Georgia’s new reality: From on the brink to BCS possibility
If Mark Richt and the Bulldogs win two more games they'll play for BCS title. (Brandt Sanderlin/AJC)
This is why we love sports. This is why it’s the greatest reality show we have going – unscripted and unexpected, with fluctuating emotions of fan bases from game to game.
Who foresees this? Who looks at a 0-2 Georgia team last season, with coach Mark Richt under assault by fans and media, with the program a non-factor in the SEC for more than two years, boat-raced in the conference by Alabama, Florida and LSU, and thinks: By the end of next season, those Bulldogs may have a chance to play for the BCS championship?
After some early hiccups in Athens Saturday, Georgia buried Georgia Southern 45-14. That’s one development that surprised nobody. What changed the landscape of college football’s national race is what occurred later that evening.
Kansas State, the BCS’s No. 1 team, got body-slammed 52-24 by Baylor (the same Baylor that was 1-5 in the Big 12 before kickoff). Oregon, the BCS’s No. 2 team, was upset at home by Stanford in overtime 17-14 (the same Oregon team whose point totals had ranged from 42 to 70 in its first 10 games).
These developments made happy people of everybody in the SEC office and a significant portion of the population in Georgia and Alabama. The losses by Kansas State and Oregon opened the door to the winner of the SEC championship game getting a pass into the BCS title game. When the new BCS rankings came out Sunday night, the top five teams were as expected: 1) Notre Dame; 2) Alabama; 3) Georgia; 4) Florida; 5) Oregon. Kansas State dropped all the way to sixth.
For the Bulldogs, it comes down to this: Win two games and they’re in. Yes, really.
Beat rival Georgia Tech at home next week (they will be favored) and Alabama in two weeks at the Georgia Dome (they will be underdogs) and the Dogs will play for their first BCS title.
Suddenly, residents of this state – at least those not associated with the teams on North Ave. – bark in unison.
Richt will have a difficult job trying to keep his players focused on a football game this week. That’s not the norm. Getting players to think about a game against their state rival shouldn’t be a chore. But the circumstances are extraordinary. Georgia’s last national championship came in 1980, and even if the Dogs need three more victories to win another one, nobody imagined they would get this close – not this year.
Just consider the reaction by some Georgia players on Twitter immediately following Oregon’s loss to Stanford:
• Quarterback Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11): “Yesssssssssssss!!!!!! The Murray household just went crazyyyyy!!!!!!”
• Running back Keith Marshall (@truthh4): “Can’t lie. I’m excited right now.” But he followed that with: “Gotta focus on GT first.”
• Wide receiver Tavarres King (@TKUnoDos): “ALL SMILES!!!!!!!!”
• Cornerback Sanders Commings: “Thank you Baylor, thank you Stanford.” And Sunday morning: “And I wake up pinching myself. Yea it’s real. We control our own destiny.”
• Safety Marc Deas (@DatBoiDeas): “Show me the BCS!!!!”
Richt will try to ground them all this week. But one thing Georgia has done well is respond to adversity, whether it’s a loss (like getting pounded by South Carolina) or struggling early in against an inferior opponent (like Saturday against Georgia Southern). Maybe that grounding effect can work in high times, too.
“The one thing that’s different about this team is our composure,” wide receiver Chris Conley said following Saturday’s win. “We haven’t had guys freaking out on the sideline when something’s not going right.”
It follows that now they can’t freak out when everything is going right.
By Jeff Schultz
Recent ramblings from the digital jukebox
• Upsets launch Georgia into BCS title picture (updated game column)
• Short takes: Murray wakes up the offense
• Live: Georgia hopes for easy day against Georgia Southern
• Weekend Predictions: Dogs, Jackets, Falcons and the lust triangles
• Falcons’ flaws aren’t worse than any other NFL team
• College hoop kings provide rare thrills for Atlanta
• Falcons’ startling admission: Ray Edwards was a blunder
• Will SEC get team to BCS championship (answer below) (with video)
• Short takes: Murray, Georgia defense and angry Auburn fans
• Georgia wins SEC East, and looks like threat to Alabama
• Richt is coaching through pain (because he fell off a swing … honest)
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358 comments Add your comment
Bulldawg
November 18th, 2012
2:49 pm
The South Carolina loss no longer matters. Even if we were ranked no. 1 and undefeated, we’d still have to beat Alabama to go to the BCS championship game. The cards have fallen perfectly for the Dogs. They just need to stay focused and take advantage. DO NOT LOOK PAST TECH!
