Who’ll grab hold of the SEC East – UGA or South Carolina?
Will Isaiah Crowell and Georgia leave South Carolina in the dust? (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
For the first 10 years of the SEC East’s existence, Florida usually won. When it didn’t, Tennessee did. Then Mark Richt arrived at Georgia — and, not incidentally, Ron Zook took over in Gainesville — and the Bulldogs won the division three times in four seasons. Then the Gators, under new and better management, won three times in four years. And then, in 2010, something strange happened: The East was taken by none of the above.
South Carolina finally broke through, and two weeks into the 2011 season the Gamecocks were poised to consolidate that gain. They’d beaten Georgia in Athens. The Gamecocks had four of the more talented players — Marcus Lattimore, Alshon Jeffery, Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney — in the nation’s most talented league. But Carolina lost at home to Auburn and booted wayfaring quarterback Stephen Garcia from the squad for good and lost Lattimore to a knee injury and then lost at Arkansas. Georgia won the East for the first time since 2005, and today the Bulldogs stand where South Carolina did a year ago.
Georgia is a good young team coming off a lousy ending. Just as South Carolina did in 2010, the Bulldogs were routed in the SEC title game and contrived to lose their bowl. The 2011 Gamecocks, by way of contrast, finished by thrashing Clemson, which would win the ACC, and then Nebraska to wind up 11-2 to Georgia’s 10-4. And the Bulldogs must go to Columbia next season.
In sum, the SEC East remains in heavy flux. South Carolina has cause to believe it was the division’s best team, but was undone by luck and scheduling. Georgia can point to its 10 wins and its 15 returning starters as proof that its rise was no trick of the light. And then there are the others.
Various recruiting rankings indicate that Florida, which had to win its bowl to finish above .500, is poised to sign the top class among SEC East programs. Tennessee finished 5-7 and won only one conference game and could well be seeking a new coach soon. In Year 2 under James Franklin, Vanderbilt figures to do more than simply scare some of the big boys. About all Kentucky accomplished in Year 2 under Joker Phillips was to beat Tennessee for the first time since 1984. And this fall Big 12 expatriate Missouri, flouting geography, opens play as a member of the SEC East.
Most projections for 2012 show Georgia and South Carolina in the preseason top 10, and whichever one takes the East this year — it’s hard to envision anyone else rising past both — can lay claim to being the class of the SEC’s lesser division. (SEC West zealots may consider this the equivalent of being the world’s strongest weakling, but you can’t win the conference unless you play in Atlanta on the first Saturday in December, can you?)
Once again, all schedules aren’t created equal. Georgia, which managed not to play any of the West’s Big Three in the 2011 regular season, will miss them again. South Carolina has to play LSU in Baton Rouge and Arkansas in Columbia, which means the Gamecocks could again beat Georgia and still lose the East.
Loading ...In a division laden with uncertainty, signing day can have an outsize impact. The Gamecocks won the East in 2010 because Lattimore chose them over Auburn. Georgia won in 2011 largely because freshmen Isaiah Crowell and Malcolm Mitchell became playmakers. This year the Bulldogs have gained commitments from running backs Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley, making the matter of Crowell’s durability less significant. South Carolina’s top commitment is receiver Shaq Roland, who should slide into the spot vacated by Jeffery.
Looking toward autumn, it’s a close call between the two, but the pick here is Georgia. The Bulldogs have the kinder schedule and figure to have more good players returning, and South Carolina’s best player will be coming off knee surgery. That said, seizing control of a division — even if it is only the SEC East, as opposed to the West — requires a level of consistent excellence above and beyond what was required to break through once.
South Carolina knows this all too well. The Gamecocks were a better team in 2011 than in 2010 but didn’t play for the conference title. They missed their chance to stamp themselves as the post-Urban Meyer power in the SEC East. Now it’s Georgia turn to try.
By Mark Bradley
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530 comments Add your comment
rockstar
January 26th, 2012
1:41 pm
in bands, you’re only as good as your lead singer. uga is in a bad zone with a m #11 at the helm, the guy just finds ways to lose games, not clutch like c shaw and aj mc.
