A mark of LSU greatness: Stink for a half, win by 32 points
Ladies and gents, that's a darn strong football team. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
After the Arkansas game, Lenn Robbins of the New York Post asked LSU coach Les Miles if he believed his team might be the greatest in collegiate football history. Eight days later, the Tigers laid sole claim to another superlative:
Worst first half ever authored by the offense of a team this great.
How bad was it? Well, LSU tied a record that can never be broken — fewest first downs in the first two quarters. And this goose egg wasn’t laid by Podunk State against Almighty A&M. This was the championship game of the nation’s best conference, and this monstrosity had been concocted by a team considered the nation’s finest by such a distance it was believed LSU could lose to Georgia and still play for the BCS title. But would an aggregation that couldn’t manage one crummy first down on such a stage deserve a mulligan?
First-half numbers: LSU had 12 total yards, 123 fewer than Georgia, and had completed two passes, one of them underhanded. It trailed 10-0 after one quarter and was still 10 points down six minutes before half. And was the man beneath the white hat concerned?
“That defense,” said Miles, speaking of his own,” and the way it was defending — when they got 10, I thought that would be it [for Georgia]. Quite frankly, we just needed to get it started offensively.”
To Miles’ other attributes — darn good coach, intriguing wordsmith, eater of grass — we can now add “ace prognosticator.” Georgia didn’t score again. LSU started scoring on Tyrann Mathieu’s punt return and never stopped. And we on the periphery can only stand back and wonder: If the Tigers can go an entire first half without benefit of an offense against a opponent of quality, might this be one of the finest teams ever assembled?
What transpired Saturday night beneath the Georgia Dome was truly breathtaking, and I mean that literally: You could see the air — and the life — sucked from the buoyant Bulldogs. Georgia started bold and fast and smart and, if not for two dropped touchdown passes and a missed field goal, would have had a lead so big even Miles would have blanched. But then the Honey Badger started running back kicks and John Chavis’ defense threw a hammerlock on the Bulldog offense, and midway through the third quarter a game that was nearly a runaway one way had gone the other.
Of Mathieu, the eloquent Miles said: “He really is the ‘Honey Badger.’ He takes what he wants. He takes what he gets his hands on.”
Which pretty much describes the Tigers in toto. Down 14-0 against Arkansas, they won 41-17. Down 10-0 against Georgia, they won 42-10. Nobody doubted that this was the nation’s best team before the past two weekends, but now there’s no doubt.
Miles: “Never are they out of it. Never was there any question that they would get their feet, get their bearings and compete.”
This doesn’t mean that this demonstrably superb team will win the national championship. The Tigers will almost surely have to play Alabama again, and how would you like to have your road to the BCS title blocked by a bunch coached by Nick Saban that you had to move heaven and Earth to beat the first time? We can argue forever the fairness of that, but Les Miles wasn’t really in the mood Saturday.
“It’s a tremendous conference top to bottom,” he said. “[Alabama has] a great team. We’ll look forward to competing against them. But I’m going to enjoy this night first.”
And why not? After a unbeaten regular season that closed with come-from-behind comprehensive routs against Top 15 opposition, why should Miles or the Honey Badger or any Tiger fear man or Saban? Tell the truth: When last did you see a team this powerful, this fast, this unyielding?
“That second half, we basically got it going,” Mile said. Then this: “This is a quality group. It’s a great team.”
By Mark Bradley
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506 comments Add your comment
markl
December 4th, 2011
11:14 am
Ok , somebody please tell me why Hutson Mason would waste his career at UGA? He is clearly capable of starting somewhere. He will never start at UGA. Hutson you need to transfer . You are a player .
1eyedJack
December 4th, 2011
11:14 am
Man, we sure could have used a Trinton Sturdivant, Richard Samuel, AJ Green, DeAngelo Tyson, Dallas Lee, and a healthy Crowell last night.
