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
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
11:02 am
Alphare
I don’t know. That would have to be established. After established then followed unlike what the BCS is doing now. Pick and choosing the espn and media darlings. This isn’t the first time this has happened. If by chance UGA were to beat LSU in the SECCG, do you think LSU will be left out? I don’t. The LSU/Bama rematch seems to me was decided weeks ago. A lot of impropriety there.
Conference champs would be a good place to start
SLim
November 28th, 2011
11:05 am
Second time around will be a different ball game and Alabama will beat LSU. LSU’s luck will run out and all the Georgia fans will be watching LSU lose the NC.
who cares
November 28th, 2011
11:05 am
I’ll give UGA ten points each half against LSU!!!!!! Will not be close!!!!! UGA hasn’t beaten a good team all year.
Barbara Dooley
November 28th, 2011
11:07 am
Whoo whoo. Cant wait till Saturday
Barbara Dooley
November 28th, 2011
11:07 am
Gotta get my Herschel fix. Mmmmmmmmm
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
11:09 am
SLim,
LSU’s luck will run out? How have they been lucky? The only close game was against Bama. You act like LSU has lucked up wins to get to 12-0. Cry me a river and while you’re at it, go find a fg kicker. Special teams is part of the game too.
I don’t understand why everybody acts like LSU got run over in that game. All those fg’s that were missed were from 45+ yards, and that’s not a “gimme” even in the NFL. The only close fg was blocked. Bama still didn’t have 300 yds of total offense. Once Richardson was shut down in the 2nd half Bama couldn’t move the ball. BAMA LOST, THE BETTER TEAM WON, DEAL WITH IT!!!!!!
Dr. Morpheus
November 28th, 2011
11:09 am
OMG- I just acquired 2 tickets to the SEC C game at face value! Whoa, yeah! Sic ‘em, Dawgs!
PurpleNGold
November 28th, 2011
11:10 am
Tennis, it’s going to be even more fun watching you Georgie fans mope all over Atlanta after Saturday.
LawDawg
November 28th, 2011
11:11 am
UGA is rightfully an underdog against LSU and I will be somewhat surprised if we win. That said, I think our offense matches up better against their defense than their offense matches up against our defense, Matthieu notwithstanding. If we can at least break even on special teams, we definitely have a shot. Go Dawgs!
Also, where are GTBob and the rest of the barely coherent, overconfident Tech fans today? Lose 10 of 11 and I guarantee they will be back in 363 days to talk about how much better the ACC is than the SEC, how UGA is weak and how an untalented, one-dimensional offense is clearly better than our pro-style attack.
TigerinATL
November 28th, 2011
11:11 am
Can UGA win….of course, anything is possible in football. Will they…..NO! LSU is too good a football team and has beat everyone they have played. UGA will lose by at least 30 points!
Dirty Dawg
November 28th, 2011
11:12 am
Everything about LSU should scare us, but Jefferson’s ability to run with the ball could be, and I suspect will be, the difference. If we can put a hit on him and get him out of the game then I like our chances. And by the way, lay the hell off Bobo, he’s done a damn good job and will be up to the task this Saturday. I mean he and Georgia’s offense have beaten a Chavis-led defense before and very well could again. Either way, I’ll take the points.
Don'tBelievetheHype
November 28th, 2011
11:15 am
Dawg fans need to come down off their weak schedule-induced euphoria. Only way the pups beat LSU is if they swap players before the game. This is where you realize where you would have finished in the east if you had to play anyone in the league with a pulse. Oh, that’s right, you did play one – South Carolina…
GODAWGS75
November 28th, 2011
11:17 am
Look at all the haters out there, or should I say the one Ga Tech hater who is changing his name several times. UGA can win, depends on what team comes out there to play. Murray will be the factor in this game, if he is going to throw interceptions or keep his cool.
Pat Dye
November 28th, 2011
11:17 am
NOT MAN ENOUGH!!!!
dawgs66
November 28th, 2011
11:19 am
Just hope the team is concentrating on execution – not what uniform to wear . . .
Spike 80DF
November 28th, 2011
11:19 am
Dawgs have NOTHING to lose in this game, LSU will be favored big with a shot at the NC on the line.
