The Morning Memory: Georgia “wins” 23-23

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

This morning we look back at the time Georgia broke Auburn’s cheatin’ little hearts. Again.

The 1994 season will not go down as one of the highlights in the pantheon of Georgia Bulldog football. In many ways it was the epitome of the pre-Mark Richt era at Georgia. The Bulldogs began the season by beating South Carolina and getting waxed by Tennessee. Ray Goff’s Dawgs beat Ole Miss, but then lost a one point game on the road at #11 Alabama.

And that, as they say, is when the ship hit the sand. After beating Clemson the Red and Black found a way to lose at home by two touchdowns to Vanderbilt. Then they went down to Gainesville and. in their only post-WWII appearance in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, took an absolute shellacking at the hands of the Florida Gators, 52-14.

And so it was a battered, bruised, and rightfully unranked Bulldog team that limped into Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 12, 1994 to take on Terry Bowden’s undefeated and #3 ranked Auburn Tigers.

True to expectation the Tigers jumped out to a 23-9 lead and appeared set to cruise to victory before heading into a top five Iron Bowl showdown with Alabama. Then the strangest thing happened: the Athenians decided to wake up and play ball. Cornerback (and future tailback) Robert Edwards picked off Plainsmen QB Patrick Nix to stall the Tiger offense. Then this happened:

Eric Zeier hit Juan Daniels across the middle for an 80 yard touchdown to pull the Dawgs within a score. Zeier would lead another drive to tie it up 23-23. Auburn still had a chance to pull out the win, but a last ditch field goal attempt fell wide of the uprights with 8 seconds remaining.

So shocking was the result that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the next day declared “Georgia wins 23-23.” The Bulldogs would end the year by trouncing Georgia Tech 48-10, finishing 6-4-1 on the season and buying the foundering Goff a one year reprieve. Auburn, still on probation from one of their many and varied cheating scandals, was banned from the postseason and ended their ‘94 season with a 21-14 loss in the Iron Bowl.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos