If Georgia finishes higher than a 21st in the rankings next season, Aaron Murray will have a lot to do with it.
It seems to be a race every year which media outlet can get its college football preseason rankings out first — kind of like which department store decorates for Christmas first.
Well, a site called NationalChamps.net has established the new standard: It just came out with its 2011 rankings, and we haven’t even made it out of recruiting. Or the bowl season. Or December.
Georgia fans — you’ll neither be thrilled nor surprised. Georgia Tech fans — get ready to rumble.
The No. 1 ranked team on NationalChamps.net’s rankings is Oklahoma, followed by Alabama, LSU and then the two BCS title game opponents, Oregon and Auburn (is Cam Newton coming back or something?).
The Dogs are ranked 21st, which seems about right given the uncertainty on defense and the offensive line and the likely departure of A.J. Green to the NFL.
Then there’s Georgia Tech, which didn’t make the site’s top 25 — or even the top 50.
The only fan base probably more upset is USC’s. The Trojans checked in at No. 43, just behind Air Force, Kentucky and Northwestern. Enjoy, Lane Kiffin.
Preseason rankings mean little even in August. So you can imagine how little weight they carry nine and a half months before kickoff. But they do say something about perception. In this case, the perception is that the Dogs have something to prove and the Jackets’ 6-6 record this season is far closer to reality than the ACC title they won last year.
Do you agree? I’m heading out to Athens Tuesday morning to chat with Mark Richt, so I figured this would be a nice warm-up to a college football column later. What are your early — really early — thoughts on next season?
Below are NationalChamp.net’s rankings, including links to brief analysis.
♦
2011 Top 25
Click on each team for breakdown
1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Louisiana State
4. Oregon
5. Auburn
6. Ohio State
7. Arkansas
8. Missouri
9. Stanford
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma State
12. Michigan State
13. Wisconsin
14. Boise State
15. Nebraska
16. Virginia Tech
17. TCU
18. Florida State
19. South Carolina
20. Notre Dame
21. Georgia
22. Connecticut
23. Mississippi State
24. Michigan
25. Tulsa
Teams 26-50 depth charts included
26. West Virginia
27. Arizona State
28. Florida
29. Utah
30. Penn State
31. Texas
32. Maryland
33. Miami FL
34. Clemson
35. Pittsburgh
36. SMU
37. Tennessee
38. Miami OH
39. North Carolina State
40. Air Force
41. Kentucky
42. Northwestern
43. Southern California
44. Navy
45. Baylor
46. San Diego State
47. Iowa
48. Boston College
49. Southern Miss
50. Brigham Young
♦
Want to win an iPad? I’m told you can still enter the “Sack Schultz Bowl Contest” even though the bowl season has started. Just pick more winners than anybody else and you win! Click here for more info or go to ajc.com/go/sack-schultz to enter.
♦
489 comments Add your comment
Visionary
December 20th, 2010
8:15 pm
It is funny how Tech prides themselves on hating UGA, but when a UGA fan is vocal about hating them back, they cannot handle it, and think it’s the most clasless act possible from human to human.
wesleywhatwhat
December 20th, 2010
8:15 pm
hopefully his daguhter isn’t a fattie. i’ll let u guys know how that goes.
Terry Funk
December 20th, 2010
8:16 pm
@ wesley…I’ll pass..my daughter is 13 and lives in North Cobb and the child support sux….I’m 42 and bitter..too old for 5 points….but I love my Dawgs…thanks for your e-mail…now I understand you better…you need to cuddle w/ your woamn more and do it face to face…
my bill is in the mail…
Jesse Stone
December 20th, 2010
8:16 pm
Terry, your brother Dory was much tougher than you, but not quite as ugly.
