It was an awful loss, but it wasn’t the end of UGA’s ascent
It wasn't the greatest homecoming for Georgia's Aaron Murray, was it? (AP photo)
Tampa — This was a bad loss, OK? This was a really bad loss by a team that had positioned itself to win by two touchdowns until its quarterback began throwing the ball to the wrong team. But in the grand scheme — and by “grand” I mean a distance of Grand Canyon dimensions — losing to Michigan State might be a good thing for the Georgia Bulldogs.
A year and two days ago, Georgia was wondering how how long it would take to rise from 6-7. To the Bulldogs’ credit, they rose to 10-2 and to the SEC East title in the span of 11 months. In its final two games, Georgia proved its transformation from underachiever to champion is not yet complete.
In the SEC championship game, Georgia led LSU 10-0 but lost 42-10. In the Outback Bowl here Monday, the Bulldogs led Michigan State 16-0 and had outgained the Spartans 217 yards to 81 when, four minutes into the third quarter, Aaron Murray scrambled to his right and saw Tavarres King near midfield. Murray thought King would backtrack. Instead King ran deeper. Murray’s pass, directed where King wasn’t, was intercepted. With that, a game Georgia had dominated began to unspool.
Said Mark Richt, Georgia’s coach: “Aaron had plenty of space. He was being pressured, but he wasn’t under duress.”
Had Murray scrambled for a modest gain, had he flung the ball out of bounds, Georgia might well have won this game breezing. The interception gave the Spartans a lift they hadn’t really earned, and therein hangs a lesson.
Said Todd Grantham, Georgia’s defensive coordinator: “Good teams are always going to make plays. You have to learn to put teams away, and there’s a learning curve for that. You’ve got to educate yourself. You’ve got to go through things.”
What Georgia went through the rest of this excruciating day was a crash course in comeuppance. Ahead and in control, the Bulldogs blew that 16-point lead, surged back ahead inside the final seven minutes, saw Michigan State tie it with 19 seconds left in regulation and managed to mess up three overtimes as badly as three overtimes can be messed up. It was as if the Football Fates said, “Yeah, you’re young and you’re talented, but you’re not there yet.”
Bacarri Rambo intercepted a Kirk Cousins pass at the beginning of overtime, and that should have been that. But Richt, choosing to err on the side of extreme caution, opted to have Blair Walsh try a field goal on third down from the 25, which is where you get the ball to start an overtime. Sure enough, Walsh missed. (A low snap contributed.) Two more overtimes would follow, and finally it ended with a Walsh kick being blocked.
Georgia’s offensive yield in the three OTs: Eight plays for minus-4 yards. Indeed, Michigan State — which managed two first downs in the first 35 minutes — would outgain the Bulldogs 391 yards to 339. Georgia couldn’t run a lick, and 20 Murray completions were offset by two interceptions, a lost fumble and four sacks.
The second Murray interception was returned for a touchdown, the fourth time this season a Murray throw yielded six opposing points. Three of those came in losses. As superb as Murray can be, there’s still a bit of the wild point guard in him: He can keep both teams in the game.
Said Mike Bobo, the offensive coordinator: “We’ve just got to do a better job as a team of protecting the football.”
Said Richt: “You’ve got to respect the ball.”
Somehow Georgia contrived to lose on a day when Brandon Boykin, ostensibly a defender, scored three times (tackle for safety, punt return, pass reception). Somehow the champ of the SEC East lost to the champ of the Big Ten Legends Division, and we all know the SEC shouldn’t be losing to the Big Ten in a bowl game. That said …
This ugly loss does not — repeat, does not — invalidate the 10 games Georgia won in 2011. This game is not — repeat, is not — proof that these Bulldogs will never win anything big under Richt. Yeah, it was a wretched ending to a turnaround season, but the turnaround stands.
Said Boykin, a senior who was the game’s MVP: “We made huge strides from 6-7, but great teams finish when they’re supposed to. The LSUs and Alabamas — there’s a reason they’re going to the national championship game. We held LSU to 12 yards in the first half and didn’t finish. We had the lead today and didn’t finish. Once they figure out how to pound a team and not give up anything, Georgia can be special.”
Said Richt: “At the moment, this one hurts. But in time it will heal.”
Some of you might consider those empty words. But we need recall another bowl loss, the Music City defeat by a Boston College team of no special distinction, that capped Richt’s first season. It was easy that day in Nashville to claim that Georgia was still the same old Georgia, but soon it wasn’t. The next year the Bulldogs went 13-1 and won Georgia’s first SEC title in two decades.
By Mark Bradley
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1,128 comments Add your comment
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
7:32 pm
GT Fan
January 2nd, 2012
7:30 pm
Kerryb,
I’m saying the same to you then for GA wins over GT in 2010, and at least twice under Gailey. GA only won b/c GT screwed up.
