Unless it beats the Gators, UGA will be a 10-2 underachiever
"Wait just a doggone minute! Isn't that the signal for the infield fly?" (AJC photo by Bob Andres)
At the absolute worst, Georgia figures to finish its regular season 10-2. Just last year, a 10-2 regular season yielded an SEC East title and bought Mark Richt a contract extension and was taken as a sign that Georgia football was on the ascent. To go 10-2 again, assuming this 10-2 includes a loss to Florida and the absence of another division title, would be taken as an abject reversal.
Here’s where the Bulldogs’ bunny schedule serves as both boon and burden. Georgia still must play Kentucky, Ole Miss, Auburn and Georgia Tech; the aggregate record of those teams is 7-16. The Bulldogs also will face Georgia Southern, which plays at a lesser level. If Georgia beats those five but loses to Florida, it will be described, oddly but accurately, as a 10-2 underachiever.
When the Bulldogs were going 8-5 in 2009 and 6-7 the next season, the question became: Would they ever win big again? They’ve since gone 15-5, which would seem to offer an answer, but in light of the drubbing administered by South Carolina we note there can be a difference between Winning Big and Winning Big Games. Georgia has come to occupy the space between.
Its last victory over a Top 10 team came when it defeated No. 7 Georgia Tech on Nov. 28, 2009. The Bulldogs last beat an SEC team ranked in the Top 10 on Oct. 27, 2007 (No. 9 Florida in the Gator Stomp game). Their last victory over anybody in the top five came against No. 5 Auburn on Nov. 11, 2006. Since Oct. 30, 2008, Georgia is 4-13 against ranked opposition, and three of those times the Bulldogs were the higher-ranked team.
Coming off their 2011 turnaround, these Bulldogs figured to have much working for them: A fourth-year junior at quarterback, nine defensive starters who are either seniors or juniors and, above all, the softest of schedules. But when you play so few games against opponents of comparable worth and you lose them all, that schedule turns against you. It makes you seem a team that is, as Lou Holtz once said, living a lie.
It would one be one thing if the Bulldogs were capable of no more, if the only thing enabling them to be ranked at all was the canny maximization of modest resources. But you cannot recruit at such an exalted level and then claim personnel bankruptcy. There aren’t 10 more talented teams in the land. So why, when it comes time to step up in class, does Georgia invariably flunk?
We cannot help but look to the coach. It’s his program. He hired these high-salaried assistants, recruited these star-spangled players. And isn’t as if Richt has never won a Big Game: From 2002 through Jan. 1, 2008, Georgia was 22-10 against ranked opponents. It is 6-14 since. It has become the classic bully: It terrorizes the small fry but turns tail when the big boys show up.
After winning the East last year, the Bulldogs faced No. 1 LSU and lost 42-10. After rising to No. 5 in the land this season, they played South Carolina in Columbia and lost 35-7. That’s a 60-point spread in prove-it games, and the latter loss was truly alarming. Georgia wasn’t ready to handle a team like LSU last season, but 1o months later it was even less prepared for what the Gamecocks unleashed. Isn’t experience supposed to be a teaching tool?
Maybe it can still be one. This year isn’t over. If Georgia can beat Florida, there’s a chance the Bulldogs can again win the East. South Carolina would have to lose twice, but its next two games are against LSU and Florida on the road. Even so, the sight of the Gators again on the rise is surely disquieting: Of the four times Georgia has won the SEC East, three came in Year 1 after a Florida coaching change, and the fourth was in Ron Zook’s final season. This is Year 2 for Will Muschamp, and Florida just climbed to No. 4 in the Associated Press poll.
Having lost three in a row to South Carolina, Georgia has already fallen behind the Gamecocks in both standings and hierarchy. If Florida jumps back ahead of the Bulldogs, the Richt renaissance will have been the briefest of moments. His program will be in danger of falling into the hole from which he once rescued it: That time in the ’90s when Florida and Tennessee owned the division and Georgia, under Ray Goff and Jim Donnan, was relegated to third place.
This looked to be the season Richt and his Bulldogs consolidated their hold on the division, and they might yet. But anything less than an East title would rekindle all those questions about Richt. There’s no way Georgia would move to fire a coach who wins 10 games two years running; there’s also no way the second 10-2 would feel half as good as the first.
At some point Georgia has to answer the question, “Yeah, but who did you beat?” And that answer cannot continue to be, “Well, there was that Tech game back in ‘09 …”
By Mark Bradley
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987 comments Add your comment
Kool Aid is yummy
October 9th, 2012
10:56 am
@ oakwood dawg
If you think UGA will lose (loose) to AU and Ole Miss your just stupid or your inserting unneeded drama.
