My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is …
So: Will Loquacious Les Miles and his Fightin' Tigers be singing in January? (AP photo)
File this under Adventures in Prognosticating. Due to print schedules, this list was compiled and submitted several days ago. It was printed — the special Sunday football section had an early run — the day LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard was suspended and the day before charges were brought against Tigers quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who was then himself suspended.
I supposed I could have changed the Top 25 for AJC.com purposes, but that way I’d inevitably wind up being wrong twice. Better to remain mulishly consistent, I say. (This time, anyway. Where mulish consistency is concerned, I’m sometimes inconsistent.) And besides: It would be just like LSU to win the BCS title without two key contributors. I mean, who among us doesn’t have great faith in Zach Mettenberger?
But enough. Here’s the Top 25, at least until somebody else gets arrested/suspended.
In keeping with the Les Miles Way of Football Coaching, this Top 25 will either be the smartest ever compiled — or the silliest. Which seems rather fitting, given whose team is ranked No. 1.
1. LSU: It’s unlikely the Tigers will go unbeaten — they play Oregon in Arlington, Texas; Mississippi State in Starkville; West Virginia in Morgantown and Alabama in Tuscaloosa — but an SEC school can win the BCS title with one loss. (LSU won it in 2007 with two losses.) And if any team can stand up to a demanding schedule, it’s this. Loony Les has all but guaranteed a windfall autumn, and now the investigation into a Baton Rouge brawl has left him spitting mad.
2. Oklahoma: The Sooners, by way of contrast, probably have to go undefeated to wind up in the BCS title game. With Texas in retreat and Nebraska in the Big Ten, the Big 12 (which has 10 members at the moment) is the least challenging of the major leagues. A loss to Florida State in Tallahassee on Sept. 17 could and the championship hopes of the team ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls, and the loss of linebacker Travis Lewis to a broken foot augurs poorly.
3. Stanford: How much of the Cardinal’s rise was a function of Jim Harbaugh, and how much was the doing of Andrew Luck? The former is now coaching the San Francisco 49ers, and his fire will be missed. But his successor is David Shaw, who was Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator, and Shaw is sharp enough to realize that, in Luck, he has the nation’s best quarterback. The key game for Stanford comes Nov. 5 against Oregon, and it’s in Palo Alto.
4. Alabama: It’s a tribute to Nick Saban that his Crimson Tide, which lost four first-round draftees to the NFL and its starting quarterback to boot, is still the consensus pick to win the nation’s best conference. The Tide figures to be well coached, duh, and even more driven after its fourth-place finish in the SEC West. But without Mark Ingram and Julio Jones and Greg McElroy and Marcell Dareus, Alabama seems a year away from greater glory.
5. Florida State: Here’s another team that lost its quarterback — Christian Ponder was a first-round NFL pick — but might have upgraded at the position. E.J. Manuel was voted all-conference by the ACC media last month, which tells us much about his potential. (Also a bit about the blind faith of the ACC media.) The aforementioned date with Oklahoma has been circled in Tallahassee for months. The teams met last season in Norman, and the Sooners won 47-17.
6. Wisconsin: Who says college football doesn’t have a waiver wire? Grad student Russell Wilson, who passed for 3,653 yards last season, was released from his scholarship by North Carolina State but decided to end his dalliance with minor-league baseball and return for a final season of college football. He chose over the Badgers over Auburn, which has known some success with one-year quarterbacks, and immediately rendered Wisconsin a Rose Bowl favorite.
7. Oregon: The Ducks closed last season with an honorable at-the-horn loss to Auburn in the BCS title game. Next they get to try another SEC West opponent on another neutral field. Should Oregon beat LSU on Sept. 3, another run to the championship would be a real possibility. But the guess is that an offseason of scrutiny will take a toll on the program Nike built. If it’s any consolation, though, the Ducks still figure to win more games this year than Auburn.
8. Boise State: Should the Broncos beat Georgia here Sept. 3, we’ll be treated to another round of does-Boise-belong-in-the-title-game debate. Should Boise lose, we won’t hear another peep about its BCS chances. Let’s recall that the Broncos lost only one game last season — to Nevada in overtime — and fell from No. 3 in the polls to the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl. Pound for pound, this remains the best program in the land, but it’s still not ready for the heavyweight championship.
9. Nebraska: This proud program has a new home, and the Big Ten has, in the combustible Cornhusker Bo Pelini, the new Woody Hayes. Watching Pelini throw a sideline tantrum has become a guilty pleasure — is it any wonder he once worked for Les Miles? — but his new conference has every reason to fear the ranter. The past few seasons have done nothing to burnish the Big Ten’s reputation, and now there’s a real chance a transplant could be its champ.
10. Virginia Tech: The Hokies, as usual, stand to win the ACC Coastal. (They’ve done it four times in six seasons.) But the defense, traditionally tenacious under coordinator Bud Foster, will have to do even more heavy lifting. The offensive movers from last season, quarterback Tyrod Taylor among them, are gone. The schedule is almost a joke: The Hokies don’t face Florida State, and three ACC road games are against teams that won one league game apiece in 2010.
11. Georgia: This season’s boom-or-bust team. The Bulldogs can grab the nation’s attention in their first two games against Boise and South Carolina. Beyond that, the schedule is positively inviting. Then again, Georgia did lose seven games last season.
12. South Carolina: It’s possible the Gamecocks could have a much better team but fall short of repeating as SEC East champs. Like Georgia, Carolina doesn’t have to face LSU or Alabama. But it does have to play a road game in Athens, and that’s huge.
13. Texas A&M:What’s this? Three SEC teams in a row? (Sorry. Getting ahead of myself.) The Aggies’ tale, at least in 2011, figures to be told in a three-game stretch: Oklahoma State and Arkansas at home, Texas Tech away.
14. Oklahoma State: Mike Gundy’s men — heh, heh; little joke — should be the third-best team in the defoliated Big 12. The reason the Cowboys won’t be among the top two is that they must face Texas A&M and Oklahoma on the road.
15. Mississippi State: Coach Dan Mullen’s face appears on billboards that bear the legend, “This Is Our State.” Which might be news to Houston Nutt, but we digress. Good team here. Good team in the wrong division.
16. Arkansas: Speaking of which, Bobby Petrino gushed — and Bobby P. isn’t much of a gusher — at SEC Media Days over his team’s speed. Then running back Knile Davis broke his ankle and was lost for the season.
17. Utah: To accommodate its increased membership, the Pac-12 has split into two divisions. It’s the Utes’ great good fortune to have plopped down in the one that doesn’t include Stanford or Oregon.
18. Penn State: Joe Paterno coaches the Nittany Lions. He has won 401 games and is 401 years old. (OK, so I exaggerate.) The big news this preseason was the night he spent in the hospital after getting trampled in practice.
19. TCU: This team went 13-0 last season. It figures to finish behind Boise State in the Mountain West this season. Next season the Horned Frogs might finish second in the Big East. That’s correct: Texas Christian to the Big East.
20. Notre Dame: Yeah, I know what you’re saying. “Notre Dame is always overrated.” But it’s not like I’m putting the Fighting Irish in the Top 10. And, apart from Stanford, Notre Dame doesn’t play a team that I’ve ranked above it.
21. West Virginia: Dana Holgorsen was supposed to be Bill Stewart’s coach-in-waiting, but Stewart was believed to have bad-mouthed Holgorsen and had to step down. Waiting time for the coach-in-waiting: Seven months to the day.
22. Michigan State: The Spartans went 11-2 last season, which sounds more impressive than it looked. Why? Because their losses — to Iowa and Alabama — came by an aggregate 73 points.
23. Ohio State: Jim Tressel doesn’t coach here anymore, and Terrell Pryor is gone, too. But this is still a program of vast resources, and we know from experience that the Big Ten is less tough than the SEC.
24. Houston: The class of Conference USA. (Other choices would be Southern Miss or Central Florida.) Quarterback Case Keenum was lost to a knee injury last season. He’s back now. He’s good, too.
25. Texas: There are two reasons the Longhorns shouldn’t be a losing team for long. One is freshman running back Malcolm Brown. The other is defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who worked wonders at Mississippi State.
By Mark Bradley
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236 comments Add your comment
Flip
August 29th, 2011
8:56 am
First?
Coach Todd Grantham
August 29th, 2011
8:56 am
First. Thanks Mark, Dawgs deserve to be this high!
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
August 29th, 2011
8:57 am
First……In the final polls will be Nebraska.
My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is … – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Football News and Topics
August 29th, 2011
8:57 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
August 29th, 2011
8:58 am
And you are too generous with your assessment on Georgia.
