Preview: New Mexico State perfect opponent at perfect time for Georgia
Three storylines . . .
Missing persons. Georgia enters the game without its top four tailbacks. Freshman star Isaiah Crowell, Carlton Thomas and Ken Malcome are suspended after flunking a UGA-administered drug test and backup Richard Samuel underwent season-ending surgery on Tuesday for an ankle injury suffered in the Florida game. The Bulldogs will go with Brandon Harton, a 5-6, 174-pound sophomore from Reidsville who was awarded a scholarship in preseason camp, and Kyle Karempelis (5-9-180), a freshman walkon from Norcross.
Not-so-special teams. Expected to be a team strength this season, Georgia’s special teams plays is instead among the worst in the SEC, where it ranks in the bottom half if not dead last in almost every category. The Bulldogs will look to shore up kickoff coverage in particular. They gave up 200 yards and a touchdown on five returns against Florida last week and New Mexico State features the nation’s 12th-best return team.
Calling the Hogs. While most eyes in college football will be focused on Saturday’s night’s “Game of the Century” between No. 1-ranked LSU and No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa (8 p.m., CBS), the Bulldogs and their fans will be more interested in what’s happening in Fayetteville, Ark., at about the same time (7:15 p.m., ESPN). There No. 8 Arkansas (7-1, 3-1 SEC) will be playing host to No. 10 South Carolina (7-1, 5-1). A Gamecocks’ loss will give Georgia sole possession of first place in the SEC’s Eastern Division.
A Georgia win would . . .
Be its 7th straight for the first time in a season since 2007
Be its 71st in 90 homecoming games (currently 70-17-2)
A New Mexico State win would . . .
Be its first against an SEC opponent in 14 tries.
Keep an eye on …
For Georgia: Brandon Harton. The redshirt sophomore from Reidsville is expected to get the start at tailback in the wake of the Bulldogs losing four others to suspension or injury this week. Harton (5-6, 174), a lightning quick and shifty runner, earned a scholarship in preseason camp and had actually worked his way up to No. 3 on the depth chart. But a severe ankle injury late in camp sidelined him for the first two games of the season.
For New Mexico State: Taveon Rogers. The Aggies’ senior wide receiver (6-0, 188) from Lancaster, Calif., is a threat in both the passing and return game. Last week he had 7 catches for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns against Nevada. It was his third multi-TD game of the season. He leads New Mexico State’s wideouts with 32 catches for 669 yards and is also averaging 27.5 yards on kickoff returns with a nation-leading two touchdowns.
The numbers game
6
Offensive touchdowns surrendered by Georgia defense in last 6 games
118-23
Aggregate score of Bulldogs three wins over New Mexico State
24
Tackles by Aggies safety Donyae Coleman vs. Nevada last week
The history book
Series record: Georgia leads 3-0
The last time: On Sept. 28, 2002, the Bulldogs fell behind 7-0 before scoring 41 unanswered points. Damien Gary notched Georgia’s first two scores on a 71-yard punt return and a 20-yard pass from David Greene.
The bottom line
This non-conference game comes conveniently sandwiched between rival contests against Florida and Auburn. Meanwhile, New Mexico State is exactly the type of opponent the Bulldogs need at this juncture of the season. The Aggies feature a high-octane offense (419 yards, 30 points per game) and one of the best return games in the country. Meanwhile, they’re giving up 442 yards a game and their rush defense ranks 111th nationally. So Georgia should be able to absorb its personnel losses while having to stay sharp and focused.
– Chip Towers
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377 comments Add your comment
St Simons - we're on Island time
November 4th, 2011
7:07 pm
goooo pig soueeeey! or whatever
and have a bunch of cops in the stadium next Saturday 12th
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:08 pm
@gator man
Read your post again and just see how dumb you sound!
Stupid gator man!
Old Yellow
November 4th, 2011
7:09 pm
@Gator man
The 2011 season schedule is the first real test the gators have had in a while.
too bad the “W” & “O” are not what you want
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:10 pm
Guess it was Saban’s fault that Georgia slipped down to Number 13 in the final poll in 2008. They were certainly Top 10 before the Blackout Beatdown.
