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I think this year Coach Richt going to have to work for that money. Good luck Georgia.
STILLWATER, Okla. --- Oklahoma State's high-powered offense wasn't hitting on all cylinders. Georgia's offense looked like it was still using training wheels.
The No. 13 Bulldogs used some early flash but fizzled out Saturday in a 24-10 loss to the ninth-ranked Cowboys before a record crowd of 53,012 fans at Boone Pickens Stadium.
It's only a one-game sample, but the transition from quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno to Joe Cox and Richard Samuel didn't provide much encouragement for Georgia fans.
The Bulldogs opened the game by marching 80 yards in 10 plays -- including new wrinkles with cornerback Branden Smith and backup quarterback Logan Gray taking direct snaps on running plays -- on a drive that ended with Cox hitting Michael Moore on a 4-yard touchdown.
"We felt confident coming into the game that we'd be able to do some things and be successful, but we just weren't able to after that first drive," offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. "I feel like right now I could have done a better job. I thought our guys played hard, and I just didn't put them in enough great position to make some plays."
Cox made his second career start and first since 2006 after a separate flight to Oklahoma on Friday night with what he described as a "viral syndrome."
"I wasn't 100 percent, but I definitely felt good enough to play a football game and that's all that mattered," the fifth-year senior said.
Cox completed 15 of 30 passes for 162 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He had several passes batted down, and, with Georgia trailing 17-10 in the fourth quarter, he fumbled after a sack.
Oklahoma State took over at the Georgia 32 and scored on Dez Bryant's second touchdown of the game -- a 12-yard pass from Zac Robinson. Bryant beat safety Bryan Evans for a 46-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Oklahoma State scored 17 points off two fumbles -- the other was by tailback Carlton Thomas -- and Perrish Cox's 74-yard kickoff return.
"Our defense played an incredible game, and we didn't do our part on offense; I didn't do my part as the quarterback," Cox said. "We gave the ball up too many times."
Nobody said replacing Stafford and Moreno, first-round picks in the NFL Draft, would be easy. Georgia scored its lowest total in a season opener since an 11-7 loss to Southern Miss in 1996. The Bulldogs produced 257 yards of offense Saturday.
Georgia rushed for 51 yards on 10 carries in the first quarter when Bobo tried to establish the run with ball control, then just 2 yards on six carries in the second.
Bobo said he wanted Samuel to get 25 carries. The sophomore had 20 for 87 yards. A.J. Green had four catches for 52 yards for Georgia. The longest was a 29-yard catch on the game's opening drive.
"It looked good there for a minute, didn't it," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "I think when we look at the film, we'll see that we're very, very close. Even when things were happening, you could just see we were one block away or just one better hat placement away, especially in the running game."
Reach Marc Weiszer at marc.weiszer@morris.com
GRADING THE BULLDOGS' PERFORMANCE
RUSHING OFFENSE: C-
Richard Samuel posted respectable numbers (20 carries for 87 yards), but the Bulldogs failed to dominate the game on the ground.
PASSING OFFENSE: D-
Georgia had three pass plays of at least 20 yards, and star receiver A.J. Green was essentially a non-factor after a 29-yard grab on the opening possession. Dropped passes, underthrown balls, interceptions, yards after the catch all were issues for the Bulldogs.
COACHING: D
Georgia's offense looked sharp and innovative early, and the defense did a credible job against an offense that averaged 488 yards and 41 points per game a year ago. But the Bulldogs' offense was subpar after the first drive, accumulating 257 yards against a defense that ranked among the nation's worst a year ago.
Comments
I think this year Coach Richt going to have to work for that money. Good luck Georgia.
I love my DAWGS! That was an ugly loss in Stillwater. Poise is good but where is the excitement & fire. IMHO this team took a gracious loss starting in the 3rd qtr kick off. Did our defense play well? Gave up 24 points and much of it to their star player that we knew we had to shut down. High powered running game, accurate passing by Cox, great play calling by Bobo, all these things were missing today. Willie Martinez did his usual poor job of having our guys in position to make great defensive plays. My guess is that any two dimensional team will give us fits this year and this particular group of boys just aren't man enough to even be on the field with teams like Florida. We got a rough season ahead but......I will always be a DAWG LOVER!!!
Willie, what about the two turnovers and the long kick-off return that set up the scores? This defense had this high powered offense scoreless until three minutes left in the first half. But I know these so called Dawg fans will continue to blame Coaches Bobo & Martinez. Richt will begin to hear the critics too. Oklahoma State is a good team and now time will tell how this team reacts. Hey, what a concept, team! A team loss. Not just the players or coaches. The team lost this one. Maybe some of you fair weathered Dawg fans can think about that!
Game was very close, a few catches, less turnovers, less cramps and a couple of questionable calls and this game would have been the other way. What I question is the scheduling of OSU the first week of the season, its great TV but theres a reason that the NFL has preseason games. I would have preferred a Ga Southern or Furman type of opponent for the first week. Have all of Ga starters play about a half and get some work in for the reserves.
Winners or Losers, I am a DAWGS fan till the end! It could have been a no scorer for the DAWGS,but once a DAWG always a DAWG!
The first hit on OK State receiver was illegal but not called. Georgia could have lost by more if the refs were awake. Who will be Georgia's next coach?
it is time for the head coach to get in to the game instead of walking the side line with his dark shades. coach richt has his mind else where. with all the talent, there is no sense in the world we should have lost this game to osu. bobo and martinez should have been gone after last year. i was born and raised in athens, and i have never scene coaching as sorry as this, and i am 60 yrs. old. spurrier will have a field day with us next sat.
3 turnovers, not 2. Missed pass interference on Green. Awful spot on 4th down inside 5 to give OSU 1st down. Phantom block in the back on UGA on kickoff return. 4 dopped passes from Cox. Awful personal foul call on R. Jones. All of the above led to all of OSU's points. UGA defense actually had a good game other than letting OSU receiver get behind them on bomb. Offensive was shaky at best. Got to catch the ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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