Pessimism reigns by Georgia fans about Florida game (video added)
Mark Richt and Dogs beat Florida last season but they're underdogs this year. (Jason Getz/AJC)
Remember how high optimism was about Georgia football before this season? Well, that seems to have eroded.
The recent loss to South Carolina, several unimpressive victories – including the latest win at Kentucky — and a perceived talent-loaded defense that hasn’t nearly lived up to expectations has led to many Georgia fans expecting the worst when the Bulldogs face Florida in Jacksonville next Saturday.
Loading ...How do I know this? Because when I relayed via Twitter that Florida was anywhere from a 3½ to 4½ point favorite at most sportsbooks, the responses could all be reduced down to these three words: “Is that all?”
In fact, as I type this, I have yet to find a reader who would take that bet (Georgia plus the points).
Georgia is 3-8 against Florida under Mark Richt, including last year’s win. But Florida is 7-0, ranked No. 2 in the BCS standings and destroyed South Carolina 44-11.
On Betonline.com, the Gators opened as 3½ point favorites, the line dropped to 3, then went up to 4½. Vegasinsider.com lists the consensus line at 3.5. The Las Vegas Wynn opened with Florida at 4½ and it went up to 5.
Here is the early feedback on the point spread. Feel feel to weigh in below with your thoughts and I’ve put up a simple poll question: Does Georgia win or lose?
Your responses on Twitter
• “That ain’t enough Jeff. It should be at least 7.5.” — @pierceoutlaw
• “If I was going to bet, I’d bet on Fla.” — @wrigmuff
• “Should be 21.” — @johnarwinhart
• “Should be 7 or 8 or 21.” — @therealclutch
• “I’ll take Florida up to 10. Amazing how far we have fallen from preseason hopes.” — @wwatl34
• “Smart money on UF” — @CharlesMcCollum
• “I’d say it should be 10 points.” — @rwsportscards
• “They know something we don’t I reckon.” — @J_T_Hoffman
• “I’ll take Florida up to -6.5.” — @Tony Mission
• “Way too low for me. We had trouble run-blocking Kentucky last night and stopping their backs. Florida far superior to UK.” — @RedDevilDawg
• “Depends on if the determined to prove themselves Dawgs show up or the i’m down with whatever the hype says Dawgs show up!” — @GeorgiaGunOwner
• “I agree. I’d say gators by 10. I’m a Dawg fan. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst like most Cocktail Party endings.” — @NikkiFree
• “How often are the guys in and around Vegas are wrong? Personally, I do think it is low.” — @vsu96sdd
• “Surprised it’s not 14.” — @jltdawg
• “If we only lose by 4.5 I’ll be very happy. Another SC performance and its time for a change.” — @bulletstheman
• “Could be that Vegas still doesn’t know what to make of the Florida offense and their inconsistent play.” — @DavidMaldridge
• “If UGA can avoid costly turnovers, they should be able to keep it close.” — @MattBankston
• “UGA grad here and I’d have the line at least 7.5.” — @VinylmationKing
• “Umm have you been watching this year?” — @ChandlerRDB
• “When we beat Kentucky by just 5 points, we know we are going to get blown out in Jacksonville.” — @TylerBurgess
• “Really surprised it’s not at least a touchdown. I thought 10 or so.” — @jbcincy512
• “Dogs will be crushed like a bug by the gators.” — @rbray1
• “Good for the Dawgs. Vegas is dangling that small spread so people will jump on FL.” — @TheJoeyBrowning
• “Sadly, with how unfocused/underperforming Dawgs are this year, 2012 game has 2008 potential. Grantham sold us a Monorail.” — @SideshowRhett
• “Should be gators by 14.5 the way the dawgs defense has been playing. #fromadawgfantoo” — @Zack_H_Martin
• “The spread is way too low. There is no indication the game will be that close. And that is coming from Dawg fan.” — @MarlerMedia
• “Jeff I’m a dog fan and I just put 1500 on Florida, what is Vegas thinking, did they see Kentucky and Carolina game, d is bad” — @ParrishV
• “About 10 pts to low…uga fan here” — @MattAnthem
• “I think Florida should be -7 but Vegas wants people to bet both sides of that -4.5. #godawgs” — @KoodenAaron
• “UGA fan here. I would’ve guessed Fla -6.5. Wouldn’t take the dawgs at +7.” — @Hookey12
• ” What’s the over/under? I think it needs to be 7.5, but I could see them winning 42-35. They will hang 35+ on our D.” — @Litigatingdawg
• “It’ll be bet up closer to -4.5 or 5 by Saturday.” — @ParrishWalton
• “Casinos are smart & in the business of making money. They made the line low so people will bet on #UGA, the sure loser.” — @UGABugKiller
