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
uga? R U Kidding
October 7th, 2012
6:45 pm
You losers made Obama look prepared.
uga? R U Kidding
October 7th, 2012
6:46 pm
But don’t worry; you’ll beat KY by 21 and be thumping your chest again with predictions of your next national championship.
Struggles continue in marquee games; team whipped but not flat, Richt says | UGA sports blog
October 7th, 2012
7:25 pm
[...] Bradley: A sobering night for overwhelmed Bulldogs [...]
James F.
October 7th, 2012
7:42 pm
I have said it before and I found myself once again questioning the play calling of Mike Bobo. On a couple of occasions it was 3rd and short and we throw long. Maybe that was just Murray’s decision but I don’t understand why we didn’t utilize the tight ends in these situations. Maybe the fact that they had to help block on that fierce SC pass rush. Murray looked calm but inside he lost his poise and composure. Boys you have to step it up a notch if you ever want to be like Florida or Alabama. Maybe Richt is to nice a guy but something just seems to be missing in Athens with all that talent. I wish the dogs well but they may not recover well from this one unless they get a little fire in their belly>
A sobering night: Georgia is outclassed and overwhelmed | Y'all Sports
October 7th, 2012
8:29 pm
[...] A sobering night: Georgia is outclassed and overwhelmed [...]
SEEYAINJAX
October 7th, 2012
9:55 pm
HAHA THIS IS HILARIOUS all u poodle fans were just talking trash two days ago about how great this team is and Murray is good and blah blah it’s funny how EVERYONE except u poodle fans knew this was coming uga will never win with richt because he doesn’t know how to put a good coaching staff together and obviously never will. See ya in jax LOSERS hang onto last year two cause like the last twenty years its the last time it’s gonna happen for 6-7 year if not more
GO GATORS!!!!!!
Ga8tr
October 7th, 2012
10:02 pm
Whipped Puppies: Most patient fan base in America. Who else would stand by and watch passively as four other SEC programs bring in new head coaches and win NCs SINCE Mark Richt was hired. Amazing acceptance of mediocrity.
decision time
October 7th, 2012
10:23 pm
Lets see, I can sit here and watch the replay of the Dawgs and the Cocks or I can go to the local Waffle House and get something to eat.
Hmmm…. watch crap or eat crap… I’ll believe I’ll go to the Waffle House.
Hanky Panky
October 7th, 2012
10:35 pm
HIRE JON GRUDEN.
Hanky Panky
October 7th, 2012
10:36 pm
CLEAN HOUSE.
HIRE JON GRUDEN AS UGA HEAD COACH.
HIRE HINES WARD AS AN ASSISTANT.
START BUILDING A REGIME THE GEORGIA FAN BASE DESERVES.
decision time
October 7th, 2012
10:38 pm
It’s called SOSC
STEPHEN ORR SPURRIER CHEESE
Get some of it poochies!!!!!
The Other Side
October 7th, 2012
11:11 pm
Not a big DAWG fan, never will be; but it is time for a change at the UGA. Ya’ll need a COACH to take you the next Saban-like level. Good luck!!
Stephen A. Dawg: I keep saying it : ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !
October 7th, 2012
11:32 pm
Richt proclaimed the SC debacle a “team loss” and he has forgiven the team for its failings. He never told the truth and admitted he and his entire staff did a poor job and were outcoached in all phases of the game. UGA will regroup and reel off meaningless wins against lesser opponents and yet get routed again in the”big game” against Florida. UGA goes 10-2 and ends back in Orlando yet again to lose if the Big 10 opponent is ranked. It’s an unacceptable pattern in Athens under Richt ! Another 10-3 season with wins over lesser opponent and losses to every ranked opponent. Spurrier and Saban will continue to raid the state of Georgia for top athletes while Richt runs to Florida and ACC country to stock UGA with his kind of players in his finesse, outdated, and soft FSU 90s heydey system. Only Richt defeatists like Brainiac, Dawg in Lex, Columbus Dawg, and Kingdaddy are dumb enough to keep drinking kryptonite kool-aid in denial that Richt won’t ever win another big game as long as he remains. He lacks the primary element to be a championship coach in the SEC and that is intensity. This element is fundamental in big games. Richt was content with the porous O-line & special teams play, Murray’s poor play & poor OC play calls and a defense that got repeatedly punched in the mouth. Thus the line it’s a team loss. Memo to Richt and his apologists there won’t be many more “team losses” in the big game in the future. Time is running out on mediocre Richt show at UGA.
Stephen A. Dawg: I keep saying it : ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !
