In the SEC Least, know who looks hot? Mark Richt and UGA
As Vince Dooley once said: "We've got good depth at dog." (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Two weeks ago we wondered if Georgia would win another game. (I was pretty confident about Vanderbilt and Idaho State, but the way the Bulldogs were fumbling and getting arrested you couldn’t know.) Now we wonder if they can win the SEC Least. (It’s suddenly possible.) And we also wonder if their coach isn’t again the most stable guy in his division.
Mark Richt has gone from losing four in a row, a personal nadir, to beating two division brethren by the aggregate score of 84-14. In the SEC East, where every team has lost at least two league games, this qualifies as a surge.
How uninspiring has this division, once the class of the collegiate game, become? Consider: Should it beat Kentucky in Lexington on Saturday night, there’s a chance Georgia, which not so long ago was 1-4, would go to Jacksonville favored over Florida.
Because the Gators are awful. And South Carolina looks eminently capable of doing the South Carolina thing, meaning build up hopes only to send them crashing. And the other three East teams are a combined 2-8 in conference play. A closer look at the Least;
South Carolina: Even by Poultry standards, the past three weeks have been dizzying. The Gamecocks blew a lead at Auburn, beat No. 1 Alabama by two touchdowns and blew an even bigger lead at Kentucky. Steve Spurrier botched the endgame in Lexington and was summarily demoted from Evil Genius to the New Les Miles. And Marcus Lattimore, the great freshman runner, got hurt against the Wildcats.
Florida: Watching the Gators lose to Mississippi State and erstwhile lieutenant Dan Mullen, it really did seem as if the Urban Crier was about to cry. (Given that the last Florida coach who lost to MSU got fired the next week, Meyer might have had reason.) His famous offense had managed six points against Alabama and now seven versus State. In between he’d managed to get outsmarted by Les Miles. Retirement looks better with every week, wouldn’t you say?
Kentucky: Joker Phillips, the new coach, has a new slogan: Operation Win. This marks an improvement on the old UK mission: Operation Lose In The Most Painful Way Imaginable. And the Joker did just beat Spurrier — would that make the Ol’ Ball Coach the Riddler? — in a game of national significance. But the Wildcats have also accomplished two things that required real effort: They made Florida’s offense look good for one night, and they lost to Ole Miss, which had lost to Jacksonville State.
Vanderbilt: It was believed new coach Robbie Caldwell wouldn’t win an SEC game this season. Hah. He has beaten Ole Miss and might beat Tennessee. He also lost to Georgia by 43 points. It’s still Vandy, I’m afraid.
Tennessee: As ever, the Vols’ schedule eases toward the end. By then, however, they figure to be 2-6 overall and 0-5 in SEC play. And the hiring of Derek Dooley, which went over well enough at the time, has begun to be regarded as another in the series of Mike Hamilton whiffs. (Athletic directors never look good when their choice messes up worse than Les Miles, who has become the most interesting man in the Western Hemisphere.)
Loading ...And then there’s Richt: Calm, cool — if Georgia’s coach is nothing else, he’s calm and cool — and managing to collect his thoughts. The offense looks good. The defense looks better. After starting 0-3 in the conference, the Bulldogs are on the move.
To win the division, Georgia needs to finish a game ahead of South Carolina, which holds the tiebreaker edge because it beat the Bulldogs. (A three-way tie could reset the tiebreaker.) But the Gamecocks still must play Arkansas in Columbia and Florida in Gainesville; it’s possible they could finish 4-4 in the league.
To get to 5-3, Georgia cannot lose again. It must win at Kentucky, in Jacksonville and at Auburn on Nov. 13. I’m not sure about that last game — Auburn’s pretty stinkin’ good, to borrow a Richt-ism — but neither the Wildcats or the Gators are any better than the Bulldogs. This could still happen, people.
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
435 comments Add your comment
Gator Mike
October 18th, 2010
10:22 am
JB, I acknowledge and respect your opinion; however, I do not know of any long time Gator Fans who have ever thought that we have the best program in college football. I have been a Gator and a season ticket holder for many years, and I have seen good and bad Gator teams. This years team looks rudderless, and that starts at the top. We have too much talent to stink this bad, but we stink. Our offensive coordinator also looks clueless.
I will be the first one to admit that the Dawgs will knock the snot out of us on 30 October unless Meyer, his staff and the players wake up. I could not care less about your team’s stupid dance, Spikes’ stupidity, etc. This year’s game will stand on its own merit, and at this time it looks like UGA is on the rise and my Gators are falling. I have always called it as I see it. Good luck to your team.