_______________________________________________________________________
Ga Tech has been a screw up for 10 years.
cptzzggyy
January 2nd, 2012
7:32 pm
I don’t necessarily advocate firing anyone, but unless UGA gets an OC who can & will call plays aggressively – to win, rather than to just attempt to stay close – UGA will never achieve the prominence the fans demand & the players deserve.
jim donnan
January 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
I would have thrown a pass on 3rd down with just over 2 minutes left and we would have won the game!
Another Ralph
January 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
Bark Madley must like to see the dwags win against weak teams they schedule only to be humiliated in the SEC Championship and lose a minor bowl game.
Look for the same next year. Dropping the sure loss against Alabama for a probable loss against Missouri will likely hurt them more in the BCS standings.
Jan Kemp
January 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
The word is schadenfreude.
The Bear
January 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
I remember when Georgia would have put the hammer down! Those days are gone.
01HAWK
January 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
SpartyBob…………………………You need to just SHUT UP with the way BAMA took out 2 of your QB’S in the game and you had to have a former QB that was now a WR to play QB.
Do these comments look familiar. MICHIGAN STATE is a mediocre team that beat a mediocre GEORGIA team. Get over yourself PLEASE.
“When you look at us, we were out-coached, we were outplayed and we were (beaten physically),” Dantonio said. “It’s just the way it is, and sometimes there’s an avalanche that comes upon you.”
Alabama held Michigan State to 171 yards of total offense, including a minus-48 yards rushing. It was the worst rushing performance by a Michigan State game in 21 bowl appearances, and included 56 net yards lost by quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was sacked four times.
Delsuonal Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
Typical Bark Madley column. UGA beats no one all season, and are now 0-8 against ranked teams with Murray at QB, and this propaganda is written. How about some facts for you Mark….
-UGA’s best win over the season came against either mediocre 8-5 Auburn, or 8-5 GT team you blasted 2 days ago.
-UGA again plays pretty much no one next season outside of Mizzou, South Carolina, UF, AU and GT.
You’ve already started your pre-season UGA hype last week with your column stating UGA will go 11-1 and win the SEC Championship. LOL This team isn’t even close to 3 TD’s of LSU, Bama, or Arky. In fact, I’ll bet that Mizzou will lay the wood to UGA right now. UGA will lose 3 regular season games next year, and you’ll already start writing your UGA 2013 propaganda. When will you actually learn? I guess you never will…..
Erk Russell's Dog
January 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
Bradley says Super Size my Kool Aid.
MAD DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
7:34 pm
SAME OL GEORGIA CRAP EVERY YEAR! DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH TALENT T HAVE. THEY PLAY DOWN TO OTHER TEAMS, ONLY PLAY ONE HALF. AND THE OFFENSE IS AS BORING AS MARK RICHT HIMSELF. FOR OVER A DECADE MR NICE AND CHURCHY HAS CLAIMED THEY ARE ALMOST REALLY GOOD. RICHT SEAMS VERY CONTENT WITH NOT BEING THE BEST. THIS TEAM WILL NEVER CHANGE WITH HIM AND HIS MONKEY BOBO CALLING PLAYS. CANT PUT A TEAM AWAY AND CLOSE THE DEAL TO SAVE HIS LIFE. I HAVE SUPPORTED THE GUY FOR MANY YEARS BUT HE CANT TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. FOUR DIFFERENT SEC COACHES HAVE TAKEN OVER PROGRAMS AND WON A NATIONAL TITLE SINCE RICHTS HIRING.
Magnolia, Tx Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:34 pm
Same old BS, Bradley. Beat the bad teams and lose to the good ones. Another easy schedule this year, with the same results. Another year of mediocrity. Another year of Richt and BooBoo. SH–.
JB
January 2nd, 2012
7:34 pm
First call on the coach’s show this week on the radio………………” coach, we’re real proud of you and the boys. Ya’ll played a great game and we came up a little short, but we’re real excited about next year. How recrutin’n going? and we’re all behind you coach….I’ll hang up and listen”……………………..Geez…………barf…..
DP
January 2nd, 2012
7:34 pm
Bradley, if you had any aspirations of being a journalist left, you’d think about that column a little more, pull it down and rewrite it to hold Mark Richt properly accountable for today’s debacle.
Inferiority Complex
January 2nd, 2012
7:34 pm
How ironic, both Tech and UGA lose in overtime due to special team blunders.
Paul Johnson is to blame for his kicker being wide right..
Mark Richt gets a pass for blowing a 16 point lead to MSU.
No quality wins for UGA in 2011, and still looking for one in 2012.
