Five yards short: In bitter defeat, a winning Georgia effort
The final moments of a fabulous game: Chris Conley catches the ball. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
There are people who say that only championships matter, that finishing second is the same as finishing last. To those people, we say this: Go away now. Go away while we honor — and yes, that’s the proper word — as gallant a runner-up as we’ll ever see. Go away and let us speak of the Georgia Bulldogs.
They’d waited 30 years for a game this big, and they came as close as you could come to winning it without actually winning. Three times they took a lead over the mighty Alabama, and even after what should have been a crushing Tide touchdown with 3:15 remaining, even after what seemed a clinching Bama interception inside the final minute … even then, these Bulldogs found themselves with first-and-goal and time flying.
That they fell five yards short, that a tipped Aaron Murray pass for Malcolm Mitchell was caught by a falling Chris Conley and the final five seconds ticked away, cannot take away from the effort spent and the excellence displayed. The Bulldogs arrived as a underdog, but they carried the fight to the reigning national champion and they left five yards shy of the most thrilling victory — apologies to Lindsay Scott — Georgia football has ever known.
This was easily the best of the 21 SEC Championship Games, and it was one of the finest displays of collegiate football ever witnessed. “Alabama’s a great football team,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said, “and we were pretty good, too.”
Has a losing team ever had more championship-caliber men and moments? From Sanders Commings intercepting an AJ McCarron pass in the end zone to the same Commings catching a pass from tight end Arthur Lynch to convert a galvanizing fake punt; from Cornelius Washington blocking a field goal and Alec Ogletree taking the carom the distance; from the freshman back Todd Gurley pounding the midsection of the nation’s best defense to Murray taking his team downfield in the final minute … has there ever, in the long and distinguished history of Georgia football, been a prouder loss?
Alas, the Bulldogs needed 85 yards, and they could manage only 80. Are five yards sufficient reason to characterize them as losers, to suggest that this four-point loss is living proof that Richt and/or Murray can’t win the Big One? No and no, and if you’re of such a mind didn’t you hear me when I said, “Go away”?
Contrary to popular belief, not every winning effort translates to winning. Alabama was just a bit better (and much stronger up front), but the Bulldogs spurned every opportunity — and there were many — to throw up their collective hands and say, “We’ve given it a go, but this isn’t our day.” And that fighting spirit nearly turned this into the Dogs’ day after all.
“They played well, we played well, the clock ran out,” Richt said. “What are you going to say?”
It was the game for which Georgia had waited since Herschel Walker left Athens in the spring of 1983, the game Richt had waited 12 seasons to coach. It was a game to win one championship and go play for another, and there can be no dishonor in the way the day played out. Quibble with the ending if you will — should Georgia have spiked the ball before Murray’s last throw? Probably not, for Bama was clearly rattled — but you cannot fault the Bulldogs’ skill or heart or pride.
If you claim to be a Georgia fan, you cannot be disappointed with the performance — only the result. How many teams could have stood in against Alabama after the Tide ground out 350 rushing yards? Alabama is the nation’s best program and has the nation’s best coach, and with 10 seconds left there was no assurance that regal Bama would leave the Georgia Dome as the winner.
“I shook every man’s hand,” Richt said, speaking of his crestfallen Bulldogs, “and if someone had his head in his hands I rubbed his head and told him I loved him.”
If you love anything about competitive sports, anything at all, you had to love this game. “That was a great football game by both teams, and they could have won today the same as us,” said Nick Saban, the hard-driving Alabama coach. “It came down to the last play.”
That the final play on this frenzied day was made by Georgia’s opponent in no way diminishes Georgia. If anything, the Bulldogs stand ennobled after falling to Alabama in a way that they hadn’t after any victory of the past half-dozen years. They didn’t win, but they didn’t really lose. “The clock just ran out,” Richt said, and there was no better recap of these stirring events than that.
Alabama played great. Georgia played great. And then the clock ran out.
Further reading: Bama’s backs, Saban’s gaffe and a classic SEC title game.
By Mark Bradley
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1,506 comments Add your comment
crossdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:21 am
Bradley you can kma. I’m still bleeding Red & Black on Mon morning. A few missed blocks, a few missed tackles, missed coverages, penalties. etc made the difference. Yeah, we came up 5 yards short but with some smarter play throughout the game wE shouldn’t have let it come down to the last play. CMR STILL CAN’T WIN THE BIG ONE!
