Oddsmaker likes Dawgs to win SEC East … and BCS!
Georgia's schedule has the Dawgs in early conversations about the BCS championship. (Associated Press)
So far, Mark Richt’s 2012 Dawgs are having a terrific silly season, that time of summer when all teams are undefeated and fans and prognosticators alike can go crazy with predictions.
Here’s a headline on the handicapping site Beyond the Bets sure to quicken a UGA fan’s pulse a beat or two: Who will win 2013 BCS national title? Our pick: the Georgia Bulldogs, currently a 19/1 long shot
At 19-to-1, Georgia has the seventh-best odds to win the national championship. Here are the reasons why BTB likes the Dawgs to do so: 1. They’re good. 2. Schedule 3. They can afford to lose a game.
Under the first reason, the site notes that quarterback Aaron Murray heads up a bunch of returning starters, the passing game should be among the nation’s best and “Georgia should finally have a running game to complement it.” Also, the defense, which returns 20 of 22 players on its depth chart, “will again be dominant and could be the best in the conference.”
They do note that “the offensive line will be the major concern, as the Bulldogs must replace both tackles and add depth along the interior. Nonetheless, they should have no trouble improving upon last year’s 10-win season.”
One of the main reasons why, BTB says, is the schedule, with Georgia again avoiding Alabama, LSU and Arkansas during the regular season. Says BTB: “Georgia will play seven games at home, four on the road and one — the annual matchup against Florida on Oct. 27 — at a neutral field. That’s as manageable a schedule as any you’ll find, particularly when you consider that they’ll be favored in three of the four road games — at Kentucky, Missouri and Auburn.”
BTB notes that the toughest game on Georgia’s schedule will come against South Carolina, which is the only game in which the Las Vegas oddsmakers haven’t installed the Dogs as a point-spread favorite. (The Gamecocks are favored by 3.)
But that brings us to their third reason: “Georgia is one of the few teams in the country that has the potential to lose a game and still appear in the national championship. Assuming the Bulldogs open the season in the top 10 as expected, they’ll likely rise as high as fifth or sixth prior to their big swing game against South Carolina on Oct. 6. If the Bulldogs lose, they’ll have two full months to climb back into the top 5 of the polls and should still have a chance to earn a second straight SEC East crown. With a win over LSU or Alabama in the SEC championship, Georgia will be in position to play for the national title.”
To bolster their case for the Dawgs, the BTB folks cite Saturday Down South, which has picked Georgia as “the safe bet” to again win the SEC East, with South Carolina and Florida as “sucker bets” to do so, noting that “The Bulldogs are one of the most talented teams in the country. I put them on the same talent level as LSU and even slightly ahead of Alabama.”
SDS also cites the talent level and the schedule, saying, “This is a huge year for Richt’s legacy, and I think Georgia puts it together and wins the East — and maybe more — in what could be a special year for Georgia football.”
Is that enough to get you pumped up for fall, or do you think the oddsmakers are underestimating Georgia’s task in rebuilding the offensive line and repairing its dismal special teams play? How do you feel about the upcoming season?
Got something you want to discuss concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
Find me on Facebook.
Follow me on Twitter.
— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
282 comments Add your comment
georgiasouthernalum
June 7th, 2012
6:02 am
everytime they pick UGA to do great they fall flat……2008 number 1 preseason..its the kiss of death for UGA
gtfanfrom1951
June 7th, 2012
6:20 am
1. Auburn has BVG = loss for UGA
2. loss to USC
3. loss to Mizzu
4. no SEC East
5. bowl loss again
6. no top 20
FLA DAWG
June 7th, 2012
6:54 am
The last time we were picked so high we stunk up the place.
Our schedule is about as easy as it could be for an SEC Team, the D should be strong but Murray still has no pass rush protection from the O Line, I’m still waiting for a bull of a fullback to block for a tailback who doesn’t fall at the first touch or takes himself out of a game……………………………….and then there’s Bobo and Richt………..
I’d love to see The Dawgs win The SEC and play and win The BCS but I think the odds are alot longer than 17 to 1.
Scorekeeper
June 7th, 2012
7:52 am
Results from the 2011-2012 season for the Big 3 men’s sports:
Football: UGA 1, GT 0
Basketball: GT 1, UGA 0
Baseball: GT 2, UGA 1
——————————-
Total: GT 3, UGA 2
In other words…
GEORGIA TECH RUNS THIS STATE!
