With Lattimore out, Dogs’ hopes rest on Florida game
Mark Richt didn't like what he saw at Vanderbilt but his team's in a good situation.
Not that anybody wants to see a great athlete have his season ended by an injury. But could anything more possibly go right for Georgia?
South Carolina has lost running back Marcus Lattimore for the season with a torn knee ligament. Lattimore was the key to the SEC East title last season. It was reasonable to think the Gamecocks might be able to overcome the personal and career meltdowns of quarterback Stephen Garcia and still win the division if they could get reasonable play from backup Connor Shaw. But losing Lattimore might be too much.
What does that mean for the Bulldogs? Just this: Beat Florida in two weeks and there’s a good chance they’ll be in the SEC championship game (against either Alabama or LSU).
Consider the top three teams in the East and the remaining schedule:
• SOUTH CAROLINA (4-1): The Gamecocks hold a tiebreaker edge over the Dogs for their win in game two. They probably will still win their game at Tennessee in two weeks, but sweeping the final two games at Arkansas and home against Florida will be difficult. Actually, they could lose both of those games. A split leaves them at 6-2. But minus Lattimore, 5-3 may be more likely.
• GEORGIA (4-1): If the Dogs sweep their final three conference games against Florida, Auburn and Kentucky – all at home – they’ll almost certainly win the division with a 7-1 record. If they beat the Gators, they’ll eliminate Florida and likely finish at least 6-2 (assuming a win over Kentucky). In that scenario, they would need South Carolina to lose to both Arkansas and Florida (assuming a win over Tennessee). If the Dogs to Florida, they probably would drop a game back, allow the Gators back in the race and lose tiebreakers to both division competitors. They could finish 7-1, 6-2 or 5-3.
• FLORIDA (2-3): The Gators need to sweep their final three games to have a shot in the East. That’s possible, particularly if injured quarterback John Brantley comes back from a leg injury. (Coach Will Muschamp said he hopes to get Brantley back for the Georgia game.) After Georgia, Florida’s only remaining SEC games are against Vanderbillt and South Carolina. They’ll finish 5-3, 4-4 or 3-5.
Most of the Dogs’ shortcomings were on display at Vanderbilt Saturday night. Mistakes and the lack of discipline upset coach Mark Richt. But they’ve won five straight and getting back to the SEC title game now may hinge on just beating Florida. Which, of course, has been a problem over the last two decades.
By Jeff Schultz
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374 comments Add your comment
dawg78
October 16th, 2011
11:31 pm
I hate this auto complete on my phone. I meant this year, not his ear.
Big Dawg
October 16th, 2011
11:40 pm
Here’s a fact that you can put in your pipe and smoke. Mark Richt has lost 8 times out of 10 to the Florida Gators. If that trend doesn’t change and quick, no amount of whining about young players, injuries, or scrambling to win 5 in a row against the Sisters of the Poor will save his job for him. Time to put up or shut the $&@@ up. A decade is plenty time enough to show what kind of coach you are against the teams that really count. And by this measurement, Richt is a huge failure.
rally
October 16th, 2011
11:41 pm
Watch out fans of Florida, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, et al. These low class puppies will be crying all day if you get the least bit physical with them. They even got upset with the SEC 98 lb. weakling, that dirty and intimidating Vanderbilt. I will be rooting for whoever Georgia plays from here on. Bad doggies.
dawg78
October 16th, 2011
11:46 pm
Big dawg, that’s my point. Why the hell do I want him to save his job by beating a lousy fla team. I’m suppose to feel good about what? Another year of this crap. You trying to sell me that somehow cmr is gonna turn us into a perennial power like sabin has done at bama. Give me a break. Id like to beat Fla and au but not if it means keeping Cmr. Sorry but this dawg won’t hunt. B
dawg78
October 16th, 2011
11:48 pm
And let’s be honest, we were lucky as hell to beat vandy. If punter doesn’t make that tackle, all of his doesn’t matter. It still doesn’t matter.
Schultz is Not a Good Writer
October 16th, 2011
11:50 pm
I watched the video of the game and here is my take:
1. Shawn Williams took a cheap shot at a Vandy receiver in the first quarter.
2. Vandy LB Sharpe took a cheap shot at Xander Ogletree on a kick return, then punched him in the face and Shawn Williams actually came over to break it up and Sharpe punched him in the face. Shawn Williams got flagged.
