Heat Check: Hot ‘Dogs face a warm swarm of Yellow Jackets
This was the one time the Mark Richt-coached Bulldogs didn't beat Tech. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Given that this is Thanksgiving week, our Heat Check begins about where you’d expect.
GEORGIA: Will play for the SEC title. Could play for the BCS title. First, however, the Bulldogs must win the state title. This hasn’t been much of an issue for Mark Richt — he’s 10-1 against the North Avenue crew — but the one blip (in 2008, in case you’ve forgotten) was monumental. Barometric reading: Remember when we wondered if things would ever again get really good for this coach at this school? Richt’s team has a chance to finish all drills.
GEORGIA TECH: Will play for the ACC title, thanks to Miami’s decision to remove itself from postseason play. For a team that wasn’t sure it could wangle even a trip to Shreveport, that’s a nice bit of rallying. Barometric reading: Chances are, Tech will be an underdog — the opening line for this weekend favors Georgia by 14 points — in every game from here on, but any team coached by Paul Johnson has the potential to be a mighty live ‘dog. No pun intended.
THE SEC: Forget having no team in the BCS title game. If Southern Cal beats Notre Dame and Florida beats Florida State, the only league that matters will again have two of its members, one of whom didn’t even win its division, playing for the national championship. Barometric reading: Things always break the SEC’s way. Does anybody not understand that?
THE ACC: Could have a 6-6 team (er, Georgia Tech) play for the conference title. Could lose Maryland to the Big Ten, which would be a major blow for a league that believed it had solidified its future by adding, sort of, Notre Dame. (Update: According to ESPN, Maryland has indeed voted to leave the ACC.) Barometric reading: Only the SEC get all the breaks all the time. Does anybody not understand that?
FALCONS: The halting victory over Arizona did nothing to quell any doubts. Still couldn’t run the ball, and this time Matt Ryan had a tough time throwing it to the right team. And now a trip to play Tampa Bay, which has won four in a row, awaits. Barometric reading: The Falcons are still positioned to be the NFC’s top seed, but they’re starting to look a tad seedy.
HAWKS: Fought through the stomach flu and a West Coast swing to come home at .500, which isn’t half-bad. Barometric reading: Don’t be surprised if this team gets hot. Only one of its next eight games will come against an opponent that currently holds a winning record, and seven of those eight will be staged at Philips Arena.
GEORGIA HOOPS: Mark Fox’s Hounds had an awful week, losing at home to Youngstown State and Southern Miss, neither of which is a basketball power on the order of, say, Indiana. Barometric reading: At 5:30 p.m. tonight in Brooklyn, the Bulldogs will meet the real Indiana, ranked No. 1 in the land. But there’s precedent at work — Chaminade did once topple Virginia and Ralph Sampson.
GEORGIA TECH HOOPS: Managed fewer points against Presbyterian than the football Jackets scored against the Blue Hose. Still won, though. Barometric reading: Are about to embark on a long road trip — three games in an Anaheim tournament, followed by a stop in Champaign, Ill., to meet the Illini in the ACC-Big Ten challenge. If Tech is still unbeaten after all that, Brian Gregory and his men will be on to something.
BRAVES: Signed Gerald Laird, free-agent catcher, to replace David Ross, free-agent catcher. That’s a slight net loss, but Laird is something of the new Eric Hinske — he keeps showing up in the World Series. Barometric reading: Pretty sure there’s a bigger move than Gerald Laird to come.
Further reading: Can Tech ruin Georgia’s season? It’s possible. But probable?
By Mark Bradley
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134 comments Add your comment
Dawg Fud
November 19th, 2012
9:15 am
I respect Paul Johnson and Tech. They will arrive in Athens ready to play and amped up.
I remember when we traveled to Auburn for an early game in 2006 (11:00 kickoff Central Time) and we completely handed it to the #5 team in the country.
This game has a peculiar resemblance.
Dawgs need to be ready to match Tech’s intensity, play physical and dictate from the opening kickoff.
