ATHENS, Ga. -- They poured out of bars and danced around barbeques. They were ringing the chapel bells and toasting the enemy all over campus Saturday afternoon.
By late evening, they were crying in their beers.
Bulldog Nation accepted a Southeastern Conference East division championship so prematurely that they haven't even earned it yet. Georgia faithful made a deal with the devil - well, the Evil Genius anyway - and somehow their collective soul seemed stolen.
The victory bells never tolled for them before midnight.
An emotionally devastating (though not terminal) last-second defeat to Auburn between the hedges left Georgia fans too stunned to move long after the 31-30 result was instantaneously erased from the scoreboard.
This is what they get for celebrating Steve Spurrier. Now only Kentucky stands between the Georgia Dome and the unthinkable - the Gamecocks representing the SEC East in the championship game instead of the Bulldogs.
It all seemed so illogical only seven hours earlier, when elation was the predominant mood in Athens.
A colleague from Savannah happened upon one wildly ecstatic Bulldogs fan into his cups on campus after the South Carolina result was in, and the hated Florida Gators were made as irrelevant as Tennessee.
"We love Steve Spurrier - today we do," said Nicholas Madden, 25, of Augusta, a former Georgia student. "That's the only time you'll ever hear that out of my mouth."
This unholy alliance of Bulldogs and Spurrier seemed sensible in the short term. South Carolina's victory over Florida rendered Saturday night's matchup with Auburn slightly less critical, knowing a division-clinching mulligan was in their pocket next week against Kentucky.
But there was a palpable queasiness all around Sanford Stadium - and it wasn't all because of the alcohol being consumed in mass quantities since morning. There was a clear sense that some sort of cosmic shift in the long-standing balance of the SEC East had taken place on the eastern side of the Savannah River.
Even with a potential division clincher, a bitter rival, a conference title shot and a BCS berth in the immediate future, is it too soon to worry about the second game of 2006?
Larry Munson is already kvetching.
"That will be an interesting trip to Columbia next year," Munson said as he walked to the radio booth to do his pregame show. "(Spurrier) was supposed to have nothing this year and then he kicked more players off the team."
And now the Gamecocks can steal the division if Georgia slips.
"If we don't beat Kentucky, we'll really be miserable," coach Mark Richt said.
Georgia fans who started the day wishing that South Carolina would win, ended it by wishing Kenny Irons was still playing for South Carolina.
Irons, who transferred to Auburn from South Carolina last year, had more than 100 total yards in the first quarter and had two touchdowns before halftime. He finished with 179 yards in one of several brilliant performances in a scintillating game.
Not even a dramatic return by Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley could save the Bulldogs.
Four seasons ago against Auburn provided the David Greene-to-Michael Johnson fourth-down miracle that erased a 20-year inferiority complex.
This time, Shockley didn't get the chance, as Auburn's quarterback converted the miracle. On fourth-and-10 from his own 35, Brandon Cox delivered a dagger to Georgia's heart in the form of a perfect strike to a streaking Devin Aromashodu that gained 62 yards to the Bulldogs' 3.
Worse for Georgia, an apparent Auburn touchdown on the play was reversed, allowing the Tigers to kill the final two minutes before a John Vaughn field goal finished Georgia.
It was a disheartening end to such a promising day. They could have won the SEC East without Spurrier's help. Now they wouldn't have the chance without him.
"If we win next week, we're still in position to play for the conference championship and there's an awful lot to be said for that," Richt said.
Bulldog Nation might have traded its soul for short-term gratification. But Saturday introduced a new threat to the stability atop the SEC East.They might appreciate the assist for now, but after Saturday's hard lessons, the Bulldogs won't be loving on Spurrier ever again.
Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219
or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com. Body CopyATHENS, Ga. -- They poured out of bars and danced around barbeques. They were ringing the chapel bells and toasting the enemy all over campus Saturday afternoon.
By late evening, they were crying in their beers.
Bulldog Nation accepted a Southeastern Conference East division championship so prematurely that they haven't even earned it yet. Georgia faithful made a deal with the devil - well, the Evil Genius anyway - and somehow their collective soul seemed stolen.
The victory bells never tolled for them before midnight.
An emotionally devastating (though not terminal) last-second defeat to Auburn between the hedges left Georgia fans too stunned to move long after the 31-30 result was instantaneously erased from the scoreboard.
This is what they get for celebrating Steve Spurrier. Now only Kentucky stands between the Georgia Dome and the unthinkable - the Gamecocks representing the SEC East in the championship game instead of the Bulldogs.
It all seemed so illogical only seven hours earlier, when elation was the predominant mood in Athens.
A colleague from Savannah happened upon one wildly ecstatic Bulldogs fan into his cups on campus after the South Carolina result was in, and the hated Florida Gators were made as irrelevant as Tennessee.
"We love Steve Spurrier - today we do," said Nicholas Madden, 25, of Augusta, a former Georgia student. "That's the only time you'll ever hear that out of my mouth."
This unholy alliance of Bulldogs and Spurrier seemed sensible in the short term. South Carolina's victory over Florida rendered Saturday night's matchup with Auburn slightly less critical, knowing a division-clinching mulligan was in their pocket next week against Kentucky.
But there was a palpable queasiness all around Sanford Stadium - and it wasn't all because of the alcohol being consumed in mass quantities since morning. There was a clear sense that some sort of cosmic shift in the long-standing balance of the SEC East had taken place on the eastern side of the Savannah River.
Even with a potential division clincher, a bitter rival, a conference title shot and a BCS berth in the immediate future, is it too soon to worry about the second game of 2006?
Larry Munson is already kvetching.
"That will be an interesting trip to Columbia next year," Munson said as he walked to the radio booth to do his pregame show. "(Spurrier) was supposed to have nothing this year and then he kicked more players off the team."
And now the Gamecocks can steal the division if Georgia slips.
"If we don't beat Kentucky, we'll really be miserable," coach Mark Richt said.
Georgia fans who started the day wishing that South Carolina would win, ended it by wishing Kenny Irons was still playing for South Carolina.
Irons, who transferred to Auburn from South Carolina last year, had more than 100 total yards in the first quarter and had two touchdowns before halftime. He finished with 179 yards in one of several brilliant performances in a scintillating game.
Not even a dramatic return by Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley could save the Bulldogs.
Four seasons ago against Auburn provided the David Greene-to-Michael Johnson fourth-down miracle that erased a 20-year inferiority complex.
This time, Shockley didn't get the chance, as Auburn's quarterback converted the miracle. On fourth-and-10 from his own 35, Brandon Cox delivered a dagger to Georgia's heart in the form of a perfect strike to a streaking Devin Aromashodu that gained 62 yards to the Bulldogs' 3.
Worse for Georgia, an apparent Auburn touchdown on the play was reversed, allowing the Tigers to kill the final two minutes before a John Vaughn field goal finished Georgia.
It was a disheartening end to such a promising day. They could have won the SEC East without Spurrier's help. Now they wouldn't have the chance without him.
"If we win next week, we're still in position to play for the conference championship and there's an awful lot to be said for that," Richt said.
Bulldog Nation might have traded its soul for short-term gratification. But Saturday introduced a new threat to the stability atop the SEC East.They might appreciate the assist for now, but after Saturday's hard lessons, the Bulldogs won't be loving on Spurrier ever again.
Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.
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