Georgia advances to No. 5 in BCS standings
In a weekend that saw them move closer to the SEC Championship game, the Georgia Bulldogs also inched up in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
Georgia climbed one spot to No. 5 in the latest BCS standings, released Sunday night, becoming the highest ranked one-loss team and the second highest ranked SEC team.
Alabama remained No. 1 after Saturday’s last-minute 21-17 victory at LSU. Kansas State stayed No. 2, while last week’s Nos. 3 and 4 teams swapped positions – Oregon climbing to No. 3 and Notre Dame dipping to No. 4.
Georgia replaced LSU at No. 5 after staying on track for the SEC Championship game by beating Ole Miss.
Georgia will represent the SEC East in the Dec. 1 game at the Georgia Dome if it wins at Auburn on Saturday. Alabama will represent the Western Division in the Dome if it wins either of its two remaining league games: Saturday vs. Texas A&M and Nov. 24 vs. Auburn.
The top two teams in the final BCS standings will play for the national title Jan. 7 in Miami. Georgia’s climb in the standings from a starting point of No. 11 on Oct. 14 has some fans wondering about a possible — albeit unlikely — route to the top two for the Bulldogs.
While there are no assurances in a system based on polls and computers, this is what probably would have to happen: The Bulldogs would have to win their three remaining regular-season games, would have to beat an undefeated Alabama in the SEC title game and would need two of the other three undefeated teams ranked ahead of them to lose a game.
The BCS standings include three components that count one-third each: the USA Today poll of current coaches; the Harris Interactive poll of former coaches, administrators and players and current and former media members; and an average of six computer polls.
Georgia is ranked No. 5 in the USA Today and Harris polls and No. 6 in the computers. In the Associated Press poll — not part of the BCS formula — Georgia is tied for fifth with unbeaten Ohio State, which is ineligible for the BCS because of NCAA sanctions.
The Bulldogs would have climbed one more notch in the BCS standings if Pittsburgh had pulled off an upset of Notre Dame on Saturday. But the Irish rallied from a 20-6 fourth-quarter deficit and won 29-26 in triple overtime to stay in the BCS top four. Five SEC teams are in the top eight.
Georgia (8-1, 6-1 SEC) vows to keep its focus on Saturday’s game at Auburn (2-7, 0-6).
“We’ve got to win that game,” UGA center David Andrews said, “or all those other victories don’t matter.”
While a win would put Georgia in the SEC title game for the second consecutive year, a loss would send Florida to the Dome.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity we have,” UGA receiver Tavarres King said. “To have an opportunity to go back to the Dome and win an SEC championship, it’s right there at the tips of our fingers. We’ve just got to go get it.”
– Tim Tucker
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178 comments Add your comment
GS-VSU
November 5th, 2012
8:58 am
Several years ago they took a film crew to Boone North Carolina to do a documentary on Appalachian State when they went into Michigan and beat them in their own stadium. The film crews are now working in Statesboro on a team scheduled to visit Athens in two weeks. The same team that went into Tuscaloosa last year and scored twenty eight points against the defense that did not allow LSU to cross the fifty yard line…… Maybe it isn’t Auburn you need to worry about. Talk about a bubble buster…..Georgia Southern 31 Georgia 28
chilidawg
November 5th, 2012
9:06 am
No way this team plays for a MNC this year. Even if we win out and some other teams lose, the BCS will be making a case for a one-loss Oregon, K-State or Notre Dame. SEC fatigue has set in with the BCS and they are looking for a reason to leave us out. Everyone knew that our schedule was weak coming into this season and the ONE game that we knew we really had to prepare for was Carolina. This coaching staff did not get it done. No way we play for a national title with that beatdown on our record. But, there’s always next year, right? Sigh….
Gary
November 5th, 2012
9:06 am
Beat Auburn and you will have the ENTIRE NATION rooting for Georgia!!! Suddenly everyone will want us to beat BAMA to keep the SEC out of the NC title game. Go Dawgs. Give the Nation what they want, a non SEC Oregon vs. Kansas State national championsip game. (ND will loose to USC).
