Richt: ‘We spent ourselves in a worthy cause…. You’ve got to kind of get over the heartbreak’
Georgia coach Mark Richt said his program is moving on from the “heartbreak” of Saturday’s SEC Championship game loss and “getting back to work.”
Mark Richt: "It was heartbreaking, no doubt." (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
“You know what? We spent ourselves in a worthy cause,” Richt said Sunday night. “We of course wanted to play for the national championship. We knew we were just a couple of yards away, maybe a couple of seconds away or a tipped ball away or however you want to say it. We were at least in position to win it.
“It was heartbreaking, no doubt. We were all highly, highly hurt by it. … We just came up short. It was one of those games where either team could have won. So you’ve got to kind of get over the heartbreak of that. And I’ve always had the ability to understand what the reality is and move on.
“We’re already out recruiting. We’re getting back to work.”
Despite the dashed dream of playing for the national championship, Richt said he expects his 11-2 team to be enthused about its trip to Orlando for the Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl against Nebraska.
“We’ve got a new goal in sight: We’re excited to try to get 12 wins,” Richt said.
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity acknowledged that the day after the SEC title game was a difficult one in Bulldog Nation.
“I know we’re all still hurting a little bit right now,” McGarity said. “But the sun came up … and there’s nothing we can do about it but learn from it and move forward.”
How coaches ranked Dogs
After Georgia’s 32-28 loss to Alabama, voters in the USA Today coaches’ poll ranked the Bulldogs everywhere from No. 2 to No. 11.
The highest vote cast for Georgia was by Vanderbilt’s James Franklin, who had the Bulldogs No. 2 (behind Alabama and ahead of Notre Dame).
The lowest votes cast for Georgia were by Baylor’s Art Briles and Washington’s Steve Sarkisian, both of whom had the Bulldogs No. 11.
Richt and Alabama’s Nick Saban voted Georgia No. 3 — ahead of Florida, which both put No. 4.
Coaches’ individual ballots were released for the first time this season, per customary procedure on the final poll before the bowls.
Overall, Georgia was ranked No. 5 in the coaches’ poll. In the other two components of the BCS standings, Georgia was ranked No. 5 by the Harris Poll but an average of No. 11 by the computers. That added up to an overall BCS ranking of No. 7.
Conference limit to be eliminated
The rule that kept Georgia from playing in any of the four BCS bowls (Rose, Sugar, Fiesta and Orange) will be scrapped when college football goes to its new playoff system in the 2014 season.
The current rule is that no more than two teams from a conference can go to BCS games in a given season. Alabama, of course, got one of the SEC’s spots this season with its berth in the national title game. Florida moved up to No. 3 in the final BCS standings, clinching the SEC’s second spot because of a rule that stipulates a team ranked in the top four automatically gets a BCS invitation unless two other teams from its league are ranked higher. Georgia is the highest-ranked team not in a BCS game.
McGarity noted that the SEC has six of the top 10 teams in the BCS standings — but only two of the 10 spots in BCS games.
“It’s obviously being corrected in 2014, so a number of individuals thought that was not a fair way to treat conferences,” McGarity said. “I think the way it’s set in 2014 will reward those conferences that have the ability to place teams in the top 10.”
Under the 2014 model, there is no specific limit on how many teams from a conference can make the four-team playoff and the other top-tier bowls, although various arrangements between leagues and bowls will still be a factor.
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who sharply criticized the inclusion of Northern Illinois in a BCS game (Orange Bowl), scoffed at the current two-per-league limit. “Who came up with this rule?” he asked on air Sunday night.
Herbstreit added: “To leave teams out like Georgia and … Texas A&M and Oklahoma, all of us want to see those teams in games that matter, and you’re going to give us Northern Illinois.”
‘They call themselves the CornDogs’
Georgia’s bowl opponent, Nebraska, brings back childhood memories for Richt.
“It’s kind of personal for me in that I was born in Omaha and my mom and dad grew up in Nebraska and all my cousins on that side of the family are big Husker fans,” Richt said.
