ATHENS, Ga. --- Call it the collapse against Kentucky.
Georgia looked like it had built up momentum to carry into its showdown with rival Georgia Tech, but the Bulldogs blew a 14-point halftime lead and the Wildcats left Sanford Stadium on Saturday night with a 34-27 victory, their first in Athens since 1977.
The Bulldogs gave the game away with four second-half turnovers, the most costly coming when Georgia was poised to tie the game late.
On third-and-goal at the 1-yard line, quarterback Joe Cox pitched the ball left to Washaun Ealey, but Ealey never came down with the ball. Instead, Kentucky's Danny Trevathan recovered the fumble at the 2 with 2:21 to play.
Georgia's defense held, but Cox threw his second interception with 1:45 to play when Sam Maxwell picked off a pass in Georgia territory.
Cox also was intercepted under pressure on a screen pass that fell into the hands of Shane McCord. The defensive tackle returned it 15 yards to the Georgia 8.
That set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Wildcats quarterback Randall Cobb for what turned out to be the game-winning score.
It was the latest chapter of Georgia's disappointing season despite the Bulldogs outgaining Kentucky 487-260. The Wildcats (7-4, 3-4 SEC) ensured that this Georgia team will have the worst record of any in coach Mark Richt's nine seasons.
The Wildcats snapped a 15-game losing streak in Athens, winning for the first time since 1977. All the way back when Richt was a high school quarterback in Boca Raton, Fla.
Georgia (6-5, 4-4) now needs to upset No. 7 Georgia Tech on Saturday night in Atlanta and win its bowl game to keep alive its 12-year streak at least eight victories in a season. The Bulldogs' five losses are the most since the 1996 team went 5-6.
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks' team already was bowl-eligible, but it now has all but locked up an invite. The Wildcats have won their past three SEC road games and five of six overall.
The Bulldogs are now likely headed to a lower-tier bowl. The Outback, Liberty and Independence bowls had representatives at the game.
Reach Marc Weiszer at marc.weiszer@morris.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
uga7 dies, first loss to UK in athens since 77, Georgia Tech #7 in the country? Losing to Tech in less than 7 days? Lots of #7 coincidences there....
Guys...it was pitiful! And next Saturday won't be any better. Bring it on, though. If we can dish it out, we outta be able to take it also!
UGA should move down to Division II football. Two fumbles, two interceptions and 75 yards in penalties, opening drive showing some punch then just a field goal - typical UGA stats, Coach Richt does not understand coaching fundamentals. Coach Richt has proven he can't play in the same league as Florida, Alabama, Tennesse and LSU. Okay so he almost beats Division 1 Kentucky and they celebrated this year's win over Vandy; these two teams are hardly ever a threat in Division I ball. Is Jim Donnan available? Isn't Joe Cox a senior. He's in for a miserable time next Saturday.
I wonder what the north campus looks like this morning? I guess UGA VII knew what was coming and chose not to hang around to witness that mess. Maybe they should put his crystal ball on E-Bay and use the proceeds to fund a defense and some discipline for next year. At least the team dancing taunts are over, huh?
UGA fans, look at the bright side, you could have Les Miles and his coaching staff instead of just needing a defensive coordinator.
I love my DAWGS! You can't blame coaching for poor execution by your atheletes. But....you can blame coaching for not pulling those guys out and playing others. How bad has a defense gotta be to give up 34 to Big Fat Blue? Hecl, Vandy played Tennessee better than we did. It's time for discipline, heart and that old junkyard mentality to make a come back in Athens. For the players too. GO DAWGS!!!
I haven't seen a quarterback look that bad between the hedges since... Reggie Ball. Go Dogs and pound the yellow maggots.
Georgia's coach is over-rated and his failure to hold the Wildcats highlights that fact. Those mistakes & penalty cost the Bulldogs that victory and should demand some serious questions be answered. Is this coach serious about winning because Saturday's game didn't show much.
I wonder what Tyrone Willingham is doing these days? Maybe they could hire him to better motivate and encourage the minority players. If nothing else, he should have quite a collection of post-game condolence talks after his 0-12 season at Washington.
You Georgia fans are the worst. This is why I cant stand yall! Last week yall were so joyous after beating Auburn; forgeting the miserable prior games. Now you fickle dead dawgs are whimpering again. Any of yall going to yall's bowl eligible game? lol. Yall stink.
Mychronicle, why is a LSU fan posting here and who is typing for you? lol
Just a friendly reminder. From the "Georgia's Bowl Picture still fuzzy" article from last week. I think that picture is getting clearer now.
