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
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 14th, 2012
10:16 pm
Hire Gene Chizik
4 SEC title games all due cause he had other SEC East teams he couldnt beat out during the season lose to other teams
UGA has put more players in the NFL than any other school since 2001
UGA has had more top 10 classes since 2000 than any other SEC school
UGA hasnt sniffed a national title yet LSU AL and FL has won 2 national titles during that time
Richt cant even beat top 10 team
Richt has a 500 record against the top 25
and a less than 300 avg against the top 10
Cant beat FL two years in a row and has now lost 3 games in a row to SC not even Ray Golf can claim that joke stat
Yea truly a Vandy calibur coach when you have that much talent and cant do anything with it but have more embarrassing blowout losses than any UGA coach in a 10 year span
James K Polk
October 14th, 2012
10:17 pm
Our problem is that our alumns/fans have ceased being UGA supporters and instead are Mark Richt supporters. Please, for God’s sake, follow him to NC State when he leaves.
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
10:17 pm
Anybody else notice that when the suspended regulars came back our performance suffered, granted against UT and USCe, but it suffered. Gene in the cell next to Sammy (that was funny Flat), Mark Richt made a laughingstock out of our fanbase, not the idiots who egged Murray’s house. All fanbases have their idiots, and it’s not the ones calling out Mark Richt for his performance.
villedog
October 14th, 2012
10:18 pm
Enter your comments here
James K Polk
October 14th, 2012
10:19 pm
Richt is 1-2 against Ron Zook. That tells you everything you need to know about Richt.
Hire Gene Chizik
October 14th, 2012
10:19 pm
To Mobile Dawg and his wife Flat Tire,
Name 1 UGA Coach who has done better than Mark Richt in the entire history of the program, please back the assertion up with stats to prove that there is 1 single former UGA coach who has been more succesful. (Hint: Saban and Urban Liar never coached at UGA so dont bother listing their accomplishments). You idiots act like UGA was rolling in crystal footballs before CMR got here and he somehow ruined it all,.The fact is, outside of Herschel Walker’s 3 years, we’ve never even been close.
The fact is he’s recruited our program closer to that ellusive goal than any previous UGA Coach and tossing him will do nothing to get our program closer to that goal. Fans like you two, who egg our QB’s house after a tough loss, also do nothing to get our program closer to that goal.
If Richt falls off on recruiting and can no longer field a team who is capable of competing for SEC championships then it will be time for him to retire or leave. That hasn’t happened yet, regardless of whatever big games you want to point to. The fact is he’s played in the SECCG 4 times in 10 years. He hasn’t put us over the hump yet for the NCG, that much is obvious, but I still see him as our best bet to get there and he’ll continue to have my support. No amount of trolling from losers like the two of you is going to change that.
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
10:20 pm
@tdaw
This is my last one. We will not and cannot sign all the best athletes in Georgia. One, there is not enough room or need at all positions. Two, other SEC schools admit kids academically we will not. This is a fact, however, our athletic department cannot come out and say it when it appears we did not recruit someone who signed with an Alabama or an LSU from Georgia. good night…..
He Hate Gator
October 14th, 2012
10:21 pm
Winning pct has won how many champioships? Hard to win it when you never finish in the Top 10.
James K Polk
October 14th, 2012
10:21 pm
I believe that every team we have played this year lost last week.
villedog
October 14th, 2012
10:21 pm
Dawg fan that hopes UGA does not win the East side. They are so undersiving. When will the athletic director wake up an change CMR and staff. He has taken UGA as far as he is capable.
Hire Gene Chizik
October 14th, 2012
10:24 pm
Flat Tire
Quote: “UGA has put more players in the NFL than any other school since 2001
UGA has had more top 10 classes since 2000 than any other SEC school”
Those are CMR’s recruits. Do you not even give him credit for recruitng more talent than UGA has seen in the last 30 years? The reason we have the NFL-calibur talent is because of Mark Richt, not in spite of him.
James K Polk
October 14th, 2012
10:24 pm
Us under Mark Richt is akin to Bama under Shula. If we get a coach in here we will win big.
He Hate Gator
October 14th, 2012
10:26 pm
Chizik….you make my argument….what has Richt done with all that talent? Spurrier has said the same thing…
DawginLex
October 14th, 2012
10:27 pm
Flat tire
Anyone is better than Richt right?
