LIVE: Georgia goes for SEC East clincher against Auburn
Georgia hopes to have something to celebrate on Auburn's field after tonight's game.
AUBURN, Ala. — Hello, and welcome to something you probably didn’t expect five weeks ago when Georgia got body-slammed at South Carolina: A potential SEC East Division-clinching game against Auburn.
Every trend and statistic says the Bulldogs should win this game. Easily. But if they needed any reminder that anything can happen on a college football Saturday, just check the Florida game.
I stopped at an Auburn tailgating spot to watch a few minutes of Florida’s game against Louisiana-Lafayette, and the Gators were trailing 20-13 with just under four minutes left. I figured, worst-case scenario, Florida ties it and I’ll watch overtime in the press box, so I walked away. But as I walked into the box, the Gators were kicking an extra point following a blocked punt and return for the go-ahead touchdown.
So much for that monumental upset. Nonetheless, it should serve as a monumental warning for the Dogs — and it’s certainly easy fodder for coach Mark Richt’s pregame speech.
OK. The Tigers stink. They’re 2-7 overall and 0-6 in the SEC. A brief summary of their statistical woes: They rank 13th in total offense (305.2), total defense (428.7) and scoring offense (19.2), 10th in scoring defense (27.3), last in rush defense (199.2) — no reason to wonder about Georgia’s plan of attack — last in sacks allowed (29), last in third-down conversions (28.8) and 13th in turnovers (20) and turnover differential (minus-nine).
In short, there’s probably no reason for Gene Chizik to refinance his home because he’s going to be putting that sucker up for sale soon. It would be an upset it Chizik wasn’t fired, especially with a drumming by Alabama still expected to come at the end of the season.
(As I write this, Texas A&M just took a 20-0 lead over Alabama. Like I was saying …)
No such problems for Richt and Georgia. The Dogs had the perfect confluence of events following their 35-7 loss to South Carolina: 1) They didn’t faceplant in the next three games; 2) They beat Florida; 3) South Carolina imploded. So here we are, with Georgia on the verge of clinching its second straight East title and a trip to the Georgia Dome.
Before I open the cyber-venting lines, here are a few links from this week to pass the time until kickoff:
• The setup for this game from Chip Towers.
• How the backdrop for these teams (and coaches) was flipped two years ago, by Tim Tucker. (Auburn was on the was to a BCS title with Cam Newton; Georgia was on the way to a 6-7 finish.)
• The work of the UGA’s offensive line to protect Aaron Murray, by Chip.
• The Dogs will face their last two defensive coordinators (Brian VanGorder and Willie Martinez), by Tim.
• My column on Richt’s disclosure that he will need hip replacement surgery, thanks to an old swing set injury.
• Finally, here’s my prediction for the game (and other sound investment advice) in Weekend Predictions.
One last observation: Chip, Tim and I encountered far less traffic than usual for an Auburn game. Could be an indication of the crowd for this one.
That’s it for now. Commenting opens in 3 … 2 … 1 …
By Jeff Schultz
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786 comments Add your comment
Smitty
November 10th, 2012
10:13 pm
Where are bama bloggers….talking smack?
DollarDawg43
November 10th, 2012
10:13 pm
The Tide is falling and nothing can stop it.
Ga Dawg
November 10th, 2012
10:14 pm
Johnny Football also lost to Florida.
DollarDawg43
November 10th, 2012
10:14 pm
Hey blew it come blow my horn.
CigarDawg
November 10th, 2012
10:14 pm
GA Dawg,
You are the kind of fan that hurts our program. Go kiss your sister and finish off that case of PBR.
Smitty
November 10th, 2012
10:14 pm
cigardawg…go pull for somebody else…moron….
UGA Season Ticket Holder since 1986
November 10th, 2012
10:14 pm
CigarDawg – Dial it back a bit be’cause people aren’t getting that you are being sarcastic by parodying the haters and are thinking that you are a moron.
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
10:15 pm
UGA and Bama jump ND. Bama just doesn’t fall past ND and the Dawgs jump past ND. Dawgs and Bama at 3-4…
Robert
November 10th, 2012
10:15 pm
Shutout?
Dude, it doesn’t matter. We are not going to the national champ game. We are…….well….will be a 2 loss team.
Lets deal with it and move on. Try this……..www.moveon.org
Capitol One Bowl here we come!
Brewmaster
November 10th, 2012
10:15 pm
Hey Mark Richt Blew it, blow it out your a…….