SC 78
January 26th, 2012
1:43 pm
You Dawg fans can live in the past if you want. Have fun with your Clemson Tigers brethren who also like to live in the past. Dawgs won’t beat South Carolina in Columbia next year. Dawgs won’t sniff another win against SC until Spurrier retires.
GoPats
January 26th, 2012
1:44 pm
Tom Brady is the man. If you need a person to step up, when it matters most, grab Brady. I feel kind of sorry for Georgia, you guys have all this talent, all these top recruits, yet you can’t find a Brady.
Maybe Lemay will get you guys over the hump.
Bud the Vol
January 26th, 2012
1:46 pm
They should run away with it. They have an easy schedule. They don’t play the top teams in the SEC west!
StrateUp
January 26th, 2012
1:48 pm
strateup, if UGA QB don’t step up, and start playing big boy ball, you ain’t never gonna beat South Carolina, or the LSU’s of the world.
Since Murray took over:
Average 8 wins a year
0-2 in Bowl games
0-2 vs. South Carolina
1-1 vs. Florida
2-9 vs. ranked teams
No Championships!
javajave
January 26th, 2012
1:50 pm
Aaron Murray says this is HIS team. Well, it’s HIS reponsibility to get this team to the NEXT LEVEL.
SHAPE OR SHIP OUT MURRAY.
Gator Mike
January 26th, 2012
1:52 pm
So SCe will have easy wins over the Gators and DAWGS this year according to “SC on Fire” and beat BAMA. Perhaps, but I doubt it. If SoCar does get to Atlanta and they play BAMA, I am sure that Saban will have his team ready to make ammends for the loss they took in Columbia in 2010. Spurrier is full of himself once again as he was when he was at UF, and I predict that he will head to his beach house in Crescent Beach, FL for good if he looses to UGA and UF this year and he will loose to both. A lot will happen between now and the season which could affect every team in either a positive or negative way.
javajave
January 26th, 2012
1:52 pm
UGA has a leadership issue. Nobody steps up when it’s time.
Hillside
January 26th, 2012
1:55 pm
murray loses 80% of his starts vs ranked teams.
Ramma Bama
January 26th, 2012
2:08 pm
Alabama’s loaded again and will dominate the SEC, with an easy blowout win over Ga or SC in the title game. Saban’s built a machine that he just reloads every year with more superstars. This Bama team may be better than the 2011 champion! Look for Bama – Southern Cal in the BCS title game.
9 Losses in a Row to teams finishing AP Poll Top 25. 7 Losses in a Row to teams finishing AP Poll Top 10.
January 26th, 2012
2:10 pm
“Georgia is a good young team coming off a lousy ending.”
________________________________________________
Mark Bradley, that is just wrong.
*1.CB 19 Sanders Commings | 6-2, 217, Sr., 3V – suspended for Mizzou & Buffalo at least
2.DE 93 Abry Jones | 6-3, 309, Sr., 3V
3.NT 6 John Jenkins | 6-3, 351, Sr., 1V
4.LB 83 Cornelius Washington | 6-4, 269, Sr., 3V
5.LB 35 Mike Gilliard | 6-2, 220, Sr., 3V
6.CB 1 Branden Smith | 5-11, 176, Sr., 3V started 7 games 2011
7.S 36 Shawn Williams | 6-1, 220, Sr., 3V
8.S 18 Bacarri Rambo | 6-0, 218, Sr., 3V
9.LB 45 Christian Robinson | 6-2, 233, Sr., 3V started 4 games 2011
10.29 Jarvis Jones | 6-3, 241, Jr., 1V should have gone Pro already
11.9 Alec Ogletree | 6-3, 236, Jr., 2V has not played much at all
**DE 56 Garrison Smith | 6-3, 294, Jr., 2V started 2 games and could leave after 2012 as well. If Garrison Smith does not leave after 2012, then he will be the ONLY Defensive Starter who will return for 2013.**
We lose 11 senior starters after 2012 on Defense alone. This is most assuredly not a young team for The Georgia Bulldogs’ football team 2012. By direct contrast, YOUNG cannot be used in describing this situation – COMPLETE AND UTTER GUTTING OF THE DEFENSE AFTER 2012, and NO COMMITMENTS for the SECONDARY AT ALL WHATSOEVER OF ANYONE IN THE ENTIRE NATION. Amazing.
