Glass-half-full dept.: How UGA might still win the SEC East
"Over? Nothing's over until we SAY it's over! Who's with me?" (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Having spent the week hammering Mark Richt and Georgia, doing everything from crunching numbers to imagining the worst that could happen, it seems only fair to offer a corresponding best-case-scenario. Here goes:
The Bulldogs could win the SEC East.
I know, I know. They haven’t yet won a conference game, and they surely won’t be favored to beat either Florida or Auburn. (And Kentucky looks like a toss-up.) But it’s conceivable Georgia could finish 5-3 in the SEC, and that might — might, I said — enable them to take the division. Here’s how it would work:
Step 1: Georgia wins out. (Duh.)
Step 2: South Carolina, which has already beaten Georgia and lost to Auburn, loses to Alabama on Saturday, to Arkansas on Nov. 6 and to Florida the week after.
Step 3: Florida, which has lost to Alabama, loses to LSU on Saturday and to Georgia on Oct. 30.
That would leave Georgia and Florida at 5-3 in league play, with Georgia holding the tiebreaker because of its head-to-head victory, and South Carolina at 4-4. (At this early date there seems no sense in discussing how a three-way tie might be broken. Nor does there seem a need to assume any of the above will lose to Vanderbilt.)
Among the things Georgia had going for it this season was this basic bit of logistics: It wasn’t scheduled to play Alabama, and both Florida and South Carolina were. That still holds. And Georgia does get the three Eastern lesser lights — Tennessee, Vandy and Kentucky — in a row. (So does South Carolina, but two of those games are on the road. The Bulldogs get both the Vols and Commodores in Athens.)
There’s a chance Georgia could go to Jacksonville at 3-3 in league play, and if you get to 3-3 there’s at least a mathematical possibility of finishing 5-3. And 5-3 might just win the division, provided South Carolina finishes 4-4. Which could yet happen.
Understand: I didn’t pick Georgia to win the East — I picked UGA third, behind Florida and being shaded for second by South Carolina — and I’m not picking it now. But if I’m going to imagine the horror that might be unleashed if the Bulldogs lose to Derek Dooley’s team, I might as well be even-handed. As lousy as this season has been, there’s still a chance something really good could come of it.
A chance, I said. A chance.
(Oh, and if Georgia loses Saturday, forget I mentioned this.)
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647 comments Add your comment
Dogs Smell
October 7th, 2010
10:38 am
Classless jerks? Im noy a Bama fan but thats the pot calling the kettle Black. Before Saban came to Bama , we had The Bear , enough said on that ! How many NC does Bama have and how many does Ga have ? You had Dooley who gave you 1 NC . That is why YOU are what you are ! A nobody that thinks higher of yourselves than anyone else in the country does !
Bambino
October 7th, 2010
10:39 am
Instead of posing naked, perhaps Herschel Walker should put on the red panties to help “REVERSE THE CURSE” on UGA sparked by Courtney’s unmentionables.
Dogs Smell
October 7th, 2010
10:40 am
The Ohio State Buckeye – What is your teams record against The SEC ? You might wanna look that one up . OSU gets respect because they win. They win over teams that othgers would schedule in the SEC for homecoming !
Shankit
October 7th, 2010
10:40 am
I love Saban’s remark to the Southern reporter,
who dogged him with a repeat question,
“Did I stutter, I guess I need to go back to
West Virginia and learn to speak hillbilly to
coach down here.”
You Bama fans need to attend speech class
and talk like a Buckeye.
Saban is all class???
Just Sayin'
October 7th, 2010
10:41 am
What do worms and Tide fans have in common? Both can survive on a dead bear for over 30 years.
SadDawg
October 7th, 2010
10:45 am
The Ohio State Buckeye,
Why on earth would Saban leave Bama for Ohio State? He already left the Big Ten for the SEC once.
I predict his ego is gonna get the best of him again, and he will say “yes” to Jerry Jones, especially is he wins another title in Jan.
He’ll be the first $10M a year coach.
SEC FAN
October 7th, 2010
10:46 am
Bradley, you simply must stay out of the LSD. Besides, if they did, Saban would again make Richt look a fool on national TV. Do you think the majority of the UGA fanbase wants that, again. Really, Bradley…..
Ryan
October 7th, 2010
10:48 am
More likely: The entire Florida team dies in a plane crash. The entire South Carolina team is ruled ineligable. Tennessee’s entire team is arrested for running a massive illegal DVD ring. Leaving UGA, Vandy, and Kentucky to fight it out for the title.
Ryan
October 7th, 2010
10:48 am
… And even then UGA would probably finish 3rd.
Big Ten"
October 7th, 2010
10:49 am
You mutts keep crowing about the SEC. Hell, y’all are making it look bad. Also, I don’t remember you clowns playing Ohio State.
poopdawg
October 7th, 2010
10:49 am
Richt should have been telling his players how important the Miss st game was. Too late now .
