Dogs drawing mixed predictions in SEC race
If Aaron Murray can lead the Dogs past South Carolina, just how far can Mark Richt's team go? (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Amid all the speculation about Jim Tressel being toast and Will Muschamp’s Gators being toasted (giving new meaning to the “Florida Way”!), some college football observers have been paying a bit of attention to Mark Richt’s 2011 Dogs, who seem to have become something of a dark horse favorite in the SEC East.
As I wrote last week, Georgia has a high-risk start to its season that could pay off big, opening with Boise State and South Carolina. And while the game against the Broncos has the higher profile, the meeting in Athens with the Gamecocks could have more impact on UGA’s season, since a win there would put the Dogs in the driver’s seat in a division where Florida and Tennessee are rebuilding and Kentucky and Vandy are Kentucky and Vandy.
Barrett Sallee of College Football News says that with “the quarterback issues at South Carolina, the offensive ineptitude that Florida showed in its spring game, and the way Georgia’s schedule shapes up, the SEC East is there for Georgia’s taking. If the Bulldogs beat South Carolina the second week of the season, they absolutely have to get to Atlanta. They don’t play Arkansas, LSU and Alabama this season — the three primary contenders in the SEC West. Plus they get Auburn and Mississippi State, the next two in line on the other side of the division, at home. Sure, the Florida game in Jacksonville is always a tough matchup for the Bulldogs, but even if they lose that game, it’s hard to find two more losses on the schedule, provided that they get past the Gamecocks.”
Loading ...That’s a fairly underwhelming assessment considering that as poorly as Georgia played overall last season the Dogs still managed to finish third in the SEC East.
We haven’t done a poll in a while here, so let’s see if Blawg readers are as pessimistic as those at the CBS site, or whether you’re thinking the CFN view is closer to the mark. Feel free to vote in the poll, comment, or do both.
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398 comments Add your comment
Atlanta87
April 26th, 2011
3:51 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
I’m not a Tech Grad man. I’ve just lived in Atlanta my whole life. My team was the best in college football last year.
Thanks!
Dawgs Back!
April 26th, 2011
4:00 pm
florida’s best defensive player just got kicked off the team, their QB is terrible, they have a bunch of injuries on the oline and no running game. UGA will beat them easy. if garcia is suspended for the usc-uga game, UGA wins that by 13+. Mark it down–the Dawgs win the SEC east!!!
Beast from the East
April 26th, 2011
4:03 pm
Dawgs Back!,
You on the same stuff that got Jenkins kicked off the team?
Atlanta87
April 26th, 2011
4:03 pm
And Pigs Fly!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
April 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
Atlanta87
or “Fire Richt!” Haha silly Dogs is what you said about us
Just like fire Chizik before he coached a game, or what in the world is going on hiring this guy right
Dont worry that paid for championship will be stripped, you and the family might ought to get a family photo before they remove it
War Eagle
April 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
The SEC East will again be a weak division compared to the West. UGA will be tied for second. South Carolina will play LSU or Arkansas for the title.
Skitty Fritty
April 26th, 2011
4:07 pm
Miss. State will win the West if they can outbid Auburn for players
Ray Goof Off
April 26th, 2011
4:07 pm
This IS the year, Dawgs beat Gators & win East, but SEC Championship game probably vs. Bama, NOT!!!
Dawghater
April 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
It’s April, of course every UGA fan has claimed the SEC championship and the National Championship. “SOP”
That’s “standard operating procedure” for the dawg fans.
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
4:21 pm
not me dawghater.
9-3 for me.
i guess my SOP is a little different than what the TROLLS believe it is.
Einsteindawg
April 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
Lots of things to consider…injuries, motivation, suspensions/arrests, and coaching. I hope we can win the S.E.C., but would be happy with a 11-2 record with wins over SC, TN, FL, and the Nerds.
