Dawgs showing up in preseason Top 10 rankings (UPDATED)
Brandon Boykin won the Paul Hornung Award. (Associated Press)
Mark Richt’s Georgia Bulldogs fared better in the final college football rankings than I had feared, managing to stay in the Top 20 of both polls despite losing their last two games. UGA was No. 19 in the final AP poll and No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches poll.
Of course, it probably didn’t hurt Georgia that one of those final two losses was the SEC championship game and the the bowl loss was a three-overtime affair, or that all four of the Dogs’ losses this season were to teams that finished in the USA Today Coaches’ poll Top 10 and the Top 11 of the Associated Press ranking.
Based on returning talent and a favorable schedule (and perhaps depending on who all leaves or doesn’t leave for the NFL), it’s likely that Georgia will start the 2012 season at least in the vicinity of the Top 10.
Meanwhile, Monday saw running back Keith Marshall on campus in Athens, highly-rated defensive end recruit Jordan Jenkins picking the Dawgs over Alabama and Brandon Boykin very deservedly winning the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player.
Sure, I would have preferred for LSU to win the BCS game (we don’t recruit much against them, unlike Bammer) and I’m not thrilled with Brian VanGorder’s crazy zig-zag career path leading the erratic but undeniably talented defensive coach to Auburn (for the moment, at least). It will be interesting to see how BVG fares in his return to college ball. He’s definitely an upgrade for AU, but if I had to choose between him and current UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who apparently nailed down the Jenkins commitment, I think I’d go with what Georgia has now.
Anyway, overall, the postseason is off to a pretty good start, don’t you think?
UPDATE: Sure enough, the Dawgs are hitting the Top 10 of the early preseason rankings that are showing up. USA Today’s Kelly Whiteside has UGA #8 and says “the Bulldogs are back.” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 has Georgia #6. He says defense and schedule are reasons the Dogs are favored to win the SEC East again. And CBSSports.com’s Brett McMurphy has the Bulldogs ranked all the way up at #3 and says they could be legitimate national title contenders because of their returning talent plus the SEC’s easiest schedule.
So what do you think, is Georgia a legitimate Top 10 team for 2012?
Got something on your mind concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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502 comments Add your comment
War Eagle
January 11th, 2012
4:40 pm
Here we go again, Keith Marshall this and that, NC “we have Keith”, last year it was ” we got Crowell this and that, NC here we are…. Grayson High School could win with UGA schedule in 2012,….McGarity must have read Coach Bryant book, “Architect on Schedules for Winning Championships”
Castle Pines Canine
January 11th, 2012
4:43 pm
So War Eagle, I hear that Auburn is under investigation again? The Auburn Alumni out here in Colorado said that during the Peach bowl. What happened with Dyer?
ga gator
January 11th, 2012
4:46 pm
WDE, have not been on for a while after our lousy season, but with Weis gone, Muschamp announced today that he has hired Brent Pease, the OC from Boise State last year. I thought the name was familiar and it was, he was the OC and QB coach at Kentucky when Jared Lorenzen was QB there. I am happy with the hire and anything should be an improvement over Weis (who just about everyone was wrong about).
ga gator
January 11th, 2012
4:49 pm
WDE the new OC at UF is Brent Pease who was OC at Boise State. I am happy with the hire; he also was at KY as the OC when Jared Lorenzen was QB. I think it is a good hire, but then most Gator fans thought Weis was a good hire. I think Orson should have stayed 1 more year.
ga gator
January 11th, 2012
4:50 pm
sorry for the double post guys; it did not show up and figured Bill banned me for some reason.
ha
January 11th, 2012
4:53 pm
“So War Eagle, I hear that Auburn is under investigation again? The Auburn Alumni out here in Colorado said that during the Peach bowl. What happened with Dyer?”
Did you hear that from tigerdroppings?
needums
January 11th, 2012
4:54 pm
Let’s establish a descent running game first, continue to move forward on defense and beat a ranked opponent before claiming we deserve a top 10 ranking. I say we stay out fo the top 10 till we play and win against USC.
DawginLex
January 11th, 2012
4:55 pm
so let’s review some of the potential replacements that these 2 einsteins snoopdawg and flat tire have recommended to replace Richt over the past 3 years:
Brian Kelly-ND underachieving again
Muschamp-7-6 and getting worse by the day
Bo Pelini-Nebraska unranked and fanbase ready to can him
Dan Mullen-7-6 after being annointed as the next big thing. Can only beat Ole Miss in the West.
So short of Saban and Miles, who you gonna hire that you guarantee will get us championships?
You can’t
so keep complaining and wasting your fingers typing your complaints
No one listens and no one cares what you think.
RiffRaff
January 11th, 2012
4:55 pm
Too bad UGA didn’t go after Brent Pease. Smart move by Fla.
tell me again
January 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
I have always been pro Dawgs – but – to rank a team in the top ten based mainly on schedule (ala Boise State) is ludicrous……we may win all of our games and get to the SECCG, but only when you have the type of team that beats top rankee teams by the handful like LSU and Okl. St. did this year do you deserve to be ranked that high. We may have a great run net year but we will be a paper tiger unless we get a WHOLE lot better as a team. Having said all of that – GO DAWGS!
