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
GSUStud
November 27th, 2011
4:54 pm
Georgia’s D can stop any college team. And I believe that Georgia has more weapons on offense than LSU does. LSU is a great team and will score some points, but I think Georgia can score more. The Georgia Team has already played in the Dome this year, so they won’t be in “awe”. The crowd should be largely Dawg fans and Georgia has a lot of confidence after winning 10 in a row. I really do think Georgia will win this game. People love an under Dawg.
MikeTheTiger
November 27th, 2011
4:54 pm
The Tigers will crush the Dawgs. Georgia has absolutely no chance to beat LSU.
Wrecker1
November 27th, 2011
4:54 pm
Georgia only has a chance because the game will be played. This isn’t a slap at Ugag it’s just that LSU and Bama are on a much higher plain than everybody else. Georgia won’t be able to run the ball and their front won’t be able to keep pressure off Murray long enough to find a receiver b/c LSU may have the best secondary in the country. Georgia may slow down LSU but the tigers will wear them down with their size, speed, and depth.
dougmo2
November 27th, 2011
4:55 pm
Jeff,
Georgia has two chances against LSU:
1- Slim
2- None
Quit giving the “Bulldog Nation” a false hope. Did you watch the same games I did? LSU DESTROYED a very good Arkansas team while Georgia beat a better than average Tech team that cannot tackle or cover a corpse.
Deano
November 27th, 2011
4:56 pm
The latest state polls have been released:
1. Georgia
2. Georgia Southern
3. Buford
4. Georgia State
5. Georgia Tech
Don Draper
November 27th, 2011
4:57 pm
This is the week that all of the Jacket faithful assume fake LSU handles and troll as Tiger fans. Vicariously living through an LSU team in hopes that the Tigers can do what the Jackets only accomplish once every decade. Sad, but such is the life of a Jacket.
geaux tiger
November 27th, 2011
4:59 pm
Lsu will destroy GA—this game could get ugly early. Ga would be 5th place in the SEC west. Tigers 41 ga 17—LSU wins another BCS title—it never gets old.
BIG MIKE
November 27th, 2011
5:00 pm
they are on a higher plane with ESPN and that’s what really counts………huh?
Steve
November 27th, 2011
5:00 pm
I love all the people saying UGA has “no chance” to beat LSU. They obviously don’t follow college football or understand it. You see, these things called upsets often happen. Please let me know if you would like examples. And to the NERDS talking about UGA’s schedule, they are ranked 39th in schedule strength. Tech is 66. Thanks again for the laughs yesterday!
Texas Dawg
November 27th, 2011
5:00 pm
We beat LSU if:
1. Bobo has a good offensive scheme, we can’t pass long on 1st down, then run up the gut on 2nd down and then expect Murry to stand in the pocket on 3rd and 12! We must hit the quick intermediate routs, bubble screens to our WR and sceens to the backs. The passing game must open up the running game.
2. Murry must be on…..our QB and receivers are better than Bamas when Murry is on and the receivers catch the ball. Murry can’t have a bad qrt…..the long pass will not work unless we play action after we establish a run game…
3. Our special teams need to be special…..it’s time Boykin takes one to the house in a big time game!
Dawg48
November 27th, 2011
5:00 pm
Tech fans cause I feel bad for y’all I helped y’all out on this one!
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=Taw4kF4F74s
BillS
November 27th, 2011
5:01 pm
If LSU plays as it did against Alabama, it will win. If we decided games on paper, no stadiums need be built. The facts are that teams do unexpected things on the field, and if UGA can avoid mistakes and catch LSU at less than its best, the Dawgs could pull off an upset. Probably won’t happen, but if I were LSU I’d be edgy. A UGA win and it’s probably the Sugar Bowl; a loss and possibly the Outback Bowl. Regardless, UGA is still playing, and not many other teams are.
wins-by-a-link
November 27th, 2011
5:01 pm
LSU is a very good team, But they are not invincable, Georgia is still a mystery team, Playing in the weak sister east, Ga has not played the caliber teams that LSU has played and was beaten by two ranked teams to start the season, The dogs have continued to improve each week especially the defense, The offense has talent but lacks a stable running game, If Crowell plays well for the entire game and Murray has an Auburn type game then Georgia has a chance.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
November 27th, 2011
5:01 pm
Blackoutanyone,
So the National Title game would then be played by two teams that did not even win there respect conference. Never before has that happened I am quiet sure. So you know who the BCS has a vested interest in seeing win Saturday night.
