By Staff
ALL TANGLED UP – Georgia's Fred Gibson (82) catches a second-quarter touchdown pass as Alabama's Anthony Madison (9) defends Saturday.
By Mark Etheridge / special to The Star
Oct. 6, 2002
UGA only undefeated team left in the SEC
TUSCALOOSA The old coaches clich goes, "To win you need to run and stop the run."
Alabama came into the game leading the SEC in rushing. Saturday, the Tide could only manage 109 yards as a team. Conversely, Alabama's defense had previously shut down top runners Dwone Hicks, Quintin Griffin, Derrick Nix, and Cedric Cobbs. Saturday Musa Smith broke the trend gaining 126 yards on 21 carries. Throw in a couple of long pass plays along with a game-winning kick and Georgia (5-0) remained undefeated with 27-25 win over Alabama (4-2).
The Tide loss was their second to a highly ranked team. Their first loss was to then second-ranked Oklahoma. Georgia came into this game ranked sixth.
The Bulldogs got a huge break on their first drive along the way to an opening score. The Dogs moved down the field behind the strong running of the tailback Smith. After reaching the Alabama 25 yard line, quarterback David Greene fumbled the snap. The ball was picked up by
Tide linebacker Derrick Pope who followed his blocking all the way to the Bulldog one where he was knocked out of bounds. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, there was a pre-snap penalty on the offense bringing the play back and giving the offense the ball again despite being the offending party.
Sensing a momentum swing, Richt called for Greene to go deep on the next play. The throw into the endzone for Fred Gibson drew a flag setting up the Bulldogs at the fifteen. Smith raced around left end to score on the next play completing the 82 yard 9 play opening drive.
How would Alabama respond? With the Georgia defense stacking the line, Alabama tailback Santonio Beard found the yards difficult. After a pair of runs gained nothing, quarterback Brodie Croyle connected with Shaud Williams for a 15 yard catch and run. Croyle followed that with laser-beam out pattern to Dre Fulgham who turned it up for 27 yards. The drive stalled there and Michael Ziifle connected on a 47 yard field goal getting the Tide on the board.
Alabama's season-long problems on kick coverage continued as Terrence Edwards gave Georgia great field position at the Tide 42 with a 43 yard kick return. The Alabama defense again forced a turnover and this time there were no flags to overturn the play. Cornerback Gerald Dixon stepped in front of a pass headed for Gibson for the interception.
In the second quarter Alabama methodically moved down the field into Bulldog territory. Ray Hudson had the big play taking an option pitch 28 yards. However, Alabama could not punch the ball in settling for a Brian Bostick 28 yard field goal attempt. Jody Pollack burst through and blocked Bostick's kick keeping the home team from inching closer. Those points would become a big play later in the game.
The Bulldogs wasted little time racing the length of the field to score. Greene hung up a ball into man-to-man coverage and let his star receiver Gibson out battle Anthony Madison for a 42 yard touchdown. The Dogs covered 77 yards in only a minute fifty-four on the scoring drive to give the Dogs the 14-3 advantage.
Following a great Ziifle punt that pinned the Dogs deep, Georgia was forced to punt back to Alabama from their own thirteen with 2:14 left in the half. Williams returned the 37 yard punt twelve yards to the UGA 38. This time, the Tide offense would not be denied. On third and two from the thirty, Croyle found Fulgham on a post pattern for the touchdown. Bosticks extra point caromed off the upright for the miss leaving the halftime score at 14-9.
The second half got off to a wacky start as the teams traded fumbles.
Georgia gave Alabama great field position turning the ball over on the 21 yard line. On Alabama's initial play following the a five yard fumble return by Hirchel Bolden, Croyle stumbled as he tried to hand off to Williams putting the ball on the grass. Georgia recovered on the 21.
Georgia used a nice mixture of run and pass to drive down the field reaching inside the Alabama ten. The Tide defense stiffened and the Dogs committed a pair penalties pushing the ball back the 26 yard line. Billy Bennett added a 43 yard field goal increasing the lead to eight.
Alabama had another big play negated on penalty as Hudson took another option pitch and sprinted 42 yards for a score. The play was called back for holding. Bamas offense was able to overcome that penalty and get a first down as Croyle hit Zach Fletcher on a slant pattern. Fletcher made the catch and galloped 25 yards for a first down. The Tide could not get into the end zone and sent in Bostick who drilled a 37 yard field goal to cut the margin to five after three quarters.
Greene led the Dogs down the field through the air for another score. The score came on another long ball as Greene found Edwards in man-to-man coverage for a 37 yard touchdown. Bennetts point after stretched the lead to 24-12.
Alabama could have mailed it in but instead rallied straight down for a score. On the way to the end zone, they connected on a pair of crucial third down pass plays. Sam Collins gained fifteen on a third and six and Williams broke three tackles to gain thirteen on a third and ten. Hudson broke another long gainer on an option pitch getting Bama to the 8. On
second and goal from the one, Croyle rolled right and turned it up vaulting himself into the air and extending the ball for the goal line getting the score.
As the crowd roared, the Bama defense responded. Greene found Gibson in the flat. He juggled the ball into the hands of cornerback Charlie
Peprah who returned the fumble 25 yards for a touchdown. The two point try failed leaving Alabama with its first lead but by the slimmest of margins at 25-24. That two point miss seemed innocent at the time but would play a vital role later.
Gibson got Georgia good field position by returning the kickoff back 41 yards to the 42. On third and seven, Greene found Damien Gary for ten yards keeping the drive alive. Bama's defense had another big play as linebacker Brooks Daniels sacked Greene setting up another critical third down. The pass for Reggie Brown was deflected by Waine Bacon to force a punt that in turn backed the Tide up to their own eight.
Backed up near their end zone, if Alabama gets two first downs, they win the game. Instead Georgia's defense stuffed the Tide three plays and out. Ziifle's punt was low and short. With a good return, Georgia took over at the Tide thirty needing only a field goal to take the lead. They would get it to the seventeen and Bennett took over from there with his game winner, a thirty-two yarder.
from the middle I guess. I didn't like to stand on the field too long. The quicker you do it, the better it is."