Georgia has far better than ‘puncher’s chance’ against LSU
Aron White, Christian Robinson punctuate UGA's return with school flag . (Johnny Crawford)
This is the column that I didn’t think I would be writing six weeks ago, when Georgia fizzled and nearly self-destructed at Vanderbilt, and a five-game winning streak seemed like the furthest thing from Mark Richt’s mind.
This is the column that didn’t seem plausible three months ago when I looked up at the scoreboard and saw, “Boise State 35, Georgia 21” after looking down on the Georgia Dome field to see a Bulldogs team get beat physically by a Mountain West Conference team and play flat emotionally — the worst possible exacta for a hyped-up season opener.
This is the column that says Georgia can beat LSU.
This is not to diminish anything LSU has accomplished this season. How can one diminish an SEC team going 12-0? The Tigers have played and beaten seven teams that were ranked at the time they played. That includes No. 3 Oregon to start the season (40-27), No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa (9-6 in overtime) and No. 3 Arkansas (41-17). LSU is as legitimate and proven as any No. 1 team that has come along in years.
Which doesn’t mean it can’t lose.
No. I’m not drunk on the Kool-Aid. Something changed in Athens. Maybe the 33-28 escape at Vanderbilt was a wake-up call. Maybe it was just a case of a young team slowly gaining confidence. At the very least, we know players reaffirmed that they believed in — and would follow — their head coach. Because a team doesn’t just rally from a 17-3 deficit to beat its nemesis (Florida), destroy Auburn 45-7 and spin a 10-game winning streak after a 0-2 start because it’s suddenly getting bounces.
After the body-slamming of Auburn, when it became clear the Dogs would win the SEC East, many felt they would have a “puncher’s chance” in the conference title game against the winner of the West, LSU or Alabama. But that short-changes Georgia.
When I hear puncher’s chance, I think George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer. In 1994, when Moorer was the heavyweight champion, he won nine straight rounds against the unranked 45-year-old Foreman. Then he got stupid. Foreman suckered him in. He landed a concrete right hand to Moorer’s porcelain chin. When Moorer looked up from the canvas, he saw little blue songbirds circling above him.
Three months after the loss to Boise State, the Bulldogs return to the Georgia Dome Saturday against LSU. They don’t need to rely on one lucky punch to win. They have become that good. They are playing with a rhythm, a confidence and an edge that we haven’t seen since 2007.
A year ago, when I wrote that Richt deserved to come back this season because of what he had accomplished in Athens, there was a backlash. Many fans wanted him fired. I wasn’t ready to make that leap. But neither did I share the confidence of Richt’s defenders, particularly after the season’s first two games. An unraveling seemed imminent. So did a job change. Clearly, that’s not happening now.
LSU is rolling. But so is Georgia. Aaron Murray is the best quarterback the LSU defense will face this season, and in the last four games he has completed 68 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. The offense is loaded with receivers: Orson Charles, Malcolm Mitchell, Tavarres King, et al. (Just when Georgia Tech figured it had everybody covered Saturday, a freshman, Chris Conley, popped open in the end zone. Chris Conley? He’s UGA’s sixth-leading receiver.)
The assumption here is that with Isaiah Crowell being held out Saturday with an ankle injury, he and Carlton Thomas (who had only a few carries against Tech) will be ready for LSU and provide balance to the offense.
Defensively, the Dogs get better by the week. They throttled the Tech’s option offense Saturday and held the Jackets to 10 points until a meaningless touchdown in the final minutes.
Boise State and South Carolina combined for eight offensive touchdowns in the first two games. In the 10 since, Georgia has allowed only 12 offensive touchdowns. That includes one or none in seven of the 10 games. This is the second-best defense LSU will face this season. They managed only three field goals (one in overtime) against the only opponent with a better one, Alabama.
Georgia doesn’t have a mere puncher’s chance in the SEC championship. Georgia has a legitimate chance. The team that will play in the Georgia Dome on Dec. 3 is not the same one that played there on Sept. 3.
Some things you just don’t see coming.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,469 comments Add your comment
Eric C.