Sophomore Mike Thornton CANNOT be moved to Fullback, by this analysis.
Georgia will DOMINATE THE NFL DRAFT AFTER 2012 ON DEFENSE.
There could be as many as 12 Drafted from our Defense after 2012. 11 for sure.
That is my analysis of it, although you do not offer an analysis of “young team 2012″ Mark Bradley.
OFFENSE :
On Offense after 2012, we lose 5 seniors 2012 all of whom have started as well, including walk-on snapper Ty Frix – one of many walk-ons awarded with multiple season scholarships who none of them played offense or defense, yet. Basically, the whole cruddy special teams.
ConnorShawforHeisman
January 26th, 2012
2:17 pm
Connor Shaw went off in the last games.
He threw for 650 yards, and ran for another 250 yards.
Spurrier is expecting Shaw for throw for 200 yards a game, and run for 100 yards a game.
And Shaw only threw 5 interceptions.
If Shaw can throw for 200 a game, and run for 100 a game, anfd limit interceptions to 5, SC will win the National Championship and Shaw or Lattimore will win the Heisman trophy.
How many yards does Lattimore have in his last 2 games against Georgia–is it over 400 yards?
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:17 pm
Good One SC 78. You have beaten us 16 out of 64 attempts, and now you’re the new national powerhouse and we won’t sniff another win? I’m not living in the past. Your record is a reality.
Please win one, just one, one, only one, conference championship before you talk trash.
Your program is a joke and a temporary fluke.
LSULSU
January 26th, 2012
2:21 pm
Mr. Championship, Zach Mettenberger, could break some passing records this year. He could toss 50 td’s, and throw for 400 yards. And get his 2nd team in college into the National Championship. I thought Cam Newton was special, but Mr. Championship Mettenberger just might be better.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:22 pm
Enter your comments here
BamaRepeat
January 26th, 2012
2:23 pm
AJ “Big Game” McCarron will lead the Tide back to a repeat National Championship. Big Game McCarron is the man.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:26 pm
16 wins in 64 attempts is not living in the past, it’s reality.
You guys talk awful big for an ALL TIME .500 team.
What a Joke.
Win one, just one, only one, one, conference championship, before you start talking trash.
Nothing Could Be Finer
January 26th, 2012
2:27 pm
Spurrier>Richt
Shaw>Murray
Lattimore>Crowell
Clowney>Drew
USC>Ga
3 in a row
BamaRepeat
January 26th, 2012
2:28 pm
Once we got Big Game AJ, I knew we’d be winning a bunch of Championships, we need 1 for each finger for Coach Saban.
LIFE IS GOOD with Big Game AJ.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:31 pm
Alabama has a great tradition that can’t be argued, but their fans are too stupid to count and too busy tea bagging other men and killing trees to notice their multiple mythical national championships.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/305944-alabama-claims-12-national-championships-reality-claims-otherwise
Nothing Could Be Finer
January 26th, 2012
2:33 pm
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:22 pm
Enter your comments here
——————————
Ga fans trying to use a computer is a joke.
BamaRepeat
January 26th, 2012
2:33 pm
Ya’ll shouldn’t of let 11-1 winner Mettenberger out of your hands. You’re left with 6-7 Murray. Wow, how could any SEC QB be ok with 6-7????? 6-7??? Losing to COLORADO????
P.S. I figured Murray’s accuracy and interceptions would change dradtically after AJ Green left, boy, was I right. AJ bailed Murray out so many times, now, with AJ gone, his true inaccuracy has been exposed, and a bunch of his passes are getting picked off.
Jump ball passing ain’t what it used ot be with AJ Green.
Nothing Could Be Finer
January 26th, 2012
2:36 pm
Its obvious that Murray can’t hang with the big boys.
