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
Red Panties
October 14th, 2012
11:16 pm
Richt passive management style is the basis of his problems. He still has one of the most undisaplined teams in the SEC.
Hairy Dawg
October 14th, 2012
11:16 pm
Dawgs losing to Awful Burn or Old Misses. Haha! Thats is delusoinal!
TRUE DAWG FAN
October 14th, 2012
11:18 pm
Man…most of you are unbelievable with your comments.
I guarantee you that before the SC game, 99% of you were saying were destined for greatness and sky’s the limit. So we went to SC and we lay an egg and everybody gives up on our team?? Go rout for another team cause I can’t stand you and other people when I go to the game and you go ballistic because Murray throws a pick or the other team gets a huge gain and all of a sudden, we suck. FAIR WEATHER FANS need to just shut up and go watch something else. Our boys don’t need or want your support if all you have is criticism. Realize that we’re still averaging over 40 points/game!! D needs some shoring up. We have two dynamic running backs and an O line young but learning on the fly. If we can put it all together, we’re a dangerous team and we can play with anyone.
Yep, I agree…we got blasted on every aspect of the game against SC and it was discouraging. I was just as upset as you. Football is about momentum…and we lost ours on the first pass when a sure pick went right through Rambo’s hands. There’s one. Then, a tipped ball for a pick. Two. Then, you get a punt return blown coverage. Three. All mistakes made by us. But at the end of the day, I still bleed Red and Black and we still got a lot of football to play. Rarely does a team go through the SEC unscathed EVER so it is just 1 loss. I don’t know about you but I’ll still be watching on Saturday when we play the Cats. I’m sure you will probably be watching too just to complain about the Dawgs every wrongdoing. I’m sure Alabama will make you happier since all yall wanna do is talk about how great they are…maybe you should change channels.
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 14th, 2012
11:19 pm
@ The Factor….Are we now affraid of what we will have to live up to?. What would that be?. A pretty record and winning none of our big games on ESPN and being as you say ” a laughing stock”? After the SC game we already are and this started long ago!. Hey, I get your points but, Alabama, LSU, Florida, Auburn, OSU, USC, the other USC who seems to own us now, and the list could go on. What do they have in common? They were tired of status quo!. EVERY SUCCESSFUL TEAM THESE DAYS HAS MADE A COACHING CHANGE! ….Do you not think coaches say ” be careful of Alabama”? afterall Saban’s been known to jump ship and the kids keep flocking to him anyways.
Outer Banks Dawg
October 14th, 2012
11:21 pm
Anybody else notice how LSU had a fullback and 2 tight ends in the ball game ON EVERY PLAY against Carolina?
Just saying Georgia’s O-line would look a whole lot better if there were 7 up there blocking instead of 5. We have no shot against the Gators if we don’t use Lynch and Rome and Hall. We can run the football as good as anyone with the right formation and blocking scheme. But 5 blockers against a Top SEC front 7? Nope… Just sayin coach…. it’s not like we don’t have the players….
Hairy Dawg
October 14th, 2012
11:25 pm
Exactly! We got to get rid of the bad fans that not supporting Coach Richt and team. We win out and we in great shape to get to Dome and winning SEC. We only have one game on schedule that might be tough and Gaytors is goning to be tired from SCar game. That gives Dawgs all the extra advantage with already being better and good coaching more than Gaytors. The beat down the Gaytors deserves is coming to Jax.
Go Dawgs!
GTBob
October 14th, 2012
11:26 pm
Go to bed Bob and look foward to Tech’s loss next week.Everybody get’s into a championship game because somebody else loses.
So every SEC team that has ever reached an SEC championship game or National Championship game has only done so because someone else lost? Good to know. Its kinda sad that you don’t believe in the concept of just winning all of your games and not relying on miracles to help you out.
Rick James
October 14th, 2012
11:26 pm
@Outer Banks Dawg
——————————–
Anybody else notice how LSU had a fullback and 2 tight ends in the ball game ON EVERY PLAY against Carolina?
Just saying Georgia’s O-line would look a whole lot better if there were 7 up there blocking instead of 5. We have no shot against the Gators if we don’t use Lynch and Rome and Hall. We can run the football as good as anyone with the right formation and blocking scheme. But 5 blockers against a Top SEC front 7? Nope… Just sayin coach…. it’s not like we don’t have the players
——————————————————————————————————————
Did you also notice that you had to look at the field to make sure Clowney was in the game because his name not being called for making plays.The additional blocking neutralized him.
GTBob
October 14th, 2012
11:29 pm
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..
I don’t take offense to that at all. You are supposed to beat us every year and usually do, so at least Richt has that going for him. How long will fans put up with just winning games you are supposed to win though and hoping that other better teams will beat up on each other while UGA sneaks through the back door?