3. Vandy Center got called for clipping, but it should have been a personal foul. The play was out of bounds, he was on his stomach and Kwame Geathers was on his stomach. The center obviously dove at his legs, which could have cost Geathers a serious injury and (for all we know) a career in professional football…..Geathers threw a punch and the refs knew why he did and, believing it justified, did not toss him.
4. Shawn Williams must have done something to the Vandy bench as the final play ended because he is moving away from that sideline toward his own players when Franklin comes out and is yelling and pointing at him.
5. Grantham probably overreacted, but you cannot blame him for protecting his own players…..
6. Richt pointed at Grantham and told him to get out of there when Grantham started coming back.
When I coached and the opposing coach said something to me about the way I talked to my guys or if they tried to talk to my guys I would tell them to coach their own ball club…….
to sum up, I think Franklin has talked up how Vandy is not going to be intimidated anymore and they bought it and they took some shots to make up for one by Georgia…..you cannot blame Georgia for giving it right back to Vandy……..football is a tough, physical game and those playing and coaching at this level are modern day gladiators………
You do have to be smart, though…..when you’re playing a team with a reputation of choir boys and you (except for the last two seasons) get penalized for passing gas you cannot let them draw you into losing composure.
Matt
October 16th, 2011
11:59 pm
I’m just glad it’s Buttcamp coaching UF and not Urban
Matt
October 17th, 2011
12:02 am
Honestly though Florida and Auburn are most alike to us. Beside the fact that we know who our QB is. Those two games can easily be Lost. Winning out and at least making a game of the SEC championship is the only way we stay credible. Hopefully Murray doesn’t choke like last time they played UF.
Dirty Dawg
October 17th, 2011
12:09 am
Hey jb, secfan and snoopdawg…do you guys take turns being each other’s butt-boys too. We don’t need you here and even if you’re right about everything you post, we still don’t need you…so please, go bugger somewhere else.
By the way, found it interesting that the announcers failed to credit Rambo, with tipping that next-to-last pass that likely kept it from being a TD…and also that the Vandy kid that was trying to recover the blocked punt, as soon as Butler got his hands on him, flipped the ball backward – wouldn’t it have been a hoot if it had been recovered by Georgia? Guess they would have to have claimed that the Vandy guy had possession first and based on the calls from this bunch of officials, anything that would have gone our way was out of the question.
Fair and Balanced
October 17th, 2011
12:14 am
Fl down this year. New young coach. Ga has 2 weeks to prepare. So does Fl. It’s a battle of the coaches. If Richt can’t win this one…….he deserves to be fired. Ga is a team with under achieving players and over-paid coaches.
alphaescape
October 17th, 2011
12:32 am
This season is 2007 all over again…bear with me; sophomore quarterback, freshman running back, steady but improving defense, post-game hostilities AT Vanderbilt, Richt saying that ‘we need to improve’ , loss to carolina early, Carolina eventually choking, etc. Anyone remember what happend that year? You guys think that LSU wanted to face that team? Does anyone think we are ‘afraid’ to face LSU this year? Would it not be prudent to believe that Les Miles fears playing Georgia in the Dome? How about Alabama you say? Read Saban’s book and you’ll know what he thinks of Georgia. Putting it plainly, he doesn’t want to play us. Period. I won’t come down on Richt. Too much of that here. Terry Bowden said it best when he said that Richt is a victim of his own success. I’ll take the good with the bad even if it means we come up short against some teams. I would not trade this squad with any (AND I MEAN ANY) team in the states right now or next year. Who do we get if Richt retires to south america? Who? No easy answers—bird in the hand…….the devil you know…….all that crap. RUN THE TABLE FELLAS—THE POLITICS WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. Speaking of the ‘war’ talk……….been there. ‘War is young men dying and old men talking.’ I’d rather root for the young guys and leave the rest behind.
yearofthedawg
October 17th, 2011
12:34 am
Jeff-
Marcus Lattimore getting hurt is not something “going right” for the Dawgs. Any true fan of football would not want to limp into a title game because another team’s best player was injured. I wish the young man a full recovery; he has a big future ahead of him.
The rest of you idiots can sit and spin. That goes for the Dawg “fans” that do nothing but whine that the victories aren’t impressive enough, and all the other teams’ fans that are only here trying to rile up the red and black faithful that will fall for it.
