Gamecocks will be yelling ‘War Eagle’ during Georgia game
ATHENS – Georgia could be hoisting the SEC Eastern Division trophy by the end of Saturday’s game against Auburn on Saturday – or not.
There are three SEC East scenarios that could play out depending on Saturday’s outcomes:
- If the Bulldogs (5-2, 5-1 SEC) win Saturday at Sanford Stadium and South Carolina (7-2, 5-2) loses at home to Florida, Georgia will have punched its ticket for its fourth trip to the Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship Game and first since 2005.
- Conversely, if the Gamecocks win and Georgia loses to the Tigers, South Carolina wins the East.
- If the Gamecocks and Georgia both win, the Bulldogs would have to defeat Kentucky (4-5, 1-4) in Athens the following week to clinch the East. A loss to the Wildcats would give the title to South Carolina.
The good news is the Bulldog Nation should know what’s at stake by Saturday’s kickoff (3:30 p.m., CBS). South Carolina-Florida kicks off at noon.
So, like there were a lot of Bulldogs calling the Hogs this past Saturday night, there will be a lot of Gamecocks yelling “War Eagle” should South Carolina beat the Gators.
“If they can win seven SEC games in a row, we’ll congratulate them and go from there,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier told reporters in Columbia on Monday. “The only thing we need to think about is Florida.”
Georgia could lose to Auburn on Saturday and still get to the championship game if South Carolina loses and the Bulldogs beat Kentucky on Nov. 19. But if Georgia lost to Kentucky in that scenario, the Gamecocks would win the East based on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
All those scenarios aside, Georgia knows full well that it can afford to concentrate on nothing but Auburn this week. The defending national champion Tigers (6-3, 4-2) have struggled somewhat during this rebuilding season. But they’ve already done something the Bulldogs couldn’t do — they beat South Carolina 16-13 Oct. 1 in Columbia. And traditionally Auburn has always played well in Sanford Stadium, where they are 17-10 all-time.
Meanwhile, the heat seems to have been turned up on this rivalry after last season’s game. In the Tigers’ 49-31 win in Auburn last year, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray was hit late on more than one occasion by Auburn’s All-America noseguard Nick Fairley and the Bulldogs’ offensive linemen retaliated late in the contest. Eventually two Auburn players were flagged for throwing punches and had to sit out the next week’s game against Alabama as a result.
Georgia center Ben Jones, who was in the middle of all that chaos, was asked if he thought those emotions might spill over into this year’s game.
“He’s not there anymore,” Jones said of Fairley, “so it’s a new year and a new start. We’re just focusing on protecting Murray and him not getting hit at all. No matter who’s there, we’re going to try to protect him.”
But the Bulldogs don’t need last year’s antics as motivation. Almost any SEC championship they have ever won has always come down to beating Auburn in November and Georgia is acutely aware of that.
“It’s one of the biggest rivalries in the game, Georgia-Auburn is. It’s huge,” junior wide receiver Tavarres King said. “It’s a game that’s always extremely high energy. We’re going to work our butts off this week to get things taken care of and so we can continue to control our destiny.”
Said Georgia coach Mark Richt: “With the wins that we’ve had and knowing what’s at stake and knowing we’re finally in a position to control it, I think the guys are feeling pretty good about it.”
– Chip Towers
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313 comments Add your comment
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:02 pm
@TampaDawg
Which 4 “common opponents” are you comparing?
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:03 pm
@BrickyardBuzz, neither of those games saw the defense at full strength, the defense has gotten better all year, and they have had comparable games to the vaunted LSU defense against the mutual teams. But keep spewing garbage, you’re fun to laugh at.
DIT
November 8th, 2011
12:03 pm
@TampaDawg
“With BrickyardBuzz and Delusional Bee on here, the AJC tech blogs must be slow today.”
Can you say UGA envy. They are more worried about UGA winning than their own team losing. Leave the locus trolls alone and maybe they will go away.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:04 pm
Ole Miss, Miss State, Tennessee, and UF (again with two sub-par backup QBs) .. no need for quotes. They ARE common opponents.
fordcobra
November 8th, 2011
12:04 pm
South Carolina better worry about beating Florida not about Georgia not winning. If they don’t beat Fla. there chances of winning the Conf. are what they should have been all along NILL
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:05 pm
Auburn is #1 in forcing fumbles against ranked teams. Look for Crowell, Murray, Thomas to each fumble. UGA isn’t even ranked in that area.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:05 pm
My apologies, it was just three so far. No Ole Miss yet.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:07 pm
MSU
GA 24-10
LSU 19-6
Tennessee
GA 20-12
LSU 38-7
Florida
GA 24-20
LSU 41-11
What else you got?