October 8th, 2012
12:25 am
I couldn’t tell from Richt’s emotionless sideline demeanor throughout the SC debacle whether he gave a damn about the blowout or was thinking about Sunday dinner after church service. On the other sideline there was an animated, fully game integrated Spurrier jumping up and down on each play barking instructions to players and coaches while working the refs. Richt expression-less only would rake his fingers through his receding hairline after repeated SC scores and call a meaningless team huddle at the start of the 4th quarter trailing 28-0. The game was clearly lost by then due to no adjustments on offense. Murray should have been benched due to his ineffectiveness. But Richt insists on living or dying with a QB that is a FCS level talent. Murray will not cut it in the pros because Richt/Bobo tried to coach and treat him as a drop-back pro QB, when in reality it plays against Murray’s limited strengths. Even Jimbo Fisher won’t sign or play a QB less than 6′2” at FSU. I know he and Richt both have disappointed their fanbases with questionable playcalling, but the truth is maybe Tech’s Paul Johnson could get more out of Murray at QB than Richt/Bobo. How many Tech QBs out of that system are on current NFL rosters? So odds are slim to none Murray goes pro early or lasts a month on a team when he finishes at UGA. Richt’s dying UGA career will mercifully come to a close when Murray’s eligibility expires. What good is keeping a coach around that sticks with a inefficient QB in big games for FOUR straight years without benching him when he plays bad or denying him competition to make him better. Richt deserves to be fired for not preparing the team with alternative options when his primary options fail. This shows among team personnel (at QB, O-line, & special teams) and shows in game results. The better athlete in Georgia will travel out of state to play for better coaches than Richt & co. If this trend continues Richt will continue to get paid to destroy UGA’s national relevance. The writing has long been on the wall, it’s time for UGA to offer Richt an early retirement. Richt is a John Cooper who can’t win a big game and a Norv Turner who stands on the the sidelines in expresionless bewilderment while wasting talent and losing big games. Richt is a nice person and good guy but that act will never bring a national title to Athens.
jcr
October 8th, 2012
12:40 am
Our coordinators on offense and defense cannot put the superior athletes in a position to win. We were out coached by SC. We have better talent and weaker coaching. Richt is great as a head coach but he cannot hire winning coordinators. Bobo is a joke. Grantham has NFL talent and can not stop Buffalo. Get a couple of world class coordinators and we can vie for the national championship. Also when will we stop playing FL in Jax. This is a home game for FL. We are stupid. Do we need the money that bad? Are we trying to win or raise cash.
ShowmeYurTD's
October 8th, 2012
1:07 am
If richt is fired, it would be a whole lot of work for athletic director to find a replacement…..AD is taking the easy way out, lazy guy! He not only hasn’t fired CMR he gave him a raise and a five yr friggin’ contract.
Whatever
October 8th, 2012
2:04 am
The whole coaching staff needs to be blown up and start fresh from scratch. Dan Mullins. Chip Kelly. Hell, I would even consider Kirby Smart. I mean, anything HAS to be better than this crap! I could even take the losing the big games if we did not have to endure the batteries, DUIs, arrests, drug usage and suspensions and dismissals. But, when you have all that and you are humiliated on the field as well, time to clear house of the coaches. The off field problems show that the coaches are not doing their jobs. Yes, they cannot baby sit the guys. But, the players should take their opportunity so seriously that they would not do anything to jeopardize it. They don’t. Not to mention, we come with awful game plans, we don’t adjust. We keep trying to execute the same stuff and look stupid when it does not work against teams that prepared to stop it. Spurrier looks at what he has and adjusts to his talent. He also exposes the weaknesses of opponents. It was pretty damn clear looking at all our games that UGA cannot stop the pass. Spurrier exploited it and then got us so confused he could run anybody at will. Plus, Grantham is a baffoon. Shouting to college aged kickers and flashing the choke sign, shouting matches with other coaches. Just fire the guy. Fire – them – all!
SEC Football Headlines, Oct. 6
October 8th, 2012
3:33 am
[...] AJC’s Mark Bradley: A black night in Columbia (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, ajc.com) [...]
SEC Football Headlines, Oct. 6 | Duluth
October 8th, 2012
5:38 am
[...] AJC’s Mark Bradley: A black night in Columbia (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, ajc.com) [...]
Hugh Pafford
October 8th, 2012
5:48 am
It is time to realize that UGA can’t continue to discipline itself by keeping its premier talent out of the lineup for the first third of the season each year. The defense had only played one game together when they reached Columbia. If players can’t behave, then get them off the team – don’t create confusion by withholding the lineup for the good of team rules. Look at our history – even the opposing coaches know this.
Real DAWG FAN
October 8th, 2012
8:28 am
The lost at Columbia was horrible.
No hiding that fact. Especially now that SC is rated #3.
Every team has a bad game.
Coaching was a big factor too.
BUT
I get sick and tried of all the whining “bulldogs fans” wanting to fired the coach evrytime we lose.
