Richt’s Dogs have struggled against ranked teams
Mark Richt is only 2-7 in his last nine games against ranked teams. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
If most are doubting Georgia’s chances of upsetting No. 2 ranked Auburn Saturday, one reason is that the Bulldogs’ five wins have come over Louisiana-Lafayette (2-7), Tennessee (3-6), Vanderbilt (2-7), Kentucky (5-5) and Idaho State (1-8).
But there’s another reason: Mark Richt’s teams have struggled against any team in the top 25, let alone a BCS title contender.
Richt’s Dogs have lost seven of their last nine against ranked teams and are 4-8 since 2008. That includes losses this season to the only two ranked teams they’ve played — No. 24 South Carolina (17-6) and No. 12 Arkansas (31-24).
Contrast that with Georgia going 5-0 against ranked teams in 2007 and 10-1 in a stretch that started in November 2006.
In the recent 2-7 stretch vs. ranked teams, the lone victories came over No. 7 Georgia Tech in 2009 and No. 18 Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl the year before. The losses came to Florida (twice), Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, LSU, South Carolina and Arkansas.
The breakdowns:
♦ Here’s Mark Richt vs ranked teams year by year: 2001: 2-3 2002: 5-0 2003: 3-3 2004: 2-2 2005: 4-3 2006: 3-22007: 5-0 2008: 3-3
2009: 1-3 2010: 0-2 Total: 28-21 Here’s the breakdown since 2008: 2008 #8 Alabama: Lost 41-30 #22 Vanderbilt: Won 24-14 #13 LSU: Won 52-38 #5 Florida: Lost 49-10 #22 Georgia Tech: Lost 45-42 #18 Michigan State: Won 24-12 2009 #9 Oklahoma State: Lost 24-10 #4 LSU: Lost 20-13 #1 Florida: Lost 41-17 #7 Georgia Tech: Won 30-24 2010 #24 South Carolina: Lost 17-6 #12 Arkansas: Lost 31-24
♦
So there are the numbers. How confident are you that Georgia will buck this trend in Auburn?
♦
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445 comments Add your comment
Ray
November 8th, 2010
12:35 pm
2013 is correct
AltamahaDawg
November 8th, 2010
12:54 pm
SO basically, when UGA had very good teams, they could hold thier own with other good team, but in the years when they were not a very good team, they struggled to beat the teams that were better than them? Thanks for that insight.
pb
November 8th, 2010
12:55 pm
Mr. Schultz,
You are right. I do not detect that you are anti- Mark Richt. All you do is point out factual information that does not favor GA. In fact, I think you have picked UGA to win a couple games this season that they did not. So don’t see how that can be anti- Richt or GA. But I guess you are getting comment, so that to me, is doing your job. If you piss some people off, too bad.
Jesse Stone
November 8th, 2010
12:56 pm
Altamaha- When the other team has EQUAL or greater talent, UGA will most likely lose the game. CMR can buy the best ingredients available to cook dinner, but it ends up tasting like Shoney’s.
SEC: ESPN projects Kentucky in the Liberty Bowl : Woods Recruiting
November 8th, 2010
12:57 pm
[...] And Georgia under Mark Richt has had trouble with ranked teams, writes Jeff Schultz of the AJC. [...]
RED
November 8th, 2010
1:02 pm
Vain Jangling…like the comment. LMAO
Jeff Schultz
November 8th, 2010
1:05 pm
Oh, and did I mention that UGA, under Richt has had trouble with unranked teams (Colorado, UF) as well?
OkefenokeeDawg
November 8th, 2010
1:06 pm
Rick? Rick?
Did I insult you, Rick?
Good!
SAMMY DAVIS, JR
November 8th, 2010
1:07 pm
GA lost to SCar, ARK & MissSt. Murray was really ‘green’ against SCar & ARK, and GA was w/o AJ also. GA lost to a terrible Colo. team –can’t explain that one except for maybe GA was tanked by their 3 losses in a row, and the fact that Bobo called an awful game by not getting AJ into the game until the 2nd quarter, then AJ left w/ cramps for most of the 3rd, then the fumble that was setting up the game winning field-goal..anyway, strange things happen (James Madison beat VaTech, who beat GaTech). Then there’s the FL game…that’s an expected loss because FL beats GA every-other year, then GA beats itself the rest of the time. So, with that being said, AU has had a few close game–the game w/ KEN comes to mind where AU needed a last-second miracle to pull that win out –a team that GA handled with ease. AU pass D is weak, the game is being played at AU (visitor usually wins), AU is due to have a slip-up, GA has won the last 4 games against AU, are just a few reasons GA’s chances are good to beat AU.
