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
perk
November 4th, 2012
10:06 am
love the Samuel comments. After Ogletree scored – Samuel was 1st on the field to hug ZO, Classy guy and DGD.
based in reality dawg fan
November 4th, 2012
10:09 am
That game last night in Baton Rouge should be proof positive to Dawg Nation that UGA has no shot in the SECCG. Richt and Company don’t have the discipline to beat either of those teams last night. The light may have finally come on for ZachMett last night. Do you think Murray would have performed that way in Tiger Stadium? History says no.
based in reality dawg fan
November 4th, 2012
10:10 am
Enter your comments here
based in reality dawg fan
November 4th, 2012
10:13 am
ZachMett played a heck of a game last night.
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
10:13 am
Man of honor
For the last time, you are an idiot and probably “The tide waits for no man”. I was responding to the 8:49 post which called UGAs kids thugs. If you were a man of honor, you would understand that I was defending my school from another unwarrented attack by a booger-eater from tech. I now think that you are the same nerd I was addressing at 8:49, since you are talking trash to a very well established Conservetive as myself. Stick a sock in it maggot. I’m all Dawg and all about removing the trash on Nov.6 from the White House. If you don’t get it by now, you never will nerd-boy…
1971DAWG
November 4th, 2012
10:16 am
Bama showed last night that it is overrated, and that it would not be undefeated if it played in the East this year. LSU got thumped by Florida, and Bama would not beat the top 3 teams in the East. The great Q.B. at Bama had no first downs in 2nd half until the last drive.He is no different from Murray when he is pressured, so Bama gets out gained by over 100 yards and gets lucky. If not for the stupid calls by LSU head coach, onside kick, and fake F.G., Bama losses. Mett outplayed the heisman Q.B. at Bama, yet we hear nothing about how bad Bama Q.B. played.. UGA will play Bama close, and it will come down to which Q.B. makes the big play in 4th qtr. Get over it Bama fans, your team is not the powerhouse you think they are. Will see you in the Dome, if Texas A&M doesn’t burst your bubble Saturday.
sportsmom
November 4th, 2012
10:18 am
Let me see now. When do the “mighty bulldogs” play Alabama or LSU or any other quality team. Oh! that’s right they don’t! Oh well the ratings are much better when you play low rated teams.
Hairy Dawg
November 4th, 2012
10:22 am
Good week for Dawgs. We unloaded a whooping can on Ol Misses. And then Bammer shows they beatable without getting beatings. Dawgs now win out by punishing Cheese Dip and getting him a firing. Awful Burn is exposed as sorry team do to Cheese Dip not coaching good. We put Awful out a misery for 0-for in SEC play. If that don’t get Cheese Dip fired it cause he have black mail info on who paid the $180K Clams to Newton. And then Dawgs roll to Dome with nothing but patties before we take down Bammer in showing Dawgs own SEC and that means BCS to.
Go Dawgs!
mad hatter
November 4th, 2012
10:23 am
Dawgs run the table to 13-1,
bama that.
Shawshank Dawg
November 4th, 2012
10:24 am
Hope is a good thing, so is faith, toughness, perseverance, and belief. On to Atlanta. Bobo, Grantham, study hard. With the right O & D plans our people can beat Bama, no question about it.
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
10:27 am
Sportsmom
a little Midol might help with your depression and all the general crying about the Dawgs, lol. You just woke-up this morning and thought you would talk about the Dawgs easy schedule. What a joke. FYI, we probably will play one of the two teams you mentioned…that would be Bama, the #1 team in the country, but then again, you’re a woman and we don’t expect you to know much about foitball…
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
November 4th, 2012
10:27 am
Is it possible for UGA to run a table thru Jan.? BAMA coaches always coach…”play for all of 60 mins”.,…and look what happened….
Buckeye
November 4th, 2012
10:30 am
Auburn beats the dogs in the upset of all time. Munson rolls over.
juice sourcer
November 4th, 2012
10:30 am
Georgia’s schedule is a joke! No LSU, No Bama, no Texas A & M, no Miss. St, Florida at a neutral site, Kentucky, Vandy, Ole Miss, UT, the worst Auburn team in 30 years…please. The only good team they have played on the road is SC and they got killed.
Buckeye
November 4th, 2012
10:31 am
Of, and if I’m wrong, the dome game becomes the throwdown of all time. No chance dogs.
Buckeye
November 4th, 2012
10:32 am
mad hatter – I though “run the table” meant winning every game.
VaDog
November 4th, 2012
10:34 am
@juice “Go tell it on the mountain over the hill and everywhere”
Hairy Dawg
November 4th, 2012
10:36 am
Awful Burn not upsetting the Dawgs. They is looking ahead to there big game with Bammer AM where they might have chance to winning not like SEC. Dawgs will put a hurting on Shcizo War Tigers cause we know who we is and that the Big Dawgs. Coach Richt will show Awful Burn what a real Christian coaching can do.