Truth Hurts
November 28th, 2011
11:20 am
The problem I see is that the game is solely on the shoulders of Murry. Murry has been good, but not great. It is easy to shine when he is the only offense UGA has. He has throw an INT in all but 4 games and those four were against sub par teams (Coastal C., Tenn., New Mex., and Auburn). If you take out the two games against non BCS teams, he has 24 TD to 10 INTs. Not really that good for being the main guy. LSU is strongest in their secondary. They make you run the ball because it is so hard to pass. I think UGA will hang in for maybe half the game, but UGA needs to get a running game to allow Murry 1-on-1 coverage. If they don’t hold onto the ball, their D line will get tired. Look at the scoring break down for LSU. They have scored more later in the game because they just wear a D down and with 4 running back, they can keep it up all game.
I am not saying UGA can’t win, I am just saying they probably will not since they are a little too one dimensional. I saw some people talking about how UGA beat AU more than LSU. True, but LSU had 3 players suspended. Also, LSU crushed Fl, Tenn., and Ken. where UGA kind of just held on. The same talks happened last week before the LSU/Ark. game about a QB heavy team and we all know how that turned out. I think we all are just a little scared of what might happen again an a major nationally televised game. I think it will be like Boise St in the beginning and turn ugly later in the game.
Alphare
November 28th, 2011
11:21 am
LawDawg,
“I think our offense matches up better against their defense than their offense matches up against our defense”
You basically said dawgs will score more points than tigers, or UGA will win the game. Why don’t you say so? That’s like Clinton’s “is” line. Well, both of you are lawyers I guess.
5150 UOAD
November 28th, 2011
11:24 am
All things being even it comes down to 1 person that is not up the the Championship Challenge………………………..Mike Bobo! Players execute the game plan. The players could do great but if the game plan Sucks it will not matter. Bobo is the weakest link and everybody knows it. If he wins do you think he will FINALLY be mentioned as a possible Head Coach at ANY school? It doesn’t matter if he wants to leave or not. it matters that he is thought of in that light. Bobo against Chavis? When the talent is even then the coaching is the difference. Nobody in the SEC is really afraid of Bobo. Some of the weaker teams fear UGA’s talent but not Bobo’s schemes.
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 28th, 2011
11:27 am
Jeff, I look forward to the game this week.
I am not worried about my team.
JBT
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
11:28 am
Alphare
Lawdawg does have a point. When LSU played good offenses, the opponent didn’t have a good defense. Case in point is Oregon. When playing stellar defenses, the offense was less than stellar, case in point Bama. Different set of circumstances with UGA. Will UGA beat them? Unlikely but, I suspect you will see a good game. LSU is solid, UGA is not however, UGA has a better offense than LSU, UGA has the lesser defense but, still a good one. It’ll be an interesting game despite what you haterz think
Manup
November 28th, 2011
11:28 am
Nice article Jeff. Thanks for putting everything in perspective. Go Dawgs!
5150 UOAD
November 28th, 2011
11:30 am
Godawgs75……………you really think this is 1 Tech fan? You think it is Only Tech fans? But there are not Tech fans according to the dawgs. The TECH FAN is posting mean stuff about my dawgs. And UGA says Tech is obsessed with UGA? Sounds like UGA fans are paranoid that Tech Fans are everywhere.
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
11:31 am
I hate to be the one to break it to you dawg fans, but all that talk about LSU having all the pressure on them is flawed logic. LSU can lose this game and they are still going to play for the crystal football. The only pressue LSU has, is the pressure it puts on itself to be great. They have dealt with distractions internally all year long. Starting qb suspended 4 games, 3 starters suspended another game, and not once have they flinched. LSU is not looking to back into the BCS Champ game, they are focused on being the greatest football team in the history of the school and they know that means taking every opponent seriously.
If you question LSU’s desire or mental focus, you should spend some time reading the player & coach interviews on the Baton Rouge Advocate or the Times Picayune @ http://www.nola.com
Ralphie
November 28th, 2011
11:31 am
You’ll shoot your eye out, you’ll shoot your eye out. Hey, it’s Christmas. All I want is my Red Ryder.