Dawg Gonewright
December 3rd, 2012
10:22 am
Congrats Markie Mark. I don’t think I have ever seen such a huge number of blog pages on any subject. There was alot at stake and it was an emotional as well as back and forth nerve wracking ball game. I’m proud of our young men and what they accomplished this year. So while you “Couch Coaches” spout of about what should have been, I simply want to savor an outstanding year for the Dawgs and the great game they played against Alabama.
ATLIEN
December 3rd, 2012
10:38 am
Anyone who advocates not spiking the ball in that situation is an idiot. B/c a botched play as a result of the non spike effectively ENDS the game which is exactly what happened. If the play is a fade or back shoulder throw that’s a one on one play. Spiking the ball still makes that a one on one play SO WHO CARES ABOUT THE DEFENSE BEING SET UP. In addition spiking it gives the Dawgs TWO SET PLAYS to run. And let’s the QB advise WRs to not make a play outside of the goal line as there are no time outs. Valiant effort and a tremendous game but coaching and the lack of attention to the smallest detail / nuance is the reason why the Dawgs are back in the Capital One Bowl and Bama is playing for its 3rd BCS title in 3 years. Very Very Very disappointing. This lost hurts so bad b/c UGA is banished back into the wilderness for at least 2-3 years at least given UF’s upward trajectory, personnel losses on defense and Murray’s presumable exit. It was right there for UGA, mismanagement costs us and that’s inexcusable.
Dawg in Tallahassee
December 3rd, 2012
10:39 am
Well put Dawg Gonewright! I was fortunate to have Vince Dooley as a role model when I was a kid growing up in Athens. Mark Richt has that same type of class, and is a great role model for his players and for young dawg fans. If he wasn’t loved AND respected, he wouldn’t be able to recruit such fine athletes. A great coach has a positive influence that goes far beyond the football field. It just so happens that Dooley and Richt also have very high winning percentages. Great article! Go Dawgs! Always!
wild one 13
December 3rd, 2012
10:41 am
To all the Dawg players who kept their mouth shut and let their play on the field do their talking, hats off to an incredible performance that showed real heart.
To the ones like Rambo who were talking trash, how did you enjoy the big plate of crow?
Dawg Gonewright
December 3rd, 2012
10:45 am
And to think Tally Dawg, just a few weeks ago many were calling for Richt’s head. I figure there are people who are never satisfied and fuss for the sake of fussin’.
HammerDawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:48 am
Well written and on the money!
Dawg in Tallahassee
December 3rd, 2012
11:07 am
True, Dawg Gonewright. Maybe the whiners are just perfect in their jobs. Yeah, that’s probably it. I think the whiners are far outnumbered by the rest of us. Glad we live in a country where we can express our opinion. Go Dawgs! Shuck the Huskers!
Athensdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:10 am
To everyone that wants CMR gone, then who would you replace him with? An unproven asst. Smart, a dirt bag Petrino, some coach from the MAC? Yes we should be in the NC picture every year, but it can get a lot worse, just look to the north of us. Tenn. fired Fulmer who was a winning coach, even had a NC. Look at them now, that is what happens when you go for the next great thing. So who do you want Georgia’s Kiffin to be?????????????????
shankit
December 3rd, 2012
11:13 am
In addition to the lopside officiating, the critical play in the game was
Saban’s two point conversion. Resulted in a 4 point differential instead
of a 2 point differential. Dawgs could have kicked field goal from 8 yard
line if they had stopped the 2 point conversion.
Athensdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:13 am
BamaGirl put your teeth back in and take my order now, what would the Waffle do without you?
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
11:16 am
Ah man, gone all weekend and I missed the UGA moral victory thread. Such a shame.
shankit
December 3rd, 2012
11:17 am
96,000 Dawg fans minus the few on this blog support Richt
and are proud to have him as our coach.
Athensdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:23 am
gtbob were you among the 20~30 tech people to go see the acc game???????????
rick craddock
December 3rd, 2012
11:26 am
Bobo gotta GoGo. Come on – leading the game and quits running the ball. Defense was hosed at the end of the game because the offense could not stay on the field. NO ONE to blame but BOBO. How many bowls/big games do we have to loose before we make a change. Love Richt. Hate Bobo.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
11:27 am
96,000 Dawg fans minus the few on this blog support Richt
and are proud to have him as our coach.
96,000 people who love going to the Capital One or Outback bowl every year.
