Bulldogs need ‘more of same’ to beat Ole Miss and make Florida win stand up
ATHENS — Georgia’s 17-9 win over Florida on Saturday was impressive on multiple levels. The Bulldogs overwhelmed the Gators defensively, got timely plays in the running and passing games against one of the nation’s best defenses and scored an elusive victory over a Top 3 opponent.
But it will all be for naught if Georgia can’t close the deal the next two weeks. Yes, the Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 SEC) are in the driver’s seat in the SEC East. But a loss to Ole Miss this Saturday or to Auburn the next week would make for a gnarly wipeout.
“(The Florida) victory doesn’t mean anything unless we keep winning,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said Sunday. “We know we’ve got to win. We know we’ve got to continue to play like we did this last game to give us the best chance.”
All Georgia did Saturday was give itself the tiebreaker over Florida should both teams finish the season with one SEC loss. South Carolina, which beat the Bulldogs 35-7 on Oct. 6, has since lost two games. Simply put, Georgia has to win out.
Enter Ole Miss, a name that might have brought forth a snicker in recent years but shouldn’t now. The Rebels are in the midst of a turnaround under first-year coach Hugh Freeze. After losing 16 consecutive SEC games over the past two seasons, Ole Miss (5-3, 2-2) just won its second in a row, 30-27 over Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Afterward the last-second win, Ole Miss players were talking a lot about “believing” and “winning out,” and they’re excited about testing themselves against a Top 10 team on the road.
“We’re just getting better and better every day,” Ole Miss wide receiver Randall Mackey told reporters. “We’re trying to go to a bowl game and that’s the main thing. But we’re trying to win out.”
Richt spent Sunday afternoon watching video of the Rebels and he can understand their confidence.
“They’ve got every reason to believe they can win out,” richt said. “They’ve got a really good team. They very easily could have won the (Texas) A&M game and it’d be three games (in a row) that they’ve won. That’s what happens when you start tasting success. You get excited and start believing and that’s what’s happening right now. When a team has a lot of momentum, they’re hard to beat.”
If Georgia is to maintain its own momentum, it will need to generate a defensive effort similar to the one it displayed in Jacksonville. The Rebels come into Saturday’s game averaging 32.4 points and 430 yards offense a game and the 6-foot-5, 210-pound quarterback Bo Wallace has proved masterful at executing Freeze’s fast-tempo, spread attack. Wallace, a junior college transfer, has passed for 1,649 yards and 10 touchdowns and is an elusive runner as well.
Florida’s Jeff Driskel brought similar attributes into this past Saturday’s game and was sacked five times and committed four turnovers. The Bulldogs need more of the same this week.
“We should have been playing like this all year,” said outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, who accounted for 13 tackles, four sacks, two fumble recoveries and forced two other fumbles. “We just have to give everything we have in every game.”
This past Saturday’s ferocity may be tough to duplicate. On Sunday Richt called it “one of the most intense games I’ve ever coached from start to finish.” Georgia was penalized 14 times for 132 yards and Florida 10 for 95, many of those of the personal foul variety.
“You want intensity but you want intensity with discipline,” Richt said.
NOTES: Richt did not have an update on starting fullback Merritt Hall, who sprained an ankle on Georgia’s first offensive play against Florida and did not return. “We’re hopeful,” he said of Hall returning this week. But Richt praised Zander Ogletree was a “mistake-free” game filling in for Hall. . . . Richt confirmed reports that the Bulldogs prayed as a team after the Florida game for South Carolina tailback Marcus Lattimore, who suffered a horrific knee injury on Saturday. . . Richt said he heard but hadn’t seen anything on the pregame skirmish that resulted in Florida strength coach Jeff Dillman shoving a Georgia player. “I’m not really worried about that right now,” he said. . . . CBS picked up Saturday’s game for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. . . . Georgia moved up to No. 6 in the USA today/Coaches and Harris polls and 7th in The Associated Press rankings.
GEORGIA-FLORIDA GAME COVERAGE
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
228 comments Add your comment
SEC FAN
October 29th, 2012
1:30 pm
They didn’t play a perfect game either so take it for what it’s worth. Yea ya’ll won “The World’s Largest Turnover Fest”. You can’t see it? Your still a JOKE to the rest of the country!!