Truth
November 5th, 2012
9:07 am
Bama played their first good team of the year and should’ve lost. They physically got beat by LSU but Les Miles stupid decisions led to Bama being able to pull that one out of their rear region.
mike addington
November 5th, 2012
9:24 am
All U jokers who write about UGA’s soft schedule, take a look at BAMA’s. LSU was their only tough game. Miss St is who we thought they were, middle of the road team. If GA is on all cylinders and MUrray in particular, UGA has the best team in the USA. Not the best coaches, but the best team. If CMR can get the team motivated and Murray doest get deer-in-the=headlights moments, we can beat anybody. Can anybody say 4 yes 4 first-round draft choices on D alone. However, I do think we have significantly underachieved this year. But I’m hopeful for the future. GO DAWGS. JUNKYARD DAWGS
Bama Looked Like Crap
November 5th, 2012
9:29 am
#1 in the country My Butt……They can and will be beat by Georgia
Roolie Pollie
November 5th, 2012
9:32 am
Last night on the BCS countdown shown @ 8:30 on ESPN on of the announcers said that IF Georgia played their best game on Defense, Offense and Special Teams ALL within the same game that they could beat anybody in the country, including Alabama..It can happen folks.
Hate GT
November 5th, 2012
9:45 am
Jarvis,
Is that really you?
If so you are one nice young man and I wish you the very best.
Thank you very much
VCGA
November 5th, 2012
9:54 am
Just another reason the BCS rankings are crap, Falcons get no respect, Dawgs get undeserving respect. How about “strength of schedule” factor? Well at least it gives Dawg fans something to talk about now that they’ve jumped back on the Richt wagon.
Rodster
November 5th, 2012
9:56 am
I’m glad for the Dawgs. I want them to win. But honestly, the polls are such a beauty contes. LSU should have won that game. They outplayed Alabama until the last 2 minutes of the game. Give Alabama credit for keeping their composure and doing what they needed to win. But if Alabama is the consensus #1 team (and to hear the sports media talk, they are head and shoulders above everyone else. I don’t think so…) then LSU really should not be penalized much for losing a close one on the last drive.
flo-ri-duh
November 5th, 2012
9:57 am
Closet Tech Nerds abound – jealous cry babies. One thing stood out when I looked at Auburn’s record. They lost to LSU 12 – 10. They also lost several other fairly close games. And of course they got blown out in a couple of games. The loss of Marlon Brown and Michael Bennett is a tough blow as other teams can now double team Malcolm Mitchell and they were already double teaming Tavarres King. They are also good down field blockers and this will effect the run game. UGA has had fewer long runs since Michael Bennett got injured. Conley is talented and he has to step up now and be a good possession receiver – along with McGowen. Tibbs is still being redshirted so Scott – Wesley will get his chance and he can fly. The TE’s and RB’s will get more passes the next three games. Happy for Little Tree getting some playing time and coming through, Auburn isn’t going to roll over and they would LOVE to ruin the Dawg’s dreams. Got come in ready to play in the 1st quarter and eliminate the turnovers and mistakes on offense. Auburn will be physical and it’s going to be a game won in the trenches. Go Dawgs!
UGA is highly regarded
November 5th, 2012
10:06 am
Fools, haters, uneducated non readers ….. LOOK at the polls. Yes, UGA was BLOWN OUT by SC but the pollsters must like what they see, schedule and all.
No, at the end of the day, HATERS and local GT fans drive the naysayers. UGA fans know these clowns are jealous and we love it.
Go Dogs.
Heat Check: Falcons and Bulldogs and Hawks, oh my!!! | Mark Bradley
November 5th, 2012
10:07 am
[...] win the SEC East, they’re in position to do just that. Ranked No. 6 nationally in preseason, they’re No. 5 in the latest BCS standings. Barometer reading: Let’s say Georgia keeps winning and manages to topple No. 1 Alabama in [...]
Joey
November 5th, 2012
10:10 am
I’d say if our loss was a 3-point loss to SC on the road, we would get consideration, provided we win the rest including the SECCG. But not with that blowout on our record.
ESPN would hammer us on that point, and sway voters to get the unbeatens in.
And we would become the 1st SEC Champion to not make the Big Game, since the last time we were (’05).
