LIVE: Georgia hopes for easy day against Georgia Southern
Mark Richt wants his players to focus on game but BCS standings are on Sanford Stadium scoreboard.
ATHENS — For the first Saturday of the season, Georgia will take the field today as SEC East Division champions. And by the time this game ends, the Bulldogs hope nothing will have happened to dampen that title.
A week after clinching the East title at Auburn, the Dogs play host to Georgia Southern. Nothing against the Eagles, who have an impressive winning tradition at the Division 1-AA/FCS level, but this one shouldn’t be close.
Georgia has three simple goals: 1) Tune up defensively for next week’s game against Georgia Tech, which, like Southern, runs an option offense; 2) Build a big enough lead to get into position to pull starters in the second half; 3) Get out of this game without any significant injuries.
A berth in the SEC championship against Alabama is secure, but Georgia could have more on the line after that. The Dogs’ No. 5 ranking in the BCS creates an outside possibility they could still sneak into the national championship game. In short, the Dogs would need to win out over Southern, Tech and Alabama, and then hope that two of the other three teams ahead of them in the BCS — Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame — lose a game. Click the link for how it breaks down.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Georgia come out a little flat today against Southern. A letdown after a four-game winning streak and last week’s 38-0 blowout of Auburn seems only natural. Conversely, Georgia Southern (8-2) will be pumped. It’s a big deal for an FCS team any time it can face an FBS opponent, and I’m sure a lot of GSU’s players dreamed of playing in Athens. So I could foresee a final score of something like 48-21.
Here’s some more reading material if you’re looking to pass the time:
• Chip Towers on Georgia trying to stay focused while keeping an eye on the BCS.
• Chip on Todd Gurley on trying to become only the second true freshman running back in UGA history to go over 1,000 yards. (You know the other guy.) With four more games, there’s still a slim chance Gurley (973) can catch Walker’s freshman season rushing record of 1,616 yards, but he would need to average 160.7 per game.
• Here’s my three-second view of the game and other investment advice in Weekend Predictions.
Finally, in case you missed it, WSB Channel 2 picked up the broadcast for this game. So pull up a couch and follow along while you’re commenting here.
And with that, I’m going to open the cyber-venting lines now. What are you looking for in today’s game?
By Jeff Schultz
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
522 comments Add your comment
Jeff Schultz
November 17th, 2012
2:43 pm
Hey, if you want to see something really scary: Georgia Southern DB Valdon Cooper with sideways finger.
http://deadspin.com/5961472/fingers-are-not-supposed-to-look-like-georgia-southerns-valdon-coopers-finger-looks
Eric C.
November 17th, 2012
2:43 pm
I know it looks bad right now, but this is the same team that gave Alabama trouble last year…hopefully the UGA depth will take over in the 2nd half.
O'Ventbrel
November 17th, 2012
2:43 pm
If Florida can sit at #6 after looking absolutely horrendous the last 2 weeks, then UGA shouldn’t go anywhere, even against Georgia Southern.
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:43 pm
he got punched in the nose JEFF
J.J.M.
November 17th, 2012
2:44 pm
Georgia DTs are horrible
Kool Aid Drinkers and Sunshine Pumpers
November 17th, 2012
2:44 pm
This is embarrassing.
jack bull
November 17th, 2012
2:44 pm
Still wonder why more teams don’t run this offense. It works. If I were a lower-tier team, I’d really look into it. Kinda like GT.
Jeff Schultz
November 17th, 2012
2:44 pm
Mistackles . . .
Mike Franklin
November 17th, 2012
2:45 pm
Jeff – That ‘finger’ URL: deadspin.com doesn’t allow a back click and asks your PC to share certain info… just a heads up.
Justin
November 17th, 2012
2:45 pm
Why in the hell did we schedule Georgia Southern? We could have scheduled anybody in the FCS world besides them.
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:45 pm
They will lose to the Bumblebees. Book it.
J.J.M.
November 17th, 2012
2:45 pm
D line getting pushed 5 yards back
Kool Aid Drinkers and Sunshine Pumpers
November 17th, 2012
2:46 pm
Boobirds will be out im afraid.
Justin
November 17th, 2012
2:46 pm
John Jenkins at 358 pounds just got put on his azz
Jeff Schultz
November 17th, 2012
2:46 pm
Mike Franklin: Really? Just go to Deadspin. It’s on there.
