Bradley’s grid picks: Tech wins eight; UGA wins the SEC East
My credo. (AJC photo by Ben Gray, doctored by Mandi Albright)
Six months ago I wouldn’t have imagined this pick, but here it is: Georgia will go 10-2 and win the SEC East. And how’s that for a snappy beginning to our annual long-range look at college football?
What changed my mind about Georgia? The Dream Team. I’m not the biggest believer in recruiting rankings, but this class rekindled a fire that, after 8-5 followed by 6-7, was down to embers.
Six months ago I saw a program that had run out of ideas. (How do you not score a touchdown against Central Florida?) Today I see a team primed to seize its opportunity. The SEC East is as rickety as it has ever been: Urban Meyer is gone from Florida, Tennessee is in flux and South Carolina’s breakthrough season — the Gamecocks finally won the division — fizzled at its end.
Georgia’s schedule sets up beautifully. The Bulldogs open against a team that figures to be ranked among the nation’s top five, but the team is Boise State (meaning: less talented than Georgia) and the game is in the Georgia Dome. The next week South Carolina comes to Athens. After winning those two games, the Bulldogs will find themselves in the Top 10.
Their two losses? Even with Florida under new management, one will come against the Gators. (One Georgia loss always comes against the Gators.) The other will come against Mississippi State even though the game is in Athens. (I’m not sure the fourth-best team in the SEC West couldn’t win the East.) As for Georgia’s opponent in the SEC title game … well, keep reading.
• Georgia Tech will tighten up on offense and defense — fewer turnovers, fewer points allowed. This will enable the Jackets to go 8-4 and finish third, behind Virginia Tech and Miami, in the ACC Coastal. They’ll miss Joshua Nesbitt but profit from a kinder schedule. They don’t play Florida State. They get North Carolina, Maryland and Clemson here, and they should win two of those. They get N.C. State, Miami, Virginia and Duke on the road, and they can win at least two of those.
• Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback who spurned the NFL, will win the Heisman Trophy.
• Nebraska, new to the Big Ten, will win the Big Ten (now up to 12 members). Ohio State, as you may have heard, has issues.
• With Nebraska gone and Texas in retreat, Oklahoma will tear through the Big 12 (now down to 10) and finish first in the BCS standings.
I foresee a great leap forward. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
• As big as the Georgia-Boise game is to us around here, it will pale in comparison nationally to the other neutral-site game of Sept. 3: LSU-Oregon in Arlington, Texas. LSU 34, Oregon 31.
• Boise State won’t lose after Sept. 3, but from a national perspective it won’t matter. Boise State registers only when unbeaten.
• Auburn goes from 14-0 and the BCS title to 7-5 and fifth in the SEC West. That’s unless Russell Wilson, the baseball-playing quarterback who was released from his scholarship by N. C. State, chooses the Tigers over Wisconsin. Should that happen, bump the Tigers up to 8-4 and fourth. Wilson isn’t Cam Newton, but he’s good.
• Florida State will lose to Oklahoma in Tallahassee on Sept. 17 but will run through the ACC undefeated, beating Virginia Tech in the conference title game (now housed in Charlotte).
• Florida will beat Georgia and still finish 7-5. The Gators must play Alabama and LSU. (Georgia gets neither.) The odd Will Muschamp-Charlie Weis alliance will be in tatters by Halloween.
The string of losing seasons ends at one. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
• South Carolina will go 10-2 — its other loss will be to Arkansas — and lose the division title on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
• Tennessee will finish 6-6. Its new athletic director, whoever he/she is, will not be pleased.
• Utah will win the South Division of the newly configured Pac-12. Stanford will win the North because its biggest game — Oregon on Nov. 12 — is at home. Lane Kiffin and Southern Cal will finish 7-5, if anyone still cares.
• As for the SEC West … Alabama has the better schedule, but LSU has the better team. The Tigers will lose early at Mississippi State but not again. They’ll take down Alabama, which won’t lose to anybody else, in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 5. I see LSU beating Georgia for the SEC championship and Oklahoma in the BCS title game, which will, conveniently enough, be staged in New Orleans.
• Georgia State will go 8-3. It will, however, lose 51-10 at Houston on Sept. 24. Which, when you consider the Panthers lost 63-7 at Alabama last season, will be a sign of progress.
• After the doings of this offseason — Auburn’s trees, the Fiesta Bowl follies, the fall of Jim Tressel and the weirdness at West Virginia — the games themselves will seem almost staid. Even Tech versus Georgia will be nothing special. The Bulldogs will win by two touchdowns.