• “I had it around -9 for florida. UGA’s d can’t stop anyone. Only solid Defensive effort was vs Vandy.” — @JDB426
• “Uneven stats/score from SC game have obscured public projections for UF. I think -5 is the max line.” — @RittyRich
• “Florida should be a 13.5 point fav” — @BostonDawgsfan
• “I was thinking AT LEAST 14″ — @GillmanD
• “Mentality of GA fans is perplexing. Most pessimistic I can ever remember, even under Goff.” — @TrevinB
OK, we have our first Tweeter who takes Georgia:
• “I hope you didn’t have me confused. I’ll take that line.” — @Mitchelldavenpo
By Jeff Schultz
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624 comments Add your comment
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:12 pm
If you landed here from Mars 4 weeks ago and have watched both teams play, you would mortgage your life on that line
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:13 pm
Panther…….take him
Brewmaster
October 21st, 2012
8:16 pm
you just filtered my anti-Obama comments. So much for free speech !
Gators..
October 21st, 2012
8:16 pm
@JB – Were you waiting for Spurrier to confirm what happened? Fumbles destroyed them. But it’s also tough to judge what the yardage could have been because Florida’s TD possessions in the first half were such short yardage. 3rd quarter was probably most indicative of what the game would have looked like minus the early turnovers. UF was moving the ball pretty easily and then in 4th it was all backups the rest of the way…
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:16 pm
just once I wish Richt would mix it up on both sides of the ball and throw someone for a loop. We are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo easy to game plan for.
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:18 pm
didn’t see the game. Just stumbled on the show. Don’t know what happened, cause me thinks Carolina is better than that by just watching them. Fla could run the table. seem to be playing well. We’ll see.
Youallare Idiots
October 21st, 2012
8:19 pm
See my name to comment on this post if you think UGA is going to win.
GB's Hamburgers
October 21st, 2012
8:20 pm
FLorida is for real.They are playing like champions in big games. Muschamp is a tough cookie and has the defense going. That Boise State Offensive Coordinator they hired is as good as they get. Georgia will not win. They haven’t played well in big games in years. Bobo will be easily neutralized and Grantham won’t know what hit him. UGA is an upper mid-level SEC team. They are not ready for prime time.
JetguyDawg
October 21st, 2012
8:20 pm
I think the line should be 14+ UF in the 1st 5 minutes….24 at the half.. and Dawgs wake up in the 4th and score twice. Bite the bullet and find a coach!
Gator Bit
October 21st, 2012
8:21 pm
The Dawgies will get a beatdown. You all know it. Gators are better than SC who killed your puppies. Just forfeit this game. Saint Richt is skating on watery ice… The UGA fan base is angry.
dabo
October 21st, 2012
8:22 pm
UGA needs a Chad Morris to mix it up on offense and Todd Grantham is a bust.
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:29 pm
Like to see what the staff at Buford high could do. Won like 4 state titles in last 5 years in biggest class in Ga….. I think they get football.
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:30 pm
Grantham is a bust. Hate to say it. All that talent and pushed around and out of position like a AA college team. Really.
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:31 pm
What will the mood here be Saturday if the game is over by the half?
Max Sizemore
October 21st, 2012
8:32 pm
How to bet college football: first, assume the line is essentially correct and then look for the emotional edge. Look for a team which is coming off a big win playing against a team which is coming off a sub-par effort. Bet on that team to rebound (we’re human beings; we’re up and we’re down). And that means only one thing:
Pick Georgia.
Mash
October 21st, 2012
8:34 pm
Georgia will beat Florida and it won’t be close. Rather than grab the +3.5, I’m going with the money line to increase my winnings.
As recently as ten days ago all of your idiot twitter followers were ready to crown South Carolina national champs. Perception changes quickly in college football doesn’t it. Not sure why anyone would trust these lemmings now.
Go Dawgs!
mambo
October 21st, 2012
8:34 pm
Georgia will be humiliated if they play Florida like they played Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri.