Go Gators!
Sanford Drive
October 18th, 2010
10:25 am
Aaron Murray > Josh Nesbitt
mwh6767
October 18th, 2010
10:27 am
Its all an obsession from tech fans huh dawghouse? Lets see in your rant, you had to include and I quote “UGLY CAR” , and “TECH NERDS”. Its all just hate from tech fans huh dawghouse. Who’s the hypocrite?? Proving my point. STOP WHINING!!!
Biggdawg33
October 18th, 2010
10:28 am
Hey, how many years ago were we talking about how crummy the SEC West was???
It is the tale of the SEC. We are swinging from the Beast in the East to now the Best is in the West. That is why I know the SEC is the best conference. The best teams play here.
uncle kirk
October 18th, 2010
10:29 am
Hey Ryan, what’s the story with the gatorskin green helmets Florida is gonna break out with against UGA. Thought you guys didn’t need gimmicks.
DFWTX Dawg
October 18th, 2010
10:30 am
I’m trying not to entertain that thought Mark. This UGA team still has to prove it can win on the road. Dogs have improved, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the little surge they’ve made came to a crashing halt this weekend or in Jville. The return of AJ has certainly resuscitated the offense. The defense looks improved but UT and Vandy are terrible on offense. Awful-fense is a more appropriate description for both teams. UGA can’t lose their edge (mentally). UK will be a much better challenge and gauge of how much the defense has improved, if at all. UK has a very scrappy team and is certainly better than they demonstrated vs. UF. Hartline, Locke, and Cobb could give UGA a lot of problems. And as all UGA fans know, even when UGA is better than UF, Jville is a struggle for UGA.
As pathetic as LSU’s offense is, I still like their chances vs. Auburn and Bama b/c they’re defense and special teams, somehow, compensate for their utterly incompetent offense. LSU’s defense is the best in the SEC and possibly the country. Better than Bama’s. Auburn vs. Bama should be one of the best Iron Bowl’s we’ve seen in a while. SCAR kind of exposed Bama’s defense, but Bama was totally flat and mentally unprepared for that game. Bama’s secondary will also be better by the time they play Auburn.
Miss. State is for real. Especially on Defense. They held Cam Newton and co. to 17 pts. and took Auburn to the wire. Bama better not be sleeping when Dan Mullen comes to town.
Dave
October 18th, 2010
10:30 am
Will you people stop whining about the dayum songand who puts what in it? Who gives a rat’s a$$? Talk football or STFU!!!
Russ the flawed bulldog
October 18th, 2010
10:33 am
No question about it, Richt is the man. Declare the season a success, extend Richt’s contract, and pay raises for all, including Adams.
MURPHY
October 18th, 2010
10:34 am
Gator Mike,
Very suprised at the way the Gator offense is struggling.Im sure with a week off Urban will get it fixed just in time to play the Dawgs.I feel pretty certain the UF team we see in Jax will be vastley improved over what we saw against Miss St last weekend. Good luck to yall as well.
macrotech
October 18th, 2010
10:35 am
Even as a Tech fan, I’m glad to see UGA get these wins, lately. I enjoy all the smack talk between both sides, but it all loses its luster when one team is doing so poorly! The gators SEEM to look beatable and I’m sure the Dawgs will feast on them, given the chance. Auburn…I can’t decide if they’re as good as their press (Their QB is good, but seems to try to do more than he should…looks like he’s trying to win the Heisman all by himself, sometimes). Kentucky….VERY probable win for the dawgs. All this is to say, considering how the season started; an SEC East crown would be a remarkable turn around! Good luck! See ya in Nov.!
shyril
October 18th, 2010
10:37 am
Are you kidding? Georgia beat Vanderbilt and now you think are back?
Give Auburn some credit. We will see how Georgia fares against Florida?
Mister Rogers
October 18th, 2010
10:38 am
Boys and girls. Can you say “Parity?” Sure you can.
Mister Rogers
October 18th, 2010
10:42 am
Mark, BTW, didn’t a team from the SEC East (SC) beat the greatest team in CFB history from the West (according to the pollsters? And does it bother anybody else that Cam Newton returned to the SEC after being suspended by another SEC school (UF) for some pretty serious crimes?
Dave
October 18th, 2010
10:43 am
I don’t want any part of Cam Newton and Auburn until I absolutely have to. I’ll stick with one game at a time, thank you very much….
