As you may have noticed, the Georgia Bulldogs notched a nationally significant SEC victory over the sixth-ranked LSU Tigers on one of college football’s grandest stages. Here, for what it is worth, is the context in which yesterday’s triumph must be placed:
Though the Red and Black are just 13-16-1 all-time against the Purple and Gold, Mark Richt is 4-4 against the Bayou Bengals. In their last 14 series meetings, the two teams are 7-7 against one another.
Georgia and LSU also are 7-7 against one another in games decided by a touchdown or less. Only once before, in 1987, has a contest between these two squads been settled by three points precisely.
The 41 points conceded to the Tigers on Saturday were the third-most ever allowed to Louisiana State by the Classic City Canines, eclipsed only by the 47 permitted in Baton Rouge in 1936 and the 42 surrendered in Atlanta in 2011. Put differently, the Red and Black had never before yesterday spotted the Purple and Gold more than 32 points between the hedges.
The 44 points scored by Georgia were the third-most posted against LSU in series history. The Pelican State Panthers only gave up more points to the Bulldogs when allowing 52 in Baton Rouge in 2008 and 45 in Athens in 2004. Put differently, the Red and Black have never scored more than 35 points against the Tigers with anyone other than Mark Richt standing on the sideline.
The Bulldogs, who now are ranked sixth in the land, previously beat then-No. 6 South Carolina, meaning Georgia has beaten two top-ten opponents in the same regular season for the first time since 1976, when Georgia got the better of No. 10 Alabama and No. 10 Florida en route to an SEC title and a berth in the national championship game.
The Athenians have not outlasted two top-six teams in the course of negotiating their prearranged slate since 1942, when the Red and Black defeated No. 3 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia Tech along the way to a conference crown and a national title. Hmm . . . I seem to detect a pattern emerging here.
Ere we get ahead of ourselves, though, we must remember that, the first three times Georgia beat Louisiana State and South Carolina in the same season---in 1998, 1999, and 2004---the Bulldogs were 0-3 against the Tennessee Volunteers. We appear to have identified the next trend in need of ending.
Go ‘Dawgs!
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