November 27th, 2011
7:38 pm
5150 UOAD, after your disrespectful comments about Larry Munson, I have no respect for you…you maggot.
Pierce County DAWG
November 27th, 2011
7:39 pm
Yellow Jacket i agree,it was a wake -up call.
K-Town Dawg
November 27th, 2011
7:39 pm
Haha, you have to laugh at an Auburn fan saying enjoy the cheap sucker punches while you can. I would hardly call complete domination a cheap sucker punch. UGA dominated AU and nothing you say will change that. Maybe Coach Cheese-Whiz can get some more junior college rent-a-players to help you guys out.
FSU fans are equally as funny. We may have beaten 10 fairly low quality opponents in your eyes, but that is still 2 more than FSU. So what does that say about your team. You lost to Wake Forest who caught a beat-down from Vandy yesterday. VANDY!
I guess it is true, some clowns just love to perform
Eric C.
November 27th, 2011
7:40 pm
I don’t hate on Tech nearly as much as some other Dawg fans, but I thoroughly enjoyed that beatdown yesterday with you in mind.
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 27th, 2011
7:41 pm
what we know: LSU will try to run the ball. UGA has the better QB.
Jason
November 27th, 2011
7:41 pm
@passerby You are asking too much of milesfromnowhere. He clearly does not have a higher education, apparently he doesn’t read well either. He would be out of his league if he were to actually debate someone on statistics hence that is why he makes his “points” in simple fashion. Poor sap.
Hotdawg
November 27th, 2011
7:42 pm
Funny how both les miles and CMR have been the coaches on the hot seat at certain times over the past 4 seasons now here they are facing each other in the SEC title game. Also, if UGA wears the power ranger uniforms again as rumored can they at least paint the facemask one solid color?
South Carolanta (formerly East Repeat)
November 27th, 2011
7:42 pm
The Jan Kemp stuff on here is na-a-a-sty. That was the way it was, but not anymore. Sure, UGA can beat LSU and monkeys can fly out of my rear! I’ll keep looking for those monkeys, they should arrive just after UGA beats LSU.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
7:42 pm
Pierce County DAWG………….I have been through all that just this past week. If you don’t know where I went to college or my degrees or my team then you just haven’t been on the blogs.
Why are you yelling? Are you one of those that thinks Anger, Volume, and Bullying makes you better than somebody else?
We are not hard of reading on this blog.
Dawg48
November 27th, 2011
7:42 pm
5250
Don’t we all stretch things on here.
Eric C.
November 27th, 2011
7:43 pm
Hotdawg, ha…I’d say paint the entire helmets solid including that funky stripe down the middle
UGA c/o 1993
November 27th, 2011
7:44 pm
@Book ‘em, Danno!
Bringing up the past has no bearing on the present. Mark Richt is not Vince Dooley. UGA did clean up it’s act and raised their athletic academic standards above most if not all other SEC schools. If you want to talk about cheating…go look at Auburn from 2010 and Alabama every year.
phil
November 27th, 2011
7:44 pm
Nothing anyone connected to Fraudburn says ever has an ounce of validity!
Lying, cheating, stealing, stinking.
Pierce County DAWG
November 27th, 2011
7:44 pm
Eric c i agree about the munson comments. Munson was a great man!!
Chillahill43
November 27th, 2011
7:44 pm
Yea on thansgiving day every year im sure yall do down there! Stopped living glory days long ago . Played 4 years after high school and still involved till this day! Again pierce county all you can do is get personal because you know the facts are this is the weakest Eastern rep EVER in the SEC title game. This UGA team does not match up with a team
That has any depth and that will come out in their fraudulant appearance. And since it makes you feel that people must post where they are from- Cobb County GA does that make you feel better – and you talk down to cheerleaders often! If you had good reasoning skills you would understand thats what YOU and every fan in every stadium is- a cheerleader!!! Now go finnish
That turkey sandwich put down the remote and go re-live those glory days!!!
Dawg48
November 27th, 2011
7:44 pm
Someone needs to tell les not to eat the grass on the ga dome turf!
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
7:45 pm
looks like Tim TEBOW is going to win another game in OT. Maybe you dawgs could pay Tebow to spit in a cup and make Crowell drink in down. Maybe that would give Crowell just enough heart to play a whole game.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
7:46 pm
Eric C I am so hurt your got your feeling hurt.