A really bitter pill for leg humper fans to swallow!
Dawg Goneit
June 7th, 2012
7:52 am
With this schedule, I can see 10 easy wins. That’s about as good as it gets.
Dagny Taggart
June 7th, 2012
8:13 am
The biggest unknown is how many of Richt’s players will be arrested and suspended, fail drug tests, or suspended or dismissed for violating team rules. You can probably figure on at least 8-10 players being suspended for at least one game.
It’s the price Richt pays for recruiting low class trash.
Dawg Goneit
June 7th, 2012
8:20 am
Even if Richt manages to keep them on the field, he still has to worry about them getting a lead and quitting.
Can’t finish the drill.
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
8:34 am
Good heavens , am I the ONLY Georgia football fan commenting on the AJC blog that actually remembers what happened in 2008?
You folks actually believe that the results on the filed had more to do with thier preseason ranking than who actually ended up playing (or more to the point, NOT playing) certain positions on the filed. Thats your honest thought out opinion?
Mathew Watts
June 7th, 2012
8:34 am
I read this and I suddenly feel like I’m tiptoeing through a glass room with concrete shoes…. YIKES! Don’t jinx the jocks!
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
8:38 am
And you say “every time” ,as if you can make some logical point based on trends……. then can name one. Thats a mightly small sample size. But. yes I guess, “everytime” they went into the season ranks #1 by one of the polls, by percentage points over 4 other teams, they only finished #10 that year. Great analysis.
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
8:43 am
rancid pudding. Now that is funny, I don’t care who you are.
RTR15
June 7th, 2012
8:50 am
Alabama wins the west, blows out ga or south carolina–no big deal. This bama team–going for title #15! RTR!!!
minnesota dawg
June 7th, 2012
9:10 am
If Gerogia can win against Mizzou and South Carolina, it will make a lot of people start believing. God DAWGS!
OldFan
June 7th, 2012
9:10 am
I don’t know. Strange rationale at work here. UGA loads up on wins by playing a weak schedule. Loses to SC, but wins East because SC has tougher schedule. So the team that whips us is in turn beat by better teams we don’t play. All that means we’ll end up in the NC game. Ain’t life wonderful!
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
9:27 am
Yea, it’s pretty speculative, but at least the author gives his rationale. It makes a lot more sense that some of these “oh my goodness some columnist is talking good things about us, run and hide, because in another time, under a diffeernt circumstance, it didnt go exactly as planed” posts littering this thread.
Flo-Ri-Duh
June 7th, 2012
9:28 am
19 to 1 odds doesn’t sound that optimistic to me. Would you go all in with that?
Flo-Ri-Duh
June 7th, 2012
9:32 am
When UGA gets an OL than can run block then we can talk. Hopefully the freshman field goal kicker will be an upgrade over the one last year that missed 14 field goals.
Columbus Dawg
June 7th, 2012
9:36 am
Yeah, I see Harvey Teabagger has Alabama winning every game on it’s schedule from now till eternity. Same thing was said by Teabaggers every where in 2010. Idiot Bama folks from the third world country of America. I would not be so sure about beating UGA. Yeah, you finally won one against the Dawgs after four tries. Over confidence will prevail again for the Teabaggers. Most predictions put UGA in SEC game with LSU, but I sure hope it is Bama. Dawgs will shut the inbreds mouths.
Chris Mike
June 7th, 2012
9:38 am
First, if you are not a dawg fan fan please don’t post anything. The dawgs will go as far as Aaron Murray leads them. In critical games this guy folds up. He is subperb against less talent opponents. We bairley won against Fl last year. We should have blown them out. He is a very unpredicable QB up under pressure. I’m seeing a two lost this season: SC and SEC west champs. That is been a realistic fan.
Austin Dawg
June 7th, 2012
10:02 am
Similar to the off season when SI picked us pre-season number one. Stafford and Moreno on the cover. The SEC writers got it right and picked Florida instead. One difference in our favor this year is our defense now is much better than that defense, but the OL issues remain. Lack of experience and depth. Giving Murray time and opening holes for our deep RB core will be the key to the season. And, as always, avoiding injuries.
