SEC title would mean Georgia’s return to elite status (video added)
Mark Richt has Georgia in the SEC championship game for second straight year. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
(VIDEO ADDED BELOW)
This might stun starry-eyed middle-schoolers and high school players, who are otherwise oblivious to ancient history before 2006 in the SEC. But even the football Godzillas of this conference and, it follows, the globe, aren’t that far removed from humility (and Shreveport).
Before the last five seasons under Nick Saban, Alabama had an 11-year stretch (1997-2007) when it reached double digits in wins only three times, suffered through four losing seasons, four non-bowl years, lost to Auburn six straight years, went to the Music City Bowl twice and even was subjected to the Independence Bowl . . . three times! There’s your, “Roll Tide.”
Florida fans would like to forget the Ron Zook era of relative torment, sandwiched between Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer.
Auburn just fired a coach, Gene Chizik, who won a national championship two years ago.
LSU: You say Saban and Les Miles. I raise you Mike Archer, Curley Hallman and Gerry DiNardo.
The Dogs have given fans much to cheer about. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
It happened before, it can happened again. It happened to Georgia. Mark Richt won two SEC championships in his first five seasons (2002 and 2005). He is still waiting for a third.
So before anybody makes any grand declarations about what Georgia’s return to national relevancy this season means for the future of the Bulldogs’ program, place a ping-pong ball on the kitchen table, open the window and try to give assurances that it won’t roll off the edge at some point.
However, Georgia’s ascent this season — and actually it’s climb since the 0-2 start of 2011 — has significance. Credit to Richt, his staff and all associated with the Georgia program, because a team doesn’t go 21-1 in a stretch of regular season games, even it managed to avoid Alabama or LSU, without doing a lot of things right. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 3 in the BCS. They are back in the SEC title game again, facing No. 2 Alabama in Saturday’s SEC championship. The winner faces No. 1 for the national title.
It’s this simple: Georgia has an opportunity to affirm itself as a member of the SEC’s elite, and ranking among the SEC elite is synonymous with the national elite. Imagine how this feels for Richt, after seeing his program seemingly erode over several months, going 7-9 in consecutive SEC seasons, losing to the likes of Kentucky, Mississippi State, Colorado and Central Florida.
“It’s what you always hope for,” Richt said Sunday of the team’s position this week. “It’s what you want. We know pre‑season rankings are for the fans. Where you’re ranked at the end of the year is the most important. [But] it’s not about me. It’s about Georgia. It’s about this program, this team, these young men, this coaching staff. I don’t worry too much about all the personal stuff. But it is great to be in this position at this point. You fight like mad every year to get your team in this position.”
Georgia was in the SEC title game a year ago against then-No. 1 LSU, but there’s a greater sense of excitement and confidence in Athens now. The Dogs ranked only 14th in the BCS before last year’s SEC game. National title hopes were smothered in Week 1 (loss to Boise State). Respectability hopes were stomped on in Week 2 (loss to South Carolina).
If Richt wants to play the no-respect card with his players this week, it’s available. Most of the national commentary has focused on the potential of an Alabama-Notre Dame final. But that was expected. One doesn’t eclipse Alabama until one beats Alabama.
Even while acknowledging that Georgia and Alabama mirror each other in several areas this year, Richt said: “One thing they’ve done is they’ve been national champions and we’ve not. They’ve been SEC champions and we’ve not, during the time-frame of these kids’ careers.”
They are the measuring sticks all go by. Richt has won his share of games since 2006 but his accomplishments have paled compared to Saban, Miles and Meyer. Saban is 39-9 (.812) in the SEC with one conference and two BCS titles. Miles is 40-10 (.800) with two SEC and one BCS championship. In Meyer’s last five seasons at Florida (2006-10), he went 31-9 (.775) in the SEC, with two conference and two crystal trophies.
Georgia is back on the doorstep to both. The climb has been impressive.
– By Jeff Schultz
Video: Is Georgia’s defense more talented than Alabama’s?
A trip down blog Memory Lane
• Georgia playing at level we haven’t seen under Richt
• Short takes (UGA): Rambo’s ascent, Gurley’s comfort
• Upsetting Georgia would give Tech needed boost for future
• Weekend Predictions: Georgia will win on Red-and-Black-Saturday
• Vince Dooley: Joy from Georgia’s resurgence, pain from son’s firing
• Wonder why SEC is on top? Look at other conference finals
• Falcons win — but run before somebody changes their mind
• Georgia’s new reality: From on the brink to BCS title possibility
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502 comments Add your comment
Old Dog Class of 80
November 26th, 2012
7:53 am
“One doesn’t eclipse Alabama until one beats Alabama.”