If you “monday morning QB’s” have the gonads why dont you go coach the team.
I hate it as much as everyone too, but we have to support our team. The season is not over yet.
A chilly Heat Check: Everybody stinks; everybody’s mad! | Mark Bradley
October 8th, 2012
8:29 am
[...] Played its biggest game of the season and lost by 28 points, and that only after what even the head coach conceded was a “consolation” touchdown. [...]
Indydawg
October 8th, 2012
8:38 am
Right on Hugh– I completely agree with that.
So as of today South Carolina is playing for the right to get beat by Alabama in December…so if USC fans are drinking that kool aid…
and they still have LSU, Florida and Tennessee– then Clemson if they get that far. USC still have some choke in em.
UGA’s coaching staff is horrible and we need to clean house, but this is what we got this year. They still may find a way to rally up again and do just enough not to get fired so we can be right back in the same situation next year….
Vanilla and sad situation. We need to clean house.
damngooddawg!
October 8th, 2012
9:54 am
I hate to agree, but it’s time for Richt and company to go. They have failed miserably to even resemble a top tier program since 2008 and now it’s been proven once and for all. I’ve got news…SC is not a great ball team. They may loose to LSU and Florida. I know that Bama will kick their tails. Also, how was it decided that we have such a “talented” team? They were great in HS, but at some point you stop having :”potential” if you never produce.
Raymond Ingham
October 8th, 2012
10:15 am
From ESPN’s coverage of UGA / SC Saturday: “…But I digress, much like Georgia did during its 35-7 loss to Steve Spurrier’s muscled-up South Carolina team. By, oh, the early part of the fourth quarter of Saturday evening’s game, the Bulldogs looked like a team counting the minutes until they could grab a box meal on the way to the charter bus…” — I cannot S T A N D the Gators, but Georgia better man up or they are going to be sent home crying to their mama’s in Jacksonville…Go Gamecocks…
fred beloin
October 8th, 2012
11:19 am
Bradley is exactly correct. Richt is a nice guy who has a good team, but not a great one. If you think 10-2 is bad, try being in the shoes of Tennessee right now. What has not been fully discussed is how Spurrier beat UGA with a bunch of players, including Conner Shaw, who Richt did not want. Is Murray better than Shaw? Heavens no. You have to feel good for the Georgia natives who Richt overlooked.
Unanswered question: does Georgia continuously get high marks for recruiting overrated players, or is the staff unable to instill discipline and get a true top 5 type performance?
By the way, before condemining the entire staff, Grantham’s defense was great last year and may return to form before the end of the season. Special teams did have a nice return in the first quarter Saturday at SC. I cannot explain why Murray and his receivers could not connect on simple screens that were there.
Natan
October 8th, 2012
12:07 pm
CMR is a great man and recruiter but a mediocre coach. He accumulates talent, but talent alone will not beat other talnet which is well-coached. He seems to lack the fire.
Colamom
October 8th, 2012
1:37 pm
Gamecock fan here, not to gloat. I watched the game again last night and if I were a Georgia fan I would be totally pissed about the lack of reaction from Richt. He just calmly stands there like he is in church or something. It drove me crazy! Spurrier would have thrown his visor 100 times had the roles been reversed. Did he take a Xanax before the game?
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October 8th, 2012
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Unless it beats the Gators, UGA will be a 10-2 underachiever | Mark Bradley
October 8th, 2012
2:01 pm
[...] Georgia wasn’t ready to handle a team like LSU last season, but 1o months later it was even less prepared for what the Gamecocks unleashed. Isn’t experience supposed to be a teaching [...]
Ronster9
October 8th, 2012
2:35 pm
What’s puzzling is how many UGA players go on to have great careers in the NFL, but the team they played for in college can’t win more big games. The success of former UGA players in the NFL indicates that the talent to win is definitely there, but that talent is not being utilized effectively against top notch opponents. Apparently, the ability to recruit is not matched by the ability to coach. Or maybe it’s the drinking water in Athens. Have it tested.
Old Dawg
October 8th, 2012
4:22 pm
Richt lost his credibility in 2007 with the infamous end zone celebration. I have seen a decline in his leadership – he is probably having some fun on the side like that coach in Arkanas did… don’t kid yourselves folks – the money and the power change people. Mark has a nice tan – and tries to be a “friend” instead of a coach to these kids. Fire him. Do it now. Move on.
had enough
October 8th, 2012
6:00 pm
Mark richt will never win another sec title..
gamecocks4life
October 9th, 2012
12:28 am
Man I’ve seen sore losers but this takes the cake. I don’t care who your coach is you got beat by the better team. Suck it up admit you were overrated and move on. For those of you that say it was a fluke check the stats you got outplayed. Carolina is a force to be reckoned with see you next year used to be a consolation now its a warning. Blame yourselves for buying into your own hype.
