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
Stan
October 6th, 2012
11:39 pm
We tried hard and that’s all you can ask. Our gymnastics program still beats Carolina any day!!
Florida Grad Happy With Your Love for The Botoxed Boca Beach Boy
October 6th, 2012
11:39 pm
A friend told me “Surely Richt can’t survive another loss to a ranked opponent in a big game”, I told him the good Georgia Grads LOVE Marky Mark and will NEVER fire him. They see a pious man who adopts children, does missionairy work around the world and who has no discernible personal flaws. As long as he is all those things, he can squander Top 5 Recruiting classes year after year, never beat a ranked opponent, most definitely never play for a BCS Championship, continue to have one of the most penalized and undisciplined teams in America and just be who he is–A guy who beat the gimmes on the schedule and thus wins at least9 a year and a guy who probably does a great job at FCA Events. He is a GOOD person. Of course Mother Teresa was a good person and I would still prefer a BAD A## as my coach, but you guys are happy and that is what counts.
ELEPHANT SQUASHES (fill in your team's mascot) EVERYTIME
October 6th, 2012
11:41 pm
Okay no more piling on from me. Family members are UGA Alums and I do like and respect what Mark Richt stands for in faith. However, to that one specific idiotic Georgia fan that made that horrible remark concerning the Tuscaloosa tornado tragedy, you are not representative of a whole host of very good UGA fans here and in the state that I come in routine contact with. Your comments will not be forgotten. God bless you and your family. That is not sarcasm.
FIRE FREDI AND RICHT
October 6th, 2012
11:41 pm
Mark Richt looked simply depressed or disconnected from the game tonight. It’s almost to the point that we will have to take his head-set away from him like they did to his mentor Bobby Bowden.
Louanne
October 6th, 2012
11:41 pm
Our boys gave it their all. Shame on you for criticizing them. They tried really hard and, in the end, that’s all you can ask. A+ for effort dawgs.
Fan1
October 6th, 2012
11:42 pm
Gamecocks fans want Richt to stay at GA FOREVER. So does Spurrier, he owns this guy. ANd this year you had all your starters!! We usually beat you with someone suspended, guess you dont have that as an excuse this year.
Dude84
October 6th, 2012
11:42 pm
Embarassing…. Worst showing by a Georgia football team I have ever seen in my 27 years. Totally disgusted by Richt and his overrated staff of Grantham, Bobo, and Friend. UGA dominated on both sides of the ball. Terrible special teams. No blocking. Slow on both sides of the ball. Mentally not in the game. Richt once again FAILS terribly. Can i please donate to Fire Mark Richt as the coach of the University of Georgia. Ever since 2008 Mark Richt and his Bulldog teams are now 0-12 against top 25 teams, they embarass the university and the entire state with their play on every nationally televised game, and he continues to stick with Murray who had another terrible game and is now 0-10 against ranked teams. ….. I weep severely….but seriously, can we get this clown Richt out of his postion as head coach of the University of Georgia before Monday???
Celtdawg
October 6th, 2012
11:43 pm
“Coach, how do you feel about your team’s execution tonight?’
‘I’m all for it.”
“We didn’t tackle well today but we made up for it by not blocking.”
Some vintage Coach McKay for comic relief. Another season and still getting physically dominated by higher end SEC schools. Great hire coach on the S&C position. At least the players will be in position to try out for one of the up coming seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter”.
older1
October 6th, 2012
11:43 pm
South Carolina has two good football teams , GEORGIA HAS NONE, sad but true. Clemson use to beat us too, so we quit playing them, if you can’t beat them, drop ‘um and add a 1A high school team. GA. O. LINE NOT IN SHAPE, AND IT SHOWED.
LogicalUS
October 6th, 2012
11:44 pm
“Apart from hoping Sc loses twice and we beat FL”
What difference does that make? it just means the people were right and UGA would have backed into the SECCG because of the SEC office.
It is obvious that SC is the class of the SEC EAST with UF a possible contender. Hollow wish at this point, let the good teams represent the EAST.
Louanne
October 6th, 2012
11:44 pm
Besides, our uniforms are much nicer than those hideous Gamecocks. They must not know anything about putting together colors. Yuk. Dawgs looked great!