Alphare
October 9th, 2012
10:57 am
How many of you guys were more pumped before the game than UGA coaches? can you stop a moment and just ask yourself ?
If you are more pumped than the coaches, how can you blame the coaches getting lost in the headlight?
When I said UGA’s D is mediocre, how many of you guys ridiculed me?
When I said Murray is 3rd best QB in the SEC, you guys thought I know nothing about football.
Now you feel you know better than UGA coaches?
Don't worry Jawja
October 9th, 2012
10:57 am
There is still the possibility of the Peach Bowl.
Rick James
October 9th, 2012
10:57 am
The stage was set Saturday and Georgia didnt show up..I agree about the Florida game.
Spokesman for the SEC East
October 9th, 2012
10:58 am
Give Richt a lifetime contrac; PLEASE!!
VeeJay
October 9th, 2012
10:58 am
I’d say
Unless UGA finishes outside of the AP top 25 rankings by the end of the year, then the UGA team underachieved.
But if UGA finishes in the top 25 for the 2nd year in a row, that’s getting this team back and consistency is what fans are looking for, not perfection.
Sure, 12-0 would be great, but to call 10-2 and being ranked #10 in some polls right now an underachievement, wow.
Talk about exaggeration.
Kool Aid is yummy
October 9th, 2012
10:59 am
I love watching folks cry and cry. Wow. You guys really need to get a life. Half or me thinks you want them to lose, so you can cry like little b*tches.
Spokesman for the SEC East
October 9th, 2012
11:00 am
VeeJay go sip on another Grape Slurrrrrrpee.
Rick James
October 9th, 2012
11:01 am
@Don’t worry Jawa
There is still the possibility of the Peach Bowl
————————————————————
It doesnt exist anymore but if it did it beats being Georgia Tech and sitting home during the holidays.
VeeJay
October 9th, 2012
11:01 am
The ESPN BCS guru, says he expects UGA to be ranked in the top 10 when the first BCS poll comes out this week.
Top 10 people.
Relax.
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:05 am
Alphare
I realize you are a Tech fan and mediocrity is a good year for you. Yes, many/most UGA get pumped up and expect to win. This isn’t a bad thing, this is expectations. Whether they are met or not is another story. Rarely if ever does any team achieve perfection when they do not demand it.
VeeJay
October 9th, 2012
11:05 am
UGA projected in top 10 in BCS rankings:
http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/52491/sec-dominates-projected-bcs-standings
Yeah, the nation really perceives UGA SOOOO differently after 1 loss to the #3 team in the country.
Nation sees UGA as a top 10 team, EVEN after losing 35-7.
Wake up people.
AntoineFord
October 9th, 2012
11:07 am
The die-hard fans will think long and hard before coming to the Brice again.
Gary Tanner
October 9th, 2012
11:08 am
Dominated on the line of scrimmage by South Carolina, DBs leaving receivers uncovered. Almost 200 yards rushing to Tennessee. Jarvis Jones invisible in the past two games. The offense unable to do anything at all against South Carolina. Truly disheartening. Thank goodness for Tech firing Groh to take some of the attention off what’s wrong in Athens. And it does feel as though something is wrong.
Alphare
October 9th, 2012
11:14 am
ARdawg,
1. before the SC game, your team gives up at least 20 points even to some cupcakes(not one, but 2).
2. before the SC game, your team cannot beat any ranked team for over 2 years.
3. Your QB is a fumbling machine when pressured, unless the opponents are cupcakes.
4. Your D cannot hold a pumpkin unless the opponents are cupcakes
But 99% of dawg fans like you thought (1) our D is the best in the country, (2) Murray is Heisman candidate.
Now you want your coaches to be fired? why don’t you slap yourself first for being not as smart as you thought of yourself?
Spokesman for the SEC East
October 9th, 2012
11:14 am
This has been a truly great weekend; Carolina exposed UGA for what they are; a nice program with a nice coach content with winning 10 games a year, Halfass U getting exposed by NC State (who was destroyed by UT earlier) and UF manning up against the Madhatter.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 9th, 2012
11:16 am
Alphare
Let me break it too you
If we win out; which I know we wont as I already predicted another 2 loss season anyway before this season even started; I still will not change my mind about this coaching staff
I say it every year and that is this coaching staff will lose 2 ballgames as usual every year
This coaching staff is an overpaid joke and nothing more that cant win big games period
Newman
October 9th, 2012
11:22 am
We get our butts kicked like that Saturday and we are practicing three times this week? UNBELIEVABLE!!!
tony
October 9th, 2012
11:22 am
If Greg McGarity decides to hire a better hc I hope Lorenzo Ward
get the job because he is one of the best recruiter in the country and he wants to be a hc if giving the opportunity. If it wasn’t for him I doubt SC would not have recruited Jadeveon Clowney. He lives in Atlanta and recruit that area very well.
