Once again, Mark Richt's Georgia Bulldogs stumble on big stage
Georgia coach Mark Richt holds the distinction as SEC’s longest-tenured coach. He also holds the distinction of a coach that can’t win the big one.
Perhaps today’s anticipated matchup between No. 13 Alabama and No. 8 Georgia in Athens could’ve been summed up before it even started. The Bulldogs dashed to the Crimson Tide’s sideline pregame in an attempt to intimidate their players as they ran onto the field for the first time.
Again, the bark was there, but not the bite. And with the loss, Richt falls to 2-5 all-time in his career against Nick Saban-coached teams.
Richt, in his 15th season in Athens, has won two SEC titles with the school, the last seemingly so long ago in 2005. That’s 10 years that have gone by without an SEC title.
It’s not an easy thing to remain relevant, to float among the top teams and always be a danger to rise above them. Richt deserves credit for consistency. After all, how many programs can say they’ve been as consistent as Georgia since Richt arrived in Athens? In his time there, the Bulldogs have been ranked among the AP Top 15 at some point in 14 of 15 seasons, the only exception being 2010.
But that kind of semi-success serves as more of a consistent tease to those in Athens.
The Bulldogs entered this week with a .745 win percentage since Richt arrived in 2001. Only three other Power 5 teams have a better win percentage without winning a national title over that span: Oklahoma, TCU and Oregon. And today’s loss drops the Bulldogs to 38-34 (.528 win pct) against ranked opponents under Richt, going 11-18 against them dating back to 2009.
It doesn’t help that other coaches have stepped in during that time and enjoyed success. Not just the giants like Urban Meyer, Nick Saban and Les Miles, but now also Missouri’s Gary Pinkel, who won the SEC East in just his second and third seasons in the SEC. Coincidentally, his success came immediately after Georgia came up just short against Alabama in the 2012 SEC Championship Game.
Another big game between the hedges. Another game where the fans want to hide behind the hedges. Richt routinely has Georgia in position for an SEC title, but just like a movie sequel may be in position to be great based on its original, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Then, each sequel is worse than the last.
In fact, Alabama did almost exactly the same thing at Sanford Stadium in 2008. Georgia, which was the preseason No. 1, and the rest of its fans wore black as part of a “blackout,” but it was the Tide that brought the Bulldogs down to Earth and buried them with a 31-0 halftime lead. Today, it was much of the same as the Tide raced out to a 24-3 lead at the break.
Still, nobody’s questioning Richt’s ability to bounce back. But how long can his fans do the same?
am tired of being out coached…out played…when is UGA going to win the “big” game? I am not the only person to ask this question. This is the same excuse I hear every time we lose the ” big” game. When is Richt going to say I called the wrong game. I don’t get my team prepared to play. I don’t provide confidence or set expectations to the team that this is a must win game. I feel bad because CMR has done a lot for UGA football…. BUT…..
Enough is enough! Stop making excuses and fix the problem! If you (CMR) are the problem, go down to the AD’s office and hand him your resignation!!! Fix the problems!!! win out and set a fire under your team’s a$$ and bring home what UGA’s fan base has deserved after 35 years of mediocracey! Our goal is to not MAKE IT TO ATLANTA! The goal is to WIN in Atlanta! And win a National championship. Get it?! If you can’t get it done step aside and let us try another route!!! Or……fix it and stop making excuses. Your job is to win not make the team feel good about losing. Take the we were out played, the they where the better team, and stick that up your a$$ because that don’t do a bit of good for the team or the alumni or the donors or the avg good ole fan. Fix it show progress or get out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And let someone else try!!!!!
Should hugh freeze resign since they got throttled by an inferior team? LOL @ you.
Lower ranked, not inferior. It was clear after the Ole Miss / Bama game that (1) Bama was hella good and (2) Ole Miss despite light it up on offense the first few games wasn’t anything like an invincible behemoth. No team is really this year it seems.
I thought the inferior team won in the OM/Bama game. That wasn’t the cast last night.
Been watching this league for 45 years. Some things never change. Once proud Tennessee can’t seem to get out of their own way. Florida has come on in the past 30 years. Mostly because of Spurrier and recruiting. Auburn and Georgia continue to chase ALA. LSU is a little better than Georgia, Auburn, LSU and Florida (Tennessee on the floor hard). The MS schools are better OM has shaken the racist bug and have started to recruit. MS is recruiting better but like Arky, SC probably will never win it all. A&M will have lots of money and make some noise but will never catch ALA. The Bear started it the rest are trying to get it? But not much has changed in 50 years.