Just my opinion of course, but all of that is a long way down the road.
disaster in Columbia
November 5th, 2012
10:11 am
some thoughts…UGA’s defense on its best day isn’t close to being as good as LSU’s…by the time the SECCG rolls around, LSU will have passed UGA in the BCS rankings because of UGA’s famous strength of scheduling (Auburn, Tech, GASouthern versus MissST, Ole Miss, Arkansas)…after Bama plants their foot in UGA’s backside, SC and Florida will have passed UGA, so, no BCS game for the dawgs…a great opportunity to lose another CapOne/Gator/Outback/Massingills Bowl…30+ years of history back up my statement…hahahahahaha!!!!!!! losers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Roolie Pollie
November 5th, 2012
10:14 am
@ Disaster in Columbia,
Too bad your team cant win enough games to make it to SEC champ game…
Can you say sour grapes????/
Suck it loser……….
An Auburn Fan in Augusta
November 5th, 2012
10:16 am
Love my tigers, but GA will DESTROY us this yr.
robodawg
November 5th, 2012
10:19 am
Really hard for us to make it to BCS if 2 or 3 teams stay undefeated ahead of us. Especially if one of them is Notre Dumb. There’ve been several 1-2 loss SEC teams win the MNC, but it all depends on the year and who else is out there in the nation. Hope other people lose some games, but bottom line is we gotta just go out and win the SEC. We’ll have our hands full with Bama.
evansdawg
November 5th, 2012
10:24 am
Georgia wins out on the regular season, then gets beaten by Bama….Dawgs go Sugar as Bama would go to the title game. If Dawgs beat Bama, they probably still go Sugar. But they have to get through Auburn first…and Auburn has taken a lot away from the Dawgs over the years. I know this Auburn War Tiger team is horrid, but they will put up a fight on the plains. Not a ‘gimme-game.’ Thats a bitter rivalry.
chilidawg
November 5th, 2012
10:24 am
Just like a politician, Les Miles will forget all about what he said about UGA not winning the conference in 2007 and say, “Hey, we’re the best team in the country, we should get our shot.”
munsondawg
November 5th, 2012
10:24 am
But its going to be an exciting 4 more weeks robodawg!!! Agree????
Bazooka Joe
November 5th, 2012
10:27 am
We wont go tothe NCG – there is a rule – any team that loses to south caroilina is prohibited from participating in the national championship game.
OK, seriously, the fact that we got whipped at south carolina would most likely keep us out of the game. I will tell everyone here the same thing I tell south carolina fan who moan and complain – “just win your games and it wont be an issue”.
Go Dawgs
Chris Mike
November 5th, 2012
10:35 am
Well it like this LSU is a two game loser in the SEC Florida beat them and now they lost to Alabama. It don’t matter that we lost to SC, we are a one lost team and we beat the team that beat LSU. Go Dawgs!
GTJohn
November 5th, 2012
10:35 am
Tech may give the Dawgs a game for the first half but in the end, it will not even be close. The Dawgs are for real, Murray is the real deal and he has excellent receivers to throw it to. I look for them to give Bama all they can handle and I would not count them out of the winning column. If Murray is on, Dawgs win that one.
Joey
November 5th, 2012
10:38 am
“UGA’s defense on its best day isn’t close to being as good as LSU’s…”
************************
Actually nerd, on our “best day,” our D was better than LSU’s. Our D gave up 0 TDs vs UF, while LSU gave up 2 TDs vs the Gators.
Obviously we haven’t been all season, but that isn’t what you said.
disaster in Columbia
November 5th, 2012
10:40 am
@evansdawg…when UGA loses to Bama, Florida or LSU will go to the Sugar Bowl if they win their remaning games…both will pass UGA in BCS polls…have a good time in Florida…
Finish the drill
November 5th, 2012
10:42 am
IF this team comes together and plays a full 60 minutes in all three facets of the game, they can and will beat their remaining opponents, including Bama. They just have to want it; the talent is there. And if that happens, they will have earned legitimate BCSNC-game discussion, even if ND, Oregon, and KSU all win out. As long as the Dawgs keep winning, at least we have a reason to care about watching all these other lesser (but undefeated) teams playing in crappy games that otherwise wouldn’t merit any attention at all. At this point in the season, that’s about as much as you can ask for. P.S. We will miss you, Marlon Brown. Best of luck in the NFL. You will be a good one.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
10:43 am
UGa is the #5 team in the country like Bama can beat an NFL team.