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 6th, 2012
11:44 pm
We were outclassed and exposed in every way. With that said, I’m not sure any other team in america could have beat SC in that environment tonight. Some may have played it closer but I would be surprized if even an Alabama could have beaten them there on this given night. Also, I truly believe this will open the eyes of Mcgarrity to possibly make a change. Seems to me that UGA would be an appealing job considering the recruiting base. Its sad to say that after 32 years we are still a sleeping giant!
Fan1
October 6th, 2012
11:44 pm
Grantham is not a real dfensive coach at least not against top talent he isnt. Cream puffs teams he does a great job. Real GROWN MEN= a beatdown. That defensive team for GA couldnt stop cotton from flying tonite.
The Bear
October 6th, 2012
11:45 pm
@UGA better than Bama I have extra depends pads from my 90 year old neighbor you are welcome to them.
P B
October 6th, 2012
11:45 pm
Hurtful loss but the season is not over. Win OCT 27th things could shape up. Coaches did get
Out choached but players have to make plays when they arise ( Rambo getting interception taken away 2nd play of game was huge)
Let the season play out before we give up as fans
ELEPHANT SQUASHES (fill in your team's mascot) EVERYTIME
October 6th, 2012
11:46 pm
@ UGA better than Bama,
I’m sensing a little sarcasm or maybe its just me. I am smiling while continuing to read these remarks of yours. Georgia fans might not be as happy with them.
Louanne
October 6th, 2012
11:46 pm
We would certainly beat Alabama. Those guys are just bullies. Bullies always get their due.
The Bear
October 6th, 2012
11:47 pm
Blah Blah
DawgPound
October 6th, 2012
11:49 pm
We clearly are the better team. Oh yeah, Gamecocks got more points, but many of those were just lucky. A couple of breaks (Rambo gets the pick) and we easily win this game. Gods were smiling on the Gamecocks tonight. The better team didn’t win and I know nobody else will be as lucky as Spurriers band of idiots.
Foodawg
October 6th, 2012
11:49 pm
A few observations. First runny Gurley was misdirection pitch that took advantage of aggressive ends. It worked and then we went to running off tackle and up the gut all night? Second, not one running back screen. Really? Third, why not go two tight ends and at least give our speed a chance to find holes in zone. Ugh!
Wayne
October 6th, 2012
11:50 pm
Alas, everyone now wants the Coach’s head, why now, although I have been calling for a change forever. As long as Richt can win the cupcake games and reel off 5 wins in a row here and there he is a godsend. I don’t understand how such a once proud school can continue to be utterly embarrassed time and time and time again. I knew we were not a top 25 team after the Missouri game, it was just that obvious if you know anything about football. I’m not sure how much longer as a fan I can tolerate the embarrassment and constant ridicule year in and year out. I would rather root for a team that is lousy and at least puts some heart into what they do on the field than to be fed a bowl of Bull%$^$% and then laughed at after I’ve eaten it. Georgia had displayed some of the most pitiful efforts in more games than I care to remember, and look out cause now Florida is back again, and as usual will have our number again. I do believe that if Richt is around another year I may have to seriously consider changing my colors, although that would be an absolutely dreadful decision to make after I have invested over 45 years of my life to this team. For the first time in my life I was actually sick to the point of vomiting after this game. A really sad, sad, sad day for the UGA program.
ican-onlyhope_thewhole_south_dies
October 6th, 2012
11:51 pm
the braves, uga,, jackets lost. fantastic news……i can only hope this city is nuk’ed ths wkd too. I hate it, nothing worse than living here too. f u all.
The Bear
October 6th, 2012
11:52 pm
@Foodawg Fourth UGA has no coaching
icedawg
October 6th, 2012
11:52 pm
Dawgs have been way overrated this year. The surprise is that the defense has not really gotten on track against any of the opponents. There is now enough of a pattern to indicate that every game on the schedule is up for grabs. Until today the offense has been able to keep us in the games but against a decent defense they, too, show that they are not championship calibre. With so much supposed talent it makes you wonder about the quality of the coaching.
UGA better than Bama
October 6th, 2012
11:53 pm
ELEPHANT SQUASHES (fill in your team’s mascot) EVERYTIME, I am only stating what my fellow Bulldogs already know.