K-Town Dawg
November 27th, 2011
7:46 pm
Looking forward to the Honey Badger catching a mean case of Cootie.
Pierce County DAWG
November 27th, 2011
7:48 pm
No 5150 UOAD you just need to use comment sense. Nothing to do about bullying feedom of speech. At least i did not comment about a dead man that did not hurt any one.Grow up.
red&black 4 ever
November 27th, 2011
7:48 pm
I’d say our chances are pretty good. All of the pressure is on LSU. Our guys have nothing to lose–just hang loose and play your game, dawgs!
WONDERING
November 27th, 2011
7:48 pm
JDAWG, LSU a’int Auburn do you think? Just WONDERING
phil
November 27th, 2011
7:49 pm
I’m a dawg and i like Tebow…heckuva guy.
Alphare
November 27th, 2011
7:49 pm
As many people have pointed out, LSU will be in NC even if they lose to the dawgies.
If LSU loses to the dawgies, BAMA will be #1, LSU #2. Otherwise, LSU #1, Bama #2.
I paid attention to player sizes during LSU/Ark game. LSU players are so much bigger than Ark players, and they look mismatched. I think dawgie players are similar to Ark in size.
Only Bama can beat LSU. No other team can do it. That’s why Bama should play against LSU in the NC.
SECCG will be an automatic win for LSU. Dawgies have 0 chance.
South Carolanta (formerly East Repeat)
November 27th, 2011
7:49 pm
I heard only the end of the radio tribute to larry on Saturday. It was the run lindsey run call with talk about all the property damage to be done in jax and saint simons. I am a SC fan but I was tearing up listening to the radio team- they were upset. Larry was one of a kind and although I slam UGA and its fans on this site, I would never slam Larry. God Bless Larry Munson and the Munson family. He will be missed!
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
7:50 pm
48 why? Let Les try that plastic crap he lives in Cajun country I would thing he might like it.
TEBOW TEBOW
TEBOW TEBOW
phil
November 27th, 2011
7:51 pm
Fire john elway!
aubie-won-knobi
November 27th, 2011
7:51 pm
Hey TampaGator!!! Been dialed in with Tim Tebow and the Broncos…whew hew…give it up for the Broncos…nailed it.
Frank
November 27th, 2011
7:51 pm
Bottom line is that anybody can beat anybody on any given day, #1 team in the nation or not. That is why the game is played after all. Apparently the talking heads at ESPN need to be reminded of this fact. GO DAWGS!!!
Mike
November 27th, 2011
7:51 pm
Just glad that we made it too the Championship game. Not getting a lot of love from the ‘experts”. Sets up nicely for the Dawgs being big underdogs. We have to play a flawless game and we can compete. It’ll be fun to watch.
Sharkman
November 27th, 2011
7:52 pm
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
Dawg48
November 27th, 2011
7:53 pm
The only concerns of mine are depth at O – line and running back.
Our D can keep us in the game…..
If Murray is hot then he can get the ball out.
Just hope our O – line can block and keep murray off his back.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
7:53 pm
phil…………. Elway is looking like an A..hole right about now. He might be right, but TEBOW is winning right now.
Pierce County DAWG
November 27th, 2011
7:53 pm
Chillahill43 i do not need to relive glory days i know where i stand and always will. Remember that!!! Go eat your bologna sandwich. And a least the Dawgs are playing for a league championship. MORE than i can say for others.
Neutral
November 27th, 2011
7:54 pm
Rumor has it that the very weak SEC East absolutely humiliated the ACC last night. I heard that Vandy, SC and UGa beat their opponents by almost 10 touchdowns. I also heard that FSU only had a total of 85 yards and 6 first downs in their win over the gators. Hmmmmmm……..maybe the East is a little better than folks are giving them credit…….or maybe the ACC is just plain horrible.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
7:56 pm
48 I agree and WHO is in the backfield to pass protect for Murray? He could get killed if the small #1, Thomas, or Crowell are in there Murray could be dead.
