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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
769 comments Add your comment
Sammy
October 15th, 2012
9:01 am
Muschamp didn’t beat a single ranked team in 2011, but he won in 2012 against SC, UGA beat 2 ranked teams in 2011 in Aub & GT.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 15th, 2012
9:01 am
Altamaha Dawg
What have you to contribute??
Nothing that Ive seen but the same ole defense of an inept coaching staff that consistantly never can get their team to show up in big games while making a salary that isnt worth what they put on the field
flo-ri-duh
October 15th, 2012
9:03 am
Murray needs to play without Michael Bennett to bail him out. He needs to look for Conley over the middle. The defense is still the biggest problem.. breakdowns in coverage, lack of a pass rush and weak against the run. Did I leave anything out? Just concentrate on Kentucky and reduce the mistakes and penalties this week. UGA should win by 21……. anything less and there is trouble ahead.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 15th, 2012
9:03 am
Sammy
Again take your meds
See when you dont take your meds you dont correctly read posts
I didnt say ranked team
I said TOP 20 team
DogFaceBlues
October 15th, 2012
9:04 am
South Carolina is by far a better team than LSU. LSU had the will to win and found a way!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 15th, 2012
9:06 am
I would like to ask where is the will to win by our 3 Stooges OVERPAID coaching staff
Just Saying
October 15th, 2012
9:06 am
Interesting that knuckleheads like Jeff believe the BCS polls and computers must all be wrong in their appraisal of UGa. Glad you are such an authority Mr Jeff!!!! Also, maybe we can get Auburn’s coach since he won a NC several years ago. It is not all about NCs so I wish The pessimist would let that go? Look At the teams who are already close to being out of that race: USC, Nebraska, Ohio State, FSU, LSU, SC, UGa, Michigan, etc. You don’t have to win a NC or conf. Championship to have a fun team. And, be careful what you wish for……Auburn won it all, followed by 2 of the top recruiting classes and now their team is in total shambles. Meanwhile, their coach who everyone wanted dumped (like CMR) is at Texas Tech kicking a$$
CR
October 15th, 2012
9:07 am
It’s very typical and predictable that the writer believes the bulldogs will somehow do another backdoor into the SEC championship game. It’s not going to happen.
Go If’s!
D-MAN
October 15th, 2012
9:07 am
Hey 83,dont have to sit in Sanford to watch the crap I’ve seen
over and over again! It’s called good coaching, something Richt&staff
have failed at miserabley.Did you watch the LSU game,now that is what
you call good coaching,they had enough sense to mass protect against
the cocks D-Line. It’s all about the crystal trophy,to hell with the
percentages,Richt has had plenty of time to get it done!
Eddie Haskel
October 15th, 2012
9:07 am
If ‘ifs and buts were candy and nuts” the dawgs would have a mouth full of rotten teeth.
Sammy
October 15th, 2012
9:10 am
A GT fan, on the UGA blog, thinks #11 ranked in the BCS is, ready for this, BAD??????
If you’d told me we’d be ranked #11 in the BCS after 6 games, after losing the olinemen, after losing our top 2 running backs, after losing our top 2 tight ends, after seeing our top 2 defensive players suspended for 4 games each, after losing our top 2 wr’s in Mitchell and Bennett, with a freshman kicker and punter, and 2 freshmen rb’s, I’d have told you no way. But here we are, somehow, we did it. We had a bad 1st quarter against SC, it happens, you move on.
Bama gets Tenn, Miss St, LSU, A&M, Auburn over the next 6 weeks, they’ll lose 1-2 of those, they’ll also lose to UF or UGA in the SEC cHAMPship. NO one repeats as Natl Champ in the SEC, no one. It will be LSU, UF, SC or UGA. It will NOT be Alabama.
Just Saying
October 15th, 2012
9:10 am
@dogface
You are totally out of touch dude. LSU DOUBLED all the stats in that game and they were playing with their second team!!!
Jeff
October 15th, 2012
9:10 am
Great teams lose to great teams……unfortunately, it allows a good teams against weak opponents the chance to get to where great teams should be……the good team against weak opponents then gets blasted on national TV when they play the great team…….
