Georgia does a 180 in unlikely comeback win

ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia started it for pride. They finished it for Rambo.

Recovering from one of the most ineffective first-quarter efforts imaginable, the Bulldogs rallied to beat rival Auburn 31-24. Redemption turned into determination after freshman Baccari Rambo gave up his body to keep the Bulldogs ahead.

Rambo was knocked unconscious and carted off the field after crumbling to the turf in a massive collision at the goal line that dislodged the ball from Tigers receiver Mario Fannin in what likely would have been the game-tying touchdown with 1:16 left. After their comrade left the field under chants of "Rambo! Rambo!," the Bulldogs weren't about to let their comrade fall for nothing.

On the ensuing third-and-11 from the 23, Auburn quarterback Chris Todd was sacked under a wave by Burke County graduate Cornelius Washington and Justin Houston. Then on fourth down, Todd's pass into the end zone was busted up by the backfield tag team of Brandon Boykin and Bryan Evans.

"When we saw him go down, we just wanted to finish out strong for him," safety Reshad Jones said.

The Georgia victory seemed utterly unfathomable after the Bulldogs' first 15 minutes of misery. It was perhaps the best in-game turnaround in the state of Georgia since Tiger Woods turned an opening-nine 40 into a 12-stroke victory at the 1997 Masters Tournament.

That's not to imply that the Bulldogs were signaling any arrival of a new era in football dominance Saturday night. This was more of a salvation effort. And you couldn't have found a single person in the bleachers who would have thought it possible after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter.

There was a palpable sense in Sanford Stadium that the home team was heading for rock bottom -- and fast. Angry fans were booing before the Bulldogs' second official snap of the game. They were screaming for the offensive and defensive coordinators to be fired before halftime.

Until then, this was hardly an installment of the Deep South's oldest rivalry. Resignation seemed in the air even during the punch line to Larry Munson's pregame video speech.

"Let all the Bulldog faithful rally behind the men who now wear the red and black with two words, two simple words which express the sentiments of the entire Bulldog Nation ... bowl eligible!"

Or was it "fire Martinez?"

Perhaps I was just hearing things.

Lower-tier bowl hopes seemed a distant consideration during the most pitiful first quarter effort in the Mark Richt era.

Auburn scored on its opening two possessions with touchdown strikes to uncovered receivers. The Tigers' first 74-yard march required no third downs. The second drive of 82 yards included third-down conversions of 12, 8 and 10 yards. They owned the ball 11 of the first 15 minutes.

Georgia, meanwhile, didn't reach positive yardage until the final play of the quarter, when Caleb King's 6-yard run pushed the Bulldogs' total output to plus-5 in seven plays.

When a former Savannah columnist was asked whether he'd ever seen four consecutive possessions more inept than the two defensive and offensive efforts the Bulldogs had just made, his quick response was "not since the Tennessee game."

Even worse was expected when leading Bulldogs bright spot A.J. Green was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury after a pair of 12-yard receptions that seemed to fire up the Georgia offense.

"When we got down 14-0, things could have certainly gone really, really wrong," Richt said.

Yet, suddenly it was Georgia that was doing everything right. The Bulldogs went 33 minutes without a penalty from the first to third quarters. They didn't have a turnover for the first time in 14 games. They won the turnover battle (2-0) for the first time this season. They put pressure on the quarterback. They ran the ball effectively. It was unlike anything they had shown all season.

And when it came down to another fourth-quarter shootout, the Bulldogs dug deep and found a way to win. Georgia took the lead 17-14 in the third quarter after a huge break, when Orson Charles turned a should-be interception by Auburn into a 34-yard gain that eventually set up a Washaun Ealey touchdown.

Auburn came back to tie it.

Georgia reclaimed the lead when Caleb King busted up the middle for an 11-yard score after a huge third-and-long pass to Tavarres King.

Auburn came right back with a 99-yard kickoff return.

The undaunted Dogs converted an interception into a 24-yard Caleb King touchdown run and a 31-24 lead with 6:52 remaining.

So here it was again -- success or failure hinging on the much-maligned defense making a stop. As Auburn's offense marched down the field, that prospect seemed unlikely until Rambo broke up the pass that changed everything.

After that, it had to end the way it did. The instability of overtime would not have been fitting tribute to Saturday's reversal of fortune.

The victory doesn't make Georgia a dynasty in the making. But it was a welcome recovery.

Here's hoping Rambo -- who Richt said was moving "every single part of his body" -- recovers as nicely to appreciate the resurrection he helped fashion.

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.