No. 5 Bulldogs ‘Spurriered’ by No. 6 South Carolina, 35-7 (UPDATED)
Georgia coach Mark Richt (R) congratulates South Carolina's Steve Spurrier on the Gamecocks' third win in a row over the Bulldogs. They're now 4-4 against each other. (AJC photo by Bob Andres)
COLUMBIA, S.C. — It’s starting to look like Steve Spurrier is going to be just as frustrating for Georgia at South Carolina as he was at Florida.
The Ol’ Ball Coach had his No. 6 Gamecocks clicking on all cylinders Saturday night against the No. 5 Bulldogs at Williams-Brice Stadium. In the most-hyped game in the history of this series, South Carolina jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back en route to a 35-7 victory.
The win was the Gamecocks’ third in a row over Georgia — the first time in the 118-year history of the rivalry they’ve done that — and makes Spurrier 15-5 as a coach against the Bulldogs. He was 11-1 as the Gators’ coach and 4-4 since he’s been at South Carolina. Including his stints in the NFL and USFL, it was Spurrier’s 250th career victory.
“Having it against the Georgia Bulldogs was special,” said Spurrier, who was 1-2 against Georgia as a Florida quarterback. “They are a team that used to beat my alma mater pretty well. I have been very fortunate against a coach as them, not so much as a player, but as coach, so that was special.”
The loss was kind of a double-whammy for the Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) because Florida also scored a big 14-6 win over LSU Saturday in Gainesville. Georgia will need to the Gamecocks to drop two games and then have to beat what could be a Top 5 Florida team to return to the Georgia Dome as Eastern Division champions.
South Carolina (6-0, 3-0) plays on the road at LSU and Florida the next two weeks.
Georgia falls to 3-5 in top 10 matchups under coach Mark Richt and 3-10 when the ESPN College GameDay crew happens to be in attendance. The last time the Bulldogs won one of these marquee games was against Hawaii in Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2008.
The Bulldogs will try to regroup during next week’s off week. They’ll resume play at Kentucky (1-5, 0-3) on Oct. 20.
“Tonight we weren’t very good,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “But the world didn’t end. We’ve still got a lot of things to play for and a lot of good things can still happen.”
The Bulldogs had boldly stated that their goal this year was to reach Miami and to play for the BCS championship. How, then, Richt was asked, can they be expected to rebound from such humiliating loss?
“They’ll be fine,” Richt said. “They’re supposed to dream big; I want them to dream big. They’re good men and they’re going to fight. They’ll come back together and win again.”
The Gamecocks’ offensive charge was led by Georgia native Connor Shaw. The junior quarterback from Flowery Branch who’s best known for his running ability,gashed the Bulldogs’ defense with arm as well. He finished with 162 yards on just six completions – an average of 27 yards per – and threw for two touchdowns. Shaw also had 78 yards rushing and scored an in-your-face touchdown on a 7-yard run with 6:17 remaining in the game.
“He was pretty much reading me,” said Georgia’s All-American outside linebacker Jarvis Jones. “If I got up field he was going to take off running. . . . He’s a good player. He made plays with his feet and he was fast, faster than I thought he was.”
South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore had yet another 100-yard game against Georgia. The junior from Duncan, S.C., had 109 on 24 carries and a touchdown, giving him 467 yards and 4 TDs in three games against the Bulldogs.
The Gamecocks finished with 392 yards against Georgia’s once-vaunted defense. After finishing fifth in the nation last season in total defense, the Bulldogs entered Saturday’s game 55th. They will drop again this week
“I don’t think that team is 35 points better than us, or whatever it was,” UGA senior cornerback Sanders Commings said. “We just made too many mistakes tonight; gave up some big plays, had some penalties, turnovers. You can’t win games like that.”
The most impressive part of South Carolina’s victory had nothing to do with Spurrier’s famous “ball plays.” It was defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward’s unit had Carolina on the verge of shutting out the Bulldogs for the first time since they lost to Alabama 31-0 in 1995. Georgia came in leading the SEC in scoring (48.2 ppg) and yards (536 ypg). The Bulldogs hadn’t scored fewer than 41 points in a game all season.
It was a tough night for quarterback Aaron Murray, who came in with the knock of having never beaten a ranked team on the road. Harassed all night by the Gamecocks’ rangy defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor, he completed just 11-of-31 passes for 109 yards and threw an interception. The Bulldogs, who finished with just 220 total yards, scored a meaningless touchdown in the game’s final three minutes with South Carolina’s victory well in hand.
“Very talented defense all over the board,” Murray said of South Carolina’s defense. “They’re up there with the best I’ve ever played. They’re definitely one of the top ones.”
