A chilling thought: What if Richt DOESN’T beat these Gators?
Bulldogs and Gators gather to debate the issue: "Who's worse -- you or us?" (AJC file photo)
The Georgia Bulldogs head to Jacksonville, where they’ve won three times since 1989, as favorites over Florida. We couldn’t have foreseen such a thing a month ago, but here it is. Georgia, which had lost four in a row, has won three in a row. Florida hasn’t won since September.
A check of the SEC stats shows that Georgia leads Florida in every significant offensive category and in rushing defense and turnover margin. Heck, Georgia has even been flagged for fewer penalties.
Put simply, this stacks up as Georgia’s best chance to beat Florida since 2004, when Ron Zook was a lame duck. (And Georgia did prevail that year, though not without a struggle.) Put even more simply, this puts an even greater onus on the coach who’s 2-7 against the hated Gators. Because what will it say about Mark Richt if he can’t beat Urban Meyer’s worst Florida team?
I know, I know. A month ago, we were calling this Richt’s worst team. But much has changed. And you can’t have watched Florida lose to Mississippi State in Gainesville and Georgia beat Kentucky in Lexington and not think the Bulldogs are playing the better football. Georgia’s hot. Florida’s not. But how hot will Richt’s coaching seat be if his team goes to Duval County and finishes second?
I’m on record as saying I think Georgia will win. Judging by the little poll accompanying that post, 80 percent of you agree. But now I’m asking: What if Georgia doesn’t win? What then, huh?
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532 comments Add your comment
dawgfan
October 28th, 2010
10:58 am
Bradley, what if Georgia Tech didn’t have a joke football program that had to live vicariously through Florida to get any kind of redemption against the Dawgs?
I digress. To answer your question, things will be bad of we don’t beat Florida on Saturday. Richt will be back on the hotseat. Bobo probably will have had something to do with it so he’ll get drug through the mud as well.
Florida is really average this year. There is no switch for them to turn on that will magically make things better. They will however come out more rested than us and highly motivated. It will be a hard hitting physical game. You have to wonder if we’re up for the challenge. I hope so.
icallbs
October 28th, 2010
10:59 am
It would be unfortunate. It would be hyped as having larger implications than it should. UGA is favored, but not by enough that some random event (stupid/phantom penalty, fumble at exactly the wrong time, etc) won’t dictate the outcome and UGA lose, even if they play well. UGA needs to play well (contrary to popular opinion even good teams can play well and lose) in the remaining games and beat TECH. If that happens there will be no changes and the jury is out until next year. If UGA falls apart against either FL or Auburn and loses to TECH, well, SOMETHING will change, for sure.
Katherine
October 28th, 2010
10:59 am
Edward R. Murrow
October 28th, 2010
10:57 am
BREAKING NEWS:
Richt WON’T Beat These 2010 Gators!
However, even if Coach Richt gets shut out completely on Saturday, the AJC will still be a left-wing failure and steaming pile of “Jeff Schultz.”
Go away loser…if you don’t like it so much then why are you here? troll……..
do-dah do-dah
October 28th, 2010
11:00 am
Obviously the Dawg team must then wear jorts and mullets the rest of the year.
Willie
October 28th, 2010
11:02 am
My man, VC is still playing the way I taught him ( willie ball ). If he’s on the field Sat. Georgia loses.
Katherine
October 28th, 2010
11:02 am
No one wears “jorts” wth are those anyway…or mullets….anymore then they wear pocket protectors and glasses with tape….lol seriously get a life.
Moonlight Mile
October 28th, 2010
11:03 am
I think the Dawgs have an advantage at just about every spot on the field this year but the Gators have a big advantage on the sideline. Meyer’s record cannot be denied. I’m hoping we show up and play our best game but I have my doubts.
superDawg
October 28th, 2010
11:04 am
You think visor throwing is funny watch urban run off the field saturday.
Tweets that mention A chilling thought: What if Richt doesn't beat these Gators? | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
October 28th, 2010
11:05 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, ajc sports editor, Georgia Bulldogs-UGA, Brian Morton, John Stansberry and others. John Stansberry said: RT @MarkBradleyAJC: A chilling thought: What if Mark Richt and #UGA don't beat these Florida Gators? http://bit.ly/cTTZTn [...]