Yellow Jacket 89
December 20th, 2010
8:17 pm
Is this blog still reserved for unemployed jock sniffers that live in their parent’s basement? I guess so…considering how many dawg homers are on this blog.
wesleywhatwhat
December 20th, 2010
8:17 pm
visionary, i’m 100% sure u have that backwards.
tech people are focused on being successful in life.
uga people are obsessed with football.
makes for a long year when the team sucks, like the last 3 years, huh?
hate away.
wesleywhatwhat
December 20th, 2010
8:19 pm
terry funk,
ok man, i surrender. u made me laugh.
Terry Funk
December 20th, 2010
8:20 pm
@ wesley…I’ve been reading Frued today….dude you may be obsessed with your “johnson” size…you fit the profile…do you need my help..??
Terry Funk
December 20th, 2010
8:22 pm
I was kidding about the about the face to face stole that from Denzel…Training Day….(but it affected me on a personal level)
I ONLY GET IT FACE TO FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Visionary
December 20th, 2010
8:22 pm
Wesley,
Is that why Tech fans always attempt to turn a football blog into an academic blog?
Terry Funk
December 20th, 2010
8:25 pm
@ Jesse….please tell me you’re in your 40’s and watched Championship Wrestling in late 70’s….that is my core audience….Gordon Solie was the “man”!!!!!!
Billyboy
December 20th, 2010
8:25 pm
Maybe they will also have a pre-season ranking for 2012 to 2020, the 10 year-old Athens Y football team did pretty good this year. UGA should be ranked in the top five in 2020.
Jeff Schultz
December 20th, 2010
8:36 pm
DA Double U G — You’re welcome.
Jeff Schultz
December 20th, 2010
8:38 pm
Who cares? — I’m sorry, that’s too much for me to comprehend with my pea-brain.
Jeff Schultz
December 20th, 2010
8:40 pm
The Producer — Actually, yeah, slow day. But rankings are always fun, even when they’re stupid.
Wreck
December 20th, 2010
8:40 pm
As usual, UGA rules the preseason! Congrats mutts!
Jeff Schultz
December 20th, 2010
8:41 pm
DawgFan55 — Yeah, I know.
D A Double U G
December 20th, 2010
8:48 pm
Wreck, the “mutts” own 2 things apparently…..
1. The Preseason
2. Georgia Tech
Maybe you can use the property taxes UGA owes on North Ave to buyout Paul Hewitt?? Becaise you sure aren’t making any money in Football Ticket sales, that’s for sure.
Sting Time
December 20th, 2010
8:59 pm
Any news on the preseason Fulmer Cup rankings? UGA is preseason top 10 for sure! I mean THUGA.
gt4ever
December 20th, 2010
9:00 pm
Why would you even print a story about pre season….. It’s totally absurd, I mean Notre Dame in the top 25, what kind of lunatic picks the Irish this high….
gt4ever
December 20th, 2010
9:01 pm
UGA is second to NONE in the Fulmer cup ratings….. Just sayin.
D A Double U G
December 20th, 2010
9:05 pm
Reuben Houston…… google him. Then come talk about “THUGA”
James
December 20th, 2010
9:05 pm
Kentucky between Auburn and Tech? WTF?
Sting Time
December 20th, 2010
9:06 pm
You are so right gt4ever! I am sure I insulted the Dawg Nation when I said they were top 10. They are no less than preseason #1. My apologies UGA fans. I am a life long GT fan but I will be pulling hard for you to win the Fulmer Cup. Sic ‘em! Make the State of Georgia proud once again.
Sting Time
December 20th, 2010
9:09 pm
Reuben Houston is one guy. You have so many arrests we can’t even name them all. THUGA is alive and well. UGA has more arrests in one off season than GT has in 10 years. I will talk about THUGA all I want.
JB
December 20th, 2010
9:16 pm
Tech folk are taught to hate UGA from day one due to their inferior complex and being second fiddle to other Elite schools, who they so bad want to be, and are told on a regular basis, and who like most college students, follow their teams, and since Bobby Dodd was a boy, have regularly had their a$$ handed to them by UGA, thus Envy ste in with Sports,woman, penis and a great college experience. They will tell Every alum of UGA that is a Doctor of Veterinary medicine, Lawyer,Teacher,Journalist and Farmer that they live in a trailer or work at McDonalds, and a Engineering Degree from Tech is God’s gift to the world. Geez.
