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
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
3:09 pm
Dawgirl…..
No their fault……just a lucky Dawg…..I guess…..for two years in a row. But the Dawgs will be seriously challenged by SC and Florida. So they will earn it if they win the East….no doubt. And Georgia is very good this year. I would rate them higher than LSU right now…..right behind Bama and Oregon.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
3:10 pm
Joey…..
Georgia by 10.
Joey
September 29th, 2012
3:13 pm
Can’t wait for your game next weekend at The Swamp. I think the Ds are nearly identical, with UF having a better O.
Probably a 13-6 UF win.
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
3:13 pm
Tampa Gator
We’re feeling pretty good as you can see. The most complete team we’ve fielded in year. The East is another animal but I’m thinking my Dawgs will do it.
Go Vols
Good to have you join us guy. I hope your feeling is correct
You guys are going to have something going on there if you’ll stick with Derek. Kiffin hurt you bad
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
3:14 pm
fielded in years
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
3:15 pm
Man Tech is blowing it bigtime
Go Vols
September 29th, 2012
3:15 pm
Let the beating commense. Almost time, but as ever, GO VOLS!!!
dawggirl
September 29th, 2012
3:15 pm
And what in the world happened with Tech? I don’t want to hear about our strength of schedule from them. Period.
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 29th, 2012
3:16 pm
Dogs win big and cover while making a BIG statement. This folks is a very good soon to be great team with only two issues, thin O line & freshman kicker.
Not far from Alabama quality.
Jockich Ahn Smelley II
September 29th, 2012
3:16 pm
LONGEST YARD MOVIE or JUST A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME FOR 1/2 the TEAM????? Drugs, domestic abuse, arrests………RESUMES Sure look the same…..HMMMMMMM
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
3:18 pm
Herschel Walker on the field (not in uniform) and introduced to crowd. He seems to be quite popular.
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
3:18 pm
Tech is still in the woodshed
Go Vols
September 29th, 2012
3:19 pm
ARdawg, so true about Kiffen. TN shoulda strung him up somewhere. But I have been honest in my feelings about todays game, and Dooley does have a mess to try to fix. Can’t do it this soon. Maybe next year,,,
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
3:19 pm
Joey…..
I think more points will be scored by both teams….probably including one or more scores by the defenses. Florida gets Chaz Green back at RT and, hopefully, Jelani Jenkins back at OLB. Matt Patchan still out….and not sure he will play this year. Patchan has been injured almost all of his 5-star OT career at Florida.
falconsrus
September 29th, 2012
3:19 pm
GO DAWGS BRAVOS AND BIRDS
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
3:20 pm
Hershel is a DGD
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
3:20 pm
Texas A&M has SEC speed on defense…..very quick DL.
ARdawg
September 29th, 2012
3:23 pm
Go Vols
I still expect your guys will beat someone this year. I just hope it isn’t us. Baby Dooley is a good coach. He’s getting reamed by many of the Vol faithful I understand. Tough building from nothing in this league which is what he is doing
RunninWithTheDawgs
September 29th, 2012
3:29 pm
Almost time to open up another can of Whoop- A$$ ! GO DAWGS
Big Crimson 75
September 29th, 2012
3:30 pm
Good Luck today UGA.
Dogs by 16.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
3:30 pm
The A&M QB has over 550 yards of total offense running and passing vs. Arkansas today…..SMILE.
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
3:31 pm
Just posted pre-game photos of Rambo and Ogletree.
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
3:32 pm
Whaaaat up TAMPA AND BIG CRIMSON????
RunninWithTheDawgs
September 29th, 2012
3:36 pm
Worst team I’ve seen Arkansas field in a few years. No execution – No co-ordination. Vandy appears to be much stronger than Ark.
oldfart
September 29th, 2012
3:36 pm
Verne Lundquist doing the tv play-by-play and he looked to be a pint low. Did any of the Vols fans bring some corn likker they can spare?
Big Crimson 75
September 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
Bobdawg — Ready to watch some good old man SEC Football.
This one is definitely the best Game in the Conference this weekend.
Runnin — Arky is a complete train-wreck.
Bobby Petrino strikes again!!
katherine
September 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
here we go…i’m so nervous
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
Hey, Malcolm Mitchell plays offense too? Who knew?
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
3:42 pm
Wooten should’ve had that, even though tough catch.
Mike
September 29th, 2012
3:42 pm
Gurley is a beast
katherine
September 29th, 2012
3:43 pm
nice running actually over a tennessee player lol
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
3:43 pm
CRIMSON… saw the TV lineup for tonight and not much there…
Mike
September 29th, 2012
3:43 pm
Alright Murray, that was almost picked, put that ball up in the air a bit more.
katherine
September 29th, 2012
3:44 pm
that was awful
Mike
September 29th, 2012
3:45 pm
It would be huge to go up 7-0.
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
3:45 pm
Second and 20 and Dogs offense made it look like nothing.
afan
September 29th, 2012
3:46 pm
CPJ will not live this day down..What a GT a@@ beating. He is on his way out.
Mike
September 29th, 2012
3:46 pm
We should score here. Run Gurley! He won’t be stopped down here.
Mike
September 29th, 2012
3:46 pm
Way to hold onto the ball Gurley!
katherine
September 29th, 2012
3:47 pm
wow…did ga tech lose?
katherine
September 29th, 2012
3:47 pm
touchdown!!!
Mike
September 29th, 2012
3:47 pm
Touchdown Gurley! My God a freshman!
oldfart
September 29th, 2012
3:47 pm
Beautiful opening drive. Especially overcoming the busted play for -10.
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
3:48 pm
That was as impressive and efficient offensive possession as you’re going to see. 7-0.
Mike
September 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
Gonna be a long day for Tennessee.
Orange12
September 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
Nice mix of plays. Keep it going.
BobDawg
September 29th, 2012
3:49 pm
SCHULTIZIE… I don’t think we are “looking for something to go wrong”…The more I see us play; get players back… the more confident we seem and look… Heard a College Weekly scribe say on a Chattanooga Sports talk station this week that the Gamecocks have a lot of weaknesses… 2ndary is horrible…. Out of the QB’s 20 straight passes only 3 were to the Wideouts….
rivercard
September 29th, 2012
3:50 pm
Not a huge Dawg fan, but that offense looks damn impressive. If Murray can stay consistent they may make some noise.
Haven’t been impressed with the D so far. Maybe they can change my mind today.
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
3:52 pm
Olgetree alert.
Patrick
September 29th, 2012
3:52 pm
Nice, disciplined drive. This is what it will take to make the season a memorable one. Now the defense can show us their game.