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
AlanFalcon
October 7th, 2012
11:07 am
Go Cocks !!!
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:07 am
Tampa Gator
the psychology of the series of games sets up to where I think SCAR spent everything emotionally to win last night at home with everything in their favor…..
they spent that and shocked Georgia early…….They will be FLAT against a desperate LSU team next week……then they will be desperate vs FLA
then FLAT against UT
SEC EAST comes down to FLA vs UGA
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:08 am
TampaGator
SCAR spent everything emotionally vs Georgia….they will be FLAT vs LSU on the road
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:09 am
Tampa Gator
the SEC EAST will come down to UGA vs FLA
Maxwell the free-range chihuahua
October 7th, 2012
11:09 am
What looked like a tough schedule for SC is looking a little easier. Arky is down, LSU’s o-line is decimated with injuries, Georgia is Georgia. The Florida game will settle the score in the east.
sickdog
October 7th, 2012
11:09 am
Well i take offense to this column. Uga is still a good program that has played good thus far. All the “HYPE” about good QB play, our backs, jarvis, etc was there for a valid reason. Dont forget YOU the media is responsible for all this “HPYE” and attention not the players and Richt. Our stats thus far have been awsome and we have in fact played great offense against good teams (Better offense than any SEC team has done so far) until lastnite..
Now i will say that im sick of this inconsitence crap from uga…we are both great and we suck…all wrapped up in one. I feel the weakness is Richt im afraid. We get the talent that all these other schools are tryin to get like LSU, AL, USC, ETC. So i dont blame them. We have a high recruiting class every year Yet we are at best the second or third best SEC east team. These games mean way more to us the fans than any of the coaches. thats what its all about isnt it fellas?…the fans. They (coaches) get paid loads of money and we just have our pride!! I wont be wearing any UGA clothes or hats for a while for sure! Im too embarrassed!!
Greg M.
October 7th, 2012
11:09 am
Spinoza, I see the elitist educators are up and enjoying their Starbucks and New York Times this morning. Have a great day and don’t believe anything you read in the NYT.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:11 am
Tampa Gator
your Defense has looked good but the best offense you played was vs UT and they led you late in the game and racked up yards……
LSU’s offense is anemic at best….great win for UF though
UF and UGA are similar teams with the Defensive edge to UF and the Offensive edge to UGA
Greg M.
October 7th, 2012
11:13 am
Chase has drank the kool-aid.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:15 am
Greg M
NOPE, I’m just not a Knee-Jerk reactionary fan who has no real clue about the game other than the final score
99% f you who are screaming “we’re horrible” “we can’t win” “fire him and him”….will be the EXACT ones who will be here saying “I knew we had it all along” If UGA wins the EAST and/or the SEC title game
THAT is what I cannot stand!
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
October 7th, 2012
11:16 am
Congrats to UF…the gators looking strong and well coached. VanGorder and auburn exposed LSU and the QB issue and UF took it to another level. LSU is a fine football team but if you can’t pass the ball well enough to scare folks in the SEC then you’re doomed!!!!
There is no doubt that Will and Florida will take control of the East again. You have to give Steve and his staff credit for making USCe a bigtime football program. They played and coached the game like it was the most important thing in the world last night. I have no clue what Richt,staff, and players had on their mind. I think it’s fair to say football isn’t he most important thing in Mark’s mind and he gets a salute for being a great person but he’s paid to be the best football coach he can be at UGA. He has failed at that task.
Greg M.
October 7th, 2012
11:18 am
Chase,
I can’t either, but history is teaching me that this staff can’t get it done. I wish that were not the case.
BigDaddyGator
October 7th, 2012
11:20 am
Remember last year after the Mutts started out 0-2 and everyone wanted to fire Richt? Then they won a bunch in a row, even beat the Gators, and suddenly Richt was the greatest coach ever? Then they got “Gurshall,” started off strong this year, and multiple MNCs were just around the corner?
Suddenly after 1 loss the sky is falling again. UGA is not a bad team. They’ll win a bunch of games this year, maybe they’ll even beat the Gators again, heck – maybe they’ll even back into the SECCG again with their easy schedule.
And then the whole cycle will start again….”Richt is the greatest,” “wait until next year,” “we should be national champs,” etc.
