Countdown to No. 1: Should Georgia be higher or lower than No. 18?
We continue our countdown to the nation’s top five teams on Friday, Today we rank teams 16-20. If you see teams that should not be ranked at all or should be ranked in another position, let me know and tell me why. Here we go:
20. Miami
**–It will be a good season if: QB Jacory Harris stays healthy. Harris threw for 3,352 yards as a sophomore but at the end of the season was battling with a bad thumb. He’s had surgery and then just watched during spring practice. If Harris can cut back on the interceptions (17 in 2009) the Hurricanes could have a special season.
**–It will be a disappointing season if: The ‘Canes don’t play big in the big games. They were 9-4 last season but in the big games they had a tendency to turn it over and make other big mistakes (Eight combined turnovers in losses to Clemson and North Carolina). After a 3-1 start against Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Oklahoma, Miami should have finished better.
19. Oregon State
**–It will be a good season if: The Rodgers brothers stay healthy. RB Jacquizz Rodgers had almost 2,000 yards of total offense (1,440 rush, 522 receiving) last season. WR James Rodgers has blazing speed and had 2,328 all-purpose yards in 2009.
**–It will be a disappointing season if: The Beavers don’t win the Civil War and go to a really good bowl. The past two years they were a win against Oregon away from going to the Rose Bowl. With 16 starters returning and with Oregon coming to Corvallis on Dec. 4, this is the year.
18. Georgia
**–It will be a good season if: A veteran offensive line is good on day one and a defense which forced only 12 turnovers last season gets an attitude adjustment from new coordinator Todd Grantham. If the Bulldogs can run the ball and play defense, they have a chance every week.
**–It will be a disappointing season if: Redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray struggles and the Bulldogs lose back-to-back games at South Carolina (on Sept. 11) and at home to Arkansas (on Sept. 18).
17. Pittsburgh
**–It will be a good season if: Running back Dion Lewis can continue to be a workhorse. Lewis carried the ball 325 times in 13 games as a freshman last season. Only Stanford’s Toby Gerhart carried it more (345). Lewis will still be the focal point of the offense, especially with a new quarterback in sophomore Tino Sunseri.
**–It will be a disappointing season if: The Panthers don’t win the Big East championship. They came so close a year ago, losing to West Virginia (19-16) and Cincinnati (45-44) in the last two games of the regular season. Cincinnati has a new coach and Pittsburgh gets West Virginia at home on Nov. 26.
16. Arkansas
**–It will be a good season if: Quarterback Ryan Mallett improves on last season’s numbers. The 6-7 quarterback threw for over 3,600 yards and 30 touchdowns in his first season in Bobby Petrino’s offense. He has a deep stable of receivers and at least four really good running backs.
**–It will be a disappointing season if: The Hogs don’t at least split games on Sept. 18 at Georgia and Sept. 25 against Alabama in Fayetteville. Expectations are high in Arkansas. Starting 0-2 in the SEC would be a setback.
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403 comments Add your comment
PapaDawg
August 17th, 2010
10:52 am
Don’t pay attention to preseason jabber. I’m just glad the DAWGS open the season against a cream puff instead of last years opener. This will be a win and will be able to see what we got especially at QB and defense
PTC DAWG
August 17th, 2010
10:54 am
18th is fair enough…freshman QB and all.
SEC Fact Finder
August 17th, 2010
10:54 am
Tony,
I think you got these right..and I think you are right on with the plus and minus categories.
Arkansas and UGA can flip, OSU will probably come out better with SC under firing with Kiffin and Oregon needing to find a legitimate QB.
Hey guys: about this Dustin Post: He meant UGA would finish in the top 10 of the SEC, pretty safe bet there.
Have any of you guys caught the All Acess ESPN Alabama deal? As an SEC guy first, ACC guy second, I hope all the southern schools caught how Saban really runs a first class program( I realize he may be doing it for the cameras) but facilities, and how the coaches coach up these kids with instruction is really fun to watch. I have been around football at the Collegiate level for 25 plus years and the terminology has me gasping for air. This is definitely a great recruiting coop for Alabama. I wonder how many other schools will want to sign up next year.
During the first two weeks of the season, give me the games that can MAKE a teams season with a WIN and the game with a LOSS that will crush a teams season?
GO SEC!