Dawg in Tallahassee
December 3rd, 2012
11:28 am
That’s right shankit. There are plenty of other teams out there for the whiners to support. Maybe they would be happier supporting Tennessee, Auburn, or perhaps Georgia Tech.
rick craddock
December 3rd, 2012
11:28 am
OUTCOACHED AGAIN!
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
11:29 am
gtbob were you among the 20~30 tech people to go see the acc game???????????
Nope, had other plans. It was a fun game to watch though. Just like UGA we had a chance at the end to beat a team that that should have destroyed us.
Athensdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:32 am
Hey Rick I keep asking who would you replace our coaching staff with????????
Athensdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:34 am
gtbob it is funny how ALL of the people tech has other plans when it comes to supporting your team.
HammerDawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:34 am
It would be good news if OC Bobo could turn this season into a Head Coaching opportunity
somewhere else…. Just saying….
rick craddock
December 3rd, 2012
11:37 am
again – Love Richt – Hate Bobo. find someone who is not a quarterback and will run the ball.
Mask of False Bravado
December 3rd, 2012
11:39 am
Remind me again how many future NFL players are on that defense that gave up a total of over 1,000 yards rushing in their last 3 games.
Whiskey Breath
December 3rd, 2012
11:46 am
Of course you are supposed to down the ball in that situation. but you know, even the best mismanage the clock. Nick did it end the last few seconds of the first half. He man up and admitted it when talking to the CBS reporter when going in at half time. The difference in him and Richt is Saban is painfully honest and has courage.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
11:46 am
gtbob it is funny how ALL of the people tech has other plans when it comes to supporting your team.
Sorry, I wasn’t really expecting to be playing a game this past weekend and I made plans months ago. You may be willing to throw away a couple thousand dollars in travel and hotel fees to go to a football game but im not.
DoofusDawgs
December 3rd, 2012
11:56 am
Dawg fans will never “get it”. UGA is a Top 5 Elite football program that earns more revenue than every school except Texas and enjoys top pick of some of the most fertile recruiting ground in the country. The UGA market is loaded with folks in the swamps and woods of Georgia sporting their Wal-Mart “G” hats, shirts, and car decals. In spite of having every advantage over the other 248 D1 football programs, UGA is a perennial underachiever. Over 120 years of football and just 14 Championship seasons. UGA is ranked 11th all-time based on winning percentage, but every team in their class has many more championships.
I believe the reason UGA underachieves is because their fan base doesn’t demand championships as evidenced by the “good season” and “we’ll get ‘em next year” comments above.
Athensdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:57 am
gtbob get real, all the tech people put together would not spend two thousand on a football game. A new video game center YES but not football, hahahahahahahahaha
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
11:59 am
gtbob get real, all the tech people put together would not spend two thousand on a football game
Of course they wouldn’t. Tech fans have common sense.
GT Dude
December 3rd, 2012
12:01 pm
Good effort, heroic effort, too bad it doesn’t really matter
A year from now no one will know the diffierece.
The only fact that will be remembered is that Alabama won the SEC.
Get over it and move on.
BTW – This was the year that UGA had the open door, next year the Gators will be odds on favorites to represent the East in the SEC CG
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 3rd, 2012
12:21 pm
GT Bob
Writes “Of course they wouldn’t. Tech fans have common sense”
And there you have it; This why Tech Athletics is an utter joke
Ivan
December 3rd, 2012
12:21 pm
“96,000 Dawg fans minus the few on this blog support Richt
and are proud to have him as our coach.
96,000 people who love going to the Capital One or Outback bowl every year.”
96,000 people who support Richt’s “There’s more important things than winning.” attitude.
Buck Reese
December 3rd, 2012
12:22 pm
Will the SEC penalize Alabama’s #90 for the illegal helmet-to-helmet blindside block of Aaron Murray, understanding the blocking itself is legal but not a helmet-to-helmet hit?
Mask of False Bravado
December 3rd, 2012
12:26 pm
What do UGA fans do after winning a championship? Turn off the XBox and go to bed.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:29 pm
And there you have it; This why Tech Athletics is an utter joke
Because we won’t spend thousands on football tickets? I would rather be a joke than a complete moron.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:29 pm
Will the SEC penalize Alabama’s #90 for the illegal helmet-to-helmet blindside block of Aaron Murray
I don’t think the SEC penalizes for clean blocks, do they?