Preston
November 18th, 2012
2:51 pm
I’m not ashamed of my Dawgs! Just saying that I wished we were undefeated right now. SC isn’t better than us. They were just better prepared that night and that falls on the coaches. I’m very proud of the way we’re playing right now. Kinda hoping Murray goes ahead and leaves so Mason can come on in. Murray nearly cost us the Florida game and he seems to always throw stupid picks against the better teams. Hopefully he can cut that silly crap out and become the player he was expected to be.
Preston
November 18th, 2012
2:53 pm
I agree Bulldawg. It all goes poof if we look ahead and lose to a terrible tech team. Shouldn’t even be a close game but if they have Bammer on the brain already, anything can happen.
Preston
November 18th, 2012
2:55 pm
Some jackass on a bleacher report blog talking smack about the Pac-12 being better than the SEC. Unbelievable! Some people are really delusional!
Atlanta
November 18th, 2012
3:02 pm
Hope someone can answer this seriously, how can UGA be ranked #3 in the AP, when every other team ranked 1-5,their schedule is twice as difficult.
They have played at least 4 & 5 teams ranked in the Top 25 this year on their schedules. Look it up, I did, UGA has played 2 on their schedule. Lost one, and won one. The rest of their schedule is so far below par. I don’t understand this reasoning? Their are several 10-1 teams that have played much harder schedules.
fayncdawg
November 18th, 2012
3:04 pm
Oh so correct on the Chickens, Preston! Sure enough we were out coached that night!
As for Murray, I haven’t seen a more productive QB since the 2nd half of the Gator game. Dare say if Murray had played that well the entire season, guess who would have won the Heisman? BUT!!! What if Murray leads the Dawgs to a steamrolling of Tech and Bammer? In that scenario who would deserve the Heisman more?
Vance
November 18th, 2012
3:06 pm
What a thrilling turnaround for our Dawgs! I’m hopeful we can pull it all off. If so, Richt gets his national title, and Murray will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in UGA history, not to mention the magnificent Jarvis Jones. We’re asking a lot of these guys, but they did not give up after the SC loss. You know God has a sense of humor when two years in a row Spurrier beats our Dawgs only to have to sit on the sidelines while we play for championships. Richt has come so close several times, it would be great to see a man of his character as the coach of a national championship team. Whatever the case, Go Dawgs!
Preston
November 18th, 2012
3:21 pm
Atlanta, UGA has enjoyed a favorable schedule this year and last year but it’s not like that every year. I remember UF winning a NC several years ago with a similar schedule as well. The Eastern division of the SEC isn’t quite as stout as the West right now but UGA can’t help that. They play whomever the league tells them to play in the conference and I really don’t blame them for taking some patsies on in the OOC schedule. UGA has played some tough OOC games over the years just to watch Oklahoma, USC, Texas, etc. win national championships after only playing a couple of good teams along the way. The SEC is by far the toughest conference in the country and the winner of the SEC should always play for all the marbles.
fayncdawg
November 18th, 2012
3:29 pm
ATL
The truth,the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: the Big 12 and the Pac 12 are soft; ACC is a little hard-nosed but not nearly as talented as the Soft 12s; Big Ten just pure garbage! I knew playing those softies was going to catch up with K-State and Oregon! Beating the biggest enigmatic teams in the land called USC and Oklahoma does not make you a championship team! Everybody on the Dawgs schedule (except AuBurntOut) was hard-nosed and focused, if not fairly talented. No USC/OKLAHOMAS on Georgia schedule! On PAPER the Dawgs did not have a tough schedule! But every opponent was hard-nosed and fairly well prepared! And to the Dawgs credit, they did not get high-minded when they beat Florida. So ATL, if can’t give the Dawg his due, leave the state: move to Tulsa or OKC and let a tornado blow you away!
