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
Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSchultzAJC). Friend me on Facebook (Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC).
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,469 comments Add your comment
TriviaDawg
November 27th, 2011
4:32 pm
UGA has at least as good or better margin of victory against a third of their common opponents with LSU this year. Yep, that’s a chance. If the Georgia team that showed up for the Auburn game shows up for this game, I think we have at least a 50/50 chance. An elite defense will keep UGA in any game provided we don’t beat ourselves.
brandon(b-low)
November 27th, 2011
4:33 pm
i was really upset about uga football after week 2, just like everyone else. but i wasnt calling for his head like alot of people. yes, our remaining schedule was very winnable but did i really think we would pull off 10 wins in a row(i hoped) uga beat the gators, beat tenn, beat auburn like a step child, took control of sec east, and man handled tech!!!! MARK RICHT OWNS G.TECH!!! Look where the dawgs are right now, a chance to show the entire country how to beat the number 1 team in college football and get those nice sec championship rings and go to the Sugar Bowl!!! but whatever happens dec 3, im proud of the dawgs for hunkering down…… FINISH THE DRILL!!! BEAT THE HELL OUT OF THOSE CRAWFISH, CANOE ROWING RACCOON EATING BACKWOOD HILLBILLYS!!!! GOOOOOOO DAWGGGSGSGSGSSGSGSSG
Lagdawg
November 27th, 2011
4:33 pm
UGA has a chance, but the OL has to be more physical and open bigger holes for the RBs. The DL and the LBs must be very physical against LSU’s stable of RBs. Arm tackling will not get it done and Murray has to stop overthrowing the open WR. Crowell cannot take himself out of the game after the first hit. He might as well get ready mentally, because he will be hit and he will be hit hard. UGA needs to bring in at least 2 to 3 RBs in this next class. This game will let UGA and the fans know just how far the team has come both physically and mentally. This game will be the judge just how far Bobo has come. If the offense falters, Richt will need to hire a better OC because next season the competetion will be a whole lot tougher. Also, Memphis fired their HC and while with LSU he was a great recruiter. He brought in some big time talent to LSU. Richt might want to consider that option for a better Recruting Coordinator.
Intown DAWG
November 27th, 2011
4:34 pm
Wet Willie
Are you a LSU fan or just “running YOUR mouth”?
Chuck Dowdle
November 27th, 2011
4:34 pm
LSU will quickly shutdown Georgia’s anemic running game. Then will turn attention to pass rush vs Murray. Ole Murray has shown he will throw INT’s if pressured. LSU front four are gonna slaughter puppy dawg QB. By mid-3rd Qtr puppy dawgs fans will leave with tail between legs. Gonna be an embarrassing home loss for puppy dogs.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
4:34 pm
Any Bets on HOW LONG Crowell will last in the LSU game?
BenB
November 27th, 2011
4:36 pm
Jeff, what are you smoking??? The Dawgs don’t have a chance !!!! Not the slightest.
billcanoe
November 27th, 2011
4:36 pm
Jeff, for once I happen to agree with you!
Aubie-won-knobi
November 27th, 2011
4:36 pm
Lowcountry..interesting points. My guess is Okie State to #1 and the West Coast will vote for ANYONE other than another SEC team to play for the NC. But it would be a massive screw up for a system that will be exposed for all it’s flaws….should have been having playoffs all along.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
4:37 pm
Honey Badger ain’t scared of Sh.t. Honey Badger don’t care bout no Murray passes.
steve
November 27th, 2011
4:38 pm
yes, and they should also wear their black jerseys like they did to intimidate bama…
JB
November 27th, 2011
4:39 pm
Can’t believe any Techie on here today talking trash. Dawgs have won 10 straight,including Tech who is killing our strength of schedule numbers. Tech really just stinks.
Gorilla Biscuit
November 27th, 2011
4:40 pm
“This is the column that says Georgia can beat LSU.”
Dang skippy they can!
Nadsmasher
November 27th, 2011
4:40 pm
UGA got nothing to lose, nobody expects them to win. Go out and have fun play loose and who knows.
UGA
November 27th, 2011
4:40 pm
“ajcuga BCS computers say #LSU could lose to #UGA and still play Bama for national championship”
Then change your pathetic slogan NCAA!
“NCAAFOOTBALL.COM – Where Every Game Counts”
Blackoutanyone?
November 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
Lowcountrydawg…. UGA to Sugar, Bama vs LSU in BCS National title game. Only way a league can get three BCS teams is if two teams are in the top two and neither is the league champion. Would be a huge money grab for the SEC… but highly unlikely. LSU is too deep for UGA this year. Roll Tide!!
UPSEt!
November 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
Mark this down—the dogs will beat lsu! Grantham’s D will shut down lsu’s overrated offense—ga 29 lsu 16—dawgs to the sugar bowl!!!!
Aubie-won-knobi
November 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
@steve…you guys didn’t play Bama this year.
