So does UGA always fall flat when much is expected? Well …

Sept. 27, 2008: Alabama sneers at the black jerseys, squashes Matthew Stafford. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)

Sept. 27, 2008: Alabama sneers at Georgia's black jerseys. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)

One guy I know — actually, I’m the guy — has picked Georgia to play Southern Cal for the BCS title. That prompted the usual round of carping from those who don’t care for the Bulldogs: “Georgia thinks it’s going to win the national championship every year, and it never does.”

Neither point is technically true — Georgia claims five national titles (two consensus, three iffy), and I don’t recall anyone seriously believing Ray Goff’s last team and Jim Donnan’s first team were bound for glory — but recent history does suggest that the Bulldogs do better when less is expected.

In the three Herschel Walker seasons (1980-82), UGA finished higher in the final Associated Press poll than in the preseason edition. The same was true for the first post-Herschel year, which yielded a giddy run to the Cotton Bowl. But Georgia has been ranked in the top 12 of the AP preseason poll six times since 1983, and only twice has it finished higher than it began.

Since early rankings have slotted the Bulldogs at No. 5 or thereabouts for the coming season, I thought it’d be fun — OK, maybe not fun — to analyze what happened the past half-dozen times much was anticipated. (A word regarding methodology: I used No.-12-in-the-preseason-AP-poll as my cutoff because I wanted to include the 1988 and 2003 seasons. I stopped at 12 because the Bulldogs have been ranked between 13th and 15th so often — eight times since 1983 — with no discernible trend. Four times they finished better than they started; four times they didn’t.)

1988: 12th in preseason, 15th in the final AP poll after going 9-3. Vince Dooley’s final team was picked by one guy — yep, same one — to go undefeated. Those Bulldogs didn’t make it through September unscathed. Early indicators: Troubling. A difficult opening victory against a Tennessee team that would finish 5-6; a 42-35 road win at Mississippi State that foretold issues on defense. First loss: At South Carolina on Sept. 24 as Todd Ellis picked Bill Lewis’ D to pieces. Subsequent losses: At Kentucky (yikes), at Auburn.

2000: 10th in preseason, 20th in the final poll after going 8-4. The team Donnan said he had “waited 55 years to coach” remains the last team he ever coached. He was fired by president Michael Adams after the regular season. Early indicator: Ominous. Linebacker Boss Bailey tore up his knee covering the season-opening kickoff against Georgia Southern. First loss: At South Carolina on Sept. 9. Quincy Carter threw five interceptions. Subsequent losses: Against Florida in Jacksonville, at Auburn in overtime, at home against Georgia Tech on the day George Godsey ran untouched through a host of NFL-caliber Bulldogs defenders.

2002: Ranked No. 8 in preseason, finished No. 3 after going 13-1. In Year 2 under Mark Richt, Georgia won the SEC for the first time in two decades. The division-clinching victory came at Auburn when Greene found Michael Johnson on fourth-and-14. Early indicators: All positive. A come-from-behind opening victory against Clemson; the Pollack snatch-and-grab victory at South Carolina; a last-gasp win at Alabama on Billy Bennett’s field goal. Blemish: A strangely uninspired loss to the Florida Gators of Ron Zook on Nov. 2.

2003: Ranked No. 11 in preseason, finished No. 7 after going 11-3. A second SEC East title was undercut by two losses to LSU, which in hindsight weren’t so awful — the Tigers wound up winning the BCS title. Early indicators: Again, all good. Georgia won 30-0 at Clemson in the opener and hammered South Carolina two weeks later. First loss: At LSU on Sept. 20. Tyson Browning took a screen pass 93 yards to tie matters inside the final two minutes, but a long kickoff return by Devery Henderson triggered the winning touchdown pass to Skyler Green. Subsequent losses: Another inexplicable defeat at the hands of the Zooker, a second loss to a by-then-clearly-superior LSU in the SEC title game.

2004: Ranked No. 3 in preseason; finished No. 7 after going 10-2. Still the biggest missed opportunity of Richt’s career. A senior-laden team didn’t even win its division. Early indicators: Mixed. Georgia rallied from 16 points down to win at South Carolina, but beat reigning champ LSU by 29 points in Athens. First loss: Against Tennessee at Sanford Stadium on Oct. 9, one week after the thrashing of LSU. That victory essentially gave the Vols the SEC East title. “We lost the wrong game,” Richt would say. Subsequent loss: At Auburn on a day when the Tigers — who would finish 13-0 — were dominant.

