Site says Georgia No. 21, Tech unranked going into 2011
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.
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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
♦
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489 comments Add your comment
Does of Reality
December 21st, 2010
9:35 am
Go Tech!
Aubie
December 21st, 2010
9:36 am
AU loses most of its starters on the offensive and defensive lines. That, along with a difficult schedule and AU should be ranked around number 20. Watch out for AU in 2012! Thuga should have a better year in 2011.
GT Fan
December 21st, 2010
9:36 am
The more preseason rankings that exclude Tech, the better. Tech is a lot better when they are an underdog and the players need to prove themselves. Tech’s OL is still 2 seasons away and the promising young DL need time to mature. When Tech’s more solid in the trenches they’ll be more consistent year in and year out.
UGA at 21 seems about right. Murray’s good and there’s a lot of talent on the team. It does seem like Richt is getting a little like Fulmer at TN…..a very successful coach for many years and then the conference seems to be leaving him behind. With TN & FL down, it’s time for UGA to make hay if they can.
WDE
December 21st, 2010
9:38 am
Thank God… it wouldn’t be college football if UGA weren’t disgustingly overrated to start the season.
I love how you say “21’s about right given the uncertainty [blah blah blah].”…
You all need to wake up, you don’t find Georgia’s ranking by starting high and then knocking them down for each weakness. Finding a strength for this team in 2011 outside of Aaron Murray is nearly impossible. Georgia is not a top-25 program next year, mark it down.
WDE
December 21st, 2010
9:40 am
I mean are yall even paying attention? They were 7-5 last year, 6-6 this year, and they are bleeding talent at an unbelievable pace. Their “Dream Team” of recruits is nothing close to the name, either.
jarvis
December 21st, 2010
9:42 am
Enjoy the ride WDE. You’ll be looking to fire your coach in 12 months, mark it down.
WDE
December 21st, 2010
9:44 am
And while I can give Aaron Murray props, I hope you fairies are ready for him to hit a sophomore slump of epic proportions:
Kris Durham gone
AJ Greene gone
The veteran O-Line (despite underperforming this year) moving on and breaking up
Bobo still here
Caleb King and Washaun Ealey still practicing their fumbling technique after every 2.5 yard game
WDE
December 21st, 2010
9:45 am
How do you figure, Jarvis? Still clinging on to the Newton non-story for your dear life?
bjohndawg
December 21st, 2010
9:46 am
What is this site owned by GO Daddy.com
No
Todd Helmick
1 Day Star Ct.
Baltimore, Maryland 21206
United States
410-866-1405
Todd, what are you thinking? No love for Yech. The buzzers will be upset.
GT fan logic
December 21st, 2010
9:48 am
Terry funk—-Maybe you missed the Georgia-Ga Tech game….I think if im right that high school offense you are refering to rushed for over 400 yrds….Now if I were a georgia fan i wouldnt be happy about a high school offense getting that kinda yardage on the ground….Oh wait I forgot you couldnt read the stats in the paper the day after the game
Todd Grantham
December 21st, 2010
9:54 am
We will choke again.
Todd Grantham
December 21st, 2010
9:55 am
I would choke Paul Johnson if I could get my hands around his turkey neck.
1eyedJack
December 21st, 2010
9:56 am
Moonpie
“Yes that is correct.My opinion is that the NFL and NCAA will put a halt to underclassmen entering the draft in Football and Basketball.”
Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier ‘n puttin’ it back in.
ACG
December 21st, 2010
9:56 am
I’m one of the people that isn’t sold of CPJ’s offense. Yes, it has put up solid numbers and I’m not saying it won’t. Our defense has been horrible the past couple years which has been the reason we’ve fallen short. The part I’m worried about is the passing game.
Now before you say “look at what BayBay did”, just realize, that any kid with the measurables and talent of Baybay will not be committing to an offense like this, no matter how much you point to the Baybay example.
I just hope Washington is a better passer than Nesbitt, and that the receivers we do have quit dropping the ball.
I just don’t think we’ll ever seen the game-changing ability that Baybay had ever again. And you gotta be able to strike deep and quick like that in order to win championships, as Auburn showed this year.
JM
December 21st, 2010
9:56 am
21st for Georgia is about right? Hah!…more like 71st. Another 6-6 season is in the offing and it’s adios to Richt.
Bruce Mac
December 21st, 2010
9:57 am
Whether UGA is 21 or 31, who cares? Not a top ten team anymore is the point. UGA is Top 30 or so right now even with all the losses in most computers. How does it feel now and how much better will it feel to move up a spot or two? If #21 is what UGA is at end of 2011, CMR is gone IMO.