Cobb Dawg
October 15th, 2012
9:14 am
With UGA’s weak schedule and humiliation at the hands of USCe, the Dawgs don’t deserve to be SECe champs. And I think it will be a moot point when they play UF.
ugab
October 15th, 2012
9:15 am
Same ole crap different season with CMR. It would be different if CMR would have got the players and coaches prepared for the SC game. That game was a total embarrassment. It is time for a coaching change. MR can take some of the Assistants with him. It is the way college football goes, you don’t win or beat your rivals, you get fired. I can not believe CMR got a 5 year extension. MISTAKE!!! CMR is a great man. We need a coach.The players are not being coached up. You got Bobo sitting on his ass in the boothe calling stupid plays. You got CMR staring at the Scoreboard hoping the game will end. Who is making adjustments? Who is coaching the players, while the game is going on? LSU’s coach was coaching one of his OL during the SC game. CMR just sits there and collects a paycheck. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Just Saying
October 15th, 2012
9:18 am
Eddie,
I’m sure Southern Cal, Stanford, Oklahoma, South Carolina, LSU, Nebraska, Michigan, Texas, Ohio State, FSU, etc. Fans are also saying ,”if and but” in all their blogs. Looks like UGa fans are in good company!!!!
Sammy
October 15th, 2012
9:19 am
GT fans, acitng like UGA fans, trying to get Richt fired because he has a 10-1 record vs. GT.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 15th, 2012
9:21 am
Just Saying
“You don’t have to win a NC or conf. Championship to have a fun team”
Ok so by that definition a fun UGA team can be mocked on national TV by their ineptness to beat quality opponents with NFL caliber players every year.
Oh and I guess by that definition a fun team might be a UGA that has a 2-10 record at the end of the season; hey thats fun
Oh I wish FL AL had our attitude but they dont they just go out and hire another coach that brings them a championship or looks for one until they do
UGA on the other hand is satisfied with 10 win National Championships beating no one losing to FL every year but hey we beat the Mighty GT yellow Jokes
ugab
October 15th, 2012
9:25 am
Real coaches coach their players the entire game. Real coaches have real game plans. I am not a coach. I would have had atleast a game plan for Clowney. Hell, LSU ran straight at Clowney. Teams are doing a great job on blocking the almighty Jarvis Jones these days. Why is it every game, the ga fans have to ask questions for the coaches. Why isn’t someone helping the OL block that guy? Why are we kicking to him? Why are we running up the middle everytime? Why don’t the coaches let our 3rd yr Qb check a play off,when every they got every player in the box? I can tell you what play the offense is running and I am not a coach. Something as to give. IT IS THE SAME SHT EVERY SEASON. I THOUGHT WE GOT RID OF WM AND HIS SOFT ZONE DEFENSE??????????
Dawg Fan Trainer
October 15th, 2012
9:25 am
Boy, I’m really proud of our fan base. We have some serious loyalty, and lot’s of PERFECT fans.
Here’s some advice, and some of you should take it seriously.
Pick another team to cheer for. Honestly. We live in the land of the free, so make better choices…because you can. Instead of letting the quality of YOUR life be dictated by the UGA athletic department and the subsequent results of games played by teenagers and young adults, just change teams. Cheer for whoever is the best team every year and you’ll ALWAYS be happy. Don’t bother yourself with these yearly letdowns. For you, perfection is the only way. Since you are perfect in your life, your relationships, your job, you deserve a perfect team—-one that never messes up, ever…EVER. Since no single team ever has or ever will achieve that from here to eternity, you should all become fairweather fans and just pick the best team each year (or even each week, perhaps.) Wait until the games are done and you know the results and then pick the one that won by the most and let that be your team.
The truth is, you all love this misery…IT IS WHAT YOU LIVE FOR. You love wallowing in pity and being an internet head coach. You don’t love football, you don’t love the journey, you don’t love the thrill of the game and the season. Would it be fun to go undefeated? Yep. Would it be fun to go undefeated every year. Not really. Our local high school team has been dominant. Won 7 of the last 10 state titles. It’s fun, but honestly, #1 of those 7 was a hell of a lot more fun than the rest. You come to expect it, and then it’s old hat. The hype’s not the same, the energy’s not the same. At the end of the day, losing is what makes winning fun.
So, have fun cheering for your new teams, and leave these message boards to those of us who love UGA, win or lose.
By the way, congratulations on being perfect in all aspects of your life. That is so comendable.
Sammy
October 15th, 2012
9:25 am
This offense lost its’ top 2 rb’s, wr’s, te’s, and olinemen in the offseason, yet still is #1 in total yards and rush offense and scoring.
The special teams lost its’ All American Punter, and All American field goal kicker, lewft with 2 fresmen to replace, yet UGA is ranked #11.
The defense lost #1 safety All American for 4 games, #1 ILB All American B for 4 games, #1 DB for 2 games, #2 OLB for 2 games, and still UGA is ranked #11 in the nation after 6 games.
dawgcrzy
October 15th, 2012
9:25 am
sammy = sausage head
Just Saying
October 15th, 2012
9:26 am
I love the way folks call 12-2, 11-3, etc seasons, “same old crap with CMR”!!! His resume is pretty damn good…..light years better than 95% of the coaches out there. Yes, I want a better performance against the top ranked teams, but I also appreciate what he has accomplished……even if we get kicked by the Gators I will still support my Dawgs.
