A year ago Sports Illustrated, like pretty much everyone else, ranked Georgia No. 1. This year the venerable magazine has the Bulldogs No. 15, three spots behind Georgia Tech. And I saw that yesterday and said to myself, “That’s pretty darn close.”
The USA Today coaches’ poll was released last week, and it surprised me. Georgia was No. 13, two places ahead of the Jackets. And that, you should know, made me go, “Hmmm.”
Flying home from the Capital One Bowl, I did a back-of-the-envelope estimate and guessed, without Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, Georgia would be ranked No. 21 to Tech’s No. 9, but I realize now I might have been suffering from jet lag. (Yeah, I know. Orlando’s in the same time zone. But it’s only excuse I can find.) I probably had Tech a tad too high and definitely had Georgia too low.
Were I doing the same computations today, I’d put Tech No. 10 — I think this is a Top 10 team that will win the ACC and play in the Orange Bowl – and Georgia No. 15. I think the Bulldogs will lose four games, each to a team SI ranks above them, but no more. So that’d be, in my mind, a good 8-4 season. (I know from the tenor of your response many among you don’t feel there’s any such thing.)
I also agree with SI’s choice for No. 2 — Texas. (In fact, I see Texas, which was also No. 2 in the coaches’ poll, beating Florida in the BCS title game.) I think the magazine has Virginia Tech and Ole Miss way too high at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, and Alabama a bit elevated at No. 8, but other than that I have no real disagreement. But I do have a mathematical quibble:
SI has both Tech and Georgia finishing 9-3 and second in their respective divisions. (Tech to Virginia Tech, Georgia to guess who.) The magazine also has Georgia going 5-3 in SEC play, which would mean finishing unbeaten against non-conference opponents. Which would mean beating Tech. But if Tech and Georgia both go 9-3 and the Bulldogs win at Bobby Dodd Stadium, shouldn’t they be ranked higher?
The magazine also has Oklahoma State, which it ranks No. 7 in the land, going unbeaten in non-conference play. Both things cannot happen. Either Georgia or OSU must lose Sept. 5 in Stillwater. And with that I’ll step aside, mindful always of what Agent Mulder once told his winsome partner:
“Nobody likes a math geek, Scully.”
304 comments Add your comment
Speak Easy
August 14th, 2009
8:17 pm
JaxDawg, I am a little confused. You say that because you follow UGA so well you know that they will be better becuase of the guys returning and the younger players. I understand this and think that UGA will be a good team this year like they always are. But then you say GT has a lot to prove. Doesn’t everybody at the beginning of every year? Since you think that UGA will be so good because of returning guys and young players wouldn’t it be safe to say that GT will be very good since they return pretty much everybody on the offensive side which was a major force to be reckoned with last year especially the last part of the regular season. And the D returns everybody except the 3 DL’s but if you know the team you know that there was an extreme amount of rotating last year and Michael Johnson was perhaps the most overrated player in the country last year. Then you say that GT could have easily had a lot worse of a record last year but cant the same be said for UGA? Especially when you have the Auburn, UK, and South Carolina games all decided by less than a touchdown. This article is in no way a cut down or mockery of you at all. All I am trying to figure out is why you feel that GT has so much to prove and dont you think that the argument about a team haveing a worse record than they did the previous year applies to any team? Why do u just feel GT has these issues?
Speak Easy
August 14th, 2009
8:23 pm
Oh and yes GT was dominated by UNC if you only look at the score but GT did have over 400 yards of net offense in that game. What killed them in that game and all year were the turnovers. I just dont see as many turnovers in the second year of this offense so wouldn’t it be safe to say that those close games turn into a bigger margin of victory and the close losses which GT also had a couple of last year turn into wins. My personal prediction is that GT wins 10+ games this year so lets hear it JaxDawg and all UGA fans how do u feel?
Mike T.
August 14th, 2009
9:52 pm
Stafford was not the 2nd coming of Jesus, Greene, Zeir, or Tarkenton. He had 2 (Auburn ‘06, UF ‘07) big wins
Alabama 07 duh!