Brock
December 21st, 2010
10:03 am
these polls are as useless as a screen door on a submarine. didn’t someone have ga being ranked at #3 going into this year? next article please.
gomdawg
December 21st, 2010
10:07 am
It don’t matter where you start , it’s where you finish. I can see Georgia going 11-1 Great Year
SEC Champs. A.J. Green Heisman Trophy winner and Aaran Murray runner up.UGA plays for the National Championship ( Junkyard Dawgs ) WINS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joey
December 21st, 2010
10:07 am
Wow! UGA back in the polls!
I must have missed Mark Richt’s retirement announcement . . .
Seriously, MSU is 21 in current polls at 8-4. Look on next season’s schedule and find 8 wins, with no changes to Richt’s staff, no AJ, no Durham, no Huston.
Not to mention that we haven’t had a committment in over 4 months.
I won’t miss a play next season, because Aaron Murray will do everything in his power to win, but we’ll probably have to beat Tech again to win 6 games.
Moonpie
December 21st, 2010
10:10 am
GT Fan Logic,
Dont have to read to see 9-1 in last 10 against Tech!
Paul in RDU
December 21st, 2010
10:11 am
It’s obvious that many of the people posting on here haven’t gone to the NationalChampions.net website to see what else is written. How can a CFB website be taken seriously that doesn’t have AJ Green as a top 10 WR?
Before anyone starts saying “he’s not rated because he won’t be back in 2011″, every other highly ranked rising senior is listed (Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Nick Fairley, Da’Quan Bowers, Marcel Dareus, Justin Houston, Patrick Peterson, etc, etc)
BigDawg
December 21st, 2010
10:11 am
Why schedule Michigan or Ohio State for games ten years down the road? We have already seen what will happen. We will wait until the game is three years away and then cancel the series. We generally play the easiest of SEC schedules until Florida passed us but we are racing them for cupcake scheduling supremacy. We scheduled OSU when they were cupcakes. We played Colorado when they were terrible. We never play anyone of note and just canceled the Oregon series. We are a team with little bark when it comes to scheduling. How do we not win at least 9 games yearly?
Moonpie
December 21st, 2010
10:12 am
1eyedJack,
College Presidents are going to put a pencil to the amount of money they are losing when high profile players move on after thier junior years.Like I said this is only an opinion.Think how much revenue will be lost by UGA with Houston and A.J leaving early?
Snoop Dawg
December 21st, 2010
10:13 am
The talent on the team definitely has top 20 potential, probably top 10. The incompetent coaching staff, however, with its laissez fair discipline and inability to call plays or train up the players, will drag the 2011 Dawgs down into the SEC cellar even with the easy schedule they have. Until Richt is gone, things will only get worse.
Joey
December 21st, 2010
10:14 am
11-1?
gomdawg, you do realize UGA has lost 11 games the past season, and we’re gonna win 11 without 3 of our 5 biggest playmakers from this miserable season?
Joey
December 21st, 2010
10:15 am
….lost 11 games past 2 seasons….
Snoop Dawg
December 21st, 2010
10:15 am
Has anybody thought about why so many UGA players jump ship into the NFL so early? Players on other SEC teams stay put like Ingram at Alabama. UF and SC keep their talent. Why? I think it is because of the culture set by an aloof and detached head coach.
Columbus Dawg
December 21st, 2010
10:16 am
Hey WDE, you pathetic piece of sh%#, the majority of the fairies you mention hang out at the Haley Center in the middle of the craphole you call The Plains. Yeah before this season our pathetic Georgia teams have whipped your butts four years straight, and will probably pick up where they left off next season. I have seen idiots in my day, but never a larger group of idiots than those of the Auburn University football nation. Auburn’s coming troubles may not even include that cheating, thieving, p.o.s. Newton. Once Mcgregor is convicted of election bribery, Aubies everywhere will be trying to put spin on why players where given perks at his dog track, after their sanctions have been levied. Nothing has changed in the behavioral traits of idiot Auburn people, even since the last major probation period. Oh yeah that was a conspiracy against Auburn, I forgot. That was why they were playing those tapes of that moron saying “Let’s keep all that down home cuz”, on Sixty minutes. What a bunch of turds.
JB
December 21st, 2010
10:17 am
If the NCAA OR the NFL cared about anything but money, they would demand a degree was earned before becoming eligible for the draft.
JB
December 21st, 2010
10:18 am
Good post Columbus Dawg…..
Moonpie
December 21st, 2010
10:19 am
JB,
A degree to be drafted-I like that idea.Good point!
bugs
December 21st, 2010
10:20 am
As a longtime Tech fan,I quit!