This one was over quick South Carolina shot out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on two long drives and a punt return for a touchdown.
The game could not have started any worse for Georgia. The Bulldogs won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, giving the Gamecocks the ball to start the game.
South Carolina wasted no time doing something with it. Gaining 62 yards on two pass plays, the Gamecocks covered 76 yards in 2:32 and scored on a 20-yard pass from Shaw to Bruce Ellington. On both passes South Carolina receivers for behind safety Bacarri Rambo.
The Bulldogs got a 48-yard kickoff return from Malcolm Mitchell and seemed poised to answer after a 15-yard run by Todd Gurley got the Bulldogs down to the South Carolina 34. But after a failed reverse, Murray’s pass was batted up in the air at the line of scrimmage by defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles and intercepted by a diving DeVonte Holloman.
South Carolina made the Bulldogs pay. Utilizing Lattimore in both the running and passing games, the Gamecocks again drove the field. Shaw threw his second touchdown of the night, a 19-yard strike to wide open tight end Rory Anderson. And just like that, the South Carolina led 14-0 with 6:29 still left in the first quarter.
Georgia had to punt after its ensuing possession, and that’s when the Gamecocks turned it into a nightmare night. After bobbling the catch, Ace Sanders recovered and returned the punt 70 yards for a touchdown. It was Sanders’ second punt-return TD this season and it put South Carolina ahead 21-0.
“It stinks,” Murray said of the lopsided defeat. “It definitely hurts a lot. We put a lot into this game. It definitely means a lot. But there’s still a lot of games to play. They’ve got a lot of tough games left and so do we. Right now they’re in the driver’s seat and we have to win every single game to make it to Atlanta. We’ve got to grind and work and we did that last year. But it’s not a good feeling.”
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920 comments Add your comment
CGD..
October 7th, 2012
11:32 am
PETRINO 73 CMR 0
wastedyears
October 7th, 2012
11:32 am
hey petrinos mistress was hot i dont blame the man i would have been tapping it to
wastedyears
October 7th, 2012
11:33 am
petrino is my hero
wastedyears
October 7th, 2012
11:34 am
bring back ray goof….now
CGD..
October 7th, 2012
11:35 am
PETRINO WAS BEGINNING TO APPLY THE SOLOMON METHOD:
SUPER SMART GUY TAPPING A BUNCH OF HOT WOMEN! HEH HEH HEH…
Dawgs 73
October 7th, 2012
11:36 am
I have to say that I was and still am extremely disappointed UGA’s performance last night, but not surprised. I usually try to remove emotion from any type of determination (especially after just one game), but being objective I see the same problems that have plagued this team for the past 4 to 5 years…the inability of this coaching staff to prepare & motivate this (and previous) teams for pivotal games against very good opponents).
This is not just a “one game” situation, this is a very problematic symptom of this coaching staff and has been a reoccurring theme for some time now. If I’m being objective and removing my “blind homer” glasses, I would have to say that coach Richt has under-performed based on the level of talent he has available/recruited, the facilities at UGA, and the overall support of the fans and athletic department/director.
I love Richt as a man and a mentor, but he’s not capable of taking UGA to the next level.
x
October 7th, 2012
11:37 am
Dont go besmirching CMR, he came to the trailer park one friday night and he can shoot a ping pong ball out of his butt into a dang UGA coffee cup clear across our homade shuffleboard court.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 7th, 2012
11:37 am
Im glad we have Georgia Tech; Georgia Southern; Ole Miss and Kentucky on our schedule
Thank goodness we will win another 10 WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Im ordering my shirt today
CGD..
October 7th, 2012
11:37 am
THE FAL-CONS ARE DUPLICATING THE DAWGS:
BEAT THE NOBODY’S AND GET SLAUGHTER BY THE ELITES!!
NOW THAT’S GEORGIA SPORTS: A TRADITION ROUND THESE PARTS…
kbb
October 7th, 2012
11:38 am
I wonder how many toothless wives were hit in the gums by UGA fans. I bet UGA fans had their jean shorts in a bunch!
x
October 7th, 2012
11:39 am
CMR aint no mentor, maybe a centaur or a perty unicorn but he aint no mentor. Im tired of all youins besmirching the greatest assping champion since Wally Sparks.
clem
October 7th, 2012
11:39 am
thanks DawgPound……given broun’s lastest pronouncements, one has to believe cmr/bob et al are nonbelievers in modern coaching aspects as broun appears to be towards science. i think they (broun & cmr) would be great pastors. and there is nothing wrong with that. but don’t look for them to be a top football team despite being in the heartland of excellent high school football.