Tech is not going to lay down for anybody, especially not UGA and Mark Richt.
gt4ever
November 19th, 2012
9:15 am
Big Ten football.. ZZZZZZZZZ Wake me up when it’s over…
Jekylldog
November 19th, 2012
9:16 am
“Fought through the stomach flu and a West Coast swing to come home at .500, which isn’t half-bad.”
Actually it is half-bad. Exactly half-bad.
Hairy Dawg
November 19th, 2012
9:18 am
@Goldenrod
LOL – You are serious, aren’t you?? LOL
Steve
November 19th, 2012
9:21 am
I think Goldenrod is about as dumb as they come. Any decent/smart Tech fan knows that beating both UGA and FSU would take a miracle and that most likely, Tech will lose to both. There is a reason they are 14 point underdogs. Plus, in Charlotte, while it won’t be soldout (shocker) Tech will only have maybe 5,000 “fans” there. Home game for FSU.
Goldenrod
November 19th, 2012
9:24 am
I am calling for a whiteout by any and all GT fans for the ACC Championship Game vs. Free Shoes University. Listen, their team and fan base are full of thugs and cheaters.
Georgia Tech is about purity and hope – this coaching staff and team deserve to see our fan base representing in Charlotte all decked out in white to represent the purity & hope!
When we play in the BCS Orange Bowl we can let the players decide what the fans wear but in Charlotte we need to white out that stadium for the ACC Championship!
can you imagine
November 19th, 2012
9:26 am
UGA is in the SEC championship game, GA Tech is in ACC championship game, the Falcons have the best record in the NFL, this is great. I am the only one feeling that we are going to have a big letdown by all three?
I believe our best chance has UGA winning the State championship and beating Bama to play for BCS title, they can beat ND.
Tech is Tech.
Falcons are really starting to worry me come playoff time.
gt4ever
November 19th, 2012
9:28 am
too funny goldenrod… Purity and Hope…. lol… I think it’s much too late to hope for a defense…
Hairy Dawg
November 19th, 2012
9:29 am
@Goldenrod
Seriously?????????
LOL
Steve
November 19th, 2012
9:31 am
Purity and Hope, hmmmm who lost their little ACC Championship a few year ago? Tech finally does something and it didn’t even count, ha.
gt4ever
November 19th, 2012
9:31 am
@hairy dawg
Goldenrod is a dawg fan… There are NOT any GT people that GAY….
Al
November 19th, 2012
9:32 am
Have fun in Charlotte, Goldenrod. That pathetic game will not even sellout.
Tech fans are a joke just like the ACC.
Coastal champs?? hahahahahahahahaha……………..smh
Hairy Dawg
November 19th, 2012
9:33 am
@gt4ever
I don’t know…
But, pretty funny either way….
Separated at birth?
November 19th, 2012
9:33 am
Buckeye, are you and Tide Roll brothers? You both exhibit tendencies of OCD and narcissistic personality disorders.
DKG73
November 19th, 2012
9:43 am
OK, for all of the trash talking that will take place as we head into
this Saturday against UGA, here are the statistics: GT has a record of
6 and 5, UGA has a record of 10 and 1; GT’s opponents have an overall
record of 60 and 61 (Mid TN played only 10 games), UGA’s opponents
have an overall record of 59 and 61; GT has played 8 conference games
with our opponents having an overall record of 44 and 44, UGA has
played 8 conference games with their opponents having an overall
record of 45 and 43; GT has 6 opponents with a winning record (4
conference and 2 non-conference), UGA has 4 opponents with a winning
record (3 conference and 1 non-conference).
Just something to think about…
LawDawg
November 19th, 2012
9:46 am
Goldenrod is clearly a troll. I don;t know why anyone gives him the attention he so desperately craves.
Anyhow, the sinking falcons taking on the rising Bucs inside the pirate ship should make for an interesting Sunday.
Rock_Eagle
November 19th, 2012
9:46 am
Tech has been granted a reprieve on the season and a rare opportunity. Seize the moment. The muttland folks think this week is a given and are looking forward to the Tide, despite what you hear to the contrary.
