South Carolina loss boosts Georgia’s chances in East
Georgia’s hopes of reaching the SEC Championship game despite its ugly loss at South Carolina got a boost Saturday night when the Gamecocks followed their domination of the Bulldogs with a loss at LSU.
South Carolina’s 23-21 loss, one week after its 35-7 rout of Georgia, means UGA will represent the Eastern Division in the SEC title game if:
- South Carolina loses at least one of its three remaining SEC games, the most difficult of which is this week at Florida.
Those are big ifs, of course.
“Right now, I think the best thing for Georgia is to focus on getting better, focus on (this week’s opponent) Kentucky,” UGA coach Mark Richt said Sunday. “It’s kind of a boring answer, as always, but it’s really what we’ve got to do.
“We’ve got some things we’ve got to clean up. We’ve been giving up too many big plays. We’ve got to make sure we get back to running the ball like we (were) early in the year. … We need to get more turnovers. We need to protect the ball a little better. We’ve still got things to clean up in some of our special-teams areas.
“We want to finish strong, and if we can keep improving as we go, we’ve got a chance to have some fun in the end here. But we’ve got a ways to go.”
This past weekend’s results — South Carolina’s loss, Florida’s victory at Vanderbilt and Georgia’s bye — left the Gators (6-0, 5-0 SEC) alone in first place in the SEC East. South Carolina (6-1, 4-1) and Georgia (5-1, 3-1) are even in the loss column. All other East teams have at least three league losses.
Because of its loss to South Carolina, Georgia would lose a tiebreaker with the Gamecocks; that’s why Georgia needs them to lose again. If Florida beats South Carolina on Saturday in Gainesville but loses to Georgia on Oct. 27 in Jacksonville, that would leave the Gators and Bulldogs with one SEC loss each (provided UGA beats Kentucky) and the Dogs with the tiebreaker advantage over Florida.
Etc.
Richt took advantage of Georgia’s open date to watch his son play quarterback for Mars Hill (N.C.) College. Jon Richt set school single-game records for passing attempts (52), completions (33) and passing yards (370) as Mars Hill defeated Catawba 35-28. “I guess I can be a dad who can brag a little bit, but Jon played well,” Richt said. “It was the last time I’ll probably ever get to see him play college ball in person, so it was a treat for me and the family.” … Georgia’s 7 p.m. Saturday game at Kentucky (1-6, 0-4) will be televised on FSN, it was announced Sunday. … Georgia inched up one spot to No. 13 in this week’s Associated Press media poll and remained No. 12 in the USA Today coaches’ poll.
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769 comments Add your comment
Voyager Dawg
October 15th, 2012
12:57 pm
With all due respect to Coach Richt, that is a tall list of things that need improvement this far into the season and he didn’t even mention the need to put some pressure on an opposing quarterback. Kentucky is the next game and this coaching staff needs to focus on the Wildcats and get some pride back. The South Carolina game wasn’t just a loss, it was a beat down. Someone mentioned this earlier, but the Cats are 1-6. They should never (never) be in this game if Georgia expects to get some respect back. In my opinion it’s on the coaching staff. I don’t want to hear after the game that we didn’t know their quarterback was that quick or their D-line was quick off the corners and we weren’t prepared for that, or we were just happy to win by one point. BE PREPARED! Know the opponent and beat them for 4 quarters. Go DAWGS! GATA (and we all know what that means) for 4 quarters and the drill will be finished!
Earl
October 15th, 2012
12:59 pm
WDE
Somebody has to start cleaning the trash off the UGA blogs.
sammiamm
October 15th, 2012
1:00 pm
What gives anybody here legitimate reason to believe–other than wishful thinking–that UGA can beat Florida.
We’ve proven–once again–that we’re a) not as good as quality teams like USC or Florida, or b) cannot find the will or the way to win.
I say so sadly.
astrouga
October 15th, 2012
1:04 pm
Gaitorbait:
Really? If we agree you get LSU, I like my odds. You’ll get Missouri and one other West team. Unless you are somehow exempt from the 6-1-1 rule adopted through the 2013 season. Rather than write me a check, just cut me some slack in the future.
And what is with the “all caps”? Too hard to read. Plus you wouldn’t really yell if we were having the discussion in person, so don’t attempt to do it here please.
Long-time Dawg
October 15th, 2012
1:10 pm
I bleed red and black and have for a long time, but no team that was beaten as soundly as UGA was by USC deserves to play for the championship ahead of the team that beat them, regardless of standings.
