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
old gold and white
December 3rd, 2011
11:13 pm
lol….. it’s all the referees fault. so that’s the excuse this year. you mutt fans want to get your excuses ready for next year or would you rather wait?
LSU spotted the mutts the entire 1st half and then only needed half a game to expose them!
Can you say OVER RATED???!!!
Delbert D.
December 3rd, 2011
11:13 pm
With what Grantham has accomplished over the past 2 years, I wonder what his future is.
Erk Russell's Dog
December 3rd, 2011
11:16 pm
old gold and white
Are you and your High School offense playing in the dome next Saturday are you all in the AAA game or the AA game.
RTR22
December 3rd, 2011
11:16 pm
Ga is a fraud, At least you did not have to play Bama or Arkansas this season, What a joke effort in the second half. Tooooo soft
reality gator
December 3rd, 2011
11:17 pm
look at all my post I said by 30, UGA will you now admit that all 10 games you won those teams had a combine record of 12-54, incl gators in the SEC, you are 0-3 against teams that had a wining record.
Will you now admit, that you are not the SEC east champs that belong to SC, you had the butter cup schedule.
Dont feel bad puppies Ark was up by 14, when they got trashed, ha, ha
Erk Russell's Dog
December 3rd, 2011
11:22 pm
Reality Gator
Has the reality set in at Gainesville that you have a ex-dog for a coach and Saint Urban and Tebow are gone.By the way I thought I saw Charlie Weiss at the mall ,He was wearing a damn Santa suit.
Kane337
December 3rd, 2011
11:24 pm
I thought the Doggies were supposed to be good. LOL
20 Oz Jacket
December 3rd, 2011
11:24 pm
i predicted the winner outcome and method on monday. i was exactly right. i am great.
second verse same as the first,
folks until lsu and bama are stopped from cheating they will always be at or near no 1 and no 2 end of story,.
how do they cheat you ask?…. by over signing. it is no co incidence that lsu and bama are 1 and 2. they are always the worst at over signing by a wide margin. matter of fact the sec is the worst conference at over signing by far as well. take away that advantage and the sec and bama and lsu are just part of a group of good teams.
the reason why uga got beat like a drum. the reason why osu got beat like a drum. the reason why any team that plays those two get beat like a drum is because it happens i the second half.
uga and lsu are probably fairly equal talent wise. it is when you start comparing 2nd team and 3 team and 4th team that the difference is apparent. lsu an bama has 4th teamser that are almost as good as their 1st team. no other teams in the country can match that talent across the board.. once they wear a team out they start to pull away. it happens over n over n over again,
saban and miles are both good coaches but not so great as to keep repeating their spots at no 1 and no 2 year after year. take away the advantage they use of over recruiting and those two team fall back into the pack with the rest of them.
now that usc and auburn and a few others in the sec are also over signing look for the dawgs to struggle to keep up unless st richt follows suit. this year for the dawgs was the exception not the rule.
dont believe me? think i am blowing smoke? read this article and say otherwise.
http://oversigning.com/testing/?s=saban+miles
hey mark why not say what lsu and bama are about. they are not the top 2 teams in the country. they are the top two cheaters in the ncaa and nothing more.
great teams are great because they are great. not great because they cheat to get there.
all smoke and mirrors folks. all smoke and mirrors.
reality gator
December 3rd, 2011
11:29 pm
Erk Russell’s Dog
Can you say we have 3 nat in 10 years and your last one was when? oh I forgot Jimmy Carter was President, Old Miss will have one before you losers
ha, ha
Mark (another one)
December 3rd, 2011
11:30 pm
The Dawgs won the Eastern Division. No complaining by gators will change that. The fact is LSU and Alabama are head and shoulders above everyone in the nation, and they will meet in the BCS title game.
Those taking shots at Crowell need to get a life. The kid played through an injury, and had a great freshman season. Would we like to have him match Trent Richardson? Of course, but let’s see what happens the next couple of years.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
December 3rd, 2011
11:30 pm
Great 1st half by the UGA D. Never thought it possible to hold this LSU team to 0 1st downs. Hats off to LSU – play makers all over the field and deep.
Not sure why we punted to Mathieu- should have gone out of bounds with the punts.
RMikel58
December 3rd, 2011
11:31 pm
LSU may be undefeated but their not the best team. Alabama is and they better hope they dont have to play them again. Im sure Les Miles will lobby to play another team than Bama.
