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
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
5:57 pm
Kool aid drinker your way off even comparing Richt’s first ten years to Saban’s first ten years as a head coach Richt’s is way better. So how about you lay off the kool aid. Richt is a good coach and should get a national championship soon.
Auburn...You're NEXT!
October 30th, 2011
5:57 pm
Get ready Awbarn. We’re gonna make you fart blood in Athens!
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
5:58 pm
I speak for all fans when I say we need to find a coach who can beat teams with winning records. Beating 2-6 teams, 3-5 teams, and 404 teams is not good enough. Find a way, or get out of the way.
Mediocrity is not an option.
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
5:59 pm
Saban didn’t have an undefeated season until his 14th season coaching college football. What year is this for Richt again kool aid?
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:00 pm
Beating a 4-4 Florida = Beating an 8-0 #5 ranked team like Tech did? A win is not just a win. Winning by 4 or 5 like UGA has against 4-4 UF & 4-4 Vanderbilt, isn’t domination.
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:03 pm
Oh another Richt versus Saban stat for you kool aid: Rich has played in less bowl games then Saban and already has more bowl game wins then him.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:04 pm
How do you win 6 games in a row and still can’t crack the top 15? Beat teams with records like 2-6, 3-5, or 4-4, and win by margins of 4 or 5 points. Doesn’t impress voters.
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:04 pm
Crenshaw GT is a joke. Wow they beat an ACC powerhouse. When is the last time the ACC one a championship? When is the last time GT absolutely dominated UGA? Get that weak mess out of here.
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:06 pm
A win is a win Crenshaw. UGA kills tech at the end of the year mark it down.
Chain
October 30th, 2011
6:07 pm
Crenshaw/Ron/GT/All I Remember…first of all, maybe stick to one name…now, say something funny. Make me laugh monkey.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:07 pm
Bradley,
Loved this line:
“they celebrated in a way that far outstripped a four-point victory over a 4-4 opponent.”
Insightful and dead on analysis.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:09 pm
Some of you accept mediocrity, and like beating 4-4 teams or teams that are 3-45 or 2-6. Georgia hasn’t beat anyone with a record better than 4-4.
Real Georgia fans want to beat the good teams.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:13 pm
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.”
—
Bobo revealed later that after the kicker missed the field goal, Richt said we’re going to be in 4 down mode every time we get close from here out. Bobo said that directive changed the way he called plays on UF’s side of the field.
In other words, Richt SAID it was because e needed td’s instead of field goals, when in truth, it was because Walsh was missing field goals.
Wasn’t about courage, was more about desperation.
jay
October 30th, 2011
6:14 pm
To all you Tech fans questioning who we beat. We sure beat you guys like a drum on a very regular
basis. Win two in a row against us before you start crowing.
Voyager Dawg
October 30th, 2011
6:15 pm
Hey Kool Aid – A .730 winning percentage is more like a batting average than getting a “C” in school, bad analogy my friend (for the record, both of the kids are straight “A” students). If my son is batting .730 on his little league team, I’m great with that and if he’s in the top ten in his class I’m good with that too. I would love for him to play for a man like Mark Richt. I’m glad to be debating a win with you rather than a loss. I hope the Dawgs continue winning and Coach Richt has a long and illustrious career at Georgia. Go Dawgs!
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:19 pm
2007 UGA: Sophomore QB. Freshman RB sensation, Early season loss to South Carolina, struggles with Vandy, post game controversy at Vandy, beats Florida, finishes 12-2.
2011 UGA: Sophomore QB, check. Freshman RB sensation, check. Early season loss to South Carolina, check. Struggles with Vandy, check. Post game controversy at Vandy, check. Beats Florida, check….
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:22 pm
In the big picture, beating Florida was no different than beating Vanderbilt. Both were teams with pathetic 4 wins, 4 losses records. So were Coastal Carolina & Miss St. All 4 wins, 4 losses. Tenn is worse, 3 wins, 5 losses, Ole Miss is worse, 2 wins, 6 losses.
So what does the win mean? Nothing we didn’t already know.
Georgia can beat teams with 4 win, 4 loss records, and can LOSE to any team with a better record than.
Then again, we already knew that.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:24 pm
Who would have though Georgia Tech would grab the headlines over Georgia beating Florida?
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:30 pm
Georgia Tech has no chance against UGA Crenshaw. Didn’t Georgia beat a 10-1 ACC champion tech team in 2009 with a mediocre team. Oh wait they lost that title because they cheated didn’t they. Wow, they couldn’t even beat the Dawgs when they cheat. And at least UGA is last in their league in graduation rate for football players.
dogflack
October 30th, 2011
6:31 pm
Richt has the dawgs back!!! Mark this down–Ga will upset LSU in the SEC title game!! These dawgs are for real!
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:33 pm
UGA football graduation rate: 65 percent
GT football graduation rate: 55 percent
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:34 pm
Not too mention UGA has more players leave early for the NFL and still has a better graduation rate then GT.