Truer words have never been spoken.
“a team doesn’t go 21-1 in a stretch of regular season games”
Talk about cherry-picking the data! No mention of the two losses (regular season) that preceded this run. No talk about the Championship Game and Bowl, both of which we lost.
Buckeye
November 26th, 2012
7:53 am
4 INTs
over/under Murray being Murray in B1G games
I’ll take the over
Buckeye
November 26th, 2012
7:55 am
tom brown,
What is your deal between 11:17PM and 5:10AM?
More research?
Matt
November 26th, 2012
7:56 am
When were the dogs elite to begin with?!
JB
November 26th, 2012
8:01 am
Strength of Schedule…..so it’s Georgia’s fault Tenn,AU and Tech sux…….We just line’em up and play’em. It’s up to them to have a team to stop us, just say’n.
Honey boy
November 26th, 2012
8:08 am
Buckeye a d Tom Btowmn… You two are insufferable idiots whose fifth grade level taunts and rants are tiresome at best. TB you self righteous snot… And Buckeye… I think you are really a pre pubescent Ohio State fan living in his moms basement… Give it a break… Step back from the meth pipe both of you… Please
Mark
November 26th, 2012
8:15 am
Yeah, Georgia’s terrible and always has been. Not remotely elite. They’ve only won more games in the past 10 years than every other SEC team except LSU, and that’s neck and neck.. Some real geniuses posting on this board. 11-1 and 3rd in the BCS this year. We may as well just give up football. Also, we can’t ever seem to get anyone into the NFL. Internet trolls.
Steve
November 26th, 2012
8:15 am
Really? Elite? So is Auburn “elite” after canning their coach?
Cause they’ve gone undefeated twice in the past 8 years. So again is auburn elite? You gotta win multiple champs within say a 15 year window to become elite. Uga is not elite. But the lousy journalists here want their redneck fan base to think just that.
Steve
November 26th, 2012
8:17 am
I would also add elite teams don’t get blown out either.
There’s a reason vegas puts bama at an 8 point fav. I’m betting 5k on bama in a 38-20 win.
Buckeye
November 26th, 2012
8:19 am
honey boy,
I take up much less space than tom brown. Gotta give me that.
dawgfan75
November 26th, 2012
8:25 am
Sabin is afraid.
Steve
November 26th, 2012
8:32 am
It’s Saban fool. Another uga fan who never stepped foot in a college classroom. LOL
Thomas Brown
November 26th, 2012
8:33 am
Steve November 26th, 2012 8:17 am
“I would also add elite teams don’t get blown out either.”
____________________________________________________
On the same note, Steve, Elite teams do not have BAD LOSSES. The teams they lose to are top teams.
shep
November 26th, 2012
8:33 am
When Mark Richt leaves, or whatever, he will have been one of the best coaches out there. Don’t care about the record or how many games the team won. He is honest and compassionate with all people and I wd not trade him for anything. No cheating with this man. His wife is one of a kind too. (Wonder how she is doing?) What a team!!
Dooly was a sniffing hound dog and had Herschel, Richt is a Saint compared to all the others and has JJ. Hope he wins it all.
bill arp
November 26th, 2012
8:35 am
there’s the 3 coaches you mention, Saban, Miles, and Meyer(and maybe Spurrier), then there’s everybody else. Although what Snyder has done at K-State is remarkable, going back to the mid 90’s.
But like Richt said, ‘you knock on the door long enough, it’s going to open for ya at sometime’…
Thomas Brown
November 26th, 2012
8:37 am
Old Dog Class of 80,
I have not seen where you ever answered one question asked of you, such as I don’t see any mention from you that Mark Richt beat the # 4 team in the nation who would be the NC for the 4th time in 17 seasons, had he not beat them ?
Can you admit that Old Dog Class of 80 ?
DIT
November 26th, 2012
8:40 am
No doubt that Bama is the Champ/favorite until someone knocks them off. Dawgs have a very good team, but must beat Bama to go to the next step. It will take their very best game and a few Bama mistakes for them to win. Not saying it won’t happen, but the Dawgs, no doubt, have their work cut out for them.
it is what it is
November 26th, 2012
8:41 am
let’s see you got your ARSE handed to you in Columbia….now you are the 2nd coming, yeah right
Thomas Brown
November 26th, 2012
8:42 am
All of them are Ohio State’s best win 2012 ?