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
2:42 pm
Aaron Murray will exceed Jay Cutler’s 4 year college interceptions total (36), in his Junior year. Now that’s saying something.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:43 pm
South Carolina’s .500 ALL TIME RECORD > Hmmmmmmmm maybe…….
North Dakota Fighting Sioux – Nope
South Dakota Jackrabbits – Nope
Troy Trojans – Nope
Found One – Wyoming
Good job South Carolina. You have a slightly better football tradition than Wyoming.
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
2:45 pm
Murray is on track to leave college with the all time SEC record for interceptions. Murray is on track for 51 career interceptions all he needs are two more 14 interception seasons.
Nothing Could Be Finer
January 26th, 2012
2:47 pm
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
2:45 pm
Murray is on track to leave college with the all time SEC record for interceptions. Murray is on track for 51 career interceptions all he needs are two more 14 interception seasons.
———————————–
Easily obtainable.
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
2:49 pm
Murray had over 50 scholarship offers.
Yet after 9 games, in 2 years, Murray has compiled an UNREAL 0 WINS against teams that finished in the final AP top 25.
0 FOR 9 BABY!
Some guys are flops, Murray’s is an EPIC FREEFALL.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:50 pm
“From 1953 through 1970, the Gamecocks played in the Atlantic Coast Conference, winning the 1969 ACC championship and finishing No. 15 in the 1958 final AP poll. From 1971 through 1991, they competed as a major independent, producing 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, six bowl appearances, and Final Top-25 rankings in 1984 and 1987 (AP No. 11 and No. 15).”
WOW
NICE JOB
Nothing Could Be Finer
January 26th, 2012
2:51 pm
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
2:49 pm
Murray had over 50 scholarship offers.
———————————–
Spurrier didn’t offer.
Nothing Could Be Finer
January 26th, 2012
2:52 pm
He obviously made the better choice by going after Shaw.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:52 pm
From 1953 through 1970, the Gamecocks played in the Atlantic Coast Conference, winning the 1969 ACC championship and finishing No. 15 in the 1958 final AP poll. From 1971 through 1991, they competed as a major independent, producing 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, six bowl appearances, and Final Top-25 rankings in 1984 and 1987 (AP No. 11 and No. 15).
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
2:53 pm
Murray could break the interception record, for all time college football, Ar St QB threw 44 interceptions, Murray is he averages 14 a season for 2 more seasons will finish with 51 career iinterceptions.
THE WORST IN THE HISTORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL!
HOOVERCOCKFAN
January 26th, 2012
2:55 pm
I just glad people are talking about us. That’s new to us.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
2:57 pm
I can’t read the South Carolina Football Wikipedia page any more at work. I just can’t stop laughing.
The “Rivals” section is the best. All your so called rivals crush you regularly except powerhouse UK.
I knew you were an SEC/Clemson punching bag, but had no idea how bad North Carolina owned you.
Thanks for the laughs South Carolina.
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
3:03 pm
Murray, already at an UNREAL 22 INTERCEPTIONS IN JUST 2 SEASONS, will pass BOTH Brett Favre & Jay Cutler’s college career intercpetions totals (36), in just MURRAY’S JUNIOR YEAR. Murray needs just 14 more int’s to match both Cutler & Favre’s CAREER interception totals.
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
3:08 pm
Murray only needs 23 more interceptions to finish his career as the all time worst interception thrower in the history of college football. You figure he has 2 seasons, that’s only 12 a year, and Murray is averaging 11 a year so far, so it will be close.
DranoDrago
January 26th, 2012
3:18 pm
Anyone who blames INTERCEPTIONS on an OFFENSIVE LINE is NOT CREDIBLE. Sacks, yes, maybe 50%, INTERCEPTIONS, 0. Murray COULD have taken a SACK or THROWN IT AWAY, instead he has thrown an ASTOUNDING, RECORD MATCHING 22 INTERCEPTIONS IN JUST 2 SEASONS!!
