Bulldogs finish with Top 5 rankings in both polls
The Georgia Bulldogs finished with a Top 5 ranking in both The Associated Press and coaches’ final polls released early Tuesday. But the Bulldogs remained behind Notre Dame, which lost to Alabama 42-14 in the BCS national championship game Monday night.
Georgia (12-2) finished in a tie for fifth with Texas A&M in the AP poll, which is a compilation of media votes. Notre Dame (12-1) was fourth. The Bulldogs were fourth in the USA Today coaches’ poll, one spot behind the Fighting Irish.
This represents the third time under coach Mark Richt the Bulldogs’ have closed out a season with a Top 5 ranking. They were No. 2 in 2007 and No. 3 in 2002. It’s Georgia’s sixth Top 10 final ranking under Richt, including 2003 (7), 2004 (7), 2005 (10) and 2008 (10). It’s the 18th time overall UGA has finished ranked among the AP top 10.
Alabama secured its third BCS title in the last four years Monday night in Miami to finish No. 1. Oregon (12-1) was second in both polls and Ohio State was ranked third in the AP, despite being on NCAA probation and ineligible for postseason play or conference championships.
Following are the complete polls:
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25
Record Pts Pv
1. Alabama (59) 13-1 1,475 2
2. Oregon 12-1 1,358 5
3. Ohio St. 12-0 1,302 3
4. Notre Dame 12-1 1,288 1
5. Georgia 12-2 1,230 6
5. Texas A&M 11-2 1,230 10
7. Stanford 12-2 1,169 8
8. South Carolina 11-2 1,038 11
9. Florida 11-2 933 4
10. Florida St. 12-2 922 13
11. Clemson 11-2 889 14
12. Kansas St. 11-2 871 7
13. Louisville 11-2 781 22
14. LSU 10-3 756 9
15. Oklahoma 10-3 615 12
16. Utah St. 11-2 456 18
17. Northwestern 10-3 443 21
18. Boise St. 11-2 419 20
19. Texas 9-4 358 NR
20. Oregon St. 9-4 303 15
21. San Jose St. 11-2 243 24
22. N. Illinois 12-2 227 16
23. Vanderbilt 9-4 180 NR
24. Michigan 8-5 147 19
25. Nebraska 10-4 119 23
Others receiving votes: Baylor 95, Penn St. 90, Cincinnati 78, Oklahoma St. 42, Tulsa 34, UCLA 31, Arkansas St. 28, TCU 9, UCF 9, Wisconsin 6, N. Dakota St. 1.
USA TODAY COACHES’ POLL
Record Pts Pvs
1. Alabama (56) 13-1 1,400 2
2. Oregon 12-1 1,322 3
3. Notre Dame 12-1 1,253 1
4. Georgia 12-2 1,213 5
5. Texas A&M 11-2 1,171 9
6. Stanford 12-2 1,167 8
7. South Carolina 11-2 1,064 10
8. Florida State 12-2 942 12
9. Clemson 11-2 916 13
10. Florida 11-2 886 4
11. Kansas State 11-2 841 6
12. LSU 10-3 775 7
13. Louisville 11-2 772 18
14. Boise State 11-2 633 15
15. Oklahoma 10-3 600 11
16. Northwestern 10-3 580 17
17. Utah State 11-2 444 20
18. Texas 9-4 398 25
19. Oregon State 9-4 366 14
20. Vanderbilt 9-4 248 NR
21. San Jose State 11-2 244 24
22. Cincinnati 10-3 186 NR
23. Nebraska 10-4 175 21
24. Northern Illinois 12-2 156 16
25. Tulsa 11-3 110 NR
Others receiving votes: Michigan 101; UCLA 75; Baylor 52; Oklahoma State 36; Wisconsin 18; Central Florida 15; Arkansas State 13; Arizona State 10; Rutgers 9; Kent State 5; Louisiana Tech 2; Arizona 1; Ohio 1.
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368 comments Add your comment
Just In...........