I was prepared to see UGA lose a tight, hard-fought game, but this dumpster fire was just embarrassing. I can’t recall when a Richt-coached team looked this bad for 60 minutes. At least they came roaring back in the second half of the ’08 Bama game, and that lopsided loss to LSU in the ’11 SECCG had some really promising first half moments. Getting slobber-knocked for an entire game, at home, as a highly-ranked favorite, under the dean of SEC coaches – I’m completely stunned.
You could say this was the result of a wounded Saban taking out his frustrations, and that an angry Dawg team will head into Knoxville next Saturday to do the same thing. Richt has generally responded well after a loss over the course of his career. The degree to which UGA’s lines were dominated by Bama, though, has me worried these kids have lost confidence and may be shell-shocked for quite a while to come. Losing Isaiah McKenzie to another hammy doesn’t bode well either. This season will likely be defined by the upcoming UT game. Lose that and it could get very, very ugly.
Kudos to Bama, though. That was one of the most impressive performances I’ve seen in a long, long time. They’re still the class of the SEC and if they can play with that kind of intensity the rest of the season, they’re easily back in the playoffs.
In case you haven’t already noticed it, Alabama doesn’t take kindly to being the underdog or being disrespected. Take it from an LSU fan. In 2011, they spent 5 weeks hearing people around the country tell them they didn’t belong in the national championship game. Nothing could have been worse for LSU. I knew they would beat Georgia. When that team has their backs against the wall, they come out fighting. It’s an amazing thing.
Double whammy: one loss already and underdog for the first time in 6 years. I would have much rather the Tide been undefeated and favored.
thanks for the compliment to our guys…im expecting another hard fought game with yall this season, and im glad its not in BR…
Coming from a Alabama fan, I seem to come across articles all the time where UGA fans are constantly blaming CMR for a lost game and wanting him gone. But the moment yall make it to ATL for the SECCG he will “have his team ready to win.” When yall lose then, you want him fired. But my main point is he is a solid coach consistent 10win season coach. If he leaves, who exactly do you think will win it all for you?
It’s simple. There are coaches out there who are waiting for UGA to back a dump truck full of cash up to their door and lure them away from the program they are at. Coaches aren’t loyal, they are contractors, mercenaries if you will, you just have to find the right dollar figure to make them have a “health” problems to step away and come to your corner. Happens all the time.
All Georgia Fans do not listen to fans of other schools when they tell you CMR is a great coach and we should keep him. Why wouldn’t they say that. they like the fact that he can’t win the big game, but keep the win-loss ratio respectable as an sec team.
Coming from a Georgia fan, I agree dellav8r, he is a solid coach consistent 10 win per season coach. Can any GA fan name a couch that is ready and available right now to take this team to the championship. No they cant. I don’t want to take that chance. I don’t want to be like Vols, Gators or Auburn Tigers who have been in search for that championship coach for a few years now. CMR is not at fault. We have to get the right players at the right time. I cant believe we are in this QB debacle now. if you want to blame CMR for that okay. But we only got what we got. Just imagine if we had Murry and those receivers right now. Now then we would have a complete balanced team like the Alabama.
We suffered through the loses to Florida during the Spurrier era. How many times did he beat Georgia with the inferior team? We suffer through loses in big games every year it seems. Richt and his Bulldogs have won a few big games. However, mostly they lose them. I don’t think it’s a talent level thing. Most teams lose a game because they are totally outmatched at every position or a least key positions. Not true with Georgia. They match up with any team in the country. So it is either, the scheme is not a winner or the coaches don’t coach-them -up? Some of the highest paid assistant coaches in the college ranks reside in Athens Georgia. Richt is loyal to a fault and held people like Martinez the DC a year or 2 too long. But, Georgia graduates people above average, puts players in the NFL above average, promotes coaches to their own head coaching jobs above average, and wins year-in-and-year-out above average. So, it rests with Richt. I believe the Gus Malzhan’s, Bileima’s, Sumlin’s, of the world would not be a good fit in Athens. Look how Texas is doing with their 5 million dollar coach. Georgia packs their stadium, sells season tickets, packs the local bars and restraunts , local businesses in Athens thrive. They do all this on an average of 10 wins per year. Athletes want to play at Georgia. Mothers and Fathers want their kid to play for Richt. I just can’t see us trading him for an Urban “FRIGGING” Meyer or some OC or DC out there. My 2 cents. Look at Tennessee for crying out loud. They stink
restaurants
Richt neither threw a pass, tackled or ran the ball. Yes, he can “motivate” but ultimately it comes down to the players.
FIRE MARK RICHT