How will Mark Richt rationalize this loss? Was Georgia Tech and their triple-option offense the better team? Was Georgia’s defense to blame? Or was it the Bulldogs’ special teams again? Either way, the Yellow Jackets ended their 7-game losing streak against UGA by rushing for 409 yards and beating the Bulldogs between the hedges 45-42.
Going into halftime, everything was going Georgia’s way. The Dawgs were cruising behind Matthew Stafford and senior wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi with a 28-12 advantage. But then came the 3rd quarter. The Bulldogs inexplicably kicked the opening kickoff out of bounds, giving the Yellow Jackets the ball at their own 40-yard line. This was the 2nd Georgia kickoff of the game to land out of bounds.
On Tech’s first play, Jonathan Dwyer rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown. The Yellow Jackets scored on their 2-point conversion to cut Georgia’s lead to 28-20. Georgia then gave the ball back after a 3-and-out. On Tech’s next possession, they scored on a 10-play drive, converted the 2-pointer and the game was tied.
On the ensuing kickoff, Georgia’s Richard Samuel fumbled, giving the Yellow Jackets the ball at the Bulldog’s 23 yard line. On the first play, Jonathan Dwyer rushed 23-yards for the touchdown, giving the Yellow Jackets the lead for good.
Georgia’s 3rd loss of the season overshadowed great performances by senior wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and junior quarterback Matthew Stafford. Massaquoi caught 11 passes for 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. Stafford, possibly playing in his last game at home, completed 24-of-39 passes for 407 yards and 5 touchdowns. In the 1st quarter, Stafford threw an interception that was returned 35 yards for a touchdown by Tech’s Morgan Burnett.
The loss completes Georgia’s 2008 regular season, giving them an overall record of 9-3. In their 3 losses, the Bulldog defense surrendered an average of 45 points per game. Not exactly what you would expect from a Georgia team that was ranked 1st in the pre-season.
Barring some unexpected results in other games, the Georgia Bulldogs should receive an invitation to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando. If invited, they will likely face the Ohio State Buckeyes. The game will be played on Thursday, January 1, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
View Comments (9)
The dawgs will always be my team, but they have played undisciplined all year. This Tech team had no player arrested this year. Heck we had one more just this week. D has struggled, but offense has turned the ball over numerous times. Coach has got to instill toughness and make players work. In today's game it takes more than "skill" Skill with no discipline is a 9-3 season. Ohio State will kill us!
The off the field problems continue, but the on the field discipline and penalty problems really surprised me this year. The defense and special teams have put us in bad positions all year long. Something has to change.
what in the world happened today??? Someone is going to have to step up and take responsibility for this. By the way...someone added videos from today's game over at...
Pretty cool to watch and see what exactly we did wrong today!
The main problem our team has is defense. We score over 35 points every game but problem is so does the other team. I hate to say it but if we want to win a title next year Martinez has got to go.
Martinez has reduced this defense to a sham of what it should be - every year he has been the HDC it has gotten statistically worse. Is it true this is the first year since 1901 that a UGA defense has given up 30 points or more 3 consecutive games???...CMR has a responsibility to THE PROGRAM - not Willie - he can no longer justify the incredible ineptitude our defense has been exhibiting. And to top it off, we had two weeks to prepare for a team that can't even throw the ball and we still could not come up with a game plan to stop the run. It seems eerybody in the SEC knows how to score on UGA'S defense - when are we going to realize it's time to let Willie go? It's a shame that such a prolific offense was hamstrung by such poor defensive coaching and execution. Championships are won by teams with great defense...if you believe that is true, you will never see UGA win the SEC again as long as Martinez is the HDC.
this georgia team has almost hit rock bottom. we were ranked #1 in the beginning of this season!!! we have four of the best athletes in the sec on offense and we cant even beat georgia tech?!?! and we struggle with kentucky and auburn. but thats not the problem i no. its is our defense. Martinez sucks first of all!! Van Gorder makes him look like an idiot. Mark Richt needs to step up and fire him!!!!
Guess what fans, things will be just as tough next year. Same cast of characters in SEC except we add an LSU-beating Arkansas. Non-SEC we open with Ok-St who hung with Oklahoma for 3 quarters and has their ENTIRE starting offense returning, and Arizona State - who is up in the air (loses 5 starters on offence and 4 on defense). LSU clearly has a better quarterback than what we saw and Tebow is supposed to be returning along with Rainey and Harvin. UT stomped Kentucky with whom we struggled. If Stafford leaves, Cox could do fine, Samuel as well with healthy and deep O-line. So it's back to the defense. Junkyard Dawgs? Nah, Junkyard Dawgs don't just tackle, they consume. This D tries to do the bump down the sideline. Awful, simply awful...
Georgia has a lot of recruits that were very good ball players ranked with rivals. the past three years we have really loaded the bench, I find it very odd that the same players commiting personal fouls week after week were still playing. and missed tackles have to be a topic on film day. four on the run by Ronnie around the right side. this defense will not be able to play against Ohio State, thier running back is bad news and he will not tackle easy. it's been a long time since a
Georgia defense looked this bad. everyone is talking. the talking football guys even wonder "where's the defense " It's Marks problem and he will have to deal with it. and I am sure they will.
I am sick. Sick of looking at a Georgia defense that used to be known as junkyard dawgs. We play more like prima poodles. Bump and run. We bump they run. Martinez, what can we say. 59th in defense before the tech game. 9th in defence in the SEC. More personal fouls in one season than Alabama and Florida combined. Cant blame the players, they are only a reflection of what they are coached.
Special teams. What a joke. We have a kicker that can put the ball in the endzone. We like to pooch kick to the sideline that either is returned to the thirty five or placed on the fourty when it goes out of bounds. What the h*** is that about. Better coverage - not. Better to let the team start on the twenty.
Sure we have had injuries, but we have been injured for two years?
Please CMR - you are a man of integrity and honor. Do what needs to be done. You know the answer, tell your friend the truth and coach for the school that pays your salary.