To say LSU is great…….. is totally insane. Bad as Georgia was, LSU had no 1st. down and 7 total yards in the 1st half. Thats domination from a so called weak SEC East team.
LSU needed those turnovers to win and get momentum. No great team gets down by 14 pts because they dominate from start to finish. Please dont start to compare LSU to the Oklahoma, Nebraska, USC’s of the world.
Heck youre not even as good as the Auburn team was last year. LSU cannot win a game without getting turnovers which to me means theyve just been lucky. Besides LSU wasnt that good in the 2nd half, Georgia just made them look good and assisted with points.
Georgia gave up mentally when they got down 21-10 with those turnovers. No one can win when you spot a team 21 pts, miss a FG, drop 2 TD’s and have a sorry special teams.
This was the 1st time i have actually saw the entire Georgia team quit during a game in the 3rd quarter.
LSU fans know it, and i’ll bet you that during half time they were as upset with their team as we was with Georgia.
LSU was outplayed but not outscored. We stepped on our own toes but you get the credit.
Mike da Tiger
December 3rd, 2011
11:34 pm
20 oz quit beaching you sound like a punk!! Take the loss and move on to your bowl game. What a defensive performance you guys put on us in the 1st half. You held us to like one yard in the 2nd qtr. Only problem was you were emotionally spent in the second half. It was arm tackles city and we did what we have done all year. We just let the other team come out shoot all bullets and then we make adjustments and make plays. Kudos to the Dawgs for a great first half. Murray is decent but you got to get some backs over 6′ 0″ if you want to challenge the big ‘ens in the west.
Bama grad
December 3rd, 2011
11:41 pm
Mark,
What total BS. Auburn crushed USC last year (oh by the way39 points) and you never went so far as the BS in this article.
You and Jeff need a pick slip. Both of you cowards refuse to admit that GA stinks and the 10 wins were against horrible teams. But you rather blabber and foam on and on about LSU and their greatness rather than own up to your sorry analysis of Mark Richt.
Erk Russell's Dog
December 3rd, 2011
11:41 pm
Reality Gator
Look at you tonight ,on a UGA blog ,you still have a Ga bulldog for a head coach at least you all beat vandy this year. Maybe not next year though. Big fat loser ,just like Charlie Weiss.
reality gator
December 3rd, 2011
11:43 pm
Puppies are 0-3 against teams with a winning record this season, combine sec record of 10 teams dogs beat 12-58, and you are poking your chest out because you were up 10-0, I guess Ark should brag they were up 14-0 before getting trashed.
Losers feel good about playing 1 half of football, ha ha
Erk Russell's Dog
December 3rd, 2011
11:45 pm
Reality Gator
Good one Ole miss winning a title before UGA ,might be true ,but I can say the same for the Gators;and you stiil have an ex-dawg for a head coach.
Mike da Tiger
December 3rd, 2011
11:46 pm
RMikeI58…you said…”LSU may be undefeated but their not the best team.” Really?!?!
you said…”Besides LSU wasnt that good in the 2nd half, Georgia just made them look good and assisted with points.”–I guess that was CMR’s halftime speech let’s go out here and make them look good. Your boys were EMOTIONALLY spent. They were too jacked in the 1st half and came out flat in the second half. Boykin is a baller but he got trucked not once but twice for scores. It was Georgia’s first time on a big stage so the young guys were tight. Mitchell won’t drop balls like that again, Ogletree won’t get blocked like that next time. You have a good team they just have to learn how to play in the spotlight. Fla, USC and Tenn will sick for the next 2-3 so feast on the East next year and let’s do this again. BUT, you got to develop depth if you’re going to get close to us and Bama.
Buzz2011
December 3rd, 2011
11:46 pm
Mark Bradley: I know you were a big Dog supporter and tried to excuse the easy schedule and “too many” lucky wins.. Now you know the true Dawgs and can use this information as you cover them next year.. Weak offense ( no running), weak field goal kicker, poor defensive line, no receiver and the quarterback is only middle pack SEC
Coffee Bluff DAWG
December 3rd, 2011
11:47 pm
Mike da Tiger,
Had hoped for a closer game in the 2nd but great show again by your play makers. RB is def a priority for UGA in 2012. Wasn’t a good game from Murray but his receivers didn’t help out a lot. Good luck.
