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
SSIgator
December 4th, 2011
10:14 am
Halftime in the UGA locker room:
Mark Richt: Hello, Dr. Adams? Listen, I told you I was a great coach and you can see that now, right? By the way, have you got my contract extension worked up yet? Come by the locker room before the second half starts so I can sign it.
Crowell: Man, this is too much stress. I need to light up in the bathroom and mellow out before the second half starts.
After the game:
Mark Richt: Darn, here it is in chapter one of my “Cutting Edge Football” book. A football game consists of 60 minutes. I wonder how I missed that one. Hey, honey, did Dr. Adams come by the locker room? Honey? Honey??
Crowell: Wow, that weed was really good. And powerful too. I could lick all of those sissies from LSU if the ref hadn’t gotten in the way. Oh, well. Hey, who took my Doritos and my Twinkies?
Elementary my Dear Watson
December 4th, 2011
10:16 am
At DP……” .Rambo stood like a statue as Blue ran right by him on the long TD run. He wanted no part of Blue. I’d love to hear him explain to Grantham what he was thinking when they watch the film. “.
Ditto…good call. Not sure it was Rambo, but I do know it was # 18. I texted my son right after the replay. I was livid. Absolutely pathetic. It must be a great feeling for LSU to have a team so demoralized, so beatdown, that they see it in their eyes. Also just a observation and I am sure many other saw. Our receivers route running is also pathetic. YAC ( yards after catch ) non existent. Receivers….” sell ” your routes, cut hard and firm, and think about running with the ball after you catch. Don’t just turn around and catch andf then get pummeled by the athletic/very stong muscular DB’s.
jonlanz
December 4th, 2011
10:17 am
Richt is horrible. Gave up 35,45,and 42 against the three best teams he faced. Crowell,you are a POS. Hope your sorry ass transfers. Santa should bring you some tampons. What a wimp.
Karma
December 4th, 2011
10:18 am
I didn’t celebrate the UGA loss to LSU as much as its other losses. No need to. Why celebrate a given?
jonlanz
December 4th, 2011
10:21 am
Crowell is pathetic. Never seen a bigger puss in my life. I hope you transfer You pile of monkey $hit.
Ga Wins
December 4th, 2011
10:21 am
The game showed us that we need to address two critical areas:
First we need running backs you can’t win relying only on the passing game, having said that, the passing game was the only viable option we had to stay with LSU. The receivers let us down by dropping so many catchable balls. Next recruiting period we need to focus on gettinng quality SEC backs, backs that can take a licking and keep on ticking.
Second our backups need to be as close to the same quality as the starters. LSU basically just wore us down, their depth was far supior ours. Look at the defense how can we expect our defense to play all game without some talented backups. LSU is 4 deep at most positions. We are only deep at quarterback.
Finally while Bobo may not be the best OC in the game you can’t lay this loss at his feet. If we had executed we stood a good chance of pulling this win off.
Coaches go get us backs and some quality backups and we’ll be in the mix next year.
Bob
December 4th, 2011
10:23 am
The four absolutes of UGA football: Crowell is absolutely a worthless thug, Bobo is absolutely the most inept OC in Div 1, Aaron Murray is absolutely not a big game QB, and Mark Richt absolutely can’t beat a top 15 team anymore.
Carolina Observer
December 4th, 2011
10:24 am
uga fans are a pathetic batch fair weather bandwaggoners.
The contrast of the comments made in the bravado of the pre-season, then the despair and “fire cmr” mantra after SC, and then the gathering storm of faux-bravado returning after you played 9 straight teams that either were just plain bad or were in decline and then the giddiness when you you all were duped into thinking you were really good was amazing. Ten Straight wins!!!!
Against who? uga had the easiest schedule I have ever seen an SEC team get. EVER. All the perenially good teams on your schedule were magically down and struggling mightily.
There was a good reason you won ten straight after SC. You should have. But the mistake you doggies made was misinterpreting the results. Especially after Auburn. (which if you were smart enough to look closely you would have realized that Auburn would have lost to UF if it had not been for UF imploding on 5 dropped punts and UF in general was just terrible this year) And speaking of UF you beat them by 4 and should have beat them by 50.
And the polls did uga NO service by letting it creep up that far in light of their schedule.