Dogs Smell
October 7th, 2010
10:49 am
Just Sayin- Bama won A NC without the Bear. When was your last one?
Just Sayin'
October 7th, 2010
10:51 am
Are familiar with our lady gym rats? That’s our real team. Who cares about football?
Dogs Smell
October 7th, 2010
10:51 am
Big Ten – Once again look at OSU reecord against the SEC. They have lost 10 straight !
TGT
October 7th, 2010
10:53 am
Bradley, what have you been doing? Maybe you’re sleep deprived or you still think it’s August. If this team can finish 6-6, It will be a miracle! Win the East? Let’s goal for beating Vanderbilt! Maybe you didn’t watch the Mississippi State game, but we lost to a really, really bad football team. So what does that make UGA? Hopeless and hapless!
Barbara Dooley
October 7th, 2010
10:53 am
Mark, next year our beloved dogs will do even better since McGarity will soon be announcing that we open the season next year with Agnes Scott followed by DeVry, Spellman, and Brenau. We should be 2 and 2 headed into the SEC schedule……..
blazer
October 7th, 2010
10:54 am
Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do they pay you from over there??
Mighty east champs with three losses????????????????
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2010
10:59 am
There is a running joke in my house, although it is usually in conjuction with the outcome of game MUCH later in the year. My wife askes me “so have you figured it out yet” She knows that untill it is mathematically impossible I always have a formula for UGA to win the east still. (had this one already too). Bradley is braver than I am to actually utter it in public though.
I would prefer to win the East, and then the SEC, riding high on the horse, but if not, I am not to proud to just want drag everybody else down in the mud with us. meaning: there are still some big rivals left on the schedule.
Barbara Dooley
October 7th, 2010
10:59 am
Herschel also looks good in his red panties.
aaron
October 7th, 2010
11:03 am
i love my dawgs and always will but this is nothing but delusional, false hope. we’re cycling down as a program, major changes are coming, this article make me feel like UGA is being mocked.
we’re already suffering through the worst season of my lifetime, the last thing i want to hear is that we could still win the east. it’s like getting punched in the stomach and spit in the face at the same time.
gravy
October 7th, 2010
11:05 am
im a die hard UGA fan thats hopes they dont win the east so they will get rid of Bobo.
GTBob
October 7th, 2010
11:05 am
If UGA won the SEC east after starting 0-3 in the conference then the SEC voids any right to be known as the best football conference. Luckily for the SEC chanters, that would never happen.
Danbo
October 7th, 2010
11:06 am
God help us, that would mean that MR will be there next year.
USMC DAWG
October 7th, 2010
11:08 am
Bradley, I’m as big a Dawg fan as you will find, but please, get off the pipe.
the murf
October 7th, 2010
11:10 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Not gonna happen, wouldn’t be prudent
truckstop
October 7th, 2010
11:10 am
Mark, your article is a joke! But the comments are fantastic! I really liked this one:
Obama’s new plan to cut the deficit in half:
Lay 6.5 Trillion on Tennessee and take the 13 points.
Nut Job
October 7th, 2010
11:11 am
We are about to see the greatest coaching job of Richt’s career. He is going to turn the team around and we are going to get on a roll. This is the type of year where I could see us beating a team like Florida. We have nothing to lose. Years where we have lots of pressure, we tank. Nothing to lose means our team going out there balls to the wall and holding nothing back. We are very close to turning the corner. A big win vs. Tennessee would go a long way in helping to make sure we get on a roll going into that game.
As bad as we are, we are a few plays from being 4-1 or 5-0.
Driver 8
October 7th, 2010
11:16 am
Mark Bradley, aka “Mr. Page views”:
You’ve outdone even yourself this time!
Coach P Johnson
October 7th, 2010
11:18 am
Coach P Johnson here.
Tech Fans get off the UGA blogs.
As Tech fans we don’t care about UGA and the silly little game we play against them each year.
Remember the UGA GAME does not mean ANYTHING to GT!
IlliniDawg
October 7th, 2010
11:18 am
Bradley:
Here again is why I like you. Schultzie could never have written such a column. NEVER.
Thank you for being (relatively) open, objective, and even-handed.
Now go sprinkle some of your pixie dust on Jeff. He needs it.
Mike
October 7th, 2010
11:20 am
Mark, you do not surprise me anymore. You continue to drink the CMR kool aid. First, it took you almost 2 years to discover Georgia’s defensive coordinator and staff had to go. Now, you cling to the CMR bandwagon. I don’t understand why you and people like you simply can’t look at the facts. Quarterback – he is not the guy that will take the team to the conference championship and win it. Not this year or any other year. Running backs – there is not a single back in the current program that can go the distance on any play or get deliver 28-35 carries a game. Is there any reason to believe next year or the year after will be different? Receivers – Other than the infamous AJ Green, there are hardly any receivers that will make a defensive coordinator take notice. The entire defense – there is not a single name that will make even a second team SEC. CMR has hand-picked every player and every coach. The old saying – what you see is what you get. Looking at the 2011 and 2012 seasons – what players and coaches do you realistically see turning this team into a conference champion? It is just not there. It is not about injuries or re-building or chemistry, it is high level players (Georgia doesn’t have them) and outstanding coaches (Georgia doesn’t have them). Everything above comes down to one factor – CMR.