January 8th, 2013
2:02 pm
A Dawg Fan, but here’s GEORGIA’S reality. MIKE BOBO! Mike Smith the Atlanta Falcons Coach had to face that reality, and so far it’s paid off. The Talent is here, just look at the last two games, They used there T.E.’s alot, question is why didn’t you all year when they both came in in different years ranked #2 and #3 in the country. Why was Marshall not used more against Bama? I could go n and on, but last but not least, why did we wait to see Marshall could catch outta the bacfield in the last game, when he could;ve been a swing pass away from breaking many long runs, and freezing LB’s while on the field with Gurley. DAWG NATION, YOU GOT TO MUCH TALENT, and not ENOUGH ANSWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DP
January 8th, 2013
2:04 pm
“Just In”, you are incorrect about Ohio State being 1-7 against SEC teams. After their forfeit of their narrow bowl win against Arkansas because Tressel knowingly played several ineligible players including the QB Pryor, they’re 0-10 against the SEC in bowl games.
DP
January 8th, 2013
2:07 pm
And “Just In”, Georgia’s defense gave up 350 yards rushing and 32 points to Alabama and you think Mike Bobo was the limiting factor on this year’s Georgia team?
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
2:08 pm
dp,
Tell me something I don’t know. Please.
Another SEC! SEC! vs. a single team guy.
Tell me, dp. Are you Auburn, Tennessee, Miss State??
SEC! SEC!
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
2:16 pm
dogs,
Notice all the media outlets are talking Alabama dominance, not dog dominance.
ronhen24
January 8th, 2013
2:19 pm
Clowney the King, did you watch the same Clemson Tigers team. Clemson lost 2 games and they led in both of them to FSU and South Carolina. They defense cost them those two games. Clemson can score with any team in the country. They should of beat LSU worst than a field goal. They are a good football team with back-to-back 11 win seasons. With the recruiting class they have coming in, they will be right back in the thick of things. They beat 2 SEC teams, so what is the problem and they are by far the best conference in the country. Keep you r head up player, they just showed LSU who have the real Death Valley stadium team is.
Just In...........
January 8th, 2013
2:19 pm
BUCKEYE, Not Trashing U, but facts are facts. Your school cheated! More than once. PSU knew the deal and looked past it. That doesn’t make me disgusting for stating facts! Your program brought in a first rate coach, but he’ll tell you he has to recruit in the SOUTH if he’s to compete. The only way to beat these kids is with speed. Let’s look at it from this way, Your greatest Passer yards wise is from where? Miss, All time greatest rushers, SMITH, PEYTON from where? Fla, and Miss! Greatest receiver ever from where? Miss! Sack Leader (R.White) Tenn. Arguebly the greatest College RB’s WALKER, B. JACKSON, E. SMITH, DICKERSON, J.BROWN, R. WILLIAMS,just to name a few. Southern Boys BUCKEYE! This is how we do in the south,
te29wr
January 8th, 2013
2:27 pm
Happest man in Miami, Urban” Quiter” Cryer that he did not have to play Ala,UGA, S.Car.,LSU, Texas A&M and Fla. But he will not get to play them next year with a weak schedule and a bad Big 10 Good luck, Luck Eyes
Alabama Dog
January 8th, 2013
2:29 pm
Buckeye: know where I can swap Ohio St memrobilia for a tattoo, or should I ask Pryor?
graphite
January 8th, 2013
2:32 pm
They will do all they can to dilute the SEC. It started early with Sou.Cal.,then Oregon and K.St. Now that the best 3 are SEC,it’s obama time,tell some lies and rank little leagurers up front…. It’s good we (BAMA) won another one,the oysters,shrimp and beer tasted extra good last night ! One thing for certain,you good Dawg folks are #2 in our book..See you next Dec…… RollOn…
Just In...........
January 8th, 2013
2:32 pm
DP, I stand corrected, and “Thank You”, but I’m not talking one game with BOBO, I’m talking total performance. Do you remember the KENTUCKY Game? Fla Game were we didn’t even play a back(SAMUELS) that clearly gashed them last year. The Blowouts that we failed to have Backups get adequate time, and last but forever in DAWG LOVERS minds, the SEC CG, were your OC clearly should’ve told the QB to spike the ball. Did you see ALA’s OC last night? This is a guy that QB’d at Idaho. He had command of the “O”, Bobo didn’t in the SECCG, and he’s been there both as a QB nd OC. Still wanna question me?
BigGAdawg
January 8th, 2013
2:33 pm
The Fighting Catholics should be ranked out of the top ten NO DOUBT!!!