Think AJ would have dropped either of those two TD passes? T. King is not an adequate replacement. Michael Bennett forgot to show up last night.
Our starting defense is awesome. Need to find 11 guys to back ‘em up.
The game turned when the Dawgs allowed the field position to flip.
Gonna give Crowell a pass in this game. Obviously, he was not physically ready to go. I am concerned greatly about his decision making though. Lot of growing up to do. I hope he uses the off season wisely and cleans out his ears. Marshall and Gurley, we’re keeping your seats warm. When will Carlton Thomas’ eligibility finally run out?
As good as Murray was in the first half, he was that bad in the second half. One play that stood out to me was an incomplete dump pass to Crowell with Orson wide open 10 yards behind him.
What happened to Boykin/Smith on offense?
Mason and Malcome looked good against their third team defense.
The “Honey Badger” is all that. Punt it out of bounds. We waived red meat at him.
LSU can win a title without a QB.
Cardinal Sin
December 4th, 2011
11:14 am
@The Greatest B-Back in the History of College Football – WE?
LMAO, all of the programs that GA beat had down years so do not try to play it now like GA had a great or successful season as most of you trash talking GA fans thought you had a chance against LSU!!!
ZERO NC since 1980!!!
Nola Lsu fans
December 4th, 2011
11:14 am
I’m a LSU fan and a Saints fan all the way. I’m not here to brag, but to say screw all you candy a@@ fans for hating on your team. You are not fans you just kinda like them. As both a LSu and Saints fan, I endured years of pain, and stuck by my teams, hell I made sure I attended LSU for college and they sucked, but I still believed. You people need to grow some heart.
E-From Riverdale
December 4th, 2011
11:14 am
This game showed the bull dogs are still a mediocry team under CMR, and probally will remain that way. Grantham once again showed he is not the coach that should have been talking about more money just because his defense rose up on opponents that were worst off than Ga. Everyone knows Ga. won (10) games but look at who the wins were against.
I like CMR, but i believe until there is a change Ga. cannot and will not beat a top 10 ranked team. Also the Crowell experiment did not and probabally will not work in Ga, Ga. has to bring in some tough and durable running backs in order to contend in the SEC.
Atlanta Gator
December 4th, 2011
11:15 am
Well, that’s settled. The LSU Tigers the 2011 SEC football champions.
What time is the BCS announcement tonight? I’m more than a little curious to see if the SEC makes history again by placing two teams from the same conference in the BCS Championship Game for the first time in the 15-year history of the BCS. Not sure whether I agree with it or not, but I’m pretty sure that Alabama and LSU are the two most deserving teams. I don’t think any other team in the country is close to the caliber of LSU and Alabama this year . . . .
It’s going to be interesting, and if it happens, the Big XII and others are sure to raise a stink.
FJ10
December 4th, 2011
11:16 am
LSU is 9-1 in the Ga. Dome. Looks like they are the ones who “Run this state” woof woof
Georgia is Racist State
December 4th, 2011
11:17 am
Gotta love the Rebel flag promoting your state for three hours on Gameday yesterday morning. I know for a fact it will be sent to all of your commits and others you are recruiting, pics go in the mail monday. Good luck racist losers.
OldFan
December 4th, 2011
11:18 am
I love the UGA “Dream Team” bull****. The last time I looked at Rivals.com (2 days ago), UGA was at #22, behind Florida, Alabama, LSU, Auburn, and even Vanderbilt. Where does UGA get this stuff??
1eyedJack
December 4th, 2011
11:19 am
IMHO
Man, we sure could have used a Trinton Sturdivant, Richard Samuel, AJ Green, DeAngelo Tyson, Dallas Lee, and a healthy Crowell last night.
Think AJ would have dropped either of those two TD passes? T. King is not an adequate replacement. Michael Bennett forgot to show up last night.
Our starting defense is awesome. Need to find 11 guys to back ‘em up.
The game turned when the Dawgs allowed the field position to flip.