GTBob
October 18th, 2010
10:43 am
I personally hope that UGA wins out, finds a way in the championship, wins that somehow, and is the only SEC team in a BCS bowl with 4 losses. That would be pretty funny.
SadDawg
October 18th, 2010
10:45 am
Gator Mike, y’all got the talent, but you’re missing Teabow. He was a leader on the field. It doesn’t look as though Brantley has the leader “stuff,” at least yet.
I think UGA’s Murray has that leadership stuff, not with his words, but he is fearless (like Teabow) in his play. I also think if UF had gotten Murray, they wouldn’t have missed a beat this season with him in Myer’s (and Teabow’s) spread offense.
Hopefully Bobo will continue his two game trend of running spread plays for Murray. He thrives in it.
shane
October 18th, 2010
10:46 am
Who knows what’s going to happen this week or the next? There may be followers of several teams on this site, but I bet we can all agree that the SEC is a mess this year.
Dave
October 18th, 2010
10:46 am
Mister Rogers, people transfr schools for various reasons all the time, yes, even for some criminal behavior. It’s up to each individual school to decide. If it’s your team and the person does well, all is forgotten. It’s the people that he’s playing against (and beating) that bring up past incidences. The man is playing. Just get ready for him.
JJ
October 18th, 2010
10:46 am
But you mention GT in your gay orientation video. talk about nerds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GJVxFP19Gs
Mark Bradley
October 18th, 2010
10:46 am
In the Philadelphia airport, where they have Chick-fil-A.
SadDawg
October 18th, 2010
10:47 am
Kinda like that 3-loss ACC Champ last season after the Orange Bowl shellacking, GTBob?
mwh6767
October 18th, 2010
10:47 am
Dave, having watched a good bit of AU games this year, they are beatable. They look really great at times but yet they haven’t put a full game together either. Clemson marched up and down the field on them in the first half of there game. Thats what is great about this year, imo there isn’t a team in the country that couldn’t be beaten on any given sat. if another team can put together their best game.
Dave
October 18th, 2010
10:48 am
Shane, the SEC EAST is a mess. Total breakdown in play and talent. The SEC WEST is a runaway diesel truck. They are great teams and killing each other. Through Boise State in THAT meatgrinder and see what happens…
mwh6767
October 18th, 2010
10:49 am
Saddawg just can’t help himself.
Dumpster Diver
October 18th, 2010
10:50 am
We’re gonna win the East, and then we’re gonna win the SEC, and then we’re gonna win the National Championship, and then…. Rock on Russ.
Dawglasville
October 18th, 2010
10:51 am
Wouldn’t be shocked if we finish 2-3 or 5-0. This is a strange team.
Do It
October 18th, 2010
10:51 am
30-24 and ACC Defending Champions…It is GREAT TO BE A GEORGIA BULLDOG
SadDawg
October 18th, 2010
10:52 am
Damn, Dave, didn’t SC (East) just kick Bama (West) to the curb last week? I mean, the season isn’t over . . .
SadDawg
October 18th, 2010
10:52 am
“Saddawg just can’t help himself.”
********************
??
Dave
October 18th, 2010
10:53 am
I’m not even looking at records. I just want to see us improve and begin to play well. The last two games have let me get off my meds, no matter who it was that we played…..
shane
October 18th, 2010
10:54 am
Dave
I agree that it seems the better teams are in the West, but the West is a mess due to there being so many physical teams beating up on each other. There may be tie breakers needed in both divisions.
douglas
October 18th, 2010
10:55 am
The hottest coach right now is probably Mullen at Miss. State especially if he keeps winning.
James Adams
October 18th, 2010
10:55 am
MARK…it down. UGA will win the East!!!………………………………………………………………………………………..in basketball.
E-Bay Green
October 18th, 2010
10:57 am
ThugDawg fans, I am taking pre-orders on my SEC Champ ring and my SEC Champ Game jersey – highest bids win! No refunds if we don’t actually make it to the SEC Champ game, of course. You are just taking that chance, man.
Don’t really matter to me one way or the other, to be honest. In a few months, I’ll be a multi-zillionaire, and UGA won’t matter anymore.
Got to run, a call is coming in from my agent….
BG
October 18th, 2010
10:58 am
I smell an Urban Meyer retirement party brewing!!
Mister Rogers
October 18th, 2010
10:59 am
Dave, You’re right. Auburn accepted Newton so they obviously can live with his past transgressions and it looks like LSU can live with Mettenberger’s sins too. Neither school’s fans will stand up and say we should have taken the high road. Winning is worth it all I guess.