Flip
August 29th, 2011
8:59 am
I dont know how often it happens that you actually get to read the article and still get a First. But having UGA at is way to high to start a season.
Sonny
August 29th, 2011
9:01 am
First??!!
Sonny
August 29th, 2011
9:01 am
Dangit
Wilson
August 29th, 2011
9:04 am
not first!
Innocent Bystander
August 29th, 2011
9:05 am
I’m certain a 6-7 team which lost its only two receiving threats and is relying on a true frosh at RB won’t finish #11. A true freshman is just that, a freshman, no matter how many “stars” he may have.
Mr. Peterson vs Bozo
August 29th, 2011
9:05 am
Too bad…… its gonna be bust for UGA!
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
August 29th, 2011
9:07 am
Am I mistaken? Is Auburn not on that list?
BAMA dude
August 29th, 2011
9:08 am
Are you crazy? UGA at #11? They improve to 8-4 this year, 9-3 at best.
Benjamin
August 29th, 2011
9:09 am
Everyone’s touting Georgia to do so well, and I’m a Georgia fan, but we were 6-7 last year and lost SO much talent to the NFL and, in Caleb King’s case, the Athens police blotter. I just don’t see how we can go from that back to the penthouse so quickly.
In my view, we’re an 8 win team at best.
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
9:10 am
Chattanooga 56
Nebraska 3
buckheaddawg
August 29th, 2011
9:16 am
Bystander, have you read every report out of athens since practice started? Crowell’s the real deal. Herschel was ALSO a freshman at one point.
not having 2 go-to receivers doesn’t matter when you have 3 freakish TE’s. Brown is finally stepping up, and another freshman Malcolm Mitchell is a freakshow of a playmaker. Georgia will be fine, The D will be outstanding, now that Bacarri’s benched.
CFB Fan
August 29th, 2011
9:16 am
Homerism at its finest. Every year Mr. Bradley drinks the kool-aide only to be proven wrong everytime.
In my eyes, Bradley, you lost a litte credibility here.
UGA should be maybe on the bubble around 25.
buckheaddawg
August 29th, 2011
9:17 am
and bradley did his job- stirring up crap from people like ourselves. I don’t agree with his #11 but we’ll finish 11-15 with a 9-3, losses against boise (outcoached), tenn (out-physicalled) and UF (mental)
Gene Gene the tackling machine
August 29th, 2011
9:17 am
This will get you ready for the game, whether you are an optimist or pessimist!!
http://www.warriorandworrier.com
ToccoaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:20 am
LET THE GAMES BEGIN.
Herschel Talker
August 29th, 2011
9:22 am
buckheaddawg:
Under your scenario, do you believe Mark Richt should be canned? I sure do. Yet another loss to Florida and not winning the East (which I assume is the case in your scenario, although we could win a 3-way tiebreaker) earns Richt a one-way ticket out of town.
HT
JB
August 29th, 2011
9:23 am
I love my Dawgs, and they have made some positive changes in the off season, but I’ll just have to take a wait and see attitude. They could lose the first two, and the world and half the Dawg fan base would write them off, but they could circle the wagons and go 10-2, 9-3 and be ranked and go to a decent bowl. They will for sure be the hunters….and not the hunted. I know people hate this, but we just need some plain ole good luck this year. The ball to bounce our way and no injuries. Go Dawgs
george
August 29th, 2011
9:24 am
Thanks for the good laugh. i dont know which is more ridiculous stanford at 3 or UGA at 11. Both will be 4 loss teams.
My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is … – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Global Sports Insiders
August 29th, 2011
9:25 am
[...] My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is …Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)It was printed — the special Sunday football section had an early run — the day LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard was suspended and the day before charges were brought against Tigers quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who was then himself suspended. …Losing early worse than losing late in BCS chaseUSA Todayall 33 news articles » [...]
Socal Dawg
August 29th, 2011
9:26 am
Come on Mark!! Well there goes our year… Bradley is NEVER right. And I had such high hopes.
I'm just saying...
August 29th, 2011
9:26 am
Mark did you go on a bender this weekend?
I got one
August 29th, 2011
9:27 am
I’m pretty sure GT won more than one league game last year. UNC, Wake, Duke, UVA.
JB
August 29th, 2011
9:27 am
Herschel. The powers to be in Athens are looking for every reason to keep Mark, not reasons to get rid of him.
He needs to win the games he’s SUPPOSED to win, and in the losses, Not look lost or horrible doing it. Do that, even 8-4 brings him back IMHO.
Mark Bradley
August 29th, 2011
9:32 am
Kudos, Flip.
JB
August 29th, 2011
9:33 am
Herschel, one more thing….I will admit that the expectations are not what they use to be in Athens. Hoping we beat Boise ? Hoping we beat Carolina? That did not use to be the way you heard things. I use to feel that we were going to the Dome every year, if we got there or not, we felt that way. Win 8 and get to a decent bowl is what Carolina and Kentucky use to say, not us.
JackDennis
August 29th, 2011
9:33 am
Oklahoma always chokes one game. Dawgs, more than one. Look for GA in Cottonelle Personal WIpes Bowl.
South GA Dawg
August 29th, 2011
9:34 am
I thin I would flip LSU and FSU. If FSU gets past OK the momentum will take them to the NC game. Boise is a long shot. I do not see them getting by this GA team. It will be a good game but UGA will shut Kellen down. This is not the first overrated QB GA has faced , remember the sugar bowl. If UGA comes to win and you better believe they will, they will come hard and fast. The big dawgs are hungry and mean this year.
Mark Bradley
August 29th, 2011
9:35 am
And I didn’t say Georgia Tech won only one ACC game last season. I said three of Virginia Tech’s four ACC road games are against teams that went 1-7 in league play in 2010. The three: Virginia, Wake Forest and Duke. Virginia Tech’s fourth ACC road game is against Georgia Tech.
JB
August 29th, 2011
9:36 am
The BCS bowl folks are pulling for us Saturday. Having them at 12-0 with that schedule is not something they want to deal with. They lose to Georgia, they’re toast in their eyes.
Columbus Dawg
August 29th, 2011
9:39 am
buckheaddawg has said it all, there is no bigger indication that justice is being done in Athens as the benching of Rambo. I was sure that his play,or lack thereof, would be the deciding reason that my television would be turned off before the game was over. Rambo changed imediately after his big collision with the Auburn running back. This was pretty much obvious to all, but I just believe that the coaches have been trying to give him every opportunity to return to the player that he looked to be before that incident. At this point it looks like that will not happen. This decision to start Sanders at safety ahead of Rambo will be one of the biggest and best decisions you will see out of the Dawgs coaching staff this year. Right up there with the Richard Samuels decision.
BOISE STATE BRONCOS IN FORR A LONG NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Herschel Talker
August 29th, 2011
9:40 am
JB:
“Win 8 and get to a decent bowl is what Carolina and Kentucky use to say, not us.”
OK, but then in your other comment, you say that the powers that be would keep him in that scenario. So are you saying our standards have permanently been lowered?
Simple question: after the trainwreck of the last few years, why would anyone feel good about 8-4 and feel Richt is worthy of staying given our poor schedule and how down the East is? Do UGA fans not want to excel to great heights, do they merely want a man to stay as coach because he is likeable? It’s insanity.
HT
Same old
August 29th, 2011
9:46 am
After South Carolina wins going away we ca get serious about how well Ga. will finish. As much as it hurts Ga. fans, SC is just a more talented and better coached team.
AceDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:46 am
11 is optimistic for the Dawgs, but I’d probably have them there too out of hopeful thinking. Then again, I think they can beat Boise St and SC, and that’d put them perhaps even near the top 5. Hard to see UGA not losing a couple games along the way as a matter of principle, but there are reasons to be optimistic about a better defense and an experienced Murray.
A Reach
August 29th, 2011
9:47 am
Your reaching Bradley…….stick to your praise of the Brave’s Kimbrel……….definitely spot on!
Jim Doanan as in Doans Pills
August 29th, 2011
9:47 am
the BCS is a Ponzi scheme!
jerry
August 29th, 2011
9:49 am
Sanford Stadium has never been much of a hurdle for good SEC teams in my lifetime and I am no spring chicken.
Gator Bait
August 29th, 2011
9:50 am
Like Georgia always does…..they beat good teams in the SEC AND LOSE to the teams considered worse!Why should that change this year??
Kermit the Frog
August 29th, 2011
9:50 am
Dude, what a terrible top 25. Georgia ahead of South Carolina? LSU the best team in the nation, despite having a terrible QB in Lee? Stanford ahead of Alabama? This is stupid.