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:14 pm
Angel Moroni
So it’s a “down” year when your little sister in state school beats you?
You gave up a 20 point lead!
Was it a ” down” year when loisiana Monroe beat bama? Or when Georgia beat you in over time? Was it a “down” year in 2002 when Georgia proved it was man enough and beat you? Was it a “down” year in 03 when we spanked you and knocked out 2 of your quarterbacks a d sent you home with” YOUR TUSK UH LITTLE LOOSA!
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:20 pm
Yeah, Bama has had some down years. They sucked in 2002 & 2003, as did most SEC teams. They sucked in 2006, which is why Mike Shula was fired. This firing was in spite of Shula having had a better year in 2005 than Georgia has seen in this Century.
Saban was coaching what was left of Shula’s team in 2007 and they still took Georgia right down to the wire. Georgia won 23-20 in OT, didn’t they?
And they did lose by one point to Auburn last year. What was the Auburn vs. Georgia score last year?
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:22 pm
Better Question: How badly will Auburn spank you this year.
Best Answer: You don’t even want to know.
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:24 pm
At least Alabama understands when they suck, and instead of making up excuses and cherry-picking stats, they take the necessary action to rectify the problem.
That’s why Alabama is a legendary football program and Georgia is… Well… Georgia.
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:26 pm
Foni Moroni
Go comb out your mullet get your tank top shirt of the close line cut off your last pair of good blue jeans ” the one’s with out the skoal rings” and open up your key stone beer and get ready for a LSU beat down and enjoy another “down” year!
REMEMBER 4 out 5 trailer parks agree Alabama is number 1!!!
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:27 pm
There is nothing that I can do to relieve your jealousy.
Sorry ’bout that.
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:28 pm
Maybe Saint Richt can pray for you. He loves you, you know.
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:30 pm
@ Moroni
Excuses go read your 7:20 post ! Dang your dumb!
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:31 pm
Some one on here is full of their self
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:32 pm
I feel pretty good about Bama’s chances vs. LSU.
Win or lose, Bama will play the game with a great deal of skill and effort and the kind of class that you’ll never see from a team coached by Mark Richt.
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:35 pm
I hope to see you on here Sunday
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:36 pm
And someone on this blog is full of feculence.
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:38 pm
You coming back here after Georgia loses to Northeast New Mexico State Community College?
Man… I’m impressed.
CVilleDawg
November 4th, 2011
7:40 pm
The way I see it, everybody since South Carolina has been the “perfect oponent at the perfect time”. Even Florida. Best tams during 7 games ending with this Sat had a 4-4 record, worst team had a 2-6 record. Been a fun, easy, frictionless ride.
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:40 pm
I’m impressed by your usage of big words!
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:42 pm
You wouldn’t be if you understood what they meant.
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:42 pm
I’m just glad we are not playing louisiana Monroe! I hear they are a power house!
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:44 pm
I think it’s but I may be wrong but it’s whTt lsu is going to knock out of bama sat night
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:45 pm
Just be glad that you aren’t playing UCF.
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:45 pm
UAB had trouble beating that powerhouse.
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:46 pm
@ Moroni
Lol
Dawg48
November 4th, 2011
7:47 pm
@ Moroni
Good luck tomorrow night!
Angel Moroni
November 4th, 2011
7:48 pm
Nobody wins ‘em all.
Best of luck Saturday. Gotta go.
shankit
November 4th, 2011
8:27 pm
Tidbit:
Assume the Dawgs win this Satdy.
After Satdy nite, Mark Richt and the Dawgs
will have the second longest win streak in the SEC.
Bulldogs Roundup: What They’re Saying About UGA Football Vs. New Mexico State
November 4th, 2011
8:30 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Chip Towers calls New Mexico State the “perfect opponent at (the) perfect time” for the [...]
Eric C.