Send in the Clowns
October 21st, 2012
8:35 pm
Mark Richt, Mike Bobo, Todd Grantham, Dave Perno and our Tax Accountant Mark Fox!
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 21st, 2012
8:35 pm
If the gators play down to the level that my dawgs have been playing of late then we at least have a chance. Outside that, I don’t see us winning this one but I guess stanger things have happened. I truly think it’s time for a change in Athens. Seems to me the boys would come out with a little fire in their belly’s against UK after the way they played against SC but instead they took the personality of CMR. Most good teams team play like the personality of their head coach…Need I say more.
SiddyBoy
October 21st, 2012
8:35 pm
“Run Lindsey “
Send in the Clowns
October 21st, 2012
8:35 pm
Also howdY doodY
Gators..
October 21st, 2012
8:35 pm
@JB – Gotcha. I don’t think they would’ve won, but the turnovers negated any real chance they had of winning. And I think Spurrier is more upset that they didn’t compete. I’m sure he is distraught over what happened. It was bizarre game. In now way do I think florida is 30+ plus points better than USC. Clowney is ridiculous. He was virtually unblockable. Someone tell me he is a JR or SR?
Atlanta Gator
October 21st, 2012
8:37 pm
“Call me crazy, but Florida’s offense isn’t that impressive.”
Good gravy. There’s an understatement. The Gator kids are tough this year, no doubt, but I would have a lot more confidence if the Gators offense could generate more than 200 yards per game. Eventually, the Gators are going to play a team that does not make turnovers.
I hope that team is not Georgia.
SiddyBoy
October 21st, 2012
8:38 pm
I’m going fishing. Don’t think I can handle all the excitement of this game.
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:40 pm
I’;ll personally will be sick if we watch our home boy Kirby Smart end up at
1. Tenn
2. Arkansas
3. Texas Tech if Tuberville ends up at Arkansas
4. He’ll turn down Kentucky
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:42 pm
Coach in Waiting at Bama for 2 mil per year? They may not mean it, but it keeps Kirby on their sideline.
GA = complete trash sports state
October 21st, 2012
8:44 pm
Oh gee, what a surprise. Another GA team not meeting expectations. When have we seen this before? Oh excuse me, a quicker way to answer that would be “when haven’t we seen this before?” because the answer there would be “never.”
This state is trash when it comes to sports, and I’m just waiting for the Falcons collapse. When will it happen this year? No one cares about 6-0, you just know they will choke. They have won many games via chance/luck rather than talent. FML for being a sports fan and being born in this hellhole.
P.S. As a sports writer covering GA sports, do you have pre-made “choke” templates for GA’s various teams? It’s fait accompli they will choke, screw up, and never win a championship, so I can’t see why you wouldn’t. You could write these stories before the game, not even watch them, and be correct, so no practical reason not to.
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
8:46 pm
What would Kirby bring to the table:
1. He one of us
2. After 5 years at Bama with Saban, he’s learned what it looks like, taste like, smells like, runs like, works out like, organizes like…..etc
3. Great recruiter
4. Would not fill up staff with family and friends
5. Would not shrug off a close win at Kentucky with the game still in doubt with 4 minutes to play.
6. Add your own to list
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 21st, 2012
8:53 pm
AMEN @ JB at home…..I am all in with Kirby. The Saban mould, some fire who won’t put up with a half a$$ effort, a proven recruiter of whom I think would bring in an outstanding staff. I just hope he’s still around when we come calling but I’m affraid that won’t happen till Michael Adams is gone then GM can run this program as he see’s fit
still a dawg fan
October 21st, 2012
8:55 pm
If we can’t stop florida from running the ball it will be a LONG DAY in Jax but we haven’t stop anyone all year so I don’t expect anything will be different with our defense.Lets pray we can keep the game close & not get blown out.Our offense won’t get much done against that defense so our only hope is to have a low scoring game but they have a big advantage in special teams. Go Dawgs
Rantastic
October 21st, 2012
9:00 pm
UGA had the same Kinda game against SC at Columbia as SC had at. F. I don’t believe either team is that bad…
Big Wally
October 21st, 2012
9:01 pm
Hope I am wrong, but I see Fla…41, Ga. 14. Murray throws a bunch of picks. Fla. secondary is very good. Ga. won’t be able to run the ball. Defense will be awful,,,,,as usual.