Jan Kemp
November 8th, 2010
1:21 pm
Anybody got any extra tickets?
Vince Dooley
November 8th, 2010
1:23 pm
Barb, honey, Herschel is at the door. You want me to let him in?
AltamahaDawg
November 8th, 2010
1:24 pm
jesse, the probelm is: you assume that Mark Richt has been coming home with the “best ingredients available” and that clearly is not the case.
Barbara Dooley
November 8th, 2010
1:24 pm
Please do Vince. Herschel and I have some “catching up to do”. Tell him I will be down as soon as I get my red panties off, er I mean on.
Frontline Plus
November 8th, 2010
1:25 pm
All Ga fans will be required to use our product prior to entering the stadium.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 8th, 2010
1:26 pm
Dawgs 5-7! BYE BYE.
Flat Tire on I-95 Jacksonville
November 8th, 2010
1:27 pm
28-21 against ranked teams
Losses to Vanderbilt in 2006, 2 losses to Kentucky since then
2-8 vs FL
Needed FL to lose out to go to SEC Championship game all 3 times
Refused to Fire Martinez
30 arrests
11 this year
2-8 vs FL
2-8 vs FL
1-3 vs Ron Zook
6th highest paid coach in college football
This staff has proven they deserve to be paid more money
Ol' Roy Dog Food
November 8th, 2010
1:27 pm
Free to the first 100 UGAG fans at Saturday’s game.
Larry Munson
November 8th, 2010
1:28 pm
Darn glad I won’t have to call the whipping the flea bags are going to get this week.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 8th, 2010
1:30 pm
Has Stafford been dating Nurces? He is spending more time injured than playing and earning his Big $$$$. Wait Fat Matt is into the Trainer GUY. Do they both get in the Hot tub together? Fatt Matt you never should have done the KEG lift in College at the race. If screwed-up your Sholder. Fatt Matt the next in the Line of bad NFL-UGA-QBs. Talk to Q. Carter he can hook you up with some GOOD STUFF to make your PAIN go away. Puff Puff.
Russ
November 8th, 2010
1:31 pm
Jeff-
No, the reason we’re doubtng gergia wins this game, are not what you wrote, no because Richt’s ONLY 28-21 against ranked team (is that bad compared to Saban’s record???)
They’re:
1- Freshman QB who does freshman stuff like throw 3 interceptions in 1 game & get sacked twice by Idaho State.
2- Brand new 3-4 defensive scheme, who even defensive gurus like Saban, struggled in their first year implemnting the 3-4 defense, especially hard for Grantham in year 1, because he got to Georgia so late, Grantham wasn’t able to recruit his ideal physical types to run his scheme the way he envisions it, he’s just using the existing players, and pluggin part sin, that really don’t fit.
3- am Netwon’s ability to average over 40 points and 500 yards a game.
Georgia will lose, by a large margin, perhaps 35 points. Auburn could very well break 60 points against Georgia’s young defense, and Murray will likely have another meltdown, especially in the first quarter.
Pole Cat
November 8th, 2010
1:32 pm
I smell better than a wet dawg
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:33 pm
Spurrier’s 9-16 against ranked opponents at South Carolina.
could be a LOT worse than 28-21.
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:36 pm
Petrino is 4-5 vs. ranked teams at Arkansas.
could be a lot worse than Richt’s 28-21 record.
Flat Tire on I-95 Jacksonville
November 8th, 2010
1:36 pm
Altamah Dawg
Unfortunatley your wrong
UGA ranks 4th in putting players in the NFL since 1999
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_college_team_has_the_most_NFL_players_on_the_NFL_rosters
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/10357194
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-footballfactories031609
Richt has had the ingredients he has burnt the stew to many times
Lets stop making excuses people
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:39 pm
Miles is 20-12 against ranked teams.
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:40 pm
Saban’s record against top ranked teams is 17-14.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 8th, 2010
1:40 pm
Now DAWGS are comparing themselves to Arkansas and South Carolina? HAHAHAHA. A few DAWGS finally realize UGA is not and will not ever be the BEAT of the SEC even thought you get much of the State og Georgia’s TALENT. Too Damn Funny. Richt played at Miami and saw real TALENT and that is why he was on the Bench. Richt coached at FSU and got great TALENT and his Offense just didn’t need to lose the game because the Deffence could win the game. What is Richt’s problem in Athens?
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:42 pm
Dan Mullen’s 1-4 against ranked teams
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:43 pm
Petrino is 3-7 against ranked teams career wise.
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:44 pm
Mark Richt’s 28-21 record is in the top 10 in the nation against ranked teams.
