A sobering night: Georgia is outclassed and overwhelmed
This forlorn shot is somewhat indicative of the night itself, wouldn't you say? (AP photo by Brett Flashnick)
Columbia, S.C. – Billed as a prove-it game, Georgia can only hope this was instead a case of false advertising. If the nation’s No. 5 team proved anything Saturday night, it’s that it shouldn’t be ranked that high, or perhaps at all.
South Carolina was primed to make a point. It took Georgia, which had averaged 48 points in its first five games, 58 minutes just to score a point here. To say the Bulldogs looked a step slow from the get-go is to suggest that “Ishtar” slightly underperformed at the box office. In the first 10 minutes, Georgia managed to get outclassed across the board — on offense, on defense, even on special teams. Not coincidentally, South Carolina had mustered three touchdowns before the visitors managed their second first down.
In a way, this recalled the infamous first half against Alabama in September 2008, the night the Bulldogs wore their black jerseys and trailed 31-0 at the half. But Alabama hit Georgia with a series of body blows. South Carolina was firing haymakers to the jaw: A 42-yard completion that should have been a Bacarri Rambo interception on the game’s second snap; an interception off a tipped Aaron Murray pass on Georgia’s third snap; two Connor Shaw touchdown passes to unencumbered receivers, and finally an outrageous punt return by Ace Sanders.
All the improvements Georgia has made over the past 13 months — or seemed to have made — were called into question in this wretched first quarter. South Carolina was bigger, faster, stronger, tougher and yes, better-coached. The Gamecocks knew what they wanted to do and did it with gusto. Georgia had no good ideas. South Carolina showed it could run the ball, pass the ball, stop the run and rush the passer. (And, lest we forget, return punts.) The Bulldogs could do none of the above.
Example: On Georgia’s only real threat of the first three quarters, Mark Richt chose to go for the touchdown on fourth-and-goal at the 2. Murray somehow completed a pass for one yard to Rantavious Wooten. “The ball probably should have gone to the [other] side,” said Mike Bobo, the offensive coordinator.
The talent Georgia had displayed against Missouri and Vanderbilt and Tennessee looked rather less impressive this night. Surely some of that had to do with playing on the road, but venue is no excuse for losing 35-7. South Carolina was ready, and that’s a function of coaching. Georgia wasn’t, and that’s a malfunction of same.
Even more distressing was that the big-name Bulldogs — Murray and Jarvis Jones and Rambo and the freshman backs — were rendered pedestrian by comparison. South Carolina’s offensive and defensive fronts exerted their will. The great Marcus Lattimore got all the tough yards. Shaw, who’s from Flowery Branch, made all the tough plays. The Bulldogs acted content to stand back and admire such excellence, and by appearing so passive in such a setting they left themselves open to all the old doubts.
Even in their division-winning season of 2011, the Bulldogs lost to the four best teams they played. This year they’d won five games without meeting anyone of real consequence, and this effort, if that’s the word for it, was so desultory as to make you wonder when, or if, Georgia will ever again beat anybody any good.
Surely they will. They’re too gifted not to break through against somebody. But a game like this made everyone who has attempted to paint these Bulldogs as smarter, tougher, better — and that’s my hand you see raised — feel a fool. When you’re beaten like this, there can be no disclaimers, no qualifiers: This was simply a horrid showing.
Said Richt: “I told the guys, ‘The bad news is that we took a whipping. The good news is that we all took it together … They whipped us pretty good.”
This was worse than the 42-10 loss to LSU in the SEC title game. Georgia wasn’t quite ready for such a game, and the Tigers were too good. But these Bulldogs were older and presumably wiser, and none of that wisdom was brought to bear here. And if Georgia, after all its staff changes and glitzy recruiting, remains incapable of competing on the big stage, whose fault is that?
Todd Grantham’s defense was superb much of last season but seems misdirected now. Bobo’s offense had run up boxcar numbers against lesser lights, but against South Carolina it had but 149 yards through three quarters. And Richt, who’s in charge of this whole operation, used to be able to take teams anywhere and beat anybody. Where did that mojo go?
No, the season isn’t over, and yes, it’s still possible for this team to win the SEC East and play for the conference title. But the season changed Saturday night. Georgia was exposed on national TV as undeserving of its hype, and it can take a program a long time to recover from such an indignity. The Bulldogs’ ceiling got lowered here. When they arrived, we wondered how good they really were. We have a clearer idea now.