JK
October 21st, 2012
9:05 pm
Going to be a lot of bookies filing for bankruptcy after next weekend.
fan
October 21st, 2012
9:07 pm
The only WAY Georgia has a chance is to not turn the ball over and solid special teams play, with that said, Florida 43-17. When Murrey is pressured, he’ll panic, and the defense has holes everywhere. This Florida team is relentless on defense {Muschamp style}, and has a good enough offense to make you pay for turning it over.
LDawg
October 21st, 2012
9:07 pm
GA = complete trash sports state – if we all suck so bad, why are you here anyway and why did you waste your time write crap on a blog? I can’t stand Cam Newton or Steve Spurrier, but I don’t go galloping to their sites (whatever they may be) and rag on them. Grow a set.
Fair n Balanced
October 21st, 2012
9:12 pm
Nobody is gonna bet on GA to win….unless they are brain dead. Do we have a chance? I mea, do we realistically have a chance? Yes, IF:
1. A meteor hits Muschamps house
2. The whole team eats some bad shrimp and all get sick.
3. Saban can dress up like CMR and coach GA
4. Ga plays above any and all expectations.
NO, we don’t have a chance. Not a single chance in this world! Oh how I would love to eat these words next week!
georgianabulltiger
October 21st, 2012
9:12 pm
Give me Georgia and 173 and we’ll talk.
Otherwise, “I CAN’T HEAR YOU.”
George Stein
October 21st, 2012
9:16 pm
Well, Twitter followers are representative.
JayD
October 21st, 2012
9:17 pm
LOL! UGA fans are always full of Pessimism….. among other things!
Big Wally
October 21st, 2012
9:17 pm
Seems everyone thinks Fla in a route. Since that is the case, a more appropriate Vegas bet would the over/under on personal foul penalties that Rambo and Williams will commit. I think that line should be 3.
Russ, the official mascot
October 21st, 2012
9:17 pm
Ruh roh! Please don’t put me in the swamp! I dont want to be ate by gators!!! FL 53 UGA 12
Fair n Balanced
October 21st, 2012
9:21 pm
After the beat down next week…..look for GA to fall apart. The D is so pitiful that I seriously fear Tech now. I wish i could understand how this defense has gone from really great to really pitiful… same players, same coaches……..Campaign to bring in Kirby begins next week on Saturday about 8:00 pm……for HC not DC.
UGA89
October 21st, 2012
9:22 pm
I have read these blogs for years and don’t comment very often. I see anti-Richt posts and I’ve refused to side with them but after last night I’m now on the get rid of Richt bandwagon. Of ALL the things that makes me mad about this team and it’s not Theus getting killed at right tackle or causing multiple false start penalties(which makes me want to scream bloody murder), it’s OUR KICKER MISSING PAT’s. How can you miss a PAT? He was recruited highly out of high school. Scott Howard actually got giddy with glee when Morgan banked the field goal in. It’s a joke. He’s really the best we have? Lindley can’t make a PAT? Blair Walsh had a bad year but you could count on him for the extra point. Its time to recruit another kicker. My G-d what a joke.
THE Georgia Southern Eagles
October 21st, 2012
9:22 pm
We commin’ for you DAWGS! GSU 90 DAWGS 3
Steve Spurrier
October 21st, 2012
9:24 pm
Can’t wait ’til I come in next year and hang 70 on your puppies between the hedges!
Archibald Hole Broke
October 21st, 2012
9:24 pm
The ONLY way the mutts win is if they can find that golden horseshoe that they used during the Dooley/Munson years. Mutts are going down big time and I can’t wait!!!!!!!
Big Wally
October 21st, 2012
9:25 pm
Your preaching to the choir there “fair and balanced”. To me, he is the perfect man for this job. Former Dawg, Def. Cord. for several years under the best modern coach in football. Knows how to play smash mouth defense. Already knows the recruits and high school coaches.
JB at home
October 21st, 2012
9:25 pm
Bottom line……hugs and consoling after losses and poor performances , not a$$ kicking. Problem in a nutshell
Mr. T
October 21st, 2012
9:27 pm
Houston Nutt is available.
UGA89
October 21st, 2012
9:27 pm
Big Wally…
Did you see those idiots celebrating after every play and then on 3rd down give up a long conversion for a first down??? Why doesn’t ANYONE tell them to cut that crap out. Taunting the opposing players and sideline. Acting like they have done something. We are playing lowly Kentucky! Ridiculous.