“They like the Dogs, too,” he added. “They call themselves the CornDogs, actually — combination of Cornhuskers and Dogs.”
Richt said his family moved from Nebraska to Colorado when he was 7 or 8 and then to Boca Raton, Fla., when he was about 13. But “I still had Nebraska on my mind, really, up until the time I went to college at Miami.”
— Tim Tucker, AJC
Click here for full story on Georgia’s Capital One Bowl invitation
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781 comments Add your comment
Aiken 29801
December 3rd, 2012
12:37 pm
Go Gamecocks,
Bamabelle99
December 3rd, 2012
12:38 pm
As a Bama alumna and fan, I can honestly say UGA played a very good game. I underestimated the Dogs, and darn near had a heart attack. Good game Dawgs!
Bamabelle99
December 3rd, 2012
12:39 pm
Now if UGA can stop recruiting criminals…
BIG MIKE
December 3rd, 2012
12:39 pm
Im not sure you know how sports work. Outscoring the opponent is the only measure. Mythical heart and effort variables mean nothing if you can’t win.
I’m sure you would know… better get back to your crossword puzzle chump.
flo-ri-duh
December 3rd, 2012
12:39 pm
Also be aware of Booby Sock Puppets which will arise when Booby is ignored.
someone who knows
December 3rd, 2012
12:39 pm
YEAAA!!! WE LOST!!!! how stupid you people are…do you know how pathetic you people sound?? sad losers = UGA fanbase…
Top Dawg Fan
December 3rd, 2012
12:40 pm
Top shelf of a game!!! Great job by both sides…Top Dawgs especially! Richt is with out a doubt a class act and anyone who disagrees has a screw lose….just saying:-)
Rick James
December 3rd, 2012
12:40 pm
@GTBob
Yes, congrats to everyone at UGA for failing once again. Quite an accomplishment.
————————————————————————————————————–
11-2 and playing in the Capital One Bowl.6-7 begged the NCAA for a waiver to play in Sun Bowl.Failure?! Your hatred for Georgia again blurs your common sense and objectivity and is only exceeded by the hatred you have for yourself.Seek therapy..
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:41 pm
Also be aware of Booby Sock Puppets which will arise when Booby is ignored.
I don’t post under any other names if that is what you are implying. Good luck with the ignoring campaign also. Maybe you will do better then the last person who attempted it.
GT BOB
December 3rd, 2012
12:41 pm
@ The Umpire, thanks…. There is a difference between being disappointed (yet supportive) and egging your quarterback’s house, selling your tickets and bailing on the Jacksonville trip, trashing your coach, etc. … The loud UGA fringe that’s on the radio and blogs gets more attention than the silent majority with UGA who are grateful to have Richt as their coach.
Tech Still Sux
December 3rd, 2012
12:41 pm
@ Someone who knows,
You must care since you took time to post.. congrats..
danny
December 3rd, 2012
12:43 pm
I, for one, have never been prouder in my life to be a Georgia Bulldog. All the players and all the coaches should be commended for standing toe to toe till the very end. Only an idiot would have something bad to say about that game and I am not really a fan of richts
OLD DOG
December 3rd, 2012
12:44 pm
I have been following the dawgs since 1958. Iwas at the Champion ship game of 80″ and I can say truly I have never been prouder of a bunch of young men in my Life You can’t ask more of the players, the coaches and the fans.
There are always going to be a few yo yo’s that want to spout off and in this country that is their right. They are just blow hards that have no concept of how the game is really played or what it means to be a player or a coach . I am sorry that the BCS is so money hungry vet they want to be PC like the government that they have the stupid 2 school rule.
Oh well this one has been played abd as coach says put it behind you and move on. There are a lot of good days ahead. Congratulations to BAMA they have a very good team. They will Represent the SEC well.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:44 pm
11-2 and playing in the Capital One Bowl.
Is that what you were hoping for as a UGA fan? With a loaded team and the easiest schedule in SEC history you couldn’t make a BCS bowl.
Nick Saban
December 3rd, 2012
12:44 pm
The only way you fire Mark is if you hire me. No way you let him go, the guy can coach.