Stinger1
October 7th, 2012
11:40 am
Too funny……………….Band wagon fans. THE KOOL-AID IS UNSWEET HUH ? YOU DESERVE ALL THE THINGS YOU GET YOU ARROGANT PEOPLE. Imagine a world that you ain’t spoiled by success. YOU PEOPLE NEED TO GO BACK INTO THE DAWGHOUSE YOU CAME OUT OF. Seriously? You all need help.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CGD..
October 7th, 2012
11:40 am
CMR SHOULD BE THE FACE OF VASELINE INTENSIVE CARE LOTION…
USMC
October 7th, 2012
11:42 am
MARK RICHT = TOMMY BOWDEN!
x
October 7th, 2012
11:42 am
kbb my worman has false teeth thank you. I made them som biches out of play dough and fishing lures.
CGD..
October 7th, 2012
11:44 am
AHH THATS [EXTRA STRENGTH] INTENSIVE CARE LOTION..
President Obama
October 7th, 2012
11:45 am
It’s hilarious how all the dog fans are claiming it’s embarrassing to lose to such a GREAT team…what’s really embarrassing is thinking that’s embarrassing. Get with the program losers…the Gamecocks OWN UGA!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
x
October 7th, 2012
11:45 am
I am tired of all this negativity. I refuse to believe we cant win a national title this year just like I refuse to believe the south lost the dang civil war.
BCS Champs
October 7th, 2012
11:47 am
LSU beats SC, Fla beats SC, we beat Fla, go to SEC champ game, destroy Ala, beat Oregon for NC………………..oh isn’t great to be a koolaid drinking dawg fan.
Dave Martin
October 7th, 2012
11:47 am
I’m a DAWG fan that grew up outside Athens who has lived in Colorado for the last 18yrs. I was a military man who traveled the globe displaying my red, white and black proudly. I always tell folks that you can take me out of Georgia but you can’t take Georgia out of me. Even in suburbia Colorado, you can drive down Prairie Grass Lane and see my oversized rock/boulder that was custom made proudly displaying the Georgia “G.”
At the moment, I’m hurt, disgusted and just plain mad! Richt’s knowledge of football is among the best but his ability to lead is clearly in question. From his very first bowl game against BC (the punt on fourth down), the loses against Florida with Green and Edwards, last years loss to Colorado and a losing season, It’s clear as day. Richt has to go. Ultimately, he is not to blame. It’s the decision makers who deserve the pointed finger: the President, the Regents, the AD and yes the Boosters. Until those stars align and agree that The University of Georgia deserves the best, We’re stuck with a team that has the potential to be among the elites such as Alabama, LSU, and Florida but lacks the commitment from our UGA leadership. So next time you jump on or off the Richt ban wagon, please realize who really is at fault.
Richt said it best, “Tonight we weren’t very good, but the world hasn’t ended.” He was right there was no fire and brimstone. We still have the lack of commitment from UGA leadership and once again a whole lot of emptiness for Georgia fans.
x
October 7th, 2012
11:47 am
CMR aint nuthing like no Tommy Bowden. Tommy Bowden cant launch no ping pong balls out of his butt, hit, and kill a dang 200 lb eagle at 2000 yards like CMR. Hell No he cant!
westvirginiawill
October 7th, 2012
11:49 am
Your defense has been terrible ever since Mountaineers chewed you up in nawlins. My guys are back with thrahing of shorthorns. WV rules and sac-E-C overrated!!
USMC
October 7th, 2012
11:49 am
“It’s hilarious how all the dog fans are claiming it’s embarrassing to lose to such a GREAT team…what’s really embarrassing is thinking that’s embarrassing. Get with the program losers…the Gamecocks OWN UGA!!!!!!!”
No Comrade Obama, Dawg fans are upset with an undisciplined and talented team/coaching staff that did not SHOW UP.
The Gamecocks beat the TAR out if the Bulldogs last night, but Georgia did not show up.
Coach Richt EQUALS Tommy Bowden!
x
October 7th, 2012
11:50 am
Keep talking trash…i will be at your trailer drunk as hell with my ping pongs pointed straight at yer heads. I majored in ninger training at UGA.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 7th, 2012
11:52 am
To all the kool-aid drinkers
Please explain why the mediocrity continues when……
UGA since 2001 has put more players in the NFL than any other school in the SEC
Can I just get an explaination better than UGA has 100 wins over teams like Buffalo, Vandy, and Western Carolina
President Obama
October 7th, 2012
11:52 am
The Gamecocks beat UGA like I’m going to beat Romney!!!!