P.S. I sincerely believe many of the negative bloggers are GT fans acting like they are disgruntled Dawg fans…..that has to be the case with many of these blogs. Hmmmmm…..would GT benefit from a UGa coaching change?
UGA Insider
October 15th, 2012
9:27 am
UGA is obviously not as good as USCE and have no business in the SECCG. Last year I thought we had a better team although we lost head to head. This year we stunk up the field in Columbia and Richt should reject the invitation is we somehow make it.
BjohnDawg
October 15th, 2012
9:27 am
Beat Kentucky should be the goal this week.
let the rest take care of itself as it develops..
Sammy
October 15th, 2012
9:28 am
Bear Bryant didn’t win a Natl Champship in his first 11 seasons. Only finished in the top 10 once in his first 11 seasons.
Guess Bear Bryant can’t coach.
Dawg Whisperer
October 15th, 2012
9:28 am
I hope Tampa Gator is well compensated ‘cuz he is like the propaganda minister for the Gators. He has a fairy tale story ending for the Gators every time.
1eyedJack
October 15th, 2012
9:32 am
I am easily satisfied with the very best.
tony
October 15th, 2012
9:32 am
Sammy
October 15th, 2012
8:35 am
Naiive fan expect UGA to go undefeated every season, and beat every SEC team by an average fo 21 points (have beaten 5 of 6 teams in 2012 by average of 21 pts).
_______________________________________________
You can’t be a Ga fan to say something like that. Take notes from the great Lambardi.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while….you them right all the time.”
“There’s only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give it everything. I do, and I demand that my players do.” By Vince Lombardi
Dawgfan13
October 15th, 2012
9:33 am
What do you CMR headhunters want short of a NC? Even Saban and Miles lose games. It is extremely difficult to win out in the SEC. We may have been out coached against USC but we out coach a lot of other teams. Either support your Dawgs or put on a Tech shirt!
astrouga
October 15th, 2012
9:35 am
The beating we took in SC is not really representative of the potential we have. Sure, the coaching staff blew the game by not make the adjustments early, but they aren’t 28 points better. They just came out ready to play and we didn’t. Plus it didn’t help that Richt and Murray decided to use a visual queue on snaps that Clowney picked up right at the start.
The real test of this team is how we play against Florida. Recent tradition says it is a tough win for us. That said, with the talent we have, we should win. If we don’t, I’d say there should be some coaching changes. What good it 10 wins every season if we will always lose to two teams because the coaches can’t get our players fired up and the coaches can’t make the necessary adjustments.
Honestly, UGA will beat Kentucky. It won’t surprise me if we destroy them like we did Vandy. I also wouldn’t be surprised if we try some new things that cost us a bit and we don’t look that impressive at times. I guarantee the coaching staff is blowing off the comments when in front of the media, but that are going to be working the hardest they have in a while for the next two weeks.
And who ever posted that Auburn would beat us has no idea what they are talking about. They have not been watching Auburn play that is for sure.
UGA Insider
October 15th, 2012
9:35 am
Altamaha Dawg is the biggest homer in the world!
Now will you agree that UGA has the worst special teams unit in the country? We have given up 2 straight 70 yard punt returns for touchdowns.
Just Saying
October 15th, 2012
9:37 am
@Dawg Fan Trainer
Right on my friend. By the way, most of the negative bloggers are GT fans…..GUARANTEED!!! They all want CMR out of here. When UGa wins a game they immediately start tearing down the opponent, their schedule, etc. I’m still trying to figure out how SC’s schedule is so much tougher than UGa’s. Yes, they played a mediocre LSU team and UGa faces a fairly good Ole Miss team. Or maybe it is that SC plays An egg sucking Arkansas team and UGa plays Auburn (SEC and NC champs just afewyears ago). Or maybe it is that SC has to play all the teams in the East SEC……oh, UGa hastoplay them too. I guess the differences UGaplays GA Southern and SC has to play the mighty Wofford. Oooooops, I just found out that Wofford lost toGA Southern on Saturday….my bad!!!
BulldogBen
October 15th, 2012
9:39 am
I’d rather go play in the Peach Bowl that back into another SEC East title and get embarassed again on National television. Also, what in the last 5 years has shown that we’ll beat UF. Oh that’s right, NOTHING. BLECH.
