a credit to our players … From halftime on, we were playing a new game plan.”
Midway through the third quarter, Richt did it again. His team down seven points, Richt chose to have Murray throw again — to different receiver down a different sideline — on fourth-and-six, and Tarvarres King outfought Jaylen Watkins for the ball. At last, the game was tied. It would come untied due to a field goal generated by another long kickoff return, but by then Georgia had made its point: This day would not be like other days against the hated Gators.
Richt: “I just thought the best thing to do was to go for it on fourth down. I just felt like we needed a touchdown. I didn’t think threes were going to get it.”
The fourth quarter was all Bulldogs, and they celebrated in a way that far outstripped a four-point victory over a 4-4 opponent. What did this game mean? Said King: “Everything. We’re back.”
Again, that might be overstating. But when a team has failed so often in this venue, any break in the pattern is major news. “Now that it’s over,” Richt said, “I can say, ‘Yeah, it was a big deal.’ It was a big deal for me personally.”
For two years we’ve parsed Georgia results and asked, “What does this mean for Richt’s job status?” After Saturday, we can say this much for sure: Richt’s Bulldogs started 0-2 but have won six in a row; they’ve beaten Florida, which hadn’t happened since 2007, and they’ve kept themselves in position to take the SEC East if South Carolina slips. At this moment, it’s almost impossible to imagine Georgia parting ways with this coach anytime soon.
No, this isn’t the most polished bunch you’ll see. (Richt described his special team as “mostly average to scary.”) But Georgia spotted Florida 14 points and held its nerve in a way the Gators — 14 penalties for 106 yards — could not. In a game where the Bulldogs invariably invent ways to lose, they found a way to win. They might not be the smoothest-running bunch, but these ‘Dogs will hunt — and fight.
By Mark Bradley
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932 comments Add your comment
Shine
October 30th, 2011
11:59 am
If Richt is kept, please change the name of the college and athletics to the Athens Bulldogs. Dont group the whole state into this mediocrity.
evil empire
October 30th, 2011
11:59 am
al golden is the next head coach in athens…unless cmr wants to stay…he has a job for life with uga….great coach, teams always look prepared, recruits quality student athletes, sterling leader of young men….hahahaha
zbulldawg
October 30th, 2011
12:00 pm
There’s something very special being assembled here ! This year will always be remembered as the one that got it started ! 0&2 to the FUTURE. ” SICK em DAWGS” Anybody know a special teams coach that needs a job? I know where there’s an opening. Get well soon Dallas Lee!!!!
BDK
October 30th, 2011
12:00 pm
Comparing the wins of the bugs in the lowly pathetic All crappy conference to the wins of the Dogs in the #1 conference in the land. Now that’s funny. One thing the Nerds can say about the remaining games is that they have the tougher schedule. They have to play Uga while Uga only has to play Tech.
DePort
October 30th, 2011
12:01 pm
All you people ever do is complain … I know UGA didnt play their best .. but every team has problems … We won the game … The coaches called a decent game …. sooo GET OVER IT and STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERYTHING !!!!!
CDAWG
October 30th, 2011
12:02 pm
These Dawgs have something we haven’t had in a while and that is “HEART” Man I am proud of the Dawgs. We may not be the best team in the land but we definitely have something to be proud of!
1eyedJack
October 30th, 2011
12:04 pm
What is the deal with Boo Malcome?
War EagleRut
October 30th, 2011
12:04 pm
Reading this sh** is really a joke……again the Dawgs are on top of the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is really sad…..they played poorly and should have lost.
Ron
October 30th, 2011
12:05 pm
Mark Richt went on record saying beating a team like Florida with a 4-4 record to “meant a lot to him personally”.
Sad.
Your Friend on FB
October 30th, 2011
12:06 pm
Ron, son, your it’s a 5th down party
Your Friend on FB
October 30th, 2011
12:07 pm
Ron, son, I can only imagine if the Dawgs didn’t win. Anyway, we won so you can suck it.
evil empire
October 30th, 2011
12:08 pm
you tell ‘em zbulldawg…this is the beginning of something special…national champions in 12, 13, 14, etc…as many as cmr wants to win…we may never lose again…herschel is nowhere near the back crowell is…murray looks like a more polished version of tarkenton…jarvis jones plays like a more talented version of lawrence taylor…if lombardi were to come back to earth, he’d chart plays for richt and bobo, maybe be in charge of the headphone cables for coach richt…samuel looks like a cross between jim brown and hercules…yada, yada, yada….you were given a victory by the worst florida squad in 20+ years…GATA…hahaha…
dawgfan realist
October 30th, 2011
12:10 pm
Why do we call long passes on 1st down so often? It’s a low % play that’s leaves 2 and 10. next play off tackle for 3 yards, leaves a 3rd and 7, tough place to be against a good D. WHAT’S WRONG WITH MIXING IN A SHORT PASSING GAME???
