UGA isn’t just playing a team – it’s facing the Alabama aura
Emperor Saban and his band of crimson conquerors charge onward to the next fray. (AP photo)
Heard often: Georgia’s path to the SEC championship game was facilitated by a schedule that didn’t include Western powers Alabama (No. 2 in the BCS standings), LSU (No. 7) and Texas A&M (No. 9).
Heard less often: Alabama’s path to the SEC championship game was facilitated by a schedule that didn’t include Eastern powers Georgia (No. 3), Florida (No. 4) and South Carolina (No. 10).
Heard often: Georgia’s biggest victory of the season was largely a function of six Florida turnovers.
Heard less often: Alabama’s biggest victory of the season was largely a function of four failed kicking ploys from the fertile mind of LSU’s Les Miles.
There’s a military acronym — RHIP. It stands for, “Rank has its privileges.” Ranking matters in college football, where two-thirds of the BCS standings consist of human polls, and privilege has tangible benefits. The benefit of being Alabama is that you never have to explain yourself. You’re Bama. ‘Nuff said.
On Nov. 5, 2011, second-ranked Alabama lost at home to No. 1 LSU. The Crimson Tide dropped one spot in the BCS standings. Two weeks later, Bama was back at No. 2, a position that enabled it to win the BCS title without taking its division or conference.
On Nov. 10, 2012, top-ranked Alabama lost at home to No. 15 Texas A&M. The Tide slid to No. 4, trailing three unbeaten teams. A week later, Bama was back at No. 2. Contrast this with Oregon, which was ranked No. 2 but lost at home to No. 13 Stanford. The Ducks dropped No. 5, behind three once-beaten teams. Mortals pay for losing. Alabama never falls far or stays down long. Alone among collegiate programs, it comes equipped with an aura.
But you know what? The halo fits. When you get as good as Alabama has gotten, you’ve earned the benefit of every doubt — not that there’s much cause for doubting. This is the premier program in the only conference that matters, and it keeps re-staking the claim.
Two years ago, its nemesis had the nerve to land Cam Newton and beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa after trailing 24-0 and won a national championship of its own, but where is Auburn today? Looking for a new coach. Where is Bama? Two games from a third BCS title in four seasons.
Even by Alabama’s lofty standards, its place in contemporary football is remarkable. It reigns over the sport in a way not seen since … Oklahoma under Bud Wilkinson? Notre Dame under Ara Parseghian? Bama itself under the Bear?
Alabama has been ranked No. 1 in each of the past five seasons, and in 2009 and 2011 it was No. 1 at the end. Bama moves inexorably from strength to strength. It has the ablest recruits, the wildest fans, the best coach.
About Nick Saban, all we need to know is this: He lost four first-round draftees to the NFL in April 2011 and won a national championship 8 1/2 months later. It was his third BCS title, and still he labors as if hellhounds were on his trail. Apologies to Urban Meyer, but Saban is the emperor of college football. Know how the NBA borrowed Jerry West’s silhouette for its logo? The BCS could do the same with Saban.
Loading ...No, Alabama doesn’t win every championship, or even every game. It lost to A&M 2 1/2 weeks ago. It lost twice in a row to LSU, where once Saban worked. It lost to Utah in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, 2009. Heck, it lost to Louisiana-Monroe in 2007. But that was near the end of Saban’s first season as coach, which ended with the Tide at 7-6. Alabama has since gone 59-7, which in this league in this era is outrageous.
Still, there are gradations within the greatness. If you look hard, you’ll note that the Tide’s defense is yielding 40 more yards a game this season than it did in 2011. (Now as then, Alabama leads the nation in total defense.) In eight quarters plus an overtime, the LSU of last season managed 331 yards and nine points against the Tide D; in four quarters last month, LSU as quarterbacked by the Georgia exile Zach Mettenberger managed 435 yards and 17 points.
If you’re Georgia, which has reached consecutive SEC title games without exactly swaying the electorate, those numbers offer hope for what looms as the Bulldogs’ most significant game since Herschel Walker split for the USFL. Any program in search of ultimate validation must get past Saban and his minions. The past five national titles have been taken either by Alabama or by a team that beat a Saban-coached Alabama.
Win Saturday and nobody will ever again ask these Bulldogs, “Yeah, but who did you beat?” Win Saturday and Georgia will have bettered Bama, and Bama is the best. ‘Nuff said.
Further reading: This week’s Heat Check — Destiny’s Dogs? No-bowl Jackets? Whoa, Nelly.
By Mark Bradley
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443 comments Add your comment
icedawg
November 27th, 2012
9:46 am
Maybe the 5 national titles include tennis, golf and swimming.