Gonna give Crowell a pass in this game. Obviously, he was not physically ready to go. I am concerned greatly about his decision making though. Lot of growing up to do. I hope he uses the off season wisely and cleans out his ears. Marshall and Gurley, we’re keeping your seats warm. When will Carlton Thomas’ eligibility finally run out?
As good as Murray was in the first half, he was that bad in the second half. One play that stood out to me was an incomplete dump pass to Crowell with Orson wide open 10 yards behind him.
What happened to Boykin/Smith on offense?
Mason and Malcome looked good against their third team defense.
The “Honey Badger” is all that. Punt it out of bounds. We waived red meat at him.
LSU can win a title without a QB.
omg
December 4th, 2011
11:21 am
might have 10 to 0 at the half instead of 10 to 7 and mathieu would have got his arse chewed out by coaches who knows huge play would of been big momemtum swing
billcanoe
December 4th, 2011
11:21 am
Mark – I agree. This is a great college football team, in every phase of the game. I have watched college football for 63 years and, right now, I would rate LSU the 3rd best college football team of all time. The top would be the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers, whose margin of victory is unsurpassed, climaxed by a crushing of Florida in the national championship game by 62-24. Second, in my opinion, would be the 1971 Nebraska team of Johnny Rodgers, etal, and that game for the ages where No. 1 Nebraska beat No. 2 Oklahoma 35-31, when both teams were nearly on the level of the NFL. However, having said that, if LSU wins the national championship game by more than 38 points, then I would have to rank them No.1 of all time.
Buckeye
December 4th, 2011
11:21 am
Urban sends his Holiday Greetings to the dogs and want to remind them of better days…
TIME OUT
TIME OUT
TIME OUT
Buckeye
December 4th, 2011
11:22 am
Ready for random drug tests dogs?
Old Times Sakes
December 4th, 2011
11:23 am
Can’t play in the SEC without several good running backs. We had a offensive scheme which LSU could not stop. So we stopped it. I will never figure that out. It never happened like that at Miami, nor at FSU, so it must be BOBO. Sorry Mike, we need a real OC now. You have done a good job, but it is time for a change there too! No real offense against good teams shows the soft underbelly. Maybe we can also get some of these old part time coaches to help with special teams. We’ve gone from First to worst in that category. Other than than we won the East, we lost the championship, and now we will win a bowl. Let’s get some good running backs in here now!
The Lapinksy Files
December 4th, 2011
11:24 am
That’s the team I want to see…..in the 1st quarter:
We played lights out on D
Our playcalling was aggressive, innovative, and not predictable
Murray was pinpoint with his passes (we dropped a few, but I’ll forgive that)
We actually called two trick plays (onsides kick, flea flicker)
That is the team and coaching I’ve been looking for and expect
Then, the team I’m used to seeing since 06 showed up:
Our playcalling went predictable and away from what was working
Our D backs didn’t want any part of tackling
We had no adjustments
We had no leadership, no playmakers, no response
I can handle a loss with the team that played in the 1st Quarter.
We won 10 wins, but we will go to another meaningless bowl game in FL
We will yet again look to recruiting to build our hopes
We will yet again not be in the NC hunt
I’m ready for a change of regime. We are in GA, a top 3 state for football. We have the support, $$, tradition.
I am ready to be relevant.
Fan of the Game
December 4th, 2011
11:25 am
OldFan – UGA doesn’t get this stuff. The media starts crap like that. Any Coach will brag on his recruits. Now I am not defending UGA’s recruiting. I knew Crowell was a mistake and Thomas is a Savannah State running back. King and Ealey also were big mistakes. We better stop worrying about stars and sign heart and character. These recruiting services and experts that have these shows are a joke anyway. Half of them never buckled a chin strap or have never coached.
omg
December 4th, 2011
11:27 am
we couldt block them in the second half doesnt matter the play call if qb is running for his life
Old Times Sakes
December 4th, 2011
11:28 am
Atlanta Gator, you are spot on, I would like to see Okie State go up against LSU. That would surely tell the tale. Buckeye, you are coming at people here about things like drug tests when your conference is full of perverts, your coach lied under oath, and your team stole and then sold merchandise. I wonder what would have come out had they not fired Tressell. We all wish Urban well, but don’t come at people down here when your dirty diapers are still on the line. The NCAA isn’t even through with you guys yet.
