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
DawginLex
November 28th, 2011
10:07 am
snake doc calls a high school kid getting with another high school kid a “pedophile”
really classy
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:07 am
DawginLex
C’mon. If that isn’t a Bug nerd from Tech I’ll eat my hat. Haterz and posers
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 28th, 2011
10:08 am
Alphare
Come on bud explain this for us please
How do you come on here running off at the mouth about UGA being the 5th best team shouldnt play for the SEC championship
Tech and Clemson played for the ACC championship not too long ago and they both lost to middle of the road SEC LEAST teams (Georgia & SC) the game before
With that said
The ACC championship game should have been canceled that year with your logic
DawginLex
November 28th, 2011
10:08 am
ardawg
You would probably be correct
Alphare
November 28th, 2011
10:10 am
WDE,
so you don’t want the 2 best teams to play in the NC. So what do you want then?
I want the nation’s 2 best team to play in the NC. So far only LSU/BAMA pass my eye test. No other teams are even close.
There are no good way to gauge which are the best teams of the 120 teams, but BCS does a good job IMHO.
In a 8-team playoff system, LSU/BAMA/ARK will be all in this year. Can you imagine how many times they will play against each other this year with a playoff system? So at least this year’s the BCS is better than a playoff system.
Statick
November 28th, 2011
10:10 am
Dawgs 31
Tigers 28
WDE
November 28th, 2011
10:11 am
@SEC East Chumps take a look at the mighty mighty Bama and LSU vs Auburn Stats we beat Auburn worse than either of them….
joe kill
November 28th, 2011
10:13 am
DAWGS have a great chance lsu doesnt respect us. Our D can hang with their o and our offense is clicking at the right time aaron murry is the best qb the lsu d will face all year long both lsu qbs suck and our recievers as a group are better than theirs.
GO DAWGS
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
10:13 am
The dream you have been asking for will become your nightmare on 12/3 dawg fans. I think comparing stats of these 2 teams is laughable when you look at the level of competition the 2 teams have played. UGA has the 4th ranked defense playing Kentucky, Ole Miss, Florida, Tenn and Vandy, lol. Did Boise St or SC have a hard time scoring points against your D?
LSU is yet to give up more than 17 pts in any conference game this season and the season high was the 27 pts that Oregon scored on LSU (14 of which was decided in garbage time, it was 41-13 LSU at one point). So good luck with those UGA predictions of LSU getting steamrolled and giving up 35-40+ pts
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:15 am
Alphare
But, there is no 8 team playoff . Under the system we have, like it or not, Bama doesn’t qualify. They didn’t win their division.
Where and how do you deduce UGA is the #5 SEC team. Please explain?
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
10:15 am
And why do I keep reading “LSU doesn’t respect us” ? Aside from the chatter amongst fans on this board, where have you read or heard anyone associated with the LSU team/program saying they don’t “respect” UGA?
RedandBlackDawg
November 28th, 2011
10:16 am
Reaslist,
You wouldn’t know real if it bit you on your butt. You want real? UGA is the SEC East champion, that is real. UGA may not win the SEC championship, but they are there, and a bunch of those other teams aren’t. Say the schedule was easy all you want. Good teams win when they should and don’t play down to the level of their competition. UGA may be out manned but they have a chance and they are pretty balanced as a team. We have a big need to build up our running game, and if all goes well, we will do that on DEC. 6th. If we get a few RB’s that are durable to go along with Crowell, assuming he builds up his body and mind in the off season, and a few more big uglies on the offensive line, UGA will be very much a concern for any team it plays next year. So, if UGA gives a respectful showing on Saturday, a lot of good recruiting news will come UGA’s way. Kids already want to come play for CMR right now, and he has given them a reason to want to play for UGA. I would guess, at best you are a tech. fan. Let’s see how that amazing game you played against UGA helps your recruiting. This extra game UGA plays before getting a pretty decent bowl game is a reward for playing hard, and it is doubly rewarding because it helps recruits make up their mind about UGA and sign up to get on board. Nobody expects to see UGA win the game, but that is not the point. We are here, and representing the SEC East. What exactly are you representing with your team?
GO DAWGS and GATA
randyman
November 28th, 2011
10:17 am
What you smoking Snake? I dont remember anyone saying it was all Murrays fault. We were disappointed… true. We were blaming Richt and BOBO, which is true BUT they have shown great improvements through out the year. Trust me we havent forgot the poor playing and coaching!!!!
So you tell me you moron…how are we suppose to act now? Are we suppose to continue to be mad and bash Richt and crew or are we suppose to be happy and root for them? I for one am trying to act like a dedicated fan is suppose to act.
Joey
November 28th, 2011
10:19 am
Tech ladies on here sure don’t like to use the same posting names they used all season, do they?
Chumps?
Samuel L Jackson?
Come on girls, which one of you is GTBob?!?
Snake Doc
November 28th, 2011
10:19 am
ARDawg – You lost the bet!