GatorBait 18-4
October 15th, 2012
1:11 pm
DawginLex
October 15th, 2012
12:49 pm
Do any of you still believe that Zach Mettenberger is than Aaron Murray?
I’ll take Zack any time.
1-He can see over the line
2-he actually beat SC
3- He beat a top 10 team—–Murray NEVER has
4-It is his 1st year in the SEC(6th game)-Murray has started for 3 years
5- Zack 12-25-1 148 yards
Murray 11-31-1 109 Yards against SC
Yeah, I’ll take Zack-alot more potenial, Murray Heisman dream was a joke, he may be the 5th bast QB in the SEC, he can hold the A&M QB jock-that’s a QB
1- He can see over the line
Beast from the East
October 15th, 2012
1:13 pm
2013 schedule (SEC slate yet to be determined other than a few permanent games).
Some pretty good OOC match-ups, though.
http://sec12.com/2013-sec-football-schedule-grid/
DawginLex
October 15th, 2012
1:14 pm
gatorbait
You are blind if you can’t see how lost Mett is. OL matters dude.
Murray is light years better
GatorBait 18-4
October 15th, 2012
1:20 pm
astrouga
October 15th, 2012
1:04 pm
Gaitorbait:
Really? If we agree you get LSU, I like my odds. You’ll get Missouri and one other West team. Unless you are somehow exempt from the 6-1-1 rule adopted through the 2013 season. Rather than write me a check, just cut me some slack in the future.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
Suits me to double the bet and I take cash only——————-LSU is on our schedule permenately, just like you and Auburn—————————-GOTCHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GIVE MY MONEY TO YOUR FAVORITE CHARITY
Eric Murray and Aaron Zeier
October 15th, 2012
1:21 pm
Historically, over nearly 60 years, except when Tarkenton played in 59 or 1960, UGA DOES NOT WIN BIG with a passing QB. Zeke Bradkowski, Johnny Rauch, and Rakestraw, Matt Robinson, Eric Zeier and Stafford and now with our lil midget Murray, we run up meaningless passing stats that are EMPTY in the big games.
SEC and UGA mean a QB that can manage the game. Alabama ALWAYS has this type of QB and Mettenberger is that at LSU and so is SC’ s QB. UGA?? We lead the SEC in passing. SO WHAT??? UNDER MURRAY WE LOSE THEM ALL. WE are a 90s FSU team playing big boy ball in the SEC and that circus act cannot win big.
UGA class of 71&73
Bulldog Ben
October 15th, 2012
1:25 pm
To all you biatches who don’t want GA to be in the SEC champ game: Sit your Fat Azzes at home, shut your traps and watch something else on TV that day. Got it?????????
DogFaceBlues
October 15th, 2012
1:26 pm
Sing it Sammy. Sammy sounds more positive than plenty of these jokers on this blog.
GatorBait 18-4
October 15th, 2012
1:28 pm
DawginLex
October 15th, 2012
1:14 pm
gatorbait
You are blind if you can’t see how lost Mett is. OL matters dude.
Murray is light years better
I guess you are right, a kid that has played half a year in the SEC can’t keep up with a red shirt senior that has started 3 years.
.Also, why are so high on a midget, he not as good as the QB’s at A&M, Missouri, Ark, Bama, Tenn.,
Fla and SC?
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
1:31 pm
remember Bulldog Ben…if you ain’t a Gator, you are Gator bait!
DawginLex
October 15th, 2012
1:31 pm
only a gator pins losses on a QB by himself
If the line can’t block, Joe Montana can’t succeed
Mett is lost as a chicken. Murray behind that line would have LSU # 2 in the country. Mett at UGA and he wouldn’t even be starting, Mason would.
Mett could have played 3 years in the SEC by now but he messed up and paid the price.
Richt picked the right one of the 2.
Everyone sees it except a delusional gator
DawginLex
October 15th, 2012
1:32 pm
Mizzou QB is better than Murray?
What little credibility you had is gone
GTBob
October 15th, 2012
1:33 pm
What gives anybody here legitimate reason to believe–other than wishful thinking–that UGA can beat Florida.
Florida is not unbeatable. Frankly all they have done is beat LSU and LSU hadn’t looked good at all until last weekend. If bad teams like Bowling Green, Vandy, Tennessee, and Texas A&M can all play Florida close then UGA has as good of a shot as anyone.
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
1:34 pm
whatever happened to all the Murray for Heisman talk? Or, the Gurshall talk? Or the Jones for Heisman talk??? 35-7 seems to be recipe for shutting barking dawgs up.