Dawgs2
October 14th, 2012
11:29 pm
Ok so we loss to sc so what it hurt but get over it bc the dawgs have a chance to win the east.its better than tech and its up to the other teams to win a also.uga didn’t make the conference schedule so gamecocks can cry foul al they want.
Red Panties
October 14th, 2012
11:30 pm
True Dawg
Play with any body? The only body we have play blew us up—40 + points a game turned in to 7 agaist the 3rd string. Running backs, less than 40 yards each agaist somebody-you can’t equate all the sucess against nobodies and then say you can play with ranked teams-just look at Richt’s record against ranked teams 0-10 against the last ten.
Buzz 2011
October 14th, 2012
11:34 pm
Tim, you must not have seen the Dogs dismantled in Columbia by the Gamecocks. They never left Clarke County..Chances forwhat in the east?
Dawgs2
October 14th, 2012
11:35 pm
One thing I don’t like is running out the shotgun that sucks.just line up and smash them itch the backs we have.bobo tried dumb plays and never adjusted to the game.thats coach Ritcht downfall mike bobo.he was no good as a player and now coach
Buzz 2011
October 14th, 2012
11:36 pm
The Dawgs aren’t even as good as Ms. State……………Ms State should be ranked higher and UGA out of rankings.
Jefferson Davis Hogg
October 14th, 2012
11:37 pm
@ GTBob…My point exactly. It hasn’t been fun knowing every Saturday we will win the games we’re supposed to and having a feeling in our gut that we will lose yet another big game. It’s gotten to the point that we’re expected to lose the big games too. At least we’ve been consistent though but that’s not the type of consistantcy I’m expecting from this program. I’d like to think we’re in the hunt for something big every year instead of just talking about our potential…
Dawgs2
October 14th, 2012
11:38 pm
Shoot everybody can’t pay them players like Bama so we will never be on their level lol
Dawgs2
October 14th, 2012
11:39 pm
Buzz hth you can say bc of one loss they should be out the rankings kill yoself
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
11:41 pm
@Dawgs2
Oh my. U really don’t know want you are talking about. Bobo beat the Gators and was like 19 of 20 passing in the bowl win his last year. I love these “fans” of my great institution!
Dawgs2
October 14th, 2012
11:42 pm
A lot of things have to go right btw to win a nc it’s not easy to win it all.i mean if it was tech would be in the hunt every year with that high school offense
Red Panties
October 14th, 2012
11:43 pm
Hairy,
So I assume you are saying the Gators beat SC ( the team that totally embarresed us) and then we have an easy game against Ky so we have the advantage over the Gators cause they are tired.
.
That sounds just like the folks who are trying to back in to Atlanta-we can’t beat anyone straight up, we need some sort of advantage-what a joke. But look for Richt to follow your advice and try to pull some bush league trick in Jax (black out, red out or the 2008 end zone dance) to gain some advantage over the Gators———-he is just sad
Dawgs2
October 14th, 2012
11:43 pm
The factor bobo sucked just bc he won one game against fla doesn’t make him good
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
11:45 pm
No wonder no alums come here to post their comments……….
The Factor
October 14th, 2012
11:51 pm
@Red panties
Florida has had the week off before they played UGA for 19 of the last 21 seasons (since Spurrier arrived at UF in 1990). If you don’t think fresh legs and planning helped them the last 20 years late in the season, you know nothing about football (which obviously you don’t).
TRUE DAWG FAN
October 15th, 2012
12:03 am
Red Panties
I don’t even know why I bother to even respond but here goes…
You’re right SC isn’t a slouch and we got blasted…I said all that. But check this out….Florida on the ropes against Vandy for a half….we crushed em…48-3. South Carolina also tiptoed past Vandy on a bs call to start the season. I think that the SC game is a fluke…we’ll be ready to play from here on out. And the 0-10, I can’t argue with that but the point that I was making is that he whoever wants to sit there and whine about how we’re going to get beat and we can’t even beat Powderpuff High School and all this other crap, just needs to get a life that doesn’t include UGA football. Like I said, it’s a game of momentum and a demoralizing loss is one where a team can really focus and show its mettle. Stats can sometimes be just #s man….look at the NY Giants….9-7 into the playoffs and they win the super bowl. Unfortunately with the BCS, over 1 loss and youre pretty much bounced. We can bounce back from this though and our boys might just surprise you. Believe in this team Panties.
kingdaddy
October 15th, 2012
12:40 am
I wasn’t raised to be a quitter or a blind follower. I know UGA is a better team than they showed in Columbia. Many of the problems can be corrected, but I don’t have as much confidence in Richt to make “adjustments” during a game. The cocks knew our snap-count by watching Murray tap Andrews. That is correctable. Knowing a snap-count will make a Defensive line look even better than they are. Why didn’t Gates get more help? Can Grantham scheme to defend a “running” qb?