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
10:21 am
Please site and example backed up by statistics on how UGA’s receivers are better than LSU’s. I would take Rueben Randle, Russell Sheppard, and Odell Beckham Jr. against any WR corp in the country. I would like to remind you to look at their numbers and think about the fact that LSU has won every game except Bama by 13+ pts so they spend most of the 2nd half of games running the ball
Alphare
November 28th, 2011
10:22 am
ARdawg,
Man, you guys don’t read that well and make me repeat.
UGA is ranked 5th among SEC teams in BCS.
You said “Under the system we have, like it or not, Bama doesn’t qualify”. Can you tell us which BCS rule disqualify BAMA?
As I said earlier, I don’t dispute UGA should play in SECCG according to the current SEC rule. Instead I am disputing the fairness of the current rule for allowing the 5th best team to play in the conference Champ game.
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
10:23 am
Joey,
I have been a Saints/Tigers fan since birth, born and raised in NOLA. Try again, not a Tech troll. Check Ledbetter’s blog if you like
Snake Doc
November 28th, 2011
10:29 am
Boneheads wouldn’t know someone from NOLA, Yech, or Valdosta State.
They just spew bunk. Its all they’ve got. Remember their brains don’t function for the most part, They are blind homers, nothing more, nothing less.
Billy
November 28th, 2011
10:29 am
The chance is if the LSU team bus has a wreck and the starting offense and defense have to go to the hospital LSU by 21 at least.
FIRE CMR
November 28th, 2011
10:29 am
Come on…Georgia has beaten two teams with a winning record..It amazes me that everyone thinks this team is so good. I believe there are some very talented players on this team…However, Crowell is not reliable, and this Coaching staff is not good. CMR needs to retire and head out on his “Mission.”
2010natlchamps
November 28th, 2011
10:29 am
Are all Georgia fans on crack? Yall still haven’t beaten a worthy team thats why you still ranked 14 at best. Yall think yall can come in and take down the number 1 team in the nation. haha what a joke….
Joey
November 28th, 2011
10:30 am
Deep apologies, then Samuel L.
No one should ever, ever, be labeled a techie, if it isn’t true.
As to your favorite teams, who do you think would win if the Tiger and Saints played?
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:34 am
Alphare
“As I said earlier, I don’t dispute UGA should play in SECCG according to the current SEC rule. Instead I am disputing the fairness of the current rule for allowing the 5th best team to play in the conference Champ game.”
Jeeze guy, no matter how many times I read this, you are still referring to conference game. Whisch is, winner of the east meets winner of the west. BCS has no dawg in that fight. In fact the BCS should IMHO be dismantled and not referred to at all by any conference. It’s broken and corrupt. Never more evidenced than if Bama plays for a NC, which it likely will.
Snake bit
What bet?
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
10:35 am
C’mon Joey that’s silly. No college team would go against an NFL team and win, although LSU might be able to beat the Colts, and I stress might. Big difference when you are playing against MEN who get payed for a living to play the sport and college boys some of which are still 18-19 yrs old. Saints would win easily as would most any NFL team
Weather Man
November 28th, 2011
10:36 am
I had to remind myself that it’s late november and not early september! Reason: Georgia fans think they have a shot!!!
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:37 am
Alphare
UGA has one conference loss which ties it with Bama and puts them ahead of AR. Hardly the #5SEC team. Perhaps in the BCS #5 but, this is the BCS that ranks a conference and division loser as #2. No cred there my friend
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:38 am
Snake Doc
What bet?
Spaceman Spiff
November 28th, 2011
10:39 am
@ Samuel
Shouldn’t it be “cite an example” instead of “site and example”? Even you technerds should have a grasp of basic English, right?
Alphare
November 28th, 2011
10:40 am
ARdawg,
you said BCS is corrupt and should be dismantled. What’s your good idea then? How do you gauge the best teams among the 120 teams since it’s impossible to play against each other with so many teams.
Remember, that’s why the complicated BCS parameters were set up in the first place. I think it does a better job than a single poll.
michaelB
November 28th, 2011
10:40 am
Muck Richt you are an idiot!You do have one valid point. I as a life long Georgia fan did not want Jim Harrick hired I knew he was trouble. CMR has about as much control over a 18-21 year old as you do. Every time someone has got in trouble they have been punished. Jan kemp was 20 years ago way before CMR and I do believer UGA has the second highest graduation rate in the SEC NOW. I noticed you did not say what school you like. I am sure they have had just as many problems as any other school.
Spaceman Spiff
November 28th, 2011
10:40 am
@ ARdawg
Haven’t you realized that Alphare is still bitter?
willie baby
November 28th, 2011
10:41 am
Um…we tried telling you we had a great team. Lots of weapons on offense, and the defense is fast. We just needed to get into a rythm on Offense. In 07 we had momentum, and truth be told it was the defense that sprung it, but those guys graduated. We haven’t had that since with stafford graduating, moreno, new Defensive coordinator, but now they’ve had a full year with the same people in play, and we got better. I enjoy watching them again, and that’s the difference. Win or lose, they just need to play as a unit.
Robert
November 28th, 2011
10:42 am
Georgia has played two teams this year that are somewhere in the top 20 but not among the true elite (Boise and South Carolina). Both of those teams clearly outclassed UGA
Since then, UGA has one ten games against a group of teams of whom not a single one is in the top 20 today
LSU has beaten I think 5 teams that are ranked today – and there’s only been one team that has looked like they belonged on the same field with them.