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:07 pm
Look for BrickyardBuzz to not be back on here come next Monday .. like AltamahaDawg’s missing troll list, he will be added to that.
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:07 pm
UGA def averaged 40 poijnts a game, and gives up 393 yards a game to ranked teams.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:08 pm
Thank you for proving my point DelusionalBee. Did you post the yards for each opponent on there too?
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:09 pm
Do you really want that?
I don’t think so.
Big Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:10 pm
Then whoever is ranked higher in the BCS after the regular season will go to the SEC Championship game
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:10 pm
Georgia’s on a roll… A Jelly Roll.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:11 pm
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:07 pm
UGA def averaged 40 poijnts a game, and gives up 393 yards a game to ranked teams.
——————————
Again, your facts are not facts but lies. They gave up 35 to BSU, and 24 (7 of those came off a fumble that was returned inside the 10) to SC. What other lies you got? We’re still laughing at you!!!!!
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:12 pm
Big Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:10 pm
Then whoever is ranked higher in the BCS after the regular season will go to the SEC Championship game
That would be the case in the event of the three way tie that would occur if Arkansas defeats LSU. Bama would most likely go to the Dome.
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:12 pm
Richt hasn’t beat a ranked team since 2009.
Advantage Auburn.
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:13 pm
UGA gave up 45 points to South Carolina, and 35 to Boise. Not good at holding ranked teams to below 35. Look for Auburn to light UGA up for 50.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:13 pm
Wouldn’t matter anyway. Arkansas would demolish any SEC East team.
Skokie Dog
November 8th, 2011
12:13 pm
Did anyone else on here notice that New Mexico State’s late touchdown came on a(nother)…wheel route play? I’m guessing that Gus Malzahn won’t have overlooked that fact. Grantham’s defense has been MUCH better this year than it was last year, but I still worry about our team’s inability to stop the same play that helped make them look so unprepared last year. Is it really that difficult to defend the wheel route? I guess we’ll know the answer to that question soon enough.
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:14 pm
UGA def is ranked 43rd in sacks, 38th in tackles for loss, against ranked teams. Not all that.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:15 pm
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:09 pm
Do you really want that?
I don’t think so.
——————–
Miss St –
UGA —–213
LSU——-193
Florida –
UGA——226
LSU——-213
Tennessee–
UGA——-270
LSU——–239
Comparable as I mentioned. Now you and BrickyardBuzz run along before you hurt yourselves.
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:16 pm
The UGA defense is MUCH WORSE than 2010. Averaged 27 against ranked teams in 2010, giving up 40 in 2011. 50% worse?
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:17 pm
UGA def ranked LAST in forced fumbles against ranked teams, Auburn 1st.
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:18 pm
Did you guys know Murray committed 4 turnovers in his last game against a ranked team? And Murray has never won a game against a ranked team, 0-8?
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:19 pm
TampaDawg,
Looks like LSU out-performed Georgia in every game, but I don’t have my red&black sunglasses on.
PrimeTime#8
November 8th, 2011
12:19 pm
BrickyardDog,
Aren’t you so great giving us all these pointless stats.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:19 pm
Is Brickyard going to keep spewing crap. Let’s try this for you BrickyardBuzz:
2010 (in Auburn) AU 49, UGA 31
2009 (in Georgia) UGA 31, AU 24
2008 (in Auburn) UGA 17, AU 13
2007(in Georgia) UGA 45, AU 20
2006 (in Auburn) UGA 37, #5 AU 15
How does that taste kid? Difference in the 2010 team for AU? Cam.. gone.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:20 pm
You’re probably right though. Georgia’s D is probably just as good as LSU’s.