Buckeye
November 18th, 2012
3:31 pm
Matt Ryan’s fourth pick of the day is an omen to the day Murray will have against the real SEC! SEC!
Buckeye
November 18th, 2012
3:32 pm
And you can have Dent back to. Out of his league.
mike addington
November 18th, 2012
3:34 pm
Murray is the key to all our hopes. If he can keep his composure, he’s as good as anyone. If he doesnt, then he will turn the ball over too many times for us to have a chance. We DO have the best team. It’s all up to Murray and perhaps how well he is protected. to be honest, he’s never shown he can be composed in a big game. Except for the second half against FL this year and I wouldn’t exactly call that composed. Malcomb Mitchell made that TD with his legs, but I was hopeful because Murray did seem to settle down a little. atleast he didn’t turn the ball over again. I wished I could say that Richt and Bobo are helping Murray on that, but after watching our receivers drop passes for many years when Richt first arrived and Blair Walsh have his problems last year with any hint of help except “we think he’ll work it out” I don’t know whether CMR and Bobo are helping Aaron fix that problem. None of them ever address the issue, so how is one supposed to have confidence that they are working on it? I’m gonna be praying 4 the offense line and the D to have a lights out game. But, Murray, I wish you the best and hope you throw for 500 yards. Oh, and I hope an errant pass hits Spurrier smack in his big mouth.
big dog
November 18th, 2012
3:35 pm
Can you explain to me how the Bulldogs can be rated #3 in the country with a schedule like this:
(Buffalo, Missouri, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn–quality wins over Mississippi and Florida, and a spanking by SC). I do not want to hear that your in the tough SEC when you do not play Alabama, Mississippi St., LSU, Texas A & M, and Arkansas!!!! I would put at least 6 other teams ranked over Georgia based on power of schedule….LSU, Texas, Texas A & M, Oregon, Stanford, & Kansas St.). BCS was created for the SEC
fayncdawg
November 18th, 2012
3:43 pm
ATL
The assessment of the conferences is not my mere opinion: it is a consensus! And that’s why the SEC has won the NC the last 6 years going on 7! And some of those teams schedule’s were not hard (ON PAPER) the year they won! But consensus opinion is a .. you-know-what to SEC haters!
UGrAd @ the ZOU
November 18th, 2012
3:45 pm
The Bulldawg nation is most grateful for the opportunity to control it’s own destiny for the BCS NC.
I hear a lot of nay-sayers saying that Murray will wet the bed again in a big game against the Pa-role Tide. I think that we should not remember the 3 aweful picks in the UF game (last big game), but remember the big pass to Malcom Mitchell for the game-winning TD pass. I really think that was the moment that Murray was able to exercise those “big-game” demons.
I don’t think he will poop the bed against Alabama-Slamma. It’s all about timing and I think the Dawgs will be ready to play Bama. I just hope the coaches have a good game plan, b/c we have the players to beat them
Joey
November 18th, 2012
3:46 pm
I love the BS from the teams who have NO chance this year. Not often does a team have a chance to get in the BigGame, without help from somebody else.
But it’s right here in front of the Dawgs. We need no help from anybody. Forget the schedules, the recruiting, the assistant coaches, etc, etc, etc. Win 3 games, and we get the prize.
I don’t care if we only beat Tech by 1 point, just don’t let them spoil this.
UGA vs Bama. Semi-final game for the BCSCG. Long shot, I know, but then a rematch, from eons ago, with Notre Dame.
This ain’t koolaid drinking now – come on Mark Richt, it’s close enough to touch . . .
Go Dawgs!