evil empire
October 30th, 2011
12:12 pm
you tell ‘em cdawg…i’m so proud of my dawgs…took the “G” plate off the front of the truck and am holding it as i type…good times indeed my friend, good times…
Coffee Bluff DAWG
October 30th, 2011
12:17 pm
The DEF is something special. Give credit to Brantley, a tough kid, but no help on UF O Line and Jarvis on the blitz – good night Gators.
Next year the UGA DEF will be scary good. This team has turned the corner on the UGA-UF series.
dawg fan
October 30th, 2011
12:18 pm
uf fans its cold out today because hell frooze over cause uga beat u!!!!!!!!!
All I remember is
October 30th, 2011
12:19 pm
UGA squeezed by unranked 4-4 Florida and
Georgia Tech crushed undefeated #5 Clemson.
Football Bat
October 30th, 2011
12:20 pm
I’m just wondering if given another play Richt would have run up another touchdown or kneed the ball to win by 4 and not hurt CWM’s feelings.
evil empire
October 30th, 2011
12:21 pm
you tell ‘em dawg fan…when did you graduate from uga?
dawg fan
October 30th, 2011
12:24 pm
in 1992
evil empire
October 30th, 2011
12:24 pm
hey football bat, cmr don’t think that way…win with class…
Bud
October 30th, 2011
12:28 pm
Dawg from Columbus ” We love you Jarvis & Isaiah “. Heard we don’t have designated special team’s coach , let’s get one. Who’s our backup place kicker, it’s time to give him a chance till Walsh can get his head right. Great defense , need to get both sides playing as one big machine.
Yellow Fuzz
October 30th, 2011
12:34 pm
Hahaha. Glad all you chest pounding, AH dog nation represenatives on here were able to get by a banged up Florida team. Hahaha. While THE GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS totally dominated the #5 ranked team in the nation (which had far more talent and depth than us) with our “2 star players”, “gimmick, high school offense” and “80 year old defensive coordinator”. See you soon doggies. You may beat us but you will have to play the game of your life. There is NO WAY that you have more talent than Clemson.
FEAR THE FUZZ!
Bobo is Not the Problem
October 30th, 2011
12:35 pm
That is the worst Florida team since the Zook years. Brantley could barely start for KY or Vandy. He is truly terrible, and they have no running game. Both teams looked awful. It looked like KY-Vandy. Terrible football. Terrible special teams by UGA, mediocre UGA offense, and a totally inept Florida offense.
FIRE MARK RICHT.
Well
October 30th, 2011
12:36 pm
Congrats to Tech on their win and #23 rankings…I wonder what UGA is ranked?
Well
October 30th, 2011
12:37 pm
@ All I remember…you’re stupid…Florida was 4-3…
Bobo is Not the Problem
October 30th, 2011
12:38 pm
DePort and all you other free-speech suppressors: move to Iraq and join the administration. Start your own dictatorship on an island somewhere. But quit being classless “fans” who really support the status quo and mediocrity. Sick fans jump on other true fans for having an opinion different than yours. You are losers.
FIRE MARK RICHT.
Tampa Gator
October 30th, 2011
12:38 pm
Back for some more biased, slanted punishment…..
P.S…….If you are ever in the Clearwater/Clearwater Beach area….and want a great Sunday brunch…..visit the “Island Way Grill” on the causeway between the city and the beach. It is becoming a family Sunday tradition. Nothing finer in Atlanta.
Now…..for all of you thinking Florida is doomed.
1. Florida’s entire defense (except Jaye Howard) returns next year…and most return for 2 or 3 more years. Needs on D to be address by recruiting:
More quality LB depth…..see Jeromi Powell (very fast OLB) and Antonio Morrison (big ILB).
More depth on a young OL – see D.J. Humphies, Jassamen Dunkler, and Omari Phillips (who is equally good on the DL).
