Lights Out in Athens: Alabama Rolls Over Georgia

A lot was made of the Georgia-Alabama game heading into Saturday night.

The Blackout. "Georgia's going to their funeral." The biggest game in Athens in years. GameDay in town for the first time in 10 years. The SEC's best running game vs. the conference's best run defense. Florida's loss. USC's loss.
 
It turns out that a lot was made about nothing.
 
Alabama ruled both lines of scrimmage and in turn dominated Georgia. Nick Saban out-coached Mark Richt. John Parker Wilson played nearly flawless football. Julio Jones showed why everyone that isn't already talking about him should be.
 
Saban sent a message to the college football world: Saban and Alabama are back.
 
Ask any Tide fan, and they'd be lying if they told you they knew this would happen. Number three versus number eight games simply don't turn out this way. However, the Alabama players clearly knew they could win this game and win it convincingly—and that is exactly what they did.
 
They played spotlessly, earning only one penalty in the first half, that on a bizarre delay of game call when 'Bama kicker Leigh Tiffin failed to kick off.

It was no secret that Georgia's young and inexperienced offensive line was vulnerable to a strong pass rush and UA just happens to have an outstanding one, led by the massive, and aptly named, Terrence "Mount" Cody.
 
Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford did the best he could with the limited protection provided. In short, he ran for his life.

Alabama ended the game with only two sacks, but Stafford was pressured all night. At times, only rushing three or four defenders, Alabama was able to disrupt the Georgia offense, forcing Stafford to make quick, and at times bad, decisions with the football.
 
Stafford pleaded with his O-line to own the line of scrimmage. The 'Bama defense was shutting down the run, and it was not lost on anyone that Georgia would need plays through the air to get back in this game.

Running back Knowshon Moreno was nowhere to be found. Richt and the Bulldogs seemed to abandon the run quickly—Moreno had five rushing attempts at the half.
 
Beneath a black Athens sky, the first half ended quickly. At the half: Alabama 31, Georgia 0. The blacked-out fans between the hedges were dumbstruck. "Those are our Bulldogs," they asked as a dejected UGA team walked to the locker room.
 
Heading to the locker room himself, Richt, in a rare moment of unfiltered language, said about his defense, "We'll have to get after their ass."
 
Georgia fans have always shown great confidence and belief in their team. In their eyes no lead is insurmountable. This young Georgia team is capable of playing with great, controlled emotion. One couldn't help but believe UGA would put something together in the second half.

But 31-0? That would prove to be too much to hurdle.
 
UGA overcame two penalties in their opening second half possession to secure a field goal. The Bulldog defense forced two straight three-and-outs and began to show a glance of energy. A Georgia blocked punt brought a glimmer of life to Stanford Stadium.
 
On Georgia's third possession, Stafford found the time to complete six consecutive passes, culminating with a tremendous catch by electrifying freshman receiver A.J. Green.

This was a positive sign since the freshman was clearly rattled earlier in the game. In the second quarter Green fumbled a catch that led to an Alabama touchdown. Green was inconsolable on the sideline following that mistake, and the Bulldog Nation worried that he would be ineffective for the remainder of the game.

However, Stafford knew he'd have to get him involved again if they were to have any hope to get back in the game.
 
Green's third quarter catch led to a Moreno touchdown run two plays later. The sophomore running back hurt his wrist on an earlier play, but you knew he would find a way into the end zone. It took a stiff arm with his ailing wrist to get there, but he made it happen.

Stanford was awakened, Moreno was running to the sideline showing the enthusiasm that only he can, and Bulldog fans were wondering, "Is this possible?" 31-10, with Georgia momentum.
 
An Alabama punt opened the fourth quarter and Prince Miller promptly returned it for 92 yards. That return was the second longest in UGA history.

Suddenly the Bulldogs were making a game out of what once looked like a lost cause. The sea of black in the stadium was alive with waving red pom-poms, believing they were going to witness something truly remarkable.
 
But Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide snuffed out Georgia's hopes of a rally as they answered with 10 straight points.
 
Two more Stafford touchdown passes made the score respectable, but the game was anything but that. Georgia's valiant comeback was admirable but proved to be much too little, too late. They were unable to recover from the early hole in which they found themselves, and outside of that 10-minute span the game was never within reach.
 
The questions raised in Georgia's previous games—the offensive line protection issues and ill-advised penalties—haunted this Bulldog team. The lack of discipline is concerning.

Yet the Bulldog Nation should remember it was a similar loss last season (to Tennessee, 35-14) that turned the season around. If there is a way to learn victory in defeat, Coach Richt has shown he is capable of teaching it.
 
Richt said after the game, "This year, we still have control of our destiny in the Eastern Division. It's still wide open. We've got the open date to get stronger and heal up and get the game plan for Tennessee. All hope is not lost by any means."
 
All hope is not lost, Georgia fans. Not even your national championship title hopes, especially in light of the turn of events in the entire college football universe this past week. Anything can, and will, happen.
 
Georgia must turn their eyes to, coincidentally, Tennessee and Vanderbilt next. A tough road game in Baton Rouge and the Cocktail Party follow. This was only the first test in a season filled with many trials.
 
As Jack Welch said, "Control your own destiny or someone else will." The Bulldogs believe they have two destinies: SEC Championship and national championship.
 
The dress rehearsal for the SEC season ended when the game began on Saturday night. Ask any of the UGA players, and they'd say they'd love a second take.

If they move on from this loss, correct the mistakes and pull off another run like they did to close the 2007 season, they'll likely get another shot at the Tide in Atlanta in the SEC Championship game.
 
And perhaps a shot at their ultimate destiny: a national championship.