Worm
August 29th, 2011
9:55 am
South Carolina fans should be embarassed that they’ve only sold 55,000 tickets to the ECU-Carolina game in Charlotte..It’s 100 miles away and you have one of your better teams..Where’s all those “loyal” Cockfans…That’s 55,000 between the Two teams and the Charlotte Business community.
TruthSeeker
August 29th, 2011
9:57 am
Good list, Mark.
techfan
August 29th, 2011
9:59 am
Mark just curiously, how does Boise St finish 8th and UGA finish 11th? If UGA beats Boise then they won’t sniff the top ten the rest of the season. If Boise wins you are still picking UGA to come back and finish 11th? Are you basically saying that Boise St will be a tougher game then most of the SEC games UGA plays? Because I keep hearing how terrible Boise is from UGA fans.
St. Richt
August 29th, 2011
10:01 am
Wow, 11th ranked after losing their best players on both sides of the ball, with whom they managed to lose 7 games last year. Lets see- Green, Durham, Ealey, King, Houston, Tripp, Dent, and others.. Talk about drinking the Dream Team kool aid…
jerry
August 29th, 2011
10:02 am
Boise St. has about as much chance of beating UGA as Dick Cheney has of shooting a lawyer with a shotgun…….oops.
Fair Dinkum
August 29th, 2011
10:02 am
Not sold on E.J. Manual. ‘Noles will see a better, opposing QB in their season opener.
St. Richt
August 29th, 2011
10:03 am
Too many distractions for LSU to be ranked first.
Jay
August 29th, 2011
10:03 am
Uga lost its absolute best player in A.J Green, they’ve shown that they have no offense without him, they are starting a true freshman at running back with a former linebacker as his primary backup, the o-line is still a huge question mark, and they lost seven games last year. #11????? Bradley is a HUGE homer!!!!!!
Then again, to pick LSU as #1 only a couple days after their QB got arrested for a felony, that shows you how “in touch” Bradley is with college football.
Dr. Phil
August 29th, 2011
10:04 am
The truth about UGA is, nobody knows. Georgia consists of a group of gifted but poorly coached athletes that take the ME out of team. This statement does not apply to some players like Murray and Samuel, but too many UGA players have one eye on themselves and the other on the NFL. This team might well go 9-3, or it may go 6-6.
DC
August 29th, 2011
10:04 am
Your list is garbage and you are baiting people to dispute it…well done..you should get several reads and hits for this…..
Boise State Bluegrass
August 29th, 2011
10:05 am
My pal was telling me that Georgia has a lot of homer fans…..Damn, he was right!
Columbus Dawg
August 29th, 2011
10:07 am
I hate to call out individual players on blogs, but since buckheaddawg already open that can of worms, here goes. I would have thought that the one biggest reasons for my television to get turned off before the game finished would be the play, or the lack thereof, of Rambo. Nearly everyone knows that he never returned to the same form after his collision with Fannin. I do believe that the coaches wanted to give him every opportunity to return to the kind of play that he started out his career with, but it just has not happened. While he did make a lot of tackles last year, he more often than not just seemed to be out of postion on a whole lot of plays that really hurt the Dawgs last year. I do believe that the safety position will greatly benefit from having Sanders start at safety. I believe that this and the Richard Samuel decision may be two of the biggest coaching decisions made thus far.
Worm
August 29th, 2011
10:07 am
Jay, apparently you didn’t read the disclaimer above the ratings.
bill arp
August 29th, 2011
10:08 am
So, bascially you’re saying that the former UGA QB, Mettenberger, will lead the Bayou Bengals to a NC? I don’t think that would sit well around these here parts….
LSU in Atlanta
August 29th, 2011
10:09 am
GEAUX TIGERS!!!!
jerry
August 29th, 2011
10:11 am
Give Alabama UGA’s schedule….and their roster. A slam dunk NC.
Chi Town
August 29th, 2011
10:12 am
You’re an idiot, Bradley.
Saban will run the table this season.
bill arp
August 29th, 2011
10:12 am
Oh, and a team that you left off, and that will surprise a whole lot of people, is K-State. I know I know, laugh at that, but watch out for the Wildcats. They’ll end up with 9 or 10 wins this year.
8/29/11 10:13 a.m.
My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is … - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | NCAA Time
August 29th, 2011
10:13 am
[...] See the original post here: My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is … – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Troll Power Ratings
August 29th, 2011
10:17 am
Hey trolls….getting nervous? Love that attention you maroons always show Georgia. There are 25 teams in this poll and you show your obsession over Georgia by freaking out they are ranked. Who knows? But we know you’re getting nervous. Mr. Nebraska, don’t you have other teams to worry about: OK, O-state, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Purdue? Probably a techie, anyway….
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
August 29th, 2011
10:17 am
Be careful about trashing the UGA program. It will get you banned.
Curious George
August 29th, 2011
10:18 am
Will Mark Richt host a ritual burning of these NIKE “Pro Combat” uniforms after being taken out behind the proverbial woodshed by Boise State this weekend?
JB
August 29th, 2011
10:22 am
Mark, when do you put out your real top 25?
Curious George
August 29th, 2011
10:24 am
Is it really fair to compare the relationship of Mark Richt and Nike to Judas and the Roman Army?
JB
August 29th, 2011
10:25 am
One good about this weekend. With a little luck and a win, we get rid of about half the haters on this blog. And IF we win, watch how QUICK Boise become irrelevant as a good football team on these blogs. Can’t you hear it now, ” boy, Boise was overrated”…..LOL
ATLBraveSEC
August 29th, 2011
10:25 am
HAHA stupid list… UGA 11 really? after last season… goes to show all people around here are stuck up UGA’s rear end
GeorgiaDuck
August 29th, 2011
10:25 am
You must have been distracted writing this piece. LSU No. 1? Oregon 7th? Now the Dawgs could be a No. 10 team if they catch some breaks.
Paul Johnson's Johnson
August 29th, 2011
10:26 am
MB–You’re an idiot!
JS
August 29th, 2011
10:27 am
Any time wiht Mettenberger has a shot at the National Championship. He’s just a great leader, who just wins. Mettenberger went 11-1 as a starter last season, led his team to the National Championship. I look for LSU to win it all, and Mettenberger to win the Heisman trophy next year in 2012. What an arm?
Harvey D. Pooka
August 29th, 2011
10:30 am
Mark may be on the mark: LSU will get two lucy wins – via cheating, as usual; or via couple missed penalty calls, with refs looking the other way during obvious offensive holding calls or classifying legal hits on QB as personal fouls.
Oklahoma – which by th way is my #1 pick – will get too hyped up on their own press and take someone too lightly and get 1 upset loss, positioning themselves as #2 prior to bowl games.
Nebraska: steady but not spectacular, will probably be underappreciatied by voters, stagnating between 4th and 6th all season.
Stanford may be overlooked all year and if lucky enough to be in championship game will be the mythical national champions.
Mark Bradley
August 29th, 2011
10:32 am
About LSU: Let me note that I was faced with one of those dilemmas we sometimes encounter when a print special section is involved. The print section rolled last Thursday, before Jordan Jefferson was suspended. As noted above, I didn’t want to have different Top 25s — one in print and one online. So I’m sticking with my man Les, in whom I have the utmost confidence. (Not really, but what’s the alternative?)
Jerry
August 29th, 2011
10:33 am
This amazes me. Since 2001, Mark Richt is in the top 5 among active coaches at # of players drafted at almost every single position on the field. In contrast, Saban is in the Top 5 at one position (QB). I knew UGA had good talent but I didn’t know it was this good. Here’s the link:
http://coachesbythenumbers.com/coach-rankings/?reportId=38
Troll Power Ratings
August 29th, 2011
10:33 am
JS: drinking so early? I assume you meant any “team with” Mettenberger. Also, you probably should have used an exclamation mark instead of a question mark to end your last sentence. Jack for breakfast ain’t workin’ for you, bud. Can we get an update on Murray’s height?
RAMBLE ON!!!
August 29th, 2011
10:33 am
Herschel Talker…Goomer Dooley was as mediocre as it gets. Why are you always hating on Richt?
Yes he gets the best talent every year and flops, but so did Goomer Dooley.
MARK, UGAg #11 ?!? LMAO!!!
You must be trying to get back in the good graces of the fleabag nation.
murfdawg
August 29th, 2011
10:34 am
Mark, I’m all with you. If UGA wins the first two, I think they will go 10-2. The MS St game is the 5th game in a row and will come after a road game at Ole Miss. For some reason CMR teams do not play well after a road game. and of course, we can’t beat fl. I went to TWLOCP religiously in the 70’s and 80’s and scoffed at the look on the Gators faces after we beat them with “miracle play after miracle play”. I went to Jax last year for the first time in 15 years and saw that “hang dog, sad sack face” on the Georgia fans. However, if we take care of business, we can be 10-2, win the East and go to the Sugar Bowl.(Bama or LSU will go to the MNC).