PTC DAWG
August 17th, 2010
10:56 am
As as far as MNC’s go, as long as voting is involved, it’s all subjective.
reality
August 17th, 2010
10:57 am
aztec…yes.
Black Coffee & Bourbon
August 17th, 2010
11:00 am
So unless you’re completely high, and plan to rank the Seminoles 15 or higher, you’re going to completely leave them out of the Top 25? I think even with their questionable defense their offense led by Ponder places them in the preseaon rankings. Fear the Spear Tony.
JB
August 17th, 2010
11:00 am
Alphare @ 10:27 say’s ” I’m not sure any team other team has more problems than Georgia”. Florida and auburn both have untested QB’s ( please with the Brantley Experience, going in against Charleston Southern with a 40 point lead when the other team has quit is NOT experience. We he can drive the field with 3 minutes to go in a game to beat Bama, call me). Florida has new coach’s, we have new coach’s. Have you looked in on Tennessee lately Mr. Alphare ?. Think LSU is OK. Post good stuff Alphare. Look at your own Tech team also.
Dawglasville
August 17th, 2010
11:00 am
Gatorzone – I was answering a Techie post earlier.
As far as our personnel and the 3-4… we shall see. I hope we know what we are doing.
That Guy
August 17th, 2010
11:01 am
g-dog – Is your definition of a “good team” a team that won a National Championship? Because if that’s the case, your last good team was in 1980. Or should we go by Conference Championships? Because since Georgia Tech’s 1990 season, Georgia Tech and Georgia have the same amount of Conference Championships – 2. Clarification?
aztec
August 17th, 2010
11:01 am
it wouldnt surprise me if this newspaper ranked ga state ahead of gt
g-dog
August 17th, 2010
11:03 am
Reality said: “GT’s football program has a brighter future than UGA’s”.
Bwahahahahahahahha…. ohhh man that is funny. Do you honestly think that tired old triple option has any chance of being effective going forward. UGA figured it out last year and beat that Tech ‘power house’ This year, every other team will have it down pat. And finally, I’m far from being obsessed with the past. I merely corrected the historical “facts” of another poster’s statement. I’m all about the present and future. The problem is, beginning the day after every Bulldog victory over tech.. it is officially “the past” in your eyes. Meanwhile, the one win tech gets per decade over Georgia is hailed for years and years.
g-dog
August 17th, 2010
11:05 am
ThatGuy said: “g-dog – Is your definition of a “good team” a team that won a National Championship?”
NO. That’s just the last “good team” tech has fielded.
CDAWG
August 17th, 2010
11:06 am
What is the consensus? Are we getting past Arkansas? That game really scares me.
Shug
August 17th, 2010
11:06 am
“If _____ can run the ball and play defense, they have a chance every week.”
Brilliant. Perceptive. Cutting edge.
Sports world, I give you Mr. College Football!
reality
August 17th, 2010
11:07 am
g-dog…we’ll see.
Bama In Atlanta
August 17th, 2010
11:08 am
I think UGA has more going for them than to end up at 18th with a higher probablity of top 12. The first positive is an easier schedule. The dawgs only have two opponents in the pre-season top 20 with one of them being GT, which UGA should have an advantage in playing them in Athens this year. The other major positive is a solid OL provided they all stay healthy (that thumping sound is all UGA fans knocking on wood).
Bama is an example where a good OL and good running backs can take the pressure off an untested QB. McElroy wasn’t exactly a freshman but had very little gametime experience as last year’s starter. What he did have was an OL that opened up holes for Ingram and Richardson to pound out yardage. When the LBs and corners started cheating in to stop the run you don’t need a QB with a cannon arm but rather enough accuracy to hit the 8-yard slant. If Murray can stay calm and take what the defense gives then he will be fine.
It’s good to see the dawgs go to a 3-4 defense because that, to me, is where the big difference will be from last year’s team. A great offense can make a team good but a great defense will provide the opportunity for a championship. By comparison, last year Bama scored and average of 32 points per game and UGA scored an average of 29, which should put them close to the same rankings. However, Bama allowed less than 12 points per game and the dawgs allowed an average of 26 points per game. By going to a more attacking defense, not only should it reduce points allowed but give the opportunity to score more points from the inevitable turnover created.
If UGA can get past SC and Arkansas then they have a great shot of being undefeated when they roll into Jacksonville. Fla, Aub and GT will be the only things standing in their way to a top 10 finish. My money is on UGA for the GT game and, of course, I’ll be a dawg fan when they play Auburn.