Paul in RDU
December 20th, 2010
9:22 pm
Jeff – I agree with you that NationalChampions.net has set the new standard – the new standard in stupidity. I won’t make any comments about their picks on the top 50 teams but their picks on the top players at each position are hilarious.
The top 3 QBs for 2011 are Cam Newton, Kellen Moore and Andrew Luck. I’ll play in as many FBS games in 2011 as Newton and Luck. Then we have Nick Fairly and Da’Quan Bowers as the #s 1 & 2 DLs, Patrick Peterson as the #1 DB – etc.
Interestingly, the only highly ranked JR that is not on the top 10 list for their position is AJ Green.
JB
December 20th, 2010
9:23 pm
While we are talking Tech football, most successful new coaching hires, in year three, the program is really starting to take off, not in a free fall. Tech football year three under Johnson was horrible. Gonna get worse. There is No talent on that team. Another WR transferred TODAY. Nesbitt Gone. The future looks pretty bleak for year four…..This guy tanked pretty quick, even for ACC standards.
D A Double U G
December 20th, 2010
9:25 pm
my sentiments exactly JB.
boots
December 20th, 2010
9:27 pm
collegefootballisnotasfunwhenyourteamsucks.com has the Dawgs #5 in 2014. I think that is being optimisitc since it is likely Christian LeMay might be going pro early, but I’m hopeful.
By the way, I wonder when the city is going to get jacked about the Falcons. Why not something similar to the ‘91 Braves?
D A Double U G
December 20th, 2010
9:31 pm
you cannot spell Georgia Tech without P O M P O U S
Paul in RDU
December 20th, 2010
9:32 pm
JB – Interesting points about year 3 in a program. What about years 9 & 10?
JB
December 20th, 2010
9:40 pm
Paul in RDU, that ship has sailed. It took 6-7 years. Paul’s ship sunk year three I’m afraid, and my Tech friends are inclined to agree. Even if the offense is 70% of last years, your D stinks and has no depth, no play makers and no stars. You , like us, will feast on the weak and lose to the football schools. Just the facts.
D A Double U G
December 20th, 2010
9:44 pm
I enjoy listening to Techies tell us “All you have is beating us the last 2 years”, when all Tech has, is the fact that all UGA has is beating them the last 2 years.
Back to Back State Champs!!!!!
If you fail to understand the enjoyment, google the word “Rivalry”.
James
December 20th, 2010
9:47 pm
Auburn will not be ranked that high after Cam Newton leaves he’s the whole team without him Auburn wouldn’t even be ranked. That site got Auburn ranked #5 in 2011 lol that’s a joke.
gcs
December 20th, 2010
9:48 pm
Auburn #5??? That is hilarious!
They will be lucky to win 9 games next year.
.
JB
December 20th, 2010
9:51 pm
Auburn loses 4 or 5 starters on the offensive line and fairley also…They go back to 7-5
SGA Dawg
December 20th, 2010
10:00 pm
Dawgs go undefeated and GT has one loss and plays for ACC champ. Go GA
SGA Dawg
December 20th, 2010
10:01 pm
Hey its Christmas miracles do happen right?
James
December 20th, 2010
10:02 pm
Ohio State should be #1 in 2011 with Pryor at QB returning they should be the favorite to win the national championship.
Mirk Richt
December 20th, 2010
10:03 pm
Boise State 77, UGAy 17.
That should end the suspense.
Harry the Hat
December 20th, 2010
10:06 pm
How many UGA players arrested this week?
D A Double U G
December 20th, 2010
10:10 pm
So I just read this article…..
http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/devoted-tech-fans-ready-783406.html
A couple things stood out to me…..
1. I thought Tech fans were above going to games in RV’s. In fact, I’m pretty sure Tech fans make fun of UGA fans constantly for doing it.