Dogs>lsu
June 7th, 2012
10:28 am
this year, the dogs will beat lsu in the sec title game. the dogs will be a lot better and lsu lost a bunch of stars.
tireddawg
June 7th, 2012
10:35 am
Richt is still our coach right? 9-3, backdoor into East and then killed in SEC
John
June 7th, 2012
10:40 am
This happens every few years with Richt. The team overacheives a little bit one season and returns alot of starters. Then they are hyped for months and months only to have disappointing season. You can’t teach heart and hunger which are two things UGA players talk about but never back up. My prediction: UGA loses 3 games and Richt’s seat is a little warm because of the disappointing season with a weak schedule. People forget that UGA lost to EVERY decent team they played. Give me one game in 3 years where UGA has beaten a team ranked higher than them. I can’t really think of one.
DAWG66
June 7th, 2012
11:02 am
I’m for keeping our mouth shut, calmly going into each game one at a time like it’s do or die, take out our big stick, womp ass, and then mabe we could really celebrate.
UGA alumnus here
June 7th, 2012
11:04 am
UGA has to go throught the summer without losing key players or seeing some key men split. It is a totally different attitude among these young men vs when I attended UGA. Time will tell.
So called easy schedule or not ……………………UGA must win out to really impress me or lose only one game and go all the way to the SECG and win and let them chips fall where they may.
I see a 10-2 thing with UGA and that is it. Capital One Bowl or maybe Cotton. If they end up in Janaury 13 around # 5 or 6 or 7, that is as good as we can expect at UGA with our drug enforcement policy and academics. We are not Harvard but for sure we are not UT or LSU or Alabama or Auburn and that is that.
UGA class of 71 & 73
TimmyTwoShoes
June 7th, 2012
11:08 am
Headline reads “Oddsmaker likes Dawgs to win SEC East … and BCS!”. Having the seventh best odds to win the BCS is not having the odds makers “like” you. The odds makers “like” you behind 6 other teams. Unless I’m misinformed and the BCS is pitting #1 vs. #7 this year, I would tone down the enthusiasm once again, UGA fans. By now, I would hope you would’ve learned that failing to live up to unreasonable expectations is more destructive than reaching achievable goals, like winning the SEC East.
LTownDog
June 7th, 2012
11:46 am
This dawg team is for real—the roster is loaded with talent and with florida down again, the dawgs should win the sec east easy! The Dawgs should beat alabama for the championship and play in a big bowl game!
Spike 80DF
June 7th, 2012
12:09 pm
the Dawgs better win this year b/c the whole team (except Murray) will be in the NFL this time next year…..
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
12:30 pm
I understand that headlines have the function of grabbing attention and evoking maximun discussion (in some of our fans cases, cause them to wet thier pants)……but this one seems factually incorrect to me.
How is an oddmaker picking the Dawgs? Isn’t it more accurate to say that a betting website is picking the Dawgs, depite the odds (determined by some other actual “oddsmaker”). Or is this guy placing the odds at 19-1 for his pick to win it? “This is my choice, But I am placing the mathematically probability that I am wrong fairly high” That doesn;t make sense.
OR, Did he also pick the 15-1 odds team, and pick the 5-1 team? Did he pose the reasons why he is picking literally 10 or so that “could”? thats not how I read it.
Dawg Tired
June 7th, 2012
12:57 pm
Missouri game is more scary to me than the South Carolina game. Too many starters suspended for the Missouri game.
harold
June 7th, 2012
1:00 pm
UGA PLAYS LIKE 1 TEAM IN THE TOP 20. IF RICHT CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH THIS SCHEDULE AND HIS TALENT——–UGA SHOULD FIRE HIM.
THIS SCHEDULE IS A CAKEWALK!
sc fan
June 7th, 2012
1:25 pm
all the references to 2008. please refresh my feeble memory.
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
1:32 pm
AH, so NOW harold it’s your opponents ranking before the season. June-Preseason actually in your mind I guess. I thought it only mattered if they ended up ranked at the end of the season.
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
1:36 pm
sc fan, if you forget a year in the past, it’s a pretty safe bet to just go with the default that your team didn’t do so well.
Remember
June 7th, 2012
1:38 pm
Am I really the only one that remembers the amazing schedules that UF strung together a few years back while UGA was consistently getting voted in the top 5 hardest schedules? We’re not on that easy level yet but well on our way and I don’t mind. Not so harder but better, faster, stronger! Go Dawgs!
PS. Twist it however you may try but it’s still 10&1. We run this state!