Ask UT about the Richt Fulmer comparisons now and every single one of them would take Fulmer back
Be careful what you wish for
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
10:29 pm
This may surprise you Gene, you are right! Richt has the highest winning percentage of any UGA coach in history, the highest of any active SEC coach. I gave you your due.
Now answer my questions, how has Richt done over the last five years, what’s his winning percentage, especially against top 25 teams? What’s his record against SEC competition over that period? During those years how has our recruiting ranked? Who has put the most talent in the NFL? Next question, at what point do “YOU” start to question his ability to lead, develop the talent he has at his disposal? I will await your answers, statistics aren’t needed, just common sense.
DawginLex
October 14th, 2012
10:29 pm
Shula never won his division and never won the SEC
Bad comparison
More like Fulmer and UT fans want him back.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 14th, 2012
10:30 pm
Hire Gene Chizik
Lets get one thing straight I dont criticize the players and I sure as heck dont condone moron fans who arent fans of UGA anyway egging someone’s house
Im sorry you have no comebacks to the realistic stats that Ive given about this coaching staff
The only loser on this blog is you; you and the rest of the morons on here; that just like our coaching staff want to blame the players for lack of execution in embarrassing losses
As for competing for the SEC; we havent been in competition for the SEC in 7 years
Last year was a joke thinks to TENN and FL still being a joke and SC like usual not being able to close the deal
Richt as our best bet to get to the national title LOL
A coach that hasnt beat a ranked team in yearsand has an 0-10 record against the top10 isnt going to compete for a national title
He Hate Gator
October 14th, 2012
10:30 pm
Here it is…you guiys are scared to go for it…you’re afraid (everybody is better…No, but you won’t get the date with the Prom Queen unless you ask)
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 14th, 2012
10:30 pm
@ The Factor, yes, every team in america plays their fair shair of creampuffs and generally win those games but it’s the big games that set’s the great teams appart from the pretenders who run up 10-2 records and lose all the big games. The talent level in todays world is much greater than the Dooley days and I believe he did a whole lot with what he had on the roster but I for one believe most any coach could win at UGA with our talent. Question is, are we just satisfied with a good winning percentage or do we aspire for greater heights. I’ll take the latter of the two
James K Polk
October 14th, 2012
10:31 pm
DawginLex, do not be afraid of greatness. Put Tennessee out of your mind. Instead, look at Florida before Meyer and Spurrier…look at LSU before Saban…look at Bama before Saban…look at Ohio State before Tressel, look at Oklahoma before Stoops…look at USC before Carroll. THAT’S where we are. Right now, we could be “Georgia before….?”
Florida is not a great team at all.
October 14th, 2012
10:32 pm
UGA, if we play heads up ball,can handle Florida. We need to dispatch Kentucky by early 3rd qtr with a 37-10 score and seat the first team and let the others play. I fear that UGA will be so asleep at the switch, that KY will, like UT, become aroused, as Dooley use to say. We need to destroy them by the half, with lightening bolts and The Frosh backs.
Go Dogs.
FRED
October 14th, 2012
10:34 pm
ARE YOU KIDDING WE GET THE CRAP BEAT OUT OF US BY A TEAM 100% BETTER THAN US AND WE ARE HOPFULL TO MAYBE BACK IN!
James K Polk
October 14th, 2012
10:34 pm
Plus, if Tennessee kept Fulmer, they would be EXACTLY in the same place they are now.
DawginLex
October 14th, 2012
10:34 pm
We could be ray goff and Jim donnan and being thrilled over being bowl eligible and hiding a cocaine snorting QB
If we do beat Florida I will be laughing at you all werk
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 14th, 2012
10:35 pm
Hire Gene Chizik
Once again you live in delusion land
Giving Richt credit for having top recruiting classes
LOL
The state of Georgia was the #1 State in High school recruiting last year
The state of Georgia has been a top 5 state in High school recruiting since the 80’s
Donnans 1999 entire defense played in the NFL during Goffs years he had top recruiting causing Spurrier to laugh at him for not being able to beat FL like Richt now Richt cant even beat FL or SC
Richt has done nothing different than Donnan or Goff in recruiting
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 14th, 2012
10:38 pm
Uhhh Flat Tire, you’re right on that one. The truth hurts. We are ONE big game coach away from greatness
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 14th, 2012
10:39 pm
DawginLex
Chairman of the Jedi Kool-aid temple
Im sure glad Bamma excepted mediocrity after Bryant and Stallings
Im glad LSU did after Denardo
IM glad Texas did before Brown
Im glad Oklahoma did after Switzer and before Stoops
Im glad USC did so many times as well
Man Im sure glad those programs didnt make coaching changes
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
10:40 pm
IF, I keep hearing that as a repeating theme. What if we get blown out like we usually do? That’s more likely. Lex, if I remember you were one that expected we would go undefeated, what happened to that expectation?