Go Dawgs! Sick Em!
joe jenkins
November 4th, 2012
10:36 am
@juicehead……how is your turkey neck coach doing this year loser??
joe jenkins
November 4th, 2012
10:38 am
hey hairy dawg….your an idiot bro….lay off the crack pipe and mad dog 20/20….TIA
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
10:39 am
Wow Buckeye, ohio St. Beat another unranked team. Of course your team will be playing in another great bowl this year…on Nitendo…BTW, at least you won’t get your doors beaten off by another SEC school this year. That’s a plus…
Reasonable
November 4th, 2012
10:43 am
Oh state aka big slow is a cheating bunch
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
10:43 am
Juice is sportsmom. Idiot nerds love to talk about real football. They can’t do it on a tech blog. Got to talk about the Doggies. Sad, really sad…
Tampa Gator
November 4th, 2012
10:44 am
For you people knocking Florida……..
Florida played Missouri yesterday with most of their players having the flu or getting over the flu. Matt Elam was shown right after he empited his guts on the sidelines. Florida is the team that beat LSU by domininating both lines of scrimmage….something Bama could not do last night……and beat South Carolina….handily…..something Georgia could not do. Keep that in mind when you are talking down about the “overrated” Gators. Beat FSU…..and the Gators will be 11-1 and most likely headed to the Sugar Bowl….unless Georgia upsets Bama…then the Senior Bowl. If Bama beats Georgia, Georgia most likely heads to the Senior Bowl and Florida heads to New Orleans….if they beat FSU. And who knows……maybe the Auburn players will play one for their coach vs. Georgia……but most likely….NOT. It is going to take more than just a win over Bama to get Georgia in the NC game…….ND losing to USC….most likely not happening but could. Kansas State losing…..not much of a chance of that happening. Oregon will not lose….they had their Florida and LSU last night….in USC. After watching Bama last night….finally playing a top team……Georgia has a very good chance of beating the Tide. Georgia’s D is now….I believe….playing just as well as Bama’s D. And the Dawgs offense is better the LSU’s offense. Could be an upset in the Dome. Go Dawgs in that one.
Jackson
November 4th, 2012
10:44 am
Assuming we make it to the SEC title game, don’t be so quick to write off UGA. If the right UGA team shows up, we have the tools to pull off a win.
Ga>alabama
November 4th, 2012
10:45 am
alabama is overrated and was lucky to beat lsu–in the Ga Dome, they will not have the same luck. Ga gets some INTs and wins in a close game 20-17.
OrlandoDawg
November 4th, 2012
10:52 am
BOBO…PLEASE KEEP CALLING PLAYS LIKE THIS!!!! 2 sacks b4 half, normally run up the middle, run the clock out, Bobo got some kahunas and struck for gold…loved the Mitchell reverse, Marshall tossing the ball back to Murray…Please keep this up, we have to throw some West coast offense in to beat Bama ….we were not predictable today….love it….Go Dawgs!
GulfDawg
November 4th, 2012
10:54 am
Loved the play calling! Mix it up! Go Dawgs
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
10:57 am
UGA will have to play better than they have played this year to beat Bama. It can be done, but here’s a point…if we start slow, like we did last night, don’t expect Bama’s Defense to be kind to the Dawgs. They are the best team in the country for a good reason…THEY PLAY 60 MINUTES! We can’t let them jump out to a big lead or it will be SC all over again. We have to play as hard the first 15 minutes as the last 15 and everything in between has to be 110%. Only maximun effort on our part and a couple of lucky bounces will help uto defeat the best team we will face all year. Bama is for real, but we have a chance…
GulfDawg
November 4th, 2012
10:58 am
WE love the haters! They love to watch the Dawgs! We welcome you to see what SEC football is to the nation..best and has no rival! Go Dawgs!
zeke
November 4th, 2012
10:59 am
UGA sure looked impressive at Williams Brice! LOL!! They may beat Auburn, but, never Alabama! Thanks to the schedule makers, UGA may win the East, But, S.C. is still the best East team!!
John
November 4th, 2012
11:03 am
Do you realize what Bama was up against? Playing at LSU at night after humiliating and taking the national championship from them. If anything, this shows how good Bama really is. They played their worst game, LSU played their best. However Bama still won. I think the SEC championship will be a pretty good game but I have already heard loads of UGA people talking about Bama being exposed and weak. Seriously?
joe jenkins
November 4th, 2012
11:08 am
buckeye your a loser to bro….with your coach who fakes heart attacks…..he knew after tebow graduated that the gators ship had sailed……………………………@kingdaddy…i love the comments you made about sportsmom….lol…..now thats funny stuff their i dont care who you are….i agree with you also about those guy’s being booger eaters!! lol
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
11:12 am
Jenks,
nerds will never go hungry during flu-season, lol…
GB's Hamburgers
November 4th, 2012
11:17 am
A very good game for Murray. It was not the big, evenly matched game Bama/LSU was involved in, but very important none the less. And he did extremely well. What’s missing with Murray is the basic instinct to rise up and master the moment. Last night both quarterbacks in the Bama/LSU game showed that. Biggest game of the year for LSU …. best game for their quarterback, for example. But the Bama guy refused to lose. While I don’t think this trait can be taught, Murray certainly put the team on his back Sat. afternoon.