Bama #1, Dawgs #2, A&M #3, ND #12 or worse. They did NOT belong in this game, clearly!
WDE
January 8th, 2013
2:35 pm
Buckeye I noticed a ton of media talking SEC domination also…live with it …hey there is a reason your bunch never beats us in bowl games you don’t choke…. we are just better….
Jabo
January 8th, 2013
2:41 pm
Georgia a top 5 team in the nation is a joke. With the cupcake schedule they played they should be ashamed. I can name at least 10 teams that could beat them now. But we shouldn’t even care because no one will remember by next year. Wonder what their schedule looks like for next year. Gamecocks will destroy them again and after that the patsies are already lined up . If you want to be great try scheduling and beating great teams. They sure didn’t beat any great teams this year.
Just In...........
January 8th, 2013
2:43 pm
LSU VS UGA will be a CLASSIC in 2013. They both will be fighting for the right to stick there chest out, and ALA VS TEX A&M will be a Classic. Nick will remind them of this loss. Big ten Fans can you say any other gae outside Mich vs OSU that will be major? We Got Fla vs Ga, Ala vs LSU, S.C. vs UGA. People this is all PRIMETIME GAMES, hat’s your conference gonna do?
DP
January 8th, 2013
2:50 pm
Buckeye, I’m not an SEC guy, I’m an Alabama grad. When I was in school, Alabama drilled THE Ohio State University 35-6 in the Sugar Bowl, starting the long Ohio State bowl losing streak against the SEC which continues to this day. I think it was the following year that Woody Hayes assaulted a Clemson defender who intercepted a pass and ended his career in disgrace. National championships since 1960: Alabama 10, Ohio State 2
Just In...........
January 8th, 2013
2:52 pm
JABO,Clemson, South Carolina, N. Texas, and LSU in the first four, then A SEC schedule. Have you not noticed that Vandy, Fla, and even Ga Tech went bowling this year? Weak schedule? Ask Coach Saban who was bettr, UGA or Notre Dame! Ask his players if you doubt him. JABO, who you think goes first Ogletree or Te’o after the Bowls?
It never ends
January 8th, 2013
2:55 pm
Notre D would lose 3-4 games in the SEC East, probably 3-4 in the West. Bama, Ga, Fla, LSU, South Carolina, probably Vandy, this year, would’ve defeated ND. The Fartin Arsh were exposed, totally exposed as a media creation. The BCS rules are slanted toward them, and always have been. No other program is allowed to join a major conference such as the ACC, in all sports but football. I’m no Bama fan, I’m just pointing out a fact of NCAA life. Any other team loses a game by 4 Td’s and drops two spots in the polls?? Puhleeze.
It never ends
January 8th, 2013
2:58 pm
Jabo,
You gripe about Ga’s schedule, stating they shouldn’t be in the top five.. Ok. I’m guessing you also disagree with ND being there. Barely beat Stanford, Five OT’ s to beat Pitt? The fact that the Arsh only dropped two spots is beyond ridiculous.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:03 pm
dp,
Congrats. I have no issues with tour success.
I do have issues with delusional dogs.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:04 pm
alabama dog,
Ask Pryor. He’s made $400-$500K on the NFL this year.
What’s your W2 look like?
One of the 50% who pays zero in Federal Income taxes?
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:06 pm
dp,
We love Woody. Always have, always will. Sure, he made mistakes but most have no clue of the good he did off the field.
danny
January 8th, 2013
3:12 pm
Pryor only made 400-500k. that’s probably a pay cut from the bank of tressel. go home bucky. find the osu blog
marseilles mutt
January 8th, 2013
3:13 pm
Pretty darn good year and I look for omprovement next year predicated on experience; especially with AM coming back. This will be especially true in the month of September. Come out of there 3-1, and we should be in the hunt until the end!
What UGA should worry about is what the defenses of those September opponents will look like….if we can play only as well as the ‘12 underachievers, we should be alright.
Loved the bowl season: Tech, Louisville, ‘Bama and of course The Dogs kind of set things straight, although for the life of me, I cannot understand what happened to the ‘Lizards’…..and if they ever have an OL Hall of Fame, the 1st inductee is B Jones of UA!
Ain’t NOBODY whoever played in the line from peewee on up, who hasn’t wanted at one time or another to tell his QB to “FO and STFU” and then almost shove him on his ass; great and I loved it! To top it Jones should have gone over after the game and smooched up that AU cutie of McCarron’s!
Go Dawgs and as someone said sarcasticly, “Hope do spring eternal don’t it?”…yep!
Independent
January 8th, 2013
3:13 pm
You UGA fans cerack me up, you would be ranked above ND if your only loss was to Bama, but you dawg fans seem to have forgot about the 35-7 beat down in Columbia.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:14 pm
dogs,
How’s “Tub” Jenkins off-season makeover progressing?
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:15 pm
danny,
Perhaps.
Alabama Dog
January 8th, 2013
3:16 pm
Buckeye: nNce fallback position. Nobody’s talking about what Pryor’s making now. In all likelihood, probably a pay cut from his days as a Buckeye. Is that all you got?
Snoop Dawg
January 8th, 2013
3:18 pm
Looks like Defense is now UGA’s weak link. If Grantham can fix it next year, then we can go all the way. If not, then we need to fire him.
Woogie
January 8th, 2013
3:21 pm
Last nite’s game reminded me of SCar vs UGa game. Neither ND nor UGa shud have finished in top five.
Independent
January 8th, 2013
3:23 pm
As an ND fan, I have to say last night was a nightmare, but then I woke up and realized we were still ranked ahead of Georgia. Then I realized that after being humilated, we are still better than UGA
Dawglasville
January 8th, 2013
3:26 pm
Buckeye – “Tell me, dp. Are you Auburn, Tennessee, Miss State??”
Have you played one down of football for Ohio State? Because you sure act like you have somehow contributed to Ohio State’s success. I don’t see how these guys trying to make you feel small about your team losing to the SEC every year is any different than you trying to make them feel small about UGA not winning a title.
Jabo – please tell me all of the tough out of conference games you guys have played in over the last 10 years. You play your conference schedule. You play your in-state rival. Then you play a bunch of directional schools. You guys are going to play Clemson, just like we are going to play Tech, every year whether they suck or they are good. You don’t have a leg to stand on. Just live with the fact that the national media and the Div. 1 college coaches don’t see it the way that you do.
Fair n Balanced
January 8th, 2013
3:27 pm
These polls mean less and less. This final ranking smacks of politics. Thought we finished that in November.
Alabama Dog
January 8th, 2013
3:28 pm
Independent: as a ND fan, after last night, you should just lick your wounds, and shut your mouth! Better than UGA? Highly doubtful. The Fighting Irish gave up MORE points to Alabama in a little over ONE HALF than Georgia did for an entire game!
2-times on 3-year probation this decade coots
January 8th, 2013
3:33 pm
LSU seemed like they wanted to be there for 3 1/2 quarters then Clemson whipped em. Same thing they did against Bama, but I guess they wanted to be there against Bama. South Carolina is fnally beating Clemson, though they are still 6-8 against Clemson in the Holtz-Spurrier era. South Carolina has to sit and watch Clemson beat Auburn twice and LSU while Scarolina hasn’t beaten those teams since the 1930’s.. When does this 3-year probation end for South Carolina? Why don’t any SEC teams want to be there when they play Bama? THey seem uninterested or like they don’t want to be there when they play Bama.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:33 pm
dawglis,
Nope. Did not, But, I am not yelling B1G either,
I advocate for one team. So many of you dogs claim SEC! SEC! when it’s convenient.
What have the dogs done to earn the right to cheer SEC! SEC! in the NC game in the BCS era?
Nada, Zero, Zip.
DP
January 8th, 2013
3:34 pm
marseilles mutt, I like your comments on Barrett Jones. He had one of the great college football careers of all time: started at 3 different offensive line positions on 3 national championship teams, won the Outland Trophy in 2011 and the Rimington Award for the top center in 2012. Completed undergraduate and graduate degrees with a 4.0 GPA and won the NCAA award for top scholar athlete. And he worked to help the Tuscaloosa tornado victims and went on mission trips overseas during the summers. I don’t know if there’s ever been another college football player who can match Barrett’s list of accomplishments on and off the field.
