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
buzzdown
November 28th, 2011
7:11 am
which minor bowl will we be going to? Hopefully, we can play someone with a bad defense so our high school offense can score some points.
Clubber Lang Prediction for Dem Puppies
November 28th, 2011
7:13 am
Pain….
You have no chance….you played no one…you beat no top 10 team…you were embarrassed by SC and Bozo State….I could go on forever…..you are a tier-2 program….fact….
LSU will beat you with their 2nd and 3rd string….fact…
I really feel sorry for you delusional fans….but, the false hubris and bravado from Jeff Schultz is Pal Finebaum like with the Gumps….just accept the loss and your place in the Consolation Bowl…
Colin Young
November 28th, 2011
7:13 am
Build me up, Buttercup.
sourgrapes
November 28th, 2011
7:15 am
I’ll have what most of y’all are smoking.
@ Tennis Roddman
November 28th, 2011
7:16 am
Ugh,I mean, UGA wins!,,, and, the Easter bunny is real too…..
All the best,
#1 LSU Tigers
Nebraska in the OUTBACK Bowl no matter what we do
November 28th, 2011
7:19 am
Alabama is consensus # 2 in the nation – the better team when the 2 teams played earlier this season. Alabama beat a team who is Arkansas currently # 6 in the AP Poll, and Alabama beat # 21 in the BCS Rankings today Penn State. Alabama’s only LOSS is in overtime when their kicker missed four (4) field goals in the game, losing by 3 to the Consensus # 1.
Compare UGA in 2007 TWO (2) losses including to 6-6 South Carolina not even in a bowl game and sorry vols team he lost to while Mark Richt beat NO TEAM who finished the season in the AP Poll top 10.
LOST to every ranked team he played this season, and rattled off 10 victories in a row, NOT 1 OF WHICH IS RANKED IN ANY POLL WHATSOEVER TODAY.
ALABAMA PLAYS LSU as it should be.
NEBRASKA is like Georgia tek, only with a WORSE DEFENSE and WORSE SPECIAL TEAMS. This is who we deserve for a bowl opponent, and team that after we beat them, has as much chance to not be ranked as they do to be ranked.
calvin
November 28th, 2011
7:20 am
You got some good tree.
randyman
November 28th, 2011
7:21 am
Forget our two looses. Im talking right now…Football today.. Uga is playing as good as anyone in the top 5. I mean really..how gud is AL or LSU? Casue they both beat Ark and LSU beat Oregon? Well how good were those teams? IMHO Its hard to say who is better right now. LSU is more consistant, I’ll give them that. UGA has the tendancy to play sloppy at times. BUT with both teams firing on all 8 cylinders I like UGA’s chances. Its a crap shoot..who knows..we may blow them out or they may blow us out or it could be a tight game than ends in OT..I guess we will see.
LSU beat # 2, # 8, # 9, # 23. UGA lost to # 7, # 12.
November 28th, 2011
7:22 am
LSU is picked by 11 points over
UGA
LSU beat # 2, # 8, # 9, # 23. UGA lost to # 7, # 12.
November 28th, 2011
7:25 am
GT
There is NO ONE questioning who is going to play LSU in the BCS NC.
Dawgapaloosa
November 28th, 2011
7:25 am
The way I see it, we’ve got five more days to be the potential 2011 SEC Champions.
Enjoy!
randyman
November 28th, 2011
7:25 am
TOO much LSU will beat us smack talk on here…How do you idiots know this? What, cause LSU beat ranked teams?…How do u know UGA wouldnt have beat those same teams as well? I know we lost two games earlier but that was then…this is now!!!!!
Dawgapaloosa
November 28th, 2011
7:27 am
That’s what I’m talkin’ about randyman!
We ain’t lost yet!!!
BobbyDawg
November 28th, 2011
7:29 am
I’m not sure that the bookies in Vegas can accurately handicap this game.. The early line was Ga +11. Now it’s Ga +9.. I think we have a slim chance to win, but we could get blown out like SC did last year against Auburn. Regardless I’ll be at the Game pulling for the Dawgs. GO DAWGS
border dweller
November 28th, 2011
7:31 am
UGA has a better chance of winning the SEC than 10 other SEC schools. Just sayin…
Dawgapaloosa
November 28th, 2011
7:33 am
I’d rather see the Dawgs get blown out in the Dome than to see the Chickens there again. We already won that much.
Rufus
November 28th, 2011
7:38 am
Two chances, Jeff. Slim and none and slim left town last night.
nerds are funny
November 28th, 2011
7:46 am
To all the haters out there. At least we are talking about UGA in the SECCG while you tech fans and non-LSU fans talk smack on here like a bunch of high school boys. Go ahead and hate and show your ignorance if you like. If, and it is a big if, if UGA wins how are you gonna talk smack then? It is so easy when you do not have to show your face to talk hate on a blog.