November 4th, 2011
8:34 pm
Ha, I feel some payback coming next Saturday…it’s gonna be a fun game! Go Dawgs!
shankit
November 4th, 2011
8:50 pm
Assuming the Dawgs win Satdy,
the Dawgs will not only have the second longest winning streak
in the SEC, but they will have a longer winning streak than Oklahoma,
Clemson, Florida State, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan State, and
a host of others. The only teams with a longer winning steak will be
be the winner of the SEC, Boise State, Ok. STate, Stanford, and i
think that about sums it up. Could be off a team or two.
FLA DAWG
November 4th, 2011
9:19 pm
New Mexico State!?
3 – 5……I’d rather watch the redshirts play.
FLA DAWG
November 4th, 2011
9:20 pm
Make that The Scout Team!
Mobile Dawg
November 4th, 2011
9:59 pm
DawgnLex, I’m riding the fence at this point with this coaching staff, I don’t think Richt has what it takes to win championships. How can I support what I don’t believe in. I have been a mostly silent critic of Richt, giving him a chance to turn things around. I haven’t seen “significant” improvement. Our record is the product of our schedule. Richt gets black marks for the first two losses as a Coach. First game we just were “flat unprepared” for what we faced. Second game, our mistakes beat us for the most part, for that he gets half a black mark. The weak schedule is good for six wins. Call it what you want, kool aid, rose colored glasses, ignorance, whatever, I don’t think Richt has earned his extension, there’s to much at stake to give him that. I say let him sell his program to the recruits and let your actions speak for your future. How about the speculation, rumors, he’s retiring at the end of this year.
Mobile Dawg
November 4th, 2011
10:00 pm
A P.S. to that last post, a mostly silent critic, this year.
Bigttap
November 4th, 2011
10:08 pm
everyone talks about ala and lsu defs granted they r good they haven’t played teams with top ranked defs eaither. when ga plays ala for the sec champ ala will b very suprised at how good ga defs is. Besides that richt is a good coach bobo may b having deficulties but a win is a win no matter how close it is. Last yr we was on the loseing end. Now with a top 3 defs we are winning let’s stay positive about how hard these guys are playing……. go dawgs
bubba4dawgs
November 4th, 2011
10:10 pm
Go Horton, do well and get #1 and give “0″ to you know who. Wouldn’t that be a laugher!!
Loki
November 4th, 2011
10:27 pm
@Mobile Dawg
It is a conundrum. Nobody (including Mark Richt) could have guessed that this schedule would have been so soft. It has become a perfect storm to guarantee that Coach Richt will have a reasonably good record, on paper, at the end of the season. Still, even against weak opponents, they have struggled too often. Without critical injuries to Florida, they probably wouldn’t have won in Jax. Losing that game would have been hard for the fan-base to swallow. Even among Coach Richt’s most avid supporters, it has been understood that a losing season this year would be unacceptable.
And yet, I really can’t see them losing more than 2 additional games at this point. An 8-4 season is not terrible. It’s hardly a firing offense. I haven’t seen any of the rumors of retirement in an official publication – only on blogs. Still, somehow it wouldn’t surprise me if Coach Richt did make an arrangement to retire. He’s been around a long time. He could take some time off, and come back to coaching later if he wanted to. I wish I had such an option. I’d have to consider it!
Loki
November 4th, 2011
10:34 pm
@Bigttap
You’re wrong. Alabama and LSU have played against some quality competition, although they’ve both also played against some inferior competition. Georgia’s defensive stats are built on cupcakes. It’s hard to know how well they would play against a quality offense. They didn’t play very well against a one-dimensional Florida team until Brantley was gimpy and missing every throw, and Florida wasn’t even pretending that they were going to try to run the ball.