Big WR with great hands – see Leroy Pittman (and more to come)
Power back – see MAN CHILD Matt Jones 6′3″ 225 and fast and powerful
Slashing back to back up the man child – Mike Davis out of the Atlanta area
Blocking TE for the running game who can also run patterns and catch the ball – see Colin Thompson, 6′5″ 255 (5 star)
Pass receiving TE with great hands – see Kent Taylor (who Richt wanted very badly)
Free safety who can run, defend, and tackle well – see Marcus Maye and Rhaheim Ledbetter
Add these names and more to the 79% of 4 and 5 stars that make up Florida’s roster….and it won’t be long before the Gators are a power in the SEC again. Muschamp and Weis just need to get their type of players and get more depth…..AND IT IS ON THE WAY.
Georgia is going to be very good for a few years……and the Gators will be right there with them….as usual. I still don’t think much of Richt as a game planning coach……but I have the same feeling about Muschamp right now. But both can recruit like crazy. Time will tell if both will improve as head coaches. But one thing for sure…..yesterday’s win disappointed all those “FIRE RICHT” posters.
Football Bat
October 30th, 2011
12:39 pm
Richt’s “class” has not won games for us, but his lack of a killer instinct has certainly lost a bunch. I applaud Richt as well as our D and our young receivers for stepping up and getting the win, but had Walsh not developed a head case, I doubt CMR would have gone for the TD twice on fourth downs. When you lose to UCF 6-3, asking whether he would go for it in the end is a fair question.
typical dawg fan
October 30th, 2011
12:39 pm
yall see that picture of coach Rick on the top of this page. I went to my couzins house an mad a copy of that picture cents he got a color copyin printer. That pictur is in my wallet rite now. Next to my mawmaw and Dale jrs picturs
Well
October 30th, 2011
12:40 pm
@ All I remember…how many extra wins do you get for beating the #5 team?
Well
October 30th, 2011
12:41 pm
@ All I remember/Ron…How did the rankings that just came out work out for you? Tech-23, UGA-20.
The Wright Stuff
October 30th, 2011
12:41 pm
CMR, why are our special teams so bad? Do you not play the best athletets? Out of 30,000+ students, is there not one who can kick a football deep into the end zone? Every week I see us starting on the 20 and our opponent starting on the 35 or better. Also, do you not teach the guys to watch for fake FGs and punts? As much talent as ther is on this team, surely uou can find enough good plaqyers to field better special teams unit than the ones I’ve seen of far this year. If changes are not made immediately, our chances of winning out are slim to none. If not for the poor play on special teams, we would have destroyed the Florida yesterday.
typical dawg fan
October 30th, 2011
12:43 pm
heck fire we beat Floridee. we outta be at leest number 6 or 7. musta been a bunch of teck fans a votin
JoeFan
October 30th, 2011
12:46 pm
Seriously,all this game showcased was a very average Georgia team still underperforming based on its Star rankings winning against a very weak Florida team. Given the performance of its special teams Georgia is very fortunate to walk away with a win. A stronger team would have won going away from Georgia.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
12:50 pm
AP Poll will likely drop Georgia out of top 25. With Florida’s poor record, and the low margin of victory, voters or computers don’t cast favorable votes.With the small move in the USA Today poll, voters clearly are not impressed with Mark Richt or Georgia.
On the other hand, Georgia Tech should vault into the top 20 on the AP Poll with the upset of the weekend against top 5 ranked Clemson.
SEC Commissioner
October 30th, 2011
12:50 pm
Lets play Devils Advocate or look at both sides of the coin.
Side 1
Congratulations to UGA for winning a very ugly game. These type of games UGA normally finds a way to lose. This time UGA fought back and won. Mark Richt and Todd Grantham improved their defense and took a positive approach to the John Brantley situation and made UF look horrible at times. The offense did a good job of not making that big mistake in their own side of the field that usually turns the game late. Great job for UGA and UGA fans can repeat the same mantra all year 24-20. Enjoy it UGA fans.
Side Two.
UGA should feel very very fortunate to escape with a win. The UF team was one dimensional due to a QB who really should not have played as much as he did. UGA allowed special teams plays to keep UF in the game. The Bulldawgs are not in the same class as LSU or Alabama and probably Arkansas. The games against Auburn and GT are going to be very difficult games for Georgia as Auburn is able to spread the field pretty good and UGA will not have a full week off to prepare for the triple option for Tech. The disciplinary bugs still pops up for UGA every now and again.
All in All, congratulations to UGA. UGA has 6 more days until they play a bottom of the barrel New Mexico St. program and the big picture sets it up for UGA to have a chance to win the east as USC will have a difficult time beating Arkansas.