BruffDawg
August 14th, 2009
9:55 pm
I feel great. I have a senior qb who has not lost a game. A strong o-line, and two of the best d-linemen in the country. A gamebreaking WR, and a nfl caliber safety. One of the best linebackers in the nation to lead the d, and senior leadership from the qb position. A coach with one of the best winning records in the country along with multiple bowl wins (and multiple bcs victories). One of the best recruiting classes in the nation (again). A team thirsty to prove itself (not one who is just satisfied with a bowl appearence last year). Oh and the support of almost 100,000 screaming fans every saturday. I’d say we got a little bit going for us, but I am an eternal optimist when it comes to the dawgs. It comes from averaging ten wins a year with your current coach.
Mike T.
August 14th, 2009
9:55 pm
You can attempt to write 45-42 off as a fluke,…but what you need to be doing is figuring out why you flat quit in the 3rd quarter when you got punched in the mouth.
We had that figured out by Jan 1.
Matter of fact, if we played Tech the way we played Michigan St. it would have been eight in a row.
Mike T.
August 14th, 2009
9:59 pm
it’s a whole new deal with Coach Johnson on the scene
Notre Dame lurks
Sanford Drive
August 14th, 2009
10:07 pm
Tampa Gator,
I wasn’t aware you actually played at UF.
Mike T.
August 14th, 2009
10:13 pm
Or do you need another 49 pt beatdown?
You haven’t forgot about the 42 points the year before?
SoCal Dawg
August 15th, 2009
12:14 am
Bradley is a moron!
Brent S.
August 15th, 2009
1:56 am
It’s so funny how Atlanta sports media, as well as National sports media are so IN BED with UGA. Yes, UGA has done very well under Coach Richt (the ONLY thing from UGA I can actually stand). However, you have to keep something in mind when it comes to comparing UGA to Tech, especially over the last seven seasons, excluding 2008. When Coach Richt was hired at UGA, George O’ Leary was in his last year at Tech. The next year “Choke” Gailey was UNFORTUNATELY hired at Tech. The unnoticed fact of the matter is that Coach Richt took UGA six years AHEAD in their football program, while “Choke” Gailey took Tech six years BACK. Furthermore, Paul Johnson was dealt “Choke” Gailey’s roster, and to show case the difference a GOOD coach makes, Paul Johnson did with Gailey’s player’s, what Gailey couldn’t do; WIN GAMES YOUR SUPPOSED TO!! Coach Johnson said last year, “Good teams don’t lose two in a row”. That did not happen at all last year for Tech. If Tech lost one, they would come back and win at least two more. So in summary, Coach Johnson has brought Tech’s football program to where it should have been back in 2002 (when Gailey was hired). Thankfully now, Tech can FINALLY move in the direction we should have been in for the past seven years–winning championships!!
biggbuzz
August 15th, 2009
2:52 am
the nutlickers just keep forgetting that Chan is coaching in the NfL and Reggie is working @Mcdonalds with all the Ga grads.
Dawg Props
August 15th, 2009
6:04 am
No question about it–the dawgs are back in 2009! They will have the best oline in the SEC, a much better D and a stronger running game. Tech got exposed by lsu and will be lucky to win 8 game. Ga beats tech easy this year and richt runs it up late to really pour it on!!! Dawgs 44 Tech 21. Fantasyland is over for the bugs!!!
GM
August 15th, 2009
9:44 am
Wondering how the Dawgs lose there best players and get better this year. Not seeing it.
Big Dawg
August 15th, 2009
9:50 am
Losing Moreno for Georgia was big, but Staffoed leaving will help as Cox will be more consistent. As for the RB situation it looks like that won’t be a problem as it appears that Samuels has arrived and Carlton Thomas has that “IT” factor. Anyway Georgia’s season depends on defense as it always does and if we stay healthy IMHO they are going to surprise and I expect a 11-1 regular season and a big win over the Gators. Anyway this is my opinion and anything can happen.
