Friday Locks

We are either already on SSI or are Coctail Party bound, so forgive us for not having our usual wise pearls of wisdom this week.  We will do better prior to the Tennessee Tech game. 

Granitedawg (15-6)

Miami (-7) at Wake- Miami covers.

Cal (-6.5) at Arizona State- Cal Covers.

Georgia Tech (-11.5) at Vanderbilt- If UGA can run all over Vandy, then Tech can too.  I think that will be a common theme.  Tech covers big. 

Corbindawg (13-7-1, 1.5 GB)

Georgia Tech (-11.5) at Vanderbilt-Tech is so focused right now, Vandy won’t come close to stopping their rushing attack.  If UGA could run all over Vandy, Tech will have over 300 yards rushing. Go with the Nerds.

Georgia (+14.5) vs. Florida– Florida’s defense is good.  Great.  Charlie Strong is the best defensive coordinator in the SEC and hopefully will get a headcoaching job as far away from the Southeastern Conference as possible.  However, the Gators have not seen a player like AJ Green.  I think we stand a good chance of hanging with the Gators, and UGA has had their embarrassing loss this season.  Florida hasn’t covered the spread the last two weeks; go with the Dawgs taking the 14.5. 

South Carolina at Tennessee (-6)–  Go with the Ol Ball Coach in this one,  The original loudmouth of the SEC over the newboy. Look for Stephen Garcia and The OBC to have a few tricks up his sleeve for Grandpa Kiffin. 

Kensingtondawg (11-9-1, 3.5 GB)

Akron at Northern Illinois (-12).  Akron is a good team that hasn’t play to their potential.  They will this week.  Take Akron and the 12.

Tulane at LSU (-36)  Trap game for LSU with the Tide on the deck next week.  Tulane will be fired up since it’s a interstate rivalry.  Take Tulane and the 36.

USC (-3) at Oregon  Everyone is picking Oregon for the upset.  But if you look closer Oregon has benefitted greatly from turnovers and special teams plays.  They won’t get that benefit against The Men of Troy.  Trojans Cover.

Ucheedawg (9-12, 6 GB)

GT (-11.5) at Vandy- With a terrible offense and a not-so-great defense, Vandy will struggle mightily with the nerds on Saturday. Look for GT to win comfortably, easily covering the 12.5.

Ole Miss (-4.5) at Auburn- I typically don’t like to bet on Auburn games, but we’re only talking 4 points here. Auburn is starting to slide, and I look for the Rebels to continue that trend. Luckily, Auburn gets an easy foe next week to rest up, but for now, Ole Miss will win big on the Plains.

South Carolina at UT (-6)- UT is coming off a great defensive battle against Bama, while SC has quietly had a nice season. 6 points is a lot in this one, as it should prove to be another typical SEC type struggle for both teams. I look for td’s to be scarce on Rocky Top this weekend. Take the points and the Cocks in this one.

Good Times and Happy Memories

For those of you stuck at work and not able to enjoy a chimichanga at Bubba Garcia’s for lunch today, here are some videos for your viewing pleasure. 

and now for the second half highlights…

and to make you mad…GATA!

Tim Tebow Theme Song

This HAD to be a video all by itself. 

Warning: May want to turn down slightly if at work…

Hopefully The Ginja Ninja Doesn’t Have A Fat Little Girlfriend

Joe Cox needed to be 100% focused on his mission on leading the team to victory this weekened over the last couple of weeks. 

Let’s hope he didn’t have any distractions like the ones The Good Doctor warns about.

Waiting is the Hardest Part

Georgia-Florida is, in my opinion, the finest weekend of the year. There is nothing as enjoyable as spending a few days on the Atlantic coast in late October/early November. Whether you prefer SSI, Amelia Island, or anywhere in between, it takes on a special feel during the annual cocktail party. (Especially SSI in my opinion. Greatest place on earth to be during the WLOCP weekend)

Heading out a day later this year, and I realize that waiting is the hardest part of this week. The anticipation is hard to fight, but I guess that is part of what makes the trip down Hwy. 341 so sweet.