SEriouslyClueless
November 18th, 2012
3:47 pm
Egads… do you really think UGA is the 3rd best team in the nation?
Can the Lovefest for the SEC become any more irrational? It is like the Repubs and their parallel universe of math for the last year.
Bulldogs, Gators and Gamecocks are all overrated. LSU has no offense. Alabama gets picked apart by a real offense and the only one in the SEC, they just joined.
Even with one loss – Oregon and Kansas State are better than UGA, but because they play in the overblown, topheavy, ESPN hyped SEC.. UGA appears to be a serious team.
WHO HAS UGA PLAYED? What is there quality win? Sure #1 = UF… now name #2.
You can’t name it… only keep blowing the smoke up and the BS.
Joey
November 18th, 2012
3:51 pm
“I do not want to hear that your in the tough SEC when you do not play Alabama,…”
************************************************
Hey big dog doofus,
We play Alabama in 2 weeks.
Keep up . . .
1eyedJack
November 18th, 2012
3:52 pm
If you nerds even dream of beating Georgia you better wake up and apologize. The Dawgs are gonna destroy GT.
Willy
November 18th, 2012
3:54 pm
What about my hero..Paul Johnson the genius!
Joey
November 18th, 2012
3:54 pm
Leave it to a total fool, to write a post like the one at 3:47.
How about this math?
UGA is 9-1.
The USA is $16+ Trillion in debt.
What do you not understand about that?
Truth
November 18th, 2012
4:02 pm
And you would have thought the dawgs invented football. From what I see, you give no respect to Alabama. Not good, hope you are not left eating humble pie.
fayncdawg
November 18th, 2012
4:08 pm
SE CLUELESS
Say it once say it thousand times; SOFT! That word describes Oregon, K-State and the teams in their conference! Another word; CONSENSUS! The vast opinion of the Soft-12 teams Which is the reason why when the top dog in the Soft-12s loses, they sink deep in the polls behind SEC teams that play “easy” schedules! The have-nots of the SEC are more hard-nosed than any team from the Soft-12s (Stanford being the ONLY exception). Top 3 teams in the polls have good, timely wins and the two SEC teams have losses they could easily bounce back from. And the winner a the Bammer/Georgia can truly say they bounced back!
If You Tout the SEC, scream for all of them
November 18th, 2012
4:20 pm
So if the SEC is so great…
why are you lovers not screaming for this year’s supremacy of football quality as dictated by…
Kentucky
Arkansas
Tennessee
Auburn
Ole Miss
Missouri
Vandy
Half the SEC is really, really bad.
The SEC Rankings should be seen as this (listed in order of best teams in SEC)
SEC
Alabama
Texas A&M
Florida
LSU
South Carolina
Georgia
Mississippi State
Vandy
Missouri
Ole Miss
Arkansas
Tennessee
Auburn
Kentucky
UGA is not even in the Top 5 of the best SEC teams.
Suck It GA Haters
November 18th, 2012
4:25 pm
GA is in it to win it. 10-1. Win when it counts!!
UGA is awesome.
November 18th, 2012
4:28 pm
Joey,
I am UGA grad and a realist. UGA is 9-1. You got that right.
Did we play anyone this year that was really good? Not really.
Blown out by Gamecocks.
Stupid ugly game that we won versus UF.
I take no credit in besting GaSouthern and we did not play the typical SEC heavyweights.
Plus, debt and deficits are a mixed bag… big wars, wall street bailouts.. cannot really throw that smack down on one party or call someone a fool.
As UGA alums we have to agree that there is some SEC circular logic out there… the SEC did win several national champs… but the SEC did not win it… Bama, UF, Auburn and LSU did. I don’t think USC, KY, Ole Miss, etc. share in the trophy.
Just sayin’
Dog Drool
November 18th, 2012
4:31 pm
My My My the ga haters are out in force… Too bad for them.. those losers need to get a life. Dawgs Rock Tech and them Alabama!!!