OkieDawg
December 3rd, 2011
11:48 pm
Proud of those Dawgs……Runner up in the SEC Championship Game
Buzz2011
December 3rd, 2011
11:50 pm
RMike 158… Wait Alabama is the better than LSU?? Have you been drunk today with Dawg fans.. Get this RMike.. LSU has already beat the mighty Tide this year………….
Erk Russell's Dog
December 3rd, 2011
11:51 pm
Reality Gator
Just how many of those 58 losses were Gator losses.Have you all taught Muschamp the gator chop yet? I hear he is a fast learner ,maybe you will have something to chop about next year. Doesn’t Florida play furman or Troy state or Florida Atlantic.
reality gator
December 3rd, 2011
11:54 pm
Erk Russell’s Dog
Oh no, we are not like UGA keep a coach around for ages and never play for a NAT, the ex dog has 1 more year to produce another season like this one, expections is not to win a eastern champs but Nat every year.
Sports writers in Florida put pressure on you, 2 years to produce and you are out, Zook went 7-4 beat Ga, Tnn FSU and was out.
Flying Tigers
December 3rd, 2011
11:56 pm
Face it the best win georgia had was against a trade school…LMAO…hey uga PLAY SOMEBODY instead of a schedule loaded with sisters of the poor…you played 3 real teams this year and you lost ALL of them. Oh yeah, give grantham a big raise, his defense is really good against all those average high schools you played all year, to bad he can’t stop anybody that is any good. uga like the rest of the SEC east is now a joke since Florida is no good anymore.
Buzz2011
December 3rd, 2011
11:57 pm
RMike158 must be insane!! He says UGA just made LSU look good.. Get a life and watch some football. They have beat everyone they hace played by wide margins other than Bama.”.UGA gave up mentally” ?? What do you think football is , all crash??? UGA was lucky to beat GT ( two interceptions & Tech runs 350yrds.), my gosh Kentucky was ahead of UGA Kentucky!!! Vandy nearly wiped them.. Thwy are only mid pack SEC… LSU is the greatest college power in 30 years… Go Jackets
Bama grad
December 3rd, 2011
11:57 pm
Mark,
You and Jeff are done in my book. We listened to Cynthia and Terrence for year with this froth before the AJC fired them. Clearly both of you are in bed with UGA and Blank.
I will relish the day that the AJC tells you hit the streets. Of course, you will sugar coat it with some retiring BS.
You’re a snake.
Erk Russell's Dog
December 4th, 2011
12:01 am
Reality Gator
Get used to 7-4 and worse my spy in Gainesville ,heard ole Urban has a guilty conscience and is going to drop a bombshell on Gator nation.He will do it on the down low and absolve himself of any blame ,but hello NCAA investigation and future sanctions.
reality gator
December 4th, 2011
12:03 am
OkieDawg
How can you say that with a straight face?, you lost to SC who beat every one in the East.
I guss win you have not won a nat since Jimmy Carter you will take anything
OkieDawg
December 4th, 2011
12:04 am
Saban spent all day politicking for Alabama to go to the NC Game. But Okie State just made a statement and I think they should jump Bama. Saban is a whiner and will be crying like a Tebow if the voters do the right thing. Okie State beats LSU by a dozen.
OkieDawg
December 4th, 2011
12:06 am
Excuse me reality gator, but you are incoherent. What were you trying to say? or slurring?
Otis My Man
December 4th, 2011
12:10 am
GT SUX– girls are ugly and your fball team sux. GO AWAY! You are not invited to the SEC blogs
Mike da Tiger
December 4th, 2011
12:10 am
Buzz2011…you’re on here after being drug by the Dawgs?!?! The “true Dawgs” have flaws but they aren’t so severe as to not be able to pummel your squad into submission. I know you’re not talking about someones schedule and lack of running game. I know you’re not saying they have a weak defensive line. I know you’re not questioning the QB play vs what your boy did the other day. You just get your taste buds ready for Tex-Mex food and enjoy the Sun Bowl partner. Let us handle big boy football over here in the SEC thank you.
Otis My Man
December 4th, 2011
12:12 am
buzz we kicked your ass 10 out of 11 times go back in your hole and pick your nose and eat your buggers you geek!