By Mark Bradley
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1,090 comments Add your comment
SEC Bama Fan
October 7th, 2012
9:43 am
Georgia needs Kirby Smart. I hate to see him leave U of A but it is time for UGA to give him a call.
Bammer
October 7th, 2012
9:43 am
That is what “cutting-edge football” looks like, huh? Thanks UGA for letting us see what an “elite” SEC team looks like. LMFAO
Now please break out those stats that show how much better Richt is than Saban. Getting tougher and tougher to spin ain’t it Mutts?
Bobo gotta go
October 7th, 2012
9:43 am
Hey Mark Bradley, tell me why the AJC won’t write stories like this about tech? You only do it when UGA loses, but never tech. I guess you have to protect your little boys.
hit a single
October 7th, 2012
9:43 am
RNB- Yea let’s get Petrino back in UGA so the Falcon players can finish the drill and beat his ass. You talk about a guy with no character. I would rather go 8 and 4 every year than have Petrino.
BullDogMike
October 7th, 2012
9:44 am
We just had a bomb dropped on us as far as recruiting goes. Understand the fact that our top ranked recruits were watching and listening to the same game as the rest of us. How much damage do you think was caused by ESPN’s top announcing team saying this was the WORST SEC game they ever covered by two teams ranked this high. And it was very clear that they were not talking about SC? This was absolutely a disaster. The program may just have been damaged beyond repair. Sorry folks but that’s just how it is.
Sick And Tired
October 7th, 2012
9:45 am
I relly hope Georgia does not get an opportunity to win the East. I for one am tired of having someone else win take care of beating South Carolina. Georgia has no business in Atlanta.
Bammer
October 7th, 2012
9:45 am
Bobo gotta go are you freakin kidding me? Bradley couldn’t have drooled more over this UGA team…declaring them…wait for it…a BCS champ participant.
UGA proves every year…ALL HAT, NO CATTLE
Big gator
October 7th, 2012
9:45 am
Now these Georgia fans will finally be quiet, last year they beat teams that sucked including us, and everybody know SC won the east last year but the loser would not give SC any credit.
Georgia is loserville, every college team in Georgia lost, including the sorrry Braves, Falcons will win during the regular season and will be out in the first round.
Mark Bradley and Mark R. would both be unemployed in Fla.
wastedyears
October 7th, 2012
9:46 am
lets see maybe we should wear black helmets with black pants against the gators …or maybe red helmets with black jerseys oh its just to many choices whats a girl to do???
Maxwell the free-range chihuahua
October 7th, 2012
9:46 am
Petrino ain’t no choir boy. He is a better coach than anyone in Athens right now.
hit a single
October 7th, 2012
9:47 am
I could care less what those ESPN announcers said. Their opinion means nothing. We better start recruiting the David Pollocks of the world and quit bringing in these prima donas. To hell with how many stars they have.
Fbfan
October 7th, 2012
9:47 am
Good thing SC put the scrubs in for the fourth quarter.Otherwise it would have been 50+ to nothing. SC owns UGA and please stop with the girl-shal talk. Those two ain’t close Lattimore.
RNB
October 7th, 2012
9:48 am
Hit A Single – Pertrino is the only one out there available that can beat the big boys. Do you want a football coach or preacher?
Maxwell the free-range chihuahua
October 7th, 2012
9:48 am
@Bobo gotta go
Hey Mark Bradley, tell me why the AJC won’t write stories like this about tech? You only do it when UGA loses, but never tech. I guess you have to protect your little boys.
+++++++++++++++++++
take your medicine.
DG
October 7th, 2012
9:49 am
You’d think for guy who is getting doctorate in psychology Murray would play a lot better in big games. But, hey if this football thing doesn’t work out for him he should give Cricket a try. Judging they way he was throwing those screen passes he’d be very good at it.
hit a single
October 7th, 2012
9:49 am
Petrino may be a better coach but character carries more weight than coaching. At least in society it use too.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
October 7th, 2012
9:49 am
For the first time in my miserable life….I’ve taken down my UGA flag. Sad that you people put up with this nonsense.