Go Dawgs
DawgFan
August 15th, 2009
12:40 pm
MikeT, you say that like we beat MSU bad. We didn’t look too hot in that game. We just had a couple of big plays, but that was a 17-12 game late before we scored in the final minutes….and GT was better than MSU. That is why we played better against MSU. Why can’t some of you just admit that GT will be much better under Johnson and they will not be an easy win anymore…and there was about three years in a row where it wasn’t easy…and please don’t rag UF fans about a win in 07 WHEN THEY BEAT THE HELL OUT OF US IN 2008…That really makes you look bad
DogProps, you need some help if you believe all that crap
GM, I agree. I love the Dawgs and hope they go 14-0 and win the NC, but these people who say we will be better are simply delusional. You just have to realize that the majority of fans will never be honest with themselves and that goes for fans of everyschool. The way I see it is simple. We lost the #1 overall draft pick to the NFL so I don’t care what anyone says, that is a HUGE dropoff. Cox will not come close to number 1 overall. If he was a better leader and more accurate, he would have started. I am not saying he isn’t good, but he isn’t better like some make themselves believe. Same goes for replacing Moreno. I understand that King was the next best thing, but he didn’t impress me last year and has already been beaten out by Samuels and once again, had Samuels been better, he would have taken more than 20+ carries away from Moreno. That is a fact…NOT an opinion. Our oline will be better so that will definitely help him, but it he still will be a dropoff. Replacing MoMass is the same thing, Southerland is the same, and although Tripp was never any good to me, that says a lot about the backups. He was yanked and then put right back in once CMR realized we had NOBODY that was better. They may turn out to be better over the long haul, but there is no reason to believe that we will be better right now at those positions because there is nothing we have seen to make us believe that. Again, I understand that we have a lot of talent and highly recruited guys, but until they prove themselves, I find it hard to believe that we lose the #1 pick, #12 pick, Sr WR draft pick, Sr FB, and Sr TE without missing a beat on offense. That is just me. We also lost our best corner on a secondary that wasn’t that good and we get ZERO pass rush….oh well, I will not be disappointed
Big Dawg, How do you know that Cox will be more consistent? Are you really suggesting that we will be BETTER at qb after losing the NUMBER ONE OVERALL DRAFT PICK? If so, you are crazy! As I said above, same goes for replacing Moreno. Samuels had 26 carries last year I believe. If he was so special, he would have seen many more carries than he did to keep Moreno fresh….and save it on Thomas until he actually plays in a game….and how in the hell would you know if he has the “it” factor without playing a damn game? You are right though. Anything can happen, but if you are “expecting a 11-1 reg season, you WILL be disappointed no later than week 5! Remember that I tried to warn you.
Big Dawg
August 15th, 2009
4:08 pm
DawgFan
First off it is my opinion just like you have yours. My opinion happens to be based on inside information and knowledge of the game gained through playing from the time I was seven years old all the way to college- UGA. The reason I believe Cox will be more consistent is because Stafford even though he has great talent at times got pass happy and would check out of plays and throw us out of sink which cost us big time. As for Moreno I agree he will be hard to replace and said when he was a freshman, you can check it out on Chip Towers old blogs, that Richt was making a very big mistake not playing him, once again inside information, but you should be aware that Carlton Thomas happens to be in the same mold as Moreno, Special, and IMHO if he stays healthy we will be fine at RB. As for Samuels you do understand that he is only 17 years old and will only get better, as he is a great talent as well, plus at 6′2″ he has the size to run inside. I agree with you on Southerland being a great player but once again you forgot that he played very little last year due to injury and I believe Shawn Chappas came into his own last year. As for TE, my friends on Georgia’s staff tell me that we have 4 NFL caliber TEs at Georgia this year and the talk is that Charles has greatness written all over him. Plus I haven’t even spoken about our D which if we don’t get devastated by injuries again, like last year, will be much improved. So calling me crazy IMHO is out of line and uncalled for and as for being disappointed if my Dawgs don’t go 11-1 or better. Yes you are right about that, as I would be disappointed but only God knows at this point what will happen. Last year we should have won a NC but injuries upon injuries prevented that and we had a lot of players get valuable playing time as a result which can only help with our depth. Anyway chill out and enjoy what promises to be an exciting and at times surprising year.
Go Dawgs
TheItalianDawg
August 15th, 2009
7:22 pm
Oklahoma St 45 UGA 3,
I despise Oklahoma not only because you are always overrated but also you are not shy of running up the score!! shame on you. no wonder you get spanked whenever you play SEC teams! If Oklahoma in the SEC you will be probably 6th best team. before you open your mouth and get any respect win your bowl game first
MDdawgfan
August 16th, 2009
1:16 am
Difficulty of schedule and the losses of Stafford, Moreno and Massaquoi obviously make this season very challenging. Returning Owens and Sturdivant helps a good bit.