Gator Nation
April 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
Here is my order of finish in the SEC East
1) S. Carolina – They still have a top flight RB and Spurrier
2) Georgia – Best QB in the East, maybe in the conference – good to great head coach
3) Tennessee – Looked a lot better at the end of last year then the beginning, but coach is still unproven
4) Kentuckly – Hard fighting team, decent head coach
5) Floriday – Brand new Coach, QB sucks, new system, loves pot to much
6) Vandy – This aint the pac-10, they are never getting above 4th in this league
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
April 26th, 2011
4:33 pm
Gator Nation
FL 5
Come on give Muschump a chance S Carolina 2nd or 3rd yes, but if your QB comes around FL will be at the top
We have a hard head coaching staff therefore 2nd or 3rd UGA will be
7576DAWG
April 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
UGA Insider
I have been saying exactly what you are for a while now. CMR is putting his future on the line by staying with Bobo. Our defense was getting better every game, it takes a while when they have to learn an entire new scheme. So we should have kicked butt in the bowl game. Bobo proved his lack of imagination and being so predictable allowed even UCF to easily prepare for us. Only scoring 6 points should have gotten Bobo demoted . The defense got the job done , it got the job done in a lot of our losses but most Georgia fans blamed it on Grantham. All you had to look at in all of our losses was TIME OF POSSESSION and you would have seen the problem was always the OFFENSE. The defense was warn out by the end of the third quarter. We did not beat a ranked opponent last year and if we don’t beat Boise State and especially South Carolina I also think McGarity will pull the plug. If we win one of the first two I think it will a game to game decision after that.
McGarity and his AD has a history of doing this when he was at Florida and I agree it is better than waiting until the end of the year because you don’t want to blind side any recruits. But if we didn’t learn anything else if McGarity makes a change after the second game it will be a very well respected coach that everybody will approve.
Atlanta87
April 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
That was one lunatic at the Auburn Airport, not an entire fan base. Do you have proof that we paid for our championship. If so, I’m sure the NCAA would love to hear from you or was your cell phone destroyed by water?
Alphare
April 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
Well, since UGA will have the best QB in the SEC and your defense is day/night different than last year, I declare dawgies the SEC champ of 2011.
Gator Nation
April 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
@ Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
We have no depth and a boatload of injuries on both offensive and defensive lines. I really wanted to put 6th, but I was trying to be optimistic.
By the way, Brantley, 4-15 in the spring game……..SPRING GAME.
tim
April 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
FLASH Muschamp throws Janoris Jenkins off the Gators team with zero chance to return
DawginLex
April 26th, 2011
4:44 pm
gator nation
florida will beat UT. so will SC. So will Bama. Our game is at UT so who knows.
If we can beat SC, we are still not guaranteed anything. We could get swept by the Miss schools.
I believe 6-2 will win the East outright. I look for 5-3 records from Florida, UGA and Sc like 2003 and the highest ranked team goes to ATL or the team with the best East record.
although florida has it tougher because of playing Bama and at LSU and at SC
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
April 26th, 2011
4:46 pm
7576DAWG
Bobo lack of imagination come on man
You dont think the 55 passes to the sideline, the run up the middle 90% of our running plays for a zero gain, a the 5 yd pass dump over the middle, is not enough imagination
Come on man be fair now
guy
April 26th, 2011
4:49 pm
What will UGA’s defensive and offensive lines turn out to be? That’s the secret to the whole season,in my opinion. This is it,CMR and his crew!
2 field goals and a cloud of Bobo
April 26th, 2011
4:49 pm
It’s good news that Central Florida is not on the schedule.
red&silver
April 26th, 2011
4:50 pm
I wonder how many of the critics actually played a snap of football?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
April 26th, 2011
4:50 pm
Gator Nation
Brantley was like that last spring game wasnt he and FL was still in it
Its laughable every year to watch us go to Jacksonville
Its more laughable that our coach wants to stir the pot and move the game somewhere else because he thinks that will help him win
We go down there every year and call the most conservative play calling I have ever seen
I seriously hope if we lose to FL this year its by 75 points maybe then the kool-aid crowd will have finally had enough
dd
April 26th, 2011
4:54 pm
I hope I’m wrong, but I got a feeling this is going to be CMR’s last season at UGA, which might turn out to be in the best interests for all parties involved anyway.
