Alabama 24, Georgia 21: Outexecuted. Outcoached. Ouch.

You’d think that by now I’d be better at recapping frustrating Georgia Bulldog losses to the Alabama Crimson Tide. I have a lot of practice, after all.

But tonight I am writing one of a variety I didn’t think I’d be writing after Nick Saban sailed off into the sunset. I’m writing a recap of a game in which the Georgia Bulldogs were outcoached by yet another Alabama staff. And that’s the thing that has me absolutely nauseated.

Where to even begin. Georgia did enough to lose this game in the first half, allowing the Tide to convert 8 of 8 third downs and dig a 14 point hole before the Red and Black offense could ever get rolling. The main culprit was a Bulldog pass rush that just couldn’t get home against Ty Simpson, who executed flawlessly in a tough road environment. The Bama signal caller finished the night 24 of 38 for 276 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. He added another score on the ground and, in the absence of many better options, may end the year in New York for the Heisman ceremony.

The ‘Dawgs managed to lose the time of possession battle (35:36 to 24:24), the penalty battle (6 for 68 yards to Bama’s 4 flags for only 16 yards) and the turnover battle (albeit only 0 to 1). Despite it all they had ample opportunity to win this one and once again against the Tide when victory extended its hand the Dawgs spat upon that hand with gusto.

Of all the stupid on display, no stupid was more stupid than Kirby Smart’s decision with just over seven minutes left to pass up a chip shot tying field goal on 4th and 1 .Instead of that, he and Mike Bobo decided to go tempo with undersized Cash Jones running behind a true freshman offensive tackle. The call, the situation, everything about it was dumb and panicky in a way that we thought this staff was past. This game ended with Alabama running the clock out with a three point lead instead of trying to get close enough to kick a winning field goal (with a guy who’s already had one blocked).

That happened because Kirby Smart couldn’t control his latent manball gene in a critical moment. And that’s distressing. It’s also distressing that in a critical moment Mike Bobo called the kind of too cute by half play that we’ve seen him call in critical situations before. That single play was a worst of compilation that will haunt me for years.

Of course, it shouldn’t have mattered. Nate Frazier’s fumbleitis returned deep in Bulldog territory and only a gutsy series by the Bulldog defense confined the Tide to getting three points from the error. Gunner Stockton hit freshman receiver Talyn Taylor in the hands for what would have been a go-ahead touchdown and #11 did his best Arian Smith impression by stone cold dropping it.

Ellis Robinson’s no-good, terrible early season continued as he was toasted by Germie Bernard for the Bama touchdown to go up 7-0. But it’s okay. He made up for it by getting stiff-armed into oblivion on a screen pass on Bama’s third possession, allowing a first down.Then his coup de grace, the boneheaded personal foul in the fourth quarter. to pile on senselessly and give the Tide an easy 15 yards of breathing room they didn’t really need. Robinson has to grow up, in coverage, in tackling, in keeping his head in the game. If not, the staff has to start looking in another direction at the corner opposite Daylen Everette.

Is there any good news to take from this one? Sure. The offensive line was better than expected despite being held together with duct tape, chewing gum, and true freshmen. The Red and Black rushed for a season-high 227 yards on 33 carries, a nifty 6.9 yards per run. Chauncey Bowens in particular ran hard and angry, churning out 119 yards on only 12 touches.

In light of Frazier’s continuing case of butter fingers, I’m starting to wonder if we’ll see less and less of him, which is a shame. I identified Frazier in the preseason as one of the Dawgs whose seasons would determine how the team’s campaign goes. I’m beginning to suspect that his year isn’t going to be what either he or I hoped.

The UGA defensive line also played well enough against the run to make the Tide earn every point. Bama ground out 117 yards rushing on 38 attempts, below their already anemic season average of 123.7 yards. Jordan Hall was probably held on every third play and was still hanging out in the Tide backfield, which bodes well for the remainder of the schedule.

Where do we go from here? To take on a Kentucky team still trying to find its footing after a 35-13 loss to South Carolina. It’s cliched to say that all of Georgia’s goals remain in front of it, but that is in fact the case. This was a game that was lost by a few critical mistakes by coaches and players. Those things are fixable. But even if they are, and even if the “Dawgs rip through the remainder of their schedule it’s clear that Bama remains the boogie man under this team’s bed. That will change. But it won’t be tonight. Until later…

Go ‘Dawgs!!!