Pitbull
October 15th, 2012
1:40 pm
It could be worse.
We could be 2-4 with wins over Presbyterian and Virginia.
Now that would be pathetic.
Go Dogs! Lets win the next 6 and go to the SECCG.
astrouga
October 15th, 2012
1:40 pm
Gaitorbait:
You are confused. I agree with you that you get LSU as one of your west teams. that is why i said, “If we agree you get LSU…”
You said you would get two more West teams…you left Missouri out of your East list. The scheduling rules dictate you get get one more West team, not two!
7576DAWG
October 15th, 2012
1:40 pm
Insider
The majority of the kids that are out 3 or 4 time a week are doing the same as me and a lot of my friends did in the 70’s when we were at Georgia. You go out with a hand full of friends , listen to a good band, had two beers and meet some girls. What is wrong with young kids doing most of that. Of course if they are not 21 they need to be drinking a coke . It will not affect their football play any at their age and it will help them relax after a hard practice. You are at Georgia for a few years and should enjoy the entire student experience.
Of course a very few over indulge but most keep it in check.
astrouga
October 15th, 2012
1:42 pm
Anyone arguing that Mettenburger is a better QB at this stage than Murray should just be ignored. I mean, really folks. Murray, take him or leave him, is still in the Heisman talk, even with a beat down at SC. He might not be tall, but he can throw.
Top Dog: Repeatedly Exposed.
October 15th, 2012
1:42 pm
The Dogs inferior O-line play is going to be repeatedly exposed whenever they run into a talented, well coached SEC defensive line. The war is won or lost from the battles in the trenches. The current coaching staff (CCS) at UGA has done a poor job not only coaching but also recruiting in that area. Are there any bona-fide, talented O-linemen in the talent-rich state of Georgia ? If so why does UGA’s CCS always go digging around in Florida, mainly in Jacksonville for O-linemen ? I am sick and tired of so much at UGA with it’s CCS. And really tired of the CCS’s bad habit of letting Saban and Spurrier rape the state of Georgia for talent, while they import recruits from Florida and ACC country to meet it’s finesse, big game losing agenda. UGA is not FSU or in the ACC, and we need a coaching staff that has no threads to the ACC that understands the importance of recruiting Georgia first and foremost. The CCS is not playing power SEC or power Georgia football with Georgia products. But even if the CCS had superstar Georgia talent they most certainly would undercoach it and waste the talent. To remedy all the multiple problems that plagues UGA, it would be for the best to terminate it’s CCS. NexT: Wishlist of potential Richt replacements, coming up.
OMG
October 15th, 2012
1:44 pm
UGA does not have to win another game. The UGA graduates will remain loyal. If UGA goes 6 & 5 it will be ok. Remember, its just a football game and there are more important things in life. LMAO!
What a bunch of wimps, wimps, wimps and more wimps.
OMG
October 15th, 2012
1:46 pm
Do not grant scholarships to anyone who will go to the NFL after two years. They only get hurt. Look a the record.
OMG!
October 15th, 2012
1:47 pm
@OMG
It is just a game you fool.
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
1:48 pm
The best LB in the conference is from Georgia. And he ain’t from Columbus. He’s from Suwanee. Kevin Minter at LSU. Les sends his thanks to the UGA staff.
Other Brother Earl
October 15th, 2012
1:52 pm
What ever happened to the nerd-talk of Tech winning the ACC? Or even qualifying for a bowl? Or how great your new defense was? Blue Hose! Blue Hose!
Top Dog: Repeatedly Exposed.
October 15th, 2012
1:53 pm
@ astrouga : You are right. Give under-sized, Sunbelt conference talent, QB Murray time to throw and he will certainly over-throw open receivers. The dumb pundits and talking-heads mention everybody for the heisman during the season……SO WHAT !!! Murray has as good a chance to win the heisman as Auburn’s Chizik, winning 2012 SEC Coach of the year. LOL!
Will Muschimp
October 15th, 2012
1:53 pm
Florida will lose. Choke time coming……
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
1:55 pm
@Other Brother Earl
The title of the column/blog is:
South Carolina loss boosts Georgia’s chances in East
go to a Tech blog if you want to talk about Tech.
7576DAWG
October 15th, 2012
1:58 pm
The other day a reporter ask Richt what he was doing during the L.S.U. and South Carolina game and he said he was traveling back from his son’s game and caught a few minutes of the game at the end.