DogFaceBlues
October 15th, 2012
9:39 am
@Just Saying,
Let me rephrase, Teams fielded Saturday night, SC had the beater team to win the game. The interception in the 4th by Shaw was the game changer. LSU slipped by a sloppy Auburn team and got manhandled by UF. The point I was trying to make is that with their 2nd team, they still had the will to win. UGA has lost the time of possession in about all the games this year. UGA dominated the entire 1st half of last years SECCG. So stats can be deceiving as well as scoreboards.
astrouga
October 15th, 2012
9:40 am
BTW, you go Sammy. I haven’t read all the posts, but it seems you are just supporting your thoughts with facts. Everyone else here is just letting their emotions get the best of them. Can’t say I blame them though — we should be undefeated right now. And I think if we had Meyer or Saban for that game, we would be.
NoGaGator
October 15th, 2012
9:40 am
Has Patrick changed his name to Sammy, lol?
astrouga
October 15th, 2012
9:41 am
I missed all the games this weekend except LSU vs. SC. Any worth watching on replay via espn3?
Silver Fox
October 15th, 2012
9:45 am
Please God, deliver me from whinners……We got blown out at SC, Get over it…..Thankfully, we have a chance to win our way back into the SECGA. To those who are afraid to face ALA/LSU, that doesn’t suprize me, if you had the courage to get into the arena, you would not be hiding in annomity behind a computer keyboard.
Like my family, I’m for the Dogs and our coaches win or lose…..however, I do love to win…..
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 15th, 2012
9:47 am
astrouga
Sammy’s facts are crap dude
Fact is Richt cant win big ball games; its a great thing we have 9-19 games every year that are pretty much easy victories
LowcountryDawg
October 15th, 2012
9:48 am
Richt doesn’t understand this:
“Effort is between you, and you, and nobody else. So that team that thinks it’s ready to see you, they think what they’ve seen on film, they ain’t saw what film shows, because every day is a new day. Every moment is a new moment. So now you’ve got to go out and show them that I’m a different creature now, then I was five minutes ago, cause I’m pissed off for greatness. Cause if you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre, and ain’t no man in here okay with just basic
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
October 15th, 2012
9:49 am
Silver Fox
This coaching staff has no courage against the top 10 and they have the record to prove it
Go pull for Vandy; they are excited when they beat a top 30 team
Sammy
October 15th, 2012
9:51 am
NoGaGator, I see Thomas Brown/Bulldawg is back.
DogFaceBlues
October 15th, 2012
9:51 am
Low Country,
That should be chiseled on the outdoor of the UGA locker room!
GATiger
October 15th, 2012
9:57 am
Relax, Dawg fans. SC will beat the Gators. LSU played inspired ball Saturday night, and that kind of effort would have beaten the lizards. So Richt and Co. just have to focus on winning out. However, the Rebs (brown bears?) is a trap game, especially if it’s in Oxford. And then there’s the SECCG…
GT
October 15th, 2012
9:57 am
I guess if South Carolina loses to Florida on the end of a death march schedule they do not deserve to be in the division championship game. The problem you have here is neither does Georgia. Not that it matters but Richt benefits from this, his contract got extended last year, and it is smoke and mirrors for him. The defensive co got a raise.
The reason South Carolina really improves every year is because they actually get wet, not sit in louge chairs by the pool and wait for someone to drown so they can claim their girlfriend. Is there anyone out there with a football purpose that would want Richt above Spurrier as their coach. Lord if Georgia had played LSU last Saturday in Baton Rouge, you think it would have been a two point game? And now they get the favor of South Carolina softening up Florida the week before they play the only other real team on their schedule. Hell if anyone at Georgia deserves the raise or extension it is the athletic director that negotiated an easy schedule in the hardest conference in America, year after year after year. That man is a genius.
t rex
October 15th, 2012
10:03 am
True UGA fans complain because we care. We want to see change because we want a winner. We are tired of so so teams. If you are satified with UGA now—-you could have never played for Lombardi———–he wanted to strive for excellence all the time—————————-period. It was his way or the hightway. Maybe that UGA president should wake up and smell what he has been selling.
old dog
October 15th, 2012
10:03 am
Saturday night was smash-mouth football. We have the skill players but not the line to compete in that type of arena. We cannot line up toe-to toe like LSU or South Carolina for a slugfest……as many of you have said…we cannot win them all. But, we cannot compete in the upper eschelon of the SEC ’till we get better in the trenches (see o-line!) We just ain’t quite got the hosses up front……….
LowcountryDawg
October 15th, 2012
10:07 am
We play this game to win championships. Bottom line Championships. Guess what? they are in our way and they are gonna get hit in the mouth today. 60 mins of pure chaos!
t rex
October 15th, 2012
10:07 am
you have a point there GT—