jp
November 5th, 2011
12:09 am
ANGEL MORON ..SKILL AND EFFORT AND BLA BLA RICHT IS 3-1 VS BAMA WHY CANT YOU DO BETTER THAN 25 % . YOU MUST BELIEVE IN SAVED OR CREATED JOBS TOO.3-1 VS BAMA AND HE IS SUCH A BAD COACH .GO LOOK AT THE PICTURE OF YOUR SABAN MONUMENT AND PULL ON YOURSELF JERK OFF.REMEMBER WE WON 3 YOU WON 1 WHAT HAPPENED. DID THE REFS CHEAT DID THE FANS HAVE A SHUT DOWN IN T TOWN AT THE JOHN DEER FACTORY OR YOU JUST CANT COUNT REDNECK RICHT IS 2-2 VS SABAN ALSO.REMEMBER GA IS 75 % WINNER VS BAMA UNDER RICHT YOU IDIOT. WHY IS ALABAMA SO BAD AGAINST GEORGIA AND COACH RICHT .YOU KEEP SAYIN GA IS SO BAD THAN WHY CAN YOU ONLY BEAT RICHT 1 OUT OF 4 MORON .LEARN TO COUNT .I KNOW THAT IS BIG IN BAMA BUT I HEAR THEIR GED PROGRAM IS # 1 ALSO
milk dud
November 5th, 2011
12:12 am
get em’ jp.
milk dud
November 5th, 2011
12:15 am
I hope this young tailback shows Crowell what playing with heart is all about. I doubt he’s going to try to pull himself from the game every 2 plays. Oh yeah he can’t we don’t have anyone else.
milk dud
November 5th, 2011
12:17 am
What happened to Brandon Boykin this year?
jp
November 5th, 2011
12:49 am
MILK DUD THANKS FOR THE BONE DAWG. TIRED OF OTHERS AND OUR FANS SOMETIMES THAT NEVER PLAYED DISSIN CMR
Thomas Brown
November 5th, 2011
1:36 am
There is NO ONE ELSE defending Isaiah Crowell – NO ONE
15,000,000,000,000 National Debt 15 Trillion
55,000,000,000,000 Total US Debt 55 Trillion
4,000,000,000,000 just interest on the Debt 4 Trillion
10,000,000,000 True Dawg Fan 10 billion only says legalizing what is wrong with our youth and what is wrong with our football program, defending – or, trying to – a guy who is SUSPENDED for the game today because he is SUSPENDED for the 2nd time in 9 games, while jawing at every cupcake after every 4 yard run, finding 229 faster than he 2011 recruiting class alone, as he says Waah, don’t hit me, I didn’t know how hard it was going to be, Mark Richt save me sir, take me out the game, as his own coach and all of us say Isaiah Crowell is just wrong, and as Mike Bobo yells down from his headset : Tell that IC, this is the fing Florida game; get back in there. True Dawg Fan likes to defend drug use; I get that; he has repeatedly had it out on these blogs with WDE giving True Dawg Fan all he can handle about True Dawg Fan’s defense of drug use. Now, he defends IC; and why ? Because True Dawg Fan wants to defend IC’s alleged drug use.
So, what do we have ?
10 billion is the way to pay off the national debt.
It would take 8 generations to pay off the debt, True Dawg Fan. And, what would we have ? You don’t even know what spiiice k2 is. I hope you don’t. 10 minutes after this synthetic stuff, laced with serious drugs, and what do you want ? More of it. The purpose of it ? To get you high. Not to enjoy life. Not to gain something. But, to blow $ 150 so that 10 minutes after you blow the $ 150, you want to spend another $ 150. I make great money, but, if this is your idea to pay off the national debt, you are a man with no business sense, and worse, a foolish person who wants to defend IC when no one else will. All afternoon, you brag of how much you have bested everyone on this blog with this demotivating drug. Addictive. Yes, sir, addictive. You don’t even know what it is. And, here you are announcing you alone have the solution for the national debt.
______________________________________________________________
True Dawg Fan November 4th, 2011 11:47 am
“Actually studies show that legalizing it could generate $10-15 billion dollars a year for the government. Thats a pretty significant number.”
______________________________________________________________
99 percent of the NCAA student-athletes do NOT do this drug. More than 99 percent of the NCAA student-athletes. Our Dream Team # 1 headliner of a recruiting class ranked # 6 nationally by Scout.com, tested POSITIVE for it. And, you – to defend this guy – come up with this, as your solution for our 15 trillion dollar national debt that you state studies show that the government could generate $10 billion annually toward the national debt and that that is a pretty significant number.