Of course I’m just a fan, What do I know?
I know one thing, I’m tired of watching the same plays run over and over again.
It’s not hard to sit on your sofa and predict almost every single play call when we have the ball.
I’m also tired of watching our defense never be able to stop anyone on 3rd down.
Hard to feel confident when you have to replace someone like AJ in addition to fixing everything else except QB. .
Realistic
April 26th, 2011
4:55 pm
Let’s be realistic. The last time the Dogs were on the field they were beaten by UCF and looked horrible. The score was 10-6! So based on that(and the 6-7 record), how can some of us predict a division championship? There is no WR on the roster that comes close to AJ Green, and like him or not, Houston was our best defensive player last year, which is why he was originally predicted to be a first round pick. Freshman will not cause that huge of a turn-around. Most of you same guys were predicting the same thing last year. 3 losses would be a good year considering what happened this past year.
red&silver
April 26th, 2011
5:01 pm
Just because you are a good “player” doesn’t mean you are good for the team so, can we please stop with the no AJ or J.Houston talk.
Graydawg
April 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
Come on guys! Year in and year out the Georgia Bulldogs field a team capable of beating anyone. You must play damn near flawless football in the SEC to win a title. Very often a one or two loss team wins the conference title. Go DAWGS! They can do it.
here we go again...
April 26th, 2011
5:06 pm
a round of koolaide for the house!
we haven’t got an offensive line….and mike bobo is still calling plays.
well, heck…make that a double round of koolaide.
if we beat boise we will be soft against usc..
if we lose to boise we will be in a tailspin until the vandy game.
if we beat usc and boise (more koolaide please) we will go soft in the middle of the schedule.
same broken record…mark richt wins = team gets soft. he cannot sustain intensity over an entire year. Look at what happened in Jacksonville in ‘02….perfect example.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
April 26th, 2011
5:06 pm
dd
Can you really predict the play calls
I really have a hard time they really confuse me
55 passes to the sideline,
run up the middle 90% of our running plays for a zero gain,
the 5 yd pass dump over the middle
Man your pretty smart to know whats coming Bobo has me confused
Atlanta87
April 26th, 2011
5:08 pm
And when’s the last time UGA did that Graydawg? 2005?
RL
April 26th, 2011
5:29 pm
61% believe UGA will win the East? It sounds like the same people who were crying last year that UGA was not in the top 10 at the beginning of last season after an opening season win. What a bunch of homers. Then they lost to South Carolina. Then they lost to Mississippi State. Then they lost to Colorado.This is great analysis.
BSU FAN
April 26th, 2011
5:30 pm
Just wondering how you Georgia fans see the BSU game going. Of course Im rooting for my top team BSU, but I think it will be a great game!
Beast from the East
April 26th, 2011
5:33 pm
You guys gotta admit that us Gators are much more realistic about our expectations than most of the UGA faithful. Look at the poll……61% think UGA will win the East. That is just wishful thinking. If most of you actually believe that then I think most of you are setting yourselves up to be disappointed. USC is the favorite to win the East for a reason……you guys sucked last year and so did we. Unless you have Cam Newton and Nick Fairley coming in, then do not expect the turnaround Auburn had last year. Improvement should be expected but not championships. Those are AT LEAST another year away for UF and UGA.
Arrests
April 26th, 2011
5:38 pm
why is there no story about janoris jenkins getting kicked off Florida???
see, not just uga has issues with arrests. his 4th!!!!
Lester Miles
April 26th, 2011
5:45 pm
CBS released some good news. Katie (goofball) Couric is leaving the evening news. Maybe she and Matt (the weasel) from NBC can join Howard Stern on the radio. They do have the faces for radio if not the talent. Have a great day
LakeDawg
April 26th, 2011
5:46 pm
With UGA’s talent and that schedule, the Dawgs should finish first. If not, then a coaching search is in order.
tim
April 26th, 2011
5:49 pm
it’s a non story (Jenkins) in Florida because everyone here knew he was toast when the 2nd pot bust occoured…..Make no mistake he’ll be sorely missed, lockdown corners who would have been a first rounder don’t grow on trees…that being said Muschamp had no choice…watch the rest of UF’s team straighten up. It’s a new day, but that might not transfer to the field.