45ACP
November 27th, 2011
5:01 pm
You have to be in the game to win the game. The Dawgs are in. LSU is strong but there is always a chance. The Dawgs match-up well with LSU. Early Vegas odds have LSU as a 10 point favorite.
brandon(b-low)
November 27th, 2011
5:02 pm
YO BLACK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!! UR AN DUMBASS!!! UGA 4TH IN WEST??? HELL NO!!!!! UGA WOULD DOMINATE ARKANSAS NO QUESTIONS ASKED AND HOW CAN U SAY BAMA IS BETTER. THEY NEVER GOT TO PLAY EACH OTHER…..ALL I KNOW IS BAMA IS GOING TO BE AT HOME ON DEC 3 AND THE DAWGS WILL BE PLAYING FOR SEC CHAMPIONSHIP. THE DAWGS DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO TO WIN THE EAST, BAMA SURE DIDNT. COULD SCORE 1 TOUCHDOWN AT HOME!!!! IF OKIE ST. WINS BY 25 OR MORE AGAINST THE SOONERS NEXT WEEK , I GUARANTEE THEY WILL JUMP BAMA. YEA THEY GOT 1 BAD LOSS AND THEY HAD A TRAGEDY BEFORE THE GAME… BUT THE KEY WORD IS…. THEY WILL HAVE WON THEIR CONFERENCE!!! IF LSU WINS SAT. THEY WOULD HAVE BEAT OREGON, ARK, BAMA AT HOME, NOBODY AND I MEAN NOBODY WHO PASSED THE 2ND GRADE WOULD WANT A REMATCH OF CONFERNECE FOES UNLESS UR A BAMA SUPPORTER…… BAMA HAD THEIR CHANCE, LETS SEE IF SOMEBODY ELSE CAN BEAT THEM……
Steve
November 27th, 2011
5:04 pm
UGA had “no chance” in 2005 against LSU and what happened?
Texas Dawg
November 27th, 2011
5:04 pm
I think our defense matches up pretty well with LSU offense, the question is which UGA offensive and special teams show up? GOOOOOOOOOO DOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hate the BCS…….no way should AL play for the NC…..isn’t it time for playoffs already….D2 has done it for years!
BEARMAN
November 27th, 2011
5:06 pm
3 LETTERS FOR YOU:
L. S. U.
LSU 35
DAWGS 10
Nub
November 27th, 2011
5:06 pm
The BCS is a shame …. So is ESPN…. How many times over the last 50 years has a team that didn’t win it’s conference win the National Championship…???? Answer that one …
john
November 27th, 2011
5:06 pm
I know you have to be a homey Jeff and I totally understand. But UGA is just one season past being the conference toilet paper roll. It would be nice if they were finally hitting their groove but I don’t think they can sustain it past this season and will be back to their old mediocre selves soon. And for the UGA faithful…..keep the crack pipes handy cause you’ll need them Saturday.LSU by 24.
I Crowell
November 27th, 2011
5:08 pm
Whooooa Jeff…take anutter toke of this.
01HAWK
November 27th, 2011
5:08 pm
31 years PUPPIES………………………31 YEARS. Most of you do not remember back that far. When will you ever win a BCS ?
KEEP HOPE ALIVE !!!!!!!!!!!
SOS……………………………SAME OLE @$%…………………Different year.
OUTBACK, CAPITAL ONE BOWEL AWAITS YOU
FLORIDA is nice year round.
RealitySetsIN
November 27th, 2011
5:08 pm
LSU 52-0
1eyedJack
November 27th, 2011
5:08 pm
The football is oblong and bounces funny.
LOL...
November 27th, 2011
5:08 pm
no.. its not Kool-Aid you are drinking…. how about too much Jack Daniels? .. did you hit your head on something Jeff?
Les
November 27th, 2011
5:08 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!
Willie
November 27th, 2011
5:08 pm
Yes… UGA can win…. ONLY if LSU fails to show up for the game or LSU forfiets…. FIRE MARK RICHT !!! HAHAHAHAHAHA !!!
brandon(b-low)
November 27th, 2011
5:10 pm
SOMEBODY answer this for me??? what if LSU wins ver easy against UGA on sat. Lsu plays Bama in National Championship Game and Bama wins 9-6 in same game as earlier in season.
LSU 13-1 SEC Conference Champs
BAMA 12-1
how can u say BAMA is National Champs?????? I just dont see how?????
BIG MIKE
November 27th, 2011
5:10 pm
brandon(b-low)——————–easy with the CAPS bro’ ……… did u take u’r ritalin today?
kreedham
November 27th, 2011
5:10 pm
Alabama and LSU are clearly the best in the nation…Oregon’s pretty good too! So why not a rematch? NFL does it! I’m sure AL-LSU will be a more entertaining game the 2nd time around. It’s only a problem if LSU loses to Georgia and as much as I’d like that to happen, it probably won’t.
Good Luck to Georgia Southern against Old Dominion in the 1st round of the FCS. A win by GSU sets up a possible rematch with Appalacian State which beat GSU during the season.
