After scoring two touchdowns in two possessions in roughly six minutes, looking like some vaguely familiar creature last seen roaming the earth five weeks ago, Georgia suffered a market correction. Turnovers, penalties, a defensive collapse, a mutant screen pass/lateral/fumble, a head coach that suddenly decides going for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 39 is a good idea with a three-point lead in the fourth quarter …
This is how a team gets to be 4-3.
Georgia defeated Florida 23-20 on Saturday. When two teams on losing streaks meet, one of them has to win.
How unsatisfying does a win over Florida have to be for Georgia coach Mark Richt to admit that he felt “subdued.”
The last time he was this unexcited: The Bulldogs’ last win in Knoxville, Tenn., when seemingly half the team was carried off on a stretcher.
This was a somewhat historic victory — the third consecutive for the Bulldogs over the Gators. That hasn’t happened in 24 years, also known in Gainesville as the Pre-Visor Dark Ages (1987-89).
But Georgia led 17-0 after the first quarter and 23-3 at halftime before somebody pushed flush. Florida rallied with a gift touchdown following a turnover, a safety, another touchdown and a two-point conversion.
The slapstick continued. The Dogs tried to give it away. Had they been playing a better team, they would have succeeded.
“We had some key turnovers and things we screwed up in the third quarter to give them life,” Murray said. “We can’t do that.”
Then again, Georgia is way past the point of worrying about art. They don’t have to worry about impressing voters or computer polls because they’re probably not going to a BCS bowl anyway. (The two Sugar Bowl representatives in Jacksonville looked out of place.)
The Dogs are still clinging to the hopes of a strong finish and a Missouri collapse in the SEC East. Until then, we all can wonder how special this season might have been had Todd Gurley stayed healthy.
Gurley, returning after a three-game absence (he was injured in the LSU game). The first six times he touched the ball, he gained 151 yards (two receptions, four rushes) and scored two touchdowns. He finished the game with 100 yards rushing and three catches for 87 yards, plus the two scores.
Imagine if he hadn’t left for an extended period in the first quarter and took several other breaks, seemingly for conditioning reasons. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said Gurley became “nauseated,” probably from over-exhaustion.
But you could see the difference with this offense when Gurley is in there. He could have been the difference in losses to Vanderbilt and Missouri.
“What he can do when he’s healthy — I personally think he’s the best back in the country,” Bobo said. “His presence gives us a physicality on offense and opens up everything.”
Gurley helped the Dogs extend a drive and kill the clock in the final minutes. “He obviously was banged up there in the fourth quarter,” Bobo said. “But he wanted the ball and our players wanted to give him the ball. He just gives us that edge mentally.”
Georgia and Florida entered the season ranked in the top 10. Neither looked the part Saturday. Both have been wrecked by injuries and deficiencies in key areas.
Consider the fizzle: On the Dogs’ first possession of the third quarter, Murray threw across the field to tight end Arthur Lynch, who dropped it. But the pass was ruled a lateral (upheld on replay), and therefore was a live ball. Florida nose guard Leon Orr was the only player alert enough to realize that, picked up the ball and ran 10 yards to the Bulldogs’ 14. Two plays later, running back Mack Brown scored from the 5 to make the score 23-10.
The drain-circling began.
Murray was crushed on a blindside sack in the end zone for a safety. Florida, as if suddenly realizing, “Hey, we might not lose!” got the ball back and drove 50 yards for a touchdown in less than two minutes and hit a two-point conversion. Now it was 23-20.
Georgia got the ball back, two minutes later Richt makes the bizarre decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 39, and Gurley gets stopped on a run following a direct snap. It was “Fourth-and-Dumb” redux.
Florida got the ball back and on fourth-and-1 and, after a timeout, Georgia’s defense comes back onto the field with 12 players and is penalized, giving the Gators a first down at the Dogs’ 41.
You know. I’m pretty sure I saw this on a “Twilight Zone” episode 30 years ago.
Somehow, the Gators blew it anyway. In games like this, somebody always does.
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