Eli's Coming*: Dawgs Defeat BYE, Should Be Ranked Heading Into WLOCP
by RedCrake on Oct 23, 2011 6:00 AM EDT
in Georgia Bulldogs Football
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PrintSaturday was a good day for the Dawgs. Georgia defeated the typically stingy BYE while a number of hated teams fell in what can only be described as epic fashion. But this presents a very real problem: heading into the WLOCP, its highly likely that Georgia will be ranked in the BCS standings.
Georgia currently sits at # 26 (others receiving votes) in the Coaches Poll, #27 (others receiving votes) in the Harris Poll, and #25 in the AP Poll (the one that doesn't count). The Dawgs are unranked in the BCS standings, which suits me just fine from a team mentality standpoint as we prepare to take the field against the hated Gators.
That's probably all about to change...
Washington (#25 Harris, #25 Coaches, #25 BCS) -- Lost to #8 Stanford 65-21 -- Falls to 5-2
Illinois (#20 Harris, #21 Coaches, #23 BCS) -- Lost to unranked Purdue 21-14 -- Falls to 6-2
Georgia Tech (#18 Harris, #19 Coaches, #22 BCS) -- Lost to unranked Miami 24-7 -- Falls to 6-2
Auburn (#21 Harris, #23 Coaches, #20 BCS) -- Lost to #1 LSU 45-10 -- Falls to 5-3
WVU was more highly ranked (#14 BCS) and got waxed by unranked Syracuse -- Falls to 5-2 but likely still in.
Polls are meaningless things on their own. However, there is unquestionably a mental sense of value placed on those little numbers beside a team's name. As this week's games show, that number has no bearing on who will win any given game but an issue arises from the belief it instills in the media, fans, and (God forbid) players about who should win.
Given our history with the Gators, I'm not thrilled with the idea of any outside factors impacting our mentality as a team or a fanbase. No one needs to be thinking about how we're ranked and they're not. No one needs to be thinking about our 5 game winning streak or their 3 game losing streak. And no one needs to hear from anyone in the media that we're favored in this game.
All anyone needs to be thinking is: They're Florida. We hate them. They've owned us for the better part of two decades, but starting on Saturday we're gonna beat some ass. Their turncoat coach and Jabba the Hutt offensive coordinator better start running now cause the new look Junkyard Dawg D is 'bout to KTMFD!
I'm going to be composing a letter to the BCS asking that they "forget" to release the rankings this week. In the meantime, I hope you'll share your thoughts about the upcoming WLOCP in the comments. Welcome to Hate Week!
GO DAWGS!!!
*Please note that this reference is based on Dan Rydell's interpretation of Eli's Coming... not the meaning Three Dog Night intended.
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I would hope not
But then again I never would have thought we’d do the uniform motivation nonsense either.
Sacrificing goats, chugging Maker's Mark, and walking underneath The Arch.
by RedCrake on Oct 23, 2011 11:30 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Any weekend Tech loses and we don't is a success.
by Hogbody Spradlin on Oct 23, 2011 6:44 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Surely, if there is any game that fans and players won't just assume the higher ranked team will win...
It is this one. Based on the history of this game, one could assume that we would lose even if we were the consensus #1 and FL was 105th.
Also...I feel like I should watch the Denver Broncos game today
Just so that I might have a chance to know what the hell Gary and Verne are talking about all afternoon on Saturday. But no, its not worth it. I usually don’t know what the hell they’re talking about anyway.
I’ll be booing Denver and rooting for the Lions just to get warmed up.
Fly Eagles Fly, on the road to Vicktory!
by KeepSwinging on Oct 23, 2011 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions
The hilarious thing is that, when I read "Eli's Coming," . . .
. . . I immediately thought of “Sports Night,” and, when I saw the asterisk, I immediately knew you were explaining what I immediately knew you meant!
Go 'Dawgs!
I just wanted to say that I loved the "Sports Night" reference as well
Loved that show, both seasons of it are available on netflix instant.
I don't really have a problem with the #21 ranking
I just feel like there’s no way that being ranked just 21 will go to their heads against Florida this weekend. And following they hypothetical win against Florida we would no doubt be ranked, even if we weren’t this week. So to me it sounds pretty reasonable to have earned a top 25 ranking and I don’t feel like it will affect them negatively this Saturday.
by Swarles_Barkley on Oct 23, 2011 1:44 PM EDT reply actions
Have you HATED the gators today?
I HATE ORANGE and GREEN notebooks
by Dawg2011 on Oct 23, 2011 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Haha, Rec'd
The Dawgs need this win. If we finish 10-3 with a loss to Florida, it’s still a slight disappointment to me. A 10-3 or even 10-4 season where we beat Florida is a great season though.
by ChoppingTalk on Oct 23, 2011 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Please, no one assault me...
But are we the “favorites” to win the SEC East now?
"There's a huge difference. Politics is a dirty game. We have our rules in boxing. In politics, no rules. Especially a young democracy like Ukraine. It's more like MMA." -- Vitali Klitschko
I think so
It depends on who you ask, but from what I hear, most ‘experts’ are now picking us to win the east. I don’t think it has any affect on the outcome, though, so I wouldn’t lose sleep on it either way.