Fan of the Game
December 4th, 2011
11:29 am
Hey Miles congratulations on your championship but how do you play Jefferson nearly the whole game. He was nowhere around the first four games. How do you look at Lee in the face and explain it to him. Sometimes I wonder if college football is going down hill as far as student athletes and doing what is right. Also UGA should have played Malcom earlier. That kid busted his tail against Tech.
Jake
December 4th, 2011
11:29 am
Here’s what I didn’t like about UGA in the second half:
• dull, unimaginative play-calling
• sloppy play (dropped passes, fumbles, muffed punts)
• a return to form of special teams; to wit, lack of discipline
• amazingly poor tackling
• Crowell not only ran poorly, he let a defender run right past him and sack Murray, which leads to…
• poor tailback play in general — a constant the past few years
• once again, UGA lacked the will, the discipline and the team-first attitude to contend at the highest levels
All of which is to say the AD’s got a dilemma about whether to give Richt an extension, because this year’s record against a weak schedule is somewhat misleading. as presently constituted, it’s unlikely UGA will ever be anything more than a second-tier SEC team (hello, Texas A&M and Missouri!). As much as I admire CMR as a man, I suspect his real calling is in missionary and/or non-profit work where his convictions and his mild manner would be properly appreciated.
vuduchld
December 4th, 2011
11:30 am
Anyone who thought the puppies had a chance in this one was smoking crack. So, LSU was down 10-0, big deal. This UGA team was a fraud from the start of the season, they played a weak SEC schedule and couldn’t beat Boise State and South Carolina. Frankly, the game shouldn’t have been this close.
ckgator
December 4th, 2011
11:35 am
The only bite to the Dawgs’ bark… involves coprophagia.
Look it up: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/coprophagia-in-dogs/page1.aspx
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
December 4th, 2011
11:36 am
1-Crowell quit on UGA…again
2-Mark Richt is a decent coach but not great in any area and very weak at discipline and that area is killing him
3-UGA is he best college football team in America from Jan until Aug…then they have to play…not good
4-You UGA fans talk a great game but your trophy case doesn’t back your bullsheet!
5-The SEC East is a joke as of today and there can be no reason to argue for it’s documented.
6-See Item #4 again.
7-UGA should not sign/update Richt contract until the end of next year. To do so would be a huge mistake. The AD shouldn’t complicate things anymore with updating his current contract.
8-Bama will not make the playoff because folks wish to see someone else. You need a +1 game or just go to 8 teams and lets end this stuff once and forever. Have you ever seen a team fold like OU did last night. Big Game Bob sucks like Linda Lovelace. The fact he makes 5 million a year is a fecking joke and he should return 2/3’s to OU this year. That is all Roll Tide….if UGA is very lucky you will get to swap the Bama game in 2012 if not then expect what happened to you yesterday but even worse.
James Mcmullen
December 4th, 2011
11:36 am
“Like Bulldogs, like coach….No depth…not Ford tough”.
ILoveDemDawgs
December 4th, 2011
11:37 am
Hey, whatsa mattah youse? Dawgs beat teams they’re supposed to beat. Everybody has to put up with bullies (well, except LSU…..and Bama……and Boise……and Ok State……..and Stanford….. We punt good, and we play D good (well, except for yesterday……and except for that 300 yds rushing by the bees), and Murray is the best thrower in America. So shut up, OK?