Bamatoro
November 27th, 2012
10:06 am
Maybe it´s Georgia´s time…
As a Bama fan, I don´t know if we are as hungry as Georgia.
Two great teams. That defense you have has started to be as good as everyone thought
at the beginning of the year. It will be fun to watch.
WDE
November 27th, 2012
10:13 am
Wet Willie at least half of those “thugs” we signed we beat Bama out for..so stick that in your toothless hole and enjoy the rest of your day.
Vance
November 27th, 2012
10:15 am
I believe most followers of college football know the SEC title game is the national championship game–most believe the winner will defeat Notre Dame. A win for UGA will finally get that “almost but not quite there” monkey off Mark Richt’s back, and Murray will get his major signature win. It’s a huge game for UGA fans. Alabama has earned its high praises over the years, but UGA needs this victory to secure Richt more respect in college football land. Go Dawgs!
WDE
November 27th, 2012
10:17 am
Bamatoro I hope so it is an honor to play Bama for the SEC title and I hope our Dogs can rise to the challenge and win this game! Go Dogs !
kingdaddy
November 27th, 2012
10:23 am
Dawgs have to get an attitude to stay with Bama. They may have early jitters, but the coaches have to recognize it and calm the team down. They may have to do this several times but Alabama can be beaten if we come to play 60 minute football…
WDE
November 27th, 2012
10:30 am
kingdaddy yes we have to play hard,fast and most importantly smart from the opening whistle…if we can do that we can win this game.But it will take the team that beat the Gators to do it but without the turnovers!
Dawgrun1
November 27th, 2012
10:45 am
I have to admit that I am a rabid Ga Bulldog fan, but I am able to also admit that I do pull for Alabama in all their games except if they play Ga. I really hope the game will be a good, clean, hard fought game with a mutual respect for one another. Of course, in this one I hope, and believe that they can if play smart and hard that Ga can win. Alabama is not an SEC opponent that I see as a team you love to hate such as FL, TN, or ACC GT and I hope that Ga fans will keep their bantering clean and respectful. Georgia has some awesome players and they just have to play well for the entire 60 minutes Saturday to win this game. Either way, I will still be proud to be a Bulldog fan. I hope that all players on both teams play a safe, clean game. Go Dawgs!
vdixon
November 27th, 2012
11:00 am
Enter your comments here
vdixon
November 27th, 2012
11:05 am
Rambo should of kept his mouth shut. Alabama is 1st in every category on defense. Uga is 3rd. Gt moved the ball up the middle on the dawgs. Alabama’s OL is the best in the nation. l look for Alabama to keep pounding up the middle and then suprising with a screen or some kind of pass. Uga’s running game will not be as good as it has been, due to Alabama’s D. Alabama plays well coached football. Uga has been known to choke. RAMBO IS AN IDIOT. ALL PLAYERS SHOULD KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUT AND PLAY BALL.!!!!!
vdixon
November 27th, 2012
11:07 am
This is the big game. I hope we show up. Rambo is going to see what it means by “it starts in the trenches,”
vdixon
November 27th, 2012
11:16 am
k
The SEC Rules!
November 27th, 2012
1:00 pm
——- SEC Winner-42 Notre Dame-14——-
SEC IMPLEMENTS BCS PLAYOFF-
The SEC championship game is a play in to the BCS title game. I think last years BCS title, featuring TWO SEC teams is what forced the BCS’ hand and made them create the four team playoff for 2014. But hey, we’ve got half of it right now. The #2 and #3 teams are playing in the SEC championship game to be in the BCS title game.
It would be the 7th consecutive National Championship for the SEC if they win. There has never been such conference dominance in NCAA football, has there?
No matter who wins the SEC title, Notre Dame will be facing as many future NFL players, in one game, as they’ve seen the whole season. With the long recovery time available for the SEC winner, it’s hard to see Notre Dame staying in the game until the end.
Early Pick-
SEC Winner-42 Notre Dame-14
http://thesecrules.blogspot.com/
Just Wanna Say
November 27th, 2012
1:03 pm
@Donnovan,
UGA does not claim 5. We claim 2, which is why we only have two flags flying in Sanford. I really wish some of these people knew what they were talking about. Idiot.
Rabid_Dawg
November 27th, 2012
1:06 pm
I keep thinking way back to 1976 when Ga hosted Ala…both teams were ranked in the top 10. Ala still held that aura and was coached by the great Bear. Ga’s D left it all on the field that day…shutting out Alabama 21-0. They played there best D all season on that day. So much so that the very next game…Ga lost to a much inferior Ole Miss team. They were simply drained.
Folks….I see a similarity in this same game. I see Ga coming out and playing the best D they have all year. It will also represent the best D Alabama will have faced all year. Yes…better than Tex A@M. Just look at the personnel and talent on this Ga D. If these boys decide to really play….it’s going to be 1976 all over again. Too many nfl calliber athletes on this Ga D. It’s a simple case of mind over matter.
