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
Ray Goof's Hat
January 2nd, 2012
8:45 pm
Circle the one that doesn’t belong: Houston, South Carolina, Florida, Oregon, Georgia.
Kate
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
I have never been on this site, but our local columnists haven’t written yet, so I thought I would get the Georgia perspective. First let me say that this is the only Georgia game I watched completely all season. Second, I am an MSU grad. This is what I saw. Assets on State you might not know. State has a great kicking game. We have a senior class that is mentally tough minded. Our coach always seems to go for it in mentality. Sometimes, it works out with the trick plays, other times it costs us big. In our championship game against Wisc. Had we not run into the kicker (he was actually pushed into him) for a five yard penalty, we would have had a first down from the Wisc. 3 with 1.36 minutes left in the game first down for a probable win. Today, we never went for the block. The idea is to learn from questionable play calls. Your team had three big plays in the first half all resulted in points. Other than that, our defense tacked for a lot of losses. Your QB did not throw enough. Your coach insisted on running into our best players on defense. He inexplicably went for the field goal on third down. This especially cost you the game. I watched he game. Which I know MSU is much stronger than what the national media realizes (especially mentally) I think half time adjustments helped State. We played to win. I don’t know if you played not to lose, but it seemed that was the coaching philosophy
Chris
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
oh congrats on beating ohio state tampagator. Michigan st killed ohio state
Back to Reality
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
UGA will lose 3 starters and another Sr from the O-line, ask AU how much of an impact that has on everything, Murray doesnt perform well under pressure.
Someone said LSU would be way down next year? Why, they arent hardly losing anyone, in fact most folks have said they will be BETTER next year.
Bama will be down since they lose quite a few people on defense.
AND
UGA still has to beat USC at USC, but hey at least next year they wont start 0-2 starting off with Buffalo. Congrats on another super weak schedule in 2012 (nice BS excuse keeping Ole Miss and dumping Bama)
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
TampaGator. Your defense would not have held LSU to no first downs and 12 yards in the first half. We saw what your defense did against LSU. The LSU game was a result of more Murray turnovers and special teams giving LSU the ball at our 20 to 30 yard line twice. I wouldn’t trade any of our starters coming back and our DC for yours any day.
Dawg enuff
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
TampaGator, next year will be the first time in the past 20 or so years for UGA to win back to back games against Florida! And then they will go for Threepeat. I guess the smug comments will have to wait for a while huh!
icedawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
What a terrible waste of Boykin’s effort.
JFKDawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
Pitiful. Woeful. Embarrassing. This must be what it feels like to be a Tech fan.
I think GA just ran again up the middle again. Hasn’t worked all year, not sure why he thought it would work against an First Team All American.
Can someone prop Pat Dye up so he can call out the Dawgs again and maybe someone will develop a pair and a spine?
Phil
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
Richt throwing away that posession by taking a knee and kicking on 3rd down was the biggest blunder of his career. Walsh has been horrible all year! Taking a couple of shots into the endzone is probably a higher percentage play than Walsh actually making a FG! Turn to Walsh ONLY as a last resort!!
REZ EX
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
kudos to Mich St…I am fine with losing to LSU but Boise St USC and Mich St INEXCUSABLE.
ATTITUDE needs to improve in Athens….cocky comments this week by CMR and Murray to the Media about competing for national championship next year should never have been made until we beat Sparty. Just as bad as as the disrespectful tweet by Boykin to Boise St.’s head coach “I DARE YOU TO KICK TO ME”
7576DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
The thing that is the most frustrating part of Georgia losing is I think our defense is as good or better than anyone in the nation. GRANTHAM SHOULD BE PROUD. MCGARITY RAISE HIM TO WHATEVER IT TAKE’S TO GET HIM TO SIGN A THREE YEAR EXTENSION.