Just so much to say and so little time.
Who ya gonna FIRE now, uga fans????? I hear ron zook is looking for a job, so you have a ready replacement after the fallout.
Geaux Tigers!!
TrueDawg
December 4th, 2011
10:25 am
Flat Tire
I agree, Bobo is way too predictable and doesn’t adjust when the defense takes away something. Murray also has to perform better against good teams in big games. I like our defense and look forward to matching up against Big 10 in bowl.
A Mark Of LSU Greatness: Stink For A Half, Then Win By 32 Points
December 4th, 2011
10:27 am
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Delusional Dog Fans
December 4th, 2011
10:30 am
Listening to the game wrap up on WSB last night was a prime example of the “delusional dog fan” syndrome. I think it was Buck Belue who was talking about how even though GA was ranked 13th or 14 most people knew that they were probably the 6th or 7th best team in the country right now. UGA, legends in their own minds.
LucyDawg
December 4th, 2011
10:31 am
If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts…we’d all have a Merry Christmas.
Sure Georgia should have been leading at the half 21-0. We still lose the game 35-21. Potential touchdowns don’t count. Lousy officiating that goes unchecked doesn’t count. What counts is what the scoreboard says when the last second rolls off the clock. It is at that moment you’re either a true Bulldog or a fair weather fan. You either still love your “boys,” support your team, rejoice in the in-game victories and weep over turnovers and miscues or you start pontificating and running your mouth off about who is at fault, who sucks and who should be fired.
I don’t give a crap if the Walmart Bulldogs want to start jumping off and on bandwagons. I love these boys. They played their hearts out. They turned what could have been an abysmal season into a really decent year. So jaw all you want. Lead the battle cry to fire Bobo or Mark Richt. I’ve got your back boys because I’ve loved you and supported you through thick or thin for 52 years.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 4th, 2011
10:34 am
Explain something
We need to go get more players really
Under the Richt Tenure
UGA is ranked 2nd in recruiting behind USC
UGA has put more players in the NFL than any other SEC school
But we need to go get more players
Open your eyes people.
But hey we won 10 games again,
ARdawg
December 4th, 2011
10:36 am
LucyDawg
Good post
Take two pills and call me
December 4th, 2011
10:37 am
East be Less of a Joke when Missouri and Texas A&M start playin in SEC and alabama n auburn in East when they come in cause Mizzu n Texas A&M are very west of us so be in place where auburn n alabama had been cause they be in East in 2012
Allstate
December 4th, 2011
10:37 am
What is the difference between UGA receivers & Allstate ? ……. Allstate has good Hands. UGA missed many opportunities. Game went like I thought. LSU just to strong and played the final 30 minutes.
Elementary my Dear Watson
December 4th, 2011
10:39 am
Please ” Shape up or Ship out “…we do need you but please and as my fraternity brothers use to say lets ” Get the head right “. And you know who I’m talking about.
And I ask again as the mighty Munson would say ” We have no depth “. Why is that every year? What I want for Christmas is ” depth “, not just one year but every year.
TrueDawg
December 4th, 2011
10:42 am
What is a Walmart bulldog?
LucyDawg
December 4th, 2011
10:42 am
Thanks ARDawg.
Benny
December 4th, 2011
10:45 am
LSU is that good. Good coaching, toughness, depth, and will. Dogs played a pretty good first half, but the D just got gassed. Depth…and no contribution from the O. IC is not even as good as Jasper Sanks was. As they say, “When the going gets tough,…” Cannot count on him. Keith Marshall, are you listening?
GT
December 4th, 2011
10:45 am
What would attract any top rated running back recruit to Georgia. You watch all the bodies being hauled out of that program with running back numbers and say I want some of that? A lot of player types do very well at Georgia, running backs are DOA.