Uncle Kirk
November 5th, 2012
10:43 am
Actually old dog…….south Carolina is 3rd fiddle….not 2nd
GATiger
November 5th, 2012
10:44 am
The scheduling gods have indeed smiled on Athens, but it all comes to a halt on the first Saturday in December. Even the staunchest Dawg fan can’t really believe his team is going to stay on the field with the Tide.
Joey
November 5th, 2012
10:50 am
“Dawgs go Sugar as Bama would go to the title game.”
********************************
evansvilledawg, if UGA loses to Bama, and UF wins out, they well jump UGA in the BCS Standings, in which case the Gators would go to the Sugar Bowl, not us. The Sugar takes the highest ranked SEC team, not necessarily the runner up.
Blake
November 5th, 2012
10:51 am
I’m loving the Dawg’s intensity they are playing with now! That’s exactly what we needed from Shawn Williams to light a fire under our butts. I think all the pieces to the puzzle are coming together and it’s gonna be awesome! Support the Dawgs on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dawg-Report/534572523224904
Heat Check: Falcons and Bulldogs and Hawks, oh my!!! | Egypt
November 5th, 2012
10:55 am
[...] to win the SEC East, they’re in position to do just that. Ranked No. 6 nationally in preseason, they’re No. 5 in the latest BCS standings. Barometer reading: Let’s say Georgia keeps winning and manages to topple No. 1 Alabama in the [...]
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
10:58 am
Grantham gets $850k/12 games = $78,333.33 per game.
Shouldn’t Grantham pay SHAWN WILLIAMS at least $78,333.33 to get the UGa D to finally play ball?
pugweezel7
November 5th, 2012
11:00 am
I LOVE MY DAWGS…WIN OR LOSE…ALWAYS HAVE …ALWAYS WILL….GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…GREAT SEASON SO FAR…KEEP IT UP…GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!
disaster in Columbia
November 5th, 2012
11:03 am
I consider being banned by Bill King a Badge of Honor…
JvilleDawg
November 5th, 2012
11:07 am
Lee
November 5th, 2012
6:23 am
I’m a Georgia fan, but I have to admit that LSU got a raw deal on this one. They took the number one team to the wire and get leapfrogged by a UGA team that laid an egg in South Carolina.
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
Seriously?! It was LSU’s SECOND loss and we beat one of the teams that beat them!
Get a life!
disaster in Columbia
November 5th, 2012
11:07 am
tell ‘em Joey…Georgia went to the Sugar Bowl in 07 even though Tennessee won the east, lost the SECCG to LSU…BCS gave UGA Hawaii as a consolation prize…
DeezNutz
November 5th, 2012
11:12 am
Has anyone heard any hilarious jibs at Georgia from ole Darth Visor lately? Didn’t think so. I think his head exploded when we beat Florida.
disaster in Columbia
November 5th, 2012
11:13 am
JvilleDawg…you don’t honestly think Murray would have beaten LSU in Baton Rouge Saturday night? He would have had to change his uniform pants at least twice before he got pulled…Bama was the ONLY team in America that could have won in that environment, and i’m an LSU fan…
Sports Fan
November 5th, 2012
11:13 am
UGA Fans are funny. Richt has consistently given them very very respectable seasons, yet they call for his head if he loses one game or has a slow start in the beginning of the season. Its funny because GA Fans act like their football program has some kind of legendary history the likes of Florida, FSU, Notre Dame, USC, Alabama. You have only won ONE national championship 32 YEARS ago and only because you had ONE phenomenal athlete. Richt is a great coach esp. for Georgia.
He Hate Gator
November 5th, 2012
11:25 am
There are too many undefeated teams at present for Georgia to play for the BCS Championship. Focus at the moment needs to be on remaining games, especially Auburn..
RxDawg
November 5th, 2012
11:26 am
First things first, we have got to focus on Auburn, not Alabama.