The frustrating part is knowing that we have a great defense but a very mediocre offense at best. That we have great defensive coaches but mediocre offensive coaches. Look how long it took for CMR to be forced to accept that Martinez was mediocre. What will it take for CMR to finally admit Bobo’s limitation’s.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
kerryb
Seriously bud trash talking to a FL fan and acting like UGA is on the better path than FL shows your ignorance
FL didnt even have an OC and still won today
Mark Richt has never beat a good FL team and after today probably never will.
1eyedJack
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
I could stick around and commiserate with you fellas, but I think I’ll go watch Gunsmoke and enjoy the rest of my Christmas vacation. Boy, we could sure have used Matt Dillion at right tackle today.
Tc
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
A year ago we lost another bowl game that we should have won. What is the difference?
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
TampaGator, Also I believe our defense gave up only 14 points in regulation to MSU and 17 to USC.
jim forrest
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
Enter your comments here could not punch out first down end of regulation, nor in first quarter on 4th inside the 10, not the whole game, not the whole season, just a shame for D to play so well and bokin with this sorry O line missed assignments, not under their pads. can not buy a first down why would any tailback come to us
Nick "The Man" Saban
January 2nd, 2012
8:48 pm
Better be glad you dawgs don’t have to come visit us in Tuscaloosa next year.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
8:48 pm
KerryB…..
Congrats on beating LSU for TWO QUARTERS.
Congrats on NOT beating Michigan State…..your equal for a bowl game.
Again……Ohio State barely lost to Michigan State and beat Wisconsin, which just barely lost the Rose Bowl.
P.S……How does it feel to be the only SEC team….or any team for that matter…..that lost to a Big Ten team in a bowl game? Feels great, right. On the verge of greatness, right?
1980 was so long ago
January 2nd, 2012
8:48 pm
Hey Chris,
Have you ever heard of a team that has top ten recruiting classes 5 years running and can only score 6 points against UCF in a bowl game???????????????
flagboy?
January 2nd, 2012
8:48 pm
Congrats to the Dawgs on a wild ride in 2011. Wish we could have beaten Mich St. and thought we had them in that first overtime. . . but didn’t happen. Feel bad for Walsh. A really tough year for the kid and an awful way to end his time at UGA.
Go Dawgs. Start working for 2012 tomorrow.
NYC Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:48 pm
As much as today stings, an SEC East title means a lot more than the Outback Bowl title. I mean, seriously, how “proud” are any of us over the minor bowl victories that our teams have won?
For example, the Dawgs have won 5 minor bowls (Independence, Chick-fil-A, Outback, Cap One twice) in the last 9 seasons…I don’t find it particularly satisfying. It stinks to lose these games, and it’s ho-hum to win. That’s why we need a playoff.
Chris
January 2nd, 2012
8:49 pm
back to reality
anderson wont be missed
cordy glenn is a guard not a tackle he struggled all year at tackle
ben jones yes he will be missed alot.
1 of the 3 will be missed. Our o line will be young but it might be better
Still SMH
January 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
Hey coach, what do we do on 3rd down in OT? Kick the Fg, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Erk Russell's Dog
January 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
I hope McGarrity will use some common sense in the CMR contract talks.How about a contract with a vesting option depending on the performance of your team. Extend CMR for one year with a 500k raise. Win the SEC east and get a 250k bonus and another year extension..As for the SEC championship game give CMR an option to double down.Win it another 500k on your base and a 2 year extension,if CMR loses the SEC championship he gives back the 250k and the extension . I wonder if CMR would be confident enough to agree to this type of contract.
Dawg89
January 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
Idiotic comments from Bobo and Richt. Two pees in a pod. Dumb and Dumber.
Chris
January 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
tampa gator
how does it feel that you lost to uga??? we know who the better team is and we will prove it again next year
Dawg enuff
January 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
Back to Reality, you don’t read much do you! That was the SEC’s decision to “dump” Alabama for Missouri not UGA!
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
8:47 pm
kerryb
Seriously bud trash talking to a FL fan and acting like UGA is on the better path than FL shows your ignorance
FL didnt even have an OC and still won today
Mark Richt has never beat a good FL team and after today probably never will.