GaDawg81
October 29th, 2012
1:33 pm
I see the haters are out in full force again. The Dawgs made some mistakes on offense but made the plays when they had too. Unless you have played in a game in Jacksonville you can not know the emotional roller coaster you are on. There is no other game like it. Our boys came thru when we needed them. I am worried about Ole Miss, but all you naysayers are thinking we are going to come down. What about a emotional lift from beating the Gators? Remember the 2007 season? It is up to the coaches and team leaders to keep this team focused and accomplishing their goal of going to Atlanta. We play one game at a time and do not get ahead of themselves.
dawgfacedboy
October 29th, 2012
1:33 pm
Dilligaf- with three undefeated teams in front of UGA I doubt they will play for the MNC.
Defense played like the Steel Curtain/Bears back in the day…finally.
Murray further proved he’s not a big game player.Get comfy cause he’s coming back next year.
Gurley is a beast.
Love the fact that Ricth showed he still has a pair by going for the onside kick.
TampaGator
October 29th, 2012
1:35 pm
I witnessed the Florida’s S&C coach shoving episode. He was trying to keep the Georgia players away from the Florida players, but he should not have put his hands on them. I am sure Muschamp will address (or has) the issue with him, and I am positive he will not do it again….if he wants to keep his job. I think he was too fired up himself…and he is one very, very strong dude. But you simply cannot put your hands on the other team’s players….period. I would expect he will be disciplined (privately) and it might cost him some money and some time off the football field.
Rebels will Lose
October 29th, 2012
1:37 pm
You are the one looking like the joke SEC FAN
TampaGator
October 29th, 2012
1:37 pm
To the Will Muschamp impersonator……
Will is doing just fine at Florida….10-2 or 11-1…..this year…..
…..and guess what……GatorNation will not be asking for him to be FIRED….because of it.
Yup
October 29th, 2012
1:39 pm
GA-Auburn game time set for 7 pm. After we whoop up on Ole Miss, we gonna take the east in Jordan-Hairless stadium
Will Muschamp
October 29th, 2012
1:41 pm
Mark Richt OWNS me so far…. Damn!!!!!!!!
Les Miles
October 29th, 2012
1:43 pm
Dont feel bad Will. Richt has won 2 out of 3 from me… Pisses me off
DIT
October 29th, 2012
1:44 pm
I really don’t understand why my fellow Dawgs are talking about the SEC CG!!!
We still have 2 more SEC games to play. Come out flat this Saturday and we will lose!! When was the last time UGA has put 2 really good games together back to back?
Stop talking about Bama. Why would you want to talk about Bama? We are not even close to playing them yet. Plus, LSU might have something to say about Bama going to the SEC CG.
JUST CONCENTRATE ON OLE MISS !!!!
DIT
October 29th, 2012
1:48 pm
TampaGator – good game Saturday. The breaks that usually go your way went UGA’s way this time. You are right, a 11-1 or 10-2 record will be good for UF this year. They are young and will get better under Muschamp! Plese go to Tallahassee and kick the crap out of that A She She team, Florida St. Good luck the rest of the season!
Steve Spurrier
October 29th, 2012
1:48 pm
I could turn that gator program around for ya Will. Want me back??
Valdosta Gator
October 29th, 2012
1:52 pm
Jeff Driskel is the worst QB in the SEC right now. Talk about a major choke job. Bench his butt
WDE
October 29th, 2012
1:53 pm
@TampaGator I have no doubt you won’t be asking for CWM to be fired but I read some of the UF blogs after the A&M game and the vast majority of the poster were…and you guys won! And DIT your right we can’t take our eyes off of Ole Miss this week !
SEC FAN
October 29th, 2012
1:54 pm
I’ll leave you LEGHUMPERS to bask in your glory after that pitiful performance! We’ll see if the attitude is the same next Monday!!!
Big Bob the Bulldog
October 29th, 2012
1:54 pm
@valdosta gator
Hell, my 10 yr. old throws more accurately than your Fl quarterback
DIT
October 29th, 2012
1:56 pm
WDE – I think the Ole Miss game will team us where this teams heads are at. If they are focused and concentrating on one game at a time we should win by 2 TD’s min. If they are living off this past Saturday it will be a struggle with a possible loss.
Coaching, Coaching and more coaching needs to be done this week.
BullyDawg
October 29th, 2012
1:58 pm
Go hump your mama SECFAN…….
SEC FAN
October 29th, 2012
2:02 pm
LOL, that’s original !! Hell Florida’s conditioning coach manhandled ya’ll just like the little Bitches (female leghumpers) you are. See ya in the music city bowl losers!!
7576DAWG
October 29th, 2012
2:05 pm
The old Murray was all over the first half in Jacksonville; panic, poor decisions and turnovers. Then in the second half he seemed to realize that if he was playing just to not make mistakes the defense and our running back’s would take care of the rest. Then that success will open up the passing game.