You can dream about a UGA upset – but I think it would be more realistic to wonder whether Georgia can stay within three touchdowns of the Tigers
LSU 38 UGA 10
Spaceman Spiff
November 28th, 2011
10:42 am
@ Alphare
I will try to answer for AR. How about taking the conference champions plus two independents?
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
10:44 am
Spaceman Spiff,
For the 2nd and final time, not a Tech troll. It was a type-o, I apologize to the Ivy League fan base that makes up the UGA cheering section for not spell/grammar checking that. Again… my deepest apologies. Come 12/3, type-o’s are all you will have left to hold on to once your team gets dismantled by LSU
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
10:46 am
and by the way Spaceman, I am still WAITING for an intelligent response to the statement I made…
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:47 am
Alphare
Make no mistake, I am all for a playoff. It makes too much sense which is exactly the reason it’ll be years before it comes to fruition, if at all. A playoff system is much harder to manipulate by the espn’s and the others with huge financial stake. It’s all about marketshare and dollars. It’s not about true champion. Which is the reason Bama after losing that game hardly moved in the BCS poll.
North ave. faithful
November 28th, 2011
10:47 am
Dont understand how anyone who knows anything about football could not give the dawgs a chance at winning this game. This team is loaded with talented players and a good coaching staff. I think they could pull off the upset. But if you dont win, i hope that doesnt resserect the CMR bashers, i think he has done a great job this year, as always GO JACKETS!!
Alphare
November 28th, 2011
10:49 am
Spaceman Spiff,
“How about taking the conference champions plus two independents?”
That’s thoughtless to say the least. So BAMA, the 2nd best team in the nation, will be totally thrown out of the post season picture?
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:50 am
Spaceman Spiff
Yes, Alphare is certainly disgruntled and anti-UGA as a TechnoNerd should be. But, I am willing to have open and honest discourse on the blog with any Techie that sets their hatred aside and actually discuss football
Barbara Dooley
November 28th, 2011
10:50 am
Herschel and I are going to watch the game from Herschel’s heart shaped bed.
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:53 am
Alphare
Bama may be the 2nd best in the nation. Bama has also had their chance to prove they were the best and blew it. Why should they get another shot. There’s other one loss teams out there that hasn’t had that shot at #1
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
10:54 am
If (big if) Bama were to beat LSU 9-6 in the BCS, what has been proven and who is the champion?
Alphare
November 28th, 2011
10:54 am
ARdawg,
how do you select the playoff teams then?
Actually with a playoff system, BAMA will be still in there. Isn’t that what you try to avoid (a non conference champ play in NC)?
bob
November 28th, 2011
10:55 am
YES JEFF……….I KNEW YOU WOULD WRITE THIS….IT’S YOUR JOB……YOU FOOL NO ONE. LSU WILL DESTROY YOUR LITTLE DOGS
Jborodawg
November 28th, 2011
10:57 am
“…If@ November 27th, 6:26 pm…I just don’t think UGA has the running backs to establish enough of a running threat to keep LSU’s defense off of Murray. And he has yet to prove that he can withstand the kind of pressure that LSU will bring to the game Saturday….”
My thoughts also. Just look at the way they throttled Ark and hurried/sacked Wilson. Someone said something like, “…we have to rotate O linemen…” That’s part of the problem; we’re pretty thin there. Getting D Lee back will help; but still pretty thin. It will take a supreme effort by the O line and the RBs. Otherwise, I’m afraid we might throw a couple game-changing, game-killing INTs or fumbles. Our D will do well unless we keep giving LSU good field position.
One of the pundits on TV said that special teams is the most important part of the game. I’m leaning toward believing him.
Do we have a chance? Heck yes! It’ll take a supreme effort in all phases of the game. It’ll also take a supreme effort from the fans in the stands. We gotta get loud whenever the LSU offense lines up; very loud.
Go you Hairy Dawgs…and fans! Believe!
PS…whoooowee! 25 pages and counting for this blog. Schulz done hit a nerve.
Barbara Dooley
November 28th, 2011
10:58 am
Vince, honey, I won’t be going to the dome this weekend. You go on. I will just watch it on TV. (Pssssst, Herschel, its all set, you know the drill) Mmmmm, drill. I just got a tingle.
Alphare
November 28th, 2011
10:58 am
ARdawg,
you keep saying BAMA lost to LSU and don’t even play in SECCG and thus should not play in NC. Then you said playoff is better.
so you favor a playoff of conference champs? That way BAMA will be totally out of the picture, otherwise BAMA will be in the picture since it’s ranked so high in all polls, computers included.
RiffRaff
November 28th, 2011
11:01 am
If UGA is going to win this game, it comes down to Murray vs. the LSU D. Can he handle the pressure??? Will he try to play super hero when the blitz’s come?? He’s pretty good when he has time to throw, but there were a couple of games where his control got the best of him.
I like the Dawgs chances. Even with a loss, I hope they keep it close.