"or, sambo, more likely, they'll finish 8-4, with a victory over the acc champs.
Posted by smartie on Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:45 AM"
"They will beat Kentucky. Tech will be more difficult unfortunately.
Posted by roundaboutway on Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:54 AM"
Where are y'all this morning? Still sleeping it off in the North Campus park under cardboard beer boxes?
Surely, there is not a bowl willing to extend an invite? If so, let's hope stupidity would not be such that they accept.
UGA fans "travel well", somebody will take them just for the RV's full of boozers and litterbugs.
ga fans? did they honor the ray goff era last night? did i miss something? how about the opening 2nd half fumble (with a 2 td lead)? and the int. on our own 20 to follow. classic goff era f-ball. somethings got to change in athens. bobo's run, run, pass is getting kind of predictable. martinez's defense, well, the numbers speak for themselves. and then, the fumble at the goal line. pathetic. i never dreamed that our offense could ever be this bad under mark richt.
I'm telling ya, now is the time to make an offer for Miles or Mangino. Y'all should be able to get a good price!
i would think those guys are pretty secure. i think richt is, too! i hate to see the firing begin, but, i'm afraid it's time. they just absolutely blew that one last night. tech will slaughter ga if they go in there and turn that thing over 4 times. heck, they're probably going to kill 'em, anyway. if i was ol' sonny, i'd hold off another week on lending one of my dawgs to this bunch. poor thing might develop some sort of a complex when he sees what they got coming. church time. y'all have a nice day.
Justus, as suspected I see you haven't played much sports. Remember, the players play the game. It's called execution.
One of the things that bothers me the most is the stupid penalties like hitting people out of bounds, etc. That is a sign of poor coaching. And where is Ga ranked in penalties? Third from the bottom for Div 1 schools. I have seen Joe Paterno get right in a players face when they have done the same thing and chew their butt out. Richt has about as much fire as the dearly departed Uga VII.
Quit beating up Coach Richt! He didn't throw the interceptions, fumble the ball, or cause any penalties. Just because this season was less (OK, much less) than expected, you can't ignore the loss of Stafford and Moreno as juniors as really depleting the talent pool. I am sorry, but Joe Cox is not only not NFL material, he wasn't UGA material, only the best UGA had at the moment. That is not Coach Richt's fault...next year is to be different, Tebow will be gone and the SEC-East will belong to UGA!
At least I won't have to listen to any gloating from boorish Ga. fans at work Monday morning. Might turn out to be a good week after all.
Get used to it UGA. Parity within the SEC and college football in general is here. On any given Saturday!!!! How would you like to be Notre Dame fan with all their history of winning.
This is exactly the kind of thing that happens once your dog dies. Everything just gets worse. It's only a football game. The dog was more important because UGA VII was a living thing. And I hate to say it but UGA is in way over their heads against Tech this year. And what happened to LSU yesterday against Ole Miss? Perhaps it was those fine gentlemen decked out in their tailored finest in front of the Ole Miss Chapel that put the big hex on the Tigers? Who knows? And even Apex is right, the attendance at Church has been down since Notre Dame started losing. What is this world coming too? Get the Bloody Mary mix out of the fridge, it's going to be a long Sunday.
Richt is the reincarnation of Ray Goff. It's all down hill from here.
jrb - Did you not watch John Brantley play the 2nd half as the Gator QB? He is a much better passer than Teebow and threw for 3 TD's in about 10 mins. More of the same next year in Jacksonville. Enjoy the party, give your tickets to a Gator fan who will enjoy the game while you sit outside in the tailgate lot and drown your sorrows. Oh yeah, Brantley hasn't thrown a single interception this year, so Cox has him beat in that category anyway.
For starters jrbfromga read Jake's comment right above yours. Have you not wondered why GA never learns from penalties and week after week nothing changes in that department - maybe poor coaching. Richt doesn't seem to tell his team (and himself) that their opponent is playing to win unlike him and his team as just showing up.
With the GA mindset and Coach Richt I don't believe we will ever beat FL again and I might as well count AL and TN. How do they go about getting a Division II application? In the 1960s in a GA vs. GA Tech game they had to name a GA most valuable player, whihc was the punter - a very dull game if you were a Dawg fan. Look for a repeat Saturday.
Hey JerryAtrick, did you not recognize the opponent? Of course Brantley looked good...hell, I could have looked good against a team made up mostly of people who don't speak English and their original football game was what we know as soccer.
jerry, yoy mean brantley lit up that powerful florida international secondary? my word, he must be awesome. look out citadel! the gators got a new quarterback!