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
9:09 pm
TampaGator, over the last 10 years we had teams that were just as good as UF’s. We just couldn’t get over a mental hurdle for awhile but we got over that this year.
drummerdawg
January 2nd, 2012
9:10 pm
I see a lot of complaining and “let’s fire the coach”, but no comments on WHO you think would be a good replacement or who would even be available. It was a disappointing loss but would you rather be back where the team was last yr? By the way, LSU is the only SEC team in recent memory to play a tough out-of-conference sked and the SEC portion of Georgia’s schedule for 2012 is set by the league office, not the AD.
Seriously?
January 2nd, 2012
9:10 pm
Hey Georgia fans and Mark “I know nothing about college football” Bradley – your beloved dogs played 5 teams that will end the season ranked in the top 25. They LOST to 4 of those teams and the 1 team you beat, Auburn, shouldn’t be ranked in the top 25. Get a grip – you are a LONG way from being a top SEC team – you’re just lucky you play in the SEC East…
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
9:10 pm
keeryB…..
And World War 2 will happen again in the year 3878….because it first happened in 1939. That war automatically happens every 1939 years. Book it.
Yeah Boy……..
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
9:11 pm
kerryb
What brand of kool-aid are you on tonight
LakeDawg
January 2nd, 2012
9:11 pm
Mark
I have no problem with Richt going for it on 4th and 1. Its the second half strategy I have a problem with. UGA basically tried to run out the clock from halftime on….until they got behind. Then again after getting the lead back.
Dawg enuff
January 2nd, 2012
9:11 pm
As Gdawg says, Florida may be 7-5 next year and 1 of those 5 will be to UGA.
No Shock
January 2nd, 2012
9:11 pm
UGA=Falcons
LMAO
January 2nd, 2012
9:11 pm
How ’bout them puppies, going home with their tails between their legs – again. I love UGA for their consistency; you can always count on ‘em to choke. No discipline, no guts, no class. Keep it up!
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
9:11 pm
I-95, Yes, UGA is on a better path than UF. Do I have to simplify that in some way for you?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
kerryb
You have had a little to much kool-aid bud
Chris
January 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
brain doctors
STOP INSULTING CROWELL!!! The dude is 18 and the trainers said his ankle was too hurt to go back in! you try running with no blocking vs michigan st with no ankle. richt said crowell practiced really hard in the bowl preparation and i feel bad for the kid cuz he gets criticized for every single thing he does
NYC Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
Troubling that Bobo is blaming “the sideline.” Fair or not, this is not a good state of affairs.
I know the haters are having a field day, but I ignore their nonsense. The reason the “real” GA fans are so frustrated is because we see that we have so many of the pieces in place…we just need to get a Top 10 offensive coordinator and a reliable RB.
We have an excellent QB, talented wideouts and a stout defense…great building blocks for next year.
@ TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
Dude, are you serious? UF is horrible. They beat a team today that is equally horrible but actually had the pressure on them. They knew their new coach was watching and they were basically auditioning for him. UF had zero pressure and playing AT HOME, as usual.
You guys lost the one good coach you had to f’n Kansas. Your time is done, and will be for a while until you realize Muschamp is a UGA plant sent there to send your program back to the stone age where it belongs
FLA DAWG.
January 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
THE FINAL ANALYSIS OF UGA’S SEASON;
The University of Georgia football squad beat every average or worse team they played giving them a 10 game winning streak……………..The two decent teams they opened with were losses and the two good teams they ended with were losses…………….. bottomline………………………
…………………….The Dawgs did not improve one bit from the first game to the last…………….
That is a coaching problem…………not a player problem………………..
The End…………….
See You Next Losing Season With Richt Dawg Nation…………….
FLA DAWG………..
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
9:12 pm
Mark, If you are right and that ball that was intercepted was tipped then you can’t fault Murray for both of those INT’s.
Miamidawg
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
Said Richt: “At the moment, this one hurts. But in time it will heal.”
Will heal a lot faster if we fire this under achiever and replace him with someone for whom the pain of a loss is a lot worse
Chris
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
kerryb you are correct about that we are on a better path. But florida will be back if not next year then the year after that
Your AD Loves Red Panties
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
FLA Dawg – put down the hooch, man. I’m not sold on Muschamp, but there were plenty of teams that considered him to be a prime HC candidate. You need to take a look at what Foley’s accomplished at UF. UGA can’t compare. Nice of you to get his subordinate, but they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Muschamp’s working on a top 5 recruiting class. If he can’t get it done, his replacement will have plenty of talent to work with. Unlike UGA, Florida won’t accept years of mediocrity.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
When the dogs play decent teams, the dogs lose. Boise State, South Carolina, LSU, Michigan State. All losses.
