UGA beats Ole Miss, and it’s back to Auburn for the clincher
Tavarres King takes it to the house -- and the waiting Redcoat Band. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Athens — Back to Auburn, another SEC East title on the line. Back to Auburn, where Mark Richt’s Bulldogs clinched the SEC East and knocked the lid off Georgia football in 2002. Back to Auburn, and then back to the SEC championship game.
“We wish we hadn’t lost to South Carolina, but they took it to us,” said Alec Ogletree, the splendid linebacker. “But we came out every week still playing like we were going to get to the (Georgia) Dome. And now we control our own destiny.”
Back to Auburn for the clincher, back after a difficult beginning to this post-Florida letdown game. Back, not incidentally, off the strength of a play not unlike 70x Takeoff, the play that spawned the David Greene-to-Michael Johnson that won at Auburn 10 years ago.
Inside the final 30 seconds of this first half, the clock ticking after consecutive sacks, Georgia trying not to burn its final timeout, Ole Miss trying to hold a 10-7 lead. Aaron Murray took the snap, pumped one way and looked another, just as Greene had done that cold day at Jordan-Hare, only this pass was complicated by an onrushing Rebel. Murray had to dodge to his right, and when he did he found Tavarres King running free down the right sideline, waving at his quarterback to throw the darn ball already.
And then the ball was in the air and soon in King’s hands. And then King was in the end zone and his team had taking a lasting lead and he was handing that football to some of the members of the assembled Redcoat Band.
“I tried to flick them the ball,” King said. “I thought they would like to see what it felt like to hold it.”
From there it was easy, these gifted Bulldogs winning 37-10 after spotting the visitors a 10-point lead. Usually it takes a while for Georgia to get going, but when it does it’s a sight to behold.
“We might not win by a lot,” said the freshman Todd Gurley, who gained 117 yards rushing. “But we get the win.”
They head now to Auburn, and the Tigers haven’t won a conference game this year. This victory wasn’t 10 minutes old before Richt was trying to turn his team’s gaze westward, telling the Bulldogs: “Get your minds right right now; get your jaw set. In seven days, we’ve got a chance to finish.”
This hasn’t been the easiest of seasons, but to look at Georgia’s record is to see a team in the position it figured to occupy. The rise of Florida complicated matters, but Georgia took care of the Gators, and now only one of Auburn’s worst-ever teams stands between the Bulldogs and another chance to win the SEC, something this program hasn’t managed since D.J. Shockley and Co. upset LSU in December 2005.
Maybe you’re recalling what happened last December, when Georgia led No. 1 LSU by 10 points only to lose by 32. Maybe you think this year’s title game will be a similar wipeout. But maybe you were among those who believed these Bulldogs would have no chance in Jacksonville. A team this talented will always, always have a chance.
Some will carp about this first half. Go ahead. Indeed, there was a moment late in the first quarter when Ole Miss had outgained the home side 100 yards to 16. But here was the yardage count after 60 minutes: Georgia 533, Ole Miss 234. That’s domination on a day when everyone knew the Bulldogs would be looking back to the Jacksonville and ahead to Auburn. Once they got their minds right and jaws set, however, it was set and match.
And that has become the Georgia Way. Said Todd Grantham, the defensive coordinator: “Even when we weren’t playing as well early in the season, we got better as the game went along.”
We can say the same of the season. Georgia is better than it was in September, loads better than on that dark night in Columbia and that strange evening in Lexington. This isn’t a perfect team, but when it’s in trouble it will fight long enough for Grantham and the offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to think of something. And when they do …
We move again to the first half, the Bulldogs down 10-0, facing third-and-1 at their 34. To fail to convert is to risk falling into a serious hole. The safe play would be to run it. Bobo had Murray fake a handoff and hide the ball and sling it long to the ridiculously open Marlon Brown for the touchdown that got Georgia going. “That call,” Richt said, “takes a little bit of nerve.”
The Bulldogs held their nerve this day, same as they’d done against Florida, and now they’re one game from the Dome. And back to Auburn they go, back to finish another lap of another drill.
Further reading: On Aaron Murray, the TO binge and those scoring Ogletrees.
By Mark Bradley
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270 comments Add your comment
Joe
November 4th, 2012
12:21 am
What are they? tigers or war eagles? who knows. they still will lose! coach gene is toast!
Now 7-19 Against End of Season Ranked Teams Since '05
November 4th, 2012
12:21 am
Big Crimson ‘75…..only chance UGA beats y’all is if Alabama comes out too cocky and unprepared….not likely with Saban as HC
Joe
November 4th, 2012
12:21 am
Enter your comments here
Bali
November 4th, 2012
12:22 am
Mobile….I thought Richt answered your question when he said he didn’t know what the team will do against Ole Miss. Have you guys seen Saban on the practice field or sometimes during a game…of course you have. That’s the coaching emotion that wins championships.