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
November 18th, 2012
4:32 pm
@sammy….you must be kidding if you believe Murray is in the same league as Johnny Football as far as scrambling! Both Bama and UGA has work to get done this Saturday. One of these two teams will have a glass ball come early Jan! We can make room for another and Lord knows you have nothing in your trophy case but that one dusty deal.
Discount DoubleDawg
November 18th, 2012
4:33 pm
every time the haters (tech trolls) post it only confirms their insecurities…
dog pound
November 18th, 2012
4:35 pm
@ wet wille,
glad you think bama is so good that you can just throw your helmet on the field and win. Trust me, Bama aint all that… And ESPN agrees too.
Festus
November 18th, 2012
4:35 pm
Will be really difficult for Tech to get ready for THuga since they have to prepare for the ACC Championship game. Would have thunk Tenn would fire their coach before Auburn. Now the Dooley kid can move back into his parents house. Next Tenn coach is Phil Fulmer. He has one more National Championship than Mark Richt. Along with Gene Chizk, Lou Saban, Les Miles, and Steve Spurrier. Betya Mark leaves at halftime of the SEC Championship Game for his hip replacement surgery. And his gonad replacement.
dog pound
November 18th, 2012
4:37 pm
Festus,
At least mark Richt has some gonads, unlike you……. Get a life
Woofie
November 18th, 2012
4:38 pm
@Dog Pound,
LMAO!!! great one!!!
Royal Flush
November 18th, 2012
4:41 pm
Dogs are on a roll and are really peaking at the right time. We gonnna wreck tech and slam bama.. Look out south Florida, the hounds are Miami bound
blackandwhitestripes
November 18th, 2012
4:41 pm
Turn around from What????They have not played anybody worth a crap.
blackandwhitestripes
November 18th, 2012
4:41 pm
Turn around from What????They have not played anybody worth a crap.
blackandwhitestripes
November 18th, 2012
4:42 pm
The only team that played worth anything was South Carolina, and what was the score???
Royal Flush
November 18th, 2012
4:43 pm
#3 in the Nation!!! Love it
Royal Flush
November 18th, 2012
4:44 pm
its ok blackandwhite.
Maybe your team will be good next year.
blackandwhitestripes
November 18th, 2012
4:44 pm
Don’t worry, Alabama will nip that in the bud Barney.
blackandwhitestripes
November 18th, 2012
4:45 pm
My team is Alabama ummm
Mike Bobos Neighbor
November 18th, 2012
4:45 pm
Give that man a raise when Dawgs win it all
We will scorch tech
November 18th, 2012
4:46 pm
Try finding a bama blog. sheesh.
The Water Boy
November 18th, 2012
4:48 pm
Got to hand it to GA. They are really playing good ball right now. Im proud of them
doggoneit
November 18th, 2012
4:48 pm
Georgia defeated Florida: it was ranked #2. If it defeats Alabama which is ranked #2 then defeats Notre Dame which is ranked #1 The crybabies will pout all the way to hell! Mike Bobo has called the plays all the way! If you dont’ like the Bulldogs then support Ga. Tech.
Truth
November 18th, 2012
4:49 pm
Glad you dawg fans think that Tech and Bama have no chance. You’re arrogance speaks volumes when you’ve had nothing to crow about since 1980.
Bama Sucks Sweaty Balls
November 18th, 2012
4:49 pm
Dawgs will ROLL the overrated tide right out of the DOME
Discount DoubleDawg
November 18th, 2012
4:49 pm
I agree about Bobo. I know a lot people who complain about him though. They either say he is too predictable or that he doesn’t stick with what is working. Murray leads the NCAA in QB rating and the dawgs average 36.9 points a game. I think Bobo is doing a pretty good job…
Bama Sucks Sweaty Balls
November 18th, 2012
4:51 pm
Whooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooo
We gonna rock the dome and kick nick satan and his little girls azzzes
Truth
November 18th, 2012
4:53 pm
So please tell me why do dawgs lick themselves between the legs? I wonder…………