Andrew from LaGrange
December 4th, 2011
10:46 am
All you idiots who want richt fired now….where were you at these past 10 weeks?? shut up really you all need to go get a LSU shirt and go root for another team any time we lose its fire richt fire richt…how about we catch the ball…you all are idiots…its bad when I hate my own fans bc they dont know anything about football
LucyDawg
December 4th, 2011
10:48 am
TrueDawg, I stole that phrase from some spoof commercials at NotSoPureMichigan.com In a spot about U of M football, they refer to many of the fans as Walmart Wolverines because they say, “It’s not only where they buy their football gear but you know darn well these yahoos never even graduated high school.” Here’s the link: Enjoy. http://www.notsopuremichigan.com/?p=126
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
December 4th, 2011
10:48 am
Andrew from LaGrange
6 years and counting and not one monumental win
But hey we did win another 10 WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bob
December 4th, 2011
10:48 am
Andrew, you’d be talking about me. How many of our ten wins were against teams that finished better than 6-6? I think we can do better.
bvgdoesneedahaircut
December 4th, 2011
10:49 am
What an embarrassment UGa was yesterday to the entire State of Georgia……pathetic just pathetic. Good start and then dropped passes for sure touchdowns by two clowns who couldn’t catch it if you gently placed it in their small little hands. And then Mr. All American, Aaron Murray throws it right to the LSU defense…..The entire coaching staff should be fired and every player put on notice that their scholarship is in danger of being pulled…..we have to do something quick. We cannot keep looking so lost against real teams like LSU and Alabama, who hung over 30 points against us in the first half a few years ago. We are going to get killed in the bowl game. The whole season is now a disgrace….10 game winning streak against the little sisters of the poor and 0-3 against real teams……Fire everyone now!!!!!!!!
Always an Excuse
December 4th, 2011
10:49 am
@1962 Dawg…. Boy you got it all figured out. Talk about delusional. You lost because of the refs. Give me a break. You got your tail whipped by a much better team. Just like everyone except Dawg fans thought you would . There were 3 teams in the West better than UGA and the results would have been the same. Good luck with your NC run next year . That’s what Dawg fans live on.
GT
December 4th, 2011
10:50 am
Think about a long term contract with Richt and then think of this being the last year a team can hide like Georgia did from the real SEC. Texas A&M will get a new coach and they will come into this conference smoking. They will move Alabama over to the east to make room and they don’t buy excuses at Alabama like they do at Georgia.
bvgdoesneedahaircut
December 4th, 2011
10:51 am
And I forgot to discuss Mr. Crowell….what a joke. He is so fragile and then gets a 15 yard penalty when we don’t need that crap….he is a loser and should be released now so he can continue his career at Delta Jr College or somewhere like that
Bob
December 4th, 2011
10:53 am
With Fla International, Buffalo, and Ga Southern on our schedule for ‘12, we’re almost a third of the way to another ten win season. Now if we can figure out how to beat SC and Bama, we’ll be half way.
G©
December 4th, 2011
10:56 am
First of all, I’m sick of all these roaches (aint/lsu fans) talking funky about the dawgs and Falcons. Show more respect while you reside in MY state. Last I checked, the population of New Orleans is still on the decline.
The dawgs did what they were supposed to do. 10 wins for GA are valid for who we are, against the teams we played. Our defense still played as well as they were supposed to. Offensively, lsu made us one demensional. We felt the loss of Samuels, and the need for a “traditional” big back. IC is built more for a spread offense or 3rd down in Bobo’s O scheme.
I’m miffed at the special teams for even punting the ball to the Honey Bird.
Next year will be even better. We have a lot of young players returning and more great recruits are on the way. Our 2012 season will look much better than lsu, because your big guns are heading to the league. Lsu, enjoy your 2011 while it lasts. Rebuild (something you should be used to) is on the way.
lance
December 4th, 2011
10:57 am
uga just got a good ass whipping they shouldn’t even played in the game …uga is the second best team in the east…overrated both offense and defense…so I guess this dream team didn’t show up yet where are they?
Coach Mark ( tanning bed ) Richt
December 4th, 2011
10:57 am
Dadgum refs. We would have won if they hadn’t given all the calls to LSU>
heartofdarkness
December 4th, 2011
10:59 am
After watching a half of sloppy football, I decided SEC players are overpaid.
omg
December 4th, 2011
11:00 am
georgia is fine we won the east we just got beat by a better team keith marshall and todd gurley please we need you and to coach richt hire a special teams coach now
artful codger
December 4th, 2011
11:01 am
Isaiah Crowell: 10 carries for +15 yards, 1 mouth-off for -15 yards … net zero yards
Stinger
December 4th, 2011
11:02 am
Did Walmart have a Blue Light special last night? I couldnt’ believe the number of UGA fans that went flocking out the door in the 3rd Quarter.