2008: Ranked No. 1 in preseason, finished No. 13 after going 10-3. Georgia was a hot item after the 2007 team finished No. 2 after a surprising 11-2 season. Early indicators: Awful. The offseason was marked by a flurry of Bulldogs arrests, and Georgia barely survived its first road test against middling South Carolina. First loss: Against Alabama on Sept. 27. The Tide led 31-0 at the half. It was Nick Saban’s first signature win as Bama’s coach. Subsequent losses: By 39 points to a Florida team that would take the BCS title, to Georgia Tech in Athens after leading by 16 at the half.

Conclusion: If you’re going to outperform high expectations, don’t lose early. Five of the past nine BCS champs have carried a loss, but only one of the five — Florida in 2008 — lost in September. Only twice in the six cases cited above did Georgia exit September undefeated. By way of contrast, Richt’s breakthrough season of 2002 featured an 8-0 start. All the more reason to underscore that Sept. 8 date in Columbia, Mo.

By Mark Bradley

532 comments Add your comment

CBdawg

June 23rd, 2012
1:03 am

Mark, Iv’e read you for 30 yrs and until now I learn that you are “playin games” w/ your readers! Dawgs will thrash Missouri!

Thomas Brown

June 23rd, 2012
5:08 am

1955. I wondered when someone would bring up the College World Series now that Matty P beat Arkansas to play for the CWS National Championship. 1955 was the last time an ACC baseball team won the CWS, the same year 1955 which Georgie tek last won a Major Bowl Game in football. ACC = irrelevant conference.

Dog Style

June 23rd, 2012
6:24 am

dogs blow out missouri, UT and florida–win the SEc easy—-take it to the bank. Ga v. alabama for the title—dogs win by 10. This Dog D is for real–maybe the best in the country.

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
7:28 am

@ Evil empire:

Don’t be so nasty just because y0ur mentor and showering partner, Jerry Sandusky, is going to prison. You still have visitation days to look forward to and remember “Abscence makes the heart grow fonder” and I love your dumb a$$ anyway!!!!!!!!

BobbyDawg

June 23rd, 2012
7:49 am

The SEC is probably the most unpredictable conference. The ACC isn’t much better. These are two conferences that I’ve learned over several years of wagering not to ever bet on especially when they’re playing teams in their own conference.
“GO DAWGS’ !

Wet Willie...keep on smiling

June 23rd, 2012
8:25 am

UGA doesn’t have the class,character,nor discipline to win the glass ball. When the going gets tuff you quit just crowell. You dance on the sideline when you’re beating the sheet out of the little sisters of the poor but when the big boys come you lose your swag in a hurry. Dogs have a big bark and no bite. 1980.

1eyedJack

June 23rd, 2012
8:38 am

…..and then there was “this year”.

Wet Willie...keep on smiling

June 23rd, 2012
9:07 am

Yes and Elvis will be the halftime show!

TampaGator

June 23rd, 2012
9:12 am

@dog style……

Settle down….boy…….nothing wrong with dreaming…….it’s summer.

Garçon

June 23rd, 2012
9:14 am

A few comments about UGA:

1. Four different SEC teams have won the last six BCS championships.

2. UGA was not one of those teams.

3. During that period, UGA did not win the SEC championship.

4. Red panties.

In other words, UGA has sunk into total irrelevancy both regionally and nationally.

So why is UGA paying Mark Richt millions of dollars a year?

Glass House Rocker

June 23rd, 2012
9:34 am

Unfortunately, the only basis for comparison between GT and Colorado football in 1990 are the games: Colorado -v – Illinois (a Colorado loss) and Clemson -v- Illinois (Clemson 30, Illinois 0) in a bowl game.
Miami was very good but did lose 2 games that year–one to BYU.
I believe this situation–i.e. the split vote in the polls–lead to the eventual “National Championship” game.

Joey

June 23rd, 2012
9:34 am

Tampa Gator, I think Mizzou is gonna be a much harder game than most UGA fans are thinking – my memory is longer than most. Mizzou has much more to gain than we do, and will throw the kitchen sink at us – fake punts, and trick plays. Not to mention a top-notch QB, if he heals up from his injury.

