Preseason ranking no shocker: ‘We’re still Georgia’
Georgia's ranking "shocked" Ben Jones, but it shouldn't have. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Some folks inside and outside the Bulldog Nation were surprised when the USA Today coaches preseason poll was released Thursday and Georgia was ranked a respectable No. 22 despite coming off a 6-7 season and a horrendous bowl game.
Even the Dogs’ Ben Jones admitted he was “shocked” at Georgia being ranked in the preseason for the 10th consecutive year.
And Abry Jones said he “didn’t think we would be that high since we didn’t do well last year.”
Tavarres King, on the other hand, said, “I’m not shocked that we’re ranked. We’re still Georgia, and I think everybody knows that.”
I think King probably nailed it right there. Despite coming off a bad season and having a lot of question marks, UGA and Mark Richt have enough residual respect to be considered among the nation’s 25 best teams without having played a down yet.
And while preseason rankings don’t mean a whole lot, as Richt said, “I think it’s a good sign for the program. It’s a good sign of respect if coaches feel like Georgia is a Top 25 team.”
Of course, last year the coaches also thought Georgia was a Top 25 team. In fact, the Dogs were ranked a notch higher in last year’s preseason poll, at 21, and briefly made it up to No. 19 before falling out of the ranking for good after the South Carolina game.
And the No. 22 preseason ranking is the lowest of Richt’s tenure since his first year, when Georgia couldn’t quite crack the Top 25.
Still, being ranked at all is encouraging, even if it might be a result of the coaches (or whoever filled out the poll for them) simply listing Georgia out of force of habit.
At the very least, it bolsters the confidence of the Georgia players as they prepare to meet the No. 7-ranked Boise State Broncos.
And another factor is that while Georgia at times looked terrible last year, they also were thisclose to winning some of those games they lost. As Jones put it: “I think people believe in us. They’re not counting us out, because we lost a lot of games by three and seven points. If we would have made the play in the fourth quarter, we would have been the team that’s 10-3 instead of going 6-7.”
Now they just have to see if they can make those fourth-quarter plays this year. If Joe Tereshinski has anything to say about it, I’m betting they will more often than not.
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271 comments Add your comment
@nothing could be finer
August 5th, 2011
12:42 pm
Unlike south carolina Georgia does have tradition.
GTBob
August 5th, 2011
12:46 pm
GTBob, maybe for other polls. But, the coaches voted in this one.
How do you think the coaches came up with their votes? Do you really think Mark Richt sat down and did an in depth analysis of 119 other teams who just started practicing this week? In the preseason, there is really no other way for them to vote other then the hype created by the media.
Delbert D.
August 5th, 2011
12:47 pm
SI says Steve Kragthorpe has stepped down from LSU OC position due to Parkinson’s disease. He’s going to stay on as QB coach.
BMDPD
August 5th, 2011
12:47 pm
I like the ranking. It instills some confidence into the players. In the meantime it is not high enough for the players to become over-confident. Me, I can’t wait for kick-off. GO DAWGS!!!!
Buckeye
August 5th, 2011
12:48 pm
That’s all you need to know about dogs……..happy to be ranked #22.
That’s the good news. The bad?
0-2 out of the gate leaves you in never never land starting down the barrel of back to back Liberty Bowls.
Buckeye
August 5th, 2011
12:49 pm
Any news on Howard ” Now that I’m locked out of the NBA” Thompkins?
DawgInaTruck
August 5th, 2011
12:50 pm
Delbert I read that late last night. You really hate to hear news like that. I wish him and his family the best.
BMDPD
August 5th, 2011
12:51 pm
Buckeye, what bowl will OSU be playing in this year?
Kb
August 5th, 2011
12:52 pm
Dave on the border, I will gladly take your money if you actually believe this defense will give up over 70 points in 2 games.This Georgia will not perform like 2010.
DawgInaTruck
August 5th, 2011
12:52 pm
Somebody named ‘Buckeye’ talkin’ smack? Really?! Talk about proof of ignorance…wow!
BMDPD
August 5th, 2011
12:53 pm
If we win the first game, then the game is on.
0 - 2 Baby!
August 5th, 2011
12:56 pm
and Richt is outta here!