But — the biggest factor remains the defense, particularly in the areas of rushing TDs and penalties for first down. If you look at the top 100 defenses in the country in 2008, only 1 team (Central Michigan) allowed more rushing TDs than UGa! In the SEC, Bama – 5, UT – 6, UF – 9, Ole Miss – 9, Auburn – 7. Georgia allowed 24 rushing TDs, And it’s not like we scare opposing teams with our pass defense, either. With Asher gone, I think our secondary is likely to get picked on more.
It was worse for penalties. We were the 3rd most penalized team in the nation (out of 119), and had the 4th highest per game average.
I would take 9 wins and run with it if I could. With our schedule and WM running the defense, I just have a hard time seeing better than 8-4 (or 7-5, ouch).
The Other Saint Simons
August 16th, 2009
7:17 am
Saint Simons, I need my Benz waxed…do you think you will have time in between cleaning the grease traps at the Crab Trap and making biscuits at Chic Fil A?
GM
August 16th, 2009
8:12 am
Stafford looked pretty good yesterday. From what I am hearing though, Cox ahould have turned pro this year because he is so much better than Stafford, and everybody knows it. Cox must have gotten some bad advice, staying in school.
realistictechfan
August 16th, 2009
1:00 pm
Tech is setting themselves up for a fall. After every practice, coach johnson brings up the lack of effort. Tech obviously doesn’t have the best athletes in the nation and the only way a team like that becomes championship caliber is with hard work. I think the players are undeservingly arrogant and are in for a long season. There’s definitely somebody out there working harder than them.
satchelbuzz
August 16th, 2009
1:37 pm
Mike T…….Props for the victory over Michigan State. Good win over a mid-level Big 10 squad. Whatever gets you through the night.
Long Dawg
August 16th, 2009
4:37 pm
Dawg Fan, with fans like you who needs tech fans? Actually you sound like a tech fan in disguise. Nevertheless, I agree with big Dawg and my sources support his opinion. We we win 11 games? I don’t know but we will be a much better team than last year. We will actually have equal to or better than talent/experience in 19 of 22 positions. We have more true freshmen with the talent to contribute than any freshman class in Ga history. It is gonna be a fun season to watch.
Jerald Holcombe
August 16th, 2009
4:50 pm
How is it that someone from Oklahoma can refer to us as hillbillies?
Jerald Holcombe
August 16th, 2009
5:03 pm
Too much is being made of losing the overall top draft pick in Stafford. Can anyone remember Stafford completing a deep pass last year. By the same token, how many deep passes were way off the mark? Fact is that Stafford has yet to show that he has any touch on going deep. And don’t sell Joe Cox short. He is a fighter and winner in the same mold as John Lastinger. Lastinger was not thought to be a great qb, but all he did was win.
Jim
August 16th, 2009
6:22 pm
Does is really make a hill of beans what these polls say? It’s all just part of the hype game. I still think each team should enter the season ranked according to their final ranking from last year and defend that position. I am looking forward to this year and time will tell how good UGA will be. A good showing against Ok State will set the stage toward a good season. The key will be in stopping the run. Tech wasn’t the only team that ran all over us. Remember what WV and AL did. While I never jumped on the bandwagon to have Willy’s head, I have to agree that if we get burnt like we have too many times in the past that maybe CMR needs to have a long talk with that boy.
I thought Matt Stafford looked pretty good against the Falcons. His butter fingered receiver reminded me of Chandler. The pick was a bitter sweet thing to see. DJ looked pretty good to but John Parker Wilson may give him a run for his money.
dan
August 16th, 2009
6:35 pm
I think Tech will be about 8-4. I’m not sipping the cool aid of them being 10-2. When Tech has the momentum and the offense gets on a roll it’s great. But if you mess up their timing, they’re mediocre at best. If a team gets on top of Tech by 14 points, they’ll have a hard time coming back unless the other teams chokes it way like UGA did. I say 8-4 UGA, and 8-4 Tech.
Mystank E. Turban
August 16th, 2009
7:22 pm
I was hoping Tech would be ranked #1. We need to be number one in something other than free scholarships to Arabs.
