Picking the ten best Georgia games of the decade is no easy task. The Bulldogs had many triumphs and their fair share of heart-breakers this decade. Georgia fans know the ups and downs of college football perhaps better than any other fan base.
The Bulldogs went 99-36 over this decade. The decade is split between the Mark Richt and Kirby Smart era. Smart went 43-12, while Richt went 56-24. The 2010s started with UGA’s first losing season since 1996: the ugly 6-7 2010 season. It’s been much better since then. Now, the team enters every season with college football playoff expectations.
I will only say it once: these are the best Georgia games of the decade, NOT the best Georgia wins. Unfortunately, Georgia has been on the losing side of some of these incredible games. They’ve won some barn-burners as well. Here we go:
10. September 28th, 2013: Georgia 44, LSU 41
The ninth-ranked Bulldogs knocked off the sixth-ranked LSU Tigers in Athens. The shoot out featured: Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall, Aaron Murray, Chris Conley, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and Jeremy Hill.
Aaron Murray led Georgia on a clutch drive with the Dawgs trailing and completed a touchdown to Justin Scott-Wesley with under two-minutes to play. Georgia’s defense stepped up and shut down LSU on their final drive of the game, including a clutch Leonard Floyd sack.
9. September 10th, 2011: South Carolina 45, Georgia 42
Jadeveon Clowney and the 12th-ranked Gamecocks knocked off the unranked Bulldogs 45-42 in Athens. The game featured a back and forth final quarter, where the teams combined to score 39 total points. South Carolina got the last laugh when Clowney strip sacked Aaron Murray to score a late touchdown.
Was this the peak version of South Carolina? They were quite stacked back then, when they had Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Alshon Jeffery, and Marcus Lattimore. I’d say they were better without Stephen Garcia at the helm. Connor Shaw was much more consistent than Garcia and didn’t turn the football over as much.
8. October 28th, 2012: Georgia 17, Florida 9
Georgia opened the game with a Todd Gurley touchdown, then the game became a defensive grind. Jarvis Jones and UGA’s defense forced six Gator turnovers en route to victory.
Malcolm Mitchell scored a key 45 yard touchdown to give the Dawgs some breathing room in the fourth quarter. Video is courtesy of UGA Vault:
Mitchell’s touchdown gave the defense all the help it needed. Tenth-ranked Georgia held on to win 17-9 over second-ranked Florida. Many fans forget: Florida drove the ball down the field and with a little more than two minutes left, Jarvis Jones stripped Florida tight end Jordan Reed. Reed would’ve had a first down for Florida, who had moved the ball into the red zone.
7. September 9th, 2017: Georgia 20, Notre Dame 19
Jake Fromm won his first real test of the 2017 season with a monster win over the 24th ranked Fighting Irish. Georgia relied on a strong performance from running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. The duo combined for 136 yards.
The fifteenth-ranked Bulldogs relied on an impressive performance from linebackers Roquan Smith, Davin Bellamy, and Lorenzo Carter. The trio each had six plus tackles and a sack.
The play of the game and possibly the decade was Godwin’s one-handed grab in the first half:
6. December 1st, 2018: Alabama 35, Georgia 28
In a de-facto playoff play in game, the number one ranked Alabama Crimson Tide came back from 21-7 and 28-14 deficits to overwhelm the fourth-rated Bulldogs. Georgia fell in perhaps Jake Fromm’s best game in the red and black.
Jalen Hurts took-over for the injured Tua Tagovailoa and led the Crimson Tide all the way back and then some. The sequel to the 2017 National Championship was as good as advertised. The Crimson Tide went on to lose to Clemson in the National Championship.
The SEC Championship may have been headed for overtime, but the Bulldogs ran a fake punt to Justin Fields and failed to convert on fourth and eleven at midfield. Hurts took advantage and scored a rushing touchdown with less than a minute to go. Fromm led the Dawgs down the field, but they couldn’t score on their last gasp hail-mary.
5. October 1st, 2016: Tennessee 34, Georgia 31
The 25th ranked Bulldogs built up a 17-0 first half lead on the Volunteers. The 11th rated Vols scored right before the half to make the game more interesting. Georgia was up 24-14 entering the fourth quarter before the Vols scored 20 points.
The game’s drama was just getting started in the forth quarter. Tennessee scored with 2:56 left to take their first lead of the game. Jacob Eason and Georgia responded with a 47 yard pass to Riley Ridley. Ridley scored with ten seconds left, then Tennessee hit a miracle pass after the Dawgs had a short kickoff. The last couple plays of this game were wild:
4. November 16th, 2013: Auburn 43, Georgia 38
In one of the most memorable seasons of college football ever, the Auburn Tigers couldn’t be put away in the closing minutes of any game (we’re looking at you too Alabama) until the National Championship. The Tigers entered the game as the number seven team in the nation. Georgia checked in at 25th.
Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley and company responded well to Auburn’s initial onslaught in Jordan-Hare. Trailing 37-17 in the fourth quarter the Bulldogs scored three straight touchdowns to take a narrow one point lead over the Tigers. Georgia’s defense stopped Auburn until the Tigers had one final effort on fourth and eighteen:
Aaron Murray brought the UGA offense all the way to the Auburn 20 before failing to get a throw to the end zone with three seconds left. This loss wasn’t Murray’s fault.
3. January 8th, 2018: Alabama 26, Georgia 23 (OT)
In another all-SEC National Championship Game, the Georgia Bulldogs came out to play in the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Georgia took a 13-0 lead into halftime before Alabama and Nick Saban benched starting quarterback Jalen Hurts for Tua Tagovailoa.
The momentum shifted immediately. Alabama used a pair of freak interceptions, some excellent quarterback play from Tua, and one long overtime pass on second and twenty-six to win the game in overtime.
My favorite moment of the game has to be Mecole Hardman’s third quarter touchdown:
2. December 1st, 2012: Alabama 32, Georgia 28
Could Mark Richt finally win the big-game at Georgia? The second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide and third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs squared off in an instant classic in the 2012 SEC Championship Game. Freshman Todd Gurley was unstoppable and kept churning out yardage after contact.
The Bulldogs kept battling the Crimson Tide, who couldn’t be stopped in the second half. Eddie Lacy ran for 181 yards on the day and Amari Cooper burned the Dawgs for 128 yards a touchdown with three minutes left. Aaron Murray took Georgia’s offense to the five yard line before Chris Conley was tackled in bounds and time expired. The game had an incredible tension throughout the forth quarter and kept Bulldog fans on the edge of their seats with their hearts beating out their chests.
Georgia’s play of the game was Alec Ogletree’s kick block touchdown return (thirty second mark):
1. January 1st, 2018: Georgia 54, Oklahoma 48
Georgia’s first College Football Playoff game proved to be a success against Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma. Mayfield and the Sooner offense quickly scored 21 on the Dawgs and took a 31-17 lead into the half.
Both teams responded to the other’s explosive plays throughout. There were numerous long touchdowns including six touchdowns over twenty-five yards. Jake Fromm and Georgia tied things up at 45 with a Nick Chubb touchdown to force overtime.
The first overtime was tight, with both teams kicking a field goal. Georgia blocked Oklahoma’s kick in the second period. With no pressure on their offense, Georgia put the hands in the ball of Sony Michel:
With over 100 points and over 1,000 yards combined, the 2018 Rose Bowl is Georgia’s game of the decade. Bulldog fans hope the next decade will be even better.