By Mark Bradley
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746 comments Add your comment
ARdawg
June 13th, 2011
11:48 am
Tide is rolling
Wah wah wah. Cry me a fricken river. Your rant translates into “woe is us, poor poor pitiful Tide fans as our team is now on the slide. The SEC front office is watching us now, cheating is difficult. They shouldn’t do that to our savior Saban. All we did was blow a 28 point lead to AU and now Missy St is stronger than us. Life sucks for the Crimson Tide”
Rewind: UGA football recruiting gets kick in pants it needed | UGA sports blog
June 13th, 2011
11:51 am
[...] Georgia has a positive season — which many are starting predict — expect a boffo recruiting class once again. Here’s the class as it stands so [...]
Punker
June 13th, 2011
11:52 am
Eeven though the trend for Richt is bad, from 11 wins in 07, to 10 in 08′, to 8 in 09′, to just 6 wins in 10′, you’d have to think with this schedule, no LSU, no Bama, no Ark, if Richt can’t get it done this time, time to go.
then again, the schedule last year was soft, and Richt went 6-7.
real thing
June 13th, 2011
12:07 pm
tech wins 7, ga wins 8—both teams will have issues. south carolina wins the SEC east, alabama wins the SEC with 1 loss. Bet the money on these picks.
Whisky Breath
June 13th, 2011
12:12 pm
That is kind of sad Mark. So you are going to take the lazy route and just pick the home team?
I thought you were different than Schultz? You don’t believe Ga is going to win the east no more than I do.
Shame on you. And LSU beating Alabama at home? You are not serious.
” Just tell the home team what they want to hear”
ANTOINEFORD
June 13th, 2011
12:16 pm
Georgia will win 7 and Tech about 5.
Golfin
June 13th, 2011
12:20 pm
Look for Richt to lose to all winning teams. Richt went 0-6 vs. winning teams in 2010, and 2-9 vs. ranked teams last 2 seasons.
UGA loses to:
Boise, South Carolina, Auburn, Miss St, Florida, and Tenn.
To finish 6-6, again.
Ray Ray
June 13th, 2011
12:21 pm
Try 4-8, add on losses to Kentucky & Georgia Tech.
Ray Ray
June 13th, 2011
12:24 pm
Losses on offense, AJ, Durham, Ealey, 25+ td’s, will prove too much.
reality
June 13th, 2011
12:33 pm
Too much talent in the East. USC wins the east. UGA is fourth.
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June 13th, 2011
12:42 pm
[...] has at least one vote to win the SEC East this year. Not surprisingly, it comes from Atlanta where Mark Bradley surprises even himself in his column at [...]
ACC’s lunchtime links | truthpopsicle.info
June 13th, 2011
1:01 pm
[...] Georgia Tech really an eight-win team this [...]
John
June 13th, 2011
1:13 pm
if you think that uga can have as much success with this years team as the team with Knowshon, Matt Staford, and A.J Green all on the same offense then u are stupid. all i here uga fans talk about is isiah crowell and the rest of the dream team. they havent even proven anything yet and also teams like Alabama, Auburn, and LSU all had better recruiting classes then them the past three years. so if ur gonna say that uga’s dream team is what is gonna save them then u might as well say that Auburn is gonna have a better year than uga cause they had a better recruiting class
ManUp...
June 13th, 2011
1:31 pm
Yeah, Jackets at 8-4 is about where I’d be willing to put my money as a Tech fan. But I’m not ready to just give up on the game in November. And I’ll bet “the other state school” isn’t ready to give up on their trip to Jacksonville either. Rivalry games are ALWAYS something special! I think this will be an extremely exciting year in college football. I’ll be on The Flats as much as possible. Best place to be on a Saturday (but everyone has an opinion.)
Go Jackets!
UGA=YAWN
June 13th, 2011
1:38 pm
You keep missing the point hat I keep making. They do NOT beat So Car. I have said for years now that Spurrier was getting closer and closer. He should have won 2 years ago. He finally won last year. Now he will win, year after year, against UGA like he did when he was at UF. 10-2. Yeah right. You’re just like everyone else. I’m surprised you didn’t say 12-0. LOL.
JimmyB
June 13th, 2011
1:46 pm
Last Year Auburn was the Ugly Duckling. Somebody nobody likes, believes, or gives any future for wins it all. But there is another story: found in the book Fairly Stupid Tales. The Ugly Duckling. In this story Everyone writes off the duckling except the ugly duckling. He knows that one day he will grow up and be a beautiful swan. Unfortunately for him, he was wrong and ended up being just a really ugly duck [read: college football team]. That is the difference between Auburn 2010 and 2011.
ManUp...