Hilarious.
MG
October 7th, 2012
11:22 am
I am sure this was circled on the calendar since last year for this team. This was Georgia’s biggest game this season and to come out so flat-footed is all on the coaching in my opinion. They did not get this team motivated for this game and it showed big time. This is the same story year after year though. This team with these coaches cannot win on a big stage and I’m tired of seeing this team being humiliated on national television year after year. Something has to change. Recruiting will be impacted by this if it hasn’t already.
Snake Doc
October 7th, 2012
11:24 am
UGA won’t win the East and even IF they did somehow manage to back in to the Championship game they would be further embarrassed by the beat down that Alabama would put on them.
Richt is a fine man but not a HC. He is a CEO and he is soft and as a consequence his team is soft.
Another embarrassing loss against a top 10 team. How much more of this can you Boneheads take?
Stumpknocker
October 7th, 2012
11:26 am
@ Chase; So your saying that a team shouldn’t “leave it all” on the field ? That does sort of depict the performance by the Dawgs last night.
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:26 am
Chase…….
Florida outscored Tennessee 27-6 in the second half….and the Vols did not lead late in the 3rd or any in the 4th….and the Florida D dominated Tennessee in the second half…as they have every team they have played this year. Muschamp and staff have been geniuses at making half time adjustments this year….and they are strong, very strong in the second half of games this year….and unmoveable in the 4th period this year.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:27 am
BigDaddyGator
I agree with you and you just made the point I have been trying to make to all of these knee-jerk reactionary fans on here who are so UP and so DOWN
Georgia # 1 GAMECOCK
October 7th, 2012
11:28 am
With the fortune of having a family member on the starting offense @ Carolina, the report from relative is that Ga’s defense looked confused all night. He said the smack that Ga was dishing was unbelievable even when they were behind 35-0. Is this the character of a well coached team?
We win with humility and lose with humility. The SEC schedule that Carolina has is difficult but people can say what they want about Spurrier. My family member went to USC partly because of him because his players play with character and they finish each play to the whistle. Ga will be fine, many answers though with all that talent and they looked and played without emotion!
Dawg 58
October 7th, 2012
11:29 am
The coaching staff, players, everybody on the team completely embarrassed the Bulldog Nation on prime time national t.v. It’s one thing to lose in a hard fought game. But to suck from the opening kickoff…..totally embarrassing!
jbet
October 7th, 2012
11:29 am
Having followed UGA football since 1960. and having attended most games during the Dooly era, yes there were losses, but I never felt the players weren’t in there playing as a team. Many games were won because of sheer determination and perseverance. These teams of Richt’s have none of that fire, focus, or ability to stick together and change difficult circumstances. That lack of desire to win as a team can only be attributed to coaching.
Sad Richards
October 7th, 2012
11:29 am
I admit I use to yell and scream at the TV a few years back when I watched My dawgs. I dont anymore. I just laugh now because the UGA football program has become an absolute joke.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:30 am
Tampa Gator
I said your defense was good!
Despite last night, I will still tell you that UGA has the best offense that UF will play this year and LSU has NO OFFENSE
I will still tell you that SCAR will lose 2 games and the EAST will come down to the Cocktail Party
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:31 am
……and Chase…..
I guarantee you Florida’s first string offense will score on SC. Gillislee is one of the best RBs in the SEC…and the Florida offensive line is dominate when the Gators pound the ball with the run…and they dominated one of the best defensive lines in the country in the second half yesterday with run after run after run after run….right down their throats. And SC does not have a better DL than LSU…as good….but not better.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:32 am
Tampa Gator
I said Florida has a great defense
I still say that LSU has NO OFFENSE
and I still say that SCAR will lose 2 games and that the EAST will come down to the Georgia vs Florida game!
Sad Richards
October 7th, 2012
11:32 am
Hey Chase… I guess Alabama made a knee jerk reaction a few years ago huh. Please spare us with the excuses and apologies. Lets be real; its the same ole crap.
Hanky Panky
October 7th, 2012
11:32 am
CLEAN HOUSE.
HIRE JON GRUDEN AS UGA HEAD COACH.
HIRE HINES WARD AS AN ASSISTANT.
START WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS.