CC
November 10th, 2012
10:15 pm
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
10:16 pm
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
10:04 pm
DawgNole
I have been quite cruel at times to TB. I am trying to be a kinder, gentler kd, lol.Really. I hurt his feelings a few times, and I don’t feel fulfilled about it anymore. I’ve got your back, but you remind me of me alittle and I detest me, lol. Fight with humor when you can. I get bored with trolls more and more…might need to talk to my preacher about it…nahhhhhhh…
___________________
That’s not a bad position to take, KD, and yes, I should strive for that. But your bitch-slappin’ with JSS today belies what you’re telling me here; that was not a “kinder, gentler kd” at all. Also, I doubt you hurt TB’s feelings; his demented mind is beyond being hurt.
Mark Richt blew it
November 10th, 2012
10:16 pm
johnny ball just blew UGA’s chances to Miami
Really?
November 10th, 2012
10:17 pm
If we end up with 3 undefeated teams left after the regular season I guess it’s fair not to have a SEC team in the BCS CG. That being said, it sucks to have teams in the NCG that don’t play in a conference championship gane. They get rewarded for playing one less game and that game is against a good team for thoes that do play one.
ryan
November 10th, 2012
10:17 pm
How about that Christian Robinson hit that was one of best hits of the night .
SicEmDawgs
November 10th, 2012
10:17 pm
Where will all the Aubie flags be tomorrow in Atlanta? I know all of you moved over here because there are no jobs in that God forsaken state. 6 out of 7 losers!!!!
Ga Dawg
November 10th, 2012
10:18 pm
CigarDawg – I’m the kind of fan that played for our program. I didn’t like fans like you when I played and I’m not to fond of them now. I support our buys and their coaches. You can pound sand.
DollarDawg43
November 10th, 2012
10:18 pm
‘Blew it’ is just bringing his knee prone day job home with him. Or her.
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
10:19 pm
If you don’t love this win, you really, really sucit…
Mark Richt blew it
November 10th, 2012
10:19 pm
Mark Richt the Frank Beamer of the ACC
O'Ventbrel
November 10th, 2012
10:19 pm
UGA is set up to go 11-1 into the SEC title game. Anyone who criticizes Richt as underachieving is irrational.
The fact is that UGA, as small as the chances are, still has a small, yet closing window to sneak into the national title game. K-State plays two very average teams from here and will likely win out. However, Oregon plays a defensively stout Stanford team and Oregon State on the road, and USC could pose problems for Notre Dame. Even if these two scenarios happen to play out, obviously UGA would have to beat an angry Alabama. But there is still a chance…
td
November 10th, 2012
10:20 pm
CigarDawg
November 10th, 2012
10:05 pm
How much does the loss to SC hurt now?
Another season where Richt’s total failure to have us prepared for SC costs us a shot st the NC.
Evey game is a must-win game and Richt should lose his job because he just does not understand that.
Yes, what is worse is losing at home to a lesser ranked team. Alabama should fire Saban immediately and LSU should fire Miles for losing to Alabama at home. You see what a total DA you sound like?
Really?
November 10th, 2012
10:20 pm
cigar dawg was joking? I thought he was just a bung hole.
ryan
November 10th, 2012
10:21 pm
Forget the haters they can’t stand it that UGA is on top glad that Bama lost awesome weekend Go Dawgs and Go Falcons .
Smitty
November 10th, 2012
10:22 pm
TD….thank you..
ryan
November 10th, 2012
10:23 pm
How did Mark Richt blew it UGA is the SEC east champs SC and FL are not that one lost did not hurt much did did .
kral
November 10th, 2012
10:24 pm
Call us what you want too…Just remember to call us SEC EAST CHAMPIONS!!!!!!
Really?
November 10th, 2012
10:24 pm
saban has already taken a nfl job. He is coasting until the season is over.
Robert
November 10th, 2012
10:25 pm
CAPITOL ONE BOWL here Georgia comes! LMFAO
Papa Smurf
November 10th, 2012
10:26 pm
SEC Championship game tickets hotline
Carolina fans call 1-800-homewatching
Florida fans call 1-800-homewatching2
Cdpridg
November 10th, 2012
10:26 pm
Bulldawg born…bulldawg bred..bad hotdogs and all Shultzie…we just kicked Auburn to the curb! Very much looking to the matchup with Bama and earning another SEC title!
Vampire Bill
November 10th, 2012
10:26 pm
Great win, I’m truly stunned how good the dawgs look especially considering the SC game 5 weeks ago. WOW, Not an automatic loss to Bama. GO DAWGS.
Can’t hardly wait to crush the bugs in a few weeks…
Just a fan
November 10th, 2012
10:26 pm
Jeff get some Zaxbys next time
Smitty
November 10th, 2012
10:27 pm
hey Robert…are you a bama fan? so sad
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
10:28 pm
O’Ventbrel
November 10th, 2012
10:19 pm
UGA is set up to go 11-1 into the SEC title game. Anyone who criticizes Richt as underachieving is irrational.