wastedyears
October 7th, 2012
9:49 am
damn it was 21-0 before i got thru the first beer i cant watch the bullpups sober anymore i got to start drinking earlier
Native Son
October 7th, 2012
9:50 am
How could you not be ready to kick SC’s ‘arse” after their Head Coach Steve Spurrious vocally disrespects you, and your team at least once a year. That’s on you Coach Richt. No one is taking this rivalry serious but SC, and Spurrious aims to make his bones off of you. Obviously, you must have ticked him off pretty good when you were at FSU
angry mangy mutt
October 7th, 2012
9:51 am
Program needs to be wiped clean. Nothing personal against this staff, not interntionally. Also need to get rid of that sorry excuse of a bulldog – again nothing personal. Go after a notable coaching name, which will mean reaching deeper into the pockets. A coach that will immediately turn heads. There are a few of them around and certainly one of them would love to go to Athens.
hit a single
October 7th, 2012
9:51 am
RNB – winning is important to me, but I don’t want to do it with a man like Petrino leading the way. Wait I mean a boy like Petrino.
Dog Shame
October 7th, 2012
9:51 am
I can live with losing to SC if we are at least competitive. SC is truly a top 5 team an deserves huge congratulations for turning a SEC mid tear program into a powerhouse. Georgia on the other hand has once again proven it can not compete with the top programs in the SEC. We need to move to the gulf coast conference if we want to see the Bulldogs be a doment team.
Potedic showing
BigDave
October 7th, 2012
9:51 am
MARK RICHT: 0-9 VS RANKED TEAMS, SINCE 2008!! PATHETIC!
Big gator
October 7th, 2012
9:51 am
Loserville Georgia, every college team in Georgia lost, now Bull dogs can you really say you won the east last year?, you have been doged my all rank teams last year and this year, Mark R. and Mark Bradley would have been fired in Fla.
This state from the Braves to the Falcons to the Bulldogs to Tech sucks and will never win anthing big.
The reader
October 7th, 2012
9:51 am
The Atlanta Flames, The Atlanta Thrashers, The Atlanta Dream, The Atlanta Braves, The Dawgs, The Tech, The Falcons….success, success, success!. This week: The Dream is out, The Braves are out, a huge embarrassment in SC. Go Atlanta, go GA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maxwell the free-range chihuahua
October 7th, 2012
9:52 am
@hit a single
I could care less what those ESPN announcers said. Their opinion means nothing.
+++++++++++++++++++
Really?
Summit Dawg
October 7th, 2012
9:53 am
Richt needs to go and PLEASE, take Murray with him!!!! This guy never coaches during a game, ande not even sure he does at practices!!!! We NEED a coach with some FIRE!!!!!!
hit a single
October 7th, 2012
9:54 am
This UGA team hasn’t played with any intensity, especially on Defense this year. Yea against a Missouri team that can’t compete in the SEC. We need to quit listening to the media and all this hype. Our coaching staff does a poor job of this every year. You better preach you haven’t won anything yet.
BigDave
October 7th, 2012
9:54 am
COACH MARK RICHT: 0-9 VS RANKED TEAMS, SINCE 2008!
Pool Party at the Ramsey Center after the Game
October 7th, 2012
9:56 am
Richt will NEVER win UGA a mnc.
TW
October 7th, 2012
9:57 am
Nothing new. Uninspired, confused…
CMR always gets his backside handed to him when the talent level is equal.
Always.
Have NEVER seen an Ubran Meyer team look like that. Or a Saban Team.
Never.
Game Changer
October 7th, 2012
9:58 am
Just when UGA football is getting the benifit of the doubt — THIS
BMIOF –BUTTS MEHRE IS ON FIRE
Game Changer
October 7th, 2012
9:58 am
Just when UGA football is getting the benifit of the doubt — THIS
BMIOF –BUTTS MEHRE IS ON FIRE
MS
October 7th, 2012
9:58 am
Rumble in Carolina at the Chicken Coop. I guess all you doggies had plenty of desert to go round last night. The Humble Pie sure does hit the spot huh? I read all your comments you make about Ga. Tech. Well, what goes around comes back around. You trash them on everything they do good or bad! How does the shoe fit today among all the doggie nation. No, I am not a Tech fan, but, they have more dignity and class than Georgia does. My team is getting ready to do the same thing to yawl that Steve Spurrier did last night. Come on down to Jacksonville, we will be waiting.