The great news for both groups above is that the way the rest of the schedule looks, we can either a) lose a game and hear everyone say “i told you so”, or b) win out and listen to everyone complain the “Florida is down” or “Auburn is down” or whatever, so the victories don’t really count.
What a waste of time.
Now this is an interesting post....
October 17th, 2011
12:34 am
kerryb
October 16th, 2011
10:18 pm
JB, do you realize that the only team Bama has played that is any good is Arkasas and they gave away a game to Texas A&M. So, who has Bama played so far?
————
Let me understand – Bama has only beaten one team who is any good (please remind me what UGA’s record is against Penn State by the way) so the mighty Dawgs, who are on a 5 game streak, including wins against Ole Miss and Vandy, will be sure to take them.
Meanwhile, the results against common opponents:
ALA 34 Vandy 0; ALA 52 Miss 7 – UGA 33 Vandy 28; UGA 27 Miss 13
Certainly little difference between these 2 teams
Erk Russell's dog
October 17th, 2011
12:42 am
alphaescape
What are you smoking? This GA squad makes LSU or Bama scared,are you kidding me? We just got punked by Vanderbilt.Even with our spy in place in Gainesville the Gators will more than likely take a big bite out of our butts. Dogs may still back into dome with 2 losses ,but I doubt they will be able to stay within 21 points of either BAMA or LSU.
godawgsgo
October 17th, 2011
1:21 am
As a dog fan for many years I can only hope we win out and that SC wins out too. That way we won’t have to play for the SEC championship and get beat on by LSU or AL. We then get a decent bowl game and hopefully close out the year with a bowl win! No, I don’t have aspirations of a top national rating because this team hasn’t shown that it deserves it, but they are still my dogs and I will cheer them on to the end. Go Dawgs!
» Blog Archive » With Lattimore out, Dogs’ hopes rest on Florida game – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)
October 17th, 2011
1:58 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
GA
October 17th, 2011
2:51 am
Enter your comments here
GATOR N GEORGIA
October 17th, 2011
3:05 am
Here is the deal…We are not very good. New system, new coach…we are playing 2 frosh QB, our WR’s can’t play…we are running different schemes on offense and defense…and we played Alabama and LSU, who could probably play on Sunday and win a few. Time will tell what the Muschamp era does. I do know this, whoever wins the east will get their clocks cleaned in Atlanta, because the east is weak as pond water. Tampa Gator, enjoy your post.
Thomas Brown
October 17th, 2011
4:07 am
Jeff Schultz
“But could anything more possibly go right for Georgia?”
Pardon me, but I cannot find an UGA fan happy right now.
ramguy68
October 17th, 2011
5:08 am
Well if the fans played the games the Dawgs would certainly not win the SEC East or even win any game. I’ve never seen such a negative bunch in my life. I’m leaning towards believing that the incident at the end of the Vandy game will set the Dawgs on fire just as the the end zone celebration did in 2007 against Fla. If they are fortunate enough to win the East can the beat LSU or Ala? I don’t know. You wouldn’t think they would but if you think this Defense will take guff from anyone I think you’re mistaken.
Thomas Brown
October 17th, 2011
7:01 am
ramguy68 October 17th, 2011 5:08 am
“I’ve never seen such a negative bunch in my life.”
“can we beat LSU or Ala? I don’t know.”
That’s DISNEYdawgs.com of you to run in here and say you don’t know if UGA can beat LSU or Alabama, ramguy68.
Gdawg
October 17th, 2011
7:03 am
BUZZ, Virginia, I am still laughing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JackDennis
October 17th, 2011
7:07 am
The dawgs may win the East. But they are pathetic.
Buh bye to Richt
October 17th, 2011
7:18 am
I’ve never understood how anyone could take any pride in the UGA football team. Look at their history for the past forty years: how can anyone ignore Jan Kemp and the remedial studies scam, the Jim Harrick sleaze, the DUIs in the athletic office (not just Damon Evans), the DUIs and other arrests of players, the #1 party school label (for the most drunk students), the suspensions and outright dismissals, the Fulmer Cup, and on and on?
As disgraceful and sickening as it is, I don’t see many alumni and fans demanding an end to this sleazy activity. It sets UGA apart as the kind of school that decent people despise and it’s become an embarrassment to the whole state of Georgia.
Will it ever end? Not while Mark Richt is at UGA. Richt is the biggest hypocrite in the United States. And even with the cheating and lawlessness that he ignores, he still doesn’t win the SEC.