ACG
December 21st, 2010
10:22 am
Can someone explain to me why you think you have top 10 talent? Is that just you clinging on to Rivals’ recruiting rankings the past few years?
Caleb King was supposed to be the greatest RB recruit in some time coming out of HS. The fact is that recruiting services give UGA the benefit of the doubt and overrank their prospects. Read the Randall Cobb story, about how he was 2-stars until Tennessee offered him and he jumped to 3-stars, if you don’t believe these services to this.
big fat alligator
December 21st, 2010
10:23 am
I CALL BULLSH**t
wesleywhatwhat
December 21st, 2010
10:23 am
UGA at 21?
Anyone who believes that is living in a dream world where Herschel Walker walks through the door again.
Actually, Herschel left early and never had much of a pro career. Why not petition the NCAA to let him finish his last year of eligibility? Even at 50, he’s better than anyone currently on the roster.
Dale
December 21st, 2010
10:24 am
Ugh. Auburn fans and the pride of their one-and-done player. S.F. Giants fans loved Barry Bonds too.
1eyedJack
December 21st, 2010
10:24 am
JB
The NFL is a business. The NCAA has no power over them. The NFL holds all the aces.
WDE
December 21st, 2010
10:25 am
You would be more than excited to have a one-and-done player like Cam, Dale. It’s not my fault as a fan he took two stops before getting to start at my school. And I’ve never been opposed to juniors going to the draft- if I got offered 80 million my junior year of college, I would have peaced the heck out too.
1eyedJack
December 21st, 2010
10:26 am
wesleywhatwhat
Herschel had a fine pro career.
Blue
December 21st, 2010
10:27 am
Even if Cam WAS coming back, as I understand it, they are losing four of their five starters on the OL. No way…
Joey
December 21st, 2010
10:27 am
Herschel “never had much of a pro career?
Wikipedia:
“In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards.[11] This gave him 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL’s all-time leaders in total yardage at the time of his retirement; as of the start of the 2007 NFL season, ten years after his retirement, he still ranks eighth.”
Dufus.
Dale
December 21st, 2010
10:27 am
Right Wesley, Herschel never had much of a pro career. Second all-time in total yards.
trey
December 21st, 2010
10:27 am
Goodbye Yellow maggots….LMAO.
WhineWhineWhine
December 21st, 2010
10:30 am
I see its been almost 8 weeks and the Thuga nation is still whining about the Auburn beat down.
WDE
December 21st, 2010
10:30 am
I’ll be the first to admit- Auburn is overrated for next year, but mostly because our OL. We’ll be fine at QB (no, Barret Trotter won’t be as good as Cam, but neither is anyone here’s quarterback).
We have great running backs, good receivers, and some great young talent. Believe it or not, our D is improved (and is practically lights-out in the 2nd half).
I see Auburn going 8-4 or 9-3 next season.
WRJacket
December 21st, 2010
10:32 am
PJ’s “highschool” offense is averaging 34 points and 426.7 total yards against the mighty Dawg defense over the past 3 years.
Our O is not the problem and UGAg has not stopped it. The 1-2 record is a result of our inept defense.
WhineWhineWhine
December 21st, 2010
10:32 am
Hey Columbus Dawg,
When is the next arrest of the Thugs coming in Athens? Have fun in lovely Memphis watching your pathetic 6 and 6 team whose signature win of the season came against mighty Idaho State!
chuck
December 21st, 2010
10:33 am
Maryland is about to hire the guy–Mike Leach–that could have put this program back on the map. Enjoy “man boobs” a few more seasons before he is sent packing. I tried to tell you… The ACC just turned into Miami, Maryland, VaTech, the Noles, and a bunch of schedule filler. It wsn’t much better before that.
WhineWhineWhine
December 21st, 2010
10:33 am
Hey WDE, which year do you think the Thuga nation will finally quit whining about the beatdown in Auburn? I’m guessing 2015.
Dawg Tired
December 21st, 2010
10:34 am
Us being ranked 21 seems, well, absurd. WIthout AG and Durham and a terrible o-line Aaron will be fortunate not to get maimed. So much for the offense. As for the defense, the Tech game is all I needed to see to confirm my worse fears, Two weeks to prepare for the triple option, which is actually the single option with that no-arm QB they were using in Nesbitt’s absence, and we looked pathetic. Our 3/4 of a million dollar DC could not come close to figuring out how to make adjustments during the game. I’m wondering why so many folks think we’ll be better on d next year when we were in our 12th game of the season and still seemed clueless. Surely 12 games is enough to learn a system of defense.
Oh well, things could be worse, we could have a socialist for president. Oh, I temporarily forgot.