Mobile Dawg
November 4th, 2012
12:22 am
Glad to see Bama win Crimson, don’t get me wrong, my wife’s an AU alum, and it was tough pulling for you guys, and there was a part of me that would have loved to have seen the “ignorant” fringe of Bama nation suffer the irrepreble damage of losing, it was the best outcome for the SEC, so be it.
Fair n Balanced
November 4th, 2012
12:22 am
Ga has done what it should do. We played 3 solid qtrs today. When we play Bama…..we will need 4 of the best qtrs we have ever played. But first …Auburn, Ga Southern n Tech.
Now 7-19 Against End of Season Ranked Teams Since '05
November 4th, 2012
12:23 am
Sorry folks, as much as I would have it otherwise……that Bama D-line is gonna make mince meat of Theus and the rest of that ragtag O-line…..Murray will get his typical jitters….I see 3-4 INT’s from him
Flo- Ri- Duh
November 4th, 2012
12:24 am
Easy schedule blah blah blah……. UGA played two teams rated in the top 10. Bummer has only played one and was lucky to win.
Really?
November 4th, 2012
12:24 am
Big Crimson
I am not a tide fan and insult them often, but you are a class act. If all goes well I look forward to my Dawgs beating your tide in Atlanta.
CigarDawg
November 4th, 2012
12:24 am
I will keep yelling it:
COACH RICHT:
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR YOU NOT TO HAVE US PREPARED TO WIN IN ATLANTA. LSU GAVE YOU THE GAME PLAN – GO PRACTICE IT! YOU WILL SEE THE SCREEN PASS – GET READY TO DEFEND IT!!! ‘BAMA IS NOT INVINCIBLE AND WE HAVE THE TALENT TO BEAT THEM IF YOU PREPARE PROPERLY. A LOSS IN ATLANTA WILL BE YOUR FAULT!
DawgNole
November 4th, 2012
12:26 am
CigarDawg
November 4th, 2012
12:20 am
Screw the AJC filter!
____________________
I’m with you on that one, buddy. And it seems to rear its nasty-azz head more with Bradley than with anyone else. A shame, too, considering the quality of his writing.
Dawgs stink
November 4th, 2012
12:28 am
Why do you Dawg fans want to play Alabama ??? It will be like the LSU game last December , prob around the same score 42-10. Lose to Auburn and you will still end up in a nice bowl game in Florida ! Let the Gators get killed in the Dome ! It will still be the Capital one or Outback again. Maybe a shot at the cotton ! The Sugar will try and snag Notre Dame !
Big Crimson 75
November 4th, 2012
12:30 am
Really?
November 4th, 2012
12:24 am
Big Crimson
I am not a tide fan and insult them often, but you are a class act. If all goes well I look forward to my Dawgs beating your tide in Atlanta.
———
Fair enough.
As for the $$$$ comment, it’s sickening the NCAA allows Oregon & Okie ST Programs to be bank-rolled by Billionaires.
God Bless the People involved in this helicopter crash in Atlanta tonight.
It appears to be ugly.
DawgNole
November 4th, 2012
12:30 am
My comment is “awaiting moderation”? Say what??? My comment was “Can’t disagree with you on that one.” And that’s awaiting moderation?
C’mon, Bradley, get control of those idiotic filters! And if you can’t do it, call your IT dept. This idiocy has been going on forever. It’s inexcusable for a big-city newspaper!
kerryb
November 4th, 2012
12:32 am
Dawgs stink
November 4th, 2012
12:28 am
Why do you Dawg fans want to play Alabama ??? It will be like the LSU game last December , prob around the same score 42-10. Lose to Auburn and you will still end up in a nice bowl game in Florida ! Let the Gators get killed in the Dome ! It will still be the Capital one or Outback again. Maybe a shot at the cotton ! The Sugar will try and snag Notre Dame !
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Bama team I saw tonight won’t put 42 on UGA’s defense. I was totally unimpressed. Bama will be lucky to score 14 on UGA’s defense. The first half of today’s game you saw Florida hangover. The second half you saw how good UGA can be. Bama doesn’t look like a team that can’t be beaten after tonight.
kerryb
November 4th, 2012
12:34 am
Also, Auburn will be lucky if we don’t hang 70 on their sorry defense.