Looking forward to another great college football season.
How2fish
August 17th, 2010
11:09 am
Yellow Fuzz ………………IOWA !
G'Vegas Dawg
August 17th, 2010
11:10 am
G’Vegas – AKA the 30501
That Guy
August 17th, 2010
11:10 am
g-dog – So last year’s ACC Championship team wasn’t a good team? Or the team that beat Georgia the year before wasn’t good? Or the 1998 Co-ACC Champion team wasn’t a good team? I’m curious, what was Georgia’s last good team? Your standards seem pretty high.
aztec
August 17th, 2010
11:11 am
just curious, who decided that tony barnhard was mr college football?
Old Ball Coach
August 17th, 2010
11:11 am
Tony, stop be a hommer. UGA should be outside of 25 given its new defense and 1st year SEC QB. My #3 SEC defense will eat this young puppy alive. USC wins by 14.
G'Vegas Dawg
August 17th, 2010
11:12 am
“If _____ can run the ball and play defense, they have a chance every week.”
Brilliant. Perceptive. Cutting edge.
Sports world, I give you Mr. College Football!
This is the same as saying, “if we can keep a lead we should win the game”
TB has become sort of like the weather man….it looks cloudy, it may rain or it might not….
g-dog
August 17th, 2010
11:13 am
JB, I gotta go. Hold off these techies while I’m away. I’ll be back on later. Don’t let any of these pocket-protecting, pimple riddled gnats get out of line while I’m not here.
UGA WHO?
August 17th, 2010
11:14 am
Uga is always overated…well atleast the past 10 years. I remember when ugay was going 7-5…8-4 every year under golf and donnan. Well ga is known in the football world and will dissappoint there fans once again. I checked last time and gt had more national titles….oooopppppssssss
Gatorzone
August 17th, 2010
11:14 am
JB, Brantley looked pretty good against UK last year. How did UGA do against the same team/
Granted, Charleston Southern is mop up duty, but he has played in enough games over the last 2 years to deem him experienced. IMHO.
whitx2
August 17th, 2010
11:15 am
pffft
Conversion rates for smiley faces, best post of the day, lol.
G'Vegas Dawg
August 17th, 2010
11:15 am
1990 doesn’t count. You split with Colorado.
aztec
August 17th, 2010
11:16 am
does anyone have any idea how tony barnhart got the title of MR COLLEGE FOOTBALL?
DawginOH
August 17th, 2010
11:17 am
Keeping in mind that preseason rankings mean absolutely nothing, I think the Dawgs at 18 is fair for now. CMR loves flying under the radar and I see this team surprising a lot of people this season. Go Dawgs!
reality
August 17th, 2010
11:18 am
aztec…I think Tony graduated from UGA….that would make him Mr Athens College Football…given his ranking of UGA…
g-dog
August 17th, 2010
11:20 am
Oh, I have to address this before I go. I didn’t see it…
ThatGuy said: “So last year’s ACC Championship team wasn’t a good team?”
NO, Georgia proved that.
“Or the team that beat Georgia the year before wasn’t good?”
NO, Georgia was bad due to injuries.
“Or the 1998 Co-ACC Champion team wasn’t a good team?”
NO. “Co-ACC champ”. That’s like tying for first in the Ford Pinto 500.
“I’m curious, what was Georgia’s last good team?”
2007. Finish # 2 in the country.
“Your standards seem pretty high.”
YES. Have to be… that’s the only way to be a champion. Tech might want to raise theirs.
Gotta go. Cheers.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 17th, 2010
11:20 am
I will be happy if we can beat Kentucky AND Tennessee in the same year along with making the Vandy game a blowout. Nothing worse than sweating out a Vandy game late into the 4th qtr.
George Stein
August 17th, 2010
11:21 am
So only consensus championships count? That doesn’t seem to make much sense.
George Stein
August 17th, 2010
11:22 am
Everyone has injuries, g-dog. You can do better than that.
aztec
August 17th, 2010
11:23 am
LOL REALITY, i was just curious. by the way g vegas dawg, im positive that any school that shared a natl championship claims it on their list of national championships. im sure the dawgs would also
UGAG is #1...
August 17th, 2010
11:23 am
Party school
in 2008 player arrests
in 2009 player arrests
in 2010 player arrrests
in number of remedial edcuation courses
in number of illiterate players on the field
UGAG will win...