We OWN every aspect of UGA football…they are WELL BELOW the Gamecocks, and will stay there!!!! Next year will 4 IN A ROW!!
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
USMC
October 7th, 2012
11:53 am
“UGA since 2001 has put more players in the NFL than any other school in the SEC”
BINGO!
RICHT equals TOMMY BOWDEN!
Fight Like A Dog
October 7th, 2012
11:54 am
It’s hard to imagine, but I really think that one player, Bennett, might have changed the whole game. Our QB, Murray is not very tall and not much of a runner. In every ‘good’ game I’ve seen him have he used Bennett, not just frequently, but also clearly as a safety blanket. When Murray can’t find anything else, he always found Bennett across the middle. And in turn, that opens up other opportunities. With Bennett I bet UGA would have managed at least 10 to 17 points and that would have slowed USC down to 14 to 20 points. I bet the worst we would have lost is 20-10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGHIWRuhofw
SC News, Politics, Personalities, Newsmakers, Warren Lasch
October 7th, 2012
11:54 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
ugab
October 7th, 2012
11:54 am
OMG. Why didn’t Bobo put a tight end to help block? Why didn’t he put Malcome and Samuel in to Max protect on pass plays. Bobo the reverse is not working!!!! Vandy hung with SC. It is the coaching. The OL needed help with SC’s DLine. Everyone knew this coming into the game. Does CMR not want to win against top 10 teams? Does CMR have to talk about how good the opposing team is every week. Let’s talk about how the dawg’ s are going to WIN. Not I hope we can win. The Offense was to obvious, again. If SC is bringing everyone in the box. Let Murray check off. Special teams did not suprise me. SC has a special teams coach.!!!!!!!!!!!!! CMR will give the players time off for the off week, which is BS. The players need to ask CMR if they can practice if MR gives them a day off. There is alot of work to do. SC has to lose to LSU and Fl. Ga must win out!!! TURN THE DANG BURNERS ON. STOP PLAYING SOFT DEFENSE. BLITZ. JJ IS CONTAINED. JONES CAN NOT WIN IT BY HIMSELF. BOBO YOUR PLAYS ARE TO OBVIOUS. THE FANS KNOW YOUR PLAYS. I WOULD THINK DEFENSES DO TO.
bobdawg
October 7th, 2012
11:55 am
Thank God for the Chic fi let bowl…..
wait till next year
USMC
October 7th, 2012
11:55 am
PLAY HUTSON MASON.
The kid HOLDS the record for passing in the state of Georgia!
bobdawg
October 7th, 2012
11:57 am
It is all George W Bush’s fault.
BCS Champs
October 7th, 2012
11:57 am
Flat Tire, when you are drinking THE KOOLAID, who needs reality.
mambo
October 7th, 2012
11:58 am
@ bobdog, It’s not the weakness of our offensive line. It’s the weakness of our coaching staff. Notice the receiver take the ball our Barcari Rambo’s hands. That one thing told the entire story. The gamecocks wanted it more than our out coached team did.
USMC
October 7th, 2012
11:58 am
“…Obama Credix Card giveaway to buy….”
That sounds a LITTLE racist there, buddy. Take it easy.
ApopkaDawg
October 7th, 2012
11:59 am
Here is a list of all the players in last nights game and how many stars they were given in their recruiting. The time for excuses is over.