Dreamer dog
December 4th, 2011
12:12 am
I was right a BLOWOUT east is week
DOG TARD
December 4th, 2011
12:13 am
TOP FIVE RECRUITING CLASS AND YOU GOT YOU @SS HANDED TO YOU..YEP LIFE SUX WHEN YOU FINALLY HAD TO PLAY LSU…ANYBODY CAN BE SEC EAST CHAMP WITHOUT BAMA, ARKANSAS AND LSU ON THE SCHEDULE
BWASHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
reality gator
December 4th, 2011
12:13 am
let me make it plain, puppies lost to SC, who beat everyone in the east, you avoided ARK, LSU, Al and got stomped by 32 points when you went head to head with them and you bragging you are co champs in the east on paper, real sec fans know you really are not.
I guess when you have not won the big one since Jimmy Carter was in office you will take anything.
OkieDawg
December 4th, 2011
12:14 am
Dreamer dog: east is “week”. You poor uneducated bast___. Funny
Mike da Tiger
December 4th, 2011
12:15 am
Reality Gator…I know you’re not on here after your boys were exposed by Furman a few weeks ago. WHy don’t you worry about getting some sort of offensive over there with “Pear” Bryant running the “O.” Here’s what you do, you just concentrate on stopping the transfers from leaving your program over there. What are you down to 15 scholarship kids??
Erk Russell's Dog
December 4th, 2011
12:15 am
The Black Keys just rocked out on Saturday night live.!!!
reality gator
December 4th, 2011
12:15 am
OkieDawg
let me make it plain, puppies lost to SC, who beat everyone in the east, you avoided ARK, LSU, Al and got stomped by 32 points when you went head to head with them and you bragging you are co champs in the east on paper, real sec fans know you really are not.
I guess when you have not won the big one since Jimmy Carter was in office you will take anything.
Said It Before and I'll Say It Again
December 4th, 2011
12:15 am
Don’t kick it to Matthiew!
Dodger Dawg
December 4th, 2011
12:16 am
Mike Slive sold out the integrity of the SEC for the hope of 2 SEC teams in the MNCG. The return by the “honey badger” in the second quarter should have been a 1st and 10 in LSU territory. There were 2 UN-CALLED Blocks in the back by the return team, not to mention a “non-confirmed” fumble on the 1. The way Aaron Murray had to take repeated slaps to his face mask was sickening, and watchin Kwame Geathers being pulled from behind in a half-nelson during the TD run by Blue was maddening. Something inside of me thinks that after seeing almost 2 qtrs of UGA dominance, Commissioner Slive communicated to the SEC officials that this would not help the SEC to be the first conference to land 2 teams in the MNCG. Today I am proder to be a member of the BULLDAWG NATION tha that of the sec.
Otis My Man
December 4th, 2011
12:16 am
and your boogers that is
AZDAWG
December 4th, 2011
12:17 am
CMR just texted me again for like h efifth time tonight and apparentl C(B)rowell is gone…..to much chronic and not enough church…they say he is probably transferring to Virginia Military Acacademy as a feature back….hopefully he can get his soft a** ankle better but then againn he should be OK against the other Div 3 acadamies stout Ds…..Wait second text….Bozo is out too…dont tell anyone cuz Richt is gonna let him know at church tomorrow…Willie martinez (aka Willie Vanille) is stting next to coach tomorrow to help ease te pain…..
Murray is a joke under pressure…..
reality gator
December 4th, 2011
12:24 am
Mike da Tiger
3 Nat in 10 years we will work it out””’ we are Florida
@dodgerdawg
December 4th, 2011
12:26 am
I was at the game…you are wrong on every account….but, as I learned tonight, you classless rednecks don’t know how loose graciously andi always blame someone else for your epic failure…we kicked your butt in the 2nd half…..you have to play 4 quarters…maybe Markie wil learn tnat a this next job…oh yeah,our team us.cks
dawg555
December 4th, 2011
12:30 am
LSU is a great team. Period. We aren’t great, but we are much improved from last year. And to all of the trolls on here….you lost to us. Your teams have way more work to do than we do. You are the ones that ought to be worried.
Erk Russell's Dog
December 4th, 2011
12:36 am
Reality Gator
The Gators will have a lot to” work out “in the near future. Gator nation will have to face mediocre results just like the bulldogs have for the last 30 years. But Saban will retire soon and maybe Miles will take a NFL job, so there is hope ,maybe in our lifetimes.
cochise
December 4th, 2011
12:40 am
Pardon me Mark but you’re a real jerk