If we lose the first two, we are looking at 6-6 and CMR is gone.
Contractor
August 29th, 2011
10:36 am
LSU #1? Please tell me you wrote this before Jordan Jefferson got suspended. They have a good team, but even if Jarret Lee or Metterberger take the reigns, it’ll be a tough season for Lucky Les and the Bayou Bengals.
As a Georgia fan, they have to prove to me that they deserve to be ranked. I am pumped about the emergence of Crowell, Swain, Mitchell, Jarvis Jones, and Ogletree making plays at Linebacker, but there is still something to be desired and proven by Georgia.
BFD
August 29th, 2011
10:38 am
Mark, quit trying to sell newspapers. UGA #11? C’mon.
BigTimeTechFan
August 29th, 2011
10:38 am
1. Oklahoma St
2. Alabama
3. FSU
4. Oregon
5. Auburn
6. Florida
7. Nebraska
8. Oklahoma
9. Texas A&M
10. TCU
11. Georgia Tech
12. Boise St
13. Stanford
14. Louisville
15. South Carolina
16. Arkansas
17. South Carolina
18. Va Tech
19. Texas
20. Wisconsin
RiffRaff
August 29th, 2011
10:39 am
I can see the Dawgs in the top 25 but not at #11. Too much hype going into the Boise game. On the other hand, would love for UGA to win the east and LSU the west. Mettenberger vs. Murray? I’d pay extra for that.
Contractor
August 29th, 2011
10:39 am
I’ve got $50 that says Florida State and Texas A&M both lose atleast 4 games. Florida State will quickly be humbled by Oklahoma early on. Jimbo and the Seminoles are one more year away in my eyes. Texas A&M is like the fourth best team in their conference.
As a Georgia fan, there is much more to be desired in my eyes. They have to prove to me they should be ranked. I am excited about the emergence of Crowell, Swain, Mitchell, Jarvis Jones, and Ogletree, but they have to prove they can hang in there and win the tough games. We’ll see in two weeks total what this team is made of, and I hope we’re looking and smelling good after the South Khakilacky game.
Troll Power Ratings
August 29th, 2011
10:39 am
Wow, thanks Jerry! More proof that recruits that want to go to the NFL (and they almost all do) should choose Georgia. Just think how well Georgia is going to do after a strong winning season! Keep up the great work.
SEC ALL DAY LEGGO DAWGS
August 29th, 2011
10:40 am
where’s aurburn lol
Contractor
August 29th, 2011
10:40 am
I’ve got $50 that says Florida State and Texas A&M both lose atleast 4 games. Florida State will quickly be humbled by Oklahoma early on. Jimbo and the Seminoles are one more year away in my eyes. Texas A&M is like the fourth best team in their conference. They won’t beat Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State, or Missouri if they actually play all of those teams. Baylor will even give them a run.
As a Georgia fan, there is much more to be desired in my eyes. They have to prove to me they should be ranked. I am excited about the emergence of Crowell, Swain, Mitchell, Jarvis Jones, and Ogletree, but they have to prove they can hang in there and win the tough games. We’ll see in two weeks total what this team is made of, and I hope we’re looking and smelling good after the South Khakilacky game.
BigTimeTechFan
August 29th, 2011
10:41 am
1. Oklahoma St
2. Alabama
3. FSU
4. Oregon
5. Auburn
6. Florida
7. Nebraska
8. Oklahoma
9. Texas A&M
10. TCU
11. Georgia Tech
12. Boise St
13. Stanford
14. Louisville
15. South Carolina
16. Arkansas
17. Kentucky
18. Va Tech
19. Texas
20. Wisconsin
gatorsam67
August 29th, 2011
10:43 am
Really, now! I know the Gators are rebuilding, but should not they be al least in the top 25. Will be at the season’s end, and you will still be a homer for the Dawgs.
gatorsam67
August 29th, 2011
10:47 am
I know that the Gators are rebuilding, but should they be left out of the top 25? The Gators will be ranked at the end of the season, and you will still be a homer for the Dawgs.
Frank T
August 29th, 2011
10:47 am
UGA at no 11 huh?! WOW! I guess thats what going 6-7, and loosing to UCF in your bowl game gets you!! Take note rest of the country – Mark Bradley and Georgia have found a recipe for success!! At least until the season starts.
just a fan
August 29th, 2011
10:49 am
Just my 2 cents as far as MNC goes do NOT over look Wisconsin start off season with 6 straight home games before back to back road games @Mich St and Ohio St which are both very winnable
JB
August 29th, 2011
10:50 am
BIGTIMETECHFAN…… Drinking at work will get you fired.
St. Richt
August 29th, 2011
10:50 am
Come on BigTimeTechFan, you’re killing us. We aren’t a #11 team just like Georgia isn’t.. I like that we’re being overlooked but frankly we deserve to be at this point. C’mon man.
5 Time National Champs Nebraska
August 29th, 2011
10:52 am
Troll Power Ratings
August 29th, 2011
10:39 am
Wow, thanks Jerry! More proof that recruits that want to go to the NFL (and they almost all do) should choose Georgia. Just think how well Georgia is going to do after a strong winning season! Keep up the great work.
__________________________________________________________________________________
With the above logic, why not just watch the NFL?
Regardless of the talent level, your program is still not where is SHOULD be. That’s point I have been trying to make to you people. Instead, you call me names and get me banned from that jag off Chip Tower’s blog.
Being honest should not be punished.
Oh yeah, before I forget: Lawrence Phillips is still in jail!
JS
August 29th, 2011
10:59 am
How bout that Mike Bobo? Has the team down from 35 points against ranked teams in 2007 to 28 in 2008 to 21 in 2009 to 14 in 2010. How bout 7 points a game in 2011, can Bobo make it 4 years in a row of a td a game decline against ranked teams?
How bout that Mark Richt/ From 11 wins in 2007 down to 10 wins in 2008 down to 8 wins in 2009 down to 6 wins in 2010. How about 4 wins in 2011, can Richt make it 3 years in a row of losing 2 more games than the year before?
Herschel Talker
August 29th, 2011
10:59 am
RAMBLE ON!!!:
Just because Dooley also sucked doesn’t mean we shouldn’t bag on Richt.
HT
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
11:02 am
BigTimeTechFan, REALLY? REALLY? Florida at #6? Are you onw of those that put them up there no matter what? Living on their history instead of the present. Bradley doesn’t have them in the top 25 because he knows like the rest of us that Florida is going to lose 4-5 games this year. UGA will NOT lose to Florida this year.
JS
August 29th, 2011
11:03 am
Amazing! Richt #4 on list of most overrated teams in college football. richt has underperformed AP Preseason poll more than 115 other NCAA programs. Only 4 teasm were worse than Mark Richt.
http://www.pollspeak.com/data/over-underrated-2010-AP-5-Year-OtoU.htm
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
11:03 am
Also, Georgia Tech #11? Now you have really lost your mind. Tech will be doing good to win 8 games this year.
Alphare
August 29th, 2011
11:04 am
Mark, since you are not doing a good job according to some of your loyal readers. Here is my top 10:
1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Oregon
4. Oklahoma
5. Arkansas
6. Standford
7. South Carolina
8. Florida State
9. Boise State
10. Nebraska
Smit
August 29th, 2011
11:04 am
You guys think Aaron Murray will FINALLY beat a winning team this year?
ClemsonBrad
August 29th, 2011
11:05 am
Mark, No Faith in Clemson yet? We may be a pretty surprising, good team this year. I know how much you love Dabo…
doug dawg
August 29th, 2011
11:08 am
relax, dawgs. what will be will be. i LOVE uga, an an alumnus, former redcoat band member, and so forth. i want us to win every game, go 12-14 and zero. chances are it won’t happen; never has in my 67 years of life, except ‘80, and that took some real luck, see ‘florida game.’ dooley was a ’savior’ back in the 60’s, and us oldies don’t forget that. so, don’t, you young gt fan refer to coach dooley as ‘goomer.’ we dawgs never denigrate bobby dodd; he was a class act, like dooley, and we respect his memory as a great coach, who filled that tacky stadium of yours by playing sec teams and teams like notre dame. not the second-tier schedule you have now. gardner-webb, anyone? or is it ‘gardener?’ win or lose, and he mostly won in his day, coach dodd was pure class. not like your current ‘mr. fish fry’ and ‘punch them in the face’ guy. dodd would NEVER have been so crass. so my little stupid and uninformed gt ‘pal,’ grow up. and be the classy tech guy you say and think you are. this, from a dawg.