If I was Richt or Grantham I would have watch the L.S.U and South Carolina game at least a dozen times by now. If you can’t learn something from their formations and counter formations and adjustments they were making on the fly, then as a coach you are not very good. L.S.U. and South Carolina fans both should be very proud of the effort made. It was a great game and I hope Richt and Grantham learned something by studying that game. It certainly would hurt .
HARDYDOG
October 15th, 2012
1:58 pm
Its pretty sad, that once again MR fails to win a big game, he needs to be ran out of town and get a real college Coach. Look what Musgrave is doing in only his 2nd year at Fl.
7576DAWG
October 15th, 2012
1:59 pm
should be wouldn’t hurt, sorry.
aw
October 15th, 2012
2:00 pm
UGA lost by 28 to South Carolina
South Carolina lost by 2 to LSU (not in own division)
Florida will lose to South Carolina and UGA may beat Florida, but South Carolina should still win the East.
Tennessee is Terrible!, and why Kentucky has not hired Petrino by now I just don’t understand.
old dog
October 15th, 2012
2:00 pm
Top dog,
You are right on about the o-line…..Chip, Bill, and the other bloggers are nice and sugar coat it, but while we go back and forth on these blogs, and nobody too often really points out our MOST GLARING DEFICIANCY! Saturday night was smash-mouth football; LSU came out a little better. What I know is that WE would not have been competative with either team in that game, because for years we have been bringing in pretty good skill players, but have been out-recruited for o-linemen terribly. And, anybody who ever played a down (midget leage all the way up to the NFL) can see that. SO, untill we recruit AND coach better up front, everything else is for naught. We have the skill players to get us by the weak sisters, but when it is big-boy time we do not have the hosses. by the way, our center is shorter than our QB……..com’ on, man!
old dog
October 15th, 2012
2:02 pm
p.s.,
My preceeding post was NOT my opinion….it was an inarguable fact!
GTBob
October 15th, 2012
2:03 pm
I mean, really folks. Murray, take him or leave him, is still in the Heisman talk, even with a beat down at SC.
He went 11-31 with no TD’s and 1 INT in that game. His team got killed. You are really delusional if you think he is still in the Heisman race.
Slow Roll Knows How To Lose 2 UGA
October 15th, 2012
2:05 pm
Slow, you aren’t a Dogfan, so who do you like? You are a cheapshot artist and a scardy-cat for never talking about your school. Little Hit n Run Rope a Dope. You need to roll on out of here or even the playing field, but you won’t cause you are a “chicken-shiz”*
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
2:06 pm
But GTBob, he played so well against FAU and Buffalo…
Will Muschimp
October 15th, 2012
2:08 pm
Slow to roll is a mullet headed gaytor.
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
2:09 pm
my school is UGA!!! Go Dawgs!!! GATA!!!! hahaha! I’m on a UGA blog, must be a UGA fan, right?
JRW7
October 15th, 2012
2:10 pm
I’m a DAWG fan and I don’t feel good about backing into SEC title game, if we can’t win it without someone else doing it for us, we don’t deserve to go to Atlanta! Well, it won’t happen anyway, because, CMR can’t beat the Gators! It’s a big game, and CMR can’t seem to win the big games anymore!
Rick James
October 15th, 2012
2:13 pm
@Slow Roll Knows How To Lose 2 UGA
10 to 1 he’s a Tech fan..Thay dont have much to cheer about right now..
Buz Buz
October 15th, 2012
2:13 pm
Slow your roll is one of the 20+ million unemployed people in this country w/ nothing better to do than suck on the gov’t teat…
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
2:17 pm
c’mon guys…I’m all dawg! Just not a delusional dawg..
JRW7
October 15th, 2012
2:18 pm
10 wins per year by CMR keeps a lot of DAWG fans content and happy, so happy they still defend him as a average coach, but , we real DAWG fans want to compete for a NC! CMR has to go!
Danger Dawg
October 15th, 2012
2:19 pm
Nothing like fair-weather fans. If the Dawgs happen to win in Jaxville, I expect everyone of them to be barking loudly and proudly. Some Dogs can’t be trusted. Once you jumpship, keep swimming fools. UGA will be here long after you pitiful fans are gone. Nothing wrong with dissent as long as you don’t ridicule your school or its fans. When you go there, you become no better than the trolls that hate your school. Temper your anger or STFU!
ODog
October 15th, 2012
2:20 pm
Richt wins 9 or 10, gets another raise and extension—book it.
slow your roll
October 15th, 2012
2:21 pm
you tell ‘em Danger Dawg! I’m tired of fighting the bandwagon fans all by myself.