Ward made the 235-mile drive, walked into the school and greeted Clowney, alongside Johnson, who was Clowney’s primary recruiter. Clowney had only met Ward in passing at USC, and here he was, at his high school, right before Signing Day.
“Who is this?” Clowney asked Johnson, as Ward recalled.
“Do you know who Mariano Rivera is?” Ward replied.
Clowney said no.
“He’s probably the best closer to pitch in major league baseball,” Ward said.
“Oh, are you the closer?” Clowney asked.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Ward said.
He proceeded to tell Clowney, “Everybody’s been telling you how good you are, and everybody’s been kissing your (butt). I ain’t gonna kiss your (butt). I ain’t gonna call you, and you’re gonna call me every day.”
Ward said Clowney did just that — called him every day for the next two weeks.
“Wouldn’t talk to another guy on the staff but me,” Ward said.
Clowney signed with USC, and said recently, “I’d say he closed it out.”
Clowney will be a key piece of the Gamecocks’ defense this season, with Ward as their defensive coordinator, a job he was promoted to before last season’s bowl game.
Ward favors an aggressive, blitzing style that reflects the assertive personality he developed long before he told Clowney he wouldn’t flatter him.
“I’ve always been a guy that likes to be the dictator and not be the one dictated to,” he said.
MFranklin
October 9th, 2012
11:24 am
This is the horrible state of college football… because wins and losses mean nothing while style points means practically everything. That said however, the Dawgs need to figure out what it is about that souless crackpot, Steve Spurrier, that they can’t manage to overcome. He beat them when he was at Florida and now he’s beating them out of Columbia, SC. he’s not some gridiron holy-man.
The only hope now is that Florida beats SC and the Dawgs beat the Gators to create something of a circle-jerk conundrum in the SEC East… and to even do that, we need to whip the Lizards on a nuclear scale.
Alphare
October 9th, 2012
11:26 am
Well, Tech sux. PJ is a stubborn hothead. Tech definitely needs a better coach. Actually CMR can be a perfect fit if UGA decides to dump him. He will recruit better and develop better QB’s. I will be pumped if he lands at Tech.
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:28 am
Alphare
Most everything you state I agree with, except this;
“But 99% of dawg fans like you thought (1) our D is the best in the country, (2) Murray is Heisman candidate.”
It’s blatantly obvious from the first 5 games and more specifically the TN game, most UGA fans knew where are defense was at and it wasn’t good. I don’t know where you get your info from unless it is off these boards listening to the homers in denial but no, most UGA fans knew our defense was going to give up points. Murray WAS a Heisman candidate, could still be before the year is out.That is based on his performance.
Now you are in denial fueled by your hatred for UGA. You know Georgia is a good team that easily could be a great team. You, like the rest of the Dawg nation know there is something with this team. Most of the Georgia fans know because they have seen it many times before. The Bulldogs have the talent, the players are in place so, what does that leave?
A touchdown. a 10 point loss, being competitive until the end or close to it isn’t lofty expectations. Georgia lost early and never in the game. Most fans know the cause of it even if you haters want to remain in denial. We don’t care because your opinion don’t count
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:31 am
Alphare
Most everything you state I agree with, except this;
“But 99% of dawg fans like you thought (1) our D is the best in the country, (2) Murray is Heisman candidate.”
It’s blatantly obvious from the first 5 games and more specifically the TN game, most UGA fans knew where are defense was at and it wasn’t good. I don’t know where you get your information from unless it is off these boards listening to the fans in denial but no, most UGA fans knew our defense was going to give up points. Murray was a Heisman candidate, and could still be before the year is out. The fans didn’t make him a candidate.
Now you are in denial fueled by your hatred for UGA. You know Georgia is a good team that easily could be a great team. You, like the rest of the Dawg nation know there is something with this team. Most of the Georgia fans know because they have seen it many times before. The Bulldogs have the talent, the players are in place so, what does that leave?