UGA Alummy
December 3rd, 2012
12:45 pm
Richt is so stupid that he didn’t know enough to spike the ball. Just further proof that that he should be fired. Going to a crumby bowl is much better than he and his loser squad deserve. His conduct at the post-game press conference was despicable. Offended that he has a reputation as a choker, he stormed out. That plays in podunck but not in the big city. Good news is that 30 years will roll around before UGA gets another chance at the big prize. By then Rickey & wife will be Fording it to the old folks home in Miami. I had a conversation with your hero last night; Jee-bus says you suck.
crimson 1
December 3rd, 2012
12:46 pm
MY papa said that Georgia has a curse on its football team for stealing Hershel from Bear Bryant. Don’t expect a National championship trophy untill yall admit to paying Hershel a large sum of money to attend your school.
Tech Still Sux
December 3rd, 2012
12:46 pm
11-2 is Dang Good. Congrats Dawgs.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:47 pm
BTW, I have to admit that I still live at home at 53 and never went to GT other than to a game to watch that HS team compete in the worst conference in America. Thanks for letting me get that off of my inverted chest.
Ace
December 3rd, 2012
12:47 pm
You UGA folks think the whole SEC is just you, sure you went to the SEC championship game, but you are not the 2nd best in the SEC, A&M beat Bama, Gators beat LSU and USC. LSU played Bama as tough. UGA plays 3 good teams and loses 2 out of three, you should count your lucky stars you didn’t get the Peach bowl, that would have been about right. Good team, but others are better.
Rbosre
December 3rd, 2012
12:48 pm
Dear Georgia fans. Being a aprt of the Bama nation we are proud we won the game but we would not like to play it again. You team and coaches have nothing to be ashamed of. Y’all left it all on the field and that is the way is should be. Georgia should be in the Sugar Bowl and not the toilet bowl. Bama would have been there had they not won. We feel we got the victory but there is no joy because of the loss to Georgia because we have been there before. We found out after the game that C.J. Mosley had called the play to make Murray think they were out of position so Murray would take the shot to the right corner. The defense responded and Mosley must have jumped 15′ in the air to tip the ball. The rest is history. Don’t second guess yourselves, it will only eat at you as did the loss to Texas A&M did to me for several days. We were 1st down and goal with all that meat in the back field and tried 3 pass plays for naught. Don’t give up on these fine young men nor your coaches. Sometimes all the hard work, all the blood, swaet and tears, all the heart one can put into a game like this and still lose. You may not believe this but the Bama nation is not bragging about th win..we are grateful y’all came up short and we can feel your pain and with that you have our deepest respect and wish y’all well aganist Nebraska….go dawgs..roll tide.
Crimson 1
December 3rd, 2012
12:48 pm
Just enjoy the moment you smelly hillbilly!
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:49 pm
All the players and all the coaches should be commended for standing toe to toe till the very end.
Have UGA fans really convinced themselves that winning isn’t important as long as you play hard?
christophorm
December 3rd, 2012
12:49 pm
How did richt let you down ? that defense stopped tackleing after the blocked FG TD.!!
HvT
December 3rd, 2012
12:50 pm
Bama fan most of my life … congratulations Georgia on a great game … shame anybody had to lose.
ACE
December 3rd, 2012
12:51 pm
I really have no idea what I am trying to say. Excuse me for being so ignorant.
Ace
December 3rd, 2012
12:52 pm
1-2 against good teams, UGA cannot win the big one. That’s what I’m saying.
GT Bob's Team 6-7 in the Awful Coast Conf.
December 3rd, 2012
12:53 pm
42-10
62-40-5
11-1
Hyundai Bowl with losing record
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:53 pm
GT= where it is ok to smell like cabbage U.
Ace
December 3rd, 2012
12:53 pm
Gators #3 in the Sugar, as it should be.
Ace
December 3rd, 2012
12:55 pm
What is real is what happens, what is dreaming is what could have been.
GTBob's Inverted Chest
December 3rd, 2012
12:55 pm
Thanks! First time I’ve smiled since Saturday night!