Guess Jeff forgot to mention that.
Jeff Schultz
November 8th, 2010
1:46 pm
Super Wave — it’s in the chart. Who do you think typed up the chart?
Super Wave
November 8th, 2010
1:47 pm
Richt’s record against ranked teams is better than Saban, Petrino, Spurrier, or Mullen.
Flat Tire on I-95 Jacksonville
November 8th, 2010
1:47 pm
5150 P.O.A.D
Im still waiting on your response on how your going to react from the beat down coming from a bottom feeder SEC school in UGA in a few weeks
Oh and I hear Heisman Trophy canidate Josh Nesbitty is being treated by Staffords team of nurses
Timmy
November 8th, 2010
1:50 pm
Jeff-
Thanks for pointing out Richt’s 28-21 record against top ranked teams.
I had no idea Richt was in the top 10, record wise against ranked teams and better than Nick Saban and Spurrier.
Wow, I knew Richt was good, but better than Nick Saban against ranked teams, pretty awesome.
Timmy
November 8th, 2010
1:53 pm
If Richt has ’struggled” against ranked teams with a 28-21 record, imagine how Jeff would have descdribed Spurrier’s 9-16 record against ranked teams.
I guess Nick Saban has also ’struggled” against ranked teams, since his record is worse than Richt’s record.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 8th, 2010
1:54 pm
Flat Tire
I have NO FEAR of TECH’s chances to beat UGA. UGA ain’t that good, but we will see. STAFFORD loves the Whirlpool more than the LOVES the NFL field of play. That seems to be UGA QBs calling.
Is FLAT TIRE what you call your loved one because hre/hie breats sugery went flat after a few years of your abuse?
5150 P.O.A.D
November 8th, 2010
1:55 pm
Falt
PS it should be HOW I WILL REACT TO THE BEAT DOWN, not FROM.
Timmy
November 8th, 2010
1:55 pm
Richt’s won more games (28) than Mullen, Nutt, Petrino, COMBINED!!
cHRIS
November 8th, 2010
1:57 pm
Jeff-
Your article forgot to mention something kind of relevant.
Richt has a 4-0 record against Auburn over the last 4 meetings.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 8th, 2010
1:57 pm
Timmy
Are you counting total HEAD COACHING records? I don’t know. I have not checked their Head Coaching records.
cHRIS
November 8th, 2010
1:59 pm
Dooley really struggled, even more than Richt, against top ranked teams, going 32-32.
rICHT’S 28-21.
Vincent
November 8th, 2010
2:02 pm
I guess, the way Jeff sees it, a coach who has a better record against top ranked teams thsan Saban, Spurrier, Petrino, Nutt, or Mullen, ’struggled’.
I’d say Richt “thrived”.
Just my take.
Don’t think ’struggled’ is the word that describes Richt’s 28-21 record against top ranked teams.
Flat Tire on I-95 Jacksonville
November 8th, 2010
2:03 pm
5150 P.O.A.D
hre/hie breats sugery
Whats that suppose to be english major
wildbill
November 8th, 2010
2:04 pm
Maybe Bruce will bite an Auburn player and make history. Maybe Auburn will have mercy and give us a chance with their second team.
5150 P.O.A.D
November 8th, 2010
2:06 pm
Richt had better talent than Petrion, nutt, and Mulen in every game played. Richt had better talent than Spurrier in some of his games too.
Vincent
November 8th, 2010
2:06 pm
Mark Richt’s winning percentage, among top ranked teams, ranks as #9 in the NCAA, out of 120 teams.
Struggled????
#9 out of 120 teams?
Flat Tire on I-95 Jacksonville
November 8th, 2010
2:07 pm
Saban Struggling
Look at the big picture people
Sabans 17-14 record can be attributed to the disasterous programs he walked into at LSU and Alabama, he rebuilt both
Mullen hasnt even been a head coach but for 2 yrs at one of the sorriest programs in the nation for the past 100 yrs
Petrino was at Louisville people come on, and Arkansas isnt much better
Vincent
November 8th, 2010
2:08 pm
Speaking of coaches who ’struggled’
Urban Meyer ’struggled’ against AUburn, 0-2 record
Richt didn’t, 4-0 record.
Vincent
November 8th, 2010
2:09 pm
Richt’s winning percentage is in the top 8% in the NCAA.
Struggled???
Top 8% in wins????
That’s actually funny.
Flat Tire on I-95 Jacksonville
November 8th, 2010
2:09 pm
5150 P.O.A.D
Richt has had better talent in every game against Spurrier at SC, lets be come to reality here please