Sports

Welcome to Sanford Stadium!!! Feels fantastic to be back in here… life without football for eight months is excruciating. Don’t have my usual pregame notes as I’m running a bit late from the WUOG Tailgate show so lets just get right into it. This live-blog won’t be the traditional blog you’re used to seeing from WUOG because of the vast difference in ability on the field. Tid bits, thoughts and bias observations.

THE DEFENSE IS AWESOME. Swarming, hard hitting, ball hawking, wrapping up, getting pressure on the QB — everything I had hoped for. Granted, it’s been 4 minutes and we’re playing ULL. But still…can’t I be excited?

Branden Smith just became the first UGA player since Champ Bailey to start a game on offense, defense and special teams. Pretty effing awesome.

Caleb King with a BEAUTIFUL touchdown run from 2o yards out. Hits a couple of guys at the line then bursts through for the score. Last year, I think he goes down at the line. But he’s got a new attitude these days and told Kelin Johnson before our radio show this week that he was done taking the running back position at Georgia for granted. And punishing runs like that shows he meant it.

There it is, the first interception of the 3-4 defense. Beautifully drawn up. Justin Houston wreaking havoc from the outside, forcing an early throw from ULL and Brandon Boykin makes a diving catch for the pick on the 25. My God I love defense.

Kris Durham with a 3 yard touchdown catch for Murray’s first career touchdown and Durham’s second. Great to see him get the TD catch there. After missing last year with an injury, he figures to be a huge part of this offense as a senior and a big target for Murray. You can tell he was excited and ready to get back on the field after a frustrating season a year ago.

AND THE DEFENSE BRINGS THE NOISE!! Big sack from this explosive defense. Damn I loved that. Akeeme Dent with the sack after Jakar “The Hitman” Hamilton scared the daylights out of ULL QB Chris Masson and forced him to run.

Another tid bit from Kelin: the key to games like this are the special teams. If guys are excited and hitting people on special teams, you can expect good things for the season because if special teams hits hard, you know the defense will. Well, we just saw some great blocking on Branden Smith’s return there, legitimately sending two kids flying. I have goosebumps. Not much to say about the offense following it, but Blair Walsh boots in a 52 yarder for the 17 point lead. And boom goes the dynamite.

I SEE YOU DEREK OWENS!!! He just became my favorite freshman with a MONSTER block on that last punt. I feel like Usher. Oh. My. God.

Penalties were a recurring theme last season. We may be in for a similar season with back-to-back false starts there. Sloppy.

Georgia has almost blocked the last three ULL punts. A sign of great enthusiasm for special teams or simply the size and speed difference?

Murray with a gorgeous deep ball to Durham for a 42 yard gain. Right on the money. Don’t know if he could have thrown it much further and it certainly wasn’t as effortless looking as a Stafford bomb but it was in a picture perfect location. BEAutiful.

That sets up a short pass to Shaun Chapas who rumbles in for another Bulldog touchdown.

Murray gets his first interception on a fantastic play from a ULL DB who takes it off Durham’s back. Not Murray’s fault really. Durham should have caught it and when it bobbled around, ULL made a great play.

Rambo then gets burnt on a deep ball on some Bryan Evans esque defense as ULL gets on the board. 24-6 Dawgs. Though it must be said, that kind of thing will happen with these rampant blitzes.

The beauty of the Murray to Orson Charles connection: Murray scrambles around after barely escaping a lot of pressure from ULL, launches a bullet into space and Orson runs over and makes the grab. Big gain for Georgia who look to recover the 7 points before halftime.

Well, perhaps not if Murray has anything to say about it. Very Freshman play there as Murray throws up a deep ball after escaping pressure to no one in particular. ULL defender camps under it and somehow drops it. Yikes.

Murray makes up for his errors as he scampers in from 12 yards out. Nifty little run there to get in before halftime. 31-7 Dawgs. The Hutson Mason watch is on.

Georgia open the second half in style. Lot of running plays, lots of time off the clock, short pass to Fred Munzenmaier to cap it off. Very well worked. 41-7. Still no Mason. Yet.

If you had 2:42 in the third quarter you win the pot! Hutson Mason enters the game and throws his first career TD on his first career pass following a Georgia stop on a 4th down attempt from ULL. Logan Gray hauled it in for his first career receiving touchdown. Efficient. I like it.

Jakar Hamilton completes a great day for the defense with a pick six from 17 yards out. With 55 points, UGA has set a season opener record for points under the Mark Richt era.

Yep, there’s the fat lady. Lot of backups in now. Catch you next time.