Enjoy UGA fans.
katherine
October 30th, 2011
12:51 pm
War EagleRut
October 30th, 2011
12:04 pm
Reading this sh** is really a joke……again the Dawgs are on top of the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is really sad…..they played poorly and should have lost.
Really? Why are you on this blog…let us dawg fans enjoy it. I didn’t hear people talking about what a bad ga team florida beat when then did every year….it was just a win. Go to your own blog..we don’t need your negativity here. Go dawgs…..great win.
TheAntiMe
October 30th, 2011
12:52 pm
The same Richt who’d ordered a field goal on fourth-and-goal against Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl last December rediscovered the nerve that had marked him as a young head coach.
lol – Either that, Mark, or Mark Richt could not bear to see Blair Walsh get his feelings hurt again by missing another FG. Whatever the case, it turned out to be the right call both times.Good for the Bulldogs and good for CMR.
Dawg needin a shot
October 30th, 2011
12:52 pm
The Wright Stuff = energy vampire…the entire nation watched laughing out loud at the silliness of UGA’s coaching staff with that crap. I’m positive Saban and Miles will institute similar programs next year. What a joke.
katherine
October 30th, 2011
12:52 pm
Also, congrats to tech on a great win as well…should be a heck of a game when the dawgs and tech play….
evil empire
October 30th, 2011
12:56 pm
katherine=energy vampire…trolls add balance to the blog…without trolls, who’s gonna reign in the “dawgs gonna win forever” crowd…
TheAntiMe
October 30th, 2011
12:58 pm
Darn it! I’m already going through Falcons withdrawals. Bye weeks stink!
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 30th, 2011
12:59 pm
Good win, dawgs. Run the table and we’ll see you at Bobby Dodd Stadium. ” ROCK & ROLL YELLOW JACKETS “
War Dang Dawg
October 30th, 2011
12:59 pm
“We hope you can bust Gamecock a$$ for us!”
Not me, Dalton. As much as I would love to see us cap this season with a trip to the title game, I wouldn’t pull for Florida if they were playing Red China. And hoping for a UF win in Columbia probably isn’t that realistic anyway.
Which means I’m about to become a huge Arkansas fan when they play S. Carolina.
Old School
October 30th, 2011
12:59 pm
Muschamp looked absolutely lost in the 2nd half. The dude is in over his head.
Tampa Gator
October 30th, 2011
1:00 pm
I forgot another defensive need to be filled by recruiting for the Gators…..
A corner to play on the other side opposite of Marcus Roberson (who will be on the all-sec freshman team this year)….that need will be filled by Brian Poole….the nations #1 corner (he is a total shut down corner).
….again…..79% of the Gators roster is made up of freshmen and sophs…..and will soon be joined by the nations top recruiting class this year.
Expect nothing but huge battles between the Gators and the Dawgs for years to come. In fact, Georgia and Florida will join LSU and Bama very soon as powers in the SEC (unless Richt and Muschamp mess up somehow….but I don’t think they will.)
katherine
October 30th, 2011
1:01 pm
evil empire
October 30th, 2011
12:56 pm
katherine=energy vampire…trolls add balance to the blog…without trolls, who’s gonna reign in the “dawgs gonna win forever” crowd…
ummm this is a dawgs blog….no one needs reigning in….trolls are just sad, pathetic little people who need to try to make other people feel bad to make them feel better about their mommy issues.
Tampa Gator
October 30th, 2011
1:09 pm
Old School….
Muschamp isn’t lost. He is very frustrated with the undisciplined play of many of his very talented, but inexperienced freshmen and sophs….most of which played tons of minutes in that game yesterday.
for example, yesterday…
-14 penalities (one of which was not and cost the Gators a TD shortly afterwards)
-2 fumbles inside their own 25
-had to call 4 timeouts because players did not line up in time or correctly (a senior QB who never looked at the play clock in any of those situations and never took leadership of the situations on the field….something Brantley has never done…..and for which he will not be missed).
-Jumping offsides for no reason 3 times that gave Georgia first downs
-Getting a turnover inside the 15 and getting no points
Those things would make any coach look bad…..and angry….both of which they did.
I do hope Muschamp benches Brantley for the rest of the year and plays Driskell and Brissett against Vandy, South Carolina, and FSU….so they can get an early start on next year. But I am sure Brantley will play if he is healthy.
James
October 30th, 2011
1:12 pm
Lousy game, go Dawgs none the less. The only worse than the Georgia special teams last night was the Florida qb. UGA needs some better coaching!