Maybe I can make this easier for you buckeye ? Last chance to answer the 1st question of you child. What is Ohio State’s best win 2012, sir child ?
Ohio State has NEVER beat an SEC team in a bowl game.
Ohio State has ALREADY LOST to The SEC in 2012, losing to 6-6 unranked Florida Gators.
11 times Ohio State has played The SEC in bowl games. 11 times. Ohio State has 0 wins over The SEC in bowl games, all-time, ever.
It is just as well that Ohio State is not playing in a bowl game because with 5 of the top 10 teams in the BCS Poll, in the Coaches’ Poll, in the Harris Poll, Ohio State would most definitely being playing an SEC team 2012 in their bowl game, again. And, LOSE again.
Ohio State also played a Michigan team who has beat no one. This ends Ohio State’s season and takes them out of their misery having to face-off and LOSE yet again in a bowl game vs The SEC.
Michigan got beat a lot worse by Alabama than Ohio State beat them.
Wisconsin the other Big 10 Conference CHUMPionship Opponent, like Clempsum Farmers, have not beat a single team in any top 25 poll, either.
Illinois is 2-9.
Penn State, also on NCAA PROBATION in FOOTBALL 2012 like Georgie tek, like Miami of Florida, like North Carolina on NCAA PROBATION in FOOTBALL 2012, like Ohio State on NCAA PROBATION in FOOTBALL – all for CHEATING to gain a competitive advantage for 2012, and Penn State ? Who has Penn State beat in any top 25 poll ? No one.
Purdue is 5-6.
Indiana is 4-7.
Nebraska QUIT the Big XII to join the Big 10, neither of whom can count. That’s the BCS top-ranked Big 10 team at # 14.
Michigan State, sparty, is 5-6.
UAB is 3-8.
California is 3-9.
UCF just lost to Tulsa last week and has beat no team in any top 25 poll.
And, Miami of Ohio is 4-7.
For this Ohio State is supposed to be a ranked team 2012 ?
Who the hell did Ohio State beat ? Good thing that PRETENDER did not get to play The SEC in bowl game again, to lose again, as they ALWAYS DO to The SEC in bowl games.
While the rest of the college football world has all these big games ahead, we’re supposed to rank the Ohio State CHEATERS in the polls for what is summarized of their year 2012 in this post ?
________________________________________________
OHIO STATE 2012 IS OVER-RATED having beat NO ONE
________________________________________________
And, is spared the embarrassment of losing to SEC again in bowl game, for which we are supposed to move Ohio State UP in the polls ? I don’t think so.
kingdaddy
November 26th, 2012
8:43 am
I don’t think winning the SEC-CG makes us elite in the sense of winning 2 of the last 3 NCs like Bama, but it does qualify as a Major Accomplishment. Who else in the country will have beaten a #2 & #4??? Florida had an awesome year and the SEC should be proud of the Gators. They had a bad game and we beat them. We had a bad game and SC beat us but we didn’t collaspe. We fixed the problems and are in a pretty good position to close the year as is UF & SC. All you whiners with no college affilliation in your blog name are just a bunch of sore losers. Be proud of your loser school, or STFU! At least Buckeye let’s you know where he stands. You cheapshot artist are spineless…
DIT
November 26th, 2012
8:44 am
Well said kingdaddy!
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:46 am
So UGA is elite because they beat UF? That’s the ONLY top ranked team UGA has beaten in the last 5 years.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:47 am
Alabama is going for its third title game in 4 years. Auburn won a title in 2010, LSU in 2007, UF in 08 and 06.
So….how is UGA an elite team again?
DIT
November 26th, 2012
8:48 am
@DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
Obviously reading is not your strong point. He said if they bat Bama it would return them to the elite. Please, don’t let facts get in the way. Just keep hating!
DIT
November 26th, 2012
8:48 am
Sorry that’s beat not bat
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:49 am
“So is Auburn “elite” after canning their coach?”
No, but they do have something UGA does not and that is a crystal trophy and a 14-0 season. I saw an interesting fact yesterday when ESPN talked about ND for the millionth time.
Notre Dame has never won more than 11 games in its entire history.
Auburn has won 11 games several times, 12 twice, 13 once and 14 once and Auburn is nowhere near historical as ND.
Ponder that for a bit.
keniboy
November 26th, 2012
8:50 am
noticed a good comment other place, bama tackles, uga chest bumps, if we dont wrap up their runners we’re gonna lose. ga can beat bama but they need to focus on team and not “look at me, espn”.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:50 am
” He said if they bat Bama”
And reading is not my thing?
