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
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
5:15 pm
Nice article about SOS. Anyone that doesn’t think he’s a HOF’er is just nuts. He may have been a horse’s a$$ while at YF, but the man can coach.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7492614/south-carolina-gamecocks-coach-steve-spurrier-giddy-future
atlantaroy
January 25th, 2012
5:16 pm
USC vs SEC East big three last 2 years: 6-0. What Happened? GA, Fl, and TN fans must feel like they are living in an alternate universe. I love the comment from UGA fan JB about USC having all that prep time for GA since we play at the beginning of the season. Why is he not doing commentary on ESPN with that depth of insight. Spurrier says gets used to it UGA fans, the *!% whippin’s will continue indefinately.
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
5:18 pm
#bamafan,
Thanks. Congrats on the BCS. Saban has it rolling over there.
atlvol55
January 25th, 2012
5:18 pm
I like Charlie Strong, but I don’t think he has shown enough at Louisville yet. If (probably more like when) Dooley is fired, I think the new AD goes after a proven head coach this time. I don’t know who, but I think the big donors will try the Nick Saban route and go big. I have no idea who, but I think, it will be somebody pretty big.
Buckeye
January 25th, 2012
5:22 pm
You must be talking basketball since its January, right dogs?
BG
January 25th, 2012
5:23 pm
South Carolina will finish in top 5. I do think UGA will lose 4 or 5 games in 2012, won a bunch of squeekers in 2011 like Vanderbilt and Florida and Kentucky, Tenn, luck will not be there in 2012.
richard and sal
January 25th, 2012
5:24 pm
Who will be the next UGA coach next season after CMR is fired?
Who
January 25th, 2012
5:24 pm
Cares?
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
5:28 pm
atlvol55,
I think Strong is very similar to Muschamp. He’s a great recruiter and a heckuva defensive coach. His fate will be determined by how well he hires coaches on the offensive side of the ball. I hated to see him leave Gainesville but I was very happy to see him FINALLY get the shot he deserves as a HC. He was a HUGE part of UF’s success and we’ll be forever grateful.
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
5:29 pm
Buckeye,
How do you feel about Urban? I think he’ll do a great job for you guys.
oh brother!
January 25th, 2012
5:30 pm
All those idiots who say Bama will repeat are the same ones who said NO ONE will beat Greenbay. Bama won’t repeat…won’t come close.
oh brother!
January 25th, 2012
5:32 pm
BG…ROFL…USC is a little program that is kinda nice. Just like Mizzou was a few years back. You guys are a joke.
PullokaVille
January 25th, 2012
5:33 pm
South Carolina will be a top 4 pre-season pick. They might run the table. Spurrier has proven he can outcoach Nick Saban in 2010, so if Spurrier can get to the SEC Championship, he could win it, unless he faces the giant Mettenberger.
oh brother!
January 25th, 2012
5:36 pm
who s picking South Carolina top 10? They don’t have a qb and their running back is coming off o knee surgery…17th at best. this is just like the one nice little run they had back in the 80’s with rogers…soon will become clemson’s whipping boy again.
CroakeyDoogle
January 25th, 2012
5:36 pm
I got UGA going 8-5, South Carolina, for 4th year in a row, getting more wins, finishing 14-0.
3-12 Against Ranked teams
January 25th, 2012
5:40 pm
Feb….”best recruiting class ever….Dream Team”
Spring….G-day: All Americans at every position!
Preseason….some stupid new schtick like “energy vampires”
Regular season…lose to most, if not all, ranked teams
Post season…lose to crappy team in crappy bowl
Post season news conference….”great foundation for next year”
Rinse and repeat, insert new calendar year….. Same ol same ol
JB
January 25th, 2012
5:46 pm
It’s a given that nobody with resume would touch that Tennessee job after Kiffen, much less the shape Fulmer had it in. He was brought in, as Shula was at Bama, To sweep out the funk, work hard, recruit some ball players, and leave quietly….and a little richer, to pave the way for a name coach to come in, with the roster stocked with players. I thought Dooley would make a go of it. He’s a very bright guy.
Douglas
January 25th, 2012
5:49 pm
Why does everyone keep giving UGA grief about their schedule? The SEC set it. I didn’t see anyone complaining a few years ago when UGA had one of the toughest schedules in the nation when we had to play Alabama and LSU in the same year.
CroakeyDoogle
January 25th, 2012
5:54 pm
South Carolina owns Georgia this decade.
UNDEFEATED!!
