Georgia uses defense to best Gators, 24-20
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The SEC East-leading Georgia Bulldogs played like the underdog and, for once in a blue moon, came out on top against the Florida Gators.
Florida managed just one first down in the second half and the Bulldogs’ came back from a 17-3 deficit to edge the Gators 24-20 here at EverBank Field on Saturday. The win was Georgia’s sixth in a row, snapped a three-game losing streak against Florida and was just the fourth in the last 22 years against one of their most bitter rivals.
With the victory, Georgia (6-2, 5-1 SEC) remains in at least a tie for first atop the SEC’s Eastern Division. South Carolina (6-1, 4-1), which holds the tiebreaker due to its 45-42 win in Athens in September, was playing Tennessee in Knoxville late Saturday night.
It was the fourth loss in a row for the Gators (4-4, 2-4), who are in their first year under coach Will Muschamp, a UGA graduate and football letterman. It’s the first time Florida has lost four consecutive games since 1988, when Georgia also handed it loss number four.
After giving up a 72-yard pass play on Florida’s first offensive play of the game, the Bulldogs bowed up to allow just 154 total yards the rest of the way, including 19 yards passing in the second half.
Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, who was named a Butkus Award finalists just this past week, recorded four of the Bulldogs’ six quarterback sacks in the game. John Brantley, who ended starting for the Gators, was 12-of-33 passing for 245 yards.
The Bulldogs scored two of their three touchdowns on fourth-down passes from quarterback Aaron Murray, one to freshman Michael Bennett and another to junior Tavarres King. Murray was 15-of-34 passing for 169 yards and threw one interception.
Tailback Richard Samuel recorded the other TD on a four-yard run in the fourth quarter and finished with 58 yards rushing in relief of injured starter Isaiah Crowell. The game ended after Samuel’s first-down run to the Gators’ 1-yard line.
Crowell missed most of the second half with a shin contusion but managed to finish with 81 yards on 18 carries.
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216 comments Add your comment
kybodawg
October 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
miami you have to rember their are certain games and teams where record and skill doesent matter fla – ga and ala- aurburn are 2 of them remember when ala won nc they had to score in the lastmin to beat a 7-5 auburn and it was there only lead all day.
Captainbillyt
October 30th, 2011
10:30 pm
Coach BOBO has got to go. His play calling is too predictable and elementary. The games have become boring to watch. I wonder how much real work he puts into his game plan, if the announcers and spectators know what he is going to do, the other team sure as hell knows whats coming.
Coach Richt, please get back to what made you famous and get rid of bobo. We need you in control of our destiny…let’s get creative and make the games fun to watch!
P.s. Congrats seniors on beating the gators!
AFDawg
October 30th, 2011
11:30 pm
Kudos to the Dawgs and Coach Richt! I especially want to throw a big shout out to the receivers (Bennett, King, and Conley) as well as IC and Jarvis and Sam the Man! IC, we know you’re playing hurt but that showed real guts to come in late in the game and get those much needed yards out on the edge when we needed them. I’ve been telling everyone — you’re the real deal! Defense, you’re reminding me of the unit that beat Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl — they kept getting better and better every week, by the end of the season they were the best defense in the nation. Keep up the great work! Special teams — get your stuff together, we need you. GO DAWGS!
CAC
October 30th, 2011
11:36 pm
Ok all you stupid CMR haters…he will be resigning the end of December. You deserve better than these stupid UGA fans that don’t know what a classy person you are. We don’t need cussing/screaming idiots like Muskrat/fla. We need coaches who truely are men. Best to you and your family. God’s plan is better than any man’s plan.
Reddog
October 31st, 2011
2:02 am
What is Gary Danielson’s beef UGA football? It is obvious his dislike for Georgia when calling games for CBS sports and quite irritating to listen to as a Georgia fan. It happens evrytime he calls our games. Is it just me?
tell me again
October 31st, 2011
8:13 am
Muschamp has never been on the winning side of the Florida-Georgia game – and he still hasn’t been – BRUHAHAHAHAHAHA
d-dog
October 31st, 2011
8:59 am
Too much rust on “UF” “O”. not much “O” after !st QTR. “UGA” “D” TOOOOOO Much for “UF” “O” line. “OLB’s for ‘UGA” has field day. Put on a clinic by “UGA” “D” head man coach “TG” with his linebackers. “UGA” special needs much work, “FG” & coverage on punts, kickoffs. GOOOOOO DAWGSSSSSSSSSSS
Coach BoBo
October 31st, 2011
9:02 am
Murry still does not have a win against a team with a winning record.
WhooHoo
October 31st, 2011
9:21 am
Beating Fla is like beating a box of puppies. Little satisfaction with Fla having a rebuilding year.
True Dog
October 31st, 2011
11:22 am
We beat Fla and proud of it. I have just got sick and stopped reading becouse of all these wounderful Coaches out there that have a fix all solution. I would venture that none of these self professed Coaches that know all are not millionaire and rate much smaller that any of the players that play for the dogs, I think all of these bloggers that are so smart have a hard time at work because their boss is supid. They are probably right because look who they hired.
josh
October 31st, 2011
11:40 am
Bobo needs to get gone. he looked like crap all day. also aaron murray needs to have a little more practice because he looks sorry. and blair walsh needs to turrn his stuff in, he read to much over the summer abiut him being so good….. he sucks now, he has missed more field goals this season than his whole highschool and college career.
Rock Pollard
October 31st, 2011
11:44 am
Great win this past weekend Dawgs. You guys finished the drill. My concerns are still our special teams play and offense! I look at other teams in the country and try to compare them to us. All I can see is execution, i.e. Okl State, look at there offense EXPLOSIVE, just a few years ago we beat them! I am Happy for the WIN, and for the players. We must a better game plan. We’re structered for the GROUND and POUND, then the play action! Let the run game set up the passing game… Why do we all go to this damn spread! Look at our young receivers and running back (GREAT), OH and our TE’s! Ground in pound and set up the pass simple! Take a page out of Alabama book. If that doesn’t work then go to the pass! And please get a special teams coach, again look at the elite teams around; they execute in all phases of the game, again LSU, ALA (SEC)! We have the biggest offencsive line around. Smash the ball. And stop putting walk ons out on special teams; our best needs to be out there whenever possible! I’m not a coach but a GREAT DAWG FAN and want to see the program have the respect that they should have. And want teams to fringe when they see our date approaching on the schedule! GO DAWGS!
Airdawg
October 31st, 2011
1:18 pm
well you know what they say JUST WIN BABY…….
Dawg_Central
October 31st, 2011
2:13 pm
Richard Samuel just took the starting job from Crowell on PURE HEART. Crowell has got to learn to play with heart…..it will get you further than PURE TALENT. Great job Richard !!
sammiamm
October 31st, 2011
4:37 pm
wreckmaniac:
Florida–even in a rebuilding year with a lame QB–would’ve crushed Clemson in the AM, and then your Bugs in the PM.
No contest. It’s and ACC v SEC thang. You wouldn’t understand.
Just sayin’
WhooHoo
October 31st, 2011
9:31 pm
Keep dreaming sammi