DawgNole
November 4th, 2012
12:34 am
Dawgs stink
November 4th, 2012
12:28 am
Why do you Dawg fans want to play Alabama ??? It will be like the LSU game last December , prob around the same score 42-10. Lose to Auburn and you will still end up in a nice bowl game in Florida ! Let the Gators get killed in the Dome ! It will still be the Capital one or Outback again. Maybe a shot at the cotton ! The Sugar will try and snag Notre Dame !
_____________________
Classic loser mentality.
Big Crimson 75
November 4th, 2012
12:34 am
Bradley has the worst filter.
Who did what against who, when, where & by how much means NOTHING.
That is the absolute worst way to predict how a game is going to turn out.
Mark Bradley
November 4th, 2012
12:35 am
Closing these comments.
Mark Bradley
November 4th, 2012
8:20 am
Re-opening.
Joey
November 4th, 2012
8:29 am
Nice column MB.
Dewnsav
November 4th, 2012
8:29 am
not worried ’bout Bama at this time…gotta take care of the Barn first…THEN turn sights to Bama…if we get there the Tide will, and should, be favored…if we play our game I feel we can hang and it will be a ballgame…first things first, BEAT AUBURN !!! GO DOGS
Mark Bradley
November 4th, 2012
8:35 am
Thanks, Joey.
Joey
November 4th, 2012
8:38 am
Before we get ahead of ourselves and book hotel rooms in the ATL, we have former D coaches at Auburn who will be gameplanning for UGA – and knowing how to do it.
We just lost another big-play, big-target, WR. That’s gonna hurt, just like losing Bennent did. Not only do you lose their talent and ability, the other receivers of note get tighter coverage, and double coverage without Bennent and Brown on the field.
An effort equal to yesterday will get the job done, but it won’t be a cakewalk
Buh bye to the dwags
November 4th, 2012
8:42 am
Barners 21, Dwags 17
Send in the bozos
November 4th, 2012
8:45 am
Seeing two quality teams like Alabama and LSU play last night shows what a bunch of clowns the dawgs are in comparison.
The Tide waits for no man
November 4th, 2012
8:49 am
Alabama will make mincemeat of Richt’s gang of undisciplined thugs.
Athens
November 4th, 2012
8:53 am
The Tide was exposed because they had not played a quality opponent like a SC, UGA, UF or an LSU until last night. They did win, however, after being outplayed the 2nd half. Winners do that.
Athens Dawg
November 4th, 2012
8:55 am
The tide was exposd last night because they had not played a quality opponent like a SC, UGA, UF or an LSU until last night. They won in spite of being outplayed, Winners find a way.
enough
November 4th, 2012
9:09 am
Am I the only one that see theus get his but whip every play? I know he was a five star, but why don’t someone else get an opportunity to play rt. tackle?
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
9:09 am
The tide waits for no man…
One man’s “thug”, is another man’s “son”…
You sound like a racist, bigot…
This comment will soon be under “moderation”, lol…
Joey
November 4th, 2012
9:13 am
So Bama was exposed to be winners, Athens Dawg?!
********************************
Haha, I know what you meant, and you are right. It just takes a coach who can make players believe that they can find a way to win. Saban can do it.
Richt has gotten close a couple of times, is close now, just has to seal the deal.
Patrick
November 4th, 2012
9:20 am
Another inconsistent effort against an outmatched opponent with a record of two conference wins since 2010 and the Dawg nation is all fired up. Those that only see the entry in the win column will be sorely upset when we have to play a really good team–or at least one that has been well prepared by its coaching staff. Can you say SC? . Truth is we need a change of direction in the leadership -or lack of- in this program, Many of us long time supporters are close to or past the point of giving up hope that UGA can return to being a contender for the NC.
air of mendacity
November 4th, 2012
9:24 am
Mark — not too optimistic about bama – but anything can happen in one game. Need help though with someone ahead of dawgs losing for us to have chance. If we beat bama, it would be travesty if N. Dame got in ahead of us. I believe we would trounce them. What do you think?
A man of honor
November 4th, 2012
9:24 am
Kingdaddy, you sure are quick to play the “i’m offended” card. Must be a MSNBC fan. I’m tired of people like you deciding what words are “PC” and which ones are not. “Thug” is offensive only if you are looking for a reason to be offended. You are better than that.
long-time dawg
November 4th, 2012
9:27 am
One to go.
SEC will soon sport at least 4 new ball coaches
November 4th, 2012
9:30 am
KY,UT,ARKY,Auburn wil soon be hiring a new ball coach.
KY will take Strong away from Louisville. AU will hire trash PETRINO and ARKY will hire home boy Tommy Turbeville. UT will hire Kirby Smart.
It is what it is.