Buzz 2011
January 2nd, 2012
7:35 pm
Aaron Murray declaring for the NFL draft.. He is being brought into Green Bay to tutor Aaron Rodgers. Anything in common other than the first name.. Well maybe the hair??
kurula
January 2nd, 2012
7:35 pm
they say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. to that i say….maybe next year.
Louisiana Dog
January 2nd, 2012
7:35 pm
It just seems like whenever the crunch time comes, that somebody over there just cant think straight.
Texas Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:36 pm
I agree, Mark. A very bad loss. I love UGA and I hope for better. And by ANY stretch of the imagination, the Dawgs improved mightily this year. Having said that, though, today’s loss was a microcosm of the year:
1. Defense plays lights out (except for that last MSU drive)
2. Crowell gets injured early in the game and is a non-factor
3. Murray throws unforced interceptions that result in opponent’s TD’s.
4. Blair Walsh misses makeable field goal.
I hope they get these things cleaned up next year or they can forget ever playing for a NC. (Walsh leaves, but who knows what an incoming freshman can do). It’s too bad. MSU should have never been close.
MAD DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
7:36 pm
BULLCRAP!
Thomas Dimitroff is a moron
January 2nd, 2012
7:36 pm
Kerryb,
I politely disagree. Richt didnt outcoach Johnson, we won because Tech’s players are small
We win because we recruit better, IMO. I’m a Dawg til I die (and Richt might kill me), but very rarely do I think… Boy, Richt outsmarted any coach. Ever.
BullDawg Rick
January 2nd, 2012
7:36 pm
Kerry – Point being – there’s a BETTER QB in the UGA camp.. & AM has thrown 4 pick 6’s this season & doesnot play heads up when the game’s on the line… Playcalling also killed us..
I Love the Dawgs & am in their camp like I have been for 50+ years..
War Eagle 30082
January 2nd, 2012
7:36 pm
@2012
Don’t count on LSA and Alabama being “way down” next year, and don’t forget about Arkansas. I think it’s say to predict that the SEC West will continue its domination in the SECCG. As of right now, no team in the East can match up favorably to the Best in the West…whoever that might be.
wind turbine jacket
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
Aren’t you reaching a little bit, Mark? UGA ends the season just like they started…two ugly losses to good teams. Between, they beat bad to mediocre teams. Never has so much 4 and 5 star talent been wasted.
swampjacket
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
Go Jawja Bulldawgs!!!
Augusta Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
Another ugly loss with this medocre program………….. Bobo is the very best OC on running on first down……. Not knowing the defense is waiting for this 80% of the time…… Better fire Bobo before recuriting turns south………………………………………………I feel sorry for the players………………….
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
Another 10 win season
But still havent beat a top 25 team in 3 years
SEC Bama Fan
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
Can someone explain to me the love affair with Richt? Please leave out all of the “good man” crap. Richt may be a good man, I do not know. I thought Paterno was a good man. What does UGA expect out of their program? This is a question Bama had to ask itself about five years ago. I am just curious.
hop
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
what a terrible loss and yes, georgia takes a step back as we finish with two consecutive losses to match the way we started the season.
questions will again be raise concerning where the program is heading. especially about the direction it is going with unanswered questions about murray, the offense and the lack of a dependable field goal kicker,and the offense under coach bobo.
I hope our CURRENT AD will ask these questions,as we have finish the season in a losing way to coach richt?
BankerDawg
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
Mark……
Ridiculous article. This was a bad loss…it is not good in any scheme…grand or otherwise.
Next year should be good based on the schedule, but that has little to do with our collapse today.
Good year, Dawgs. See you in February for signing day!
Erk Russell's Dog
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
First Corso gave the Dawgs his kiss of death . And then before the toss in overtime that goof Dowdle gets his mugg on TV. The Dawgs were doomed twice.
MAD DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
7:37 pm
BULLCRAP TO CONTRACT EXTENSION!
CFBFAN
January 2nd, 2012
7:38 pm
LOL, this program is not on the “ASCENT” — maybe according to the few uga fans left and homer reporters. This team has no mental tenacity, and quite frankly – got lucky a lot this year. Uga is a dying program, it had its chance in the early 2000’s, it missed.
jeff
January 2nd, 2012
7:38 pm
Are you kidding me. Reading this crap makes me want to throw up. This coach needs to go and take stupid a** murray and moron. Crowwell with him. I am fu***** fed up with these coaches and team.
dawgerbrown
January 2nd, 2012
7:38 pm
Thought Bobo the bozo was doing better. But the secon half play calling, mainly in the third quarter was TERRIBLE! Not making the fourth and one turned out to be big. But, most have forgotten that. It’s a bowl game Bozo, play to win, instead of playing not to lose.