This team is better than that one loss, as bad as it was. To the ex-fans, I wish you well. Just move on and try not to embarrass your ex-team any farther. Funny, you guys claim that fans that remain calm are the problem, I suggest you go look in the mirror and either get over it or move on. We have enough trolls on this blog as it isn…
Macclenny_dawg
October 15th, 2012
12:54 am
No way South carolina losses again. They beat florida handily this weekend. Best we can hope for is Uga to lose 2 florida as bad as that will kill me. But truth is Richt will stick around as long as he beats Florida again. Richt just doesn’t demand enough from his staff. There was no way Miles was going to lose to florida even with 3 new linemen. Just as Spurrier won”t lose 2 in a row this week. The best coaching job i ever saw out of this staff was last year against Lsu. But that only lasted a quarter in a half. Then Richt like he always does took his foot off the pedal and allowed Lsu to get momentum and that was all she wrote!!! Time 4 a change!!!SICK OF RICHT!!!
He Hate Gator
October 15th, 2012
1:22 am
I will start supporting Richt when the team starts being a contender for the BCS, instead of the Outback Bowl…
South Carolina loss boosts Georgia’s chances in East – Georgia – Dawg News
October 15th, 2012
1:40 am
[...] more here: South Carolina loss boosts Georgia’s chances in East ← Back to Home Tags: clean, coach, kentucky, mark, richt, sec, sunday, thing 0 [...]
James K Polk
October 15th, 2012
2:22 am
True Dawg Fan should change his name to True Richt Fan…that’s what he is.
Really?
October 15th, 2012
3:18 am
Do we really want to go to the SEC championship game and get plowed like a cheap Saigon whore on national Tv again? once was enough for me,35-7 was convincing enough. No more kool aid for this Dawg fan. Talk to me when we get a coach that can lead us to a victory on Tv instead of a one sided fight!
tell me again
October 15th, 2012
5:34 am
Look guys – I love my Dawgs – but – after watching LSU and SC play last week – well, we haven’t seen UGA play with that kind of testosterone this year……those two teams were going at it and it was mano a mano the whole game. That is the type of game WE should have had against SC – but we didn’t. I don’t see Florida being as good as SC. But, I do hope that SC beats them and is ranked high and mighty so that if we do win it will make us look all the better – but – the bottom line is – after watching Bama and LSU play this weekend it is OBVIOUS that those teams are built and play different than we do – they’re just bigger, stronger, meaner and more aggresive. In some ways it would be better to lose a tough game to Florida, win the rest and then go to a nice bowl and win because if we get to the SEC CG we’re going to get our ass kicked on national TV again – hate to sound that way but every week I see Bama play and the differences in them and us is OBVIOUS. On any given Saturday anything can happen as we saw this past weekend with Ok – Texas and West Virginia, but…..just sayin…..I keep reading all of the excuses as to why our D is not playing well – sorry, I just don’t buy it. If TG was any kind of a coach he would mold his defense to what he has and it is obvious our D is too complicated for our players – they are always confused and out of position – if CTG can’t mold his defense so that his players can actually make it work, he’s not much of a coach. In the big games – D wins. if our D is on vacation, we have no chance in the big games. Hope my Dawgs get it figured out but if the past is any indication ~ well, we cfan always hope.
tell me again
October 15th, 2012
5:36 am
oops – I meant to say I hope FLORIDA beats SC……excuse the typos – haven’t had my coffee yet.
Holly Wood
October 15th, 2012
6:01 am
Florida 45, Georgia 17
The usual drubbing in Jacksonville will put an end to the leghumpers’ Kool-Aid-fueled dreams.
This year there’ll be no shameful backing into a divisional title they haven’t earned.
Columbus Dawg
October 15th, 2012
6:36 am
Holly Wood, if I remember correctly is a blithering idiot who leans towards Auburn University who believes that said university deserves to hang on to a MNC bought with Newton.
As for myself, I do not want to see the Dawgs back into anything, and embarrass themselves any further. I do hope that whatever it takes to get rid of Mark Richt transpires. His chance is over. No comparison to the Dooley tenure. Dooley did not have the resources at hand that Richt has. Richt is being paid entirely too much for results seen in last seven years. There are alums who are HUGE donors who see it this way. Probably just as many as are Richt apologists. I will root hard for Georgia on the football field as always, but the Bulldog Nation deserves a title just as much as the other teams in our conference, and has the resources at hand to achieve this, just do not believe current coaches are up to it.
