Georgia Football: Fans Fall Short in Arkansas Defeat

The Georgia Bulldogs may have taken themselves out of SEC contention for good on Saturday, after an unsuccessful late-game rally against No. 12 Arkansas. The fans, however, took themselves out of the game before it even started.

If you had harnessed the energy inside Sanford Stadium during the first 55 minutes of play, you could not have lit a firefly. The fans fell as flat as Georgia's offense and defense combined—and then some.

Lots of criticism has been leveled at the Dawgs and their coaching staff following their worst SEC start since 1993 - and some of it is deserved. But many fans seem to expect a loss now and act accordingly.

If you were at the UGA v. Arkansas game, showed up on time, cheered whether things were good or bad, and stayed until the end, count yourself in the minority. There were big swaths of empty seats in both end zones and the upper decks from kick-off all the way through. The crowd was mostly sluggish and the response seemed halfhearted even when Georgia players waved their arms for noise while Arkansas' offense was on the field.

When do you see empty seats at Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina or Alabama games? Fans inside those stadiums rock the foundation prior to kick-off and don't let up.

During Saturday's Auburn v. Clemson game, Auburn fans were in it from start to finish, even when the Tigers were down 0-17.

One week ago, the Tennessee fans yelled themselves hoarse against Oregon, weathered a rain delay, and came back to support their fledgling team of mostly freshman against the No. 7 team in the country.

Why the lack of passion Georgia fans? Have we gotten so disappointed by missed opportunities in recent years that we don't emotionally show up for games now?

The truth is, Bulldog fans don't strike terror in the hearts of opposing teams much anymore and Sanford Stadium doesn't top the list as the toughest place to play in the SEC. Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, The Swamp in Gainesville, Jordan-Hare in Auburn and Bryant-Denny in Tuscaloosa are mentioned most often.

The lack of Georgia fans' enthusiasm was evident on Saturday. At one point, the tiny island of Razorback supporters out-yelled us.

Sure, the heat was stifling and the Dawgs played erratically. But don't go to the game if you aren't going to be present 100 percent.

Even the hyped-up graphics and music of "Drive Starter" and "Drive Stopper" sequences playing on the big screen couldn't get the crowd fired up. It wasn't until late in the fourth quarter, when the Dawgs launched a big comeback, that fans finally came alive—at least the ones still there. Many bailed after a failed Georgia possession at the top of the fourth quarter with the score 24-10.

The people who hung in until the end rallied loudly when Georgia rebounded. Unfortunately, the last-minute surge of energy was too little, too late from fans and players.

The Dawgs certainly aren't playing like we expect or want them too, but many fans aren't living up to their end of the bargain either.

Georgia has an incredible football history and Sanford Stadium is an amazing venue.

If you want a championship team, act like a championship fan inside the stadium.