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
10:41 pm
My gosh Flat you really do not know WTF you are talking about son….Please, pick another team to pull for. Surely you can pick them up on your black & white tv with rabbit ears…
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 14th, 2012
10:42 pm
The Factor
what is it that I dont know what Im talking about?
GTBob
October 14th, 2012
10:45 pm
Sorry, but this is a pretty embarrassing blog. Honestly, UGA fans should want South Carolina to go to the SEC championship game after the drubbing they got from them. If UGA finds some way to weasel their way in simply because they don’t play anyone then it makes the SEC look a little foolish.
Hire Gene Chizik
October 14th, 2012
10:46 pm
@Flat Tire — you’re talking out of both sides of your mouth. If Donnan and Goff were just as solid as CMR in recruiting, which I doubt but I don’t have the info to back that up. So, for the sake of argument lets say Donnan and Goff had as much NFL talent as CMR has. If Richt is such a horrible coach, why has Richt performed so much better than Donnan and Goff with the same level of talent?
@Mobile Dawg — I already answered your question. In my view it will be time for Richt to go when he can no longer field a team capable of competing for the SECCG most years. So far he’s nearly at 50% so I wouldn’t say we’re at that point yet.
The “backed into the title game” excuse is pure BS. The fact is we won our way into that game. SC got beat by an Aurburn team that we blew out last year. We won the games we had to win to get there and earned a shot. Alabama won the title last year and it could just as easilly be argued that they backed into the NCG.
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 14th, 2012
10:46 pm
@ The Factor….I, at time’s don’t agree with all of Flats comments but he makes strong points tonight and I agree with him on many points. We have too much potential just to be satisfied with a pretty 10-2 record and continually lose the games that would boost this program out front of the rest….
Red Panties
October 14th, 2012
10:49 pm
What in world is Richt smiling about when he shakes hands with Spurrier. Doesn’t he realize Georgia wasjust embarrest on national tv? What a loser.
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
10:50 pm
The SEC has been around since 1933. Do you know how many times a team has “backed” into title as perceived by a few? The SEC has never played each and every member….
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 14th, 2012
10:55 pm
GT Bob…I’ll agree with you in part about SC to a point. In losing last night I still thought they were a better team than we are. As far as not playing anybody?. After GT’s showing this year it’s doubtful that their record would be as good as it is now in playing UGA’s schedule but we’re expected to be better than GT anyhow. It’s bad when all we have to brag about is beating GT every year now day’s.. Not a rip towards your team, just the way it is..
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 14th, 2012
10:56 pm
The Factor
Just a couple of articles to back my points
Donnan and Goff coached when TENN and FL were good every year
Richt has only Backed doored in the SEC championship game due to those teams being down
Tampa Gator
October 14th, 2012
10:57 pm
Fact is…..LSU, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina….and most likley, Miss. State now….can beat each other on any given day. And one of them could seriously challenge Bama this year in the SEC title game…..with SC, Florida, and LSU looking like the most serious challengers because of the strength of the offensive and defensive lines on those teams. Georgia slightly behind because of an obvious less than powerful offensive line with the same kind of depth available at the other schools. If Georgia can block Florida’s defensive line, they have a good chance of winning in JAX. But I would say that is a big if at this time. SC has the line to do it, and it will be a knock down, drag out fight next Saturday afternoon in THE SWAMP. You just know Spurrier will come to town with his best game plan in tow. But so will Muschamp and staff. Gonna be a good one. And the case will be the same in JAX…..no matter the outcome of the SC vs. Florida game. This is SEC football at its best. Got to love it.
Hairy Dawg
October 14th, 2012
10:57 pm
I told everyone that Visor Boy’s SCar is the choking chickens. And then they did just that in Baton Rogue. Now we need to take care of business against Judas Muschump and Dawgs is back on destiny to Dome and more. No way do chickens not lay another egg to put Dawgs in first.
