Georgia enjoys a laugher and tries not to wonder, ‘What if?’
Celebration time: Carlton Thomas is mobbed after a first-quarter touchdown, igniting a 43-0 rout. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS – Since Georgia is way past concerns about where it ranks in the Harris Poll, there’s little in the way of buildup for the unveiling of the first BCS standings Sunday. Certainly, there’s no reason for fans to reflect and wonder: “Will Vanderbilt’s record hurt our strength of schedule?”
But that shouldn’t matter right now. There is a pulse.
One week after thumping Tennessee 41-14, the Bulldogs boat-raced Vanderbilt 43-0 on Saturday.
That’s two wins by a combined 70 points. The only lingering depression following consecutive dismemberings stems from the fact the schedule is now exhausted of teams from the Volunteer State.
Seven weeks into the season, a 3-4 record is not what anybody in Athens had aspired to. But aesthetically, it’s far more appealing than 1-4 was — or what 1-4 seemingly projected to.
The latest win even inspired two Capital One Bowl officials to sit in on coach Mark Richt’s postgame news conference. A tad premature, perhaps.
Consecutive wins over bad teams at home don’t reveal a lot about how good a team is. But it certainly makes everybody stop guessing where the bottom is. It also says something about character.
As Richt summarized neatly: “It looks like we’re getting better. It looks like we’re playing with more passion. We’re getting some momentum.”
Next week at Kentucky will be a slightly tougher test. (The Dogs are 0-3 on the road.) The following week against Florida will be significantly tougher. (No reason to revisit inglorious history right now.)
Win those two games, and suddenly two Capital One Bowl officials won’t look so out of place. Uga VIII would be elevated to deity status.
If Georgia manages to turn this season into something special, people are going to start showing up at Uga’s doghouse, asking him to lay paws on their forehead.
The Dogs weren’t without some minor flaws Saturday. Among other things, Richt and his team burned three timeouts in the first five minutes of the game. But what followed was mostly a performance that gave them the look of a wrecking ball. Richt was even allowed to even joke about the early management issues. When asked about officials not checking replay when a seeming touchdown pass to A.J. Green was ruled incomplete, the coach cracked he couldn’t debate it because: “I didn’t have any timeouts left.”
"Big Bad Bruce" (Uga VIII) fell asleep during the game, apparently having concluded, "My work is done here." (AP photo)
But when a defense pitches a shutout and limits an opponent to 140 yards and an offense amasses 547 yards, there’s not a lot to pick on. The offensive line blocked. The running backs ran hard, broke tackles and didn’t fumble (Washaun Ealey: 123 yards, one touchdown). Aaron Murray threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns, and Green didn’t even account for most of that (he was the third-leading receiver after Kris Durham and Tavarres King).
The Dogs’ only challenge will be not looking back, not asking: What happened in Columbia? And Starkville? And Boulder?
“Obviously it hurts, especially when you look at the way we’re playing now,” tackle Clint Boling said. “Where was this two or three weeks ago? But we just have to move on from it. There’s nothing we can do about it now.”
“We just have to control what we can control,” Durham said. “Just get wins. That’s all we can do and hopefully get some help along the way.”
A two-game winning streak shouldn’t inspire parades. But it represents a breakthrough. Georgia hadn’t won consecutive games all season. They hadn’t won consecutive SEC games in 13 months — September of last season over South Carolina and Arkansas. Those were the same two opponents that started the spiral this year. Before the win over Tennessee, the Dogs were 2-7 in their previous nine SEC games. Now they will go to Kentucky with a chance to balance the season record.
Forget the BCS. Right now, it’s about cleansing, winning and landing somewhere north of Shreveport.
Durham again: “We were embarrassed the way we were playing before. We’re trying to get tougher as a football team.”
They are. We’ll soon find out where it gets them.
♦
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540 comments Add your comment
WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!!!
October 16th, 2010
10:34 pm
guydog
Auburns defense is terrible. Chizek needs to get that crap nailed down. Anyway, I knew it would be high scoring because Arkansas has the best offense in the SEC.
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:34 pm
McNeese St. looked scary to LSU.