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:52 am
DIT
You claim that other people are “hating” when other folks point out facts about UGA. It’s not my problem if you can’t handle the fact that UGA had the easiest schedule in the SEC this year.
DIT
November 26th, 2012
8:52 am
That’s the best you have? Figures, I at least corrected my mistake unlike yourself, whom probably has yet to re-read the article and see the point that was being made. However, your post above answered my next question about you.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:53 am
” We fixed the problems and are in a pretty good position to close the year as is UF & SC.
IE: UGA didn’t have a tough schedule and beat one top ranked team.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW.
Look at the last 6 national champions and check out their schedules.
flagboy?
November 26th, 2012
8:53 am
Win two games and be crowned national champion.
Simple.
flagboy?
November 26th, 2012
8:54 am
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:52 am
DIT
You claim that other people are “hating” when other folks point out facts about UGA. It’s not my problem if you can’t handle the fact that UGA had the easiest schedule in the SEC this year.
_____________________________
I would say Georgia handled the schedule rather well.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:55 am
” However, your post above answered my next question about you.”
You must be under some false impression that I actually care what you think about me.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:56 am
“I would say Georgia handled the schedule rather well.”
No, not really. With that schedule you’d think that UGA would go undefeated. If Bama or TAM had that schedule, they’d easily be undefeated.
Cdpridg
November 26th, 2012
8:56 am
Simply put….’The Georgia Way’ is playing and competing for championships…..
Thomas Brown
November 26th, 2012
8:57 am
DawgNole November 20th, 2012 2:14 pm
“So you’re predicting FSU will lose to fla (which they must to be 10-2 when they play Tech)?”
_________________________________________________________________________
Other than your whining here that I guaranteed the Flawed State Criminoles LOSE TO FLORIDA, because FSU has beat 1 team who is in any top 25 poll who themselves have beat no ranked team in any top 25 poll, I’d like to point out that
NOLEY
has not reappeared after the LOSS I guaranteed FSU LOSING to FLORIDA.
Still pouting NOLEY ?
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:57 am
When AU won the championship, they beat USC twice, UGA, Bama, LSU, Oregon, Arky and Miss St. All ranked teams.
Now tell me how UGA is elite.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:58 am
When AU won the championship, they beat USC twice, UGA, Bama, LSU, Oregon, Arky, Clemson and Miss St. All ranked teams.
Now tell me how UGA is elite.
What they’re saying in Georgia about Alabama’s SEC Championship Game opponent (Monday links) – Alabama – Crimson Tide News
November 26th, 2012
8:58 am
[...] AJC.com, the website of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:* Jeff Schultz: SEC title would mean Georgia’s return to elite status* The Junkyard Blawg: Dawgs get a chance to ruin ESPN’s dreams and earn some R-E-S-P-E-C-T* [...]
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:59 am
“Simply put….’The Georgia Way’ is playing and competing for championships…..
That MUST explain a 33 year drought.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
8:59 am
“FSU has beat 1 team who is in any top 25 poll ”
Funny, so has UGA.
flagboy?
November 26th, 2012
9:00 am
um. yeah. .really. There are only 2 other teams in all of college football right now that wouldn’t trade places with Georgia at the moment. I’d say they did well.
Of course, some might not take the shot with Alabama so they could be assured a better bowl or something. . . to each his own I guess
DIT
November 26th, 2012
9:00 am
DONNAN, I never said anything about UGA’s schedule!! If I did please point that out. AGAIN READING COMPRESION IS NOT YOUR STRONG POINT IS IT? I’m done with you.
Rodster
November 26th, 2012
9:01 am
I hope Georgia wins, but I certainly would not bet on it. Bad karma to start the week with Rambo’s stupid assertion and all this talk of returning to elite status. We need to win something first.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
9:03 am
“AGAIN READING COMPRESION ”
What is reading compresion?
Flo-Ri-Duh
November 26th, 2012
9:03 am
Nerds in sheep’s clothing……… we know you are representing as Lizard and Tide fans …… however, Nerds have e a certain distinctive pungent stench about them that is obvious.
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
9:03 am
DIT
I love the fact that you tell me I have reading issues and you can’t even spell the very insults you try to throw out. Irony at it’s finest.
Cdpridg
November 26th, 2012
9:05 am
Donnan…Richt has owned and embarassed your team on the field regularly….with that said…who is your team….what is your affiliation?
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 26th, 2012
9:07 am
“Richt has owned and embarassed your team on the field regularly….with that said…who is your team….what is your affiliation?”
The stupid. It’s burns.