The fact is that UGA, as small as the chances are, still has a small, yet closing window to sneak into the national title game. K-State plays two very average teams from here and will likely win out. However, Oregon plays a defensively stout Stanford team and Oregon State on the road, and USC could pose problems for Notre Dame. Even if these two scenarios happen to play out, obviously UGA would have to beat an angry Alabama. But there is still a chance…
_________________
And a chance is all we can ask for at this point. We lost badly to SC, and we have to live with that.
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
10:28 pm
DawgNole
You just have to believe me, sometimes I hit a nerve and can dig deep in it. I don’t want to be responsible for someone jumping off their trailer, lol. JSS deserves it. He is a shallow POS who gloats over a questionable victory. I do accept the outcome, but won’t take any crap off of a taker like him. He wants to be “upper-crust” ,but he’s just “toast”…
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
10:30 pm
td
November 10th, 2012
10:20 pm
CigarDawg
November 10th, 2012
10:05 pm
How much does the loss to SC hurt now?
Another season where Richt’s total failure to have us prepared for SC costs us a shot st the NC.
Evey game is a must-win game and Richt should lose his job because he just does not understand that.
Yes, what is worse is losing at home to a lesser ranked team. Alabama should fire Saban immediately and LSU should fire Miles for losing to Alabama at home. You see what a total DA you sound like?
____________________
No, he doesn’t see it–else he wouldn’t have made his DA post to begin with.
Robert
November 10th, 2012
10:31 pm
An angry Alabama team is gonna waste 5′-4″ Murray.
Georgia will choke.
Bank on it.
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
10:33 pm
Papa Smurf
November 10th, 2012
10:26 pm
SEC Championship game tickets hotline
Carolina fans call 1-800-homewatching
Florida fans call 1-800-homewatching2
___________________
Now that’s creative bloggin’. LOL
kral
November 10th, 2012
10:33 pm
I say one thing Robaire you got class..minus the cl
kral
November 10th, 2012
10:33 pm
I say one thing Robaire you got class..minus the cl
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
10:33 pm
DN
gonna have to take a break bro…Great win tonight Doggies…
Robert
November 10th, 2012
10:34 pm
SEC will not represent this year. Too bad. Too sad.
So………….BAM! In yo face!
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
10:35 pm
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
10:28 pm
DawgNole
You just have to believe me, sometimes I hit a nerve and can dig deep in it. I don’t want to be responsible for someone jumping off their trailer, lol. JSS deserves it. He is a shallow POS who gloats over a questionable victory. I do accept the outcome, but won’t take any crap off of a taker like him. He wants to be “upper-crust” ,but he’s just “toast”…
____________________
JSS deserves it alright, but not nearly as much as TB does. Have you forgotten his repeated calling out of Kathryn Richt’s cancer? Like you said, he has a “black heart.” Don’t ever forget that when you’re sparing him your darts.
CigarDawg
November 10th, 2012
10:35 pm
I am not being sarcastic. We have tremendous young men with the capacity to completely dominate the SEC, yet week-in and week-out the are only allowed to barely beat lesser teams because of the lack of fire in the coaching staff.
Listen to the guys on EPSN. even they are talking tonight about how we got blown out against SC. I am a die-hard Dawg. I went to UGA, worked for the University and the athletic department, and I just hate to see us under-perform in relation to our talent.
How can the rest of you not see that we have let SC ruin a run at the NC for us again? Do you not remember 2007? Can you not see that there is a philosophical problem within our program?
I am happy about our win tonight, but do not understand why our coaches do not want to step on the throats of our rivals when they are down.
O'Ventbrel
November 10th, 2012
10:35 pm
“We lost badly to SC, and we have to live with that.”
True…I’d rather UGA have even the slightest opportunity than to know for sure that it was a lost cause.
Robert: You’re a boring troll. Do you have anything more interesting to say?
Robert
November 10th, 2012
10:37 pm
Georgia fans stay mad even after a win against a pathetic Auburn team.
Here’s a thought………….PLAY A REAL FOOTBALL TEAM!
Laughing out loud. You mad bro?
George Stein
November 10th, 2012
10:37 pm
I’m really not trolling you, but y’all have a bad propensity for picking awful years to have great ones.
kral
November 10th, 2012
10:38 pm
bam in you’re face SEC EAST CHAMPIONS..gosh robaire now I am stooping to you’re level..GREAT WIN anyway you phrase it ..GO DAWGS
O'Ventbrel
November 10th, 2012
10:40 pm
Didn’t think so