Cuz
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
Yeah Mark, I saw that tip where I was watching in row fifty on the sofa.
All the gnashing of teeth and moaning is predictable but kind of overblown. Last year I could see the point. This year, not so much.
@ Seriously?
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
And you are lucky your cheating bugs play in the God awful ACC, dou che
jack bull
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
i don’t think Richt will ‘call out’ or ‘rip’ his QB, but there sure is a common thread with the 4 losses this season, poor QB play!
On a bright note, how about Boykin? scored points in ALL 3 phases of the game, defense(safety), offense, and special teams…Man, did he go out with a bang… Good job, Brandon…
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
9:13 pm
I-95, Gator fans have been drinking their own kool aid for a long time and still think they are as good as they were a few years back and they are NOT.
jack bull
January 2nd, 2012
9:14 pm
and i still say, that if properly used, Boykin could have been very similar to R Bush..
boots
January 2nd, 2012
9:14 pm
There were times that Mike Bobo really looked like he was an idiot. Three runs up the middle with 2 minutes left. No imagination in overtime. Yes, the long passes worked, but our running game was non existent. Anyway, the team has room to grow, and I expect them to be much better in ‘12. Bobo, on the other hand, has not shown he can grow, and that is a concern. Will Richt make a change going in to a season with such promise? No, not a noisy one, at least. However, he can take away some of the authority of Bobo, and doing so might just make the difference between a good and a great season.
Phil
January 2nd, 2012
9:14 pm
Walsh is not the culprit here, although he totally sucks. Richt deciding to take a knee and kick with a horrible kicker is the blown call of the year, maybe the decade. Throw it to King in the endzone, he had a great game! Better odds that King could catch it than Walsh actually making a FG.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
9:15 pm
Chris…..
Some people on here are just…..well…….not sensible when posting….and wear blinders and express arrogant and insulting things about other teams and fans…..
P.S. Hint…..no “s” in expect.
KZGuy
January 2nd, 2012
9:16 pm
After that performance I think Richt deserves a contract extention and a raise. Can you imagine what UGA would do on the field if they did NOT have top recruiting classes each year? Once again the QB sucks in a bowl game. All hype, all stats no results. This was really a down year in the SEC. Every one improves next year.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
9:16 pm
kerryb
Simplify this
Mark Richt has yet to beat a good FL team
He barely won against FL this year the worst FL team Ive seen in 30 years
He has yet to beat FL 2 yrs in a row and they are on coach #4 since he has been the coach
There’s nothing to simplify son; stop running off at the mouth and lets wait and see because Richt had a losing record against Ron Zook bud; and he just got fired AGAIN.
So dont come on here running your mouth acting like UGA will own FL now
Now lay off the kool-aid
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
9:16 pm
Muschamp is a career assistant. Gator fans will realize that soon enough. I bet Texas fans are glad their HC in waiting has gone.
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
9:17 pm
I-95, How often are you going to keep posting the same thing over and over again?
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
9:17 pm
The worst thing Richt could have done in the first overtime was not give his kicker a chance to win the game. But I thought he should have sought to matriculate the ball a bit further down the field.
Ray Goof's Hat
January 2nd, 2012
9:17 pm
kerryb –
1997 – the UF streak is over. Florida’s mojo is gone. The series will go UGA’s way now.
2004 – the UF streak is over. Florida’s mojo is gone. The series will go UGA’s way now.
2007 – the UF streak is over. Florida’s mojo is gone. The series will go UGA’s way now.
2011 – the UF streak is over. Florida’s mojo is gone. The series will go UGA’s way now.
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
9:17 pm
Crowell is more fragile than a Baccarat champagne flute. He’s a punk and a wimp. Looks at the mirror all the time with his rastaman dreadlocks thinking how beautiful he is.
He’s an energy vampire to the team. he may have talent, but it isn’t worth the “me” divisiveness. chris, why don’t you stick it where the sun don’t shine?
Cuz
January 2nd, 2012
9:18 pm
I forgot I was supposed to insult other fans and teams Tampa.
That Orange is ugly and your mascot is a reptile.
Well, that makes me feel better about this bowl loss.
Planters
January 2nd, 2012
9:18 pm
Phil –
Yes, I always hate kicking it on 3rd down, but Richt has given this clown time and time again to fix his pi$$ poor senior season and trusted him enough to win the game for the team. I hate Richt’s loyality with people, yes, but the players have to come through when called upon.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
9:18 pm
no name at 9:12……
Again……
Ohio State barely lost to Michigan State…..10 to 7…..and Michigan State just beat Georgia.