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
11:08 am
I do think your wrong on Ohio State. Too much going on there to expect them to be a top 25 team this year.
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
11:11 am
ClemsonBrad, I think you are right, I’m a UGA fan and think UGA should be about where the AP has them at #19. Too many unknowns to start the season. I think Clemson should be about #23. I go to a couple of games with my brother-in-law who is a Clemson grad. Going to the Auburn game with him this year. I think they should be in the top 25. I guess the QB is an unknown for them to start the season.
Innocent Bystander
August 29th, 2011
11:12 am
Bystander, have you read every report out of athens since practice started? Crowell’s the real deal. Herschel was ALSO a freshman at one point.
Everything I’ve heard/read out of athens involved Crowell sitting out practice or needing a GA to make sure he was going to class, doing his homework and staying out of trouble.
Wasn’t Caleb King a future Herschel at one point? Wasn’t Knowshon a future Herschel at one point? Wasn’t Washaun Ealey a future Herschel at one point? The list goes on and on…
Dontavius Supremo
August 29th, 2011
11:14 am
Have you ever wondered why “fans” are so wrong so often? Just because you “love” a team doesn’t mean their great, and just because you “hate” a team doesn’t mean every good word written about them is wrong. Most of you people wouildn’t know a really good football team if it bit you in the a$$. Lot of crybabies out there.
6++
August 29th, 2011
11:15 am
Enter your comments here
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
11:15 am
Innocent Bystander, I don’t know what you have been reading but it is crap. All I’ve heard about Crowell is that he was working hard, doing good at practice study his playbook and picking up the blocks on blitzs. The only time he was out of practive was because of a leg injury. You have no idea what you are talking about.
Bill Grogan
August 29th, 2011
11:16 am
Hello Mark, did you too think the BS QB graduated last year?
aarh
August 29th, 2011
11:16 am
Innocent Bystander- UGA isn’t relying on a true frosh RB, bc at least as of right now…Richard Samuel is listed as the starter, & he’s a Jr., & it may be easy to forget, but he does have two yrs. experience of playing the position before. I’m not saying that Crowell won’t end up starting, but at least that gives UGA some depth, & doesn’t cause them to have to rely solely on a Fr. It’s god to have more than one RB anyway, & Samuel is at about 240, & he should be able to help out w/ blocking as well.
Troll Power Ratings
August 29th, 2011
11:17 am
Nebraska: What are you talking about? Unfortunately, obviously you have not been banned. Troll onward.
aarh
August 29th, 2011
11:17 am
kerryb- it wasn’t a let injury, it was a groin.
joe
August 29th, 2011
11:18 am
Boise 17 UGA 2
danny
August 29th, 2011
11:18 am
What a pipe dream!
typical dawg fan
August 29th, 2011
11:19 am
me an my wife love junior and the dawgs. both of them are gonna win a championship this year!! you just watch!!! yes sir!! you just hide and watch big boy. i’d bet my four wheeler on it..i can too, since i paid the title pawn off last week.. gotta go sell some aluminum cans so i can pay for my wife’s tatoo of uga with an “88″ background. probably put it on her right upper arm, just above the scar she got after her first old man’s shed blew up while making meth. i just think a woman with an upper arm tat is sexy! thats just me, i guess…it’s an anniversary present! go dawgs! gata!! never knew what that means, just see other folks typin that gata thing. hope it ain’t a nasty word…can’t afford to get in any trouble, cause this unsupervised probation is sweet…we gonna put it on that boiseey bunch saturday nite, might even put 100 points if coach don’t call off the dawgs, get it..hahaha, that was pretty sharp. you bama fans just watch..we ain’t gonna let some team from utah come down here and whip us like yall did, no sir. hahahaha! good thing we ain’t gotta play them at their place. boise must be smaller than blue ridge. i went to delta airlines website just to see what a ticket would cost to go their…shoot they don’t even fly to boise, utah. you can fly to boise, idaho an rent a car to drive to boise, utah, but that would cost more than a good compound bow,or a used johnson outboard. gotta be smart with your money now adays…go dawgs!!!
aarh
August 29th, 2011
11:21 am
Innocent Bystander- Richard Samuel is a Jr., & he’s listed as the starter now. So, UGA isn’t relying on a true frosh. I’m not saying that Crowell won’t end up starting, but it’s good to have more than one good RB, & Samuel is at about 240, & should help w/ blocking.
Dawg Whisperer
August 29th, 2011
11:21 am
I love it! Mark, your only typo was putting an extra 1 behind the first one.
microphone assasin
August 29th, 2011
11:24 am
check check
moonbeam
August 29th, 2011
11:25 am
Lsu..holla
Smit
August 29th, 2011
11:28 am
you guys think Murray’s signature game is Lafayette or Idaho St?
bubba4dawgs
August 29th, 2011
11:29 am
Mark, I see you’re protecting yourself with Boise State at # 8 should they beat the DAWGS. You can say: “well, they were supposed to!”. If the DAWGS win, you can say: “Wow, see, I told you the DAWGS deserved a higher ranking!”. You got it covered, Mark! Question? Where will you place Boise if they lose? DAWGS, get your jock straps out, just a few days to go do some smack on the smurfs!
Prof.Tomato
August 29th, 2011
11:29 am
Uh, Crowell had a great game last year vs. South Caorlina, so based off his LOADED SEC experience, I’m pcikin the UGA boyz.
Trent
August 29th, 2011
11:30 am
Smit, it’s close, Murray played great in both, but his best game has been against L Lafayette so far, 3 td’s, and a rushing td, he really took it to the Cajuns.
BigTimeTechFan
August 29th, 2011
11:30 am
Florida will surprise all of yall, including Mark Bradley. Team loaded with talent, lost great head coach, but made good hire and getting Weis was huge, he will turn Brantley into a Tom Brady, Teams will have to worry about everything WR’s all over the place, backs out of the backfield, TE’s. team will be hard to stop.
Tech – bumped them up because their schedule helps them having Va Tech, Clemson, UNC, UGA at home, They win Chick-Fil-A Bowl against USCe or Kentucky to jump up to 11 at the end of the year.
Smart like a fox
August 29th, 2011
11:32 am
pandering to the base…..whats that on your chin?
GrandmotherClock
August 29th, 2011
11:32 am
I’d go with Idaho State as murray’s best game. 55 poiints for the offense, what an explosion against Idaho State. It was a magnificent display of Murray’s leadership.
boots
August 29th, 2011
11:32 am
No Florida in the top 25. I love you, Mark.
Owen
August 29th, 2011
11:33 am
I’d say Aaron Murray played his best against Louisiana Lafayette. Look out New mexico State & Coastal Carolina, we is comin for ya, boots all a shakin?
Mark Richt
August 29th, 2011
11:34 am
No ACC teams besides FSU, dude Georgia Tech gives us fits every year and can rush the ball better than Oklahoma or LSU, and Virginia Tech & Clemson are going to be beast …yopur just a homer from Kenticky and dont know any better ….
GrandmotherClock
August 29th, 2011
11:35 am
Odds UGA won’t commit 3 int’s against Florida anyone? Remember, last 3 years, 3 int’s against Florida? I’ll go with 10% chance 3, 70% chance 2, 100% chance at least 1.
Trent
August 29th, 2011
11:36 am
Wow, good one there, I’d say 98% chance we throw at least 3 int’s against Florida.
Owen
August 29th, 2011
11:37 am
I’d say 70% chance at least 2 int’s against Florida, 90% chance at least 2 int’s & a fumble.
BigTimeTechFan
August 29th, 2011
11:38 am
All SEC
QB – Chris Relf Miss St
RB – Michael Dyer Auburn
RB – Trent Richardson Bama
WR – Alshon Jeffery USCe
WR – Greg Childs Arkansas
TE – Orson Charles Georgia
Smit
August 29th, 2011
11:39 am
3 int’s against Fl odds? 100%. This is Mike Bobo we talkin about here.
Quick review:
2008– 4 to’s vs. UF
2009– 4 to’s vs. UF
2010– 4 to’s vs. UF
Dig?
Smit
August 29th, 2011
11:41 am
Ok, new one, Richt’s wins declined 1 game in 2008, 2 games in 2009 & 2010. How many wins do we decline in 2011, 1 or 2?
Trent
August 29th, 2011
11:42 am
I’m going with a 2 win decline in 2011, matching the 2009 & 2010 level.
GrandmotherClock
August 29th, 2011
11:43 am
I feel optimistic, only a 1 win decline like 2008, I’m going with a 5-7 season.
Owen
August 29th, 2011
11:45 am
Definately a 2 more loss kind of season, that’s Richt’s average over 2009 & 2010, -2. Lost our 2 starting WR’s/RB’S/FB’s. Going with 4-8.