So you’re paying him $3+ million a year to be champions, but he can’t even win the SEC East. So why do you keep paying him millions of dollars year after year?
Just wondering.
Tennis Rodman
October 17th, 2011
7:39 am
@ Buh bye to Richt: sounds like you didn’t get accepted to attend UGA and/or you a Gtu fan.
Double Zero Eight
October 17th, 2011
7:39 am
If they play Auburn and Florida the way they
played Vanderbilt, they don’t stand a chance.
I am glad GA won, but it was ugly. As the saying
goes, “any win is a good win”.
The Dawgs need to play with intensity for 4 quarters,
and minimize the “stupid” mistakes. If not, they will
lose to Auburn and Florida.
doctor
October 17th, 2011
7:55 am
Just beat Florida—I have no complaints————————-roll on Dawgs.
bubba4dawgs
October 17th, 2011
7:59 am
If the Dawgs play the way they did against Vanderbilt, they can forget Florida and perhaps winning the East. I suppose every team has the right to have at least one bad game and it’s a shame it had to come at a time against a team of whom you should beat rather handily. Maybe Vandy is just a little bit better than we think.
Boo Boo, are you ever going to quit playing it safe trying to run out the clock? This mess at the end wouldn’t have happened had you not been so conservative. My goodness, you have one of the best QB’s in the SEC and tall WR’s and tight ends. Why couldn’t you try at least once and get the first down you needed at the end of the game, then run out the clock? Try some clock management!
Hey, Grantham take down that bed sheet you hand over your face on the sideline and watch what’s going on! Your “D” is beginning to look mighty bad!! Do you honestly think they can stand up against Florida, Auburn and Ga. Tech? Oh, and probably not New Mexico State and Kentucky! It would be laughable against LSU or Alabama if you were unbelievably lucky to get there. GO DAWGS!!!!!
Texas Dawg
October 17th, 2011
7:59 am
If we play Fla or AU the way way we played at Vandy we loose both.
In such a down year for east if Richt can’t run the table he needs to go.
If he can’t beat Fl this year he will never be able to get it done.
Escaped from Email Purgatory
October 17th, 2011
8:10 am
I don’t know. Wishing for the SEC championship game to sink to the Dawgs’ level is a little like hoping for a date with Jessica Alba when you know you’ve got serious issues with performance anxiety.
What’s the point?
Does anybody who cares about the Dawgs – besides as an excuse to get sloppy drunk in public – really want to see this UGA football team playing Alabama or LSU on national TV in the conference championship?
To borrow from the great Samuel “If you look closely up my nostrils, you can see my brain” Jackson, UGA needs to Rise Up. A bad year for the SEC East is no reason to celebrate our mediocrity.
And it may, in fact, be a down year for the hated Gators. But two of their losses came to the current BCS #’s 1 and 2.
If the BCS ranking is worth anything, Florida would have to knock on the NFL’s door to find tougher opponents.
I forecast another grim result for the Dawgs at the cocktail party.
dawgs smell
October 17th, 2011
8:13 am
Typical Georgia. Looking for other teamsto lose in order to get to anorther game. Any fol who thinks Georgia is better than LSU and Alabama is a true “Homer” Look at who Georgia has played. 2 Good teams and lost. 5 less than middle of the raod teams and won. They have about the easiest schedule as anyon in the country and you homers feel you are an Elite team. Wake up and Go Gators and Go War Eagles!
King Gator
October 17th, 2011
8:14 am
Hate to say it, but I’m sure Florida will win as usual…it makes no sense, but I’m sure it’s true. If not this year, then when? Go Gators, continue to beat UGA. pWNED!
Bulldawg Pest Control
October 17th, 2011
8:16 am
I’d don’t think I’d be running my mouth…especially when you got beat by VIRGINia! LOL!
Larry
October 17th, 2011
8:18 am
We are terrible. We’ll get swept by all three and Tech, too. We might eke by New Mexico State – maybe.
Fake Bama Fan
October 17th, 2011
8:24 am
It’s amazing all these so-called Bama (read Georgia Tech) fans on here criticizing UGA when they don’t even play each other. It’s pitiful that tech fans have to pose as fans of other schools. I suppose I don’t blame tech fans for being frustrated and hating on UGA’s coach. After all, tech is 1-9 against Mark Richt as a head coach and 0-9 against him as an assistant coach at FSU.