If we can squeak by, we will get some momentum and I think will beat SC and roll into Jax unbeaten. I also don’t suscribe to the thinking that UF is “down.” Too much talent, and (I think) a big upgrade in OC. Y’all will be right in the middle of the East battle.

Our season depends on 1) our QB winning big games, instead of fumbling and pick-6ing them away, 2) new O-line jelling, run-blocking, and being consistant in pass blocking, 3) Richt fixeing our return teams. I’m not worried about a new kicker – it may force Richt will focus on TDs, instead of his FG-fetish, for a change.

My take.

Joey

June 23rd, 2012
9:36 am

Come on MB . . .

FRED

June 23rd, 2012
9:45 am

Come on folks this school will never win a BCS because this school hasent a clue on winning. Good coaching wins in college football. We have 1 coach thats a winner and he is on defence. Ou head coach is a looser but no one will admit it. So good luck with that title.

Mutley

June 23rd, 2012
10:16 am

Again the difference is ATTITUDE. UGA is happy being middle of the road always has been always will

be. Example, Bama expects to win the national championship every year, not just beat Florida

sometimes, Auburn sometimes, SC sometimes, they EXPECT to win every year UGA does not.

Richt will never win a National Championship period. He kept an incompetent defensive co

around for years and would not have fired him had not the pressure been so great.

Now he has an incompetent offensive co that he knows is incompetent and he refuses

to make the necessary change. Do you really think Saban would accept this?

evil empire

June 23rd, 2012
11:05 am

since 2000, the sec mens big 3 sports (football, basketball, baseball) have won 14 (15 if sc wins world series) national championships…since 2000, the sec womens big 3 sports (basketball, softball, track and field) have won 17 national championships…none of these 31 championships were won by the university of georgia…you seem to do ok in the country club sports…not so much in true athletic events…keep rockin the khakis and red uga polo shirts…and be comfortable in your mediocrity…it fits you well…

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
11:14 am

@ Muttly:

If Saban is your idol/hero why not just join the SABANITES???

You say Bammy expects to win NCs. You are correct about the last few years but before Saban you never heard a peep out of Bammy fans unless it was recalling the days of Bear Bryant or to mention Gene Stallings. Bammy had a MUCH worse time between Bear and Saban than most ANY team in the SEC. Maybe if you get off the booze you could recall some of the facts, not just the past 3 or 4 years. Even your short term memory should recall that Bammy and Sabie won their Division only once in the last three years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAWG

June 23rd, 2012
11:25 am

This rating system always seems amazing to me. I need to gather the group up who makes the predictions and go win the lottery. I take wild as guesses on occasion and seeing where the “DAWGS” rate is not one of my wild ass guesses. The bottom line is let’s see where the chips fall at the end of the season.

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
11:25 am

@ Muttly:

CMR has won an SEC Division Championship since Bammy has !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can already hear ….but, but .but UGA’s schedule was easi, UGA hasn’t beaten a top 100 team since the Civil War, etc.

+Do you think Sabie would accept this”. Who in their right mind with their priorities in order and SOBER gives a fat rat’s a$$ what Sabie would/would not accept??? CMR has a better winning percentage than Sabie or Miles and ANY other SEC coach even if CMR does arrange for the schedules to ALWAYs favor UGA.
There isn’t a DAMN thing you and your ilk can do about which makes me sleep better and enjoy life more so take your Single Digit IQ to BammyLand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
11:33 am

@ FRED:

You say a coache’s job is winning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CMR has a BETTER winning percentage than ANY current SEC Coach. Get your head out of where the sun don’t shine and do a little research!!!!. Your Single Digit IQ is exposed every time you come on here with ZERO facts!!!!!!!!!

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
11:41 am

@ Garcon:

Who were the Final No.1 and No.2 ranked teams in the nation for the 2007 season???

Bazooka Joe

June 23rd, 2012
11:44 am

Twinkie – is that like the shot that was clearly after the buzzer that was given to Tech which enabled you to go to the final 4 ? Thought so……

Jason

June 23rd, 2012
11:44 am

No one cares about winning percentage, it’s about championships. Would you rather win it all one year and then next year be in the bottom half of the top twenty or be ranked eigth two years in a row? For UGA the answer seems to be be ranked eigth. CMR is a good coach but he isn’t a great coach. You’re not going to get a year where the Dawgs are fifth or sixth in the division but he’s never going to win the national championship and will only win the SEC when the real conference powers are all having a down year at the same time.