Pierce County DAWG
November 27th, 2011
7:57 pm
DAWGS WE ARE PROUD OF THE SEASON,NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
Dawg48
November 27th, 2011
7:57 pm
You know even a Cajun can prob cook up some of that turf and make a meal out of it!
Lol
Scholarship
November 27th, 2011
7:58 pm
I will say this first…UGA has a chance, if any team lines up and kicks it off the score is 0-0 and a few breaks, a few bad decisions and a great deal of luck will allow a “chance’.
However, UGA is improved, greatly since weeks 1 and 2, but the level of talent 3 and 4 deep that acutally play week in and week out for LSU is so much better than any starter for UGA it is shocking.
There are MAYBE 1 or 2 players on the entire UGA roster that would play for LSU but none would be legitimate starters on The Tiger squad. That does not mean very much with the exception that LSU is really 3 or 4 years ahead of UGA on offense and defense.
Now, lets look at how UGA can put yards in the stats sheet and points on the board.
UGA will have to make very quick throws to recievers on quick 7 and outs or less. Trying to throw long balls will take time and LSU and their pass rush will come at every angle and put Murray on his back often and quick. The second thing UGA will have to do is keep the ball in 5 and 6 minutes spurts. Giving the ball over to LSU will cause some major issues for UGA and the Fullback lead block Toss Run with their 4 great running backs. The UGA offense must use misdirection as much as possible and allow LSU’s quick defenders to over pursue. LSU is very quick on defense and their players are as quick if not quicker than UGA’s offensive players.
Final thing, and this is going to sound strange. Go after No.7. He is a horrible defender and if anyone watches tape from Alabama and Arkansas you will see he gets beat on crossing routes and corner routes. When he tackles he goes directly for the ball and is not a very good open field tackler. Mitchell verse TM7 would be the matchup I would look for.
Use the TE on quick routes and punt away from LSU on every kick.
Energy Vampire
November 27th, 2011
7:58 pm
LSU 48 Blair Walsh 12
Eric C.
November 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
Go Dawgs!!! Shock the world!!!
Shreveport Tiger
November 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
UGA will play hard but they just don’t have the horses. Its gonna be a loooonnnnnggggg day.
TampaGator
November 27th, 2011
7:59 pm
SEC teams in bowls……my prediction
If LSU wins the SEC:
BCS NC – LSU and Bama
Cotton – Arkansas
Capitol One – Georgia
Outback – South Carolina
Chick Fil A – Auburn
Gator – Florida
Liberty – Vandy
MSU to somewhere, not sure
If Georgia wins:
BCS – Bama
Sugar – Georgia
Cotton – LSU
Capital One – Arkansas
Chick Fil A – Auburn
Gator – Florida
Liberty – Vandy
MSU to somewhere, not sure
Energy Vampire
November 27th, 2011
8:00 pm
Crapital One Bowl her comes UGA
TampaGator
November 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
aubie won….
All he does is help his team win games….so far. He is just a winner in football….and in life. You got to give it up to Tebow so far…..he has taken on all the jabs by all the media types….and Georgia fans….and just keeps on going….like you know who…….
Alphare
November 27th, 2011
8:01 pm
Energy Vampire,
my 2cents are you are right, the score should be similar to LSU-Ark game.
South Carolanta (formerly East Repeat)
November 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
Neutral- Love it. The East whupped up on ACC Saturday. I wondered when the “call timeout as ball is snapped to kicker” would burn someone. CPJ is now flaming. Clemson playing in Championship game after being humiliated by 2nd place team in SEC East. 150 total yds offense for Clemson!
Vain Jangling
November 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
I lost the coin toss and my wife and daughter are making me pretend to watch My Fair Wedding. Yeah, it’s an actual television show. It’s apparently about people getting married or something. It’s enough to drive a man over to the Tech blog to talk trig.
Dawg48
November 27th, 2011
8:02 pm
5150
I’m hoping Richard will be back! ( that’s only a hope)
I have not gone back and looked at how richt & ( bobo) have done against chavis while he was at Tennessee…..( I know the players are different but the coaching schemes may be the same)
Energy Vampire
November 27th, 2011
8:03 pm
Vandy 41 Weak Forest 7……..