BigTimeTechFan
August 29th, 2011
11:46 am
All ACC
QB – Tevin Washington Georgia Tech
RB – Montel Harris BC
RB – David Sims Georgia Tech
WR – Conner Vernon Duke
WR – Steven Hill Georgia Tech
TE – George Bryan NC State
BG
August 29th, 2011
11:46 am
GO DAWGS!!!
Buzz 2011
August 29th, 2011
11:47 am
Mark, don’t you mean UGA is picked 11th in the SEC?
BigtimeGatorFan
August 29th, 2011
11:48 am
Please keep Mark Richt & Aaron Murray. They’re both superb!
Hard Truth Soldier
August 29th, 2011
11:48 am
Mark Bradley, The list looks bad, FSU will kill the OU dream early, Boise gets knocked down(and harder than most think) by UGA, Alabama who’s good, but can’t decide on a QB (ask CMR how that works) will get upset because of that.reason alone, and that brings me to LSU, who by now is a problem to themselves. Stanford looks good, but really! A title by a first year coach. I say Georgia, who once they beat BSU, and South Carolina( can’t bring myself to call them SC) will be a new lock to slide into the # 7 slot. then they’ll be pumped at that point to beat UF for not just this year but four outta the next five, but this year they power there way back into the National scene and make the nation respect who they are again.
What’s hot (and not) for 2011 – ESPN | Football News and Topics
August 29th, 2011
11:48 am
[...] by a late-night brawl, which allegedly involved senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson. …My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is …Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Losing early worse than losing late in BCS chaseUSA TodayCollege [...]
georgia ranked 11th?
August 29th, 2011
11:48 am
Pass the Koolaid!
Joey
August 29th, 2011
11:49 am
“…but made good hire and getting Weis was huge…”
****************************************
Huge in what way, girth?
And by the way, Brady has won 2 MVPs in the NFL since Weis left, and Weis has done little but eat, and steal millions from Notre Dame.
georgia ranked 11th?
August 29th, 2011
11:49 am
Where is Central Florida ranked?
Smit
August 29th, 2011
11:50 am
ok, ok, new one. Over/under on Bobo’s socring against ranked teams. Bobo has dropped an average of -7 per season, last 3 years in a row. Odds for 2011? I say 90% chance Bobo continue the -7 streak.
typical dawg fan
August 29th, 2011
11:51 am
me an my wife are big dawg an junior fans!!!they both gonna win championships this year, just hide an watch big boy!! if the title for my four wheeler wasn’t at the title loan place, i’d bet that against anything yall got. man, i hate that i had to pawn the thing, but my wife wanted a tatoo like the one she had a dream about last year; its a tat of uga with an “88″ in the background and it looks nice! anything for my sweetie pie! we gonna put it on boysee state saturday nite…might even put 100 on em if coach don’t call off the dawgs…that was a good one, dawgs!! hahahaha! anyways, we ain’t gonna let some team from utah come down here and whip us like happened to bama a few years back.
Owen
August 29th, 2011
11:52 am
Wow, getitng tough, because only averaged 15 vs. ranked teams in 2010. Hard to go lower, but Bobo has been very consistent in his -7 average. I’m saying 87% Bobo pulls it off for the 4th year in a row, and only averages 7 a game vs. ranked teams, the 4th -7 point scoring drop in 4 straight year.
Delbert D.
August 29th, 2011
11:53 am
Mark, did you fall off your scooter?
GrandmotherClock
August 29th, 2011
11:53 am
Because I like Dawg Stephen, I’ll be optimistic. I’m saying Bobo only drops to -5 scoring average against ranked teams, down to 10 points a game. Wuld be an improvement off Bobo’s -7 3 year average.
Dirty Dawg
August 29th, 2011
11:55 am
Where do I start…how about with LSU? You’re tellin’ me that when my c%%n-a$$ relatives’ (I was named an ”Honorary C-a$$’ by them some years back and am proud of it) team loses it’s starting QB to an assault and battery charge, they then have to rely on one that comes to them with two (2) sexual battery charges? If Georgia should happen to play LSU in the SEC Championship, I’m there with a sign that says, ‘Cop a feel on Zack’s head!’
And you’re saying that Texas is, and will be, a better team without the vaunted, ex, defensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting, who’s now at UF, after having replaced him with Manny Diaz? How can that be…didn’t you know that Will is the next great SEC head coach?
We don’t know if the questions Georgia faces will be answered in the affirmative, but if the one big one, ‘Will the defense be as good as we keep saying, and expecting, it will be?’, then the rest of ‘em will fall in line. And if we can win the first two, we can win ‘em all – at least til’ that SEC thing, then who knows? There isn’t a team in the SEC West that we haven’t beaten before and will beat again, so why-the-he!! not?
Trent
August 29th, 2011
11:55 am
Ok, let me think like Sen Blut for a moment. Ok, I’m there. Bobo will pull off a miracle, and somehow, against all odds, for the first time in 4 years, average less than a -7 scoring srop epr game against ranekd teams. Ok, my rosy glasses is on.
georgia ranked 11th?
August 29th, 2011
11:56 am
I’m all for positive thinking but come on. For once in the last 10 years why not let them dawgs show you the money. For once let them be the underdawg, get mean and kick some tail? Why do the elite press always have to lavish a gift on them that they have not earned? Why not let them get mad and show a lot of skeptics wrong. Ranking the dawgs ahead of Boise does not do them any favors. I’d rather see them come out with humility and destroy the Broncos like they did HI in the Sugar a few short years ago. The last thing they need is to be handed a preseason # 11 ranking nationally. They will believe you and it will take the edge off.
Sleepy Dawg
August 29th, 2011
11:58 am
Maybe the powers that be will finally hire an african coach after this season’s disaster. It is our only chance. We need Trooper Taylor. He knows how to run a pay for play, and he relates to the thug life mentality of the modern athlete. I do not care how many arrests we have as long as we get back to winning. You heard it here first.
Trent
August 29th, 2011
11:59 am
Hey, I got one. Over/under Richt beat AP Poll Preseaosn ranking of #19? I know, 4 out of last 5 seasons, Richt didn’t beat it, but give me odds. Let me start with 20% chance we beat the AP pOLL PREDICTION.
Owen
August 29th, 2011
12:01 pm
I like this one. this is hard, because 20% over last 5 seasons is Richt’s 5 year average, but let’s go with 25% chance we finish #18 or higher than AP Poll prediction, I’m feeling lucky. 75% chance it’s #60 like last year
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
12:01 pm
After Murray hangs 50 on Muschamp this year, no gator is gonna be wanting to say anything to Murray except
“sir, would you consider transferring to your home state school?”
Gbal
August 29th, 2011
12:02 pm
Trent – 20% chance???? Either over or under. What do you want?
GrandmotherClock
August 29th, 2011
12:03 pm
Again, I’ve bene reading a lot of Dawg Stephen’s articles, and if what he’s saying is true, it’s going to be another amazing season. I’ll say 30% chance we beat the AP Poll prediction, but 70% chance we finish higher than last year’s #64 ranking.
dawg under the dome
August 29th, 2011
12:04 pm
Don’t forget MB is not a homer he just sells newspapers! Uga will beat Boise State , like a walk in the park!! Last year they caught Va. Tech looking ahead to James Madison! Uga is SEC . Did you forget that? I guess you all got caught up in the hype for Boise State. Over the last few years,it is true that Boise State has not lost many games,but don’t foreget one of them was to Uga ,by a score of 48-13! The Uga-USCe game is always a close game, and last year was no exception. This year it is our time in Sanford stadium! Uga wins , and proves that “We’re Back ,” “Deal with it!”
typical dawg fan
August 29th, 2011
12:04 pm
what you got to bet trent? i got a couple of trailer axles from a doublewide me an my cousin moved last year, and an autographed picture of ray goff…so like they say at auburn, i’m all in baby!
Beast from the East
August 29th, 2011
12:06 pm
Mark,
UGA and FSU are two of the most underperforming teams based on preseason rankings over the past 10 years. Based on that FACT, I’d throw your preseason Top 25 out the window. I suspect the Semis will lose to OU (again) and end any hopes of a NC. The Dawgs lose 75% of their offensive production, their best defensive players on defense and they are going to rise 50+ spots this year? Are you interested in buying some property from me?
puppykiller
August 29th, 2011
12:06 pm
THuga at 11. This is just an attempt at being stupid for the sake of being stupid.
