Simply put, the game on Saturday is HUGE for the UGA football program. With SCarolina losing at Arkansas Saturday night, UGA is clearly in the drivers seat to win the SECe and get a shot at most likely LSU in the SEC title game, which would be the rubber match between the two schools. Course LSU demolished us back in 2003 on their way to winning a national title. Two years later, we returned the favor by upsetting the Tigers. Before we can get to that game though, we have two games to play and win first. The first one is Auburn and they are of course the defending national champs. They enter off a bye week, they should be pretty healthy for us, they know how much this game means to us and how many times over the years have we had to beat AU to win the SEC crown or have a chance to play for the SEC crown. That being said, I will include the following clip from last year via youtube to get you all fired up. I know after I watched this, it brought all that anger back to me. Coach Richt has said that he has a short memory, doesn't really remember much about last year-I think after you watch this clip and see him out on the field talking with the refs-after the "fight" which happened due to Nick Fairley hitting Aaron Murray in the shin with his helmet, you can bet he really DOES remember it but is trying to downplay it to the media.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGB1xguTXLg&feature=youtu.be
Obviously the two prime offenders in the clip are being paid to play this year, well, some could say one was being paid last year but that is another story for another day! Still, this is enough to bring back the anger in me because of how incredibly dirty AU played that game last year. Also keep in mind, other than their 16-13 win at South Carolina, they have played very poorly on the road thus far this season, losing at Clemson 38-24, at Arkansas 38-14 and at LSU 45-10. Now, AU does have two outstanding RB's, one being Michael Dyer who is probably the best back we have faced this year not named Lattimore. They also have a skinny but lightning fast kid in Onterio McCalebb. We have been pretty good stopping the run this year but those two guys will really test us as both average 5.3 yards a carry. A big key will be the play of our DL and LB's, also our corners are going to have to step up and make some plays on the corner on the sweeps they run with McCalebb. They are using Clint Moseley now as their starting QB, he has done a pretty good job leading the team, especially his last game against Ole Miss where he threw 4 TD passes. Another key is going to be our LB's coverage of their talented TD Phillip Lutzenkirchen. He being a Georgia native, I am sure he will be very inspired playing against us. I would still take my chances with the Soph QB with only two starts beating us, compared with those running backs.
As for the AU D, well, they have Ted Roof the former Techie as the DC, and teams have been able to move the ball on them for sure. I suspect if we can have a balanced attack and NOT turn the ball over in this game, we can score in the mid to upper 20's, perhaps get into the 30's. I would not suspect their offense can put up more than 21 or so unless we have turnovers or our special teams falter yet again-and let's be honest, the special teams have been so bad this year, you can never feel confident in them making the plays. Murray seems to have got his INT's under wraps for now-let's hope that continues. He has thrown only 2 in his last 4 games, after throwing 6 in his first 5 games. The one INT in the UF game was maybe not completely his fault when the ball deflected off Crowell's hands and the UF guy made a diving INT. Certainly it will be very important that Murray play a great game for us to beat AU.
The oddsmakers have set the opening line with us favored by 12.5 points. Everyone sees that and says, WOW, what are they thinking. Considering how close this rivalry has always been, AU off a bye week, AU being the best team we have faced since South Carolina. Now, the object for Vegas is to try to get even numbers on both sides with the line, or so that is what I have always thought. BUT, when you see lines like this one, it causes you to really give it some thought. Just the same as the Clemson line was only 4-5 points over GTU and everyone was saying, WHAT, because GT was coming off back to back losses, Clemson was surging and it just appeared no way GT could keep within a TD. Of course we all know what happened. Same thing last year when we played UT, they were coming off the near, and probably should have been win at LSU, meanwhile we limped in at 1-4 after the loss at Colorado. The line was us favored by 11 and we more than covered. Now, all this being said, I would NEVER bet period but if I did, I would take AU with those points. I have a feeling a LOT of people are going to load up on AU and the spread might drop a point or two but to me that shows me that Vegas really does expect us to win this game. I guess I will take that vote of confidence.
Finally, it is official, Missouri will be joining the SEC for 2012 football. They will be playing in the east as that obviously makes the most sense with A&M going to the west. Those two will be the permanent opposite division opponents, which in turn allows everyone else to keep their permanent opponent-AU for us. It also brings up an interesting scheduling question for next year, with us now having play Mizzou, unless we go to 9 games, that means we will drop a west opponent next year. We have two rotating west opponents for next year, @Bama and home vs. Ole Miss. Because we are in the middle of a home and home with Ole Miss, logicially we would drop Bama. I know for me personally, I will take a Mizzou/Bama trade any day of the week. I would imagine they will have to redo the west rotation and by so doing, we will see each member of the west a lot less frequent now.
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