A touchdown. a 10 point loss, being competitive until the end or close to it isn’t unrealistic expectations. Georgia lost early and never in the game. Most fans know the cause of it even if you haters want to remain in denial. We don’t care because your opinion don’t count
ed f
October 9th, 2012
11:31 am
In 2007 UGA got hammered by TN. Then ran the Table to end up #2 in all polls when the season was over. Why do we Keep thinking National Champs. That’s why the team Lost. Thinking about things other than SC. You know we just might be second best. What’s wrong with that??? Trying to be perfect will get you Beat!!!!!!!
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:33 am
Alphare
Most everything you state I agree with, except this; “But 99% of dawg fans like you thought (1) our D is the best in the country, (2) Murray is Heisman candidate.”
It’s pretty obvious from the first 5 games and more specifically the TN game, most UGA fans knew where are defense was at and it wasn’t good. I don’t know where you get your information from unless it is off these boards listening to the fans in denial but no, most UGA fans knew our defense was going to give up points. Murray was a Heisman candidate, and could still be before the year is out. The fans didn’t make him a candidate.
You know Georgia is a good team that easily could be a great team. You, like the rest of the Dawg nation know there is something with this team. Most of the Georgia fans know because they have seen it many times before. The Bulldogs have the talent, the players are in place so, what does that leave?
A touchdown. a 10 point loss, being competitive until the end or close to it isn’t unrealistic expectations. Georgia lost early and never in the game. Most fans know the cause of it even if you haters want to remain in denial. We don’t care because your opinion don’t count
tony
October 9th, 2012
11:33 am
The more I read about Lorenzo Ward the more I like him.
Ward made the 235-mile drive, walked into the school and greeted Clowney, alongside Johnson, who was Clowney’s primary recruiter. Clowney had only met Ward in passing at USC, and here he was, at his high school, right before Signing Day.
“Who is this?” Clowney asked Johnson, as Ward recalled.
“Do you know who Mariano Rivera is?” Ward replied.
Clowney said no.
“He’s probably the best closer to pitch in major league baseball,” Ward said.
“Oh, are you the closer?” Clowney asked.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Ward said.
He proceeded to tell Clowney, “Everybody’s been telling you how good you are, and everybody’s been kissing your (butt). I ain’t gonna kiss your (butt). I ain’t gonna call you, and you’re gonna call me every day.”
Ward said Clowney did just that — called him every day for the next two weeks.
“Wouldn’t talk to another guy on the staff but me,” Ward said.
Clowney signed with USC, and said recently, “I’d say he closed it out.”
Clowney will be a key piece of the Gamecocks’ defense this season, with Ward as their defensive coordinator, a job he was promoted to before last season’s bowl game.
Ward favors an aggressive, blitzing style that reflects the assertive personality he developed long before he told Clowney he wouldn’t flatter him.
“I’ve always been a guy that likes to be the dictator and not be the one dictated to,” he said.
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:34 am
Alphare
I would love to answer you but, I can not get anything past the filter. It’s nothing bad or obscene either
Lord Saban
October 9th, 2012
11:35 am
Dogs aint got a chance against the gators the way UF is playing. Even the dog fans know that.
theckj
October 9th, 2012
11:35 am
Great article Mark. Best in a long time. It’s about time someone pointed out the ridiculousness of anointing Georgia the crown before every single season — when they have proven to be a middle-of-the pack SEC team for a decade. There is ALWAYS talk (this year, in this column) of National Championship possibilities EVERY year – completely ridiculous. I don’t have an ax to grind with Georgia, but the fact that they are expectations and capabilities are always overrated and over reported. They looked mediocre against teams they had to pay to play them. How does that make Georgia a top 10, or even top 25 team??
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:39 am
Alphare
Murray was a Heisman candidate. The UGA fans had little to do with that and little to do with the fact that he now isn’t.
This years Georgia team is one of the best teams talent wise in many, many years. Certainly the best Richt has assembled. They were never in the SC game from the start. Blame what you will, preparation, gameplanning, gameday coaching doesn’t really matter, does it? What does it all lead to?
Georgia fans have seen this every year for the last 7-8 years. If the team is full of talented players, why would they be so unprepared to play a team very clearly less talented?
Phil
October 9th, 2012
11:39 am
“If UGA wins out the rest of the games, 99% of you guys will scream “I want coach Richt back”.
Or If UGA beat FL this year, another 99% of you guys will scream “I want coach Richt back”, even dawgs cannot get to SECCG.”
No way will you hear that from me. Been saying for the last 4-5 years Richt needs to go. The writing has been on the wall for a long time, he will never get us to a National Championship game. We are way behind the other top dogs in this league. Ain’t going to happen under Richt.