55,000,000,000,000
15,000,000,000,000
10,000,000,000
drug users because you want to get high to pay off the debt.
4,000,000,000,000 interest on Total US Debt
4 trillion is the interest on the debt and you think 10 billion is significant.
Don’t be planning on running for President anytime soon.
You’d last about 1 New York nanosecond. If it was 500 times more, it would not even pay the interest.
And, what would we have ?
Street drugs are harmful to health and athletic abilities and detract from athletic performance, and are also illegal while causing psychological dependence requiring more of the drug, impaired or reduced short-term memory, reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, decreased social inhibitions, impaired or reduced short-term memory, impaired or reduced comprehension, altered motivation and cognition, making the acquisition of new information difficult, psychological dependence, impairments in learning and motivation.
There is NO ONE ELSE DEFENDING ISAIAH CROWELL. No one.
G. Tampa Bedwetter
November 5th, 2011
2:08 am
For the 1st time in my life, I am pulling for Ga Tech
maybe that will get rid if the cancer known as Saint Mark
jp
November 5th, 2011
2:58 am
G TAMPA PULL FOR TECH FROM NOW ON DONT STOP AFRTER THE TECH GAME HELL PULL FOR NEW MEX AND AUBURN AND UK .GO TELL YOUR FRIENDS YOU REALLY WANTED FLORIDA TO WIN .iT IS IGNORANT IDIOTS LIKE YOU THAT BOO YOUR OWN TEAM ,TELL PEOPLE WHAT OFFENSE WE SHOULD RUN WHEN WE ARE 3rd IN SEC IN SCORING, TELL YOUR PEEPS WE SHOULD FIRE THE 4TH MOST ACTIVE WINNING COACH IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL, TELL YOUR FRIENS WE SHOULD FIRE CMR THAT HAS HAD HIS TEAM IN THE TOP 10 6 OUT OF TEN YEARS , PLAY IN THE BCS 3 TIMES AND WIN 2 AND 2 SEC TITLES , HAS THE BEST WINNING % OF ANY GA COACH,HAS A WINNING RECORD VS BAMA, AUBURN,MSU,MISS,ARK,TENN, KENT SCAR,VANDY,500 VS LSU AND LOSING VS FLA
(HE HAS WON 3OF LAST 8 VS FL) AND YOU WANT TO FIRE HIM DO YOU WANT TO TALK BALL OR YOU JUST MAKING CONVERSATION.MAYBE YOU SMOKIN SOME HUH.WE DONT NEED SHI**Y FANS LIKE YOU THAT ACTUALLY PULL FOR US TO LOSE .IF YOUR KIDS PLAYED ON ATEAM AND YOU DID NOT LIKE THE COACH WOULD YOU PULL FOR YOUR SON TO FUMBLE JERK . THESE KIDS ARE 18 TO 22 . AND YOU PULL FOR TECH .PULL FOR OR ON YOURSELF YOU NEED IT .ILL SEND SOME GOLD SPRAY PAINT AND YOU CAN TAKE YOUR GEAR OUT AND PAINT IT SO YOU DONT HAVE TO WATCH THE GAME TODAY. FIRE A COACH THAT HAS A WINNING RECORD ON EVERY TEAM IN THE BEST CONF IN FOOTBALL AND WILL WIN OVER 105 GAMES IN 11YEARS IN THAT CONF. YOU IS A SMART GUY .
Buzz 2011
November 5th, 2011
3:38 am
Georgia is playing who??? Taos Tech…….OMG
TheUknownFan
November 5th, 2011
5:38 am
J.P. put the weed down you are hollering and we are all in the same room.
dodgecountydawg
November 5th, 2011
6:59 am
don’t worry Brandon Harton can git it done son !! I”m from southeast Georgia and I saw the kid in highschool , trust me he can turn on the burners and will run north-south with power ! , now attention coach boo-boo !,,, just give him the ball please ! Ga Dawgs !!