Buckeye
June 7th, 2012
1:44 pm
Believe the hype, dogs. That way, the inevitable fall will be faster and I will laugh harder!
7576DAWG
June 7th, 2012
1:59 pm
I don’t like the fact that a lot of fans and therefore a lot of the players think that we will have any cakewalks or that we have a cupcake schedule. When the team and coaches constantly hear how easy another team should be , that’s when the game ends up being lost or barely won. Yes we have a few games with division 2 teams but these teams are very good and can be lost but I will agree very unlikely.
What I want the players and fans to change is their mindset that every game is not a serious part of the entire season. I want Richt to play hard for the entire game. How many times have we been killing a team at half time to barely win or even lose because we took the pressure off and the starters could get their intensity back up. If Richt and the players will do that one thing at the end of the season they won’t have any regrets for letting one or two get away. They will know they gave it their all and if we get beat then so be it and give the other team credit for being better.
GATiger
June 7th, 2012
2:11 pm
Pretty strong Kool-Aid they’re serving in Athens and Atlanta these days. All these rosie-eyed prognosticators are betting on skating through a weak schedule (they obviously believe USC, UF and AU will be weak) and getting up for the SECCG. Consider this. That “awesome” defense you’re counting on stopped nobody last year, and that was with Boykin and Rambo, who were grossly overrated. Watch Hilliard run over Boykin, Mathieu fake Rambo out of his jock and Blue run past both of them in last years SECCG for reference. Further, Richt has never embraced the holy grail of SEC football: running the ball. Your OL is weak and you don’t have enough quality RBs.
SteveDawgfan
June 7th, 2012
2:36 pm
Is Bobo gone?!! Did I miss something? When did he get fired? I missed it. That is great we can go all the….oh wait he is still there. Still our OC? Oh well then no chance in Hail that dog wont hunt. Shoot I was really excited there for a minute.
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
2:36 pm
7675, the fans get to sit back and repeat what someboduy else said. The player pour thier sweat out there in preparation, and I am positive they do not look at this schedule as “cupcake”.
Ga Tiger was that a test to see how many worn out cliche’s you could cram into one post, disguised as having an opinion?
sc fan
June 7th, 2012
3:27 pm
altahama dog, i was not digging at uga. usc has always had a mediocre team. that does not mean that i can’t interested to know why people on your site mention 2008.
cdog
June 7th, 2012
3:30 pm
ha, ha, ha,ha. i don’t think so. not with richt as the coach and that stupid, losing quarterback, aaron murray. only if they’re not there.
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
3:35 pm
well darn, don’t go all serious on me. I’m going to stick with my dig at you just for practical purposes.
DawgD
June 7th, 2012
4:11 pm
with ga’s easy schedule and a loaded roster, they will win the SEC—take it to the bank!
Yellow Fuzz
June 7th, 2012
4:20 pm
sounds like another preseason national championship to me
GATiger
June 7th, 2012
4:34 pm
AltamahaDawg, why don’t you try to concentrate on what I wrote rather than the way I wrote it. I’m an older man. Cliches were popular in my time.
AltamahaDawg
June 7th, 2012
5:34 pm
I did read the what.I got it. You made fun of some of our players, don’t like our team, and running the ball is important . Like I said, when it comes to content…that was a lot of pretense.
Thanks.
Cdpridg
June 7th, 2012
7:11 pm
Yellowfuzz…..least many in the natl media respect enough of the Georgia program to make those preseason predictions….what do they say about tech………Nothing…..average team playing in a bad conference….any other conf in America….you win 4 or 5 a year…..you know the Citadel…Midd Tenn etc…first 3 or 4 cupcakes u sched every year
BiggDawgK
June 7th, 2012
7:17 pm
I think we have purged most of the bad kids which is important. We still have another year with a President who thinks catching college kids acting like college kids makes him a hero so there is always that pitfall but I certainly like our chances at coming close to running the table i.e. winning all of our games.
If we win at Mizou in what will arguably be one of if not the biggest games in Mizou’s history Georgia will have a huge boost in confidence and momentum. As long as they don’t look past anyone and play close to their level of ability we should easily be in the SEC Championship game. Win there and the Dawgs will get a chance to prove good guys do win it all sometimes.
Dawgbreath
June 7th, 2012
8:27 pm
Got a feeling Spurrier whips us and only loses to LSU, giving them the east.