GaGator
October 28th, 2010
11:08 am
No so fast Bradley,
While agree this is Georgia’s best chance to beat the Gators in some time, let’s look a some cold hard facts.
Tennessee and Vanderbilt are terrible teams and Kentucky gift-wrapped its loss to Georgia. The Bulldogs started first-half possessions at the Wildcats’ 23, 33, 39 and 5 due to turnovers and also scored on a 100-yard kickoff return. A second-half scoring drive started at the Kentucky 46 after a botched onside kick. If you look at the game stats only, you would think Kentucky won. Had it not been for four turnovers and the onsides kick.
Florida’s loses have been to better teams than Georgia has played. Also during that 3 game span, the Gators played with out their field goal kicker. The field goals were tried by our punter, who FYI is the #1 punter in the nation at this point.
Now against Bama, the kicker made no difference, but agaist MSU and LSU field goals could have won the game that were missed by the punter.
So before you go toasting your victory in Jax, let see the game. I don’t know who will win but who ever loses is the really bad team and their season is basicly over. If Florida were to lose, I could see them finishing 5-7. That would be ugly.
Dawglasville
October 28th, 2010
11:09 am
Edward R. Murrow Do you really think that the AJC is a left wing paper? How many copies of a left wing paper do you think would be sold in the state of Georgia? Do you think that this is a liberal state? It still comes down to giving readers what they want and I think it is safe to say that most of the readers of our local paper are conservative. Oh, Go Dawgs.
do-dah do-dah
October 28th, 2010
11:09 am
Katherine You obviously do not go to Florida ball games nor live in Florida
blazerdawg
October 28th, 2010
11:10 am
DawginLex is right on.
If the Dawgs win, then UGA has won three of the last six.
Katherine
October 28th, 2010
11:10 am
Why would I want to live in florida or go to their games? lol no i’m not a gaytor fan.
SECWasteManagement
October 28th, 2010
11:12 am
I agree with do-dah do dah on Katherine. Go to a Florida game if you want to see it with your own two eyes. Jorts are alive and well.
do-dah do-dah
October 28th, 2010
11:12 am
And why would you make a silly comment like “no one wears jorts or mullets”? In Florida you see you them regularly – particularly at Florida ball ball games
SECWasteManagement
October 28th, 2010
11:13 am
and by go to a Florida game I mean a Georgia/Florida game.
Shug
October 28th, 2010
11:14 am
Yes, the question has to be asked: If Georgia doesn’t win this year, will it ever?
NOLA
October 28th, 2010
11:16 am
The puppies aren’t going to beat the gators, that’s what puppies do. They curl their tail between their legs just like cowards and watch the gators stomp them.
the gators schedule uga for homecoming each year because they are weak minded athletes who will fold when faced with adversity.
gators will win by a landslide. this will not be close.
SECWasteManagement
October 28th, 2010
11:17 am
Dawg fans,
If anything…Willie Martinez is not calling the defense this year! Didn’t you see his OU secondary get SHELLED by Mizzou last Saturday!? I thank God everyday for Grantham!
do-dah do-dah
October 28th, 2010
11:17 am
Mark, Mark, Mark. And what if Georgia does not win the Florida game, the SEC Least, the SEC “you take it , I don’t want it” championship, a BCS bowl game and finishes in the top 3? What then?
Cuz
October 28th, 2010
11:18 am
SECWasteManagement, that is what I call taking one for the team.
In the Disposal Industry I would guess?
Steve
October 28th, 2010
11:18 am
I think UGA fans are falling into the same trap that GT fans fell into before the Clemson debacle. You beat some really terrible teams (e.g., Vandy, UT) and managed to beat a UK team that seemingly turned the ball over at will to hand UGA the game (while the dawgs tried their best to keep it close). Not much to brag about, unless your prior win was against La. Tech…
To think that Georgia will walk into its own house of horrors in Jacksonville and beat Florida because of the past three games is nonsensical. Florida is not a National Championship team, but it is certainly better than Vandy, UT and UK, and it has the benefit of simply owning UGA for the not-so-recent history. Moreover, Florida has the benefit of a bye-week, which has apparently been ignored by most of the UGA beat writers.