And the other good news is Dooley Boy and Cheese Dip getting close to a firing. That will allow Dawgs to increase control of recruiting with TN Orange Pumkins and AwfulBurn continually rebuilding with sorry coaching. We just got to fix problems of Adams and pointy heads. Then frreed up recruits from Pumkins and War Tigers will be capable of signing with Dawgs without pointy head restrictions like Adams causes.
Overall good weekend for Dawgs as we idle and get healed while the others stunk up and self destruction.
Go Dawgs! Sick Em!
He Hate Gator
October 14th, 2012
10:58 pm
Chizik….Richt’s best years were with Donnan’s recruits….
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 14th, 2012
10:59 pm
The Factor
here is an article from a non UGA columnist that doesnt drink the Richt kool-aid like you do
http://cfn.scout.com/2/1227765.html
Red Panties
October 14th, 2012
11:00 pm
Even if the Gators lose to SC next week, they will still be a top 10 team and Murray has never beaten a top 10 team, also Richt is 0-10 in his last ten top 10 games. So beating the Gators is delusional at best.
Mobile Dawg
October 14th, 2012
11:02 pm
Last comment for the night Gene, Richt can field a team “capable” of competing for an SEC championship, problem is he can no longer “coach” a team to an SEC title. I don’t get the 50% figure you spoke of though. We can agree to disagree and still be long term Dawg fans. I for one am expecting to be spanked by UF, with another loss to Ole Miss, or AU.
Hire Gene Chizik
October 14th, 2012
11:03 pm
Tampa Gator — I agree with everything you just posted. GL in the swamp next week, not so much in Jax the week after that.
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
11:04 pm
If we do “back in” I will take it all day long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Jefferson, there are many alums who are concerned about his last 5 years against the Top 20. You are not alone. But making a coaching change is a huge deal. Can you imagine what the likes of ESPN would say if Richt goes 11-2 and UGA fired it’s coach? We would be the lauhging stock of the nation. HS coaches would tell kids to be careful. What coach, except for someone pretty foolish, would want to come to Georgia? You think they would be lining up? Think again. We all get frustrated because the last 6 NC’s came from the SEC and we don’t have one . I get it. It takes a little luck, too. LSU had 2 conference loses with one of theirs and we were probably better than them in 2007. We are like the rest of the nation. We want another title at UGA too, but be careful of tearing down the program. And be careful, the next coach will have a lot to live up to.
Rick James
October 14th, 2012
11:04 pm
@GTBob
Sorry, but this is a pretty embarrassing blog. Honestly, UGA fans should want South Carolina to go to the SEC championship game after the drubbing they got from them. If UGA finds some way to weasel their way in simply because they don’t play anyone then it makes the SEC look a little foolish.
———————————————————————————————————————————–
Go to bed Bob and look foward to Tech’s loss next week.Everybody get’s into a championship game because somebody else loses..Alabama won the national championship last season without winning their division or conferrence.. After the Middle Tennesee State drubbing if Tech “weasels” its way into a bowl game will they turn it down?
Tampa Gator
October 14th, 2012
11:09 pm
Red Panties…..
No one that makes millions of dollars a year is a loser. And I am sure Richt has basic English 101 skills as well.
Red Panties
October 14th, 2012
11:09 pm
Flat
I would also recommend your article to all the kool-aid dawgs—-sad to see grown men begging to back door a trip to Atlanta——just sad.
Hire Gene Chizik
October 14th, 2012
11:11 pm
Mobile Dawg — Well said, we’ll have to agree to disagree. I’m predicting a close game at UF and hope we’ll pull it out but I wouldn’t put my money on it. I think we’ll handle Ole Miss and AU. If SC beats FL and wins out they deserve the SEC East title regardless of what we do. If FL wins out they deserve the SEC East title. If we beat FL, win out, and SC cant handle their business next week, then we deserve the SEC East title. I’m just not ready to throw in the towel and say our team sucks because of 1 bad game against SC in columbia,
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
11:14 pm
@Tampa Gator
I like our chances in Jax for this BIG reason. We just had the week off. We play KY next week. We should stay pretty rested. You guys will be coming off a war with SC (which I believe you win because I think SC will have dead legs after 2 emotional games with UGA & LSU, now another loud road game in the swamp). Fresh legs win this game as they have so many times in the past. Stays close the first half, then we pull away. Fresh legs per scheduling – UGA pre 1990, You guys post 1990.