START THE MOVEMENT, DAWG FANS!
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:33 am
You know what……I laugh at manhy of the “Dawg fans” on here…..calling their team an absolute joke….when they are highly ranked and are still in the race for the SEC East. Your team is NOT a joke….but some of the “fans” of the Georgia Bulldogs…..ARE A JOKE.
Dawg 58
October 7th, 2012
11:34 am
Enter your comments here
Maxwell the free-range chihuahua
October 7th, 2012
11:34 am
Chase, if you care about the UGA program, please stop defending them.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:35 am
Tampa Gator
Easy on the Gillisle thing
Florida could do NOTHING and I mean NOTHING on Offense until waaaayyyy late in the game when LSU’s defense had been on the field the WHOLE game because they have no offense (and have had no offense vs everyone!)
LSU’s o-line was also decimated by injury and their best d-efensive player MINTER went out of the game – after he went out, and LSU’s defense had been on the field the whole game, Florida eeked out some points…ease back on the quality of Florida’s offense
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:35 am
John Gruden……a huge Florida Gator fan…….who told Jeremy Foley when he inquired….that he was not interested in coaching college football…..(mainly because of the recruiting aspect of the game)…..is NOT going to become the Georgia head coach…..in my opinion….unless you offer 10 mi. a year for 20 years. But Omaris Hines might be interested……if he is not drinking and driving right now.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:36 am
Tampa Gator
I agree with your assessment of 99% of all the UGA fans on here
Sad Richards
October 7th, 2012
11:38 am
Tampa Gator…. What was displayed last night was a joke….. so get over it.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:38 am
Tampa Gator
I agree with your assessment of 99% of the “fans” on here
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 7th, 2012
11:39 am
Im glad we have Georgia Tech; Georgia Southern; Ole Miss and Kentucky on our schedule
Thank goodness we will win another 10 WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Im ordering my shirt today
Katman
October 7th, 2012
11:41 am
The other SEC teams will start viewing Georgia as a warm up game, akin to scheduling Georgia State, VSU, West Georgia, etc. UGA is not legitimate, ie. they cannot execute against equal level talent. Period.
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:41 am
Chase…..
Minter was on the field and got leveled by Jon Halipio on Gillislee’s game winning TD run. He missed about 4 mintues of the game. You need to give it up….my man. And Florida won the field position battle vs. LSU in the first half….thanks to a great punter for the Gators….and would have scored a TD in the first half if Hammond had not fumbled the ball. The Gators had over 20 first downs vs. LSU vs. 8 first downs for LSU. And who knocked out those OL during the game with big time physical play…..the Florida Gators DL and LBs. The Florida DL pushed the mighty LSU OL and their great depth….I had heard they were three deep on the OL……all over the field yesterday. As I said….give that crap up.
Sad Richards
October 7th, 2012
11:41 am
Tampa gator, that game last night was a joke. Fans who dont expect or demand better needs to go pull for their local pop warner league team where they might not keep score.
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:41 am
It is likely that whenever it happens, the next coach at UGA is KIRBY SMART
Truth
October 7th, 2012
11:42 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:43 am
Tampa Gator
You can go with the “if” thing all day
LSU had bad field position because they have ZERO OFFENSE
And “IF” BECKHAM does not fumble the ball on the long reception, LSU probably wins the game
ApopkaDawg
October 7th, 2012
11:43 am
Well Dawg Fans Here it is….
The Day After the Disaster we are all asking the same questions. “Are their players better than ours”? “Is this just their year and we just happen to be road kill along the way.” Well, here is a break down of South Carolina vs. Georgia, player by player. In parenthesis I have put the players recruiting ranking (stars).