NCAA Critic
November 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
Reason #2658 the BCS system is horrible. IF Georgia beats LSU, they would have the nation’s longest winning streak. Plus, they would have defeated three ranked teams, including the consensus and unanimous number one team in the final month of the season. Yet, they would be shut out of a chance to compete for the national championship.
Thus, the BCS system implies that the first weeks of a season are equally as important as the final weeks. No other sport repeats this mistake of eliminating the concept of improvement and development during a season in determining a championship. The problem is even more acute in college sports, where there is significant turnover to team composition from year to year, making the start of a season even more of a learning experience.
This is written not to imply that UGA will win. Also, I am not discounting LSU’s tremendous season. No matter the outcome of Saturday’s SEC championship, LSU should still be in the hunt for the national championship. However, this situation is just one of numerous examples of why the BCS system should be scrapped.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
No PLAYOFFS…………if you want playoffs watch the Pro. You are making too much money off the players already. Now you want to risk their Futures by playing MORE games for NO MONEY? Play at least 9 conference games and drop 2 of the 3 paid for OOC wins for Hard OOC games. need for a Playoff is gone. Just add a Plus 1.
gt4ever
November 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
UGA Sucks…..
WhoLetThemDawgsOut
November 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
I tottaly agree!
getreal
November 27th, 2011
4:43 pm
No argument from me that Tech stinks…but if that’s Georgia’s signature win then what does that say about your overall strength of schedule. Bring on Mercer, Emory, and Grayson High School next year.
Intown DAWG
November 27th, 2011
4:44 pm
Same people saying UGA has no chance were the same ones laughing when we were 0 and 2. Now the record is 10 and 2, so the new cry is that the schedule sucked…………..
UGA may not win next week; to do so would be a large feat; but you can bet the excuses will come raining down from these same naysayers if UGA does win……..
Either way……….. It is all good
Go DAWGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
WhoLetThemDawgsOut
November 27th, 2011
4:44 pm
You know what would be funny as hell and would throw the BCS a serious curve ball? If UGA pulls off the upset and I could hear the anouncers say”tonight we have the national championship between LSU and Alabama, the number 2 and 3 team in the SEC.”.
brandon(b-low)
November 27th, 2011
4:45 pm
GA. TECH THE RAMBLING JUST GOT IN A WRECK WITH A BRICK WALL!!!!! BOOOOM!!!! PAUL JOHNSON ISNT QUALIFIED TO TO MARK RICHTS LAUNDRY!!! MARK RICHT HAS GA.TECH BY A TIGHT LEASH WITH A CHOKE COLLAR!!!!!!!
ole yeller
November 27th, 2011
4:45 pm
@Jeff,
I agree the Dawgs have a chance to win, But they need to bring the same team that dismantled Auburn. Bring their “A” game anything else want be enough. LSU has a lot of talent on their team. It want be easy for the Dawgs to win, but very posible. The “D” will play with LSU for 60 minutes, the second best “D” team thay have faced. If LSU looks past The Dawgs toward a “NC” game, they are in trouble.
WesDawg
November 27th, 2011
4:46 pm
Re: Muck Richt
You sound a little butt hurt over your team coming up short again.
Go Dawgs!
TriviaDawg
November 27th, 2011
4:46 pm
Hey 5150, Honey Badger doesn’t have as many picks as Bacarri Rambo, and no one on LSU’s roster has as many sacks or tackles for loss as Jarvis Jones. Our D is just about as good as Bama’s. Get ready.
Blackoutanyone?
November 27th, 2011
4:47 pm
Ncaa critic… U think a team who lost to BOISE STATE and USCe deserves a shot at the national title? Lol
UGA
November 27th, 2011
4:47 pm
“excuses will come raining down from these same naysayers if UGA does win……..”
the first one will obviously be, “This isn’t the game LSU needed to show up for, that game will be the BCS title game in a few weeks. It would have been a big problem for them if any of their top players were injured in a mostly meaningless Championship game”
IMO, LSU still being able to lose and still play the Big Game … cheapens the SEC Championship soooo much
Reggie
November 27th, 2011
4:47 pm
Jeff,
You never disappoint! Even though you suck up to the locals, they are never going to like you. Northern or West coast bias ( in their neck minds) are never going to accept you! Get over it. Do what you are paid to do. Do you really feel like GA will win?? Really? Really? Ga will be blown out by LSU!!
JB
November 27th, 2011
4:47 pm
Tech needs a football coach. You can’t rush for 500 yards and suck at everything else and expect to beat many good teams. Buford High has better DB’s.
uga3xsuperbowlmvp
November 27th, 2011
4:47 pm
how does that hobnail boot feel techies? 31-17 cry techies cry!!!
Dap01
November 27th, 2011
4:47 pm
Jeff: Write an article about how many red shirts were in the stands at Grant field. How can a big game not even be well attended by GT fans in a small stadium?
michael
November 27th, 2011
4:48 pm
The Dawgs dominated Auburn better than LSU or Alabama, just google the box scores and see for yourself. I cannot wait for the Dawgs to stun all of these idiots in the media!