GM
August 16th, 2009
8:59 pm
I think Tech needs to expand the offense to be successful (passing, new wrinkles to the running game, screens etc). If we try to do the same thing, or the players adopt the idea they are already good, then it will be mediocre, 7-5, 8-4 ish. I’m sure PJ is aware of this, and if he can get them to work hard and be hungry, then better things are possible. I’m concerned with PJ comments about lack of intensity though. Either way, it will be fun and interesting as a Tech fan this year.
Not Disappointed
August 16th, 2009
11:32 pm
Jackets will be ready! Ramblin Wreck!
Greg's boss
August 17th, 2009
11:55 am
another generous pre season ranking for the Dawgs. They will not finish the season ranked this year. There best shot was last year and what happened? Alabama dominated them in the first half which made a 2nd half comeback almost impossible, and Florida flat out embarrased them 49-10. They squeaked by South Carolina, Kentucky, and Auburn. A loss to an average Tech team finished up the regular season. Yeah
DawgFan
August 17th, 2009
4:21 pm
LongDawg, I don’t care about inside information. I care about what theydo on thefield and as of right now, NO FRESHMAN has done anything so you keep thinking we will be better or equal replacing all of those highly drafted seniors with freshman…..and I could really care less if you think I am a Techfan. I have been a Dawg long enough to know that if I say something that isn’t what the rest of you want to hear, you guys like saying…”oh, you ain’t a real fan”…I guess that makes you guys feel better or something I don’t know
Jerald, you are probably the same one who was here theprevious three years telling everyone how Stafford was the greatest qb ever. Why cant you guys just admit that we had a great qb and he left and it WILL be a downgrade? IT ISN”T HARD!!!!!!!!!!!! If Cox was the better college qb, Ricth would have started him. Period!
Turban, you are one pathetic POS and you can save your racist crap for your buddies, cause we aren’t all like you. I don’t care what you say, while your redneck ass is sitting in your 1973 FOrd pickup drinking your natural light and moonshine, those “arabs” are getting their education and then you probably complain that they were given the chance. Get a life
Ryan
August 17th, 2009
5:01 pm
I like where Tech is ranked (not just because I’m a biased Tech fan) but GT has not lived up to high expectations in a long time and this will be a huge early test for CPJ and the program. Over the past 7-8 years, especially during the Gailey era, every time we’d hit a streak or gained a little confidence, we bite the proverbial big one against a seeming non-competitor (Duke, UNC, Virginia… it happened again with LSU). Proving the attitude has really changed within the program will win over a lot of the unconverted.
Re: Oklahoma St 45 UGA 3
August 18th, 2009
7:56 am
Oklahoma St 45 UGA 3
August 13th, 2009
2:56 pm
I’m a Sooner’s fan living in Atlanta, sick and tired of the UGA fans thinking football was invented in Athens. How many national titles has UGA won? How many has Oklahoma?
If I were in Sooner country I would expect to hear the same thing. To simply ask a loaded question how many titles has UGA won compared to Oklahoma means the same mentality has creeped in as Dawg fan’s. Furthermore, we love our team and are deprived of the same success Oklahoma has had. If I were a Sooner I would belive football was invented there.
Re: Mark
August 18th, 2009
7:57 am
Mark Bradley
August 13th, 2009
11:52 pm
DawgFan, I misremembered. Tech is returning 17 starters — nine on offense, eight on defense. This from Sports Illustrated’s preview, which I’m still thumbing through
FLDAWG
August 18th, 2009
9:40 am
Wow, you guys get fired up about nothing.
Kelly's a Dawg
August 18th, 2009
1:38 pm
“GA TECH – Full Steam Ahead”
Ha. Wow, nice slogan. Too bad LSU made a “how to destroy the Tech offense” video last season at the bowl game, even with it’s struggling defense. I imagine the Dawg’s defense has had enough time to learn from it’s mistakes at the last meeting. And everyone will study how to shut down Tech’s offense for the rest of this season. So good luck to all you “Rambling Wreckers.”
PS > St. Simons…hehehehehehe congrats on your one win every blue moon. Now check the record books…Dawgs still own you geeks.
GT311
August 18th, 2009
4:25 pm
I can’t see Georgia winning more than 8 games this year. GT will smoke them on the FLATS by 20+ and UGA will continue to blame everything else except that they suck! BTW Alabama is also going to get CRUSHED by VT so the ACC will be 1 and 0 against the SEC to start the season.
