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
aint conVinceD
October 16th, 2010
10:59 pm
TXdawg… the real question is can UGA “man up” and give the Gators their 4th straight loss with a week off to prepare for the Dawgs?
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
11:00 pm
Yeah Katherine, the Yankees have met their offensive match in Texas.
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
11:01 pm
yes. . the ever-present off week before the UGA-Fla game. . great.
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
11:01 pm
I think it’s going to require 3-D laser imaging from about a million angles to make it better.
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
11:03 pm
aint conVinceD – UGA hasn’t lost 3 straight, so UF needs to be doing more of the “manning-up”. From what I can tell, UGA has gotten progressively better each week, I don’t think you can honestly say that the DAWGS have regressed any since the beginning of the season (LaLa doesn’t count for anything either). Whereas, UF has played very inconsistently and definitely needs to figure out their QB situation.
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
11:03 pm
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
11:01 pm
I think it’s going to require 3-D laser imaging from about a million angles to make it better.
_____________________________
I thought the first one was obvious. The kid wasn’t carrying the ball when he crossed the goal line on the one angle. . and I didn’t see anyone call it a TD either.
Paul in RDU
October 16th, 2010
11:04 pm
Games left between the East and the West -
UGA@AUB SC-ARK VAN@ARK UK@MSU UT-ALA UT@MISS
East is 2-10 right now – looking at no better than 5-13 and possibly worse
Ringleader
October 16th, 2010
11:04 pm
Auburn needs to ……………fear the thumb, it may be 5 straight losses to the Dogs, especially since they are now led by Big Bad Bruce
It would be cute to win the east with 3 losses
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
11:06 pm
Flagboy – those calls could’ve gone either way but the fumble return for a TD was definitely a fumble.
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
11:08 pm
I wasn’t so sure about the second one. . then again, who am i to judge. Just happy the calls weren’t against us or i would have lost my mind
K-Town Dawg
October 16th, 2010
11:08 pm
When was the last time UF, UGA, and UT each had at least 3 conference losses at the halfway point in a season?
SECWest
October 16th, 2010
11:08 pm
It would appear that the SEC East is a bunch of losers… not one team with a winning record in the conference. For years you clowns have derided the West as subpar to the East. Karma’s a bitche ain’t it?
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
11:09 pm
SECWest
October 16th, 2010
11:08 pm
It would appear that the SEC East is a bunch of losers… not one team with a winning record in the conference. For years you clowns have derided the West as subpar to the East. Karma’s a bitche ain’t it?
lol at least we can spell “bitch” not “bitche”
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
11:10 pm
Lol @ Katherine
Icenupe
October 16th, 2010
11:11 pm
@Jeff Schultz, your tweet is still incorrect about Florida’s last 3 loss regular season. In 2007, Tebow’s first year as starter, Florida lost to Auburn, LSU, and UGA. 3 losses in 4 weeks actually. I always remember this because they also lost their bowl game to Michigan to cap a 4 loss season in Tebow’s first year as a starter. I always keep this stat handy in my “why Herschel Walker is greater than Tim Tebow argument”. Herschel never lost an SEC game and only lost 3 games in 3 years.
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
11:11 pm
flagboy? – The thing about nobody signaled the TD was a real screwup. If they had called it a fumble, there was no way that a replay could have overruled that, either. It looked to me that when his knee went down, the defender’s hand was between it and the ground. But I couldn’t tell if it was all of his knee, or part of his knee. There are going to be plays where you just can tell from TV camera shots.
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
11:12 pm
SECWest isn’t a real fan. If he/she was, he/she would have certainly included their own team.
my guess. . . an ACC fan.
Rob
October 16th, 2010
11:13 pm
Just for fun:
Georgia beats Kentucky and Florida, but losses to Auburn.
Kentucky losses to GA, then beats Miss. State, Vandy, and Tenn.
Florida losses to GA, then beats Vandy and SC.
SC beats Vandy and Tenn, then losses to FL and Ark.
The East ends with four teams tied at 4-4.
I’m mostly joking (although none of these outcomes are unreasonable), but the East really is completely up for grabs.
K-Town Dawg
October 16th, 2010
11:13 pm
Or an angry Ole Miss Black Bear
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
11:14 pm
I think I would have seriously gone for General Ackbar over that bear. . .
Jeff Schultz
October 16th, 2010
11:16 pm
Icenupe — You said it yourself: that was 3 losses in 4 weeks in 2007 (win over Kentucky sandwiched in between). This is first time have lost 3 STRAIGHT reg. season games since 1988. In 1999, lost 3 straight games at end of season but last one was bowl game.
Alphare
October 16th, 2010
11:16 pm
I don’t think Meyer coaches them up at all because of his health. His players look awful.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
11:17 pm
Well no team is going to be on top forever……
K-Town Dawg
October 16th, 2010
11:17 pm
Either is a poor choice for a mascot.
I’ve never even seen a bear in Mississippi
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
11:18 pm
Rob – That looks as good as any other scenario.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
11:19 pm
Why did they change mascots anyway?
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
11:20 pm
I still think they should have picked Chewbacca.
flagboy?
October 16th, 2010
11:20 pm
The Rebel wasn’t keeping up with today’s politically correct world.
K-Town Dawg
October 16th, 2010
11:21 pm
Apparently an old southern plantation owner as a mascot presents a negative image.