That might be ok for UGA. You’ll never have to endure being laughed at for being beat by West Dakota State after all the stars graduated from the previous year’s championship team but you’ll also never get to know what it is like to win it all. For some, being better than average all the time but never the best is an ok tradeoff. For schools like Alabama, Texas, and Ohio State, it is unacceptable. The real question is, should Georgia decide it wants to be a winner, can they even get someone better than CMR or would they end up like Tennessee?

evil empire

June 23rd, 2012
11:53 am

brainiac is the ultimate keyboard badazz…and the ultimate keyboard dumbazz too…the rare two-fer….congrats, stupid…i’m sure your parents are proud, and as well they should be…they have been blessed with a walking, talking mass of fecal matter…love your use of sandusky in your insults…shows alot of class, and is a direct insight into your upbringing…keep it up kid, you’re going places…and you represent uga nation well….the prototype dawg fan…….

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
12:08 pm

@ Jason:

How do you think you speak for everybody??? FRED clearly stated a coach’s job is WINNING and I respect Fred’s opinion much more than I do yours.

“you will never have to be laughed at for losing to West Dakota State” Do you mean something like when Louisiana Monroe came into Tuskiloser and kicked Saban and his teams a$$ all over the stadium?

You cite the greats as Alabama, Texas and Ohio State.

1) Tell us about Bammy before Saban got there(You don’t have to mention the Louisiana Monroe game. We have already covered that pretty well)

2) Tell us about Texas the last few years!!!!!!!!! If you are going to praise Bammy for recent success you gotta give Texas their due for the last few years,

3) I’m sure you have great praise, etc. for Ohio State. A team on probation so bad their coach was fired. Who has Ohio State beaten ??? certainly not the SEC in bowl games!!!

You need to put brain in gear before putting the mouth in action but I love your uneducated a$$ anyway!!!!!

Jason = Sandusky Diciple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SSIgator

June 23rd, 2012
12:10 pm

evil empire -

UGA fans are like Christmas tree lights: they hang together, they are not very bright and half of them don’t work.

Hairy Dawg

June 23rd, 2012
12:29 pm

This proofs again how Coach Richt exceeded more expectations than not and don’t need to do hot sitting. He has been good at UGA and got us on Christian path with winning. We won east more than other SEC coaches under Coach Richt. And then been to Sugar Bowl to. I told you last year we do table running after Boise got lucky win. Now this year we experienced to get top 5 and win BCS. We don’t need the bad fans to try to dumps on team when we going to win East and SEC and that means BCS champs like others do. So bad fans need to be run off to keep only those supporting Dawgs and Coach Richt and that helps winning.

Go Dawgs!

Jim

June 23rd, 2012
12:39 pm

You forgot about the injuries along the line before the 2008 season even started. UGA lost Sturdivant for the entire season before the first kick-off.

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
1:14 pm

@ Evil empire:

Go back and check your drivel!!!!!!!

You started the namecalling which does not bother me at all. I’m on here 98% for fun and if I can get a reply out of nice folks like you I have a good day!!!!!!

You brought my parents into this little, unimportant game between unimportant people which is fine with me because it is nothing but a BS contest MOST of the time. Unlike you, I know who my parents are and that I was the result of a planned pregnancy while your parents were obviously just doing it for fun when you were concieved but I don’t hold that against you because I love your silly little a$$ anyway!!!!

Can’t we be friends??????????????????????

NoAxeToGrind

June 23rd, 2012
1:34 pm

I suspect, if UGA really wanted to win, they could get somebody better then Richt. But the problem is, one has to want to win. It does not appear to me that a significant percentage of UGA fans want to win badly enough to do something about it, unlike LSU or Bama fans. So, unless and until that changes, they are stuck with having a largely irrelevant football program. Jason @ 1144AM is essentially correct in his statement. With Richt, about 2nd or 3rd in the East, except when UF is down, is about all UGA fans can expect. I don’t see that changing unless UGA fans’ attitudes change.