Smit
August 29th, 2011
12:07 pm
Hmmm, ok, 5 year average is 1 out of 5 times Richt has BEAT AP Poll Preseason expectations, so 4 out 5 years has has UNDERPERFORMED. Folks, sorry, I’m not drinking the kool-aid on this one. I’ll say 20% chance Richt finishes #18 in final AP Poll or higher. Just doesn’t happen with Richt more than 1 out of last 5 years.
11th ?
August 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
BET THEY DON”T FINISH THAT HIGH!
Smit
August 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
Didn’t MB predict UGA would win 9 games in 2010? Won 6. Nuff said. Love ya MB. But don’t put it all on black in Vegas.
Beast from the East
August 29th, 2011
12:10 pm
“After Murray hangs 50 on Muschamp this year”
DawginLex,
Last time that happened, I was a one year old (1968). You’ve got a better chance of winning the lottery!
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
12:12 pm
Watch out for Kentucky.
They will upset florida early in Lexington
Josh clemons is 2nd team RB. Marcus Caffey getting redshirted.
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
12:13 pm
BeastFromTheEastEatenByDawg
It’s coming!!!!!!!!!
Beast from the East
August 29th, 2011
12:16 pm
“Watch out for Kentucky.
They will upset florida early in Lexington”
DawginLex,
We’re not UGA. We do not lose to Kentucky and Vandy.
DagwinLexEatenByGators! Gonna be sweeeeeeeet!!!!!!!!!!!!
Atlanta87
August 29th, 2011
12:21 pm
Let’s just wait 5 days and actually see what happens instead of talking about it. LSU number 1. Haha, maybe Jefferson will beat everyone in the SEC like he did at the bar.
typical dawg fan
August 29th, 2011
12:22 pm
aw yeah, we gonna win em all this year..after we whoop boysee, we gonna roll up on them chickens nice an quiet like…like the feds snuck up on my brother-in-laws weed patch…never seen em comin,haha!he’s still in jail, but thats ok cause he was a gator fan an i didn’t like him at all. he was always throwin it in my face…spurrier this, tebow that, wuerful something else..i finally shut him up when i said,”we used to own yall before spurrier” boy he didn’t like that one
Paddy
August 29th, 2011
12:23 pm
Fair Dinkum……E.J. Manual does not need to be an All-American to guide this FSU team. They are LOADED and just need for him to be steady and on occasion, good. They will have 10 D-Linemen that will rotate. They are going to be very tough to beat this season. This team has great depth!
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
12:25 pm
I can’t wait until after the first 2 games. That will shut all of these moron Tech fans on here up.
dawg under the dome
August 29th, 2011
12:25 pm
Mark my words,get it, Uga will stomp the spit out of Florida this year! Murray was obviously a little nervous last year against the gators. This year he will see “what the hell was I nervous about!” One year later— “Let me at them!” Uga,in a walk!
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
12:26 pm
Tech fans need to worry about there tam being 11th in the ACC and that’s pretty bad.
Beast from the East
August 29th, 2011
12:26 pm
Paddy,
Agreed. FSU just needs Manuel to manage the game…..not win it or lose it. Very talented group.
Mark Richt Farewell Tour
August 29th, 2011
12:27 pm
It’s that time ……..
Beast from the East
August 29th, 2011
12:28 pm
“Mark my words,get it, Uga will stomp the spit out of Florida this year!”
Dawg under the influence,
How many years times have you said that over the past 2 decades? Even a broken watch is right twice a day!
kerryb
August 29th, 2011
12:30 pm
This is set up just like Alabama in 2008. #24 Alabama kicked the crap out of a #9 Clemson team everyone picked to win in the Chik fil a game. With the experience that Alabama had coming back in 2009 they won a NC. That is the same senario that UGA has. Then all of these trolling naysayers will eat some crow.
BIGMIKE
August 29th, 2011
12:31 pm
Georgia didn’t do that well last year because of defense. They didn’t have the right personnel in place (nor did they have experience) to run a true 3-4 defense. This year is going to be much different. The pieces of the puzzle are in place, they just need to be shaped now. With a top notch defense, they will prevail. They don’t have to go out and score 30-40 points per game to stay in it to win it.
Dumb Dawg under the dome
August 29th, 2011
12:32 pm
Murry the midget can’t beat UF and Murry the Midget scored ZERO POINTS AGAINST UCF! DUH! Another 6-6 for The Midget in 2011.
Blackberry Cobbler
August 29th, 2011
12:33 pm
What I want is for the Dawgs to do very well or for CMR to be gone.
10-2 or 9-3, he likely stays.
8-4, it’s a toss-up.
7-5 or worse and he’s a goner.
So, I hope UGA goes 9-3 or better, or 7-5 or worse.
Mutt Nation Always playing that same broken record
August 29th, 2011
12:35 pm
every year. All bark,no bite. whine cry and make excusses like all ways.
tim
August 29th, 2011
12:38 pm
Bradley you certainly know your football……..puppies at 11….please homer, and ofcourse UF is not in your top 25, but the Gators will show you the folly of your picks on Oct 31, agai
DawgInLex Still Eating Idiots Sandwiches
August 29th, 2011
12:39 pm
Another Year, Another UGA Fantasy
August 29th, 2011
12:43 pm
Predication that UGA struggles to get to 705 and Richt is gone. Amazing they end 2010 at 6-7 and ranked #11 without a game played in 2011.
no respect
August 29th, 2011
12:48 pm
Mark–you are going to look so foolish not having Auburn in your top 20…..9-10 wins will get us in the top 12 by year end…War Eagle…….
JASon
August 29th, 2011
12:51 pm
Three years ago, a 12 year old had a vision. That vision was to play a marquee game between two teams in different conferences…on the first game of the season! Its like chocolate on chocolate. Let’s ensure that one of the top contenders will lose in the first week. That sounds like a great idea! Wrap it!
The Truth
August 29th, 2011
12:52 pm
FSU makes it the NC game and will lose to Bama. UGA goes 5-7.
Wil Lube
August 29th, 2011
12:54 pm
Where are the Gators?? UGA will never get past the Gators in JAX! UF will surprise. They have too many good players.
DC
August 29th, 2011
12:58 pm
Its weird…I don’t “hate” UGA..but I cheer agains them so bad b/c I find it humorous to see the fans react…Good luck this weekend. Don’t humiliate the sec. War eagle!
typical dawg fan
August 29th, 2011
12:58 pm
recon the uga marchin band could learn how to play “freebird”..that would be a good change of pace from that stupid glory glory song. just think how cranked sanford would be when they fired up “freebird”!!maybe they could learn some 38 special songs…marshall tucker too..man i can’t wait to send those blue wearin losers back to utah! go dawgs!!
DAWG FAN FROM DOUGLISVILLE
August 29th, 2011
1:04 pm
HEY TYPECAL DAWG FAN I NO WHAT YOU MEAN IT WOULD AWESOME TO HEAR SOME FREEBIRD 1NC IN A WHILE. THEY LOOSERS FROM BOYSEE STATE WILL NOT NO WHAT HI EM!
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
1:09 pm
Hey sandwich boy
Sandwiches are good washed down with that red kool aid
Enjoy hiding behind your keyboard pretending to be important.
Dawg fan
August 29th, 2011
1:09 pm
We gonna whip thos yankes in bloo. im gonna wach the gam with my blu ribbin bere.
Vanilla Rice
August 29th, 2011
1:10 pm
LS who #1 ? Mark I need some of that funky cold madina you been drinkin.
Destin Dawg
August 29th, 2011
1:11 pm
Can’t wait.. this is our year… Grantham’s Junkyard Dawg D…. #1 kicking game… special teams.. new improved S & C plus nutrition… the Best TE’s…. favorable schedule… shut up and play ball .. Go Dawgs !!
Troll Power Ratings
August 29th, 2011
1:28 pm
Nice effort, trolls! This will be a tough pace to maintain, but we’re sure you’ll be up to it. Thanks for caring so much about Georgia football.
CS
August 29th, 2011
1:31 pm
It’s amazing how you can pick a team that went 6-7 last season to be among the top teams this year.
Charter Woods. If you don’t help there, get help somewhere.
Atlanta87
August 29th, 2011
1:32 pm
If you ACTUALLY graduated from UGA and you know it, bark like a dog.
Smitty
August 29th, 2011
1:33 pm
You really need to put down the red kool-aid, Mark. Georgia played their tails off last year and couldn’t be a LOUSY UF team. Now they don’t have a single proven offensive weapon, and they’re primed for a big year?
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
1:33 pm
WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!!!
TreeDog
August 29th, 2011
1:34 pm
This year, with the new uniforms, and the new “No Complaining bracelets” everything will be so much better!! Love those 2 major off-seaosn adjustments, Boise, are you afraid?