Georgia can surely win this game, but I think they are going to have to have their “A” game while Florida has their “B” or “C” game. Even in their down year, Florida’s talent is still head and shoulders about UGA.
Chris Phillips
October 28th, 2010
11:18 am
Nothing will happen to CMR if Georgia loses. Things will go on as usual. Georgian fans will just have to hope for the better next year. The 2011 schedule seems to be an “easier” schedule than the schedule this year. If Green and Houston stick around for another year, 2011 could be the year of the Dawg. I guess I’m not too confident in Georgia’s chance this Saturday if I am looking forward to next year.
alpharettadawg
October 28th, 2010
11:19 am
If Alabama shuts down Cam Newton, Kirby Smart should get Richt’s job without even having to interview
GaGator
October 28th, 2010
11:22 am
Chris Phillips
Seriosly Chris, how could this year have been any easier. Plus Florida should get it turned arounded by next year.
todd grantham
October 28th, 2010
11:22 am
Mark, if Richt loses this game he deserves to be a gone goose. Florida’s in total disarray, and Georgia APPEARS to have righted the ship for now. But after all the heartbreak over the last 20 years of this series, I fear Richt/Bobo and a bad break or 2 will do the Dogs in.
PreyDawg
October 28th, 2010
11:23 am
By what definition should Caleb King NOT be playing. That is simply idiotic. Comparing King’s situation to the young quarterbacks is morally inept. King was stupid he didnt pay a ticket. He got suspended for TWO conference games. No program in the nation would come down any harder on him for that infraction. That was more than ample punishment. Mettenberger assaulted a young woman and was kicked off the team. What more could any coach do?
Yes. Past policy has been too soft. But the penalties this year have been appropriate. The culture still has to change but I think players are now getting the message.
Dawglasville, you cannot be that ignorant. Look at the editorial page of this paper for one or two days and tell me this is not an overwhelmingly liberal paper. The sports page is fine but the rest of this paper leans so far left it is not funny. The sports section carries the rest of this rag. That’s why people subscribe.
Andy
October 28th, 2010
11:23 am
Richt has a chance to salvage the season with a win over Florida. I’ll go so far as to say it’s his biggest game as a head coach at UGA. Win this one and the Dawgs have a decent shot a winning the East. Lose and it’s right back to the way folks were feeling after the loss at Colorado. More people will be calling for Richt’s head.
dawgster
October 28th, 2010
11:24 am
GaGator…i can make the same argument that you made with all the excuses for the losses the dawgs suffered…SC…fumble on the goal line…Ark…driving for winning FG and a block is missed allowing the QB to be sacked…Colorado, although shouldn’t have came down to this…basic running play to set up a winning FG…and by the way probably the top ranked FG kicker in the nation…also, we blew out the other teams and although record wise they are not that good they hung in there with some very talented teams for at least a half..Tenn vs Oregan…Tenn..vs LSU….Tenn vs. Ala…Vandy vs. SC…we also handily beat a Kentucky team, spin it ever how you want as far as they handed it to us..i didn’t see their reciever hand the ball to our DB when we stripped the ball from him…and of course you guys beat them pretty good also…also Kentucky beat SC which beat Bama which beat you guys…these points really mean little in the ga-fla game…its going to come down to who plays the best and makes the fewest mistakes…i don’t think either team can poke their chest out and proclaim how great they are this year…both teams are probably not as bad or as good as they have appeared at certain times this year…should be a great game…go dawgs
Buzzzzzzzz
October 28th, 2010
11:25 am
All of you UGAers get your heads out of the sand or wherever you have them stuck and start worrying about the number one problem with UGA. At the rate your athlete-thugs are being arrested, you’ll be lucky to have any football team by the end of the season.
UGA has made the state a laughingstock with its reputation as one big party school with copious job opportunities for bail bondsman, and decent people are fed up with this. Get rid of the illiterate, undisciplined drunks and felons that Mark Richt recruits, and get rid of Richt too. Even with these illiterate jerkoffs, he can’t even win the division, much less the SEC, so what’s the point.
Cuz
October 28th, 2010
11:26 am
Coach, I am predicting a win but I will believe it when I see the clock on empty with the Dawgs ahead in the fourth quarter.
Blitz early and blitz often coach.
Preston
October 28th, 2010
11:27 am
Win or lose, Richt needs to move on and so do we.