Dendra
October 15th, 2012
6:36 am
A few obvious conclusions to draw from the SC debacle:
1. Steve Spurrier really is a genius.
2. Mark Richt really is a 3rd rate coaching wannabe who will never win the big games.
3. Todd Grantham is a grotesque, overstuffed joke. Someone please remind me how much he’s getting paid.
4. When Richt recruits low class morons who have a penchant for booze and drugs, he’s never going to win.
5. Everything about UGA is a joke.
But hey… WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!!!
Flat Tire on I95 in Jacksonville
October 15th, 2012
7:04 am
Florida is way over-rated but will beat the Gamecocks! Pride comes before a fall..right …old ball coach!
FLA DAWG
October 15th, 2012
7:16 am
SC has a chance of beating UF but The Dawgs will get puppy – whipped by UF on Oct. 27.
Another season of beating the patsies and losing to any ranked team.
FIRE RICHT
Jeff
October 15th, 2012
7:17 am
Nothing. Absolutey nothing could make UGA look good. UGA does what they always do. They look to back into a championship. South Carolina game versus LSU was close in score only. LSU beat Carolina the way UGA should have if it was not for the fact that UGA choked just as they do each and everytime against ranked opponents. Tired of the excuses. After watching UGA versus S.C. and then watch LSU run the ball against a 9-man front, or hold Lattimore to 35 yards, or punish Conner Shaw the only conclusion is UGA is soft. They are beat before they ever step on the field with a good team.
SammySupporter
October 15th, 2012
7:19 am
Alabama, Florida, LSU and South Carolina supporters get such entertainment watching UGA fans make idiots out of themselves. (That’s why they are here on the blogs) Every year UGA fans start off pre-season boasting of how they will beat this team or that team……eventually ending up in the Championship game. As the season progresses they get to read posts from “fools like you” boasting about how……….after a 35-7 beatdown embarassment on national TV….that some way, some how, UGA was the superior team. You are such an idiot!! Then you boast about how that ONCE AGAIN, because another East team screws up, then UGA will, ONCE AGAIN back into the SEC Championship game. They are hoping against hopes and praying everyday that MARK RICHT COACHES forever in Athens. That would ensure all this BS UGA entertainment year over year. It would also ensure that the above mentioned teams would NEVER have a moment’s worry over UGA.
Keep your comments about all Mark Richt’s accomplishments and how his percentages are so much better. It’s been 30+ years since UGA has had a National Championship, As long as Mark Richt is there…………….there won’t be any more.
t rex
October 15th, 2012
7:22 am
good luck with that—
Cal22
October 15th, 2012
7:23 am
By sitting at home, you guys advance more than when you actually play. It’s a good thing other teams in the east have the schedules they do.
Cal22
October 15th, 2012
7:27 am
Did a GA fan just call Florida “overrated?” UGA y fans are very familiar with the definition of that word.
t rex
October 15th, 2012
7:28 am
let us all remember—-UGA could have gotten Shaw but they took Murray—-a non running QB–who has yet to beat a really good team. Which means–he is really better suited for a smaller conference. The judgement at UGA has gotten so bad—-they are still running the same offense they were 10 years ago—–why do we have players from Florida?? ——WE need a coach from Georgia and we need to let all players from Georgia that they are first on our list. This program reeks of weekness and corruption. Get a new AD and get rid of everybody else and start over please—
Chairman of the Board
October 15th, 2012
7:29 am
The one and only thing I don’t like about Richt is this: big losses do not bother him. In fact it’s almost as if he likes losing a big game.
t rex
October 15th, 2012
7:31 am
I think Dendra nailed it–
Cal22
October 15th, 2012
7:33 am
Oh that’s right, you’re basing all of this on Vandy.
t rex
October 15th, 2012
7:35 am
The real question is—-who hires the AD?——What the hell happened to UGA and why?—-Seems like after the last NChampionship they went away to a land far far away in a time that no one understands. It has always made me wonder—-I have lived most of my life in Georgia—Georgia is a football state. Not a baseball state or a basketball state——————but there has never been really great football here in this state. You will never figure that one out—-I never have.
John H.
October 15th, 2012
7:37 am
This is a pathetic homer article. It doesn’t matter if SC upsets Florida. Georgia will lose to both Florida and Ole Miss. UGA vs. Auburn game is a pick ‘em.
Just Saying
October 15th, 2012
7:39 am
SC played one of their best games in school history against UGa. When they played away from home they sucked against a battered (missing 7-8 starters) LSU team. LSU was missing 60% of their OL including their All American. At best, LSU was a mediocre team Saturday night and SC was horrible….nothing like they were against UGa. LSU almost doub
Ed the time of possession and stats. That game was more lopsided than the UGa/SC game, but the final score was close so no one is discussing how badly SC played. I think they should fire Spurrier!!!
t rex
October 15th, 2012
7:40 am
Florida beat LSU right? The only way UGA will beat Florida is if their QB gets hurt.