BIGBILL
January 26th, 2012
3:40 pm
with such an easy schedule they should have no problems going back tho SEC Championship play off again. If I was coach Richt or a team member or Georgia Bull Dog fan. I would be embarrassed. II is just plain weak weak weak! Tnot big bad bull dogs.hat schedule is for puppies!
SC 78
January 26th, 2012
3:49 pm
You guys really are delusional. Check the SC vs GA series scores form the last 10 years. I believe you will see scores that refllect two very evenly matched teams. A couple of games you guys were very fortunate to win. Remmeber the miracle Pollack interception in the end zone or the Pinnock fumble of a perfectly executed option pitch on the goal line. You guys have one national championship. Bama has? Florida has? LSU has? Richt won SEC titles with players recruited by an ex Marshall coach. What’s he won with his own players? Yea you and your 1 NC ranks you right up there with Clemson.
13-1
January 26th, 2012
4:29 pm
2 wins were over 8 win teams (Aub/GT) both 5-Loss teams
3 wins were over 7 win teams (Fla/Miss St)
1 win was over a 6 win team (Vanderbilt)
2 wins were over 5 win teams (Tenn/Kent)
1 win was over a 4 win team (New Mex St)
1 win was over a 2 win team (Ole Miss)
Georgia tek lost to both 5-Loss Utah and 5-Loss Virginia
Coastal Carolina is a 1-AA FCS team, their 7 wins are 0
Florida 7-6 had their worst team since 1979 including
Florida loss to 5-Loss Auburn 4-Loss FSU 4-Loss UGA
Vandie 6-7 had a losing season
vols & Ky both had losing seasons at 5-7 both of them
Ole Miss was 2-10
New Mexico State 4-9 in Wac conf whatever that is
Missy State was 7-6 # 75 team in America
And, then – like you said – Aaron Murray is 0-9 vs teams
finishing in the AP Poll Top 25.
# 11 team all-time in 1-A wins and this is all we have to
show for the entire season.
As you say, disgusting.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
4:40 pm
SC, we have two national championships.Sorry about your counting.
We also have 12 SEC championships and you have ZZZZZEEEEEERRRRRROOOOOOOOOOO.
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
4:46 pm
……….and if we rank up there with Clemson, who stomps your a**, where do you rank?
South Carolina Football is a Joke
January 26th, 2012
4:47 pm
In the SEC, South Carolina only has a winning record against Vandy, UK, and MSU (by one game).
NICE JOB GIRLS
SpurMan
January 26th, 2012
5:57 pm
Spurrier is taking this team in the right direction.
6 wins in 07, to 7 wins in 08, to 9 wins in 09/10, to 11 wins in 11′
Richt, I don’t know what’s going on.
11 wins in 07, to 10 in 08, to 8 in 09, to 6 in 10.
Momentum is on Spurrier’s side. He is better at adjusting his program in the off season.
Richt usually makes all the wrong moves.
War Dang Dawg
January 26th, 2012
6:33 pm
Good lord, if South-freakin’-Carolina beats Georgia 3 years in a row, look for that apocalypse thing that’s been predicted for December to happen.
War Dang Dawg
January 26th, 2012
6:35 pm
“They missed their chance to stamp themselves as the post-Urban Meyer power in the SEC East.”
I think it’s more accurate to say post-Tebow. Florida was decent but hardly worldbeaters the two years that Meyer coached without Tebow (17-8, .680)
Ga Rules SEC East
January 26th, 2012
8:05 pm
fla had a couple of fluke years with tebow—he’s gone — they will be down for years. Richt will own muschamp for a long time!!! Dawgs win the SEC east and upset lsu for the SEC!!! Bet the house.
Bradley is a homer
January 26th, 2012
8:34 pm
Mark,
Do you really think Georgia will win the East? Really? What a shock! Don’t you think they will be national champs, too? You are such a homer and have lost all objectivity and should be a UGA cheerleader rather than a professional journalist.
sec east
January 26th, 2012
11:12 pm
Ga’s loaded and should win the sec easy. But they probably will not beat lsu or alabama—those teams are at a different level