2. I thought Tech didn’t have any “sidewalk” fans. I thought EVERY Georgia Tech fan either went to Tech or had direct connections to a family member who did?
3. Tech has loyal fans??
WOW….. this one article changed everything for me!!!!!
The Plain Truth
December 20th, 2010
10:12 pm
Think about the football team THUGA puts on the field. 90% of the players are academically provisionally accepted, with Mark Richt knowing full well that they will use up all their coaching and tutors and elligibility and then have their asses kicked out on the street and soon be pushing grocery carts around Atlanta looking for a warm place to sleep. What a pitiful way to run the State’s flagship university.
It’s kind of pathetic to see all the Dawg fans getting so excited already about next year (just like the year before, the year before that, etc.). How long is it going to take for UGA fans to realize that UGA is simply no longer relevant in the SEC? In the national picture, UGA isn’t even a blip on the radar, and hasn’t been since the preseason #1 ranking two years ago.
Sit back and be grateful for the six or seven wins you’ll get every year. Coaching genius Mark Richt may take you to 7-5 or even 8-4 occasionally, but another team will still win the SEC, meaning no BCS bowls and no top 10 final ranking. Most years, UGA will be very lucky to finish in the top 25, and only after a big bowl win over a nobody opponent.
It’s a different world now, and Dawg fans need to adjust their expectations downward to reflect reality.
Unfortunately nothing is going to change until UGA changes its mediocre coaching. That’s where the difference is, and that’s why everyone outside Dawgtard Nation just laughs at Dawg fans getting so excited year after year about what a great recruiting class UGA gets. It doesn’t matter how many blue chip high school players go to UGA, they simply don’t get the coaching they would get at Florida or Alabama, to name two schools whose programs are far ahead of UGA. And that’s not going to change as long as Mark Richt is in Athens.
Get your heads out of the sand and face reality. And mediocrity and irrelevance.
Pride goeth before the fall
December 20th, 2010
10:15 pm
There were a lot of things for the dawgs to celebrate this year. Let’s see…
1. A drunken, whoring athletic director.
2. Twelve players arrested.
3. A player suspended for violating NCAA rules.
4. Winning the Fulmer Cup for the most players arrested.
5. Winning the title of #1 party school (i.e., the most drunken student body in the USA).
6. A sleazy assistant coach who razzes opposing players, unethical coaching conduct in violation of NCAA rules.
7. A super sleazy head coach who thinks he’s a saint, but recruits thug wannabes, gangbangers, and illiterate morons.
8. A 6-6 record despite having a team full of 4- and 5-star recruits.
Really something to be proud of!
Tech Fan 4 Life
December 20th, 2010
10:19 pm
GT last national championship 1980
UGA last national championship 1990
Total number of national championships between the two schools: GT 4 UGA 2.
To Hell With Georgia!
Tech Fan 4 Life
December 20th, 2010
10:20 pm
Sorry I got the two dates wrong I meant GT last national championship 1990 and UGA 1980.
D A Double U G
December 20th, 2010
10:27 pm
Of course Tech fans think Richt should be fired……
9-1 against Tech
2-1 against their GENIUS coach Johnson
I don’t blame you at all!!!
Tech Fan 4 Life
December 20th, 2010
10:29 pm
As a Tech fan I do think Tech needs a new head coach though I don’t like the option offense we would be better off with a pro-style offense like Chan Gailey had when he was coaching at Tech. It would be nice if Tech could get former Pittsburgh head coach Dave Wannstedt to be the coach.
Paul in RDU
December 20th, 2010
10:33 pm
JB – You obviously can foresee the future better than I can – I have no idea how GT will perform over the next several years but I expect them to play hard and to compete on the field. GT definitely stepped back this year but it is not uncommon. There are plenty of successful coaches whose 3rd year at a school was worse than their 2nd. Included in that are Urban Meyer, Mark Richt, Bob Stoops, Jim Tressel, Steve Spurrier (2x). Maybe Johnson will never have a winning record again but I wouldn’t bet on it.