Go Dogs
Tom Dawg 1
November 4th, 2012
9:34 am
GA has the fastest wide reciever on the side line. His last name is Wesley.
Maybe he can play since Marlon Brown is out for the rest of the year.
The defender that tackled Brown on the play where he was injured,
deliberately twisted his knee, should have been a personal foul called
for that act, there is no place for that. Too bad for Marlon, since he is
a senior.
Let us be realistic
November 4th, 2012
9:35 am
UGA is playing to finsh # 2. If we lose to Alabama, the we hopefully play ND or K State in the Sugar Bowl. We would be ranked maybe 8th at kick off. If we defeat our BCS opponent, best we can hope for would be # 2 or 3. I WOULD BE HAPPY to wrap 2012 with Sugar Bowl win and a whupping of ND or K State.
Go Dogs. stomp AU !!
To of the three best are gone
November 4th, 2012
9:36 am
Enter your comments here
DogMax
November 4th, 2012
9:40 am
Georgia will shock the world and upset alabama in the SEC champ game—alabama’s pass defense didn’t look that good against lsu. Murray will light it up with big plays. Dogs 27 alabama 23—book it!
Joey
November 4th, 2012
9:43 am
Kirby Smart ain’t going to UT. They can’t afford to pay him, while still paying Dooley and Fulmer. He will stay at Bama unless Texas comes calling.
Or his alma mater.
You never know – if Richt wins the SEC, he may hang it up while on top.
JD
November 4th, 2012
9:44 am
Mark, what fun to have the live blog going during the game. Its really been an interesting weekend. Just want to thank you for keeping it lively. Well done.
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
9:45 am
A man of honor
If you posted AJC much, you would know I was being facetious. The use of the word thug is used liberally by Tech-nerds when refering to the Doggies. It is a chance to be cute while bashing kids who commit mostly minor infractions at UGA while ignoring the “thuggery” at the North Ave. Trade-school. I post here all the time, and the best thing I can suggest to you if you don’t like my post is to not read them. I fought for freedom of speech and my country, so if you are offended by my words, then please don’t read my post. Also, if you bash my school, I relish the chance to respond with humor or wit and sometimes “verbal thuggery”…
air of mendacity
November 4th, 2012
9:46 am
realistic – agree to a point, but not sure if we get thumped by Bama we would be ranked high enough to play N. Dame or K. State at that point. If hard fought and close then maybe. No, we have to find a way to beat Bama – Bama need to turn the ball over and we will have to give Mr. Theus some help with a tight end over him.
DawgNole
November 4th, 2012
9:53 am
Patrick
November 4th, 2012
9:20 am
Another inconsistent effort against an outmatched opponent with a record of two conference wins since 2010 and the Dawg nation is all fired up. Those that only see the entry in the win column will be sorely upset when we have to play a really good team–or at least one that has been well prepared by its coaching staff. Can you say SC? . Truth is we need a change of direction in the leadership -or lack of- in this program, Many of us long time supporters are close to or past the point of giving up hope that UGA can return to being a contender for the NC.
_____________________
We fell behind by 10 and still won by 4 TDs. Hard to fault the final result there. We’ve had one no-show (SC). We’re 8-1 and ranked in the top 5. We’ll be solid favorites for these last three games. Let the season play out before giving up.
DawgNole
November 4th, 2012
9:54 am
Oh, and thanks for reopening the comments, MB.
A man of honor
November 4th, 2012
9:56 am
9:09 am
The tide waits for no man…
One man’s “thug”, is another man’s “son”…
You sound like a racist, bigot…
This comment will soon be under “moderation”, lol
___________________________
Kingdaddy, you brought the “race card” out with your comment. You should change your name to “Maddow Disciple” or “SharptonDawg”.
houstondawgfan
November 4th, 2012
9:57 am
Very good game from the dogs, a little worried at the beginning. I am a diehard fan but realistic, after watching Bama and LSU play. I do think those were the top 2 teams in the SEC. The horrible offensive line we have will get exposed by Bama. Also, better coaching, I still think Bobo is horrible and Murray saved him with those big plays. Yes the play fake was Bobo calling it, however why does he look like he coaches better against the inferior teams, hmmm. UGA has had a great year even when they get beat by Bama in the Championship game. We are stuck to what it is, we will always be playing to be the bridesmaid.
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
9:59 am
BTW,
MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, Current TV & most all of the “Mainstream Media”, are in the tank for the worst president in the history of the United States. Having been born in South Ga., I didn’t think any POTUS could make Jimmy Carter look good, until now. The “Mainstream Media” ,has failed this country and has just become another arm of the Democratic Party…