DawgDad
November 28th, 2011
11:31 am
Both teams are loaded with great athletes and football players. Georgia is a very young team, and it will be a tough test for them to match up with the more experienced and physical LSU team. Dawgs weren’t ready for Boise St., but they are clearly much better at this point. I THINK the Dawgs defense is as good as Alabama’s, we’ll see.
I am SO hoping UGA provides the fly in the BCS ointment and exposes the farce of “National Championship Game”. A team should have to win their Conference to be eligible to play for the National Championship. Otherwise, after UGA beats LSU this week how can they claim to crown a true National Champion without pitting UGA-Alabama, or UGA-Virginia Tech, or whatever? Can’t be done, honestly.
Outcome of SEC Championship not expected to impact LSU’s BCS opportunities | UGA sports blog
November 28th, 2011
11:32 am
[...] Schultz: Georgia has better than a ‘puncher’s chance’ [...]
5150 UOAD
November 28th, 2011
11:33 am
LAWDAWG this is page 26 of this blog. You are too dumb to look at back pages and see GTBOB has been here. Calling out somebody then do some research. You just look the fool.
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 28th, 2011
11:33 am
Sea Biscuit was half the size of mighty War Admiral who is considered by most to be the greatest race horse of all time. Sea Biscuit walked with a limp and did not even look like a race horse, yet he beat War Admiral head to head in the greatest upset in horse racing history. This is a true historical fact. Could Georgia be our Sea Biscuit? Sea Biscuit won because he had heart and determination. He EXPECTED to win.. Georgia is our Sea Biscuit and they will win because they have heart. Irk Russell had his Junk Yard Dawgs and now Grantham has his “Under Dawgs”. Any thing is possible.
iTiSi
November 28th, 2011
11:34 am
What I don’t understand is why is GA not ranked higher than 14th? So two losses at the beginning of the season hurts worse than 2 at the end of the season? Should be the other way around. What does it get GA to beat LSU except the SEC title and the Sugar Bowl. So WHOOPEE! If a team beats the #1 team should they not move up to at least the top 5? It will never happen. This BCS crap is so asinine, and yet you people condone and enable it. Grow and pair and demand a change. That includes you, sportswriters!
Ralphie
November 28th, 2011
11:34 am
My bunny pajamas are almost as embarrasing as those power ranger uniforms you mutts wore against Boise.
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
11:36 am
Continually hearing dawg fans say “our offense is better than LSU’s” makes me realize you must not spend much time watching teams play other than your own. LSU has had huge leads in all but 2 games this year. They don’t throw the ball much in the 2nd half of games because they don’t have to. Murray is a better qb than Jefferson (and much, much better than Lee) in certain aspects, but Jefferson also missed 4 games and was slowly worked back into being the starter. as a team LSU has passed for over 2000 yds this season with 20 TD’s and only 4 int’s. This isn’t the same LSU offense as in the previous 2-3 seasons where guys are standing around scratching their head and nobody knows what to do with the play clock running out. They average more ppg than UGA against more difficult competition
DawginLex
November 28th, 2011
11:37 am
no disputing what LSU has done
But, Okie State, if they beat OK will have a better resume than Bama
LawDawg
November 28th, 2011
11:38 am
Alphare: Last I checked, there are three phases of the game and I am also leaving room for the fact that even if we move the ball well we could have bone-headed fumbles or interceptions or Orson Charles could go into T-Rex arms mode over the middle like earlier in the season. I am not predicting that we will score more points or win the game, but if we play solidly, I think our offense does have a better chance of moving the ball consistently. If we shut down the LSU run, they are going to have a very, very difficult time moving the ball through the air.
It is a little thing called nuance, which is the lifeblood of a litigator and something that you clearly have no eye for.
BobbyP
November 28th, 2011
11:39 am
Jeff Schultz is an enigma.
Georgia fans are delusional.
LSU beats UGA 48-13 after throttling back in the 4th quarter.
AR has the best QB in the SEC (based on facts, not some arbitrary statement) and LSU handed him is head. UGA has no running game (absent the Savior, who plays about 20% of the available snaps). Unfortunately for him, Murray will be sacked 7 times, throw 3 picks and leave the game in pain early.