South Carolina Georgia
Skill Positions
QB 14 Connor Shaw | 6-1, 207, JR(3) 11 Aaron Murray | 6-1, 211, JR(4)
RB 21 Marcus Lattimore | 6-0, 218, JR(5) 3 Todd Gurley | 6-1, 218, FR(4)
WR 1 Ace Sanders | 5-8, 175, JR(4) 12 Tavarres King | 6-1, 192, SR(4)
WR 82 D.L. Moore | 6-5, 198, SR(3) 15 Marlon Brown | 6-5, 222, SR(4)
WR 23 Bruce Ellington | 5-9, 197, SO(4) 26 Malcolm Mitchell | 6-1, 184, SO(4)
TE 87 J. Cunningham | 6-4, 264, SR(2) 88 Arthur Lynch | 6-5, 272, JR(4)
O-Line
T 53 Corey Robinson | 6-8, 337, SO(3) 72 Kenarious Gates | 6-5, 328, JR(3)
T 76 Mike Matulis | 6-5, 274, SO (3) 71 John Theus | 6-6, 309, FR(5)
G 50 A.J. Cann | 6-4, 309, SO(4) 64 Dallas Lee | 6-4, 300, JR(4)
G 67 Ronald Patrick | 6-2, 305, JR(3) 68 Chris Burnette | 6-2, 322, JR(4)
C 55 T.J. Johnson | 6-6, 319, 3V(3) 61 David Andrews | 6-2, 293, SO(3)
Defense
DE 98 Devin Taylor | 6-8, 267, SR(3) 93 Abry Jones | 6-3, 309, SR(4)
DE 7 Jadeveon Clowney | 6-6, 256, SO(5) 83 C. Washington | 6-4, 280, SR(4)
DT 70 Byron Jerideau | 6-1, 316, SR(2) 6 John Jenkins | 6-3, 351, SR(4)
DT 99 Kelcy Quarles | 6-4, 286, SO(4) 99 Kwame Geathers | 6-6, 350, JR(3)
LB 54 Shaq Wilson | 5-11, 224, SR(3) 33 Chase Vasser | 6-3, 227, JR(3)
LB 47 Reginald Bowens | 6-3, 254, SR(3) 29 Jarvis Jones | 6-3, 241, JR(4)
LB 21 DeVonte Holloman | 6-2, 241, SR(4) 9 Alec Ogletree | 6-3, 236, JR(4)
CB 27 Victor Hampton | 5-10, 197, SO(4) 19 Sanders Commings | 6-2, 217, SR(3)
CB 15 Jimmy Legree | 6-0, 189, JR(3) 1 Branden Smith | 5-11, 176, SR(5)
S 2 Brison Williams | 5-11, 205, SO(3) 36 Shawn Williams | 6-1, 220, SR(3)
S 36 D.J. Swearinger | 6-0, 210, SR(3) 18 Bacarri Rambo | 6-0, 218, SR(3)
Total stars 74 Total starts83
A couple of take aways….
1. The SC O-line took care of our “Juggernaut” D-line with mostly SOPHOMORES!!
2. The SC Defense took care of UGA with majority 3 star guys.
3. Conner Shaw, a 3 star guy out of GEORGIA, out ran our “Running QB,” Aaron Murray (4 stars)
IN SHORT, ITS NOT “THE JESSIES AND THE JOES.” ITS “THE X’s AND O’s.” We all know it, but here it is in print.
We should have never let the UCF loss slip by. Action should have been taken then.
Since Vince
October 7th, 2012
11:43 am
The game last night was a complete joke. I think fans should have high expectations and demand better. Those of you who dont, needs to pull for your local pee wee league team where they might not keep score.
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:44 am
Enter your comments here
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:46 am
Chase….
Gillislee had nearly 150 yards rushing on LSU yesterday and 2 TDs……and again leads the SEC in rushing. Nothing worth “going easy” on any of that. Gillislee is the real deal….and I yelled at Charlie Weis all year last year to play him more…and the Gators would have won one of two more games last year if he had.
bob
October 7th, 2012
11:49 am
Enter your comments here
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:49 am
Chase…..
Late in the first half…..LSU recovered a fumble on Florida six yard line….and could not score a TD. Exactly how would the LSU receiver not fumbling the ball on the 20 and trailing Florida 14-6….result in LSU winning the game? The most LSU would have scored their would have been 3…and the final score would have been 14-9, not 14-6. Look at the stats of the game……Florida totally dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage vs. LSU…..period.
Predictor
October 7th, 2012
11:49 am
chase
October 7th, 2012
11:41 am
“It is likely that whenever it happens, the next coach at UGA is KIRBY SMART”
Promote another assistant coach… Sheer genius!
Tampa Gator
October 7th, 2012
11:50 am
“there”