Pat
November 17th, 2012
2:46 pm
Not able to tackle
falconsrus
November 17th, 2012
2:46 pm
As a freshman at Georgia Southern College,pre Erskine in 78,we drank more beer than UGA.We didn’t have a football team but we did have a fine rugby club and 7 women for every man ,my how times have changed GO DAWGS and GO EAGLES
Justin
November 17th, 2012
2:47 pm
Georgia Southern is better than Georgia Tech IMO. They actually give us a game.
Kool Aid Drinkers and Sunshine Pumpers
November 17th, 2012
2:48 pm
What time is it?
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:48 pm
It’s time to bet on GT…that’s what time it is.
45 ACP
November 17th, 2012
2:48 pm
He dislocated it on the pass break up.
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:49 pm
HA! what a joke of a team
Mike Franklin
November 17th, 2012
2:49 pm
Jeff _ I DID go there and got bogged down. No back clicking here and my Avira popped up with a warning on afforts to gather certain stuff.
Like I said… just a heads up. May be nothing.
atlfalconsfan0125
November 17th, 2012
2:50 pm
Seriously UGA? This triple option is crap. How are they losing?
Dabney Dwayne Dooley
November 17th, 2012
2:50 pm
They’re giving you more than a game. They are going to win. Unhappy Day! Unhappy, unhappy Day! Time for a personal foul. Who will it be? Maybe Grantham?
Jeff Schultz
November 17th, 2012
2:50 pm
Meanwhile, South Carolina and Wofford still tied 7-7 in third quarter.
glory between the hedges
November 17th, 2012
2:50 pm
Im bored.
NOTAGAIN
November 17th, 2012
2:51 pm
Man, this is one pathetic #5 team…we play to the absolute lowest point possible., and do the absolute minimum, against such mediocre teams…they sure don’t play like they deserve a shot at anything significant…just pathetic, half-a$$ed effort…but what’s new?
Voyceofreason
November 17th, 2012
2:51 pm
Southern seems to have an endless supply of 5-9, 190-pound running backs sporting dreadlocks and an acute dislike of running out of bounds. None of them seem to have a big problem with turning upfield and sticking their head in your chest. Tough kids.
jack bull
November 17th, 2012
2:51 pm
man, Neal is bad.
Boom Boom
November 17th, 2012
2:51 pm
Buck Eye,
I think you learned that from your upbringing.
Best to ya!
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:52 pm
absolutely correct NOTAGAIN
Overrated Notre Dame
November 17th, 2012
2:52 pm
Does Dawgs want to win this game? Wow!
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:53 pm
Jam it in EAGLES!
Justin
November 17th, 2012
2:53 pm
Seems like SC is struggling with Wofford too. You have these kinda games sometimes. Georgia Southern isn’t bad, but we shouldn’t be barely winning.
Jeff Schultz
November 17th, 2012
2:53 pm
Interesting call here: If you’re GSU, do you go for it or kick FG so you can say you were tied with UGA at halftime (potentially)?
Dabney Dwayne Dooley
November 17th, 2012
2:53 pm
Timeout Georgia! Ha! They know what’s coming. Down 17-10 at the half. Unhappy Day!
Jeff Schultz
November 17th, 2012
2:54 pm
Chop block
atlfalconsfan0125
November 17th, 2012
2:54 pm
Jeff, GSU isnt playing this game. GASO is.
Overrated Notre Dame
November 17th, 2012
2:54 pm
Pathetic so far…
Dabney Dwayne Dooley
November 17th, 2012
2:54 pm
Oh, my goodness. Home cooking.
Justin
November 17th, 2012
2:55 pm
For Jenkins to be so damn huge, he can’t get push for anything in the world.
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:55 pm
IF u are GSU You make it NOW
J.J.M.
November 17th, 2012
2:55 pm
Jarvis jones should sit this game out he’s a pass rusher. Too slow for the runs on the edges
Jeff Schultz
November 17th, 2012
2:55 pm
Monken was furious but that was right call. Eagles OL went high/low on Jenkins.
atlfalconsfan0125
November 17th, 2012
2:55 pm
GSU= Georgia State University.
EPIC FAIL
November 17th, 2012
2:56 pm
a BS call
Dabney Dwayne Dooley
November 17th, 2012
2:56 pm
Happy Day! Happy Day! SEC refs. Happy Day!
Justin
November 17th, 2012
2:56 pm
@ Dabney how could we be down 17-10 when we’re winning 10-7?
Mike Franklin
November 17th, 2012
2:56 pm
Turning point.