South Carolina Georgia
Skill Positions
QB 14 Connor Shaw | 6-1, 207, JR(3) 11 Aaron Murray | 6-1, 211, JR(4)
RB 21 Marcus Lattimore | 6-0, 218, JR(5) 3 Todd Gurley | 6-1, 218, FR(4)
WR 1 Ace Sanders | 5-8, 175, JR(4) 12 Tavarres King | 6-1, 192, SR(4)
WR 82 D.L. Moore | 6-5, 198, SR(3) 15 Marlon Brown | 6-5, 222, SR(4)
WR 23 Bruce Ellington | 5-9, 197, SO(4) 26 Malcolm Mitchell | 6-1, 184, SO(4)
TE 87 J. Cunningham | 6-4, 264, SR(2) 88 Arthur Lynch | 6-5, 272, JR(4)
O-Line
T 53 Corey Robinson | 6-8, 337, SO(3) 72 Kenarious Gates | 6-5, 328, JR(3)
T 76 Mike Matulis | 6-5, 274, SO (3) 71 John Theus | 6-6, 309, FR(5)
G 50 A.J. Cann | 6-4, 309, SO(4) 64 Dallas Lee | 6-4, 300, JR(4)
G 67 Ronald Patrick | 6-2, 305, JR(3) 68 Chris Burnette | 6-2, 322, JR(4)
C 55 T.J. Johnson | 6-6, 319, 3V(3) 61 David Andrews | 6-2, 293, SO(3)
Defense
DE 98 Devin Taylor | 6-8, 267, SR(3) 93 Abry Jones | 6-3, 309, SR(4)
DE 7 Jadeveon Clowney | 6-6, 256, SO(5) 83 C. Washington | 6-4, 280, SR(4)
DT 70 Byron Jerideau | 6-1, 316, SR(2) 6 John Jenkins | 6-3, 351, SR(4)
DT 99 Kelcy Quarles | 6-4, 286, SO(4) 99 Kwame Geathers | 6-6, 350, JR(3)
LB 54 Shaq Wilson | 5-11, 224, SR(3) 33 Chase Vasser | 6-3, 227, JR(3)
LB 47 Reginald Bowens | 6-3, 254, SR(3) 29 Jarvis Jones | 6-3, 241, JR(4)
LB 21 DeVonte Holloman | 6-2, 241, SR(4) 9 Alec Ogletree | 6-3, 236, JR(4)
CB 27 Victor Hampton | 5-10, 197, SO(4) 19 Sanders Commings | 6-2, 217, SR(3)
CB 15 Jimmy Legree | 6-0, 189, JR(3) 1 Branden Smith | 5-11, 176, SR(5)
S 2 Brison Williams | 5-11, 205, SO(3) 36 Shawn Williams | 6-1, 220, SR(3)
S 36 D.J. Swearinger | 6-0, 210, SR(3) 18 Bacarri Rambo | 6-0, 218, SR(3)
74 83
bobdawg
October 7th, 2012
12:00 pm
Our team will all go to the swimming pool this week.
TEAM
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 7th, 2012
12:00 pm
Im glad we have Georgia Tech; Georgia Southern; Ole Miss and Kentucky on our schedule
Thank goodness we will win another 10 WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Im ordering my shirt today
Billy Joe Bobby
October 7th, 2012
12:01 pm
The Georgia football squad is a collection of individual players. It is not a “team”.
DawgFan#1
October 7th, 2012
12:01 pm
HUMILIATING!!! There’s not that bg a difference in talent in these 2 teams. The difference is COACHING. Every time it comes down to a big time game, the Dawgs are not prepared. That’s coaching. Ga. has plenty of weapons on offense and defense, but they are never prepared for the Big Game. The one weakness I will say is Arron Murray. I get sick of people talking about this guys stats. He get all his numbers against the lower tier teams. He has never won on the big stage and never will…THAT I PROMISE YOU. CMR is a nice guy and when he gets to heaven God will tell him he’s a GREAT GUY…but you ain’t much of a football coach.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 7th, 2012
12:03 pm
Flat Tire imposter
Whats the matter kool-aid drinker cant handle the truth
bobdawg
October 7th, 2012
12:03 pm
Big game in Kentucky.
Huge.
Maybe one less day in the pool this week.
bobdawg
October 7th, 2012
12:04 pm
Look out Shreveport.
I repeat, Richt's a Bum.
October 7th, 2012
12:06 pm
He’s not a stud! Mediocrity is good enough for him, but not for us Georgia grads who believe in excellence. We needed a new coach several years ago. As I have said before, with Richt at the helm, Georgia probably will finish #20. Richt will never make us proud because he’s incapable. And he needs to take Bobo with him. They’ve gotten welfare off of us long enough — not earning those ricidulous salaries. UGA president, we’ve put up with this crap long enough.
bobdawg
October 7th, 2012
12:07 pm
I wish he could produce on the field as well as he recruits.
CMR
October 7th, 2012
12:08 pm
will be hosting an open house for all his fans during the off week. Fun and games for all, with generous amounts of kool-aid available.
Fight Like A Dog
October 7th, 2012
12:08 pm
It’s hard to imagine, but I really think that one player, Bennett, might have changed the whole game. Our QB, Murray is not very tall and not much of a runner. In every ‘good’ game I’ve seen him have he used Bennett, not just frequently, but also clearly as a safety blanket. When Murray can’t find anything else, he always found Bennett across the middle. And in turn, that opens up other opportunities. With Bennett I bet UGA would have managed at least 10 to 17 points and that would have slowed USC down to 14 to 20 points. I bet the worst we would have lost is 20-10 and we may well have won.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvuVARpyr2I
bobdawg
October 7th, 2012
12:09 pm
Spurrier’s offensive mind was not the difference. Great defense and the ability to run the ball won.
There offensive line actually blocks folks and gets excited about it.