THE Dixie Redcoat Band

June 23rd, 2012
1:35 pm

The Michigan coach was quoted as saying those 5 and 6 * players are nice, but they’ve had some guys who were 2 & 3 * that turned out ok.
UM is also looking for character, intergrity and who fits the mold for Michigan.
Anybody in Athens listening.?
Brady Hoke doesn’t allow hip-hop/slap dancing on the sidelines.
Anybody in Athens listening?

Hairy Dawg

June 23rd, 2012
2:25 pm

That right. We had STurds get hurt and misses season. And we also have to battle Adams that been choking recruiting. Given all those bad things Dawgs faced Coach Richt did great job winning.

Fargus

June 23rd, 2012
2:38 pm

Mark,

There’s no question.

Richt wins less games than the season before 7 OUT OF LAST 9 SEASONS.

So 78% chance UGA goes 9 wins or less in 2012.

But, Richt wins less games EVERY season after finishing 1st in the SEC East, 0-4.

So, 100% chance go 9-4, or 8-5.

Likely losses to:
SC (lost 2 in a row–Lattimore rips Grantham’s 3-4)
UF (havn’t won 2 in a row since 80’s)
Auburn (Defense much improved with Van Gorder)
Tenn (Must win for Dooley)
Mizzou (1st SEC game)

reasontocry

June 23rd, 2012
2:43 pm

yea, and what years?

01HAWK

June 23rd, 2012
2:49 pm

HEY BRAINIAC…………………………………….GOT CRYSTAL ?

NOT , NOT, NOT, NOT

The Answer is here

June 23rd, 2012
2:51 pm

UGA man now retired. My sales& marketing & manufacturing import career was spent working under about two or three great EXECUTIVE salesmen, and MOTIVATORS. They retired over the years and in spite of my poor efforts and southern drawl and my lowly UGA diploma, I ran the same corporation for several years, out of NY City and I traveled the USA and the world in pursuit of sales growth and in finding new innovative products to sell.

Why do some football schools or basketball schools ALWAYS chase the NC every year and others like UGA fall short? ANSWER: SETTING EXPECTATIONS is the answer.

In the beginning of any organizational effort, the LEADER in is his/her written words, spoken words and personal comportment and conduct with associates and in the public eye, should ALWAYS act like General Mc Arthur or Julius Caesar and be in charge. They could care less for friends.

Mark Richt is a fine man, He is not wrapped emotionally to be a nail spitting, finger nail chewing NC type of footbal coach. He is a great coach over 10 years, he will win maybe 79-82 games and his teams will see over 10 years, 6 or 7 fine, to really good bowl games …. Sugar and Cap One and Outback type of bowls. Top 15 usually.

NC s? No way, we are UGA and that is not what we are all about. Sorry. I know better.

UGA
Class of 71 & 73

Check first with ONLY college grads to measure a school's success

June 23rd, 2012
3:01 pm

I am very close to Alabama guys and they are the ONLY ONES that over the last 35 years expected to compete MOST years for the SEC and the NC. During Ray Perkins, Gene Stallings and Mike Dupree and Mike Shula, not so much. Yes, under Sabin, so there. It took them awhile beyond the 92? NC under Stallings. Bear left in 77? 79? 80? How many years did it take them in between Bear’s last NC and the one in 92 and they ARE ALABAMA???

Most college men that I know ( most SEC teams, ND and Ok U. and U of TX and Tx. Tech) care more about their careers and families and their businesses, vs some NC. You guys saying here that the only real measure of success is the NC ……………..are clearly NOT college men.

Be a football fan for sure, but do not pretend to know what the school’s alumni expect.

Go Dogs.

Hairy Dawg

June 23rd, 2012
4:25 pm

Leadership is right. Adams has been bad for football since he got here. He and the pointy heads choking recruiting where we can’t recruit no longer like Bammer and instead have to let some best talent get away to out a state cause Adams and his pointy head restrictoins. Get rid of them and we could stockpile al talent in state with practice squad at Hargraves ready for call up.

Then we player ends up stinky or we have injuries like Sturdivent we just make call to practice squad at Hargraves to bring up replacement that better. Cutting bad players and replacing them from Hargraves encourages them to play hard for Dawgs to keep position or get shipped out as bum. That type of competition causes players to be best and win SEC which means BCS.

Eb

June 23rd, 2012
4:29 pm

Alabama, LSU, Florida, TN, and Auburn have accounted for 10 National Championships since UGA’s last one in 1980. If UGA fans believe they’re in the class of these schools, expectations need to be upped to winning it all and anything short is a failure. IMO, UGA has same low expectation problem the Braves had under Bobby Cox which led to one WS title in 5 appearances.