So, Col. Reb had to go.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
11:21 pm
Lame…..
SECWest
October 16th, 2010
11:22 pm
Katherine – Why did they change mascots anyway?
Are you really that stupid?
aint conVinceD
October 16th, 2010
11:22 pm
TxDawg….UGA lost 3 straight gamesand now has one two straight over pathetic teams. I dont think the odds stack to well for UGA giving the Gators its 4th straight loss. It could happen , we will have to see if the Dawgs can man up though.
K-Town Dawg
October 16th, 2010
11:23 pm
I still don’t get the tie-in between the bear mascot and the rebel name.
At least Ackbar was a rebel leader.
Cousin Vicker
October 16th, 2010
11:24 pm
Guys, there can be no 3 way tie between uga, fla, and sc unless they all have four sec losses. Fla already has 3. UGA obviously must beat them to have a shot at the east, which would give the gators four losses. South Carolina at this point MUST get to four SEC losses for the dawgs to have a shot.
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
11:24 pm
SECWest
October 16th, 2010
11:22 pm
Katherine – Why did they change mascots anyway?
Are you really that stupid?
Ummm no i’m not stupid…was just wondering…..what an ass
Icenupe
October 16th, 2010
11:24 pm
@Jeff Schultz, I misunderstood your tweet. I thought you were saying this was Floridas’ first 3 loss season since then. My bad. Either way, I hope the streak continues for Florida and the losses keep mounting. I am one of the few people that continue to believe Georgia can still win the SEC East. 84 points in 2 weeks is nothing to sneeze at and I believe the Dawgs are averaging 37 points a game since AJ Green’s return.
JSS
October 16th, 2010
11:27 pm
@ TXDawg…
Why bring the ACC into the equation? It was question about UGA’s road woes… That was more 13 months ago if I’m remembering right… So that is what it is about… Stop being insulting and defensive and look at the facts. So do you still think UK is going to be a walk over at Commonwealth now?
Rob
October 16th, 2010
11:27 pm
The SEC has been pretty lucky with its conference championship game – but this season does show the downside to this format. Conference title games work best when the two divisions are relatively balanced. This year a, 11-1 or 12-0 team from the West could very possibly play an 8-4 team from the East. If the team from the West wins, it gets very little bump in either the polls or the computers to help in the BCS standings. If the 8-4 team wins, then the conference losses a chance at another title.
Paul in RDU
October 16th, 2010
11:29 pm
Rob – None of those possible results you posted are unreasonable. That would result in the craziest finish ever
Katherine
October 16th, 2010
11:30 pm
I didn’t see any need to change their mascot…people are way to sensitive and politically correct now.
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
11:30 pm
SC would have to lose to 2 of these: Tennessee, Vandy, Florida, Arkansas.
K-Town Dawg
October 16th, 2010
11:33 pm
I get the feeling that USC is getting ready for another late season melt down
SECWest
October 16th, 2010
11:33 pm
Katherine – Ummm no i’m not stupid
…yeah, but it appears you can’t spell “I’m”… like I said above, Karma is a bitch(e).
Cousin Vicker
October 16th, 2010
11:33 pm
Thank you Delbert
TXDawg (The Real TXDawg)
October 16th, 2010
11:33 pm
Cousin Vicker, you are absolutely wrong. If UT, UGA, and UF all finish with 3 losses, there will be a 3-way (of course) and a tie-breaker established by the SEC several years back, would be the determining factor in who plays in the SEC title game. Just ask Schultz, I’m sure he can clear up the misunderstanding you have about the matter.
aintconVinceD – like I said before, UF is on the losing streak and UGA is on the winning streak (no matter what the level of competition). UF needs to “man-up” and get back in the winning column. If they lose to the DAWGS after having a bye, they’ll definitely need to “man-up” to salvage their season. UGA needed to man up after losing to Arkansas, and they didn’t, they needed to man up after losing to Mississippi St and they actually did even though they lost because of the fumble. However, they definitely “manned-up” against Tenn after UT gave LSU all they wanted (yep the same LSU that just beat your Gators last week). I emphasize this to beat a dead horse, there are not any easy wins in the SEC, you have to be prepared, so don’t diminish UGA’s wins by saying they played inferior competition. At this point, UF may be inferior competition……see ya in Jax!
JSS
October 16th, 2010
11:33 pm
Lots of Bears in Northern Mississippi, unfortunately not as many as prior to the turn of the 19th to 20th century when they push in the SW corner of TN and Ozark region of Missouri in the North and the Eastern regions of Arkansas & Louisiana…
http://www.mdwfp.com/level2/Wildlife/Game/Bear/default.asp
Delbert D.
October 16th, 2010
11:33 pm
Katherine – Br’er Bear would have been a good compromise between the old timey ways and the progressives.
Jim Doanan as in Doans Pills
October 16th, 2010
11:33 pm
Cousin vickers … you are correct Forgot that the gators have lost three straight sec games. SC is still in the drivers seat for the east.
Fair and Balanced
October 16th, 2010
11:34 pm
GA wins another practice game. Thats 3 of em now. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SECWest
October 16th, 2010
11:35 pm
Katherine – people are way to sensitive
…you corrected me about my spelling above. Don’t you mean “too” sensitive? Thought so. Karma is a bitch(e) because it takes one to know one.