Fan of the Game
December 4th, 2011
11:38 am
Hey vuduchld, if not for Matheiu it would have been a whole lot closer. He is the best player in the country. Take him off LSU and they are in trouble. Jefferson may be the worse QB on a number one ranked team.
bgdawg
December 4th, 2011
11:49 am
anywhere i can go to hear true dawg fans talk about this game? i mean we got other fans on here acting like they would fair any better than us vs. that LSU team. they will beat you in every way possible, and now that i have seen them for 4 quarters it looks like no team will beat them.
Georgia Fans: Our Dawgs are good, don’t feel sorry for yoursleves. we are young and we’ll return ALOT of our starters and will be getting even more talent with recruiting this year. look on the 6th to see Keith Marshall #1 running back commit to the dawgs. win the bowl game and next year lets be back to support the team in red and black. GO DAWGS!!!
Hopelessly Devoted
December 4th, 2011
11:49 am
I can understand running down the opposing team prior to the game. What makes Georgia fans the worst in the nation is their tendency to continue bad-mouthing the opponent immediately after they have handed your team a humiliating beat-down.
That is championship caliber delusion.
bgdawg
December 4th, 2011
11:52 am
We do play D good. In the second half, our offense kept screwing our Defense over. and we gave up 200 yards to a team that runs the ball up to 75 times a game. stupid tech or gator fan smh.
Elementary my Dear Watson
December 4th, 2011
12:01 pm
” Look at the No Depth falling out of the sky, look at the no depth falling out of the sky “.
” Did you see that guy Blue from LSU run right by our DB, I think it was Boykin, but it was # 18 I do know that. Man that guy was fast and strong. Man that # 18 gave up, he was out of it and did not care……and Blue was gone thinking of New Orleans and the BCS championship. “
bgdawg
December 4th, 2011
12:06 pm
Devoted i don’t see any georgia fans bad mouthing anyone.. all i see is other fans trying to make fun of a team that lost to the #1 team in the nation. i think that makes them the terrible fans.
Richt's Motivation
December 4th, 2011
12:08 pm
After that first TD, Richt should have ordered the entire team to rush the field to get the players pumped up!!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 4th, 2011
12:11 pm
I know if I was Jarret Lee I would have gave Miles the middle finger if he told me to go out and take the knee
Lee wins them 9 games, George Jefferson is horrendous and a thug and thats how you thank Lee
WOW
Just Sayin'
December 4th, 2011
12:17 pm
I don’t have an alliance to either UGA or Tech, but can somebody on the UGA side of things explain what a great season this still was when your “best” win record wise was against Georgia Tech, yet you hammer home the point that Tech is horrible.
Seriously, you didn’t beat a single team that is in the top 25 right now and I’m not arguing that Tech isn’t anything real good either (because they aren’t), but it remains a fact they were the “crown jewel” victory in your SEC East crown wearing season.
Hopefully you will play a ranked opponent in a bowl game and win it, otherwise your SEC East title is a joke – winning it only because Carolina had to play Arkansas while you got to play Ole Miss.
bgdawg
December 4th, 2011
12:21 pm
wow this blog is dead. the trollers killed it.
Hopelessly Devoted
December 4th, 2011
12:33 pm
Dawgs Motto:
Whatever happens – it’s someone else’s fault.
lsu bama and the sec cheat. no champions in my book
December 4th, 2011
12:42 pm
National Championship Coaches 2002 – 2010
Saban (03/09) SEC 26 28 26 0 0 25 32 27 29 193 27.50
Miles (07) SEC 28 31 19 13 26 26 26 24 27 220 24.44
Meyer (06/08) SEC 22 19 25 18 27 27 22 17 27 204 22.66
Brown (05) BIG12 28 18 20 15 25 24 20 20 22 192 21.33
Carroll (04) PAC10 22 28 19 19 27 18 19 18 20 190 21.11
Tressel (02) BIG10 24 16 24 18 20 15 20 25 18 180 20.00
notes:
-2nd to last column is totals for 9 years
-last column is average of players signed over 9 years
-notice that saban has averaged 27.5 players over 7 years not 9 (he was not coaching for 2 years)
-notice that the top 3 teams are all sec teams
-the sec will probably lead all conferences in for over signing in 2011 yet again,
wreckmaniac
December 4th, 2011
12:58 pm
I think dear Larry decided he just couldn’t take it anymore.