JB
January 25th, 2012
5:55 pm
Douglas, the hate on here for UGA is for one reason. They know that with the D1 talent in this state ( ranked #5 in the country in D1 prospects last 10 years), and the second most profitable football program in D1, They are scared to death we will wake up and bring someone who could make all that work and just own the conference. That’s what scares them. We are not there.Pretty good, but not anything what it could be. Like poking at a Pit Bull`with a stick through a fence.
3-12 Against Ranked teams
January 25th, 2012
5:59 pm
JB…..so long as Richt is the coach here, the other SEC teams are not worried one bit
CroakeyDoogle
January 25th, 2012
6:02 pm
Georgia will be 2-4 going into the open date, with losses to Mizzou, Vanderbilt (escaped last year by a hair), Tenn (another nail biter last year), and of course, South Carolina (South Carolina hasn’t lost to Georgia this decade and Georgia & QB Murray doesn’t play well against ranked teams).
If Richt’s still coaching after starting 2-4, expect 3 more losses to Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech.
Dogs finish out 5-7, and not getting a Bowl invitation.
JB
January 25th, 2012
6:04 pm
I agree…….He has turned us into a ACC type finesse team….We can’t run on anybody…and we used to run on everybody. And a strong running game and a great defense wins big in the SEC. Notice how dinky Bama’s passing game was this year? It was effective because they could run the ball…and didn’t get in 3rd and long much….3rd and 2 is their bread and butter, with backs and a OL who can get 4 or 5 yards at will. It’s not hard to figure out.
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
6:04 pm
CroakeyDoogle,
That’s just wishful thinking. UGA will be much better than 5-7. I say 9-3 at the worst with their schedule.
VandyFan
January 25th, 2012
6:05 pm
I agree that Tenn struggles this year even with several playmakers returning from injury and will put pressure on Doley to leave or be fired. UGA and SC will battle it out for 1st & 2nd in the east. Do not discount James Franklin and Vandy to get to 3rd in the east this season. In Franklin’s 2nd season, they return a solid core of playmakers on offense; thier defense has always been solid; and they will bring in a top 25 recruiting class in a few weeks. I look at Vandy’s schedule for next season and it doesnt look that bad………Go Dores !
88Car
January 25th, 2012
6:05 pm
Georgia loses to South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Gators, and Dooley. South Carolina wins the East, loses to Mettenberger and LSU (as will everyone in 2012), and finishes 12-2.
JB
January 25th, 2012
6:06 pm
Doogle……………….How much you got…..or can afford to lose?
AlanFalcon
January 25th, 2012
6:07 pm
Dogs will be favored if they can keep their players off the street and out of jail.
DawgDad
January 25th, 2012
6:07 pm
It will all come down to how well the offensive line and special teams perform. Florida can’t possibly be that bad again next year and MU is no pushover. If the o-line and special teams don’t perform UGA could conceivably lose 4-5 games even with a stifling defense. Just like the situation with the defense up until last year, I won’t believe in the o-line until I see it perform against MU, SC, Florida.
CroakeyDoogle
January 25th, 2012
6:09 pm
Georgia was VERY, VERY, VERY LUCKY to not finish 6-7 again, they BARELY beat Vanderbilt and Florida, and VERY NEARLY lost to Dooley and Kentucky.
Take away those 4 CLOSE wins and you have 6-7, instead of 10-4. This teams feels like a 5-7 team, just guys who lose a lot and don’t seem to mind it.
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
6:09 pm
VandyFan,
The downside of having a few succesful years with Franklin will be someone else will hire him away. The Dores just won’t be willing to pony up when other suitors come calling.
Coach Spurrier
January 25th, 2012
6:10 pm
Why not us…………………Hell, I’m still asking why………Now I know what Holtz meant.
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
6:13 pm
CroakeyDoogle,
You could go down most winning teams’ resume and see a number of close games. Like it or not, they DID manage to win those games. They will have a stout defense and are solid at the skill positions on offense. As a number of folks have already stated, it will come down to their o-line and special teams play. If Richt can figure those 2 out, then they’ll be able to play with anyone.
JB
January 25th, 2012
6:15 pm
Doogle….want to talk luck. Carolina was lucky to beat Dawgs last year. Grantham held that offense to 14 points……Dumb mistakes on special teams and sloppy QB play gave them 28 points. Spurrier even alluded to as much after the game. Maybe we’ll get LUCKY next year and not give up 28 free points.