____________________________________________
What a stupid comment. Florida was playing a third tier Big 10 team today not the Championship runner up like we were. Georgia IS on a better path that UF. That’s a fact. I didn’t see ANY improvement from them from the year before.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
8:51 pm
kerryB……
And you shut out LSU for 2 quarters. Congrats on those moral victories. Championships are clearly made up of moral victories.
P.S….you failed to mention…..Georgia lost to MSU and SC…..and LSU……and Boise.
“ON THE VERGE OF GREATNESS”……….with the help of no “ENERGY VAMPIRES.”
Yeah Boy!
Phil
January 2nd, 2012
8:51 pm
As someone said earlier, Grantham may be lured away by an NFL team, maybe even the Falcons. It’s a shame we don’t have an OC to compliment the good job Grantham is doing. Anybody think Bobo will get any offers by anyone? Don’t think so, that should tell you something.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
Chris……
It feels like 18 out of 22. That is how it feels. See you next October.
FLA DAWG.
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
Wow Mark!
I never thought you’d sound like a bag man but let me count the excuses you listed in your post………….sorry, too many to count.
Did you forget the 4th and dumb go for it in the first qtr!?
No mention of how poorly the O Line played………..I wrote “how poorly” – that means absolutely miserable.
The D was the finest thing on the field today. They cannot play full tilt when the O is giving the game away.
That means Richt and Bobo.
God Almightly In Heaven,
If McGarity hasn’t seen enough to unload these two guys by now then he never will.
At this point I’d give Grantham the HC job along with coaching the D and pay some BIG BUCKS for an OC who can find his azz with one hand – that’s all we need with the talent we have.
This program has embarrassed the alumni far too long for coaching status to remain unchanged.
FLA DAWG
Class of ‘79
Buzz 2011
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
Chris:: The Dawgs have been fortunate against GT for some years now.
The Dawgs continue to shut down our rushing game and hold us to 400yrds
or so per game..I would note GT won the ACC title in 2009 and beat the
current ACC title holder this year. Tell me about your SEC title wins
over the past years and wins over ranked teams.. 51 yards??????
jack bull
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
how was the QB play today? or in any of the 4 losses we had this year(and even in a couple of wins)? hmmm, i think i see a pattern here..
int’s, fumbles, nice
DP
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
Big 10 goes 1-4 today with Georgia the only team that managed to lose to them. Wisconsin gave up over 600 yards of offense to Oregon. Penn State gave up almost 400 yards of passing to Houston IN THE FIRST HALF! Ohio State, which has still never beaten an SEC team in a bowl game after forfeiting last year’s victory over Arkansas with 5 players who should have been ineligible, lost to a Florida team that couldn’t manage 100 yards of offense against FSU. Nebraska got whipped by South Carolina.
But Mark Richt and Georgia, a team supposedly on the cusp of greatness, just ran into a terrific Michigan State team!
gator On The Loose
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
“”"……………..KerryB…..
Congrats on beating LSU for TWO QUARTERS……………”"”"
and congrats on beating MSU for 2 quarters as well
Josh Smith for 3
January 2nd, 2012
8:52 pm
All this criticism of UGA coaching is a little confusing. Did anybody see how little the offensive line made its presence felt? The largest offensive line in the country was reduced to a non-factor, especially in the ground game. And on that note, perhaps the most glaring problem with UGA for several years now has been inconsistent offensive line play. Until we can tangle with the aggressive front sevens of the talented and competitive teams, we will continue to be hogtied on offense and lose.
That and special teams, which quite frankly could not have gotten any worse this season with the exception of Brandon Boykin.
LakeDawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:53 pm
@kate the MSU grad
Very astute analysis.
Too funny
January 2nd, 2012
8:53 pm
Don’t worry, Uga fans have very short memories. After signing day, Bradley, Schultz, Buck belue, and the rest I’d the Atl media market will have you believing the Dawgs will be legitimate national championship contenders….kinda like the Falcons are actually elite
DAWG Man
January 2nd, 2012
8:53 pm
Last week all you contributors were raving about how great CMR was. Now he losses one game and you want him fired. Give me a break. Unfortunetely, next year we will win quite a few games but with the weakest schedule in college football we won’t get to the BCS title game, besides LSU will clean our clock in the SEC title game with a former DAWG quarterback by the name of Zach Mettenburger.
