I've got an unexpectedly busy day ahead and will have to try to get you everything you need to know about Dennis Erickson this evening. As Lennon (the British singer, not the Soviet revolutionary) said, life is what happens while you're busy making other plans. But in the meantime, a couple of thoughts.
In 2006, Florida needed to block a last minute field goal in order to beat South Carolina 17-16. Last season, LSU dropped an early season decision to Kentucky. Both went on to play for and win national championships. In other words, if we win in the end (say, against a top 5 Florida team, then a top 10 Auburn squad, a better than expected Georgia Tech group, and finally the winner of the SEC West in Atlanta), history is on our side. I'm not saying we'll survive that gauntlet. Frankly I'd be a little surprised if we did. But that's the goal, and if we accomplish it, I still think we're set.
Additionally, right now some of you think that there's no way either Southern Cal or Oklahoma could possibly lose a game this season, and that even if we win out, we'll be stuck in third a la Auburn '04. To you, I would say that is highly unlikely given recent history and the road ahead. USC has made a habit of choking away one Pac-10 game a year for the past two seasons. Oklahoma has back to back dates with Texas and Kansas next month, and an always tricky date with Texas Tech in November. And that's before considering a BIg XII title game tilt (possibly with a Missouri squad that has looked awfully impressive this season in its own right).
None of this is news, of course. We've all known that Mark Richt's squad has precious little room for error this season, and that we'll probably need some luck to get to the BCS National Championship. But it bears repeating at this juncture given the general mood of panic mixed with foreboding on certain message boards. Three weeks in, the plan is unchanged:win them all and you have little or nothing to worry about. Lose one and you need some help. But being the champion of the SEC you're more likely to get help from the pollsters.
At this point we've lost exactly 0 games and proven we can win on the road even when we don't have our best stuff. Should I be in a panic over this? Am I the guy who overslept while the ship's crew was busy filling the lifeboats? As always, your brutally honest yet well-reasoned replies are appreciated in the comments.
Go 'Dawgs!!!