Ohio State beat Wisconsin…..that just played in the Rose Bowl and barely lost to a very good Oregon team.
Them there……is the facts…….
Who did Georgia beat….by the way……..at least Ohio State beat a top ten team…..and nearly beat the top 25 team that just beat your team.
Again…..them there are facts……
stendek
January 2nd, 2012
9:19 pm
Would rather have 2-3 star recruits with heart than 5 star recruits without!
The Monger
January 2nd, 2012
9:19 pm
Please for the love of God FIRE Richt, and Fire BOBO!!!! Fire MARK RICHT NOW!!!!!!!! He is a worthless coach, who is outcoached and outclassed in every game of significance!!!! Mark Richt is 0-9 vs. top 20 teams in his last 9 games against them. This is a Fact! 0-9 vs. top 20 teams, and i would wager only a few of those were competitive. Aaron Murray, aka the turnover machine, committed not one, not two, but 3 more HUGE turnovers to change the tune of this game. Only Aaron Murray can help a team thats down on one knee and gassed, right back into the game, and eventually into the winner’s circle. He single-handedly lost us the Michigan St. and South Carolina games, and contributed big time to the LSU debacle by fumbling to start the 2nd half. So lets see that’s what 6 HUGE turnovers by JUST Aaron Murray in the last 2 games, and in our 4 losses he has committed I believe 11 or 12 turnovers just by himself. Yeah he is a real big winner…..ROFL!!! Biggest Loser of a quarterback at Georgia since….NEVER…even Joe Cox and Quincy Carter protected the ball in big games WAY BETTER THAN THIS BUM MURRAY!!! And the worst thing of all is that RICHT continues to play him, he wont even consider playing Hutson Mason, who is a much better quarterback than Murray, or Lemay (who also is better). Terrible OT coaching, terrible playcalling on offense and defense in 2nd half, terrible OL play, and terrible QB play…FIRE RICHT, FIRE BOBO, and LETS PRAY THAT AARON MURRAY TRANSFERS!!!!
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
9:19 pm
Phil, If he had thrown in the end zone and it was intercepted you would have said, “why didn;t he just kick the FG to win?”
Cuz
January 2nd, 2012
9:19 pm
matriculate the ball.
Dude I just spit out my beer. Nice one Mark.
You owe me a beer. Buy me one here in April.
Chris
January 2nd, 2012
9:20 pm
murray played bad today. and this is a little of a reach putting him in the top 5 but thiswas not even on a uga page i was just reading this article and i wanted see what yall will think. Notice isaiah crowell on the honorable mentions
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1006515-heisman-favorites-for-2012
TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!!
January 2nd, 2012
9:20 pm
WALASH = GRADUATING!!!!!
CROWELL = AS GOOD AS OFF THE TEAM!!!!
DEFENSE = GOING INTO THEIR 3RD SEASON IN THE SYSTEM AND LOVING IT!!!
MURRAY = HOPEFULLY WILL FIGURE OUT WHAT COLOR HIS OWN TEAM’S UNI’S ARE GOING INTO HIS JUNIOR SEASON!!!
ALL POSITIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
9:20 pm
Remember what happened when Jim Donnan tried to let Jasper Sanks score in a tie game inside the final 30 seconds against Georgia Tech in 1999?
Chris
January 2nd, 2012
9:20 pm
the monger
just curious who would we hire that would be better than richt?
Phil
January 2nd, 2012
9:20 pm
Bradley,
You only turn to Walsh on 4th down after your drive stalls and you can’t punch it in. Turning the game over to Walsh from the get go is complete nonsense giving the year he had.
UF Fan
January 2nd, 2012
9:21 pm
I’m only hacked off because I pull for all SEC teams in bowl games, and if I am going to suffer through cheering for the leghumpers, the least they could do is win the freaking game.
Dawg enuff
January 2nd, 2012
9:21 pm
Lakedawg, I agree that UGA does not have the killer instinct to put away teams yet . That will come with confidence building from a running attack that will be here next year. In the past ,when UGA could run as well as throw the ball ,there was not a problem! They would finish a game by running the ball for clock management. Crowell has been an extreme dissapointment the latter part of the season.Next year,if he fails,there will be Marshall,or Davis or Gurley to take up the slack!
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
9:21 pm
Cuz…..
Glad you feel better…..’cause losing to Michigan State in the Outbowl can’t be a very good feeling…..also knowing that your team is the only SEC team that lost to a Big Ten team today….or any team for that matter. Now….that you are feeling better…..time to start those summer dreams of SEC and NC again. Have fun.