The game that was
There was no shame in losing to a team ranked No. 5 in the nation; it was just the way the Bulldogs lost that has everyone troubled. Despite talk of rededicated efforts and altered strategies in the offseason, UGA simply looked overmatched and under-coached team in a 35-21 loss to the Broncos. That it was a Mountain West Conference team coming south to play in Georgia's backyard made it all the worse.
What we learned
1. If the game against Boise State was any indication, Georgia's offensive line is bad -- really bad. Other than Brandon Boykin's 80-yard run on a trick play, the Bulldogs managed just 57 yards rushing on 30 attempts. That's 1.9 yards per carry. Also, quarterback Aaron Murray was sacked six times.
2. That head coach Mark Richt and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo wanted to try something completely different on offense in the opening game was noble. The Bulldogs attempted to implement a no-huddle offense in which the play calls were dictated by what the defense was showing. But the Bulldogs managed only 13 first downs and converted only 15 percent of their third downs.
3. Orson Charles has the capability to be the formidable offensive weapon everybody envisioned. He averaged 18.2 yards on six receptions in the game and scored on a 36-yard pass from Aaron Murray. He also had a drop and was overthrown another time. However, he must become a better blocker. His whiff on a fourth-and-one play forced the Bulldogs to turn the ball over on downs against Boise.
Injury report
Georgia was hit with a major injury at one of the positions it could least afford it. Inside "Moe" linebacker Alec Ogletree will undergo surgery on Monday to repair a broken right foot. He's expected to be sidelined from four to six weeks. ... The Bulldogs got good news on starting left guard Kenarious Gates; the sophomore is expected to return this week from an ankle injury that sidelined for the entire second half against Boise State
Numbers game
2-for-13
Georgia's conversion rate on third down against Boise State
Sound bite
“We were a little more in shape than they were, so our hurry-up offense really had an effect,”
-- Boise State running back Doug Martin
Loose ends
Boykin's touchdown run was his first on offense, but the fifth overall in his career. The other four came on kickoff returns, three of which went for 100 yards. So at this point, Boykin's touchdown run average is 92.2 yards. ... Boykin now holds the UGA record for overall return yardage with 1,923 yards, all on kickoffs. He surpassed Scott Woerner, who had 1,916 yards on punt and kickoff returns from 1977-80. ... Inside linebacker Christian Robinson led Georgia with 13 tackles, and outside linebacker Jarvis Jones added 11 stops and 2.5 tackles for loss.
What's next
Georgia will get another tough test Saturday. The Bulldogs host No. 12 South Carolina, which opened its season with a 56-37 win over East Carolina in Charlotte this past weekend. The Bulldogs lost to the eventual SEC Eastern Division champions 17-6 last year in Columbia, S.C. To avenge that loss, they'll have to do a better job of containing the Gamecocks' running game. As a true freshman last season, Marcus Lattimore rushed for 182 yards on 37 carries and scored both South Carolina touchdowns.
Chip Towers
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