SEC: Saturday was a great day to be a Bayou Bengal | My Blog
December 4th, 2011
12:59 pm
[...] LSU showed symbol of the greatness, writes Mark Bradley of AJC. [...]
Hopelessly Devoted
December 4th, 2011
1:05 pm
@no champions in my book
There will never be a champion in “your book”, because you aren’t a fan of a championship caliber team.
When Coach Saban arrived at Alabama, he was replenishing a depleted squad that had been previously limited by scholarship reductions. Alabama may have deserved their sanctions, but when it’s over, you have to let them get back to their normal level of scholarship players. Ole Miss actually holds the record for “over-signing” in the SEC. Saban isn’t even close.
Alabama and LSU don’t cheat. They get better players because the best players want to play for the best programs. It’s a vicious cycle, but it isn’t illegal or immoral. It’s called competition.
SEC DB's
December 4th, 2011
1:07 pm
That 1st half was inspiring. UGA was dominate. Sad that so many passes were dropped, mistakes made and LSU penalties missed, but play calling and effort was outstanding. What made me want to vomit was the complete lack of heart from the UGA DB’s especially # 2 ? in that game. Dion Sanders was given a pass by many people for his lack of wanting to tackle because he was such a great cover and return man. None of that applies to these DB’s. #2 and the other corner to a lessor extent should be embarrassed. They tackling effort was the worst I have ever witnessed at any level in football. Dropping a ball or committing an error is usually because of a lack of focus. What those DB”s did or more appropriately “did not do” is worthy of being called cowardice.
Nasty Que
December 4th, 2011
1:13 pm
I like the progress that UGA is making. It is very obvious that Isaiah Crowell is not a FEATURED SEC back. We have to stop getting caught up in the number of STARS a recruit has attatched to his name. I would take either of those LSU backs, they are bigger and stronger. You cannot win in the SEC with scat backs. I love the defense, we will be back in this game soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We Ruin This State
December 4th, 2011
1:25 pm
Grandad will you tell us again about that 1980 team and Hershel Walker ? Was daddy born by then ?
We Ruin This State
December 4th, 2011
1:27 pm
Yesterday, once again, the loss of Urban Meyer proved that the SEC east has no team ready for the SEC West. And once again it was proved that Crowell is not ready for prime time.
What new batch of 5 stars is going to change this ? Probably none.
We Ruin This State
December 4th, 2011
1:28 pm
The great Koolaid factory continues to roll on. If the Taliban had the optimism of Dawg fans, they would be in the White House.
We Ruin This State
December 4th, 2011
1:30 pm
TO LSU: Our rose-colored glasses optimism beats your undefeated record any day.
t.j.saunders
December 4th, 2011
1:37 pm
The SEC West is best, the East best teams couldn’t beat the ACC ’s best teams. If Richt is shown the door, who better would replace him . Two former SEC coaches are now in great locations to sell their products at USC and OSU, they are getting super h.s. recruits, and exceptional J.C. players. It’s not hard to sell L.A. to gullible h.s. kids, and the gentleman at OSU is selling a national championship….Stay tuned it should be interesting.
autotrader
December 4th, 2011
1:44 pm
A few thoughts;
1. We need a new recruiting staff.
2. CMR does not need a contract extension.
3. The receivers need to throw away the WELDERs gloves they have worn all year. I doubt they could catch a beachball with those mitts on their hands.
4. Bobo needs a pink slip.
Truth
December 4th, 2011
1:57 pm
Unique Trait of Being a UGA Fan:
What you will always hear after a loss: Excuses.
What you will never hear after a loss: “The better team won.”