LakeDawg
April 26th, 2011
5:50 pm
BSU FAN
April 26th, 2011
5:30 pm
“Just wondering how you Georgia fans see the BSU game going. Of course Im rooting for my top team BSU, but I think it will be a great game!”
BSU will be a well coached team that is full of confidence, having played a beaten some pretty good teams. If UGA resembles last year’s team, BSU wins by two TD’s. However, Uga has a huge talent advantage. If UGA is really serious this off season, then they win by two TD’s. Really no excuse for them not to.
tony martin
April 26th, 2011
6:01 pm
Enter your comments here
I HAVE PREDICTED TWO YEARS AGO THAT THIS WOULD BE THE YEAR THAT THE DOGS WIN THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP, AND PLAY FOR ALL THE MARBLES
DogGone
April 26th, 2011
6:28 pm
were uga and we still suck
Al
April 26th, 2011
6:58 pm
7-5, lose to all ranked teams again.
Tdawg
April 26th, 2011
7:41 pm
red&silver I’m going to go out on a limb and take a guess that there was a point to that little question. How many people have actually made a pair of pants. My point is that just because you never made the product, doesn’t mean that you don’t know what it is suppose to look like. Yes I did play football.
lanejm
April 26th, 2011
8:43 pm
God, dog fans are so predictable. The dogs are the dogs…championships are in their rear view mirrors except maybe for the odd year. But it’s nice to watch you dream and have the dreams crushed every year. Keep Aaron healthy so you don’t wind up with another loosing season (oh yeah, he QBd your LAST loosing season).
bronco
April 26th, 2011
8:56 pm
The last time boise came in they were the little dog, but no more. Georgia can’t wear down boise’s dline that is as good as anyone’s with the three deep rotation on each d-line position. Kellen Moore will tear apart the dog defense while the dogs struggle to find any consistency against a top 10 defense.
Jetsetters1009
April 26th, 2011
9:20 pm
I know the SEC bias toward BSU… non-AQ… couldn’t handle a real FBS schedule… etc… all I have to say is keep throwing logs on this teams fire. This is not the same program that choked between the hedges and they’ll be ready to proove a point to yet another major conference elite program.
parsdad
April 26th, 2011
9:36 pm
Typical SEC elitist attitudes! Don’t overlook Boise State! This is not the same team the bulldogs played a few years back with a sophomore QB. This QB is legite!
Georgia might take a couple of weeks to recover after losing to LITTLE Boise State (as on fan termed them). Just ask Va Tech. and Oklahoma. (lucky for oklahoma, they had the whole off-season to regroup)
Hope your boys are ready to play.
lizard man
April 26th, 2011
9:57 pm
By the time UGA plays Florida——-it will be the same ol story———well, this that this that boo who—-google google———–why cant we win—blah blah blah——-I am a Georiga fan but my God they suck year after year with no backbone growing at all———–those people over there in Athens need a swift kick in the you know what.===It is what it is. This will be Richts last year———–my prediction.
Gdawg
April 26th, 2011
10:06 pm
Dawgs will be “Iffy” in first 2 games. The remainder of the year will be fun for us. This column starts out by saying “CBS voters place UGA 3rd in the east”. Yep, that’s the same CBS that thinks Ohio State should play in the title game EVERY year. I’m not saying anything other than watch the linebackers and the DLine this year for UGA. If they play well, the DAWGS have a BLAST!!!!
Gdawg
April 26th, 2011
10:23 pm
Bronco,
Are you saying Kellen Moore is better than most SEC QB’s? REally??? Do you think Kellen Moore would start at any SEC school??? That’s laughable… Look I think Boise State is a pretty decent team…not as good as Vandy or Kentucky but they’re not too bad for a Western School. Don’t talk until after the game…you might have a chance but get real. They play exactly NOBODY in that Weak Athletic Conference. What a joke. UGA would be undefeated every year with THAT schedule.