June 13th, 2011
1:49 pm
If the author’s prediction of fewer fumbles on O and a tighter D comes true for Georgia Tech, then you can look for the Jackets to be in the race for the Coastal again. There’s been some great statistical proof that the CPJ Spread Option teams have their best seasons when fumbles are reduced – 2009 at Tech was one such team. Now if we had a defense that season, I’m think it wouldn’t have stopped at 11 wins. I actually think the biggest factor mitigating a breakthrough in such a situation (fewer fumbles with a better defense) is going to be slow growth at receiver (unless a medium-range passing game is successful – we saw this look on T-Day). So, my reasons for saying we’re looking at 8-4 is that I’m not willing to brag. I think the team has a slightly higher upside if questions on O-line and in the passing game are answered. But I stand behind the idea that fewer fumbles always seems to light the fuse on CPJ’s Spread Option and a better D can only help.
Go Jackets? Yes. Always. Only. Ever. Go Jackets!
Ray Goff
June 13th, 2011
1:54 pm
It’ going to be extremely difficult to get to that 10-2 mark when you start out 0-2. just saying.
jcbakes
June 13th, 2011
2:14 pm
Does this guy ever look at schedules before making his predictions? Example: UGA has probably 5 guaranteed wins this year: CoastCar, OleMiss, Vandy, NewMexSt, Kent. So, they are going to win 5 more games that are toss ups? While UT pretty much has 6: Mont, Cinci, Buff, MidTenn, Kent, Vandy. And they won’t win any other games? This analysis simply lacks any logical thought. Why is this guy employed to write this drivel?
Cory
June 13th, 2011
3:48 pm
I cannot stop laughing at all of these haters. UGA has one of the best QB’s in the league this year and one of the top running back’s in the nation. Not to mention Orson Charles. Yet everyone wants to say GA will be a bust and our freshman RB will realize it’s not highschool… Did you forget what Dyer and Lattimore did last year?… Both Freshman. And what’s all of this talk about UT? They played HORRIBLE last year and had a so-so recruiting class. How can they possibly be any better this year? Auburn lost everybody, USC doesn’t know who their QB is, Boise is overrated, and GT… well, we always beat them. Go Dogs! Screw the retarded haters!
UGA=YAWN
June 13th, 2011
3:59 pm
Their QB is Stephen Garcia. You might know him. He will beat UGA . . . . again!
Do I hear five?
June 13th, 2011
4:05 pm
if the trend indicates it, can it be so?
Cory, are you trying to convince non dogs or just yourself?
jcbakes
June 13th, 2011
4:25 pm
UGA fans may be the most delusional on the planet. I moved to Atlanta in 1998, and every year I hear nonsense about UGA winning the SEC and National Championship. No matter how they did the previous year, no matter who they have coming back, no matter their schedule, etc. Simply, if you look at last year, who they lost, and their schedule, no reasonable person sees 10 wins. This article is a complete joke.
The SEC East is a complete crap shoot with 4 teams that can win it. But none of those teams is going to get 10 wins.
Matt
June 13th, 2011
4:43 pm
Lattimore drug the entire UGA defense for almost 200 yards last year. He has an extra 15 pounds of muscle and a year of SEC experience. How exactly are the Dawgs going to stop him? Don’t say he came up as a surprise because he did worse to a UF team in Gainesville with more talent than UGA (and most schools in the entire country).
Garrison Spearman
June 13th, 2011
4:52 pm
Mark, You’re absolutely right! Georgia will be 10-2 or better. I can see us beating the imposters (MST) in athens by a couple. I also think that everyone hating UGA right now is absolutely terrified!! It has to be scary tho know that the nation best LB core and THE best QB in the country will be comng at you. Add Tavaris King, Israel Troupe, Marlon Brown, Orson Charles and its easily better than last years receiving corp! I just hope the rest of the SEC is ready shut their mouths when the DAWGS demolish the SEC.
Kickun Dawg
June 13th, 2011
5:06 pm
What you Smoking Bud?……….Jawga Fans who pose as Reporters are almost as bad as Clemzon Fans
Is Luck the best QB?
June 13th, 2011
5:33 pm
or Erin?
(Erin is what the sports announcers keep calling him)
heeldawg
June 13th, 2011
10:05 pm
1828: Eloquent. Also ignorant.
You don’t belong in the same blog with me.
heeldawg
June 13th, 2011
10:15 pm
1828: “When Tech beats Georgia…”
When is that, exactly? Once every decade or so? You’re not due again for another eight years…
Voice of Reason
June 13th, 2011
11:21 pm
Breathtaking inanity throughout. Georgia will open 0-2.
Gratefuldawghead
June 13th, 2011
11:32 pm
GO DAWGS!
