The Georgia Bulldogs finally ran out of tricks.
Having pulled off two late-game comebacks for wins this season, it looked like the script was written for the No. 7-ranked Bulldogs to execute a third Saturday afternoon. Quarterback Aaron Murray and the Georgia offense took over at their own 24 down eight points to Missouri with 4:25 to play.
But instead of another dramatic touchdown drive like Murray pulled off against Tennessee and LSU, his pass for Chris Conley was intercepted on the first play.
It was one of four turnovers on the day for the No. 7 Bulldogs, and the No. 25 Tigers would tack on late score for a resounding 41-26 upset victory.
“We just didn’t execute this time in crunch time like we have in the past,” Murray said.
The loss — Georgia’s first at home in 16 games — effectively closes the door on any BCS championship hopes for the Bulldogs (4-2, 3-1 SEC). They’ll now need Missouri to lose twice, and Georgia will have to win its four remaining conference games to earn a third trip to the Georgia Dome as the league’s Eastern Division champion.
It was a huge victory for Missouri (6-0, 2-0), which hadn’t beaten a top-10 team on the road in 32 years. The last one came 14-3 over No. 9 Mississippi State in 1981.
“Respect went up a couple of notches,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “I’ve said since Day 1 that I was very proud to be a member of the SEC. But you’ve got to earn respect, and that’s the way it should be.”
The Tigers pulled it off with their star quarterback James Franklin sidelined for the final 10:35 of the game. The senior suffered a separated right shoulder in the middle of a fourth-quarter scoring drive. Redshirt freshman Maty Mauk came off the bench and finished that one and another with touchdowns.
Franklin finished with 170 yards and one touchdown passing and another touchdown rushing. He is not expected to be available for Saturday’s home game against Florida and likely will be out a while longer.
Of course, the Bulldogs played more than a little short-handed themselves. Leading rushers Todd Gurley (ankle) and Keith Marshall (knee) both missed the game as well as three of Georgia’s four leading receivers, all of whom have knee injuries
Freshmen running backs Brendan Douglas and J.J. Green filled in admirably. They combined for 157 yards rushing and added another 85 yards receiving. But a fumble by Douglas at the Missouri 5 with 1:31 remaining in the first half proved extremely costly.
So was the fumble by Murray on Georgia’s previous possession. Produced by a blindside hit by defensive end Shane Ray, who beat a double team from tight end Arthur Lynch and tackle Kenarious Gates, Michael Sam scooped the fumble and scored from 21 yards out to give the Tigers a 28-1o lead with 5:46 to go in the second quarter.
Nevertheless, the Bulldogs came roaring back in the second half and got to within 28-26 on a 10-yard touchdown pass to Conley with 12:15 left in the game. But Conley couldn’t handle a bulleted pass in the flat from Murray on the two-point conversion. So the stage was set for some late-game drama.
Georgia’s defense didn’t help much. Instead of the much-needed stop, they let the Tigers loose for a 75-yard scoring drive, the second portion of which was executed by the backup quarterback. Missouri scored a 40-yard touchdown on a double-pass from Mauk to flanker Bud Sasser to L’Damian Washington with 9:22 to to play. A missed Missouri PAT left a shred of hope with Georgia trailing by eight.
But on first down, Murray’s pass for Conley on the sideline was picked off by Missouri’s Randy Ponder with 4:15 left in the game.
“Just forcing it,” Murray said of the pick. “Trying to force a flag route to a dropping corner. Should’ve probably checked down or thrown it away. It was just me being greedy. Not a smart play by me.”
Murray threw one more basically meaningless interception deep in Missouri territory with 49 seconds left. He finished 25-of-45 passing for 290 yards and three touchdowns.
Coach Mark Richt offered some hope that some of the wounded Bulldogs could make it back for Vanderbilt on Saturday. Gurley, he said, “has a realistic shot” of coming back from an ankle injury. Wide receiver Jonathan Rumph and safety Tray Matthews may return from hamstring injuries as well.
But the Bulldogs contend they did not lose Saturday because of injuries.
“We don’t make excuses at all,” said Conley, who led the Bulldogs with 60 yards receiving. “We have to be able to execute at a high level regardless of who is on the field. You’re at Georgia for a reason, and you’re here to make plays. I’m proud of those younger guys that were in there today. But we’ve got to finish and execute.”
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