UGA isn’t just playing a team – it’s facing the Alabama aura – Georgia – Dawg News
November 27th, 2012
1:21 pm
[...] rest is here: UGA isn’t just playing a team – it’s facing the Alabama aura ← Back to Home Tags: biggest, florida, function, georgia, georgia bulldogs, heard, [...]
TampaDawg
November 27th, 2012
1:30 pm
Bamatoro
November 27th, 2012
10:06 am
Maybe it´s Georgia´s time…
As a Bama fan, I don´t know if we are as hungry as Georgia.
Two great teams. That defense you have has started to be as good as everyone thought
at the beginning of the year. It will be fun to watch.
—————————————-
Much respect for you man. Defensively, I think that’s where UGA can get to Bama. You can’t lose as much talent to the NFL as Bama did last year and still be the same juggernaut that they were. But that running game just seems to be able to turn it on at a moments notice. TJ Yeldon is the real deal for sure.
TampaDawg
November 27th, 2012
1:52 pm
The Plain Truth
November 27th, 2012
6:46 am
Two ways to build winning teams:
1. Hire 1st rate coaches and recruit players with talent and character (example: Alabama).
2. Hire 3rd rate wannabe coaches and recruit low class trash, then schedule a lot of crap teams (example: Georgia).
Method #1 works. Method #2 gets you a decent W-L record, but no championships.
—————————————————–
1. If CMR left at the end of the season, he would have more than a few big schools wanting his coaching services.
2. Those are the same “low class trash” players that more often than not also had offers, verbal and written in many cases, from Bama. Tough to swallow that one for you but your boys are no group of angles either and their antics get covered up nicely there in Tuscaloosa.
3. Scheduling? Are you really going there? Wake up dinkerdoodle. The vast majority of the country isn’t impressed with your schedule either. WHOOOPPPIEEEEE, you played Michigan, an overrated LSU team and a whoop your butt A&M team.
sandmtnirishred
November 27th, 2012
3:00 pm
Georgia has more than earned its laurels. I don’t believe that they’ll beat Bama, but I KNOW its gonna be a fine game-an example of college football at its best. This us gonna be the game that’s used to compare others to for years to come.
SEC Headlines 11/27/2012 – Georgia – Dawg News
November 27th, 2012
3:21 pm
[...] 15. RHIP - “Rank has its privileges.” [...]
SEC Headlines 11/27/2012 – Florida – Gators News
November 27th, 2012
3:21 pm
[...] 15. RHIP - “Rank has its privileges.” [...]
SEC Headlines 11/27/2012 – Alabama – Crimson Tide News
November 27th, 2012
3:23 pm
[...] 15. RHIP - “Rank has its privileges.” [...]
SEC Headlines 11/27/2012 – Tennessee – Vols
November 27th, 2012
3:28 pm
[...] 15. RHIP - “Rank has its privileges.” [...]
NCDawg
November 27th, 2012
3:59 pm
The original point of the article was about the psychological aspect of facing Bama. A&M beat Bama because they didn’t buy into the Bama mystique. They beat Bama psychologically. The Dawgs did the same to the Gators. We came out and popped them in the mouth and kept on punching. They were flustered and committed uncharacteristic errors because it wasn’t what they were expecting.
Winning this game is almost as much about psy ops as it about talent and execution. The Dawgs must not succumb to the Bama mystique. They are vulnerable. LSU proved it and A&M capitalized on it. Miles “hattered” himself and his team. They should have won. They dominated that game. But he outsmarted himself and they lost when they should have won going away.
The Dawgs need to come out punching and keep on punching.
Anybody remember “A Christmas Story” and what happened to the bully? Ralphie charged him and bloodied his nose and once he proved mortal, Ralphie went postal on him. The kid was twice his size. Bama is the bully and the Dawgs need to bloddy their nose and keep on punching. They won’t know how to handle that. Psy Ops folks… Psy Ops.
SEC Headlines 11/27/2012 – South Carolina – Gamecock News
November 27th, 2012
6:00 pm
[...] 15. RHIP - “Rank has its privileges.” [...]
SEC Headlines 11/27/2012 – Arkansas – Razorbacks News
November 27th, 2012
6:34 pm
[...] 15. RHIP - “Rank has its privileges.” [...]
No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia enter SEC Championship as mirror images | UGA sports blog
November 27th, 2012
9:10 pm
[...] Mark Bradley column: UGA isn’t just facing a team — it’s facing the Alabama aura [...]