Evansdawg
November 28th, 2011
11:39 am
Win or lose, by a thin margin or a blowout, UGA is a young team and most everyone that is a freshman or sophomores will be a year older and wiser next year. The future is bright for the Dawgs. The bad news is for the Techies. Richt is going nowhere, and that is what they are so up in arms about. They will pose as LSU fans or anyone else to get under our skin. LSU fans know that UGA has had success over them in the past and there is respect going both ways between both fan bases. I think we are all in for a great game. So, while LSU and UGA fans will enjoy the championship atmospere together, (lets face it, LUS fans know how to party), everyone else will be home wishing and admiring. Go Dawgs!
shankit
November 28th, 2011
11:40 am
Two best SEC teams of last decade meeting for another championship.
LSU and the Dawgs have combined for 5 SEC championships in
the past ten years. Tennesse edged the Dawgs in 2007.
World Peace
November 28th, 2011
11:40 am
Can’t we just all get along?
DawginLex
November 28th, 2011
11:41 am
bobby
arkansas got exposed for not having a line of scrimmage, especially on the offensive line.
Georgia’s is better. Not even close.
Our D line is better
Our QB is just as good and Crowell, when healthy is just as good as Arkansas RB.
Arkansas receivers are better but it doesn’t matter when your OL can’t keep your QB upright.
Still think LSU will win but no way they beat us as bad as you predict.
LawDawg
November 28th, 2011
11:41 am
5150: You may have time to read 26 pages of comments for “research” but some of us work for a living. Your bold predictions of the glorious Tech uprising proved wrong, but of course you cannot say anything positive, so now you are trolling for LSU. Pathetic.
ARdawg: Nice summation, that was basically my point.
Bayou Swamp Thing
November 28th, 2011
11:42 am
Yo mutts didn’t got no chance, no no.
Samuel L. Jackson
November 28th, 2011
11:42 am
LawDawg,
“If we shout down the LSU run, they are going to have a very, very difficult time moving the ball through the air”.
Good luck with that, 12 teams have tried and none have succeeded well enough to come out with a win
Mama Crowell
November 28th, 2011
11:45 am
I sure hope Isaiah dont get no more boo boos Saturday.
SEC East Chumps
November 28th, 2011
11:47 am
DawginLex…my bad you’re right…AU scored 7 more points on Bama than GA…hmmm, even though both touchdowns that AU scored on Bama were by the defense…had it not been for that it would have been 42-0….so yeah, let’s get it straight….Oh, and yes I am an Auburn fan…but the bottom line is…Georgia still isn’t worth all the hype, and ya’ll can say what you want about AU, but at least we have 2 undeafeted seasons and a national title in the past 10 years…what has UGA done? And once Mizzou comes over,we will see what UGA can do with AU, Florida, and SC in the Eastern Division….
Honky Talkin
November 28th, 2011
11:48 am
Dawg fans are delusional (and Jeff Schultz). LSU 42 – UGA 10.
Chris
November 28th, 2011
11:48 am
Thanks! I needed a good laugh to warm me up on a cold Baton Rouge morning.
I.. Crowell
November 28th, 2011
11:49 am
Man, I can’t play the whole game. Let’s see, hmmmm, that’s it, I’ll get a hang nail. Yeah, that will keep me out for at least one half..
GEAUX TIGERS
November 28th, 2011
11:49 am
Laissez les bon ton roulette…let the good times roll! LSU will go all the way to the National Championship!!!!!
shankit
November 28th, 2011
11:50 am
Delusional Jeff – 26 pages and still running. Is this a record?
Keep up the good work.
Bama fan
November 28th, 2011
11:51 am
No question about it. You dawg fans are the most delusional fan base in college football. You have ZERO chance against LSU. What did you do? Beat up on AU? Clemson, Bama, Ark, and LSU all also blew out AU so why are you getting all this mileage over blowing out one bad team?
Who else did you beat? You barely edged by a horrible Kentucky team, barely beat the worst Florida team in 30 years, and you barely slid by a Vandy team that should have won the game. You didn’t even beat a really awful Tenn team that badly.
You were nothing more than the least crappy team in what is the crappiest division in college football this year amongst bsc conferences. And you nuts think that one blowout win over a really bad AU team that was blown out on 4 other occassions means that you can hang with a powerful LSU team? Delusional I tell ya.LSU is going to crush you by 3-4 touchdowns or more.