I think the defensive stars who will go Pro realized that they had only a few more games to impress the scouts or they were going to lose millions in the upcoming draft because of their poor play this year. I hope they are back on track and will finish out the season as one of the best. That being said I also hope that Murray has finally realized that he will probably never play Pro ball because of his lack of emotional control which drives him to make very poor decisions. If he has any sense at all Murray will realize that when the defense ,receivers and running backs are all playing well that all he has to do is not make mistakes. Play like he did in the second half and Georgia will finish 11-1 and go to the SEC Championship.
UGA Rocks
October 29th, 2012
2:06 pm
Poor SEC FAN. He’s sore… want to know why?? His Gators got pounded DAWGGY STYLE on Sat. in front of a nationally televised audience. Will Muschimp got schooled AGAIN by Mark Richt.
keniboy
October 29th, 2012
2:09 pm
i’m reminded of the 1980 olympic hockey team. beat the russians, a miracle for sure. but had to come back the next day and beat sweden, (i think) for the gold.
TampaGator
October 29th, 2012
2:10 pm
Big Bob….
Driskel threw more accurately than Murray in the game Saturday….go look at the stats…more yards….less interceptions. More 3rd down conversions passes. He did not fumble going into the end zone…but he directed the march down the field to try to tie the game. Driskel also does not block Jones while he is trying to pass. And he also ran the ball well. I think you are barking up the wrong tree with Driskel. Driskel is going to be a star in the SEC…
WDE
October 29th, 2012
2:13 pm
@SEC FAN don’t go away mad now but please do go away..
WDE
October 29th, 2012
2:15 pm
@DIT agreed we have to keep the team grounded and ready…
TampaGator
October 29th, 2012
2:16 pm
I believe the Florida Gators are still in the BCS top 10….and if they get as lucky as Georgia last year….they will be playing in the SEC title game….go your hairy Rebs! Or maybe the Auburn coach can do his former school a favor and upset the Dawgs. But I doubt either will take place….and Georgia should earn it’s way into the SEC title game this year….not back into it like last year. And, hopefully, they will represent the East better than they did last year. And, hopefully, the Gators will win out and go 11-1 and play in the Sugar Bowl or another BCS Bowl. Go Gators. Proud to be a part of GatorNation…and proud of our coach and team. FIRE NO ONE. SUPPORT EVERYONE.
Will Muschamp
October 29th, 2012
2:16 pm
Can I get waffle fries when I get to the Chick-Fil-A bowl? I love those waffle fries.
Valdosta Gator
October 29th, 2012
2:20 pm
If you are proud of the way we played Saturday as a gator team, you should have you head examined. We stunk up the joint.
7576DAWG
October 29th, 2012
2:26 pm
TampaGator
I know this doesn’t help because Georgia has certainly been there plenty in the last few years but Florida has been a lot more CONSISTENT this year and deserve everything they have gotten , that is why they only dropped to 7TH in the BCS. Georgia is the one that has got to prove they can put forth the same effort every week. If these two teams played 10 times back to back their record would be 5-5, with every game close. I’m just thankful that Georgia has finally started to show up. Florida will end up in the top 5.
Valdosta Gator
October 29th, 2012
2:31 pm
You smoking crack 7576dawg? 6 Turnovers? The whole team should be running stadium steps for hours AND carrying a football everywhere they go this week. Muschamp has FAILED the GA test so far.
Valdosta Gator
October 29th, 2012
2:32 pm
Although I would like to be in top 5!!! (Right now we dont deserve it after Saturday)
Wally's Butt
October 29th, 2012
2:35 pm
It ok Valdosta. After GA rips off a few more wins over the gators next 5-6 yrs, you can shoot yourself and be out of misery.
Will Muschamp
October 29th, 2012
2:37 pm
Eat more Chicken I say!!! We are going to da Chick-Fil-A……..bowl……
BadBadDawg
October 29th, 2012
2:38 pm
Way to hang tough DAWGS!!!!! No mercy on anybody from here on out… Give it all you got
BILLY JACK
October 29th, 2012
2:49 pm
Tampa Gator-you will find many ignorant UGA fans on this blog and many tech trolls and Alabama hillbillies and for that I apologize.The fact of the matter Florida has a fine team and Georgia just physically beat them up on sat.Muschamp has done a great job from last year and I will be pulling for Florida vs FSU at the end of the year.If the def sat shows up in the SECCG that showed up sat we have a chance vs Alabama or LSU.People forget LSU will play very hard and give Alabama everything they want sat night.I have been to several night games in Baton Rouge and LSU has a huge home field advantage so this will be a great game that could go either way.Georgia will beat Ole Miss sat maybe not by the score everyone wants but somewhere around 35-17.Georgia will also beat Auburn worsr than AM did and look for Murray to throw for 450-500 yds in passing vs Willie Martinez secondary.Georgia will save the worst beating for tech which will be one for the ages 55-7.Good luck Tampa Gator and you should be playing in areally good bowl game.