Don Draper
November 27th, 2011
4:48 pm
@UOAD — You always bring up Ben Jones because of the famous picture of the turf in the mouth, which you understandably resent. However, you lose all moral high ground after #50 for GT yesterday put DeAngelo Tyson out of the game on the first play with the same block you continually bring up about B. Jones. The TV replays show #50 from GT clearly aiming at Tyson from behind and below the knee — very graphic. It was brutal and the kid should have been tossed from the game. Tyson could be out for the rest of the year. #50 is only a sophmore, so hopefully he gets what he has coming over the next two years.
BIG MIKE
November 27th, 2011
4:48 pm
HERE’S A CONUNDRUM FOR YA’……….If the SEC IS THE BEST CONFERENCE………..and UGA WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP of that conference……….Where does that leave UGA when the music stops?
A PLAYOFF has already occurred and no one is paying any attention.
1) LSU BEAT ALABAMA
2) LSU BEAT ARKANSAS
3) NOW LSU MUST PLAY AND BEAT UGA TO CLAIM THE GOLD
Sorry, that’s how a playoff works. LSU and UGA put themselves in position to win the SEC by
‘quote from 2007′ “winning their games during the regular season. It doesn’t matter that Alabama is possibly the strongest team in the country, they didn’t win the division, much less the conference. How can they possiblty play for the national championship?” That was a quote by LOU HOLTZ in 2007…..only instead of ALABAMA the word was GEORGIA
SCREW ESPN and the TALKING HEADS that fuel them. Hypocrites (Urban Meyer)….Liars (Lou Holtz, Kirk Herbstreet, and whatshisname former coach). Let ‘em earn it on the field. If LSU wins….so be it. But if UGA wins….then they beat the best…..reward them. Unlike many teams ranked above them (for some reason), UGA didn’t lose to unranked opponents such as Arizona St.. They lost the first two to Boise #4 and USC #9 (BOTH STILL RANKED HIGH IN THE POLLS). USC lost to ARIZONA ST; OREGON lost to a team that lost to Arizona ST and OKLA ST lost to IOWA ST for God’s sake. Why are they ranked higher than UGA? Because ESPN SAYS SO…..THAT’S WHY!!!
Dap01
November 27th, 2011
4:48 pm
UGA has more play makers than Alabama. UGA is back baby!
TheItalianDawg
November 27th, 2011
4:50 pm
Here we go again, we beat tiny tech and now we are the world champions and calling for pitt. steelers!!!! I admit that if we play Boise and south Carolina now we will beat them but after all we have BoBo who is the most inconsistent OC and we commit too many turnovers. our special teams are mediocre at best. LSU is a very good team, mistake proof so unless we play aggressive and mistake free we have no chance!!!
Blackoutanyone?
November 27th, 2011
4:50 pm
UGA = #4 in the SEC WEST. Get real people.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
4:51 pm
WhoLetThemDawgsOut………….How would Bama and LSU be the #2 & #3 teams in the SEC?
LSU 12-1
Bama 11-1
UGA 11-2
Arkie 10-2
USC 10-2
UGA would have only PLAYED LSU and still not have a better record than Bama or LSU.
Tim
November 27th, 2011
4:52 pm
didnt LSU jump 7 spots in the polls and bypass GA to play for the BCS title because they said you cant play for the title if you dont when your conf? WTF how is alabama or lsu in the title game if LSU loses to GA?
Blackoutanyone?
November 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
Dap…. Lol UGA has no one who would start at Bama. Well maybe the kicker… no I’m certain the kicker would. Crowell = 3rd string or redshirt at Bama.
Steve
November 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
Imagine how good UGA will be next year. A top 10 team to start the season for sure. Sucks for Tech next year. Yet another loss will happen in Athens. Pathetic.
ADMan
November 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
gt4ever…how old are you?….five? seven?…you blog like a little boy….Tech has a nice little team…but they will NEVER, EVER contend for a NC running that high school offense they run….Face it Tech fans be happy winning 7 or 8 games a year and going to a small bowl game….Georgia runs this state….and always will!…..5150 UOAD…I love to meet you in a bar sometime and beat you to a pulp…. what a smalltime azz you are…I’ll bet you don’t have many friends and the ones you do haave really don’t like you very much….you love yourself too much and need your azz kicked bad….What an idiot you are..we’re all sitting here laughing our azzes off at you and your “bad azz posts”….LOLLOLLOL!
Aubie-won-knobi
November 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
@Intown…I remember last year when Auburn was 10-0 and the Dawg fans STILL weren’t believers. Sort of what goes around, comes around.
kreedham
November 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
It’s a mess. If Georgia were to win then by rights S.C. should be in the national championship game since they beat Georgia who beat LSU who beat Alabama.
TriviaDawg
November 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
5150, conference standings are based on conference schedules. Why am I bothering to give you a free education in college football?
BIG MIKE
November 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
But their conference record would be exactly the same…