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
6:37 pm
NFL players:
Georgia Tech – 19
UGA – 35
GT
October 30th, 2011
6:39 pm
Crenshaw how do these dawgs even use the word dominate. They are about as dominate as a flat tire. There are two dominate teams in the SEC, that the rest of the country recognizes and they play each other next week. That is what the dawgs dominate, scheduling and press clippings. If you aren’t going to use these good players send them over to Tech, we could be Alabama or LSU with this stuff and would not hide from anybody.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:39 pm
Georgia Tech beat the #6 ranked team in the country! Clemson had beat Auburn and Virginia Tech! Wow! What a victory.
In other news, uga beat another 4-4 unranked team.
All I remember is
October 30th, 2011
6:42 pm
Georgia Tech is a good football team.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:42 pm
Seriously, what’s bigger news for the weekend?
uga beat 4-4 team by 4.
or
GEORGIA TECH BEATS #6, 8-0 CLEMSON, BY 2 TOUCHDOWNS!
mars
October 30th, 2011
6:44 pm
Oh my gawd! This was a contest between 2 very bad team in an effort to see which was the worst! My beloved Dawgs look every bit the Richt team that we’ve grown used to….wins come with a streak of luck at the very end, since game planning had NOTHING to do with it. We are much, much worse than our record suggests. There is no reason to celebrate. Fire this hack, now!
firemarkricht
October 30th, 2011
6:44 pm
Let’s get real. We won and it feels great. We play actioned on first down almost every play, thus making our running game really have to work. If not for two great catches on 4th down throws that were mediocre, Richt would have given the game away again. We are so bad against 4th down and any kind of special play. Teams could beat us by lining up in the punt/field goal formation on 1st 2nd and 3rd downs too and it would work against Richt. We got lucky against probably the worst UF team in 20 years.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:45 pm
I counted 6 runs straight up the middle that Bobo called.
Chain
October 30th, 2011
6:46 pm
Thanks, monkey…you made me laugh…now do it again.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:46 pm
6 runs, per quarter, 24 runs, straight up the middle.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:47 pm
Imagine if Tech beats Virginia Tech this weekend, all the talk in the state of Georgia will be about top 10 ranked Georgia Tech.
Chain
October 30th, 2011
6:47 pm
Again, monkey…my kids think I’m controlling you over the internet…
Chain
October 30th, 2011
6:48 pm
Come on monkey…speak
Dawgs Beat Nasty Gators … - The Recycle Bin
October 30th, 2011
6:48 pm
[...] hate writing that this is Georgia’s fourth win over Florida in the last 22 years! Did Head Coach Mark Richt save his job by putting down the demons of Florida? Probably … … when a team has failed so often in [...]
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:49 pm
UGA fans have learned to be happy for mediocre wins. Like beating a 2-6 Ole Miss team, or a 4-4 Florida team that couldn’t score 7 on Auburn. Tech fans expect Tech to beat the top 5 ranked teams. My, how things have changed.
Chain
October 30th, 2011
6:49 pm
I command you, Crenshaw, to speak. Say something funny, monkey.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:51 pm
Which UGA WIN impressed you most?
UF, CC, Vand, MSU–4 loss teams
Tenn–5 loss team
Miss–6 loss team
Which Georgia Tech win impresses you most?
Beating 8-0 #6 ranked Clemson team by 14.
Opinions R Infinite
October 30th, 2011
6:52 pm
Gotta win out UGA. What happened to the quick slant passes to receivers ? They need slants back in the offense !
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
6:53 pm
Here’s the way I, and recurits, see it.
UGA wins against 3-5 teams New Mex & Kent to get to 8 wins, and of course, loses to the 2 remining good teams, Auburn & Georgia Tech. Finishes 8-4, unranked.
Georgia Tech wins out, to finish 10-2, ranked #5 in the country.
Opinions R Infinite
October 30th, 2011
6:55 pm
Tech ain’t beating Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
Dawgs Win East!!
October 30th, 2011
6:56 pm
The Dawgs have the SEC east wrapped up after that huge win over florida!! South carolina will lose big to arkansas and Ga will play alabama for the title. Alabama is overrated and an upset can occur!!!!!
Chain
October 30th, 2011
6:57 pm
And….say something, my trained iMonkey.
Opinions R Infinite
October 30th, 2011
6:58 pm
Mark, can you ask Richt about the special teams poor play ? Ask him can somebody else besides Blair Walsh kick field goals please ?
Chain
October 30th, 2011
6:59 pm
CrenTroll…speak now! Do it, your master commands you!
Opinions R Infinite
October 30th, 2011
7:00 pm
Alabama’s defense is like an NFL defense. 7 of their current starters will be drafted by the NFL.
Alabama will crush the Dawgs.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
7:01 pm
Wonder if Lemay will transfer to Tech if Georgia loses 2 more, and Tech wins out? I think so. I think Lemay is likely tired of watching Murray lose to good teams, and beat bad teams, and Richt keep starting him.
Crenshaw
October 30th, 2011
7:04 pm
UGA has new goal:
For the first time since 2009, try and beat a team with a winning record.
Ha Ha ha.
Not So Fast
October 30th, 2011
7:09 pm
Georgia vs GT head to head:
Georgia 61 wins GT 39 wins
Last 10: 9 for UGA 1 for GT
Enough said