WHATEVER…
PrimeTime#8
November 8th, 2011
12:20 pm
BrickyardDog
Lets just wait and let the game be played and we will see what stats you will give us then…
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
12:20 pm
SO Sorry, the old ball coach has the dawgs in his craw so long, he kind of like the taste. It has gotten so big now he can’t spit it out. I just hope it choke him to death. Anyway I kind of like old ball coach. Everone needs something to kick.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:21 pm
Living in the Past was always one of my favorite Tull songs.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:21 pm
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:19 pm
TampaDawg,
Looks like LSU out-performed Georgia in every game, but I don’t have my red&black sunglasses on.
—————-
Yeah, that 21 ypg average is devastating. Keep trying there buddy. It might make sense to EVERYONE ELSE one day.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
12:22 pm
Hey Delusional, are you sure you’re not also Brickyard? I mean the guy is too stupid to realize the UGA defense DID NOT give up 45 points to SC. Sounds like the same person typing to me.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:23 pm
ole yeller: “I just hope it choke him to death.”
Typical Georgia fan.
Coach Grantham – Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Best fifth choice DC in the SEC East.
TampaShave
November 8th, 2011
12:24 pm
Burma’s back
Where has he been
But Auburn will lose
So he’s wrong again
TAMPA SHAVE
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:24 pm
You don’t want to bring up the past.
Isn’t UGA 0-8 vs ranked teams, INCLUDING Auburn?
PrimeTime#8
November 8th, 2011
12:25 pm
TampaDawg,
I think Delusional, Brickyard, and Burma Shave are all the same or maybe they are like that stupid eagle of Auburn who ran into the pressbox window. they obviously have all bumped their heads…
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:25 pm
Oh no. I fully understand that Georgia should have won the SC game.
I am, after all, delusional.
azdawg
November 8th, 2011
12:25 pm
If Shaw is healthy SC will win. Without him, it’ll be real close but SC’s defense is a lot better than FL’s so edge goes to FL even w/Brantly in as QB for the gaters.
Another MUST WIN for the dawgs. Regardless of what happens at SC, the dawgs must show they deserve to be in ATL by winning out in the SEC and closing regular season by beating GT. If they can do this they’re a much better team than the one that showed up in the dome at the beginning of this season and earned a shot at the title. AU is the best team they’ve faced since going 0-2. I think it’ll be another close game but dawgs will win at home. Beat the tar out of ‘em!!
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:26 pm
Murray committing 4 turnovers against his alst ranekd teams, and UGA going 0-8 is a usueless stat? Sure, bet ESPN will be talking about both.
PrimeTime#8
November 8th, 2011
12:27 pm
BrickyardDog,
Like I said you bumped your head you can’t even spell. It is last ranked teams!!!!!!!!!!!!
this dawg want hunt!!
November 8th, 2011
12:29 pm
Tampa just to support your case, you might want to remind these people that UGA faced Tenn. with their #1 Q.B. Bray who at the time was the top rated Q.B. in the SEC. UGA also faced Florida with it’s #1 Q.B. Brantley, LSU faced a true freshman who had never started a game before on it’s home field. LSU would have given up alot more yards to Tenn. with Bray, and to Florida with Brantley.
Hollywould
November 8th, 2011
12:33 pm
Man, you guys keep worrying about the past. Doesn’t matter. All that matters is saturday. I am not worried about who fumbled when, who dropped an int., which special team screwed up. You either win or you lose. War Eagle!!!
PrimeTime#8
November 8th, 2011
12:34 pm
Hollywould,
That is the best comment you have made all Day!!! Yes we will see Sat @t 3:30…
GO DAWGS!!!!!
Honest Bulldog
November 8th, 2011
12:35 pm
It is pathetic to me that the only time in recent history the Dawgs are even thinking we may make it to the SEC is when the East is having an EXTREMLY down year. Whoever makes it to the SEC doesn’t have a chance against LSU. Save your money….the ticket cost will be a waste! Fire Richt & Hire Nutt!
FLdawg
November 8th, 2011
12:35 pm
Brickyards using DIPP? No wait, WTF?
BrickyardDog
November 8th, 2011
12:35 pm
Acutally, it is last ranked team. Just testing you, and wanted to point out your error.
BMDPD
November 8th, 2011
12:35 pm
For the 0-8 folks. Streaks are meant to be broken. With that being said this game scares the Shiitake out of me.
PrimeTime#8
November 8th, 2011
12:36 pm
Yeah Right. Nutt Sucks even worse….
I really want a coach who cant’t win even more than Richt.
Yeah Ole Miss sucks worse but still…