Turd Burgalar
November 19th, 2012
9:47 am
GSU Eagle – You play in a high school league and in a high school stadium… the only newspaper that cares about your team is the statesboro herald.
Buckeye
November 19th, 2012
9:54 am
separated,
No, we not brothers. We just reppin’ the two most storied programs in the history of college football.
JB
November 19th, 2012
9:54 am
Boy, the National Press is no Dawg fan. Yahoo has a story on What could happen and here is Georgia sitting at #3 with a game coming up with #2 and the entire story dances around every possible match up and hardly mentions the Dawgs. Richt ought to be reading these to the team AFTER the Tech win.
Buckeye
November 19th, 2012
9:55 am
And,
tom brown is reppin’ the dogs. Go tom go.
JB
November 19th, 2012
9:57 am
By Bama jumping to #2, the intensity of the SECCG has shifted. If Bama was sitting at 4 or 5, might catch them sleeping. Not now.
Rock_Eagle
November 19th, 2012
9:58 am
@turd The Athens Banner-Herald arrest report reads like a who’s who among UGA athletes. There’s another one just today:
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-georgia-sports/2012/11/19/uga-baseball-player-arrested/
The SEC Rules!
November 19th, 2012
10:04 am
THE SEC RULES
Alabama #1 Georgia #2
That’s what a true poll would say since [see chart below] Notre Dame has played zero top ten teams and we’ve played a bunch.
http://thesecrules.blogspot.com/
GrowlingDawg
November 19th, 2012
10:04 am
@buckeye
That November scheduling would be called experience. Look which league OSU plays In week to week and compare it with either SEC division. I thought so. And BTW, it was your coach, Urban Meyer who mastered this scheduling formula in his days at Florida. The SEC schedules all these weak sisters late b/c experience (six straight titles) tells us that in the BCS formula losing late costs more. We didn’t make the rules don’t blame us for being smart enough to figure out the system. Don’t be a hater, learn from people around you who are smarter instead. Take solace, ya’ll have Meyer now, so maybe he’ll straighten out your schedule to win. But if hisory stays tue don’t expect that win to come against an SEC opponent.
GrowlingDawg
November 19th, 2012
10:07 am
History lol
GeoffDawg
November 19th, 2012
10:10 am
Here’s hoping that Paul Johnson has them looking forward to the ACC championship game instead. In his words from 2009, they have “bigger fish to fry.”
Joey
November 19th, 2012
10:11 am
Mark, that same Chaminade team (yeah I know the players are all 50-something) could beat Fox’s Dawgs right now . . .
Buckeye
November 19th, 2012
10:12 am
growling,
Urban has done well. Undefeated no less with his only recruiting class of freshman. I see two more years to get where he wants to be – including standing toe to toe with the real SEC! SEC! The dogs are middle of the pack. Bama and LSU the class of the SEC! SEC! and TN, Auburn being the jokes of the SEC! SEC!
While you may have scammed the BCS, time is running out as we move to a true playoff system.
JB
November 19th, 2012
10:12 am
I would bet my life that if Ohio St. was not on probation those Northeastern Writers who drool over them ALL the time would have them #1 and telling the world that they are the greatest team in Ohio St history and just a miracle body of work by Meyer……….GEEZ. Cheaters all the way though.
Joey
November 19th, 2012
10:17 am
“When we play in the BCS Orange Bowl we can let the players decide what the fans wear but in Charlotte we need to white out that stadium for the ACC Championship!”
***************************************************
I bet I can guess who ACC officials will be rooting for at Charlotte. It would be a hoot to see a 6-loss ACC Champ in the Orange Bowl.
What will really be funny...
November 19th, 2012
10:27 am
…is if UGA beats Tech and then loses to AL, while Tech beats FSU -
That would mean Tech (with a 7-6 record) gets the BCS Orange Bowl and its $14-$20mil payout, while UGA (with its 11-2 record) gets the Outback Bowl and it’s $4-6mil payout, since either UF or LSU will get the BCS Sugar Bowl bid and its $14-20mil payout…
Surely you jest, Goldenrod...
