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Junior flanker Michael Johnson bows his head after catching the game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass with 1:25 left to play in Saturday's 24-21 win over Auburn on the Plains. Auburn defensive back Horace Willis kneels in the end zone, stunned after Johnson

Junior defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan pressures Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell on the Tigers' final play of the game. (Dan McLaughlin * The Red & Black)

Senior offensive lineman Ian Knight celebrates with Georgia fans after the final buzzer sounded Saturday. (Dan McLaughlin * The Red & Black)

Georgia (Dome) on Dogs' minds

By: ANNE MILLIGAN

Posted: 11/18/02

The Bulldogs clinched the SEC Eastern Division title for the first time ever, earning their first trip to the conference championship game since its inception in 1992 when the league split.

By ending a three-year drought against the Tigers, Georgia (10-1, 6-1 SEC) could now end its 20-year drought in the SEC title hunt and get its biggest bowl bid in two decades.

"We still have Georgia Tech and a game in Atlanta that could really turn this into a great year, maybe one of the best," said Georgia head coach Mark Richt.

After playing 10 straight games, the Bulldogs have an off week before facing in-state rival Georgia Tech Nov. 30. Georgia will then meet the SEC's Western Division Champion at the Georgia Dome in a showdown for the conference title Dec. 7.

LSU (7-3, 4-2 SEC) currently leads the West, but the Tigers still have to play Ole Miss and Arkansas. LSU losses could force a rematch between Georgia and Auburn (7-4, 4-3 SEC) in the Dome or springboard Arkansas (7-3, 3-3 SEC) into the championship game, should either of those teams win out in its remaining schedule.

A win in the SEC title game would guarantee the Bulldogs a trip to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans and leave Georgia with an outside shot at the national championship Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., should the five teams ahead of Georgia in the BCS poll stumble.

Trailing most of the game against Auburn, Georgia needed senior leadership to "finish the drill" in the SEC East.

"This program is on the rise, and we wanted to be part of that," said senior linebacker Tony Gilbert. "We did not want to wait until next year for them to win the SEC, and we'd be like 'Man, that could have been us.' We wanted to be the ones who started it."

Auburn's 14-3 lead at the end of the first half marked the largest halftime deficit Georgia has faced this year. The offense was held to 63 yards in two quarters.

A halftime speech from senior offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb inspired the team to a second-half comeback that ended with a dramatic catch by junior receiver Michael Johnson in the corner of the end zone to put Georgia up 24-21 with 1:25 left.

"It was huge for the Bulldog nation. It was huge for Georgia," Johnson said. "Words are so short for me right now."

Georgia's defense kept the Bulldogs in reach in the first half. Redshirt sophomore Sean Jones had two key interceptions, the first of his career, to stymie Auburn as it racked up 233 first-half yards.

"Sean kept us in the game," Richt said. "The turnovers are what saved us from what could have been 28-0."

Jones also set up Georgia on its final scoring drive.

Auburn senior punter Damon Duval kicked a 37-yard punt that Jones returned to the Tigers' 41-yard line.

"You gotta give credit to Sean," Richt said. "Sean twice really put us in position to score. But the last one, especially, put us somewhere around the 50-yard line."