Hopelessly Devoted
December 4th, 2011
11:03 am
Mark Richt is the best Head Coach in the nation. His only problem is that he won’t take the fan’s advice about whom to hire as assistants and how to prepare for and call games.
Aside from that, he’s perfect.
BullDogMike
December 4th, 2011
11:03 am
Dawgs will never be a quality SEC team until they take special teams play serious. I have said it a thousand times……they will and can lose games for you. The run back of the punt and end of 2nd quarter was the momentom changer that LSU need. To see the defense play so great and then to see Spc. teams just give it back was sick. From that point on the dawgs were finished.
Uncle Tom
December 4th, 2011
11:03 am
Mark my words——-now that the oversigning of prospects is now illegal, these “superteams” like Alabama and LSU will become extinct. In a couple of years, they will look like the rest of the teams out there, and they will not have 3rd and 4th teamers who are as good as everybody else’s first team.
omg
December 4th, 2011
11:03 am
refs didnt beat us but they missed a clip on the honey badgers return not to mention he threw the ball out of bounds before he scored
omg
December 4th, 2011
11:06 am
all year really bulldog mike florida game and carolina game special teams killed us
Ga Wins
December 4th, 2011
11:06 am
Flat Tire our starters are top notch, but a football team is more than just the starters. We need players that are just a notch below starting, ready to to take on the starting role.
The players we have that go on to play on Sunday come from our 1st string. We need a stronger bench.
We can field a strong 22 on any given Saturday, we need to have 22 more on the bench, The problem is that the additional 22 aren’t ready until they become starters.
They Gotta Live With It
December 4th, 2011
11:09 am
It absolutely tickles me to no end that these PRETENDERS some call the Dawgs and the absolute FRAUD Mark Richt have to live with getting their tales kicked and neutered right there in the GEORGIA DOME and they have to live with this EMBARASSING LOSS for the rest of their lives……they don’t even deserve to be in the SEC the way they played last night…….FIRE RICHT as soon as possible!!!! Run him out of the state!
okfornow
December 4th, 2011
11:09 am
The most disappointing part of all of UGA’s season is in Crowell. IF CMR is THE MAN of integrity he claims to be – he would do the right thing and go ahead and get rid of Crowell. Crowell is a thug – and for CMR to keep him means CMR has to compromise his values – for the sake of player who could really care-less about playing for UGA.
Stinger
December 4th, 2011
11:10 am
Did Walmart have a Blue Light Special last night? I couldn’t believe the number of UGA fans that went sprinting out the door near the end of the 3rd Qtr.
OldFan
December 4th, 2011
11:11 am
UGA will not win an SEC title for many years to come. Why? The West will dominate this game for the next decade. LSU, Bama, Arkansas and Auburn will hold the West dominate. Now go sign Richt to an extension, please.
trey
December 4th, 2011
11:11 am
“Wait till next year!”
“Dawgs were just nervous!”
“We’re young!”
“We’ve got a dream team coming to the rescue!”
Pick your (6yr old) excuse.
Let’s just give Richt and BooBoo huge pay raises and contract extensions to reward them for their great work. Under them UGA will beat Florida, Auburn, LSU, Bama and Tennessee when their programs are down but they’ll always beat the maggots. I kinda like UGA being a mediocre SEC team every year. What about you?
Dirty Dawg
December 4th, 2011
11:13 am
If I could have changed only one thing last night it would have been playing Boo Malcome all night long. Not just kicking it away from the Badger…not just ‘turning’ conservative with the play calling…just giving the ball to Malcome who clearly is the best RB we have. Crowell is an immature punk and probably needs to be run off now or otherwise will become a growing cancer that will, ultimately, bring Mark Richt down.
Hopelessly Devoted
December 4th, 2011
11:14 am
@omg “refs didnt beat us but they missed a clip on the honey badgers return not to mention he threw the ball out of bounds before he scored”
Why don’t you email Les Miles and ask him if he’ll give that TD back. He probably wouldn’t mind. It’s not as if it would change the outcome in any way whatsoever.