Ace
December 3rd, 2012
12:55 pm
UF is a school that I never attended but sure do like the bleached hair, jean shorts, and cheap beer.
Southside
December 3rd, 2012
12:56 pm
Mark Richt needs to be fired…cant coach look at all the talent UGA has had but hasnt done shit…Imagine what Nick Saban would have done with this team
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
12:57 pm
USC, is that the real USC? They could possibly beat us worse than UGA did the last 10 years combined.
Southside
December 3rd, 2012
12:59 pm
I am the man I know everything about anything. Yeah!
Tech Still Sux
December 3rd, 2012
1:01 pm
Ace,
Have fun against Louisville in New Orleans.. LMAO!!!!!!!
Now thats a new one...
December 3rd, 2012
1:02 pm
The Georgia Corndawgs … I think I like that !!
How bout them Corndawgs !!
Lacey
December 3rd, 2012
1:02 pm
Joe Dawg – get another life! I too am so proud of where our Dawgs have come this year! Mark Richt is the best coach in the nation, bar none! Our team played its hearts out! And, by the way, we have some extremely classy fans to be waiting in the parking lot for the team to arrive back in Athens! I have been a DAWG all my life and could not be more prouder now!
GTBob's psychiatrist
December 3rd, 2012
1:03 pm
Please Bob, unlock the door, get off of the computer, and check yourself into the OCD program to deal with this obsession. Bob, I’m asking…no begging! I’m also asking everybody on this blog to personally plead with Bob to check himself into this program to deal with his UGA obsession. Please people, Bob needs help.
Dum-Bass
December 3rd, 2012
1:03 pm
MR has what I call the “BO Syndrome”. He wants to blame a bad outcome on everything except what it really is. Notice he keeps mentioning the “tipped ball”. Yep, Mr. Richt that is exactly the ONLY reason you BLEW the game. Doofus! Even Derek Dooley as dumb as he is would have spiked the ball in that situation.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
1:04 pm
GT= we petition for a bowl birth U!
Now thats a new one...
December 3rd, 2012
1:04 pm
Some of you folks on here need to get a grip !! Its great to be a fan… but some of you are scary… need to get a life!
crimson 1
December 3rd, 2012
1:05 pm
The Cornhuskers and Bo Pelini will beat Georgia. That’s a lock. Sorry Georgia but you don’t have the balls to win a bigtime game. Your tail will be between your legs once Nebraska pimp slap you.
Ace
December 3rd, 2012
1:06 pm
I did not even know who we were playing. Man this unemployment check needs to get here fast.
GT Dude
December 3rd, 2012
1:06 pm
Geesh UGA dudes, get over it…
UGA played good, Bama played a little better, Bama wins
a year from now no one remembers the 2nd place team, it will be simply Alabama won 2012 SEC
The issue with UGA is this was the year with the open door to the championship game, next year Gators will be odds on favorites to win The East
UGA loses too much and UF is coming back loaded
Joey
December 3rd, 2012
1:06 pm
I worried on here Friday that Bama’s depth could be fatal to UGA, especially our D.
It was obvious that our starting 22 was as or more talented, but a few ill-timed, 3-and-outs in the 2nd and 3rd quarters was our undoing.
But it still came down to the last play.
I’m not gonna get on Richt and Staff, they kept us in the game with fewer SEC-caliber players, against the best O and D in the SEC. I’m just sad that we came up a little short – I really wanted Richt to get to the Big Game – can’t imagine a better chance anytime soon – gonna lose a ton (literally) of talent on D and got some bad-asses on the new scheds.
Georgia Bama Fan
December 3rd, 2012
1:07 pm
Question for Georgia fans…….If you had to make a decision today and only get one shot, would you fire Richt and hire Kirby Smart? You only get this one chance.
Chuckles Oliver
December 3rd, 2012
1:07 pm
Emmmmmmmmmmmmmm hey Richt why cant you win the big game??? Emmmmmmmmmm
crimson 1
December 3rd, 2012
1:07 pm
now let me get back to living off other people. I am a waste if anyone cares.