As long as he wins 8,9,10 games a year that buffoon McGarity will give him an extension. No championships but at least we beat the Buffalo’s, Florida Atlantic, Kentucky’s of the world.
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:44 am
Phil
I resigned myself several years ago to take all the punches that comes with a coaching change or lack of it at UGA. I don’t care if he stays or goes but, I am convinced we will never make a run at a NC with Richt at the helm. He isn’t capable. If you homers are happy with 10 win 2 loss seasons, have at it
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:45 am
Phil
correction…”the happy homers”
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 9th, 2012
11:47 am
Mcgarity is a joke AD
Period
BullDogMike
October 9th, 2012
11:48 am
According to Mel Kiper Jr. UGA and LSU currently have the most players on active NFL rosters. Something is wrong with this picture. The coaching staff at UGA gets less out of the vast talent that they have , then any team I have ever witnessed.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 9th, 2012
11:49 am
I still want to hear from all the kool-aid drinkers slaming me for saying Richt did not deserve a contract extension until his current 2 yr contract ran out and then see how he did at the end of it
Come on guys; yall were big and bad and called me an idiot
Im tired of hearing crickets churping; I want to hear from you
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 9th, 2012
11:50 am
Altamaha Dawg
you led the charge come on now lets hear from you
Derek
October 9th, 2012
11:50 am
Here is how UGA wins the national championship even with the terrible loss to SC.
1. We win the rest of our reg. season games.
2. SC loses the next two weeks.
3. We defeat Alabama in the SEC championship.
The rest of the teams will fall into place. GA will have then beaten FL and AL while SC has lost two in a row. GA must win convincingly to rocket back to the top 5 after the FL game. In other words we defeat FL by at least 2 touchdowns. All above very possible. SC implodes every year and will again. FL is very beatable by GA–GA matches up good agains them. Once we get to SEC championship game anything is possible. But Richt must be willing to destroy Kentucky, Ole Miss, GA Sou and GA Tech along the way. We have to run up the score–even scoring as time runs out if necessary. There you have it.
Boise Dawg
October 9th, 2012
11:51 am
Mark,
When we have lost the last 5 games against ranked teams… (Boise State, South Carolina, LSU, Michigan State and South Carolina)…Can we really say that Richt has rescued the program?
Completely agree with everything else. Beating Florida will help make up for the embarrassment on Saturday night. I am curious to see if Grantham can make any defensive adjustments when we play Florida. Given that Brent Pease was the OC at Boise State when they picked us apart last year….. if Florida does the same against us… count me as someone that will have lost all faith in this entire coaching staff.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 9th, 2012
11:52 am
Derek
Let us know when NASA needs to pick you up from Mars
:rolling:
Phil
October 9th, 2012
11:52 am
BullDogMike,
No doubt about it. LSU lost to Florida but at least they competed until the very end. I could handle a loss to South Carolina if we played hard and was competitive. I saw nothing of the sorts Saturday. They were totally unprepared. These beatdowns are embarassing. I think it lies on the coaching for not having them prepared.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 9th, 2012
11:52 am
Alphare
October 9th, 2012
11:54 am
It’s not that FL is great, it’s LSU cannot score. LSU cannot score for some time now against any team with a decent D. Against BAMA last year, they scored a total of 9 points in 2 games? Their offense is horrible. Their O is like UGA’s D.
The evil genius obviously knows UGA’s weakness. If UGA can explore FL’s weakness, UGA has a good chance to win out.
Phil
October 9th, 2012
11:54 am
Derek,
Man it’s too early in the day to be boozing it up.
BullDogMike
October 9th, 2012
11:55 am
After that performance Saturday, I’m just wondering if the Liberty Bowl would invite Dawgs back so soon ? Just an observation…….
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
11:57 am
There seems to be a rush on Tinfoil hats and predictions on how Georgia can still win a NC this year. Wow!
Georgia better get to work on beating Kentucky and forget about the weekly circle jerk on hoping SC will lose.
SSIgator
October 9th, 2012
12:00 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville -
As soon as the UGA/SC game was over, AltamahaDawg held an emergency meeting of the KoolAid Klub. The meeting is still going on.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 9th, 2012
12:00 pm
Just in case you don’t hear it enough at home Mark, you are correct on this one!
BullDogMike
October 9th, 2012
12:00 pm
One final thought after the Columbia melt down. If Kentucky and Duke etc, are basketball schools, then I guess that means we got whupped by a baseball school….( sad but true )
ARdawg
October 9th, 2012
12:00 pm
Beating Florida will do nothing to re-install my confidence in this coaching staff. Neither will winning out.