Georgia overcame a slow start and early sloppiness to outlast ancient rival Auburn 31-24 tonight in Sanford Stadium.
“One thing I’ve learned, it is more fun to win than to lose,” exclaimed a relieved Georgia head coach Mark Richt. “We stayed together, we kept grinding and we kept working. We cut down on our penalties and we won the turnover ratio and we won the game”
Bacarri Rambo made a devastating hit on Auburn running back Mario Fannin around the Georgia goalline with 1:07 remaining to separate Fannin from the ball and keep Auburn from tying the game. However, the redshirt freshman from Donalsonville, GA, remained on the turf for several minutes after the hit with an apparent neck injury.
Rambo lost consciousness but appeared to be OK after being carted off the field. An official diagnosis has not been determined as of yet.
The Georgia defense seemed to get a lift out of seeing their fallen comrade on the field for several minutes. Auburn had a 3rd and 11 after that play, but quarterback Chris Todd was sacked for a seven yard loss by Cornelius Washington after the delay. That brought up fourth and 18 from the UGA 30. Todd’s pass was broken up and the Dawgs had beaten Auburn for the fourth time in a row.
“Their guys went out and made plays when it counted and our guys didn’t,” said Auburn coach Gene Chizik.
DAWGS GET PAST 1ST QUARTER WOES
The Dawgs barely stayed in the game as Auburn got out to an early 14-0 lead and boos rained down on the Bulldog squad. But Joe Cox hit Israel Troupe on a play-action pass from 50 yards out to get Georgia back in the game.
“It certainly didn’t start out well with the two drives for touchdowns, going down 14-0,” stated Richt. “And quite frankly, having three penalties early was a little frustrating. But from that point on, we played great defense. We played good enough defense to let our offense get it going.”
Auburn’s offense would score only 10 points after their opening drive as the Bulldog defense stiffened.
Georgia scored the first 10 points of the second half to take a 17-14 lead and looked as if they may blow the game open. The offense was running the ball almost at will on the suspect Tiger defense while the Dawgs’ D found the formula to stop the Tiger attack.
But Auburn would not roll over. The Tigers tied the game on a Wes Byrum field goal that bounced off the upright and in from 37 yards out.
However, Georgia’s Caleb King would account for two touchdowns in the final quarter to give Georgia the lead for good. Auburn responded to King’s first touchdown, an 11-yard run up the middle, with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Demond Washington.
But Joe Cox and Co. would drive 39 yards in four plays after a Reshad Jones interception for another King touchdown, this one from 24 yards away.
The Dawgs’ second half resurgence was partially aided by the lack of penalties and turnovers they committed. UGA was flagged only once in the second stanza for just five yards while intercepting Todd once in the fourth.
DAWGS RUSHING ATTACK TAKES CONTROL
Georgia‘s previously anemic rushing attack totaled 169 yards today and three touchdowns to lead the Bulldog’s second half surge. Washaun Ealey against led the Dawgs with 98 yards rushing while backfield mate Caleb King toted the rock for 66 yards.
“We just came in and said we were going to run the ball more,” explained Ealey. “Really, they never stopped us on the run so we knew that’s what we had to do.”
After gaining just 38 yards in the first half, the running game got going in the second half to key the victory.
“We ran the ball better as the game went on,” declared coach Richt. “We began to control the clock a lot better.”
Richt went on to state that the running game has been steadily improving for a few weeks now.
“We started running the ball pretty well at Vanderbilt,” said Richt. “I think it all started when we made a little change in the offensive line. And then I think our backs are maturing.”
FOUR-GAME STREAK OVER AUBURN A RARE OCCASION
For the first time since 1948, Georgia has beaten Auburn four times in a row. This comes as a welcome bit of good news for a Georgia team that is looking for something to hang their hats on during this disappointing season.
“It feels great just to make that memory,” said Rennie Curran. “As hard as we work as a team and as much as we’ve been through, it feels good that we still did something positive. We can really build on it.”
It was also a source of motivation for the Dawgs during the week, as Richt mentioned the four-game streak several times.
“It’s something that coach Richt mentioned,” stated Curran. “He’s a guy that loves to tell us about history. It gave us the opportunity to realize that we can be a part of history by winning (tonight).”
INJURIES
AJ Green sprained the AC joint in his shoulder. He is out indefinitely. But the Dawgs’ offense compensated for his departure by getting big receptions from Israel Troupe, Tavarres King, and Orson Charles in the second half.
“It was good to see when he went out that we got other guys that can make plays,” Richt said. “It was a wonderful night for Troupe to come in right away and score a touchdown and then have another fine catch.”
Bacarri Rambo lay motionless on the field for about ten minutes late in the fourth quarter after his hit on Fannin. But Rambo appears to be okay and not severely injured.
“We don’t think there’s anything severe I the long term,” said Richt. “We put him on the flatboard more as a precaution than anything.”
Black can be reached at sblack@scoreatl.com.
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