Harry Dawg
January 11th, 2012
5:08 pm
I think that my DAWGS won’t have any serious ability to compete until the issue of Mike Bobo and the Offense is addressed.
DP
January 11th, 2012
5:09 pm
Right 7576Dawg, Georgia taught Saban how to play against LSU just like Grantham taught him the 3-4 defense. And Alabama kicked away from #7 once, just out of bounds. The other 2 times they kicked it to him, one went into the end zone and on the other one about half the Alabama kick coverage team took him down in his tracks.
50 years of observation
January 11th, 2012
5:17 pm
Harold isn’t the one tearing the dawgs down. They’ve done a good enough job of that over the years all by themselves. A “big win” over Georgia Tech? That’s pretty funny. How about a big win over somebody that counts in football?
harold
January 11th, 2012
5:19 pm
SEE HAROLD’S COMMENTS ON 1-10 @11:17 TO GET THE TRUTH!
shane#1
January 11th, 2012
5:23 pm
I don’t think the dogs are there yet. Murray needs to cut down on mistakes and a good running game would help. Having some real tackles on the O line should help in both cases. Having depth doesn’t hurt either. A real need is depth on the D line and LBs. Much on that side of the ball will depend on the return of Williams, Rambo, and Washington. So I am encouraged but I am also taking a wait and see approach. I didn’t buy UGA as #1 in 2008 and I am not buying them as top 10 now. Come on Dogs and prove me wrong!
gtfanfrom1951
January 11th, 2012
5:32 pm
Top twenty maybe not #6….losing to much on the o-line and play makers on the defense. Be hard to Mizzu in their house. South Carolina will be better next year. Auburn and Fla. will not be down for long. So better enjoy it while they are down.
guy
January 11th, 2012
5:39 pm
Expect another year like 2011.Can’t run and can’t block! QB is too short to see to throw over the middle.Bobo’s in charge of the offense.Face the facts!!!!!
Bob Respess
January 11th, 2012
5:42 pm
Is there anything more worthless than a top 20 list in January?! Give me a break.
wins-by-a-link
January 11th, 2012
5:58 pm
Kirby Smart says he is ready for a head coaching job and here we are about to give Richt an extension, Oh well I guess we’ll just have to dream of what could have been.
Coastal Dawg
January 11th, 2012
6:09 pm
BVG won’t be as good at AU. For starters, he doesn’t have Coach Martinez to bail him out.
Old Dog
January 11th, 2012
6:12 pm
Dawginlex – “Stop complaining about who the coach is because you can’t fire him”
You are right, I can’t fire Richt. But I and other fans can get so frustrated watching poorly COACHED football that we decide not to buy tickets to games or tune in on TV. If enough fans did that, you can bet your bottom dollar that Adams would be falling all over himself to fire Richt.
I am sure that you just watch the games and afterwards say, ” Geez golly, we lost another one, but you know I really respect Richt for the way he accepts these losses. He shore is a good man. Well, maybe we will win one next time.”
You are NOT a fan if you don’t care if we WIN.
Top Row Dawg
January 11th, 2012
6:23 pm
Where you finish each season does matter unless your South Carolina ….
only six top 25 finishes or Georgia Tech……
only 13 top 25 finishes in 56 years.
Found this site that gives listing of all the final AP polls
http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/history/APpolls.txt
See where Michigan has finished ranked 54 times and Ohio State has finished ranked 52 times.
Also note Georgia Tech has never won an AP national championship. Facts are fun.
PunishEmD
January 11th, 2012
6:51 pm
Tide is rolling and can’t be stopped…What is Richt’s record against bammer again? You stumps conveniently forget your nearly 2 decades of submedioctity between Stallings and Saban; but, yes even the mighty tide stopped rolling for more than awhile. Get over yourself. Enjoy your 9th NC.
Dawg89
January 11th, 2012
7:24 pm
Preseason rankings are stupid.
Anybody notice that Mularkey went to Jacksonville? Who would be surprised if BVG jumps from Auburn to Jacksonville to be DC?
Colby Knoflicek
January 11th, 2012
7:27 pm
I have alot of fun doing Zumba for exercise.
Abram Vanstrander
January 11th, 2012
7:27 pm
Workouts for me is about having fun. Zumba lets me to have alot of fun and its a great workout too!
Denita Weikle
January 11th, 2012
7:27 pm
I have alot of fun doing Zumba for exercise.
Everett Trees
January 11th, 2012
7:27 pm
I am just a Zumba newbie but I got some great dvds for beginners and now I am having so much fun!
Dawg77
January 11th, 2012
7:53 pm
With our talents, without Bobo, and no Mr. Walsh, Dawgs will go a long way toward NC.
JAW JAW HOMER
January 11th, 2012
7:59 pm
MOMMA, WHAT I GOTS TO DO TO BE LIKE ONE OF DEM BAMA BOYS?