Fire Richt
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
Murray is talking about winning it all next year during the Gruden interview, but Richt didn’t trust him with 2 minutes to go. Gain 8 yards and the game is over, but they voluntarily gave it back to Mich St after they have been shredding the UGA Defense entire second half.
Then when all they need is a field goal, the voluntarily back up two yards on 2nd down, and forfeit 3rd down so an inconsistent kicker can try it from 43.
JB
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
Bradley and Shultz need to turn up the heat in Athens, just like the press does with politicians. Things are not OK. We’ve got 4 and 5 star players beating weak teams on their own, but when a game plan is needed or coaching or game adjustments, we draw a blank. Trust me, Murray did not want to run up the middle three times on our last possession in regulation. Hell, I know Grantham didn’t. This is crap…..and it’s so fixable.
BluesDaddy
January 2nd, 2012
7:39 pm
UGA 74 Grad – agree completely. I was making those same points on FB as the game was progressing. Gutless approach to the game, MR will never be a big time winner because he cannot think outside the box and will not take football risks. UGA has the talent, but they fail to utilize it effectively. They should have blown out MSU, but give the Spartans a hand, their coaching staff knew if they hung around, the Dawgs would start playing to give them the game.
1962 DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
7:40 pm
Mark, this loss is hard to take. It would have been much eaiser to take if we had lost in a rout. But, to give a game away is hard.
Defense gives us a turnover in regulation, and the ref’s add to it by giving us a 1st down on a questionable pass interference call, and all our OC can call is 3 running plays up the gut.
Defense gives us another gift in OT, we run 2 give up plays and miss a fieldgoal.
The time has come CMR to do the same with the offense that you did with the defense.
FIND SOMBODY TO RUN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ICro
January 2nd, 2012
7:40 pm
In 2012, ICro will be wanting a lot more touches and be the focus on O–if not, he’ll walk.
timbo
January 2nd, 2012
7:40 pm
When you are as bad as UGA is, there is only 1 way to go. Add to that a pansy schedule next year (yes, UGA dropped Alabama), and you guys should win the east again, unless the Buford freshman team beats you. Love to see the dawgs lose. Wonderful day!
Pago Pago DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
7:40 pm
No need to worry, UGA will sign another Top Ten recruiting class and another Dream Team and be in pre-season # 10, sure….
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
BullDawg Rick
January 2nd, 2012
7:36 pm
Kerry – Point being – there’s a BETTER QB in the UGA camp.. & AM has thrown 4 pick 6’s this season & doesnot play heads up when the game’s on the line… Playcalling also killed us..
I Love the Dawgs & am in their camp like I have been for 50+ years..
__________________________________________________________________-
What have you seen from Christian LeMay to say he is better? The first INT that Murray threw was as much King’s fault as Murray. When a QB scrambles you come back to him for a pass not block. The second one was all on Murray.
01HAWK
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
As long as SABAN, MILES, and PETRINO are in the SEC WEST……………………………Then you can probably count on the WEST winning the SEC Championship…………………….COUNT ON IT.
Mike Bobo
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
We just need a better defense.
Rationale
January 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
I like Mark Richt, and have a great deal and of respect for him. Be made a lot of tough decisions that improved the team this year. However, he has one major decision remaining, # if he does not make the right decision. If he does not look for a better Offensive Coordinator, he needs to consider retiring. UGA will never be any better, as long as Bobo is the OC.
CFBFAN
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
LOL, this program is not on the “ASCENT” — maybe according to the few remaming uga fans and reporters in the state of GA (why be a fan of a team that only guarantees heartbreak EVERY Year???). This team has no mental tenacity, and quite frankly – got lucky a lot. Uga is a dying program, it has its chance in the early 2000’s, it missed.
Saban Never Sleeps
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
No LSU, Bama or Arky next year. Same thing will happen when you have to face a real team.
South Carolina DAWGS
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
We HAVE to establish a running game next year – we can not just PASS our way to victory. I hope the kid from NC will deliver – Crowell should be asked to give up his scholarship so we can “give it to a football player and not a HOT DOG”.. I have said for three months now that the Kid is a JOKE and he does not WANT IT. He wants the NFL money BUT doesn’t understand sacrifice, hard work, dedication and loyalty to your teammates above all else.
He has to GO coach for the betterment of the entire georgia team. Dawg Fans around me have seen enough of this dude!!!!!
Dawgland
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
What if we ran some version of Oregon’s offense with the athletes we have?
Leave Grantham and our D alone!
Chaz
January 2nd, 2012
7:42 pm
So Mark, in your assessment was this loss caused by a ’special’ lack of expertise?