Nothing new under the sun, on the polls, or at the Waterbury apartments. We own the SEC, we’ve just kind of forgot for a little while. Kentucky is on the chopping block next though, and since they held SC until the forth quarter last week, a win over them will easily put us back ahead of them in the polls. And just in time for the BCS. I even heard somewhere that this game against SC wasn’t going to count for the polls, so we’re good.
pml22
October 6th, 2012
11:54 pm
saw the UGA OL problems coming two years ago when we should have been signing tackles, we were signing DBs and fat private school OL duds that wouldn’t play a down. Richt is an ACC coach. Dress him up like clemson and fsu, get 20 five-star RBs and WRs and NO OFFENSIVE or DEFENSIVE lines. time to change coaches so when he wants to go to guatamala for a 6 week sabatical he can do that. give us a coach that will work those 6 weeks and more– like the rest of the SEC
NGA DAWG FAN
October 6th, 2012
11:55 pm
RED DOG 77ANDDAWG GONE I hear what o guys are saying but for crying out loud, what needs to happen for us to get over the hump?
I hate to say it but if we are to ever win the big games it may be time for a change.
No matter what happens I will remain a dawg fan.
Big Wally
October 6th, 2012
11:56 pm
Start a letter writing campaign to McGarrity to get rid of “Mediocre” Mark Richt. If he gets a few thousand letters a day, maybe he will finally wake up and do something.
ohchit!
October 6th, 2012
11:56 pm
been a DAWG FAN for over 40 years and this was the worst prepared,coached and physically ready team I have ever seen. Hats off to South Carolina, you knew when we were going to run and whipped the offensive line pass rushing the entire game. So Spurrier continues his domination of
Georgia. I am ashamed of this game and lack of all around effort by the enire staff and players. Yep, coach it’s only one game but it showed the rest of college football (and the announcers) that the dawgs are really just pretenders. Soft schedule, except for two or three games and another meaningless bowl in the end. If you don’t thinks so them go ahead and prove me wrong….
ican-onlyhope_thewhole_south_dies
October 6th, 2012
11:57 pm
the braves, uga,, jackets lost. fantastic news……i can only hope this city is nuk’ed ths wkd too. I hate it, nothing worse than living here too. f u all.
there would be nothing better than everyone hear dying and having no airport in atlanta. i hate you all. the lack of sophistication and itelligance is amazing. go fuck you cousin and sey geau dawgs
GB's Hamburgers
October 6th, 2012
11:57 pm
Defense looked slow for the second game. Our offensive scheme actually works against the defense by not being based on producing long drives. Too many low percentage long passes disrupts these drives, keeps us in bad down and distance situations and doesn’t take time off the clock. Spurrier actually noted that in his pregame news conference. It’s supposed to be a team game.
UGA better than Bama
October 6th, 2012
11:57 pm
Great idea, Big Wally. I am going to get started on my few thousand letters. Heck if I photo copy them, that could turn into a few million easy. Okay well maybe a few ten thousands.
Now everybody do their part.
Looks like...
October 6th, 2012
11:59 pm
Honestly, I really feel bad for the pup fans.
They actually thought UGA was good.
disgrace
October 7th, 2012
12:00 am
Unbelievable poor game plan! USC played all out and no question that their ability and effort far surpassed the dawgs. There were plenty of disappointments with the dawgs O and D, however, the problem continues to be a lack of a solid game plan from coaching staff. Yeah, I’m just a couch coach, but for $millions I’d expect a game plan far superior than I saw tonight. Offensively, I continue to despise Bobo’s disfunctional and poorly designed game plan against any team with a reasonable level of talent on D. Why we never schemed more advanced “picks” and middle cross slants for yards I can’t understand. Yea it hurt not having Bennet, but we have more than enough receivers. If we needed 5 yds we either attempted a 30 yd bomb into coverage or threw it too short. Blocking was horrid, and Clowney “owned” our left side… just schooled us all night. Then Murray… couldn’t throw a pass all night to anyone …. anywhere. I guess they wanted to stick to holding Hutson’s red-shirt, because the time came and past when he should have been played.
