Porkers 'string up' Georgia, 31-10
1/2/1976
Heck, even Sanford & Son work with a limited inventory. Georgia's Junkyard Dogs had more discards that they could say grace over during Thursday afternoon's Cotton Bowl Classic.
Consequently, the Bulldogs got the can.
The Arkansas Razorbacks, making their first appearance in 10 years in the role of Southwest Conference representatives left 'em yelping in the wake of a comeback 31-10 victory.
THE GAME turned on a Georgia silk purse that turned out to be a sow's ear.
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Leading 10-3 with only 50 seconds left in the first half, the Bulldogs reached into their towsack of tricks and the joke turned out to be on them. It was the old shoestring trick.
With the ball on the Georgia 22 following a 39-yard Steve Little field goal, Bulldog quarterback Ray Goff sauntered back to the line of scrimmage, where he offensive front had casually lined up following a 2-yard keeper by the signal-caller. Kneeling as if to tie a shoestring, Goff quickly reached out and flicked the ball off the ground, a legal maneuver so long as it is one motion, in the general direction of flanker Gene Washington, who was off to his right.
Washington, who had scored on a similar play earlier in the year against Vanderbilt, never got the handle, and alert linebacker Hal McAfee came up with the loose pigskin on the 13.
HOG QUARTERBACK Scott Bull then flipped a short pass out to the right to Ike Forte, voted the game's outstanding offensive player, who moved it down to the 1. Next play, Forte took a pitch for Bull deep in the backfield and skirted left end for the touch.
Little's conversion made it 10-10 and suddenly a game that Georgia had dominated both in score (10-0) and possession until the final two minutes, made an about-face.
So armed, the Razorbacks came out for the second half and, led by McAfee, easily the game's top defensive star in press box balloting, turned in a fanatical defensive effort that limited Georgia to two first downs and left the Bulldogs' jowls sagging. That had only 60 yards total offense in that period.
It was no contest the second half, though Arkansas didn't assume scoreboard command until the 21-point fourth quarter.
"You, the players, all of you, won this game," victorious coach Frank Broyles told his squad in the post-game dressing room. "I've never seen such an effort. That's the finest second half we've played against a good team in a long time."
"THE SECOND half," he noted, "was played mostly on their end of the field. When this happened, it allowed us to play recklessly while they had to play cautiously."
"It feels great," McAfee grinned.
The Arkansas offense finally for somewhat untracked in the third quarter following an inept first half, but that 15 minutes was still a case of hit and miss. Twice, after a drive of 42 yards and a McAfee interception, the Hogs had opportunities to put the go-ahead points on the board. Both chances, however, ended in missed field goals by Little, from 51 and 36 yards out.
Little missed another shot early in the fourth, though it was a prodigious 61-yard try, but after a reverse-English 19-yard Georgia punt on the next series, the Hogs finally got on with the serious business of wrapping this one up.
Taking over at the Georgia 47, Arkansas struck quickly.
Bull dropped back on the first play and sent a floater toward streaking split end Freddie Douglas. He caught the ball over the head of shocked Georgia cornerback David Schwak and was pulled down on the 12. Bull kept for six, Rolland Fuchs, also a key offensive contributor, got five and then scored from the 1, hopping over Georgia safety Bobby Thompson in the Hog backfield.
NOW ONLY 11:07 remained in the sometimes haphazard battle, but the Razorbacks, leading for the first time, were to make the most of it.
On the next series, alternate Georgia quarterback Matt Robinson felt the sting again. It was Robinson, whose passing had led to his team's only touchdown back in the second quarter, who had earlier been belted by tackled Mike Campbell and end Johnnie Meadors and fumbled, leading to Arkansas' first three points.
This time, he got the pass off, but the results were no better. Hog linebacker William Hampton picked it off at the 47 and returned it 17 yards. With freshman back Michael Forrest subbing for Forte, carrying the load, Arkansas got another seven points six plays later. Forrest scored from the 1, after an 18-yard gain, and with 9:21 left it was now 24-10.
Just to make sure there was no doubt left in the now-battered minds of that Junkyard Dog defense, the Pigs rooted one out for a change. They went 68 yards in 12 plays with Forte gaining 46 of them on seven carries, including a 6-yard sweep around left end for the final score with 1:58 left.
FOR THE game, Forte picked up 119 on 24 calls, scoring twice.
As it turned out, the end was a complete reversal of the beginning. Georgia had taken the game's opening kickoff and held onto the ball for 14 plays and more than five minutes, moving 53 yards to the Arkansas 4 before a tremendous defensive effort pushed the Southwest Conference visitors back to the 18. They had to settle for a 35-yard field goal by Alan Leavitt, and as the last six losers in the game can tell them, that early lead ain't good.
George kept the ball 12 plays on its next series before punting, then put together a 10-play, 58-yard scoring show that featured Robinson's passing. The counter came on a 20-yard pass-run play from him to Washington (remember him?) that was 13 yards pass and seven run.
There was 7:21 left in the first half at that point.
It appeared quite logical then that the Razorbacks, a 6-point favorite at kickoff, would go into the dressing room down by 10 and in serious trouble.
But as their opponents can attest, things don't always end up like they start out.
Junk wasn't always so.
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