Rodster
November 28th, 2011
7:47 am
Well, there’s the kiss of death…
dmr
November 28th, 2011
7:50 am
This is Georgia’s National Championship game. This is an opportunity. Georgia is playing with “House Money”. LSU has beaten some of the finest teams in the Country on a roll to being 12-0. I am a Georgia fan and want to see the Dawgs win as much as anyone. I give them a fair chance, but they must develop balance on offense, play disciplined defense, and play “COFFIN CORNER” on punts.
This a chance to play against the best and find out what this team is really made of and what it can be going forward. The Dawgs should be able to play loose and fast. This is gravy for an already solid season. It’s Georgia’s National Championship game! Enjoy the moment!
Mike da Tiger
November 28th, 2011
7:50 am
at least dawg fans you know the deal going into the game. many of you have already conceeded the game. I don’t know what that says about the health of your program. good luck, I thought I’d just throw that out there. after this whooping you’re about to take will you guys go back to crapping on the coaches again? before you started beating those sorry teams you all wanted a whole new staff. so if I’m reading you dawg fans right, you don’t care about the quality of the competition, just as long as you win. see ya Saturday.
dawgs smell
November 28th, 2011
7:51 am
Georgia wins if LSU doesnt show up !
Dawgapaloosa
November 28th, 2011
7:51 am
I just hope we don’t get over-confident and look past LSU. This could be a trap game for Tha Dawgs.
V0luntier
November 28th, 2011
7:51 am
Dream on Dawgs! Not a chance!
what of it?
November 28th, 2011
7:51 am
Put your money where your mouth is Jeff. you’re being given 10 points. I can’t remember the last time Georgia beat a team they weren’t favored to win, not to mention Georgia hasn’t beaten anyone remotely decent in 2 seasons.
Realist
November 28th, 2011
7:54 am
Georgia has a remote chance to beat LSU. Very remote. The most likely score will be something like we saw against Arkansas. Georgia just does not have what it takes. Better make sure none of the players get high, or arrested this week Richt. You are going to need them so you do not get embarrassed. LSU 45 Georgia 14
Dawgapaloosa
November 28th, 2011
7:57 am
I mean… It’s pretty obvious to all Dawg fans that Georgia is imminently superior to the Crimson Tide. That said, I do worry just a little that we’ll come out flat and LSU will play their best game of the season. If that happens, then LSU has a shot (albeit a small shot) at defeating UGA.
Hunker Down Dawgs!!!
Dawgapaloosa
November 28th, 2011
7:59 am
@Realist
Don’t worry. Even if some of our guys fail a tinkle test, we won’t get the results back until next Tuesday.
Bulldawgman49
November 28th, 2011
8:00 am
Well I think Georgia has a good chance to win this Game . We are flying in with no pressure compared to what LSU is right now they are already talking Rematch with ALAbama yet no mention of Georgia game . I see a great game on Saturday with two good defenses going at it , anything can happen . Number one key to win is to protect the ball LSU will make u pay otherwise.
And watch out for the trick plays from the mad hatter I am sure there will be a couple . GO DAWGS
Rusty
November 28th, 2011
8:02 am
LSU will crucify the Dawgs.
tom
November 28th, 2011
8:03 am
GO DAWGS!!!! but have a sinking feeling they will get smacked around pretty good and it won’t be a close game
Vain Jangling
November 28th, 2011
8:03 am
Nevertheless, as a Dawg fan, I’d still rather be playing LSU this weekend than Alabama.
Texas Dawg
November 28th, 2011
8:07 am
If UGA had the exact same senerio as Alabama would the ESPN ers have GA playing for the NC…….
Joey
November 28th, 2011
8:08 am
Wow, Realist.
If LSU beats us that bad, they could drop about 60 on Tech, huh?
Whew!
B'dawg
November 28th, 2011
8:10 am
Thats cool with me, everyone picking the dogs to go down big. All season long all the naysayers came on this site picking us to lose week in and week out. What happened? Georgia is on a mission and will not be denied. I know we will be ready for this game. 10 straight wins against a favorable schedule you morons say. We beat who they gave us, no more no less. So you just go on and pick against the dogs 2 more times PLEASE! WE’LL LET YOU DOWN AGAIN AND AGAIN!
DAWGS WIN SEC 35-31
Dawged
November 28th, 2011
8:13 am
The perception is that UGA doesn’t have a chance agains’t a great and well coached and talented LSU team.Perception can be a misleading thing.Ask Paul Johnson.The ACC this weekend lost all the match-ups against the SEC except FSU-Fla..In that game both teams played to ACC standards.Paul Johnson might now have the perception that he has lost 3 tmes out of 4 chances to UGA and will have many more to come till he is fired.Perhaps he can than seek a postion as a greeter at Wal-Mart.On paper LSU should win but it will not be played on paper and this young Dawg team has gotten better every game and believes it can win.Go Dawgs!