SC will see
November 4th, 2012
11:19 am
SC once again, will see UGA in the SEC CG and will finish BEHIND UGA.
SC, UGA will never consider SC a rival.
Enjoy the Chic Fil A Bowl.
Hairy Dawg
November 4th, 2012
11:22 am
Haha! SCar HAha. They losers again. And they not best in East cause they has Fattymore hurt again. Might as well buy him the wheelchairs. Visor Boy is lost it with Dawgs winning East again. We always dominants the choking chickens. Visor Boy get the losing he deserves and throwing visor to ground as Dawgs repeat owning East.
Go Dawgs! SCar stinks!
SC under SS is very short sighted
November 4th, 2012
11:24 am
spurrier has made the UGA game THE GAME for his troops. His ERROR is that the SEC is loaded every year. THis year, SC was laughter by Florida AND LSU. SC did not have anything left over after UGA.
lattimore is done. Clowney will be gone end of next year, as will Steve. IT IS OVER FOR SC. NO TITLES, no nothing with Steve, Lattimore and THE CLOWN all gone or about to be.
SC will go back to where they are now …… Playing only for a minor, minor bowl game.
Go Dogs!!
joe jenkins
November 4th, 2012
11:24 am
@kingdaddy….you are absolutely right!!.lol. too hell with those loser tech nerds…..The thing of is…the nerds couldnt beat anybody we have played all year….maybe they could pull out a squeaker over fla atlantic or buffalo!lol
GatornDC
November 4th, 2012
11:24 am
As a Gator Fan, I am hoping UGA wins and does not lay an egg against Auburn.
‘Cos, if UGA loses, FL goes to SEC Champ game and will get a beating (I bet Saban believes even now that his team should have won 2008 SEC champ game) of epic proportion by Bama.
Let UGA get that beating in SEC CG…
dan
November 4th, 2012
11:28 am
Unless Dawgs bring their F game( like they did vs. SC), they’ll take of Auburn. War Chickens might play them tough for a half, like Ole Miss and Kentucky did. But UGA’s depth will wear them down.
As for Alabama: CAN the Dawgs beat Bama? Yes, they have enough horses to pull it off. But do they have the killer instinct , execution, and discipline to beat Bama? THAT, I’m not so sure. Bama is a team that will punch you in the mouth and test your courage. The only way you’re going to beat them is to take the fight to them. The Dawgs just seem to lack that edge that great teams have, especially on offense. Anything is possible, but honestly Bama is just the better team top to bottom. I’m just not seeing a Bulldog victory. But I do hope they at least give Bama a tough out. We shall see.
joe jenkins
November 4th, 2012
11:28 am
I hope spurrier and his chickens lose the rest of their games….we are going to the big dance…even though the auburn game worries me….i still think we get the ‘W’ on the plains…..
Red Stick
November 4th, 2012
11:29 am
Big Crimson 75, congrats on a big comeback win last night.
Now I know how you guys felt after you outplayed us in TTown last year and lost.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
On Aaron Murray, the TO binge and those scoring Ogletrees | Mark Bradley
November 4th, 2012
11:30 am
[...] post is an adjunct to the Georgia-Ole Miss game column, which can be found here. 1. Aaron Murray is pretty darn good. He was sacked five times in the first half, twice off [...]
joe jenkins
November 4th, 2012
11:32 am
@gatordc…..just remember the game will be in atlanta…basically a home game for us…if we get there i think we will pull the upset….richt has fared pretty well against bama…..well i hope you slimy lizards lose out!!
Mark Bradley
November 4th, 2012
11:34 am
Further reading: On Aaron Murray, the turnover binge and those scoring Ogletree brothers.
DawgNole
November 4th, 2012
11:35 am
GatornDC
November 4th, 2012
11:24 am
As a Gator Fan, I am hoping UGA wins and does not lay an egg against Auburn.
‘Cos, if UGA loses, FL goes to SEC Champ game and will get a beating (I bet Saban believes even now that his team should have won 2008 SEC champ game) of epic proportion by Bama.
Let UGA get that beating in SEC CG…
____________________
We accept your kind offer, gator fan, and unlike your boys, we relish the opportunity.
kingdaddy
November 4th, 2012
11:41 am
RedStick
nice post. Well said classy thing to say. It’s not only important to learn to win gracefully. A man also has to learn to lose gracefully too. Nobody wins or loses all the time. Coaches need to teach our children to be good sports oon and off the field…
BILLY JACK
November 4th, 2012
12:03 pm
Alabama got slapped around most of the game last night and was fortunate to win LSU must still be in shock.All these nerds posing as other fans saying bama is gonna kill Georgia-same as Florida -Ole Miss bla bla bla……….Georgia is saving the best for you techies-this will be the biggest beatdown of the Richt era.
Big Crimson 75
November 4th, 2012
12:09 pm
John @11:03 — well said.
However, we didn’t play our worst game last night.
Had we, we would have been blown out.
The worse game we’ve played this year was against ole miss.