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
•
Last 10 blogs from the digital jukebox
• Chipper Jones loved celebration, but it made him an ‘emotional wreck’
• Chipper Jones: Braves lose a legend, fans lose a hero, I lose reason to open laptop
• Weekend Predictions: No ‘bagels’ but Dogs and Falcons win
• Video blog: Are Falcons NFL’s best team (after 3 weeks)? We debate
• Falcons are looking special, and it starts with Matt Ryan
• Short takes: Resiliency, Ryan and turnovers carry Falcons
• Falcons’ defenders preferring Mike Nolan to Brian VanGorder
• Predictions: Dogs win cage match; Falcons upset Chargers
• Goodell is in ‘fantasy’ world if he doesn’t believe product being damaged’
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
1,545 comments Add your comment
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
6:20 pm
Ok… here is the plan, Dawgs… on every extra point, we line the dude up on the 30 yard line from now on…
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
6:20 pm
Bobdawg
*raising my glass*
Bulldawg
September 29th, 2012
6:21 pm
I’m real concerned about Marshall Morgan. Don’t understand why we didn’t recruit Adam Griffith (Alabama signee) from Calhoun. Watched him kick for four years. He didn’t miss extra points.
rivercard
September 29th, 2012
6:21 pm
Is there a better all around offense in the country than Georgia?
dawglova
September 29th, 2012
6:21 pm
A special teams coach ain’t gonna help that kid. We need to tale at least 2false starts every time we try to kick a pat. The kid can kick it 50 but not 15. The other kid kicking off needs to get as hot at pats. He can’t be worse
JB
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
this kicker is gonna cost us a game this year. we ought to go for 2 every time. same odds
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
Silly…..
I think it will be a big task for Florida to beat LSU…….that LSU defense will do a lot to confuse the talented…..but still very inexperienced…..Driskel. Question is…..will the Florida D do the same to Mettenberger…or whatever his name is. It will be a good game….but I still think LSU has the edge because of experience and depth. We will see…..
Keith
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
Defense, defense, defense
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
We are gong through some Freshman pains. I wouldn’t trade a single one of them. Morgan included
Mike
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
Defense is a worry to me still. Haven’t praised them at all all day.
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
TAMPA, we kicked the Bandwagon fans off the bus… We stopped for Makers and loaded back up again… It’s good we are getting punched in the mouth…It’s the SEC and any given week..right…
Keith
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
So much for that hype! Had him behind line and could not bring him down
katherine
September 29th, 2012
6:22 pm
Tampa thats funny coming from you who said to me that college football is something to get riled up about unlike baseball…people get upset when their team does bad…its happens
JB
September 29th, 2012
6:23 pm
and our d is over rated
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
6:23 pm
But I am telling you……Georgia is going to have its hands full with the Florida OL and Gillislee at RB….based on what I see today.
John L. Smith
September 29th, 2012
6:23 pm
So much for that vaunted Georgia Defense…. SMILE!
Brownies for everyone
September 29th, 2012
6:23 pm
On a serious note the defense has looked terrible.
Silly Bloggers
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
I think I’d give you about a 10% chance in a night game at Baton Rouge. I believe the Swamp makes all the difference. May not call it a toss-up, but I will be very curious as to the opening line. I’m guessing LSU by 3.5 for starters.
Mike
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
Defense sucks!!!!!!
katherine
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
omg…..
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
Block in the back…
dawglova
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
That’s a block in the back
Bobo is Not the Problem
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
Our defense is atrocious.
FIRE MARK RICHT.
KDS
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
WOW!!!
Keith
September 29th, 2012
6:24 pm
Omg! Our defense is horrible
John L. Smith
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Todd Grantham is bust… SMILE!
oldfart
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Pizz poor defense.
katherine
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
john l smith why do you always say smile? its really stupid…just saying
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
TAMPA, when was the last time you played LSU????
John L. Smith
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Call back Willie!
dawglova
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Tampa I’m worried about today. The hell with fla
KDS
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Not ready for Alabama
Go Vols
September 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
Of course they are going to call it back. They are playing in Athens for crying out loud.
Al
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
And again UGA defense is good not great
JB
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
This D shows up in columbia will not be good
Brownies for everyone
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
Vaunted defense…NOT
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
Our D is not bad…TN is throwing everything but the “kitchen sink” at us… Just one of those games and enjoy the scorefest…..
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
Looks like the “D” will lose it for UGA.
oldfart
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
Why pick that flag up? Clearly it was clipping.
katherine
September 29th, 2012
6:26 pm
we arent going to lose
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
Katherine…..
There is a difference between being upset…..and wanting to fire all your coaches for the 400,000th time. That is not funny…..just very old. Richt is a very good coach and so is Bobo.
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
I need a drink
DAWGFAN
September 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
Georgia’s defense is AWFUL and those extra points are goinmg to come back to bite us in the butt! I hope everyone including myself can see that this tea is not a National itle cotender with a defene like this! Its awful!
Keith
September 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
When was the last time a 5th ranked team gave up 37 points to an unranked team?
rockdawg
September 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
It’s a good thing our defense is as good as Bama’s and LSU’s or Tennessee would score 100. (sarcasm)
JB
September 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
this outcome a long way from over
dawglova
September 29th, 2012
6:27 pm
Cut block on us
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
6:28 pm
oldfart….
the tennessee player had his helment in front….and that made it legal. That was clear….unless you are just biased or blind.
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
6:28 pm
Enter your comments here
worried
September 29th, 2012
6:28 pm
D just looks horrible. Can’t stop run. Did anyone see Rambo’s angle of pursuit….All American? What is going on.
Bray’s blocking below the waist 5 yards down field. Should have been a flag.