Hobnailbooty
October 16th, 2010
10:34 pm
I guess if there is a ?east from the east it won’t be the beast from the east it will be the least from the east in the SECCG.
guydog
October 16th, 2010
10:34 pm
Right now, UK is a much bigger concern than Auburn, who by the way is unbeatable and shall never lose another game for the next 100 years. Cobb looks good, but losing to SC may give them a reason to be a little overconfident against a “bad” Georgia team.
dawgster
October 16th, 2010
10:34 pm
Ryan…you’re right Au looks tough to stop on offense, defense will still be their achillies, but they are good on offense…as far as Cam Newton. he does look like a legit heisman contender…I’m hoping a certain person who usually gets on here doesn’t start up with how the dawgs let him get away…just for the record, they even mentioned on TV that he had wanted to attend Au from the beginning but with them having Kodi Burns, he went to the gators instead…its my understanding that he was never a serious threat to come to the dawgs…anyway, great win for the dawgs, i know its Vandy, but we looked good in all phases…the RB’s looked much better, but again Vandy didn’t really challenge us..Kentucky will no doubt..the dawgs have to bring their A game…althought i find no consolation in the losses, losing to SC, Miss State and Ark doesn’t look terrible now based on what these teams have done…Colorado…well no excuse…still a tough road ahead, but i feel better about the team than i did thats for sure..go dawgs…
dawgdawgdawg
October 16th, 2010
10:35 pm
the Iron Bowl is going to be fantastic this year!
WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!!!
October 16th, 2010
10:35 pm
“i think cam is this year’s tebow. auburn can run the table. they easily win the sec ch. game.”
Cam is on par to rush for 2000 yards and throw for 1000. Only 8 players in college football history have ever accomplished that.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!!!
October 16th, 2010
10:36 pm
guydog
Kentucky is not a bad team. Joker Phillips is a great coach and his future teams are going to be very good.
dawgster
October 16th, 2010
10:36 pm
i’m sure alot of folks on here will give it to the gator faithful..but i think i will keep mouth shut until we can acutally beat them on the field..but i have to admit i like our chances based on what i have seen up to now…go dawgs
WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!!!
October 16th, 2010
10:36 pm
“the Iron Bowl is going to be fantastic this year!”
I would love to see Nick Saban cry.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:38 pm
Hey JSS, unlike the ACC, every road game in the SEC is significant. So to answer your question, the last one for UGA was in Fayetteville last year…..so what about it?
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:39 pm
Mason had already lost the redshirt against Lafiana-Lousiette.
guydog
October 16th, 2010
10:39 pm
WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!
I know. UK scares me. They are better than UK an UT, UGA’s only SEC wins. And it’s on the road. Seriously though, good win. Your team looks awesome. Cam looks like a monster on the field.
Jim Doanan as in Doans Pills
October 16th, 2010
10:39 pm
Just hope our players stay focused. We now have a chance . I think SC will lose one or two more games. Go DAWGS !!!!
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:40 pm
Is Derrick Locke supposed to be back for Kentucky next week?
SadDawg
October 16th, 2010
10:41 pm
Aaron Murray and the D are getting better, almost by the minute. And what has gotten into Mike Bobo – he’s almost u n p r e d i c t a b l e. That was hard to get out, but it is so.
Go Uga VIII, you’re unbeaten!
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
10:42 pm
I think it’s already been proven so far this season that there aren’t really any teams that are unbeatable.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:42 pm
All you guys are foolish if you think you can assume Auburn’s offense it unstoppable because they put up 65 against Arkansas! Petrino has always had poor defensive teams. At Louisville, his team concept was pretty much like it is at Arkansas, good offense/average defense. I’m not taking anything away from Cam because I think he’s played “lights out”, but let’s see how they manage against LSU and Bama before we talk about them coasting through the SEC.
K-Town Dawg
October 16th, 2010
10:42 pm
Wilson looked good?
The guy threw 3 picks in a 4 minute span in the 4th quarter. Without Mallet, Arkansas is a sinking ship becuase Wilson is no world beater.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:43 pm
*it* *is*
Alphare
October 16th, 2010
10:43 pm
ACC is now officially better than SEC East.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
10:44 pm
I don’t think the ACC is better than the SEC east….it just shows that the teams in the sec east all beat up on each other…it’s a tough conference.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:45 pm
Oregon has my vote for #1…..best offense in the land as far as I’m concerned. I would love for them to play Boise St in the NC game and spank them. However, I also wouldn’t mind seeing them play TCU either.
aint conVinceD
October 16th, 2010
10:45 pm
Dont think Gators will lose 4 in a row. Dawgs may lose 2 in a row in the coming weeks…
Cousin Vicker
October 16th, 2010
10:46 pm
south carolina still has to lose two for UGA to make it to the sec game (assuming uga wins out). vandy, tenn, arkansas, fla left.
Paul in RDU
October 16th, 2010
10:46 pm
With 6 inter-divisional games still to be played, the SEC East is 2-10 against the West – wow!
