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
Jim
September 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
Over rated. Murray is sorry in the clutch. Bobo’s making sure we run on first down.
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
They will spin this as we were looking ahead to Carolina…next week it will be that we were looking ahead to the buy week…where in buy week we only give up 35
Truth teller
September 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
Grantham is not getting schooled. The TN offensive line are handling the GA defenders. UGA is playing to try and prevent big play passes. only 5 or 6 guys are in the box for UGA. But you idiots have no idea.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
red&black…..
Tennesse spreads the field…….not exactly the kind of game that LBs make big plays on a regular basis. He has been putting pressure on Bray when he has been in the game. It is hard to sack Bray because he gets rid of the ball…..just like on the last INT.
oldfart
September 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
You have to miss that throw to the outside. Even if it is to the fat lady in the first row.
Jimmy Crack
September 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
Time for the Gurley man.
deadrednecks
September 29th, 2012
7:12 pm
I LUV DEM SATERDAY GIT LOOK AT BIG NEGRO NOYZ AND DREAM I PLUG DEM HOLZ. FIRE RICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nobody
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
Wheres our FB?
katherine
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
playing not to lose never works….
Jeff Schultz
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
We’re only 10 yards short of a combined 1,000 yards in game.
KDS
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
Georgia must stay balanced, run and pass
Truth teller
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
Why don’t we have the FB in the game? Strange stuff. This is where I question Bobo’s play calling.
Jim
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
How did anybody figure out it was a run? NO guts
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
I would run a naked bootleg
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
Now…..you just go an run the ball down the Vols throat….if you can.
deadrednecks
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
WE BUBBAS LUV DEM BIG STRONG BLACK BOYZ
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:13 pm
If Murray would have tucked and run…it was all day.
Jim
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
Run it again
Dawgs1965
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
Does Bobo know there’s four minutes left?
Truth teller
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
Wooten drops another.
Russa
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
“Well thats the game but we still suck on Defense. Happy we won”
hmmmm … little premature there
Keith
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
Oh boy we kick again
evil empire
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
dawgs leave the door open…
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
Man…..that Murray is a horrible QB…..can’t throw a perfect strike on a slant pattern….EVER.
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
Of course… we are soooo un-clutch its heart breaking
I Hate Gator
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
Awful D and now they can’t get a first down…
Truth teller
September 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
That was a TD and now its Murray’s fault.
deadrednecks
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
RANTAVEOUS — WHO DONT LUV WIT DAT NAME. BIG N STRONG. FIRE RICKT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jim
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
It is typical run on 1 and 2 then throw on third. Dodo cost us a sure thing if we lose.
SOS Dawgs
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
Choking Dawgs
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
We have gift wrapped this for the Vols…
DAWGFAN
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
So its not over! Wooten drops the pass! WHat a JOKE this team never sees to amaze me!
BubbaGolf
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
Should have caught that…are they choking????? I think so, but GO DAWGS!.
nobody
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
Why is Wooten one of our top recievers? Scott Wesley has done great when he is in. Wooten has not impressed in his years at UGA
mr. obvious
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
wooten dropped that pass
Truth teller
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
UGA just rushing 4.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
Ogeltree can cover.
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
You can bet on them going for 2 when they score.
Brownies for everyone
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
This is not a championship team. No way!!
deadrednecks
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
MY SELF IMAGE GROW TOO SMALL KUZ DEEZ DAWGS SUK!!!!!!!!!!!!! FIRE RICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
But that guy didn’t.
Mike
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
We played our WORST game in recent memory on defense and probably are still going to win this game. That’s a sign of a good team.
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
It feels like we are rushing ZERO
RunninWithTheDawgs
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
Come on D, NO PENALTIES !
Midtown
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
Nice job Rantavius…….but hey, he’s a “four star” and runs a 4.45…..
SOS Dawgs
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
We deserve to lose.
Truth teller
September 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
TN goes with max protection against GA’s 4 man rush.
Tampa Gator
September 29th, 2012
7:17 pm
Ward….
Sounds like you have already given up hope…..jumped off the bandwagon train early.
Ward
September 29th, 2012
7:17 pm
I really hate Dooley…Vince, Barbara, and Dereck
KDS
September 29th, 2012
7:17 pm
send pressure