Dawgs eat chickens
January 25th, 2012
6:19 pm
If UGA goes 6-7 next season I will kiss your ass
JB
January 25th, 2012
6:20 pm
Beast, that’s the reason you are a pleasure on here. You see football for what it is and don’t come on here to troll and spread hate. You know as much about the Dawgs as any fan, and our strengths and weaknesses. Thanks
Cdpridg
January 25th, 2012
6:24 pm
Chickens were very lucky last year…Dawgs beat them by 3tds and dominated the game in every facet. Untimely mistakes and turnovers kept the chickens in it and eventually allowed them to win the game
JB
January 25th, 2012
6:24 pm
If….and a big if the Dawgs D could play both halves every week like the first half of the SECCG, they could be a force. They have 9 of those guys coming back. Murray needs to step up. He hasn’t beat a real good team yet.
Dawgs eat chickens
January 25th, 2012
6:25 pm
Wow! I want some of what these SC fans are using. Must be some grade A stuff!
Shaw win the Heisman LOL. Now that is funny! Shaw is a pretty decent player but not even close to Heisman caliber and not even as good as Murray. Jarvis Jones has a better chance to win it than Shaw.
Picklejuice has definitely been drinking more than juice!
If anyone got lucky last season it was SC against UGA. We clearly had the better team. Untimely turnovers gave that game to the cocks. We did deserve to lose to Boise State and LSU. Young team with not enough depth. I see a more mature team this season with more depth and Murray more developed. Defense should be one of the best in the country with 10 returning starters. O-line is the big question in my mind. Everyone says easy schedule. Yes, it is easier than most but still the SEC where almost any team can beat another on the right day. And you never know when a team can surprise everyone in the conference like Auburn did 2 seasons ago. Will be interesting to watch.
Fuzzie
January 25th, 2012
6:25 pm
South Carolina will win the East why?
Coaching, QB, RB, and……
RED ZONE DEFENSE
(SC is #1 AGAINST RANKED TEAMS, gEORGIA IS last)
Dawgs eat chickens
January 25th, 2012
6:25 pm
Wow! I want some of what these SC fans are smoking. Must be some grade A stuff!
Shaw win the Heisman LOL. Now that is funny! Shaw is a pretty decent player but not even close to Heisman caliber and not even as good as Murray. Jarvis Jones has a better chance to win it than Shaw.
JDawg1785
January 25th, 2012
6:26 pm
Sic ‘em, Dawgs!!
Dawgs eat chickens
January 25th, 2012
6:26 pm
Picklejuice has definitely been drinking more than juice!
If anyone got lucky last season it was SC against UGA. We clearly had the better team. Untimely turnovers gave that game to the cocks. We did deserve to lose to Boise State and LSU. Young team with not enough depth. I see a more mature team this season with more depth and Murray more developed. Defense should be one of the best in the country with 10 returning starters. O-line is the big question in my mind. Everyone says easy schedule. Yes, it is easier than most but still the SEC where almost any team can beat another on the right day. And you never know when a team can surprise everyone in the conference like Auburn did 2 seasons ago. Will be interesting to watch.
Chris Rogers
January 25th, 2012
6:26 pm
Mark . . . You’ve lost it. Crowell may have impacted the losing SC effort somewhat and helped a bit in some of the early wins vs Miss St and Ole Miss, but had no real impact outside of those efforts. No comparison to the freshman and pre-injury sophomore impact of Lattimore.
Beast from the East
January 25th, 2012
6:27 pm
JB,
I do throw the occassional jab at the Dawgs, but it’s all in good fun. I try to keep up with all of our competetion in the East. I think the East is about a year or two away from taking back the SEC. UGA and SC are real close and I think UF will be back in 2013. LSU and Bama better enjoy it while they can!
Fuzzie
January 25th, 2012
6:28 pm
LSU had 1 close win, Georgia had 4.
Georgia’s luck will run out in 2012.
Proud-Dawg
January 25th, 2012
6:31 pm
When did South Carolina become a threat? They are historically a bottom feeder program. Everyone, outside of Columbia, knew the better team didn’t win last season. Even the Ole Ball Coach said UGA was the better team. He even used the word “luck” to describe their win last season. I’m more worried about Florida and Tennessee waking up from their nap then the Cocks.
Destin Dawg
January 25th, 2012
6:31 pm
Spurrier will retire when S.C. doesn’t win the SEC east this season !
1/25/2012 Evening Edition | collegefootballnewswire.com
January 25th, 2012
6:31 pm
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Dawgs eat chickens
January 25th, 2012
6:32 pm
Everyone says easy schedule. Yes, it is easier than most but still the SEC where almost any team can beat another on the right day. And you never know when a team can surprise everyone in the conference like Auburn did 2 seasons ago. Will be interesting to watch.
SC should be worrying more about the Gators for 2nd place in the East IMO.