Jeff Schultz
October 16th, 2010
10:47 pm
Schultz for brains — My Gators?
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
10:47 pm
With the schedule Boise State plays…I don’t think they should even be considered to play in the national championship game.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:48 pm
Matter of fact, if Oregon and TCU win out, they will be the two representatives in the BCS Championship game. TCU still has a top 10 team in Utah on the schedule and that win should be enough to elevate them past Boise St as far as SOS goes.
But the DAWGS are working their way back, I’m excited looking forward!
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
10:48 pm
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:40 pm
Is Derrick Locke supposed to be back for Kentucky next week?
__________________________________________________
I think so. . . . crap timing.
DILLIGAF
October 16th, 2010
10:49 pm
One last thing, what about Aaron Murray? 287 yards in the air, 36 rushing yards, making smart decisions (throwing the ball away, not taking the loss) and getting better every game. We’ve got him for the next 3 1/2 yrs. (Mason is a comparable candidate also)
This team has some serious offensive talent and I do believe that about 7 out of 8 cylinders are firing now and hopefully they will be firing on all 8 next week.
GATA! UGA/85′
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
10:49 pm
Alphare
October 16th, 2010
10:43 pm
ACC is now officially better than SEC East.
____________________________________________
You. . . are. . . an idiot
AU Tiger Atl
October 16th, 2010
10:49 pm
Vandy sucks! FL sucks. KY, thUGA and FL are tied for second in the East. Very exciting…..zzzzzzzzzz.
War Cam Eagle!! Now that’s excitement. It’s Great to be an Auburn Tiger!!
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:50 pm
Cousin Vicker, that’s an inaccurate statement. UGA could make it to the SEC championship if it ends up tied with UF and SC. There is a tiebreaker regarding BCS ranking (I believe) that would give the highest ranked team the nod for the game.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
10:51 pm
I still think bama will beat allbarn…we’ll see
Jim Doanan as in Doans Pills
October 16th, 2010
10:51 pm
cousin vickers …if UGA wins out and SC loses to Fla and all ends up in a three way tie at 5 – 3 UGA wins SEC East by virtue of Divison wins in the east
JiveLady
October 16th, 2010
10:52 pm
This win looks even better after the events of tonight – the East is WIDE OPEN!
But on a sad note, RIP Barbara Billingsley and her pearls.
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:53 pm
Katherine – “it just shows that the teams in the sec east all beat up on each other”
Actually, all 3 of Florida’s losses have been to the SEC West. As have 2 of Georgia’s.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
10:54 pm
good point delbert
bigdsel
October 16th, 2010
10:55 pm
today was a crazy day for football, the BCS is going to be all jacked up. Dawgs looked like they should look. Hopefully they keep it up. Dawgs still got a long stretch ahead of them. almost every team in the sec has a potential to upset someone. Auburn looks like the team to beat now. they may jump to top 3 in BCS polls, but we’ll have to find tomarrow.
Joe
October 16th, 2010
10:55 pm
Everybody is abandoning ship in Columbia, even as Lattimore sprained his ankle. Anybody, even UT, could win the East by winning out. Heck, Vandy even after crapping up the bed against UGA, still has a chance.
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:55 pm
For what it’s worth, they all would tie for the SEC Division title, but Georgia would play in the SEC CG.
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
10:55 pm
yeah, and Bama’s only loss this year so far (and I’d bet only one they’ll get) is from the SEC east. It all evens out. Granted, you have to give the edge to the West this year.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:56 pm
The real question is whether Florida can “man-up” and beat South Carolina. UGA should be playing the rest of their games with a real sense of purpose and redemption of their early season goals. Now that they see the SEC within their grasp we’ll get to really see how much this team has matured (or not).
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:57 pm
Joe – That’s mind boggling, when you think about it. Weird year.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
10:58 pm
woo hoo phillies and yankees both lost today…the day just gets better and better
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
10:59 pm
I think Joe was exaggerating a little bit there. Tenn and Vandy have no shot at anything but the bottom of the barrel in the SEC this year.
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
10:59 pm
And not to take anything away from Auburn, but I do think Arkansas got screwed on two of those replay calls. . the first one giving Auburn a TD was pretty bad. And it takes a lot for me to say anything good regarding Ark because Petrino is such a jerk.
Dawg Whisperer
October 16th, 2010
10:59 pm
Where all our gator friends? Someone must have drained the swamp.
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
10:59 pm
A pretty good plan seems to be to run the ball against Florida.