GeoffDawg
August 5th, 2011
12:57 pm
GTBob, is your point that polls don’t matter? I agree. Let’s dispense with the preseason poll nonsense and just play some football. Would never happen but a restriction on polling until week 4 or 5 would be much more useful.
TweendaHedges
August 5th, 2011
1:00 pm
Lattimore, we got lot of video on dat cat now. He ain’t done nuttin gaint Aub, Ark, Clem, FSU. We gonna be ready for him.
murray county mystic
August 5th, 2011
1:01 pm
i can go back to 8/5/2010 and read the same bs from the UGA fans…we are number one…headed to the ATL for the SEC championship game…CMR is a genius…gonna make enough money bettin on tha dawgs to finish that tatoo of Vince Dooley and Herschel on my fat wife’s kankles…whatever…i’m here if you need me to steer you towards the “reality lounge”…
Ben "chop block" Jones
August 5th, 2011
1:02 pm
We will win every game we play against teams with losing records.
DawgInaTruck
August 5th, 2011
1:02 pm
Geoff you are exactly right. They are neaningless and almost always laughably inaccurate. If nothing else, freeze the polls from the previous season at year-end. The reigning National Champs, for example, remain ranked first. If they have graduated a ton of players, then they may lose a few games and assume their rightful place anyway. If the new group keeps winning they retain their ranking. Same things goes for everyone else.
Kentucky and Vandy
August 5th, 2011
1:03 pm
TweendaHedges, we love playin between the hedges.
ga gator
August 5th, 2011
1:04 pm
DawgInaTruck I agree with you 100%.
TweendaHedges
August 5th, 2011
1:05 pm
Yo Bro, most every body say UGA wouldn’t be no good alst year cuz of 1st year QB & 1st year new Def Coor. Get reel.
DawgInaTruck
August 5th, 2011
1:07 pm
They’ll never do it gator. Its too easy and makes too much sense.
TweendaHedges
August 5th, 2011
1:07 pm
Boise got nu OC, lost WR-s, not same.
TweendaHedges
August 5th, 2011
1:09 pm
1 review last year, typical–
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_uf/2010/06/gators-top-rival-georgia-ranks-no-64-in-college-football-rankings.html
Ludwig von Van Hay Langer
August 5th, 2011
1:15 pm
Dawgs need more meat on their bones…….too lean for the SEC.
TweendaHedges
August 5th, 2011
1:17 pm
Me guess is coach in poll know mor dan a blogger.
Delbert D.
August 5th, 2011
1:17 pm
That’s a good idea. Keep Auburn at #1 until they get beat. That would be the way to do it if the polls meant something. Especially with the voting polls (unlike one guy’s opinion), it is highly unlikely that the higher rankings will hold up. How likely is it that Alabama will finish #2, Oregon #3 and LSU #4? LSU finishes #4 with at least 2 losses in the regular season (Alabama and Oregon)? Or, Oregon loses only once and finishes ahead of LSU?
GeoffDawg
August 5th, 2011
1:18 pm
DawgInaTruck – that is a great idea. Teams may have a different roster but there should be some benefit from finishing strong the previous year. They’ll settle at their natural position soon enough anyway.
Redacted
August 5th, 2011
1:18 pm
EVERYone has to do it on the field. The only thing a preseason ranking means is that, if you get a low one, and you have a great season, it is an unfair climb up into the Top Ten. Hey, getcha cold Kool Aid !!!!
UGADawg83
August 5th, 2011
1:19 pm
Bill-I’m usually pretty hard on you with good reason, this time I’ll say good article and good analysis. Quotes from the players, and good solid facts. Keep it up.
caleb
August 5th, 2011
1:22 pm
we b georgia….get crunked woof woof wait a minute im not dare no mo.
East Repeat
August 5th, 2011
1:23 pm
Yep, UGA has tradition- losing more games than the year before is the new tradition. Watched youtube of lattimore and our defensive line, and Ouchhhh, UGA cannot be looking forward to that. Lattimore was a stud as a fresh and is focused and tougher now. No one in ther right mind can look forward to facing that guy. But i am sure Isiah will be as tough as Lattimore, cough-cough…
SSIgator
August 5th, 2011
1:23 pm
“We’re still Georgia, and I think everybody knows that”
Exactly. Everybody knows that with da Preacha Man and his Straw Dawg coaching staff UGA will be lucky to go 6-6 again this year. Languishing at the bottom third of the SEC. What a joke. 1980 – so long ago.