SadDawg
October 18th, 2010
10:59 am
Yeah, Douglas, and he’ll unfortunately (for UGA) wind up pretty soon at UF, cause it sure looked Sat night like Myer’s about had a bait of football without Teabow.
Irvin Myers
October 18th, 2010
11:01 am
CHEST PAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Dawgs!
October 18th, 2010
11:01 am
I’m not going to hold my breath. I can buy Georgia somehow going into Jordan-Hare and winning a shootout against Auburn. Georgia can’t deal with running quarterbacks, and Cam Newton is going to score a lot of points against the ‘Dawgs. But I just can’t see Spurrier losing twice more, which is what needs to happen for Geortgia to go to the SECCG. Vandy or Tennessee sure as hell aren’t going to beat them. So it’s down to Arkansas and Florida. Both are games that SC can lose, but I don’t see Spurrier allowing it to happen. If Lattimore stays banged up, maybe. But when you figure Georgia has to beat Florida (a tough order for UGA, no matter how bad Florida is… the Gators have a voodoo curse on the ‘Dawgs), Auburn, and, oh yeah, Kentucky this weekend… it’s still far-fetched.
GTBob
October 18th, 2010
11:01 am
The biggest difference SadDawg is that no one cares about the ACC. We all know its an academic conference first, basketball conference second, and football is around 7th or 8th I think. The SEC is the crown jewel of college football, and other conferences supposedly cannot even come close to them. Thats why it would be rather humorous if a 4-5 loss SEC team won the SEC championship.
Pete
October 18th, 2010
11:01 am
Kentucky 31
Jawja 20
DANTHEMAN
October 18th, 2010
11:01 am
In 2006 a 4-loss Georgia team went into Auburn who was ranked #5 in the country at the time. Georgia also had a freshman qb at the helm. Georgia won 37-15 and went on to beat Tech(naturally) and finish 8-4. It could happen again.
SECWasteManagement
October 18th, 2010
11:03 am
I don’t understand why some Tech fans come on a UGA blog and expect not to get trashed. Last time I checked this was about the SEC East and Georgia, not the ACC and Tech.
bruce mac
October 18th, 2010
11:08 am
An 8 and 4 Dawg team that gets blown out by Bama is really something to get excited about. What then, the Papa John Bowl? Big deal, UGA and UF suck and who cares who wins, another tallest midget contest. When does Basketball start?
SadDawg
October 18th, 2010
11:09 am
Thanks for pulling for us, GTBob, but, “academic conference first”? Oh yeah, NC’s really been taking care of academics lately, huh?
What was that Mark Bradley?
October 18th, 2010
11:10 am
Your out of you mind Bradley. No way UGA wins out. They lose to FLA again and then to Auburn. They’ll be lucky to have a winning record. And that’s if they get to a bowl. Since there is no more games from the state of Tennessee, then I’m sure all things (UGA losing) will get back to normal.
bruce mac
October 18th, 2010
11:11 am
Enter your comments here
todd
October 18th, 2010
11:11 am
this isn’t a uga blog you dolt. it’s a sports blog that happens to have the sec as it’s topic. i guess when bradley writes about the falcons or braves, no other person can discuss that likes another team. you are a waste, wm.
Rodster
October 18th, 2010
11:11 am
Good points from MURPHY and Mike S.
I’ll believe it when I see UGA beat Florida. I really hope the Dawgs can get it done, but winning out against UK and UF is a really long putt. Also, agree with Mike S about Auburn. Newton is unstoppable, so far. But it seems like everyone better put a spy and a hat on him and force the the other 10 to beat you.
MURPHY
October 18th, 2010
8:49 am
We get past Kentucky this week and I will be a little more of a believer. I still dont think we can shake this Gaytor thing in Jacksonville. Urban has 2 weeks to change the offense and im sure he will be ready for the Dawgs. It is nice to see the Dawgs finally clicking as a team.
Link Report this comment Mike S
October 18th, 2010
8:49 am
As long as Newton is healthy, AU can beat anyone, but if someone comes up with a scheeme to contain him or if he goes down with an injury, Auburn would be hard pressed to win another game.
WatchEmEveryNight_Fans
October 18th, 2010
11:13 am
I know Coach Richt is against running up the score against a defeated team. But fourth quarter with Mason in as QB and the depth charted 3 & 4s into the game to finish it up did not look as good as it could have been. Maybe their instructions; on the ground, run the clock and just try to make first downs. Murray runs like the wind when needed. I too am afraid that a no-mercy-defender will ring his clock. Mason must play ready to relieve