Richard Jorgensen
December 3rd, 2012
1:12 pm
Good article… but, on the last play… “Bama was clearly rattled.” Really?! That’s why C.J. Mosely circled and blitzed – leaped perfectly and deflected the pass… #28 Milliner had the guy at the pylon blanketed and the Tide had two (2) men on Conley when he caught the ball. Bama won because they were never “rattled.” Georgia lost because they have up 500-plus yards and an SEC 350-plus on the ground.
LawDawg
December 3rd, 2012
1:22 pm
Considering that Bama has by far the best O Line in the country and UGA has a G playing LT and a true freshman playing RT (definitely the most lopsided position vs. position in that game), having a chance to win it at the end means UGA played great.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
1:29 pm
having a chance to win it at the end means UGA played great.
Or it means Bama played a terrible game which they did.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 3rd, 2012
1:34 pm
yea bama played a terrible game Bob
What was the game Tech played agaist us then;
I need a word worse than horrific for that description
Shhheeeezzzzz
December 3rd, 2012
1:42 pm
Day in and day out so many of you let Sponge Bob suck you into his mindless drivel. I guess I need to give Kudos to you Sponge Bob, There are too many idiot, so-called UGA fans that take the bait and can’t ignore you. Allyour doing is trying to rile people up and it works becuase unlike the brains of some of these people it works.You people that get involved with Spomge Bob and his crap are just as big of dopes as he is. Good Grief.
DawgDad
December 3rd, 2012
1:50 pm
Reading through the negative comments is VERY disturbing. Grow up people. The UGA coaches and players worked and played/coached their butts off for your entertainment, and came within a fingertip of reaching the BCS Championship game in a game that will go down as one of the all-time greats. Sadly, I don’t think you have any appreciation for what you witnessed.
robo71
December 3rd, 2012
2:09 pm
hell i am affraid of what nebraska’s offense is going to do to the dawgs defense. i was scared our offense would struggle against bama, had no clue it would end up being our run “d”. the game is over let’s hope they don’t sh*t the bed in the bowl game like they have been known to do.
JMatt
December 3rd, 2012
2:12 pm
Great teams makes the plays down the stretch. Georgia is not a great team….they’re a very good team. That’s the (big) difference.
Bo Duke
December 3rd, 2012
2:48 pm
Bradley, I find it most telling that you barely even memtioned the team that actually won the game. I guess after spending the week leading up to the game slurping on UGA every chance you had it was beyod your ability to give credit to the team that ran it down your dawgs throat the entire day.
You and your partner in crime, Schultz, never make much of an effort to hide your hatred at Bama and Coach Saban. Continue to hate all you want and we will cintinue to win championships it seems to be what both parties are the best at.
TIM BUCK
December 3rd, 2012
2:48 pm
1-SABAN NOT CALLING A TIME BEFORE HALF VERY LIKELY COST BAMA 4 PTS.
2-THE INT AT GOAL LINE AT LEAST COST BAMA 3 PTS.
3-GA GOT 7 FROM A BLOCK…(WHICH WAS EARNED).
4-BAMA FUMBLED AT THE 1 YD LINE.COST AT LEAST 3PTS (#2 SENTENCE)
5-BAMA IN A PREVENT D ALLOWED GA. TO GET THAT CLOSE…COULD HAVE REALLY BEEN 40ISH-21….ALSO BAMA SCORED ALL THEIR POINT ON 2 QRTS AND 1MIN 59 SEC….W O W!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GEORGIA HAS THEIR OPPORTUNITIES. OH DID I MENTION THE PHANTOM TIPPED PASS? GREAT GAME, BUT THE GAME I SAW COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE.
P.S. IF BAMA WOULD HAVE RAN THE BALL MORE IN THE 1ST QTR IT WOULD HAVE GOTTEN UGLY QUICKER…………RTR
Bo Duke
December 3rd, 2012
2:51 pm
the clock ran out b/c they play 60 minutes just like every other game.
MB you are pathetic.
ready to start slurping on the Irish?
TIM BUCK
December 3rd, 2012
3:08 pm
All of the Georgia fans were SO hyped with the media buzzing about Gawgee this and Gawgee that, that I could see the let down coming….and it did.
kauai dawg
December 3rd, 2012
3:09 pm
VERY well said. My thoughts exactly. Hate to loose but you cannot fault the major effort. Both teams played great and we ran out of time.
For those not rational…. PLEASE know the young men played their hearts out. No Regrets!
kauai dawg
December 3rd, 2012
3:11 pm
Dawgdad VERY well said!