November 19th, 2012
10:35 am
…”Georgia Tech is about purity and hope” – you must have forgotten about Reuben Houston, D-Rad and being stripped of your most recent ACC title due to cheating, George O’Liary. etc, etc, etc…
GeoffDawg
November 19th, 2012
10:35 am
I don’t really like to make fun of other team’s misfortunes but if you’re at a non-Tech ACC school, you’ve got to be pulling for an FSU landslide. Having a league champion that was blown out by MTSU doesn’t do much for your street cred.
GeoffDawg
November 19th, 2012
10:37 am
Purity and hope? You make tech sound like a blushing virgin bride on her wedding night.
fan
November 19th, 2012
10:45 am
Buckeye, would you be talking about that same LSU team that struggled to beat Ole Miss? Because I pretty sure UGA absolutely dominated them and LSU survived. OSU is joke and as is the Big 10.
DIT
November 19th, 2012
10:48 am
Tech – Congrats on moving forward to the ACC Championship game. I hope y’all beat Free Shoes U! This Dawg is not running his mouth about this Saturday. It will be a tough contest. Always is. This game always makes me nervous, but what really makes me nervous is that this, from past history, plays down to the talent level AND will be looking forward to the SEC CG. By doing so tech can come up and beat us.
If the Dawgs are truly focused on this game they will beat tech by 14 points min. However, that’s the key word there…….. focused. Good luck tech
William Casey
November 19th, 2012
10:58 am
Goldenrod is a girl and pulling your bulldawg tails. LOL
murfdawg
November 19th, 2012
11:01 am
Geoffdawg,
I was worried about the GT game until this morning when Miami and Donna Sha-na-na threw the team under the bus. What that does, is make the Georgia-Georgia Tech game a FISH FRY!!!!!!
If you bring the cole slaw, I’ll bring the tartar sauce.
Really?!
November 19th, 2012
11:13 am
Does anyone in America wish to see a team that has beaten ONE team with a wining record, whose opponents combined W/L is 106-128 (if you take out the 1AA team)? How is a team with 25% (that is 3 out of 12 for you UGA fans) of its opponents not even playing 1-A football even in the same sentence with “National Championship”. What a FARCE. Here is the Georgia formula for being ranked high: barely beat a bunch of teams that are substantially inferior and pretend the ranking is deserved. Good luck with Alabama, a real college football team.
Stiffneck
November 19th, 2012
11:14 am
Being ACC Coastal Champions = Winning the pig squealing contest at the Tri-County fair. Nothing to brag about…………
GeoffDawg
November 19th, 2012
11:16 am
If we have hush-puppies with jalepenos, I’m in.
GeoffDawg
November 19th, 2012
11:23 am
It’s eerie how accurate you can be in predicting who needs OCD meds based purely on blog posts. I’m looking at you Really?!
COASTAL CHAMPS
November 19th, 2012
11:30 am
fear the JACKETS.
Eve Plumb
November 19th, 2012
11:43 am
Atlanta Falcons finish the regular season at 14-2.
Lose to the Niners in the Dome 31-3.
Book it, mark it down!!!
Eve Plumb
November 19th, 2012
11:45 am
Maybe now Tech fans will stop jumping from the nose bleed seats after losses…too soon?
Ed
November 19th, 2012
11:47 am
Florida in the BCS title game would be a joke. Go Seminoles, go Irish!
But most of all…GO DAWGS! No letdowns against Tech. Richt should make the entire team watch a replay of the Baylor – K State game as a reminder that not only could we lose on Saturday, we could get our rear ends handed to us if we are not 100% focused on this game, only.
ARdawg
November 19th, 2012
11:50 am
Man it is GREAT to be a Georgia Bulldog!
Eric C.
November 19th, 2012
11:54 am
Eve Plump, the 49ers do not play well in domes. I’ll be surprised if the Falcons finish 14-2 with no “easy” games left.
Eric C.
November 19th, 2012
11:55 am
Well, the Falcons had another game where they “didn’t play their best.” I’m starting to wonder if this isn’t their best?