Columbus Dawg
June 14th, 2011
5:54 am
Hey Cock, there were also five teams that you played who did stop Lattimore, and if you think he come into Sanford this year and do that then you are about as stupid as most of these Auburn fans on these boards. Your pathetic little program has never beaten the Dawgs in back to back meetings, and it ain’t gonna start now. If you have not heard, the Dawgs have added 700 lbs. of run stoppers to the D, you will NOT see the same results from the Dawgs defense as you did last season.
Jofer
June 14th, 2011
7:29 am
4 clear wins are on the schedule (not gimmes, Richt lost to Colorado last year):
Coastal Carolina, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, New Mexico State
8 games are potential losses (Richt went 0-6 vs. winning teams in 10′, 2-9 vs. ranked teams since 09′): Boise, SC, Tenn, Kent, Ga Tech, Auburn, Florida, Miss St.
Doug the Jacket
June 14th, 2011
8:34 am
Same old stuff, same old newspaper, same old Bulldog Nation publication. At the end of the season, let’s revisit your predictions!
JS74
June 14th, 2011
9:55 am
Don’t know how you pick a team to go 10-2 and win the east that just went 6-7 and scored just 6 points in their final game against UCF(really), and they lost a lot of key offensive players, One man (Murray) can’t do it by hisself. I see UGA going 8-4 finshing tied 2nd in the east with UF, I think South Carolina will win the east with 10 or 11 wins and Bama will win the west with 1-loss. Your article sounds just like a in state newspaper in GEORGIA.
JS74
June 14th, 2011
9:58 am
BTW ColumbusDawg SC beat GA back to back not to long ago in 2000 & 2001 so get your facts right.
truedawg
June 14th, 2011
10:19 am
Not long ago? 11 years? SC isn’t terrible, Do you think SC will be better this year? Do you think a UGA team without its best playmaker in last years game ( AJ Green) and it was Murray’s first game in the SEC and it was on the road, Do you think he’ll be better? Think UGA will be better and the game is in Athens. Last years game was close and with the fumbles by UGA the game could been much closer.
So recap, last year close game, no AJ, fresh QB, new D, and on the road, turn over on the goal line and still was very close game. This year, better D, experinced QB, and in Athens. Unless Sc got really better since the last game, I don’t see UGA lossing that game at home.
chad
June 14th, 2011
11:12 am
you have lost your mind, I will bet you a dinner that UGA loses 4 games and loses 1 of the first 2
Stephen Banick
June 14th, 2011
5:12 pm
As possibly the only person in the nation to have attended both G-Tech (undergrad) and Boise State (grad school) you can just imagine my glee when the Broncos punish the Dawgs on Sept. 3… (anyone remember BSU-Va Tech last year in D.C. – in front of 80,000 maroon fans?)
win now
June 14th, 2011
9:46 pm
richt may have more talent this year than any team in the league except alabama—if he can’t win 10+ with this group, it’s time to hit the road.
surfrider
June 15th, 2011
1:01 am
Tech will go undefeated if it trades in the Triple Option and goes to Wishbone or Veer with the same lineup and option game, but better passing and lead blockers. Imaging Josh Nesbitt at QB, Jon Dywer at LH, and Athony Allen at RH, Calvin Johns at WR, Orwin Smith at Slot back and Bay Bay at the other other WR, and combine that with our new defense. Wishbone just move Dywer to FB and Smoth to Lh….
Freehawk
June 15th, 2011
7:14 am
UGA will not beat USC. Good luck in the rest of the games.
Domed
June 15th, 2011
8:13 am
Mark,
I see 4 easy wins vs. Coastal, New Mex, vanderbilt, and Ole Miss.
Where do the other 6 wins come from?
Florida–No (2-8 record Richt vs. Florida)
Boise- No (Richt’s 2-9 vs. ranekd teams)
Miss St- No (lost last time, 2-9 vs. ranked teams)
Aub- No (more talent, on a roll, better coaches)
Tenn- No (lost last 2 in Knoxville, this is in Knox)
Kentucky- No (Richt lost 2 out of last 4 games)
GA tECH- mAYBE (rICHT’S 2-1 VS. jOHNSON)
South Car- NO (Lost last time, Latt/Garcia/Jeff, Better coaches, 2-9 vs. ranekd teams)
Looking at 4-6 wins, max.
BullDogMike
June 15th, 2011
11:08 am
Mark, you may be correct about LSU. With Zack Mettenberger as their QB, they should have a say about who wins the East. Mett would have been the starter at UGA last season over Murray , I believe, if he hadn’t gotten himself into trouble. He ended up taking his JUCO team to the national championship. The kid is a player……
ron may
June 15th, 2011
8:13 pm
It’s always alot of fun to make predictions before the season starts. I would challenge you to post this article again after the the national champion is named to see whether you really have insight into college football, or whether you had a bad meal last night.
mmarcco
June 16th, 2011
5:16 pm
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