JAW JAW HOMER'S MOMMA
January 11th, 2012
8:05 pm
WELL SON, YOU GOTTA GO TO THE BOOK STORE AND GET A BOOK ON THE BEAR, AND READ HOW HE WON 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WHILE HE WAS COACH. THEN YOU GOTTA WATCH FILM ON HOW ALL DEM OTHER BAMA COACHES BE WINNING THOSE CRYSTAL FOOTBALLS. BUT, SON, DON’T YOU EVER, AND I MEAN NEVER BE WATCHIN THEM VINCE DOOLEY GAMES, OR THEM RAY GOFF GAMES. AND ESPECIALLY NEVER BE WATCHIN THOSE BO BO AND MARK RITGTHGTHE GAME FILMS. THEY WILL ONLY MAKE YOU A LOSER.
Rural Education
January 11th, 2012
8:06 pm
Another year, another overrated Georgia team. Somethings never change.
Lakedawg
January 11th, 2012
8:16 pm
Bill, why you got me deleted?
LakeDawg
January 11th, 2012
8:17 pm
Message to Mark Richt. You gotta run to win in this league. I think someone told him that in 2001. He still hasn’t learned that simple lesson.
LakeDawg
January 11th, 2012
8:19 pm
BTW Please don’t confuse me with Lakedawg. He is ignorant.
Lakedawg
January 11th, 2012
8:20 pm
Old Dog, you need to give those tickets up and not renew. Hope you have not maiked that contribution yet. To many younger Dawg fans cannot get tickets due to some ole ____ like you sitting around whining and taking up space. Bet you complain when fans stand up and cheer in stadium aldo.
Yeah good time to get off the train for you, cause its going to be a good ride next 4-5 years.
Lakedawg
January 11th, 2012
8:21 pm
Lake Dawg—You show your IQ when you start calling people names.–Think you are a Techiiee anyway, with your whiny ___ posta.
LakeDawg
January 11th, 2012
8:29 pm
Lake dawg—–I’ve got a new name for you and your brethren. Its no longer “Kool-Aid Drinkers,” I dub thee the “Loser Brigade,” because y’all are just fine with mediocrity. Everything is hunky-dory with the Loser Brigade. I remember the days when Bama respected us and LSU, Auburn, and Florida feared us. Of course, you’re probably young and only have memories of Goof and Donnan. I guess compared to them Richt is a legend.
3-12 Against Ranked Teams
January 11th, 2012
9:30 pm
How the hell can UGA be in preseason top 10 for next year when it went 1-4 against ranked teams this year???
It’s always the same here….preseason hype followed by predictable failure
Dan Henning
January 11th, 2012
10:06 pm
Michigan State whooped on Georgia, so why they is in the Top 10?
Hoopster
January 11th, 2012
11:40 pm
Same song, different year. Preseason ranking, great recruiting, haven’t beaten a Top 25 team in years. And the bloom is off the rose with Coach Fox. It’s already over.
East Repeat
January 12th, 2012
5:49 am
This is as good as it gets for 2012. enjoy it while you are on top, Dawgs. once your team takes the field things begin to decline. Has UGA, in the last 10-15 yrs, beat every opponent in the SEC East? Let me know Dog fans. Congrats on having your spirits fluffed up in the off season as we all know UGA will fold against the few quality opponenets it has in 2012. Your are not back, you are backed up and your eyes are brown. Grantham pulls a Woody Hayes in 2012!
Deport
January 12th, 2012
8:40 am
So instead of a 10 game winning streak … we should have lost all ten games? … none of you make any sense…
DawginLex
January 12th, 2012
8:51 am
You idiots are dumber than a bag of hammers if you think I enjoy us losing.
You morons can sit around and gripe all day long.
It won’t change the fact that Richt is our coach.
Do you not understand that?
I want Bobo demoted but it won’t happen.
I’m not going to waste my time complaining about something I have zero control over.
So stop going to games, stop contributing.
Otherwise, shutup and support the school and the kids.
vadawg
January 12th, 2012
9:10 am
coach grantham is the only coach to express his desire for a NC….have not heard or read where a UGA coach has said the words National Championship…..big picture goals lead to a championship!!! it is a mind set!!
Dogs Smell
January 12th, 2012
9:13 am
If Georgia is so wonderful , why is it Tennessee, Florida, Alabama , LSU Auburn all have a NC since the BCS but UGA doesnt? Did they all cheat? No its because georgia is what they are “Average”. No go beat a ranked team.
DawginLex
January 12th, 2012
9:46 am
dogs smell
If UGA is so lousy why does a UT troll spend his time bashing us?
Jealous that your program is crap now and we are on our way up?
virginia dog
January 12th, 2012
10:17 am
Boys … UGA is back. But just back to a top 15 program. Aaron Murray does not value the ball and Bobo is in over his head when we match up with teams that have the same level of talent.
After all … when was the last time a member of Richt’s staff was lured away?
Lowcountry Dawg
January 12th, 2012
10:21 am
Talent-wise, a top five team. It’s all about coaching now…
Dr. Morpheus
January 12th, 2012
10:27 am
Anyone recall seeing Stafford, Moreno, and Ellerbe on the cover of Sports Illustrated?