Georgia Bulldogs: 10 Most Painful Losses Since 2008

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Nov 2, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt looks up during the second half against the Florida Gators at EverBank Field. Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

No dollar amount would ever suffice. I will never watch a re-run of this game again for as long as I live. As a long tortured Atlanta, Georgia sports fanatic, the pain I felt after this loss was nothing short of complete demoralization. After watching Chris Conley catch Aaron Murray’s tipped pass on the 5 yard line with five seconds left as time expired, I promptly walked to the vacant side of the restaurant I was working at and rolled on the floor and cried for a good five minutes. Why couldn’t you call a time out and then run a play?

In 2012, this was the National Championship. Alabama trounced Notre Dame in the technical National Championship. Georgia would have likely done the same had they scored a touchdown on that last drive. Though Bama ran all over the Dawgs’ defense that night, Georgia found ways to stay in the ball game with well orchestrated drives and great special teams play.

Was Bama a great team that year? Of course, most Nick Saban led teams usually are. Going on 3 years later, this game continues to haunt me. The Dawgs were 5 yards away from essentially winning a National Championship. No doubt in my mind that the Georgia Bulldogs would have defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2012 BCS National Championship.

Instead, Georgia didn’t even get to play in a Sugar Bowl even though UGA was clearly the second best team in College Football. Anybody who watched that SEC Championship could have told you that. To see Notre Dame play for a Title and Florida play in our Sugar Bowl will likely forever irk me. To get that close to a championship and have it ripped away from you is beyond cruel.

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It’s like that first time you beat Bowser for the 3rd and final time in Super Mario 64. All you have to do is walk to the center of the elevated platform above the lava to beat the game. You’ve got almost no life left. Mario is panting feverishly as you walk towards the center to reach that sacred key. Then out of nowhere your little cousin tackles you and rips the controller from your hand as Mario falls off the platform and into the lava. As Mario falls into the fiery doom, you realize you have no more lives left.

That in a nutshell is how I feel about the 2012 SEC Championship Game. I will always be slightly broken because of that final drive. The only remedy is to witness a championship. Now that I’ve scrolled over 4,000 words of UGA Football frustrations, please feel free to comment about what games you’ve found the most agonizing in your time as a fan of the Georgia Bulldogs. Misery loves company. I’m going to go watch Herschel Walker run over people to magically feel better now…

Next: Georgia Bulldogs: Better Shot at Bednarik, Floyd or Jenkins?

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