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
Tampa Gator
November 10th, 2012
7:56 pm
Auburn is really, really bad. New head coach on the way for the Plainsmen. Maybe VanGorder can go coach defense at Tech next.
Tommy86Dawg
November 10th, 2012
7:57 pm
WOW! What a catch! Unreal!!! Touchdown!
Jeff Schultz
November 10th, 2012
7:57 pm
Crowd booing but that’s correct call. First foot hit inbounds.
Hmmmmm
November 10th, 2012
7:57 pm
Yeah, I don’t get why people root for our opponents/rivals to lose when they’re not playing us. Sure it’s sweet seeing your enemy suffer, but it benefits Georgia to play teams with better records.
Like Florida today….some people were glad Florida almost lost and looked ugly. But how does that make us look? When we squeeked by a team that almost loses to UL
_________________________________________________________________________________
Because it is so much fun to see them go down! The faces in the crowd are priceless. We win the SEC and eveything is good. Even better when rivals lose!
Jimmy
November 10th, 2012
7:58 pm
Boy…those kicks are an adventure.
Fun with Dick and Jane
November 10th, 2012
7:58 pm
How many of the dwag players can read?
Swami SEZ
November 10th, 2012
7:58 pm
Van Gorter to Tenn…. Book it!
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
7:59 pm
Jeff Schultz
November 10th, 2012
7:36 pm
Does that BCS explainer work for everyone? I know fans get excited about big picture when they see that but I think that’s the reality of situation.
___________________
Yes, it works because it’s exactly right–although few on here seem to understand it.
Jimmy
November 10th, 2012
7:59 pm
Van Gorder’s mustache and long hair makes him look like a retired porn actor from the 1970’s.
He coaches like one too.
Fun With Jane
November 10th, 2012
8:00 pm
how bout them red panties!
phil
November 10th, 2012
8:00 pm
Never thought I would see a time when Tennessee and Auburn games were hard to get up for as a fan…
Still oh so sweet to crunch the cheating slime balls.
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:00 pm
The Barn needs a tourniquet to stop the flow…
Since Vince
November 10th, 2012
8:01 pm
We need to hang 60
Jimmy
November 10th, 2012
8:02 pm
Good lookin screen.
Nice shoestring tackle.
phil
November 10th, 2012
8:03 pm
Few on here have much sense….
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:03 pm
AO…
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:03 pm
Alec starting to play…
Tampa Gator
November 10th, 2012
8:04 pm
Enjoy the butt whooppping of those AWLBURN Kittens……going on to an interesting game….must be one on somewhere tonight.
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
8:05 pm
Auburn will prevail
November 10th, 2012
7:55 pm
The other blue n orange team. Murray will start getting shook up and throwing pics….
_____________________
Not tonight, dreamer.
Jimmy
November 10th, 2012
8:05 pm
ND playing at 8.
They are primed for a loss.
DILLIGAF
November 10th, 2012
8:06 pm
Another hold on Jones.
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:06 pm
Face plant…
phil
November 10th, 2012
8:06 pm
Might want to worry about your own sorry bunch, tampa gator…..
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:07 pm
Did you see all the bones on Jarvis’s helmet??? In HD BABY…
phil
November 10th, 2012
8:08 pm
A clear hold on Jones….
ND ain’t losing. Not happening. The chosen team now enjoys NCAA protection all the way to the NC game.
ugagolf80
November 10th, 2012
8:09 pm
Bama losing neither hurts or helps the Dawgs. The only way UGA makes it to the NC game is if we win out and 2 of the 3 unbeatens in front of us lose. With the SEC bias out in the media there is NO WAY a 1 loss UGA would jump an unbeaten from a major conference (or Notre Dame). And that would have been the situation even if Bama was undefeated gong into the SEC championship game. So we need to win out and hope 2 of the three ahead of us -Oregon, K St,, and Notre Dame lose. Thats the only way we end up in Miami.
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:09 pm
Murray looks good tonight…
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:11 pm
Gurley-man. Bobo-ball…
Jeff Schultz
November 10th, 2012
8:11 pm
Murray hits King on the run. 56 yards. Dude is on target tonight.
TGT
November 10th, 2012
8:11 pm
Someone please tell me: Why don’t we run a tossed sweep?!
atlfalconsfan0125
November 10th, 2012
8:11 pm
Wow Auburn Sucks.
DILLIGAF
November 10th, 2012
8:11 pm
King wil have a huge night.
Dawgs65
November 10th, 2012
8:12 pm
King is having him a ballgame.
Jeff Schultz
November 10th, 2012
8:12 pm
And just like that: 28-0. Gurley scores.
phil
November 10th, 2012
8:12 pm
28-0.
Lol!
00mpa L00mpa Dawg
November 10th, 2012
8:12 pm
that dwarf is standing tall tonight!
Dawgs65
November 10th, 2012
8:12 pm
No shots of VanGoiter or Willie MarQueen-ez?
SEC East clincher
November 10th, 2012
8:13 pm
Chizik might want to make a few adjustments.
DawgNole
November 10th, 2012
8:13 pm
Clearly Murray’s best game. Save some for Bama, Aaron.
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:13 pm
Jeff
Not so loud at Jordan Hare is it???
td
November 10th, 2012
8:14 pm
CMR,
I know you are a good man and you do not like to embarrass a team but this is not the night to take you foot off the gas. The team needs to stupid style point so run up the score.
Delbert D.
November 10th, 2012
8:14 pm
There may be something good on NetFlix
son's who?
November 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
UGA most definitely did NOT come out flat.
jvillebil
November 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Ok ESPN2 just came back on. Now I can see the game. Thanks for the updates Jeff
SEC East clincher
November 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Chizik might be fired tonight.
Swami SEZ
November 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Mark Richt and Boo Boo gets vanilla now and Awburn will creep back into the game……Book It!
kingdaddy
November 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
No let up Dawgs. Play hard 60 minutes…
mikeaddington
November 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Give a shoutout to whomever is coaching the receivers. remember when they used to drop more than they caught in Richts first several years? Drove me crazy. Edward’s drop vs Florida may well have cost us a NC. Wasn’t just him though. Anyway, they don’t drop them anymore, not for the last few years. Good job 2 coaching staff and players. Keep it up
VT>GT and neither holds a candle to UGA
November 10th, 2012
8:16 pm
Dooley sealed his fate today when he let that clock expire with two time outs
jvillebil
November 10th, 2012
8:17 pm
Wow mike I hadn’t thought about that Edwards drop in years but remember it well was there