jacketjim
October 9th, 2012
12:51 am
By the time the puppies get to face my jackets we will be the better squad. Final: Techsters-48, uga-24. Toe meets leather and happy time at titleville tech.
lesmilesplustheswamp
October 9th, 2012
12:54 am
When whiny Spurrier loses the next 2 weeks and georgia once again proves dominance over florida, dawgs will be beast of east!!
gwh
October 9th, 2012
12:32 pm
you can’t beat ranked teams with an unranked front office and staff, hey remember, spurrier has the worst defeat in a title game i’ve ever seen (against nebraska). so lets all just remember…things like this are forgotten easily. coaches like mark richt bring forward the character that was instilled in university by coach dooley, bring forth the opportunity for these young men to excel in their life endeavours. coach richt is not a coach who is a beat all and out in three, he is a long term asset which protects the integrity of the school and this is the price. young athletes who are not confident in their abilities can attend U of Ga. and develope as individuals…not as a team. The is no team in Richt football, there is only off field behavior and individual excellence. no one on the team wants any recognition of any kind right now, so no one steps forward anymore…tennessee took it all.
Terry Bull
October 9th, 2012
2:16 pm
First I am going to point out the GOOD from Saturday: We only allowed two touchdowns after the first quarter. That’s pretty dang good against a Spurrier led O, with the momentum and crowd well on SC’s side. The two TD’s led by SC’s O were brilliant calls by SC and caught the Dogs flat, likely hyper focusing on Lattimore. One of those possessions shouldn’t have been theirs, but I’ll address that in the BAD section of this rant. The punt return TD was just sheer ridiculousness and that happens every once in a while. Too bad it happened then. So they scored 21 points in the 1st quarter before Coach Grantham figured it out and hunkered down. 3 quarters and 2 TD’s ain’t bad after that terrible start.
Now for the Bad: SC knew we’d focus on Lattimore, hence the two TD passes with confused coverage. If SC knew we’d focus on that, why didn’t coach TG? He should have known Spurrier’s tendencies and been on the lookout for those types of plays. Even the players should have known. I knew it, y’all know it, why didn’t they? As for the punt return, again that crap happens and every team gives up one of those during a season. This one just happened at the worst time. The rest of the game, our D did pretty well until the fourth quarter when they were likely exhausted and annoyed by our Offense. Now for the O, I will say this and I’ve said it a million times, fire Bobo. Fire him ASAP, like PJ did with Groh at Tech. When Richt was calling the O, the Dawgs were much better than they are with Bobo imitating Richt’s play calling. The guy has never been anywhere but UGA and has only learned his trade from within the UGA system. Even professors don’t teach where they get their PhD’s, so why is this guy leading the O for a SEC football school. He was average as a player and average as a coordinator. Average don’t cut it in the SEC. Even my wife, who asked me what a safety was, pointed out how often we run on 2nd down. Running on 2nd down is fine if on 1st you pick up some yards. Not on 2nd and 10. That may not be all that bad if not one D coordinator knew that, but somehow I think they do and that’s why we’re passing on 3rd and 10. Where are the quick 5-7yrd dink passes? Why were the screens 30 yard ankle passes? We do have tight ends, right? Mitchell should have had the ball whenever 3 and 4 didn’t. When we run, can we please commit to it and muscle up? I don’t blame Murray for anything, for he is tethered to an idiots play calling. No matter if it’s Alabama, SC, LSU, or Tech, when the D is coming at you like SC was, you have to toss dinks and dunks to keep them honest. As Clowny comes forward, what’s behind him in the space he just left? Nothing but green grass. Same with the rest of the line. Send two options a couple yards behind their D line for Murray to hit and watch the yards pile up. If they stop it, that means the line is being held in check and it’s not going to be a bum rush. Let Murray throw quickies and a few 15 yarders and then our running game can go. It’s that simple. Bobo’s game plans are Spurrier’s jokes, plays Visor would call if he wanted to be a comedian. I might make a “Best Of” tape jsut to show how easy it is for a D to read Bobo’s mind. It’s sad and the only thing I can think is he has something on Richt that keeps him employed. Either that, or Richt has become what Tubby Smith was to UK. A decent fine man, who has lost touch with the players and the game of today.
OrlandoDawg
October 9th, 2012
3:29 pm
Mark Bradley, don’t agree with you at times, but the most honest assessment I have read. I can’t dispute anything at all. Big Time National Stage and we implode…just horrible
Bama Boy
October 10th, 2012
11:33 am
Kingdaddy bragged and bragged all summer about his dawgs now cant find him anywhere,Here Kingdaddy here boy!You dont know Jack about football Im glad youve shut the hell up!