LIVE BLOG: Georgia tries to avoid ‘trap’ against Tennessee
Bulldogs safety Bacarri Rambo goes through warmups at Sanford Stadium. (Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS – So is this affirmation week or trap week?
Georgia plays Tennessee today. Honestly, I was a little surprised when the Glantz-Culver line (adopted by the AJC and Weekend Predictions, Inc. as the official point spread ) opened with the Bulldogs as a 15-point favorite and it immediately dropped to 13½ (though it has inched back up to 14).
The Dogs are ranked No. 5, and look like legitimate
Alec Olgetree, along with Bacarri Rambo, returns from a four-game suspension. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
title contenders. Other than some first-half hiccups in the SEC opener at Missouri, they have looked strong defensively and leveled Vanderbilt 48-3 last week. Tennessee isn’t as bad as some people think – Derek Dooley inherited a mess and really isn’t doing a bad job – but for the Volunteers’ defense to give up 555 yards at home in a 37-20 loss to Florida speaks to where the program is.
The “trap” concerns come from the fact Georgia plays at No. 6 South Carolina next week, in a game that conceivably could decide the SEC East. And, fact is, Georgia has laid some eggs against Tennessee in the past: a 45-19 loss at Knoxville in 2009, 35-14 loss at Knoxville in 2007, 51-33 loss in Athens in 2006, 19-14 loss in Athens in 2004.
But I think it’s more about this: People are waiting for something to go wrong. Georgia is 4-0, including 2-0 in the conference. It hasn’t started this strong since 2008, when it was 4-0 going into the infamous “blackout” game against Alabama, only to be body-slammed 41-30 at home.
In fact, the Dogs have not won their first three conference games in a season since 2005, when they started 5-0 (7-0 overall). Quarterback D.J. Shockley was injured and they lost the next game to Florida 14-10, as well as Auburn the following week. But they still won the SEC title that season.
The biggest news going into today’s game is the expected return of both safety Bacarri Rambo and linebacker Alec Ogletree. Coach Mark Richt has played coy on the subject all week but it has been widely reported that both players had been suspended for four games.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Time to open the cyber-venting lines. I’ll be back to chat shortly.
What are you thoughts about today’s game?
By Jeff Schultz
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1,545 comments Add your comment
MiamiDawg
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
This is painful to watch.
We’re going to find out what this team is worth after half time.
Big Crimson 75
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
01Hawk — Brandon Moore is the starting Nose Tackle for Texas also.
We can't give this one away, can we?
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
Half time will yield a huge chewing out…..or it should!
meagain
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
Huge penalty. Bigger than the personal foul on UT that was ignored.
Been there, done that..
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
Deja Vu…circa …whenever Richt got here..
UGA
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
We are GEORGIA. That’s the problem.
atlfalconsfan0125
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
Wow, UGA is messing up. Im a UGA fan, but they arent a top 5 team, are you kidding me?
DAWGFAN
September 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
They should have been passing the ball in the firt place to try to get some points before the end of the half! I dont understand this coaching staff at all! Its a shame to be a DAwg fan right now.
Mike
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
If we just escape this game with a win I’ll be happy.
Smyrna Ga
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
@Bobo is Not the Problem – It’ s both CMR and Bobo!
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
Complete meltdown
Russa
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
oh well, that’s a shame
Patrick
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
Yes he did!!!
Mike
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
Wow. Just amazing. I’m done. How the hell do you give up 30 points in the first half?
meagain
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
Good think Ogletree and Rambo are back.
Dawgs1965
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
Unbelievable.
01HAWK
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
GRANTHAM IS THE BEST……………………….Only in your dreams.
Hairy Dawg
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
Let’s face it. Even with the turnovers, our defense isn’t making plays.
kerryb
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
Richt needs to kick his team in the a** at halftime. Starting with Mitchell for not fielding that punt.
evil empire
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
kerryb…LSU pays a special teams coach 275k a year…look it up…
When will Mark Richt win a National Title @ UGA
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
UGA should not be in the top 10. OVER RATED!
eddie willers
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
A wacky quarter not to be repeated. Have faith,,,,we are a better team.
Been there, done that..
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
Ain’t it GREAT to be a Georgia Bulldog!!
zzggyy
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
HOLY S%*%T!
Mike
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
Seems like ever since Mitchell let that punt roll to the 1 yard line we’ve lost all momentum.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
This is remarkable……….or a remarkable nightmare for Georgia….right now. Richt better do some coaching at half time…..or Dawg fans will be calling for his head….once again.
JSS
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
@ Jeff Schultz…
Like I said: “Heaven help you!”
GeorgiaDAWG93
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
JUST when I thought Georgia was something special this year I see they are NOT! SAME OLE GEORGIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Here we go again...
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
no pressure on Bray…
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
Tennessee has scored 3 TDs in 4:11 and taken the lead 30-27. This is not a drill.
DawgNole
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
Thirty points in less than a half. I’m starting to feel like Tech does today.
Russa
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
well even if they win at least they won’t be the #5 team anymore … after next week they might not even be top 10
jerry
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
Bozo is totally chicken-sh-t.
meagain
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
Mike
September 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
Wow. Just amazing. I’m done. How the hell do you give up 30 points in the first half?
I guess the same way you give up 27 points. UGA has not stop the stupid turnovers. All of this is due to not fielding a punt and not fielding a kick off.
Does this mean you will stop your stupid comments?
Been there, done that..
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
Eddie Willers…I want some of that dope you are smoking! Please??
markie mark
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
NOW WILL BOBO THROW THE !@!@#!# BALL AGAIN? Jesus, did we forget they allow us the throw the damn ball?
atlfalconsfan0125
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
20 points off Turnovers = Definition of suicide.
Tiago do Brasil
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
Loran, what do-you got? I am way down here in Brasil and pulling for my cachorros!
Mike
September 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
And on top of that, Tennessee gets the ball to start the 2nd half.
DAWGFAN
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
WOW we are losing at half after leading by 17! What a JOKE of a team……..FRAUD all the way! This coaching taff should be ashamed for allowing this team to just rollover and take it up the*****
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
DId Rambo and Ogeltree share something with the other Georgia players during the break between the first and second quarters? They are playing like it.
evil empire
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
the way richt has treated samuel is almost criminal…
Bill
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
If the 2nd half isn’t a 100 percent different, the CMR hot seat just got turned on again.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
May not even be a Top Ten team.
Chas
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
Jeez, we’ll lose by 50 to SC.
Here we go again...
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
Way to go, Dawgs… my chihuahua has started trembing…
short memories
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
this is when georgia needs the timeouts they pi–ed away
Hairy Dawg
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
The other thing here is that we should be able to move the ball all day if we don’t turn it over.
GeorgiaDAWG93
September 29th, 2012
5:26 pm
Georgia will go 4-1, after this game. OUTBACK BOWL…here we come! AGAIN!
evil empire
September 29th, 2012
5:27 pm
murray sure runs funny…