Fake Gator Fan
October 17th, 2011
8:25 am
I’m with you, Fake Bama Fan, go tech
Fabrai
October 17th, 2011
8:30 am
Can someone please answer the following question?
Who is responsible for the Special Teams? Is there a coach assigned specifically to special teams? I think they are doing it by committeee and if so that has got to stop!!!
Just think
October 17th, 2011
8:31 am
What if UGA made it to the SEC championship? Can you imagine the massacre that will occur if they play Alabama or LSU? My guess would be 45 – 10, and that may be giving the Dogs too much credit.
randy ray
October 17th, 2011
8:32 am
grantham is an embarassment,and they are paying this fat bald headed fool 700k per year,his D looked good against coastal carolina though
DawginLex
October 17th, 2011
8:49 am
Florida will get Brantley back and will give us a war, just like last year.
Auburn will be a war
Tech will be a war.
We have 3 very difficult games left so anybody booking any tickets to Atlanta right now is an idiot.
GT techie
October 17th, 2011
8:50 am
We could easily lose 4 more games.. IF we beat Duke ??
Dr. Phil
October 17th, 2011
8:51 am
If UGA should somehow stumble into the conference championship game, it will ensure further humiliation on national television and likely guarantee more years of the present coaching staff.
GT techie
October 17th, 2011
8:58 am
Miami, Clempson, Virginia Tech.. Ouch !! we’ll get killed !!!
(STILL) 2-10 Against Ranked Teams
October 17th, 2011
8:59 am
My worst nightmare is coming true…..With Lattimore out for season, Carolina WILL lose another SEC game. Florida is as bad as I can remember. In fact, the ENTIRE SEC East seems like an ACC division. UGA might actually pull off an East Division win, get pancaked by LSU/Alabama. The Richt apologists will say, hey, see…..Richt led us to an East title
…..and Richt stays for another decade of mediocrity
….the rest of the SEC coaches…..cheer wildly
GT techie
October 17th, 2011
9:00 am
we shouldn’t have any trouble with the Dawgs…. Grantham’s got FIRE… SSHHH… Gampa Groth is taking a nap
Atlanta Gator
October 17th, 2011
9:00 am
I take it back.
With Gamec0cks running back Marcus Lattimore out for the season, and the Gators floundering on offense, the Dawgs appear to be the favorites to win the SEC Eastern Division. It all comes down to Jacksonville. If the Dawgs win, they will have earned the right to meet Alabama or LSU in the conference championship game.
Given the 5-point win over Vanderbilt, however, I still would not say the Dawgs are “prohibitive favorites,” as Chip Towers suggested on Friday.
SEC Fan
October 17th, 2011
9:02 am
Matt
October 17th, 2011
12:02 am
“Winning out and at least making a game of the SEC championship is the only way we stay credible.”
I wouldn’t worry about that. Georgia has no credibility to begin with. Whatever credibility this program had outside of the state of Georgia went down in flames during the 2008 Blackout game. UGA is like a gambling addict playing on credit. You’re chasing it.
Might as well be chasing your own tail.
Lamar
October 17th, 2011
9:08 am
Tech can win the rest of there games and will still lose if they get in a BCS bowl.
WDE
October 17th, 2011
9:13 am
Well we got the W last week and frankly that’s all that counts but the way we got it could pay dividends vs the Gators…we have played well enough to win 5 games back to back. However we rather than glide past Vandy we play sloppy and make a war out of it. Here’s the good news the offense looked better, well Murray looked better anyway. CMR is p’d off going into the bye week. So instead of everyone thinking Hey we won the last 5 we are golden, there will be I hope a “coming to Jesus” meeting the next two weeks to ensure we are ready for the Gators we get some injured players back. This is our best chance we have to take advantage of it!! Go Dogs!
Dawg Hunter
October 17th, 2011
9:14 am
Georgia will most likely win the East. If they have any chance of winning the SEC they need to play lsu. lsu’s defense has a lot of holes. They cant stop the outside pass or the run game off the tackles. Their offense struggles when they play a good defense. For example they only scored 19 points when they played Miss State. Georgia’s two losses were against Bosie and South Car. Who has a combined record of what? 12-1? This team is not as bad as most think. Now if Georgia plays Alabama in the SEC game, O’ nelly!! Alabama will more likely destroy lsu as will ARK. Mark my words..lsu will finish 3rd in the division with a overall 9-3 record.