August 17th, 2010
11:24 am
…The Fulmer Cup in 2010 !!
Spike
August 17th, 2010
11:25 am
Tech has lost five bowl games in a row. Five. Big time? Not.
Gator Mike
August 17th, 2010
11:25 am
Most Gator Fans do not believe the Gators will be overconfident in any games this year – especially against UGA. The team remembers how much they stunk up the joint in the SEC Championship Game last year, and there are still some players on the team from ‘07 when our defense was poor. Of course, the end zone dance is still in the mind of many of the players. Charley Strong is gone, but he was only one element in the Defense Coaching Trio. McCarney and Heater are still in G’ville.
Also, I respect the fact that UGA will have an experienced O Line, but the UF O Line is very capable again this year considering we lost only one starter from last years O Line which was 2 deep.
It will be an interesting year for everyone in the SEC.
Go Gators!
collegeballfan
August 17th, 2010
11:28 am
If freshman quarterback Aaron Murray struggles??????
What’s to struggle? All he has to do is hand off and throw an occassional short pass to Greene.
18 is way to low for UGA.
Alphare
August 17th, 2010
11:30 am
JB, Tech’s offense will be good, it’s never a big concern there. Tech’s defense can only get better considering how bad it was last year. Tech should be decent (may not be great) this year after losing those big players.
FL has new defensive coaches like UGA, but they don’t change their defense formation. As I understand it, you don’t change formation lightly since you have to recruit the right players for it. So, FL players will continue to do what Charlie Strong coached them to do, while UGA is going a totally different direction.
About the QB’s, I just think FL QB is more warmed up than UGA QB. Brantley has been FL’s designated QB for a while. He was inserted in games last year when games were not in doubt. In the meanwhile, Murray was anointed just a few months back.
But all these are just talks. Maybe Murray is a quick study, and UGA’s transition to a formation is seamless. Who knows? If both work in UGA’s favor, I see a potential 11-1 record for UGA this year. Regardless, UGA will be better than last year.
George Stein
August 17th, 2010
11:30 am
Funny, collegeballfan. People criticize Tech for doing exactly the same thing.
But you’re right – every UGA fan would agree that the strength of that team is the o-line. The way to maximize that strength is to run the ball heavily. It also protects the freshman QB and the new defense.
Gatorzone
August 17th, 2010
11:31 am
g-dog…
NO. “Co-ACC champ”. That’s like tying for first in the Ford Pinto 500.
LOL!!! That is a good one!
Tell it like it is
August 17th, 2010
11:33 am
JB—GA will be lucky to finish in the top 25.I see a probable finish out of the top 25, based on new defence and unproven QB,and running game that just mite not be as good as forcast.now go to the back,and ck on those oil changes, and lets getter done.
That Guy
August 17th, 2010
11:35 am
Spike – True, but Georgia Tech also has the T-4 longest consecutive bowl appearance streak, that has to count for something, right? Even counting the crappy bowls thrown in there. But, who doesn’t have those? Cough Independence Bowl Cough.
Daniel
August 17th, 2010
11:35 am
I seem to remember FSU beating Florida in 1998, which would make tying them for the ACC championship a bit more than winning the Ford Pinto 500.
Dawg Run
August 17th, 2010
11:36 am
The dawgs are not getting any respect from the media! Richt will use this for motivation the whole season. An angry dawg team will be looking for revenge in every game. Look for huge upset against florida—dawgs win by 10! Take it to the bank.
George Stein
August 17th, 2010
11:36 am
That Guy – don’t worry about what Spike says. He isn’t going to be reasonable so just keep moving.
g-dog
August 17th, 2010
11:37 am
No excuse George Stein, in 2008 the Bulldogs still went 10-3. It was just the huge amount of injuries and excessive turnovers that probably kept Georgia from going undefeated. By the time tech played them (and barely squeaked out a win) they were beaten to a pulp and were thin at every position.
Therefore, they were not a good team at the end of the season. Hence tech’s victory.
Now, I REALLY gotta go. You guys hold the attacks on me until I return. Anything else would show a lack of character.
cursive
August 17th, 2010
11:39 am
I’m a lifelong UGA fan, but I also am one of the few realistic ones. #18 is probably about right until they prove otherwise. Honestly, I am expecting an 8 win season, high of 10. They haven’t proven able to do otherwise lately.