If we beat Auburn, then I really don’t think we’ll be able to block Bama. Nor do I think we’ll be able to consistently stop their awesome running game.
That all said, I don’t care what the rest of the top teams do. If UGA somehow managed to get up and knock off an undefeated Bama in the dome, then we are the best team in the land in my eyes. And it’d be just our luck that the year we won the SEC there would be two other undfeated teams to play for the “national title”. And then the trolls and negative fans would continue to gripe about how Richt can’t win the big one :eyeroll:
DeezNutz
November 5th, 2012
11:32 am
Sports Fan, I noticed you threw Floriduh and Free Shoes U in there as legendary programs. When you included those two in there you kinda destroyed your credibility. Before Steve Spurrier arrived Floriduh was a bit of a joke, didn’t win an SEC championship till 91 or something like that. Similarly, ND had six national championships and even lowly Georgia had one before FSU even had a football program.
RxDawg
November 5th, 2012
11:36 am
Ya know, I gota say I’m really impressed to see such level headness from the UGA fans in here today. Good job guys. Now let’s go beat Auburn.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
11:37 am
DeezNutz…………..How many National Championship in recent memory do the Gators have? FSU spent a Decade finishing the season in the Top 5…………….UGa is so 80’s like the B-52’s
RxDawg
November 5th, 2012
11:37 am
And Tampa Gator, your absolutely right. If things play out the way most experts think they will, then UF will go on to the Sugar and we’ll go on to the Capital One. But also keep in mind, the way they do these silly bowl game selections the Capital One could be a much better matchup then the Sugar. Plus, you boys gotta knock off FSU. That’s not a given.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 5th, 2012
11:40 am
FSU will beat the Gators.
DeezNutz
November 5th, 2012
11:42 am
Sports Fan, I do agree that we’re kinda rediculous when it comes to Richt. I used to be a hater too, but I look around and see all of these flash in the pan coaches like Coach Cheezdik at Auburn and I’m really happy with Richt. I bet most of the people in Tenn a few years back that ran Fulmer out of town would love to have a Citrus Bowl invite this season, and he won a National Championship. Yes, we’re fickle fans, but it’s because we know we have a very good program with a proud tradition of success over a hundred years and it’s time for another national championship.
JvilleDawg
November 5th, 2012
11:46 am
@ disaster in Columbia
Let’s talk bowl history shall we
Here’s South Crapolina’s bowl history over the past 30yrs
2011: Cap One Bowl W vs Nebraska (30-13)- good start
2010: Peach Bowl L vs FSU (17-26)- here we go….
2009 Papajohns.com Bowl L vs UConn (7-20)
2008 Outback Bowl – L Iowa (10-31)
2007 NO BOWL finished 6-6
2006 Liberty Bowl W vs Houston (44-36)
2005 Independence Bowl L vs Missouri (31-38)
2004 NO BOWL finished 6-5
2003 NO BOWL finished 5-7
2002 NO BOWL finished 5-7
2001 Outback Bowl W (31-28)
2000 Outback Bowl W (24-7)
1999 NO BOWL finished 0-11
1998 NO BOWL finished 1-10
1997 NO BOWL finished 5-6
1996 NO BOWL finished 6-5
1995 NO BOWL finshed 4-6-1
1994 Carquest Bowl W vs W.Va (24-21)
1993 NO BOWL finished 5-6
1992: NO BOWL finished 5-6
1991 NO BOWL finished 3-6-2
1990 NO BOWL finished 6-5
1989 NO BOWL finished 6-4-1
1988 Liberty Bowl L vs Indiana (10-34)
1987 Gator Bowl L vs LSU (13-30)
1986 NO BOWL 3-6-2
1985 NO BOWL finished 5-6
1984 Gator Bowl L vs Oklahoma St (14-21)
1983 NO BOWL finished 5-6
1982 NO BOWL finished 4-7
NO BCS BOWL APPERANCES – gotta get there to win one
NO SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS – your ONE appearance ended in a 56-17 embarrassment
AND your most signifigant bowl appearance is the freakin CAP ONE BOWL
Granted you’ve tasted a little success against the Dawgs in recent years, I’ll grant you that, but really that’s about all you have your hat to hang on.
Now run along…