Trade School Junkie
August 18th, 2009
4:31 pm
All you fleabags are gonna like this link, especially the Junkyard Blawb himself.
http://www.newsok.com/jenni-carlson-t.-boone-pickens-expecting-big-time-return/article/3393581?custom_click=lead_story_title
Fleabags are gonna get D-R-I-L-L-E-D in Stillwater.
Its not a question of whether OKST is gonna win. They are.
Its now only a question of the margin of victory.
Given whats at stake for HC Gundy, the OKST program, and OKST’s BCS rankings, it wouldnt surprise me at all if OKST ran-up score.
So, something like, OKST:56 GA:23 wouldn’t surprise me at all.
macrotech
August 18th, 2009
10:19 pm
lamar, you were great in revenge of the nerds!
macrotech
August 18th, 2009
10:31 pm
DawgFan, I appreciate your reasonble posture! If the dawgs can get two thirds of the production lost to the nfl draft, then they’ll be a tough team to reckon with….however, this is something the dawg fans should hope for and not expect. I have no problem with Tech and UGA being undefeated come November….you’ll be pullin’ for the dawgs and I’ll be pullin’ for Tech….I’d gladly buy you a beer! Best of luck to you and yours! GO TECH!
ap
August 18th, 2009
11:47 pm
uga needs to stop worrying about tech and worry about ok state PJ only cares about jack st nothing else. Mike Smith for the falcons only cares about miami right now, the minute you look past an opponent Appalachain state comes into your house and makes you look PAHTHETIC
Chuck Uga
August 19th, 2009
12:43 am
Hey Oklahoma fan (idiot), you live in Atlanta. GEORGIA. If you don’t want to hear from UGA fans in Atlanta. Delta is ready when you are. There is plenty of real estate for sale in OKLAHOMA for you to move back. What a complete moron.
red5.ws
August 19th, 2009
8:45 am
Hey OU fan, you have those national titles because you played in a nothing conference. Had you been in the SEC all those years, you might have 1.
Hedgepruner
August 19th, 2009
11:51 am
The SEC outranks the ACC every year in recruiting, hands down. Yet, over the past three years, the ACC has put more players in the NFL than any other conference by a fair amount. Case in point – Wake Forrest. Their 2005 class was ranked #81 overall. They sent 7 of 11 players to the NFL from that class. Curry was a 2-star “nerd” who was picked fourth overall and projected as the best player in the draft – period. Tell me how exact of a science this recruiting ranking thing is?
I’m not saying that talent is irrelevant; I’m saying that recruiting rankings are irrelevant
Kelly's a fat hooker
August 19th, 2009
3:07 pm
Yep
Robert Fitzhugh Lee
August 19th, 2009
5:49 pm
Transcript of Navy Head Football Coach Paul Johnson’s Press on Sep 17, 2007:
Wagner: I was talking to a Navy fan and he said he follows the coverage and that he noticed something and I’m just going to put it to you. He says that it seems like when Navy loses you blame the players, ie we can’t execute fundamental plays, but that the success of the team the last four years has been attributed to brilliant coaching. How do you respond to that?
Johnson: Whatever he thinks. I don’t go down to McDonald’s and start second-guessing his job so he ought to leave me alone.
Wagner: But do you feel like it can’t be both ways?
Johnson: You know what? I could care less. I’m old enough where I could give a crap what the fans think or what you think to put it in a nutshell.
Wagner: Wins and losses are evenly distributed as far as credit and blame, right?
Johnson: If you could ever find one time that I said we won the game because of brilliant strategy I will kiss your butt at city dock and give you two days to draw a crowd. Find it and bring it to me. Tell that guy that if he wants to talk to me I live at (address given but deleted for the transcript) I will be right there. Come ring my doorbell and I will be glad to talk to him.
Timus
August 20th, 2009
9:44 am
Bulldog nation is apparently a nation of dreamers. The dawgs are gonna get spanked like redhead stepchildren all season long and when they play Tech it’s going to be down right child abuse!!
wreckmaniac
August 22nd, 2009
10:35 pm
Tech needs to(and will) rise to the point where the whole season is not dependent on a win over UGA.
wreckmaniac
August 22nd, 2009
10:37 pm
RE LEE: What is the point of your email ?