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
4:40 pm

@ Check first with only college:

Damn son!!!!!

You hit it out of the park. However, you are dealing with a large number from ALL schools that their only life is to say “Look at what WE did”. If it doesn’t reek of football they are completely lost and disalusioned and apparently they think it makes them more important.

Check with only college = DGD = Extremely knowledgeable == Hero = Great American

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
5:01 pm

@ 01Hawk:

I must admit that I haven’t been very nice to you and since “we ain’t got no crystal since CMR became HC” I will accept anything you dish out. You appear to be a fairly intelligent guy and I am on here playing most of the time so I will apologize for my unnecessary BS trashing Bama most of the time.

If it makes you feel better about yourself, by all means hit on UGA because apparently Bama fans aren’t content just trashing UGA, they have to tell us on every post(almost every post) how many games/NC/recruits they have or will get. I feel that I am as much UGA as you are Bama but there has got to be a few things just a little more important than football on any level.

Quite a number of Bama fans are quite nice on here and seldom go vicious or include “how great we are” in every post. I really try not to be nasty to them but quite a number openly beg to be trashed and still it is all in fun for me.

If I have offended you personally please let me know which ones and I will/may recant those nasties. I have no ill will towards ANYBODY on here because we all are just a name and can only imagine what others on here are like in real life.

Goodluck and don’t let the prospective recruits handle the Crystal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
5:06 pm

@ MC:

What happened to my 5:04 pm post???????????????????????????????????????????

AAAAA Athens Bail Bonds R Us

June 23rd, 2012
5:10 pm

“Did you fail your drug test or do you even have a job???”

My job is posting the bail bonds to spring UGA players and athletic directors out of jail. It’s been a very lucrative one, too, thank you very much. :-)

Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)

June 23rd, 2012
5:33 pm

@Mark Bradley:

What happened to my 5:04 pm post?????????

Pitbull

June 23rd, 2012
5:37 pm

I think that if you compared the winning percentages of the SEC schools over the past 10 years that UGA would be either near or at the top.

So to answer your question, much is expected of UGA and much is delivered when you look at the full body of work.

Now has UGA won an NC. No. but then only 10 out of 120+ BCS Division schools have so I think that is only an issue if you are a) aN AJC sports writer trying to get readers to your article, or b) a stupidly rabid fan (emphasis on stupid) that is not in touch with reality.

Stumpknocker

June 23rd, 2012
6:01 pm

The question is “Does UGA fall flat when much is expected ?” The answer is yes, and will continue to be yes until they win the big games against high ranked competion.

Erk Russell's Dog

June 23rd, 2012
6:25 pm

Where did all of these high expectations come from,anyone remember the Michigan State game.The Bulldogs had the same easy schedule last year , less Missouri on the road.Should have lost at Vandy if those nerds knew how to pick up a blocked punt and run with it ,instead of tackling each other.I just don’t see how not having to play Bama or LSU makes UGA a top 5 team. Every year these high expectations lead to unfulfilled results. I will keep my expectations low until after the showdown with Carolina and the “Evil Genius Ole Ball Coach”.

CobraOne

June 23rd, 2012
7:26 pm

UGA football guy says, 9 out 11 times, when UGA had an offensive line with as little inexperience as the 2012 one, LESS WINS THE NEXT SEASON.

So, 90% chance looking at 9 wins or less because of the inexperience on offensive line.

http://patrickgarbin.blogspot.com/2012/04/bad-bulldog-omen.html

saint

June 23rd, 2012
7:34 pm

Cobra One,

Yes, for the optimists out there, right on, due to offensive line’s 31 career starts (poor planning by coaches), 10% chance you win 10 games or more.

For the realist, 90% chance UGA wins 9 games or LESS in 2012.

10% chance, but some guys just wax on with their silly posts…..

AJ

June 23rd, 2012
7:56 pm

Mark Richt has UNDER PERFORMED the PRE SEASON AP POLL about 80% of his career as a head coach.

here’s a 5 year sample:
http://www.pollspeak.com/data/over-underrated-2010-AP-5-Year-OtoU.htm

No, Richt does NOT handle pressure well, CLUTCH he is NOT.