I think the Dawgs can do it this weekend, but not with stats, lack of turnovers, or any other baromoter we physically put on how well a football team plays. I think that our only chance this weekend will come from beneath the pads. We have to find that “won’t lose” mentality we used to see when David Greene and Pollack stepped on the field. We have got to see that passion and that heart for the game those guys showed.

I’ve thought about this a lot this week, and I think it’s true. I am hoping that we see something we have not yet seen out of this breed of Bulldogs, and I hope it’s as special as I think it can be.

If we play inspired, driven football, we can go down to Jax and beat those swamp lizzards. If not, then I’m afraid we’ll spend another year wondering if we can break this trend.

Enjoy yourselves this weekend, but be careful.

Gators wear jean shorts! Go Dawgs!

ucheedawg

Tebow in Jean Shorts

 

Nice.

Top 10 Bulldog Wins at the Cocktail Party

I have to be honest.  I’ve never felt this hopeless going into UGA-Florida  game in a long time.  Probably the last time was the 1996 beatdown to Danny Wuerfell and the Gators in the Cocktail Party’s return to Jacksonville.  Since we’re probably aren’t going to win this week let’s look back on some of the great Georgia victories in this series.  Georgia does still lead this series by the way, but the margin is closing fast.

#1    1980      Georgia 26 Florida 21

There can be no argument here.  With a little over minute to play with all hope lost, QB Buck Belue found Lindsay Scott on 93 yd touchdown strike that paved the way for the only undisputed national title in school history. 

#2    1985      Georgia 24 Florida 3

How awesome would a repeat of 1985 be Saturday.  Georgia walked in to Jacksonville big underdogs to the nation’s #1 team and ran roughshod over them.  A couple of true freshman by the names of Tim Worley and Keith Henderson had their coming out party.  Wish the same thing would happen to a couple of freshman by the name of Washaun Ealey and Carlton Thomas.

#3   1966    Georgia 27  Florida 10

“The Old Ball Coach” won the Heisman trophy this year but he had a RUDE introduction to Bill Stanfield and George Patton.  The two D-lineman were in Spurrier’s face all day long and rumors were he cried like a little girl afterwards. 

#4    1976   Georgia 41 Florida 27

Georgia trailed Florida 27-13 at the half, but orchestrated a dramatic turnaround.   After Georgia had cut the lead to 27-20 in the 3rd quarter, Florida HC Doug Dickey missed on a fake punt attempt from the Gators’ own 29 yard line.  The play is now known in Gator circles as “Fourth and Dumb”   and spelled the beginning of the end for the Dickey administration.

#5    1975    Georgia 10 Florida 7

Made famous by Larry Munson’s famous “Applebee to Washington” call as Stuart Applebay took an end around from QB Matt Robinson and found a wide open Gene Washington for the game winning touchdown.  Washington was thinking of “Montreal and The Olympics”.

#6     1942   Georgia 75    Florida 0

Don’t know too much about what went down in this game, but a 75-0 beatdown of the Gators has to be included.  It was a huge day for Frank Sinkwich and Charley Trippi, as Georgia would go to win a share of the national title. 

#7    1981    Georgia 26 Florida 21

The exact score of the 1980 game.  Herschel Walker ran the ball 47 times for 192 yards on the way to a second straight SEC Title.

#8    2007    Georgia 42  Florida 30

Known as “The Celebration Game”.  The entire UGA team stormed the field after Knowshon Moreno’s 1 yd TD that the set the tone for an upset of Florida and a 11-2 season and #2 final ranking.

#9    1997  Georgia 37 Florida 17

Georgia entered “The Cocktail Party” 20 point underdogs and won by 20.  A huge day for Robert Edwards as he ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns.  It was also a big game for current OC Mike Bobo who threw for over 260 yards.

#10    1982    Georgia 44 Florida 0

That last game in Herschel Walker’s storied career against the Gators and it was big one.  Walker rushed for 219 yards against a Gator team ranked 20th in the nation.  Ah, I miss the good ole days!  