TreeDog
August 29th, 2011
1:35 pm
Also, the team’s eating better. Boise are you scared now?
typical dawg fan
August 29th, 2011
1:36 pm
destin dawg you are right about the nutrition thing. if you eat better, you play better, thats a fact! i know first hand… i had been feelin poorly a few months back,,,the old lady said it was because all i did was sit around drinkin and eatin junk food…said i needed to get up an move around, get the blood circulating, and man she was right. i quit eatin store brand frosted flakes and paid the extra $$ for the real frosted flakes…i started watchin some of her “sweatin to the oldies” vhs tapes ( i can make copies if the staff at uga want to try these tapes out), i quit drinkin cheap beer; its bud lite or nothin!! lost 8 pounds in 6 weeks, results may vary as they say…thinkin about buyin one of those energized bracelet things they sell at the checkout in convenience stores…bet all the dawgs have those already…man if i could get one of those bracelets with a georgia “G”, or with a picture of “uga” on it…sweet! i’d wear that baby to sunday school, sure would…
ElephantEars
August 29th, 2011
1:36 pm
Hey, I heard Richt’s new secret plan is to create a new dance.
ElephantEars
August 29th, 2011
1:42 pm
Shhhh….very hush hush….closed practices here……..Bobo studied the UCF flim very closely and has create a top secret new offensive plan……leaked here…..plan is called S.A.T.T.G (score a touchdown this game).
Atlanta87
August 29th, 2011
1:44 pm
You’re good @ DawginLex. I was just wondering about the rest of the people posting on here.
Atlanta87
August 29th, 2011
1:46 pm
Not saying y’all have to prove anything to me either. Just curious.
5 things that could rain on my sunny forecast and undo UGA | Mark Bradley
August 29th, 2011
1:50 pm
[...] on record as having picked Georgia to go 10-2, win the SEC East and finish No. 11 in the land. I would say that qualifies me, just this once, as an [...]
Golden 16
August 29th, 2011
1:52 pm
Fair Dinkum- Against La. Monroe? You sure about that.
The Reverend Baby Doctor Bedpan
August 29th, 2011
1:55 pm
Notre Dame should be higher than UGA……Unless you were high when you wrote this.
how2fish
August 29th, 2011
1:57 pm
Woof ! Woof ! and I can’t bloody wait to Woof ! Woof ! Woof ! all over the Bronco’s . Go Dogs !
mm
August 29th, 2011
2:16 pm
Puzzling how everyone focuses on how many games UGA lost last year and which players we lost.
First of all, this is a new year.
Second, UGA lost 2 malcontents at tailback. They also lost AJ Green, who we lost 4 games in which he was in the starting lineup.
New team, new attitude.
Delbert D.
August 29th, 2011
2:31 pm
My preliminary read on Virginia Tech:
VaTech opens with their 4 OOC opponents. Game 1 opponent Appalachian St. looks to be the possible spoiler. App St. returns their top 3 skill players on offense, and a lot of defensive talent (except for the guy who recorded 144 tackles.)
Next they have East Carolina, who went to a bowl last year, but who gave up 76 points to Navy and 62 to Rice. QB Dominique Davis is back, but offense was not their problem. We’ll see how they do against South Carolina on Saturday.
Game 3 is Ark. St., who were 3-8 last year (but they blew up Middle Tennessee 51-24).
Game 4 is Marshall. The Herd was 5-7, including blowout losses to The Ohio State U, Bowling Green, So. Miss, UCF, E. Carolina and SMU. Their highlight of the season may have been taking W. Virginia to OT, losing by 3.
Despite the fact that Va Tech lost the QB and top RB, if they can pick it up by Game 5 at Clemson, they may go undefeated (but they won’t get respect with their strength of schedule).
Dirty Dawg
August 29th, 2011
2:44 pm
DC, so you get a lot of satisfaction from the reaction of Georgia fans when we don’t do well…well just think how much satisfaction we’re gonna have when ‘you know what’ happens to you. I realize that that kind of ’schadenfreude’ is fundamentally a sign of a sick personality, but, after all, you started it. Tell me, when will ‘Whistling past Toomer’s Corners’ become a bumper sticker?
Atlanta87
August 29th, 2011
3:01 pm
Does anyone know what that means?
Delbert D.
August 29th, 2011
3:14 pm
It seems like about 50% of the posts on the AJC Sports blogs are by sick personalities. They sure don’t add anything that I value.
GW
August 29th, 2011
5:05 pm
I thought the old ‘we lost the cancerz” thing didn’t work when Mettenberger left, heck things got worose, and all you guys said how much better the team would be, boy, were you all wrong!
AtlantaStanfordAlum
August 29th, 2011
5:25 pm
Correction to the story: Stanford hosts Oregon on Saturday, November 12.
Yellow Fuzz
August 29th, 2011
5:44 pm
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
1:09 pm
Hey sandwich boy
Enjoy hiding behind your keyboard pretending to be important.
Hahahahahaha. Now that is definately the pot calling the kettle black.
Joshua Barlowe
August 29th, 2011
5:52 pm
UGA 11??????
You are NUTS.
PAC 12 Football Teams | Oregon Maybe the Best in Pac 12 Football
August 29th, 2011
7:05 pm
[...] My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is … Pac 12 football teams Oregon: The Ducks closed last season with an honorable at-the-horn loss to Auburn in the BCS title game. Next they get to try another SEC West opponent on another neutral field. Should Oregon beat LSU on Sept. 3, another run to the championship would … [...]
230gr Full Metal Jacket
August 29th, 2011
7:09 pm
UGA at #11???? I admire the homerish optimism, but really???? Uga will go 8-4 or 9-3 on the regular season and play in a decent upper-midrange bowl. Tech will do the same. The difference is, people are expecting UGA to do better than that, while the unknowing think Tech will do good to win 6 or 7. All I can say is look at Tech’s schedule. There is not a single game on it that Tech can’t win. Not saying they will win them all — I know better. But I think Tech is going to shock a lot of people this year. 9 or 10 wins is VERY possible. UGA also has pretty much of a creampuff schedule after the first 2 games. The SEC-Least is pretty much a joke at the current time, and their OOC schedule isn’t that tough. But both teams are still in recovery/late rebuild mode and are one year from being really special. I think the 2012 and 2013 UGA vs GT games will have national ramifications, with both teams on their way to their respective conference championship games. And people can think I’m drinking early or something, but I would not be at all surprised to see both programs in BCS bowls within the next 2 or 3 years. But NOT this year. They’re both still a bit young as a squad to pull it off this season. Now if we could combine the programs…………………………………..
John
August 29th, 2011
8:03 pm
Knile Davis of Arkansas didn’t hurt his knee. He fractured his ankle.
Football Fan
August 29th, 2011
8:12 pm
I never follow the logic of these pundits. You don’t pick how good a team is based on who they play on the road and who they play at home. Let’s say the number one team’s schedule was filled with teams 2 through 12 and they lost 3 games. That is not to say they aren’t the best team, they just played the toughest schedule by far in the country. Please have a college playoff so this flawed logic will cease.
Football Fan
August 29th, 2011
8:13 pm
Also, having LSU first with their mediocre QB situation is spurious at best. They will lose to Oregon guaranteed and this post will be rendered moot.
Sean
August 29th, 2011
8:18 pm
I would like for this prediction to come true but I honestly don’t know what kind of team we have this yr. Yes Murray is experienced and I have faith that he will do well. The D should be good, but then again I thought the same about the O line last season. Special teams should be great. If Crowell lives up to hype then that is yet another plus. I am not ranking this team until after the 1st game. If we can beat the #5 ranked team in the nation (albeit they may be overrated) then I would feel better about our season and can then muster confidence. Regardless, I am a Dawg fan and will continue to cheer them on win or lose. GO DAWGS!
playmeortrademe
August 29th, 2011
8:54 pm
The ESPN hype machine will try to set up an Alabama vs. Stanford title game. You will hear endless stories about Andrew Luck and Nick Saban…endless….
you bet your life on it
August 30th, 2011
9:43 pm
Wow… why do people read this foolishness when the only newspaper that matter(new york post) said the real (USC)will be national champs ”go gamecocks”….put that in your pipe and smoke that…good nite ”gamecock country”
College Football | TRUELIGHT ANGEL
August 31st, 2011
4:50 pm
[...] the Dawgs coaching staff this year. Right up there with the Richard Samuels decision. Read more on College Football Posted in: sports | Tags: Accountants, Bloggers, College Football, College Football [...]
My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is …
September 1st, 2011
6:25 pm
[...] My college football Top 25: UGA is No. 11, and LSU is … Tags: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Les Miles, Russell Shepard, Greg McElroy, Southeastern Conference [...]