The D had its problems too, with blown coverage, and containment of Shaw and Lattimore. Usc plan was well conceived and got our D off balance all night between Lattimore, Shaw runs, and a few timely passes. Once again we have a special team blunder, a Murray Int that puts us in a hole, poor technique, elementary Offensive game plan… resulting in a humiliating night. I just can’t stand Bobo’s schemes any more. Just let him be a QB coach or something…tonight was just a disgrace to our team.
3d
October 7th, 2012
12:00 am
It’s time for change in Athens. We haven’t beaten a good team in several years now.
How much longer do we have to put up with this nonsense?
GB's Hamburgers
October 7th, 2012
12:01 am
We did one pitchout for good yardage … the right medicine for their defensive charge. Then we abandoned it. Also, no screens to slow those guys down. This is football 101.
Looks like...
October 7th, 2012
12:01 am
I’m going to start a letter writing campaign to get UGA out of the SEC and add West Virginia.
SE GA Fan
October 7th, 2012
12:02 am
Only thing worse than this loss was Musberger and his stupid comments saying Sherman “bombed” the SC state capitol and that UGA had more penalties this year than any other team in the SEC.. Seriously doubt the penalties is correct and know Sherman carried no bombs. He was very one-sided towards his old friend Spurrier, as he frequently stated. UGA played poorly, but no touchdown is meaningless as stated in the AJC article.
mike
October 7th, 2012
12:02 am
vfp42 if you insist bringing politics into football
Richt is much more like Willard Romney
both very vanilla
both used to losing the big one.
both cultist views on religion I know that Richt is a neoconservative Christian and
Romney some kind of Scientology Christian kolob going what ever. Both probably not working
in the start of new year
Now 6-19 Against End of Season Ranked Teams Since '05
October 7th, 2012
12:02 am
I’m sure all of America saw and heard Herbstreit and Musberger trashing UGA and their coaching…..something we’ve know ever since ‘05.
The real question is will Boss Hogg (Pres Adams) and his underling Roscoe P. Coltrane (McGarrity) finally get it and fire Deputy Enos (Richt)????
Showmeyurtd's
October 7th, 2012
12:03 am
Just cut and paste this blog; email it to him!
I will always be a dawg fan, but it Shoooooo hurts under CMR’s reign.
RHall55
October 7th, 2012
12:03 am
Poor Coaching…time for Bobo to go…time for Garner to go…time for Friend to leave!!!
Looks like...
October 7th, 2012
12:03 am
See how many UGA players bail when they find out next year the SEC will reward them with road trips to LSU and Alabama.
I’m sure UGA will offer $$$$ to keep that from happening but even the SEC knows it can’t help UGA every year.
azdawg
October 7th, 2012
12:03 am
ApopkaDawg
October 6th, 2012
10:45 pm
good synops of the current dawg situation.
ELEPHANT SQUASHES (fill in your team's mascot) EVERYTIME
October 7th, 2012
12:03 am
@ UGA better than Bama
Now that last statement made me laugh enough to wake my wife from a dead sleep. Not gonna count this one in the polls, huh? Getting a mulligan or do over for this week. Then let Bulldog Nation rejoice. Nothing gained and nothing lost. Man, that is humor in a abyssmal day for the Dawg fans. Man all you Dawg fans, don’t fret- #3 FSU and #4 LSU also lost today. There was plenty of upsets throughout and now we will have to hear about how good West Virginia is.
Reality
October 7th, 2012
12:04 am
People it’s real simple. FIRE Mark Richt. Oh wait, we won’t. He’s. Christian man and is so damn nice and wins 10 games with an easy schedule. If you support this staff now then you are partially to blame. Garbage coach and garbage team. National title level talent with pee wee coaching doesn’t equal success it equals failure
Looks like...
October 7th, 2012
12:04 am
mike, if you want to put politics in it, UGA = Obama.
Empty chairs.
bigeasydawg
October 7th, 2012
12:06 am
Just listen to Richt’s after game comments. No fire left in him. It’s time for him to go. Georgia fans deserve better than the effort he seems willing to give.
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 7th, 2012
12:06 am
We have everything in place to be the elite of the nation……Recruiting, facilities, money, etc…..What’s missing must I dare ask?
Wutehvah
October 7th, 2012
12:06 am
Wow, what a pathetic performance. You UGA rubes will be forced to “wait till next year” again. USC done choked UGA’s chicken’