James
November 27th, 2011
5:10 pm
@Danora
Your team’s dream ended yesterday along with a high profile bowl bid. What thugs are you speaking of?
SouthGADawg
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
I truly believe that the Dawgs will beat LSU. We now have Larry Munson looking down on us and he will be the 12th man on the field.
Lard Bucket
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
So will it be 4 more years til we can beat you darn Dawgs again? I’m thinking maybe we should hire Ted Roof to by our head coach, maybe then we could at least slow them Dawgs down by breaking a bone or two! Oh well, where is Bill O’leary when we need him, he knew how to beat them Dawgs, and how to fudge his resume’ a bit too!
01HAWK
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
WAH WAH WAH……………………………..UGA has the whiniest bunch of fans I have ever come across.
TISSUE ANYONE ?
THE Crack Pipe
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
Can you Dawgs give me a rest? You’ve been passing me around ALL day while you make up stories about how great Georgia is!
Lard Bucket
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
So will it be 4 more years til we can beat you darn Dawgs again? I’m thinking maybe we should hire Ted Roof to by our head coach, maybe then we could at least slow them Dawgs down by breaking a bone or two! Oh well, where is Bill O’leary when we need him, he knew how to beat them Dawgs, and how to fudge his resume’ a bit too!
A-Ville Ranger
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
I’m not sure we’re not as talented as LSU. The Tigers are a mature team that has played extremely well all seasons though. We have have really started clicking in the past month. I do think we have a chance but I also understand why LSU will be heavily favored. Are our guys ready to play a confident, smart mistake free game against the likes of LSU ? …maybe.
Steve
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
All these jealous people are making me laugh.
5150 UOAD
November 27th, 2011
5:11 pm
Don D I could care less about Ben with a mouth full of grass. Ben Jones has done plenty of cheap shots. Maybe Tyson just caught Ben Jones karma. I don’t like to see players hurt or dirty plays, but as some have said “What goes Around Comes Around”. I hope Tyson will be OK. Ben’s Punches to Fairley didn’t seem to hurt Fairley too bad but you don’t know how bad that could have been.
I saw at least 2 hands to the face or face masking on plays UGA was not flagged for. One was on a Murray TD pass. It is what it is I guess.
buckblue
November 27th, 2011
5:12 pm
Gymnastics YES…College Football….NEAUX .
1eyedJack
November 27th, 2011
5:12 pm
Hopefully the Championship games will jump somebody over Bama. Else, some hypocrits got some ’splainin’ to do.
Fred
November 27th, 2011
5:13 pm
As an LSU grad living in Atlanta, I am delighted by UGA’s success this year. Many more years of Richt and Bobo mean that the Dawgs won’t reach elite status any time soon. Enjoy the mediocrity, UGA fans.
DUMB STUFF
November 27th, 2011
5:14 pm
Jeff, you’ve written some DUMB stuff, but this DUMB stuff TRUMPS ALL your other DUMB stuff….LSU in a romp. GA gets their well deserved butt-whipping Sat. Reality time!!! Then, the “Fire M Richts’ will be right back out. As usual.
Kendell Jones
November 27th, 2011
5:15 pm
This is a game that could go down in the annals of football as being a game for tha ages. That is if the Dawgs should beat LSU. and it is very possible. Ga”s QB is one of the best in the league. He is so calm and calls a good and steady game. Yes, I doexpect to see a low score, and I think it will be in the DAWGS favor. GO DAWGS.
Intown DAWG
November 27th, 2011
5:15 pm
b-low
in 96 UF lost to FSU during the regular season then beat them for the NC………….
Not same conference but it was a team getting beat in the regular season then beating the same team for the NC
Seriously
November 27th, 2011
5:15 pm
That’s right. Since UGA was able to put away a Tech team who once again played a horrible game this past Saturday (which by no means is uncommon yet frustrating), UGA should now be able to beat LSU. Thats like saying GT was going to be a contender for the National Championship when they were setting records against MTSU, Western Carolina and lets not forget and the admirable Big 12 team of Kansas.
Big Dawg
November 27th, 2011
5:16 pm
So you’re saying there’s a chance……..
Fred
November 27th, 2011
5:16 pm
“Some things you don’t see coming” is the perfect ending for the article. Jeff doesn’t see this LSU dominant victory coming, just like the Arkansas fans didn’t.
Don Draper
November 27th, 2011
5:16 pm
@UOAD — Please name the “plenty of cheap shots” that Ben Jones has made — apart from the block against MS ST, which he served a suspension for. The shenanigans against AU last year were a result of a poorly officiated game that was allowed to spiral out of control. Fairley should have been ejected along with two other AU players that got ejected during that game. Please cite the “plenty of cheap shots.” I’ll hang up and listen.