New York Dawg
October 7th, 2012
9:58 am
As long as Mark Richt is the head coach at UGA I can promise two things: 1) Georgia will NEVER play for a BCS Championship and 2) Georgia will NEVER win another SEC Championship. He lacks the passion and drive to lead a team to great things and he has surrounded himself with coaches who lack the talent and experience to coach a team to achieve something greater than the sum of its parts.
hit a single
October 7th, 2012
9:59 am
Right their opinion means nothing to me. Now I agree it does to college football. ESPN is running college football and in the long run will kill it. It has already destroyed many conferences. They are calling the shots. TV contracts and money will do it. Look at the integrity of the game. Suspensions and cheating are overlooked because of the almight ESPN money. I will not lose any sleep over anything they say.
moMoney
October 7th, 2012
10:00 am
grantham will want another huge raise after the season or he’ll threaten to leave again for a “head coaching” job. Mcgarity needs to pay up!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 7th, 2012
10:00 am
Im wanting to hear from fans like
Truth?
GT is a 4th rate High School Team,
DawgRx,
aladawg
jp
DawgNation
Brainiac
rhbDAWG1
I especially want to hear from…..
Lobosolo, Truth? and CHRIS
Come on out
LOBOSOLO
Chris you there
How about Truth?
floridawg
October 7th, 2012
10:01 am
We are and have been and probably always be just a middle of the pack team with the coaches we have. Greg McGarity needs to make some big decisions unless he is will for us to stay in the middle. The coaches are good guys but they have provened they are not great coaches.
BigDave
October 7th, 2012
10:01 am
MARK RICHT IS 0-9 VS RANKED TEAMS, SINCE 2008! THANKS MCGARITY!!!
chase
October 7th, 2012
10:01 am
Last night’s game reminded me very much of 2007 game vs TENNESSEE…UGA had more talent and was the better team BUT went on the road and laid an egg – that team went on to a #2 final ranking and should have played for the National Championship…We’ll see if THIS extremely talented team can respond the same way! GOOOOOOOO DAWGS!
The Boss
October 7th, 2012
10:02 am
We will sweep everything under the rug at the end of the season, change uniforms (to show the “changes”), make promises(as every year), and off we go to the Promiseland again!!
chase
October 7th, 2012
10:02 am
I still think UGA finishes 11-1 and SCAR finishes 10-2 ….Last night’s game reminded me very much of 2007 game vs TENNESSEE…UGA had more talent and was the better team BUT went on the road and laid an egg – that team went on to a #2 final ranking and should have played for the National Championship…We’ll see if THIS extremely talented team can respond the same way! GOOOOOOOO DAWGS!
Maxwell the free-range chihuahua
October 7th, 2012
10:02 am
Lost in the remains of last nights disaster: Spurrier draws UGA offsides on 4th down inside his own 25. The entire world knew (except the dawgs) that they were just trying to draw the defense offsides, and they did. That was a big-time slap in the face of Richt and Co. He owns UGA.+
hit a single
October 7th, 2012
10:02 am
Is it true that Petrino was seen in Athens riding his Harleythis morning? He was wearing a Cheetah t-shirt.
chase
October 7th, 2012
10:03 am
eating my posts
DawgFan
October 7th, 2012
10:03 am
Tough day after a bad night. Defense is overrated and frankly just looks slow and confused. Probably a product of suspensions. Offensively Bobo showed yet again why no program has tried to hire him away. When apparently our LT cannot block Clowney did he not know it is legal to put a TE over there to give our QB time to throw the ball. Murray will get a lot of blame but no pocket passer could have excelled last night I don’t know but if you can’t block them with 5 you gotta leave 6 or 7 in to give him time to find who’s left.
Let’s encourage Bobo to take an opening somewhere not an awful coach and a DGD but not gonna win against great teams or defenses. CMR being a big part of he offense gets some blame here too.
Loran
October 7th, 2012
10:04 am
Bottom line Richt needs to go. Here is my wish list for Christmas.
Petrino
Smart
Mullen
chase
October 7th, 2012
10:04 am
I still think UGA finishes 11-1 and SCAR finishes 10-2 ….
Last night’s game reminded me very much of 2007 game vs TENNESSEE…UGA had more talent and was the better team
BUT went on the road and laid an egg – that team went on to a #2 final ranking and should have played for the National Championship…We’ll see if THIS extremely talented team can respond the same way! GOOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!
wastedyears
October 7th, 2012
10:04 am
you people are panicking to quickly again there is nothing wrong with our program im base ing that because we have beaten vanderbilt again