My honest opinion is that between ourselves, Florida, and South Carolina, it definitely looks good for us (since, you know, we’re the only ones with the same starting quarterback and running back as a month ago). Kind of by default I believe we have the best chance.
by Swarles_Barkley on Oct 23, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions
We're the favorites, but we're favorites that need help
It’s a weird situation. Most commentators will say that we’re the favorites to win, but they all readily admit we have to beat Florida and SC has to lose a game. We’re favorites now like we were preseason favorites: we’re seen as the least flawed and have apparently the easiest path. By no means are we favorites in the traditional sense of “this team is clearly better and controls its fate.”
The 984 Has Spoken!
I would not call us the favorites, for this reason:
If Georgia and South Carolina post identical records for the rest of the season, the Gamecocks win the division and the Bulldogs don’t. Georgia has to outperform South Carolina, and South Carolina only has to hold serve. We need things to happen in games other than our own; they don’t. For that reason, the Gamecocks are the favorites until and unless they have one more SEC loss than the Bulldogs have.
Go 'Dawgs!
I will call us the favorites
When I see the Dawgs in the GA Dome on the 3rd of December. Anything before that is just too much optimism
I HATE ORANGE and GREEN notebooks
This brings up an interesting question:
Would it be better (from a program building standpoint) to win the East and potentially get destroyed in the SEC championship game against Bama or LSU (though I’d like to see what our D can do), or would it be better to finish 10-2, have SCAR get blown out in the dome, win a nice New Years Day bowl, and move forward.
Obviously the optimal scenario would be to go into the SEC Champ. game and shock the world. But barring that, what would be better for the team and CMR going forward?
Sacrificing goats, chugging Maker's Mark, and walking underneath The Arch.
If we analyze just what's better for Richt
I think it’s better for him and his job security to win the East and lose in the SEC CG to the potential (and probable) national champion. Most of the college football world recognizes that LSU and Bama are just playing on a completely different level than everyone else; I don’t think a loss, even a potential blowout, to them in the SEC CG would hurt his job security. If we don’t go because SCAR keeps up and maintains its head-to-head tiebreaker, that just encourages more “it’s been X years since Richt last won the East” arguments.
For building the program, I don’t know. Probably not getting blown out. It can always be spun that SCAR went because of a complete fluke of a game, but there’s no real way to positively spin to recruits getting blown out.
The 984 Has Spoken!
That is a tough one
I don’t think UGA has much of a choice. Let’s work with the assumption that LSU and Georgia win out, leaving LSU 12-0 and UGA 10-2. We end up with final standings something like this.
EAST Overall SEC
Georgia 10-2 7-1
South Carolina 8-4 5-3
Florida 8-4 4-4
Tennessee 6-6 2-6
Vanderbilt 6-6 2-6
Kentucky 3-9 0-8
WEST Overall SEC
LSU 12-0 8-0
Alabama 11-1 7-1
Arkansas 10-2 6-2
Auburn 7-5 4-4
Ole Miss 5-7 2-6
Miss St 5-7 1-7
South Carolina loses to Arkansas, Florida and Clemson. Florida loses to UGA and wins out. Tennessee suffers at the hands of S. Carolina and Arkansas. Vanderbilt loses to Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee. Poor Kentucky does not see a victory for the remainder of the year. In the west, LSU gets the best of Alabama and then the rest of Bama’s foes tremble and get crushed. Arkansas ends the season with a loss to LSU. Auburn loses to UGA and Bama. Ole Miss ends up on the wrong side of the score with Auburn and LSU. Mississippi St end the season with a 3 game losing streak to Bama, Arkansas and Ole Miss.
With this scenario, LSU gets to the MNCG, I see the Sugar Bowl taking Alabama after LSU beats UGA in the SEC CG. The Cotton Bowl has an interesting choice, an 10-3 UGA, or a 10-2 Arkansas. I think for traveling purposes and fan base, the Cotton will pick Arkansas, with UGA going to the Outback. The rest of the SEC has Auburn in the Chick Fil A, S. Carolina in the Capital 1, Florida in the Gator, Tennessee in the Music City and Vanderbilt in the Liberty. I don’t see it changing much even with a loss this weekend, Without Lattimore I see South Carolina struggling and I cannot see Florida taking over the East lead.
I HATE ORANGE and GREEN notebooks
Which is why I believe we are the favorites
Your last sentence says it all. Lattimore is done and Florida, in all likelihood, is too far back. I’m not superstitious or anything about saying we’re the favorites, so maybe that’s the difference in perspective between myself and others.
by Swarles_Barkley on Oct 23, 2011 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Depends on where we end up after the hypothetical Bama/LSU blowout...
if it’s the Sugar, or Outback/Citrus, and a strong win, I’d say win the East. If it means we drop our bowl, I’ll go with closing out on an 11 game winning streak.
http://sportsandgrits.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Oct 23, 2011 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
I hadn't even thought about the fact that it would be an 11 game winning streak
Man, that sounds nice.
Sacrificing goats, chugging Maker's Mark, and walking underneath The Arch.
No No No No No
The optimism, stop it. I mean even if we didn’t have two of our best starters on defense out the first half, John Brantley would still be sure to have his best game of the season against us. But since we do, now it’s just teed up for him to have the best game of his college career.
/pessimism
As Jeremy Goodwin would say...
The storm clouds are gathering.
Sacrificing goats, chugging Maker's Mark, and walking underneath The Arch.
I know there's a lot of jargon, but some of these terms really are self-explanatory.
Sorry. Just wanted to get in on the fun.
Go 'Dawgs!
I'd rather be ranked...
Than rank.
GATA!
"Don't go ninja'n nobody that don't need ninja'n!" ~ Kung Fu Hillbilly.
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