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
8:53 pm
Back at the hotel after an extended stint in the ol’ press box. And I asked Mike Bobo about his thinking on Georgia’s last series in regulation. He said he considered throwing the ball, but the decision was made on the sideline — I gathered this meant Mark Richt had input — to run the ball three times and make Michigan State burn its final TOs.
The Missing Dog
January 2nd, 2012
8:54 pm
Where was Russ? Has Adams sent him back to the pound, and where was Adams? The character of this Georgia team is a great improvement over recent years. One arrest as opposed to twelve last year and far fewer penalties. Crowell has been a bust, in spite of Richt’s theatrics and special treatment. Except for Crowell, who absolutely refuses to block. Georgia played a decent game and easily could have won. However, MSU was a much better team than they appeared in the first half. So, Richt will get his contract extension and pay raise and start talking about Dream Team Two. See you next September for more of the same.
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
8:55 pm
ampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
8:48 pm
KerryB…..
Congrats on beating LSU for TWO QUARTERS.
Congrats on NOT beating Michigan State…..your equal for a bowl game.
Again……Ohio State barely lost to Michigan State and beat Wisconsin, which just barely lost the Rose Bowl.
P.S……How does it feel to be the only SEC team….or any team for that matter…..that lost to a Big Ten team in a bowl game? Feels great, right. On the verge of greatness, right?
______________________________________________________________________
At least we won a half. You were having your a**es handed to you at halftime 24-3 when you played them.
FLA DAWG.
January 2nd, 2012
8:55 pm
Tampa Gator and the rest of you Gator Fans,
You won today – congrats.
We lost and I am sick about it.
Bottomline – we played a much tougher team than you and we also whipped your butts in reg season.
See you next season for your annual home game when we’ll whip your azzez again.
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
8:55 pm
Chip Towers asked Richt about his thinking on settling for the 42-yard FG in the first OT. Richt said what you’d figure he’d say: That he had faith his guy would connect and that he kicked on third down to give Georgia a fallback should there be a bobbled snap.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
8:56 pm
kerryB….
You better take those blinders off and start thinking (and posting) with your brain….and less with your heart. The Gator D is very young and very, very good. The offense will be greatly improved and much deeper (especially on the OL) next year.
And….again……
Ohio State barely lost to Michigan State (therefore, they played as well as Georgia against them)
and Ohio State beat Wisconsin….which just barely lost in the Rose Bowl.
And…..Georgia is the only team that lost to a Big Ten team.
But…..keep those blinders on.
GTBob
January 2nd, 2012
8:56 pm
Grantham had one good year out of 2 and really didn’t perform very well against good teams. Why do people act like NFL teams are going to start beating down his door?
Gdawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:56 pm
As long as Booboo the Clown if the Offensive Coordinator, UGA will not win the SEC and has not chance of going to the Nationla Championship Game! The biggest offensive line in college football couldn’t move anyone off the ball to get the running game going this year. You get rid of Booboo and UGA contends next year…you don’t and UGA doesn’t get close. Sad to watch that much talent get schooled when we play a well-coached Team. I still like Richt, but his hands are tied with Booboo, son in law of one the of the biggest donors at UGA. He coached where before UGA????
GoodGolly
January 2nd, 2012
8:56 pm
If any of these lesser name coaches that exist in Div II or unknown Div I colleges had HALF the talent that Richt have at UGA, they would have won at least 2 championships by now in the same 10 year span that Richt had. I don’t get it, what is this love affair with this coach who have done absolutely nothing at UGA execpt win a couple of SEC titles. Maybe that was the expectation they had for him.
It always seem that the OC and QB Murrary quit in the second half of games as well.
Truly study the game of football, the trends and what's going on
January 2nd, 2012
8:56 pm
and choose to err
on the side of
EXTREME CAUTION.