Kensingtondawg 

 

 

Georgia’s Chance Against the Gators

Coach Martinez’s unit has the talent to stop Florida’s less than impressive offense this weekend on the banks of the St. John’s River.  Will they?  I am not sure.

But the impossible can happen, and stranger things can happen.  Arkansas, who has a worse defense than we do (something they have worked very hard at), was able to contain Florida’s offense.  LSU held Florida to 13 points.  Mississippi State’s defense held Florida in check.  Since the Kentucky game, against legitimate competition, Florida has only scored ~21 points per game.  Of course, with a defense as good as what they have (14 ppg last three games), your offense only needs to score twice. 

Coach Martinez has actually held Coach Meyer’s offense in check.  Both arrived to their respective positions in 2005.  Here is a break down of how many offensive points Florida has scored against a CWM led defense:

2005-14 points

2006-14 points (21 points scored-7 was a Kregg Lumpkin fumble that was recovered for TD)

2007-23 points (30 points were scored-7 was a Matthew Stafford pick six)

2008-49 points

I think most UGA fans, even Coach Martinez’s biggest detractors, cannot blame all 49 points in 2008’s beat down to our defense.  There were many crucial turnovers in the second half that gave Florida the ball inside our ten yard line, not to mention the failed onsides kick that set up Florida with great field position.  The bottom line for last year’s game:  it was 14-3 at halftime and UGA should have had the lead.  The offense failed inside the red zone and we missed FGs.

The point is, we remember last year’s game and forget that we can hang with Florida.  With the exception of 2001, 2006 and 2008, the years we have lost we have carried more talented teams to Jacksonville.  Florida, with inferior talent and coaching, has beaten us.  Why can’t we beat them? 

The key to the 2009 Cocktail Party is not if our defense is capable of stopping Florida’s offense.  It will be whether or not our offense can put any points on the board against on of the best defenses in the country.  In 2007 our defense held Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and stud Percy Harvin in check.  However, our offense was able to: a) ground out the clock and play physical ball with Knowshon rushing for 188 and b) Stafford was able to make big time passes to both Massaquoi and Mikey Henderson. 

In 2007 we had the offensive firepower to fire a cannon ball back at the Gators.  This year, aside from A.J. Green, we really don’t have that same kind of pop. 

PWD pointed out keys to making our offense successful.  I agree with his advice.  My key is this:  no turnovers.  Florida is too good to give them ball on our 40.  If we do that, it won’t be a close ball game.    If we are able to run the ball without fumbles, and can pass the ball effectively down field without throwing interceptions, we can at least flip the field and help our defense out.  A key special teams play or two to give us good field position could take the pressure of Joe Cox and help him make plays easier. 

Some talk this week as to why Tebow is struggling is because he is pressing and doing to much.   For the love of Munson, please don’t put Joe Cox in a position to make him feel like he has to press and make all the plays.  If he starts forcing throws into tight coverage, what happened in the 3^rd quarter last year will continue on this year. 

We are the University of Georgia.  We have talented players on our roster.  We still have a couple of talented coaches on our staff, don’t we?  There is no reason why we can’t show up to play in Jacksonville.  Will we beat the Gators?  I didn’t think we had a prayer in 2007 but this is a rivalry game and stranger things have happened.  But just because we are down in the dumps is no reason to write off our chance, albeit a small one, of victory. 

Corbindawg

Go Dawgs!

Lane Kiffin vs. Steve Spurrier: New/Old Loudmouths

From T. Kyle King about the South Carolina-Tennessee game.   Couldn’t say it better myself:

Who knew a decade ago that there would ever come a day when two SEC teams were facing one another, one of them was coached by Steve Spurrier, and I’d say, “I hope that obnoxious SOB gets his tail handed to him on Saturday” . . . and I’d be referring to the other guy?

Kiffin Being Tight Lipped

Lane Kiffin is not talking for once.  Mark it on your calendar.