Saban said in his press conference today that even as he has been leading his team and trying to be a positive role model he looks at Barrett Jones and wonders if he should be more like him. Saban liked the dust up between Jones and McCarron, said it was a reflection that they were focused on being their best every play for 60 minutes no matter what the score.
SteveW
January 8th, 2013
3:35 pm
So richt has finished #2,3,4 in 12 years? Not bad in this era.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:36 pm
dawglis,
We’re 1-3 in the NC in the BCS era. How many NC’s have you played in?
We’re 6-3 overall in the BCS era. You’re 2-1.
9 relevant games in the BCS era vs 3 for the dogs.
Dawglasville
January 8th, 2013
3:36 pm
Independent – Let’s see how long it last. A great year for a great school but I wouldn’t too excited. I don’t see a ton of confidence coming from your own school. You decided to be the shark in the kiddie pool by joining the ACC. I noticed they didn’t jump in the deep end. Just a side note, you do live in the state where the state school is the University of Georgia so… of course, you are going to hear a lot about the University of Georgia…you may just want to learn to live wth that.
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:37 pm
I bet Johnny Football gets McCarron’s girlfriend in the end. (honestly, no pun intended)
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:37 pm
dawglis,
Correction, 1-2 in the NC
Buckeye
January 8th, 2013
3:41 pm
steve w,
Yep, pretty good but never the best.
LogicalUS
January 8th, 2013
3:43 pm
“dawg fans seem to have forgot about the 35-7 beat down in Columbia”
Suspect the only real outcome will be to highlight to Spurrier NOT to call the beatdown off in the middle of 3rd quarter again but go ahead with putting the up the 48pts like he could have done against UGA. But who would have thought that pollsters would have kept a team beaten so badly in the Top 10, when they should have been dropped into the 20s. Then UGAs 86th ranked soft schedule would never have gotten them back anywhere near the Top 10.
Reality is that the SEC looks like they are going to need a separate division of football so that the other teams can compete for a Division 1AA title.
Dawglasville
January 8th, 2013
3:46 pm
Buckeye – I’ve played in as many BCS games as you have. I don’t control the fate of UGA anymore than you control the fate of Ohio State. I am a fan like you are. The only bad fan is the fair weathered one or a front runner. I am an Atlanta native and a Georgia grad. Those are my teams. That is why I am on these blogs. I just don’t know why you are on here everyday pestering people about being a fan of their team. It seems like a waste of time.
Douglas
January 8th, 2013
3:51 pm
What sux is the fact that the AP even considers Ohio State (a bunch of cheaters) in the rankings. It just goes to show that the AP writers are a bunch of liberal democrats who have no morals.
Douglas
January 8th, 2013
3:56 pm
To all of the South Carolina Fans: there is a reason you call yourselves “cocks”. You have such penis envy of UGA you cannot stand it. Do you really think you could have beaten UGA at the end of the year? You should have lost your bowl game. Once Spurrier retires, you will go back to being the same low-life losers you have always been. So enjoy your little time of glory until he retires. The only reason he came to USC is because UF wouldn’t hire him back.
Joey
January 8th, 2013
3:59 pm
Buckeye, funny memory – I was at the Gator Bowl that night of the Clemson/OSU game – my girlfriend’s dad was a Big 10 (and PSU) fan and took us. I was sitting about 30 rows behind the OSU bench, and naturally following the ball, saw Woody punch the Clemson LB (?).
He almost acted addled trying to hit his own players. I wondered if he got meds crossed up.
Anyway, great coach – shame he had to go out that way.
DP
January 8th, 2013
4:00 pm
Buckeye, with regard to the SEC dominance of college football, Pat Forde shares your sentiments:
“Alabama is in full-on dynasty mode, winning its third title in four years. Florida, LSU and Auburn have all contributed to the SEC’s crystal football haul as well.
(You fans of Tennessee, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas? Shut your mouths. Your teams have contributed nothing to this historic run. Stop bragging on other teams’ work.)”
DP
January 8th, 2013
4:06 pm
In my earlier gushing over Barrett Jones I neglected to mention he played the last 3 quarters of the SEC championship game and all of the BCS championship game with torn ligaments in his foot. He will undergo surgery in the next few days that will put him out for 3 months that include the NFL combine.