Dylan
October 7th, 2010
11:21 am
Well when you write it like that, it seems pretty logical and I get pretty pumped up reading it, but then I bring myself back to reality and realize that Florida will beat LSU and Georgia is still looking at 2-3 SEC losses (Florida, Auburn and either Tennessee and Kentucky). Eh well, still lots of ball left!! GO DAWGS!!
Richt walks warily down the street, with the brim pulled way down low
October 7th, 2010
11:22 am
Nut Job….how appropriate a handle
bamaguy
October 7th, 2010
11:23 am
And Rush Limbaugh can join the Democratic Party and run as Obama’s Vice President. Almost anything is “possible”.
Vince Dooley
October 7th, 2010
11:26 am
Barbara, did you know that Herschel appeared naked? I’d never thought I’d see the day. Can you imagine?
IlliniDawg
October 7th, 2010
11:26 am
@Mark:
I like the CMR Kool-ade thank you. It tastes better than smoking Saban crack or swallowing Meyer moonshine. Unlike some Dawg fans here, I stand behind our coach and realize that it will be extremely difficult to find someone better than what we have – one of the winningest coaches over the past decade.
Coach P Johnson
October 7th, 2010
11:27 am
Mark were’s the article that tells how my GT team can still win the ACC?????????
I know, not a snowballs chance in hell of that happening two years in a row.
Well as the coach of GT I do realize that I don’t actually have to win the conference ever again to keep my job like SEC coaches do.
That is what I love about coaching at GT “middle of the pack means I’m back!
Hey anybody up for a game of Humans vs Zombies?
Alphare
October 7th, 2010
11:28 am
Mark,
it’s a whole lot easier to win SEC East Last Place for sure.
lawzoo
October 7th, 2010
11:28 am
You get paid for this?
IlliniDawg
October 7th, 2010
11:29 am
Sorry, meant @Mike
DumbandDumber
October 7th, 2010
11:31 am
So you’re saying there’s a chance…………………….
COACH MIKE DODO
October 7th, 2010
11:33 am
UGA Will be lucky to beat VANDY & SPUD STATE dont tease these BULLPUPPY fans Mark they want even make a bowl game UGA is a joke
Yellow fuzz's girlfriend
October 7th, 2010
11:33 am
He keeps trying to find the place on my body to “blow me up”. I have tried to tell him that I am real. He keeps wanting to take me on dates to the bicycle shop where they inflate tires.
Dogs Smell
October 7th, 2010
11:33 am
Keep Dreaming. Good Lord if you were to beat Tennessee think about this, you beat the youngest team in the SEC ! Tear down the goal post. If you lose, you lost to the youngest team in the SEC and must have been out coached !
DostaDawg
October 7th, 2010
11:35 am
Keep BoBo on as an assistant coach.
Try to hire Mike Leach as OC.
Leach holds all the NCAA Div. II records at Valdosta STate.
Offensive Coodinator under Hal Mumme at VSU.
Broke all the Div. II NCAA offense records while at VSU.
Offensive Coordinator under Hal Mumme at Kentucky.
Coached Dusty Bonner, who led SEC passing Soph. year
and later only player to win two Harlen awards at Div. II VSU.
Coached Chris Hatcher, VSU, won Harlen award.
Coached Tim Couch, #1 NFL draft pick.
Offensive Coordinator under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma,
developed Air Raid offense while at Oklahoma.
Head coach and Took Texas Tech to #2 in nation.
Wide receiver, Crabtree won Fred Belitnifoff receiver award
Quarterback, Harrell won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award
Assistant coaches under Leach include Mike Stoops, Mangino and others.
Three of his quarterbacks won Sammy Baugh awards.
This guy is a genius when it comes to offense.
His players have won more awards than you can imagine.
Law degree from Pepperdine.Developed the Air Raid Offense under Stoops.
Drove an old Cadillac at VSU, and loved the Waffle House cause it had a
juke box and sweet tea.
Players absolutely love him, he can spark a team to do things
unbelievable.
athensdawg
October 7th, 2010
11:38 am
keep hitting that crack pipe.
Smokey
October 7th, 2010
11:40 am
I like guys, especially soft its guys… so soft!
matt r
October 7th, 2010
11:41 am
I think Mr. Bradley is looking at the wrong glass.
DawginLex
October 7th, 2010
11:42 am
Well considering it is the next game UGA plays, why don’t we just win it and then talk about what is next?
WayShun Ealy
October 7th, 2010
11:42 am
YO FOOLS, WHO DIDN’T LIKE MY VISOR WAVE.. THAT WAS THIGHT HONOR.