Tidewatch
October 28th, 2010
11:28 am
If UF wins,the PTB have the excuse they need to fire Richt.
SECWasteManagement
October 28th, 2010
11:28 am
No CW, I work for a sports marketing firm in JAX beach, but I like to think of UGA as the waste managers of the SEC since they take out the trash (even though they were the garbage in the beginning).
Raynaud
October 28th, 2010
11:28 am
Florida 38, Georgia 17.
Red panties will be falling from the sky all day!!!
Vols1
October 28th, 2010
11:29 am
The Dawgs will win Saturday. But when you play a good program on the road every year (face it, Jacksonville is a home game for the Gators), you aren’t going to win too often. I can’t believe UGA doesn’t change this to a home-and-home series.
GaGator
October 28th, 2010
11:29 am
dawgster
Good points, I agree
ECDawg
October 28th, 2010
11:30 am
If Georgia doesn’t win…….then they lose. It’s not that difficult Mark……
Cuz
October 28th, 2010
11:30 am
Wearing jorts to a sports marketning firm, now that is classic.
FTG
October 28th, 2010
11:31 am
I can remember when all Florida had to do was show up in Jacksonville and they’d find a way to lose to the Dawgs every year. Georgia could be behind by fourteen points with seven minutes to play and the gators would throw up all over themselves and lose the game. Floridas dominate streak in the SEC is coming to an end. They no longer scare anybody. Everyone is finding out that Meyer is not that good of a coach…without Strong and Mullen he’s nothing…I predict he’s gone from Florida in two years..his ego won’t let him stay and the pressure he will get from the Florida fan base will be too much for him to handle….get ready Florida fans for years of mediocrity…..the once mighty gators don’t scare anyone anymore…and Tebow can’t save your ass every game…..I think it’s funny and so does everyone else….Can wait for the finger pointing to begin!
todd grantham
October 28th, 2010
11:32 am
I dont think Florida will score much, but EVERYTHING that can go wrong for Georgia usually does when we play in Jacksonville.
i have visions of fumbles, dropped passes and interceptions (by Georgia) allowing Florida to hang in the whole game.
SickandTired
October 28th, 2010
11:32 am
As I have said over and over agaiin. Losing to Ga. Tech will get you fired at UGA if you are the head coach. Evidently having more players arrested than the Columbian soccer team won’t get you fired. Losing to Florida 7 out of 9 years SHOULD get you fired. That should be priority number ONE. If he doesn’t beat this atrocious Florida team Saturday he shouldn’t be allowed to get on the team plane back to Athens. Fire him now, or fire him later but fired he must be.
Georgia: The Wisconsin of the SEC…errr Make that Illinois of the SEC
Georgia deserves better
todd grantham
October 28th, 2010
11:35 am
Of course the AJC is a left wing newspaper. The readership is comprised of those of us that only read the sports pages; those who read the Living section; and those that want to be perpetually pissed off and read the editorials.
I'm Gumby, dammit
October 28th, 2010
11:36 am
If only they could both lose.
PreyDawg
October 28th, 2010
11:38 am
SickandTired- please try to keep up with current reality. See my post above.
todd grantham
October 28th, 2010
11:40 am
Richt probably feels like he’s already saved himself with the last 3 wins. and maybe in some peoples’ mind he has. Not mine.
Master of Analysis
October 28th, 2010
11:41 am
Mark, I read you all the time, and think you write great articles with a commendable humility. But,get used to it, this time you are wrong.
UGA will lose to Florida, as usual. The Kentucky game would have been lost, had not the Wildcats given away a couple of touchdowns. Florida is unlikely to do that. UGA will come away, 4-5, and face another loss against Auburn. The Dawgs have been a disappointment for the last four or five years.
mexdawg
October 28th, 2010
11:43 am
GaGator there is a lot of truth in what you say and I agree with you but you overlook one thing I just bet on the water lizards.That makes the DAWGS a lock to win this one.That’s right I am betting on Fl so my DAWGS can win.If you knew my history of picking college football games you would be very worried right now.LET THE BIG DAWG EAT…
Will see!
October 28th, 2010
11:44 am
Wins over 2 very bad teams and 1 average team does not make this UGA team that much better. We will see Saturday! I hope I am wrong!!!