SEC Fan
November 27th, 2012
11:34 pm
@Rabid_Dawg
I keep thinking way back to 1976 when Ga hosted Ala…both teams were ranked in the top 10. Ala still held that aura and was coached by the great Bear. Ga’s D left it all on the field that day…shutting out Alabama 21-0. They played there best D all season on that day. So much so that the very next game…Ga lost to a much inferior Ole Miss team. They were simply drained.
That “much inferior Ole Miss team” had beaten Alabama before Bama even played Georgia that year. It was a down year for Bama — they had three losses in 76.
Notebook: Defense’s bulletin-board comments don’t worry Richt | UGA sports blog
November 27th, 2012
11:35 pm
[...] Mark Bradley column: UGA isn’t just facing a team — it’s facing the Alabama aura [...]
SEC Fan
November 27th, 2012
11:37 pm
@NCDawg
Nah… It’s about talent and execution.
Burma Shave
November 28th, 2012
7:44 am
Rich has no clue what he’s doing
His dawgs are along for the ride
At the end of the day when all is done
Triumphant will be the Crimson Tide
BURMA SHAVE
SEC Fan
November 28th, 2012
8:29 am
Auras and mystique…
Those are simply the side effects of being consistently talented and executing at a high level. The BCSCG won’t be won in anyones “head”. It will be won or lost in the trenches.
Better be ready for 60 minutes of slobber-knocking…
Auraria
November 28th, 2012
8:36 am
“Better be ready for 60 minutes of slobber-knocking…”
Right. The dwags will be slobbering while Bama does the knocking.
Make it Bama by four TDs.
zbulldawg
November 28th, 2012
9:25 am
First of all this is ALOT better & hungry team of Dawgs of the past !! It’s defense is loaded with good “if not GREAT ” players. The turnovers against Fla was forced by this defense ! Yea we lost to the Cocks “no. 7 ” team but we beat the no. 2 team when they where on a roll. Great teams can over come mistakes as we did against the Gators. It will take alot more than Bama just lining up & running the ball to beat these Dawgs. We have just as good a running game as they have BUT our passing game is off the chain as they say these days !! Bama can’t stop both PERIOD Yea Bama will have they plays in both also !! But I agree with our players Our defense has ALOT to prove & they WILL prove it !! That’s what all this talk is about !! Proving that our defense is just as good or BETTER than their’s !! LET THE BIG DAWG EAT
zbulldawg
November 28th, 2012
9:27 am
Will Freind has this young OL jelling & they are far better than people give them credit for !! GETUSUM
Jrme
November 28th, 2012
10:29 am
the poll is hilarious and georgia not an sec power… the east was horrible this year and the entire country said whoever won the east was racing to be number 2 at the beginning of the season dear uga fan get over yourself haha…. just tell me how does it feel to get beat in your backyard?
Tidefm
November 28th, 2012
10:43 am
Should be a good game. Can’t wait. Roll Tide Roll!
Sammy
November 28th, 2012
12:08 pm
Saban never repeats as National Champ.
It’s a rare feat that happens once every 35 years, 3% chance.
Odds are with Richt.
BAMAMAN
November 28th, 2012
4:40 pm
bob talented? who has had the higher ranked recruiting class the last 4 yrs? it was BAMA!
Without two key wins over UGA, would Saban be Saban? | Mark Bradley
November 29th, 2012
6:51 pm
[...] Nick Saban has coached only five games against Georgia (winning three), but two rank as watersheds. As Alabama readies to play the Bulldogs for the SEC championship, we pause to reflect on the role this infrequent opponent has played in the career of the man considered college football’s best coach. [...]
For Mark Richt and Georgia, the moment is finally at hand | Mark Bradley
November 30th, 2012
4:54 pm
[...] opponent of true consequence now gets its shot at the opponent of greatest consequence. Alabama is the gold standard of college football, and Bama is favored by a touchdown. But the feeling of those close to the Tide is that this is [...]
BamaAndSecFan
December 1st, 2012
3:58 am
College ball does not work like a well engineered machine. Any team can lose or win on any given day. There are only statistical probabilities that we can ever talk about if we’re going to really be objective about the game. Some teams have more consistently enjoyed superior coaching and recruiting at times and that allowed them to gain the statistical advantages during those times. Bama has had a good history of the statistics being in their favor. This however does not mean they cannot be beat. Whoever beats them gets to say they won on that day. This says nothing of the next day, week or year. Same goes for Bama. Some teams win games due to outplaying the other team and some win due to the other team not playing up to their potential. It’s college ball, theae are young men who are prone to error sometimes. Keeping this in my mind keeps me from becoming a fanatic and allows me to ulcers and strokes. May the best team on that day win.
BamaAndSecFan
December 1st, 2012
4:00 am
I meant to say escape ulcers and strokes.