GeoffDawg
August 5th, 2011
1:27 pm
SSIgator, don’t you have a mullett to wax?
WDE
August 5th, 2011
1:27 pm
@SSIgator hey what is the arrest total for the Gators so far ? Word of advice if Charlie Weiss gets a hold of the same stuff the Gator players are smoking I predict a statewide famine…
SSIgator
August 5th, 2011
1:31 pm
“they also were this close to winning some of those games they lost”
Uh oh, Bill has joined the ranks of UGA fans that are now counting moral victories. I guess the standings this season will show won/lost/moral victories. So how many “moral victories” does it take to equal a win?
DawgInaTruck
August 5th, 2011
1:31 pm
WDE-funny…DAMN funny!
murray county mystic
August 5th, 2011
1:37 pm
“UGA and Mark Richt have enough residual respect to be considered among the nation’s 25 best teams without having played a down yet.”…how funny is that…good one Bill…
UGA Insider
August 5th, 2011
1:38 pm
I love the vanity coming out of Columbia! Keep it coming.
Dawg '88
August 5th, 2011
1:38 pm
Your Attention….Your Attention Please….This just In:
Blogger known as “Pete” is brain dead!
That is the “Captain Obvious” moment of the day!
Dawg '88
August 5th, 2011
1:40 pm
One more time…your attention please:
See above comments about Pete for SSIgator: DITTO!
Dawg '88
August 5th, 2011
1:42 pm
If you love Florida so much….Leave “SSI” gator and go home!
Plus we all know that you’re not a real Uf fan anyway. You don’t know 10 players names of the Uf football team without looking them up. “SSI” doesn’t want you here…ITS DAWG COUNTRY…Hit the road!
DawgInaTruck
August 5th, 2011
1:47 pm
Obviously, many of our competitors either have no blogs devoted to their teams or the ones they have really suck becase their fans sure spend a lot of time here. The other possibility is that they just ‘masquerade’ here which is kind of sad. That just proves they are in dire need of some female company.
Columbus
August 5th, 2011
1:53 pm
King, you suck
RNB
August 5th, 2011
1:56 pm
SIMPLE. YOU WIN GAMES YOU WILL EARN RESPECT. IF YOU DON’T YOU WONT.
I AM A LIFE LONG GEORGIA FAN AND THEY HAVE LOST MY RESPECT. MAYBE THEY CAN GET IT BACK THIS YEAR.
East Repeat
August 5th, 2011
1:59 pm
@UGA Insider- this vanity comes right here from Gwinnett county. Vanity from Columbia will be arrriving september 10th, delivered by Mr. Lattimore and Mr. Jeffery.
DawgInaTruck
August 5th, 2011
2:01 pm
Two things: First, you are not fooling anyone-you are obviously not a fan, life long or otherwise. Second, unlock your caps. First time on a computer?
iowa dog
August 5th, 2011
2:06 pm
The game with Boise State will be an outright war.They have been doing what we are now doing for years.This is not the same team we played in 07.In a way we attributed to their sucess by playing them and giving them a big payday.The only way we win this game is by having no mistakes, and by playing the full 4 quarters.Go Dawgs.
Alphare
August 5th, 2011
2:10 pm
I consider Texas and Georgia the all-time underachivers.
Combined, the 2 states have 50% (exaggerated a little bit for sure) of the national talents, only won 3 NC’s in the last 40 or so years.
In regard of talents, Tech should be considered an over-achiver.
UGA FRIEND
August 5th, 2011
2:10 pm
Funny stuff. These people need something to talk about before the season starts. Have a good time now. Hopefully when the games begin, all the UGA fans will still be in a jovial mood. Good Luck!!
GeoffDawg
August 5th, 2011
2:10 pm
““UGA and Mark Richt have enough residual respect to be considered among the nation’s 25 best teams without having played a down yet.”…how funny is that…good one Bill…”
murray county mystic, whether you deny it or not, the voting occurred, it was real, and the poll put Georgia at #22. Claiming it’s a joke is like saying that Eskimos don’t exist.