TheTruthHurts
November 28th, 2011
8:17 am
Hey, Schultz, how much would you be willing to bet that UGA will beat LSU? Note to McGarity: Before getting too carried away and offering Richt a ten year extension by beating a schedule of nobodies and backing into the SECCG, you had best wait until after the LSU game and the bowl game. You don’t want to end up like the UT athletic director who gave Fat Phil a big contract extension and then got canned for being syupid. A two year extension is OK but no more. That is time enough to prove if Richt has come back from the dead.
evil empire
November 28th, 2011
8:18 am
uga fell to 14th in the bcs poll…impressive…can’t wait till saturday nite’s beat down at the hands of LSU…Chavis vs bobo…honey badger vs murray…hahahahaha…over at halftime…LSU 38 dawgtards 10…
JB
November 28th, 2011
8:20 am
LSU game plan will be simple to stop us. Us running doesn’t scare them, but our passing does, some. I look for a blitz on just about every play with their manning our Wr’s, thus rattling Murray and hurrying his throws. Our D will keep it respectable.
Skitty Fritty
November 28th, 2011
8:21 am
Why even play the game, the only team that can beat LSU is Bama. I forgot, Bama, lost to LSU so there is no chance.
JB
November 28th, 2011
8:22 am
Who’s Tech playing Saturday……………………..whoops.
In your dreams
November 28th, 2011
8:25 am
LSU will pound dem Dawgs unless the Dawgs play the game of their life but I don’t see it happening. Them Dawgs get to this point and act like their coach and pose for the camera.
kaput
November 28th, 2011
8:26 am
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
lol, delusional Dawg fans!
DHD
November 28th, 2011
8:27 am
It would be interesting to bring back the comments from just after the second UGA loss to expose all these bandwagon fans.
In your dreams
November 28th, 2011
8:27 am
no
Buckeye
November 28th, 2011
8:28 am
I predicted Ohio State would be higher ranked then dogs at year end – I was wrong.
I predicted that Ohio State would not offer Urban the job and, if offered, Urban would not accept. – we shall see although I appear to be wrong based on Mike and Mike news this morning.
Given the entirelty of the circumstances of the past year/season, Ohio State stayed unified. We Buckeyes are proud and loyal to a fault. Fickell did a admirable job given the hand he was dealt. Hell, it was ALMOST as bad what Obama inherited, right libs?
LSU will lay a whuppin’ on the dogs next Saturday. LSU would lay a whuppin’ on the bittom 1/3rd of the NFL. VERY impressive against Arkansas
Enjoy the week, dogs. You’ll be lickin wounds come Sunday.
Finally, I will predict Sulliger and Co. will be ranked higher than Howard’s “I’ll get lost in the NBA” ex dogs.
Go Bucks!
Thogwummpy
November 28th, 2011
8:32 am
I think it’s going to be a physical game and come down to conditioning. With UGA’s team being a bit dinged up in certain positions, I think the edge goes to LSU. Pass protection for both teams will be key; I really see this game as being won in the trenches. As a Dawg fan, would LOVE to see the upset Saturday! But keep your money in your wallets folks…the odds are against us…and I fear that Georgia’s linemen just are focused and strong enough, despite their size (also note: despite the running back situation, the O-line hasn’t been opening holes the past couple of games like they did mid season…that tells me their legs are tired) Geez, I hope I’m wrong!
northern neighbor
November 28th, 2011
8:33 am
This is coming from a die-hard Tech fan – I wish Tech had given uga(sic) a better game. I don’t think it was even a good practice session for the dawgs(sic). Remember, Tech is only a middle of the road ACC team, unlike LSU who is cream of the SEC. Les Miles is a better coach than Paul Johnson. He won’t set his players up for failure like Johnson did. I’d rank Georgia’s chances against LSU right up there with Arkansas’s chances. Arkansas has a pretty good quarterback, too.
But you never know, maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m wrong.
King Gator
November 28th, 2011
8:35 am
Georgia should score some points, but I think LSU hangs 40 on them and plays Bama in a rematch. Good Luck Dawgs.
boohoo
November 28th, 2011
8:38 am
UGA is a mediocre Sec team, TENN,FL rebuilding non factors in east this year . UGAs schedule was weak very favorable for them, again I ask 11 years two now 3 trips to the conference title game HOW LONG IS TOOO LONG FOR RICHT , schools would love the talent blown thru athens unfortunately nothing to show for it. Tenn,LSU,ALA,AUB NATIONAL CHAMPIONS even if ga beats LSU they still will not play for it all Just sayin