Valdosta Gator
October 29th, 2012
2:53 pm
Yeah!! Wow!!! Capital One bowl if we are lucky..
Gator Tail is Good w/ Beer
October 29th, 2012
2:57 pm
That was the #2 team on Sat?….If you say so…. Gators have a long long long way to go…. But congrats on the Bowling Green victory gaytors!!!!!!!!!
Question - Where are the GA Haters?
October 29th, 2012
3:01 pm
Answer- Hiding like little biatches..
Question - Where are the GA Haters?
October 29th, 2012
3:04 pm
I notice Flat Tire on I-95 is hiding his little AZZ today.. Wimp…
BILLY JACK
October 29th, 2012
3:05 pm
The fact of the matter Valdosta gator is Florida didnt fumble Georgia caused the fumbles…..big difference. Florida was physically beat up in every way and if our QB was on point it could have gotten really ugly.Georgia looks ready to string a few wins in Jacksonville and this game will be very exciting for years to come.I hope they never move it from Jacksonville it is very unique in college football kinda like Texas and Oklahoma.I graduated from UGA in 1985 and was at the game my senior year.UF was ranked 1 and deemed unbeatable until Georgia beat them 24-3.The coach that pushed the Georgia players should be suspended for the rest of the year and he is very lucky Todd Granthem didnt get to him before order was restored.
vesaversa
October 29th, 2012
3:43 pm
No Ga did more than give themselves a tie breaker at the end of the season . They gave me joy in watching them crush the Media Darlene Florida Gators .They totally exposed the myth that was blinding around the Florida QB and the team as a whole . This is the SEC where you can get your as beat any given Saturday. Go Dawgs
graphite
October 29th, 2012
3:47 pm
The puppies should beat Ole Miss but you will lose in the cow pasture.Ga. will choke in Auburn….RollOn
InternetRumors
October 29th, 2012
3:52 pm
Auburn is putting out feelers for Kirby Smart. They should have hired Rich Rod last year.
Vampire Bill
October 29th, 2012
4:21 pm
Lets not kid ourselves that the dawgs under Richt will suddenly straighten up and become a hard hitting well run championship football team because of the gator win.
Dawgs got a big win and I’m happy for them but an ugly undisciplined display of college football. Just keeping it real.
ugabulldog81
October 29th, 2012
6:09 pm
Jarvis Jones for President! The rest of my season tickets are on Ebay. 81009605685 Can’t make any games. Go Dawgs!
ugabulldog81
October 29th, 2012
6:13 pm
Jarvis Jones for President! The rest of my season tickets are on Ebay. 81009605685 Can’t make any more games. Go Dawgs!
Coffee Bluff DAWG
October 29th, 2012
9:23 pm
Hope that UGA turned a corner with that great D effort on Sat. They have to do at least 2 things much better to continue the run:
1. Play disiplined FB (all those flags aren’t going to cut it).
2. Murray has to stop trying to fit in passes between 3 defenders. He was a lot better in the 2nd half when he went to the sideline with 1-on-1 coverage.
NCDawg
October 29th, 2012
9:24 pm
Just something for the folks that are still ragging on Bobo about his play calling. He calls a play but Murray can check out of it at any time. He is given that much latitude. Personnel packages and general formations are called from the booth but Murray can check into many different plays at the line. Bobo never throws Aaron under the bus but you can bet that a pretty decent percentage of plays end up not being what was called. And that an equally decent percentage of plays that are bad are from check downs.
We ran the ball pretty well against a stout run defense and struggled to throw against that mass coverage. Other teams may try that too. We need our TE’s to produce more. Hell I’d line up Rome in the slot and dare defenses to try to cover him with a DB. He can be out there to block downfield on run plays too. Whatever the case we need to expect that from teams with good D – lines.
Dawg89
October 29th, 2012
10:11 pm
“…the Bulldogs prayed as a team after the Florida game for South Carolina tailback Marcus Lattimore”
Me too.
ESPN reporting this mornng that Johnson is out as GT HC
October 30th, 2012
12:58 am
This according to Tech site. I know, who cares? But it would be nice to get a little more competition out of the bees. As for Ole Miss, they played Bama very tough, despite the score. Coach Freeze has them believing again, so don’t overlook them. They are much better than UK and may be the toughest team we play before the SEC championship in the ATL.