Gameday! Homecoming! Let's do this!

Hey, if you're in Athens, have a great day! The opponent may not spark the typical gameday ignition. But Homecoming is such a great time to be in Athens. Teach your kids about some traditions. Give a stranger a fistbump. Ring the bell!

If you're not joining us, hunker down and relax. We got this. We're gonna have a great game, reminisce with friends and get after it!

Now, some other thoughts for the day.

• Right off the bat, LSU beats Bama tonight. Mark it. Lester is Nicky's kryptonite.
• How long does Gurley play? Probably as long as he wants. But I tend to think midway through the second...quarter.
• How many points do the Mountaineers score? I'd put the over/under at 17 and bet the under.
• Who do y'all think is the offensive star today? I'm hoping someone like Reggie Davis or Jonathan Rumph. But I'd hazard a guess with JJ Green first.
• Other action: Florida rebounds against Vandy, Mizzou handles Kentucky, Auburn rolls on Rocky Top, Ole Miss beats Arkansas and A&M trounces Missy State. Chickens take a nap.
• Elswhere, FSU sleeps its way to another win, Oregon wins loses, Clemson and Tech rest up for a weekday meeting.
• Aaron Rodgers' injury has left the door open for a former Dawg. Can Matt Stafford get the Lions on top up there? Here's some analysis on the Lions vs Bears. 
• Seahawks are wondering if Roddy White's return could bolster the Falcons' roster.
• And my little flag football team finishes their season tomorrow. Please pray they all show up with their flags, and the fortitude to make it through an entire game without having to go to the bathroom. Or chase rogue butterflies.

Lastly, here's a list of top betting sites if you're really bored. And really, Bama could run away early. Maybe. I just think LSU has a better shot than most think.

Friday Misery - Beards vs Knee-Braces, flannel vs THE SEA OF RED!!

...want to punch them in their filthy face. Wanna line up and ram the ball down their Pat Dye throats cuz that bastard's been dead to me for years! I want Murray to throw for 600 and Gurley to score touchdowns til Wednesday. No, not next Wednesday. The third Wednesday of December! I hate their Nick Fairley guts! I hate their War, their Damn, their TigerEagle, and their...

Wait....(shuffles papers...checks google calendar....cross references with Georgia tackle football schedule....refreshes google calendar page to make sure it's on the correct year....waits...curses slow wifi...uh,...)

Well damn. That came out a week early. Huh.

[highlight, right click, copy, open new post, paste, apply future 

timestamp Friday 11/16 7:55am, save!]

Go Auburn State Univer...nope. That's not right.

So, the Mountaineers! Whew. It's been a year hasn't it? Seems like both ages ago as well as yesterday when we were traveling up I-85 a spell to play Clempson. Now it's the second game into November. A breather. An expensive scrimmage. A fat paycheck and some garbage time for the reserves.

At least that's the way it's supposed to be.

Look, here's all you need to know about the Appalachian State Mountaineers - they're our scout team with a full time coaching staff. They grow beards...for academic credit. They piss moonshine and wear lots of flannel. They spread your defense out and throw the ball, then try to gash you with the run. Their defense was constructed from swiss cheese. Next year they'll be in the Sun Belt Conference. They're from near where Eric Rudolph was found in a dumpster looking for a tennis shoe to eat (allegedly). A shadow of their former selves once beat Michigan. Their mascot is one of the old Muppet men in the balcony. He wears flannel, and got an "A" in Beard Growing 104.

Meanwhile, back in DawgNation...You people worried about Todd Gurley...hey, don't worry about Todd Gurley. People worried about getting Hutson Mason some actual playing time...hey, being an idiot doesn't pay the bills son. And if you enjoy some ill-afforded luxury of being able to worry about the 2014 football season here at the end of the 2013 football season, well...here's a quarter. Call someone who cares.

It's Homecoming! It's the band, the cheerleaders, the alumni, the parade, the Dawg Walk, the crisp autumn air, and the full November sun. It's Saturday. The return of the reptilian conquerors! First home game in a month. A fully dressed primer before the home stretch. And our battered, battling Bulldogs need us. Because when adversity strikes...

Quayvon's law of physics

I would presume this is his assessment of the Stanford-Oregon game.

Hutson Mason - funky, awkward and waiting

Richt doesn't want to talk about it. Mason is fine waiting another few months for it. Meanwhile, Murray will show it off for the 50th time in his career.

Yes, "it" is playing time under center for the Georgia Bulldogs. I don't know if or how much we'll see the ever popular backup Saturday when Georgia takes on Appalachian State. But I like that Mason is taking it all in stride.

• "It's a funky situation," Mason said.
• "I really don't want to answer that, I really don't. It's just awkward," head coach Mark Richt said.
• "Maybe it's not meant to be. Maybe it's meant for me to just come out next year with no reps, no snaps, and no one know about me," Mason said, laughing. "Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be, I don't know."

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/06/2759740/mason-willing-to-keep-waiting.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/06/2759740/mason-willing-to-keep-waiting.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/06/2759740/mason-willing-to-keep-waiting.html#storylink=cpy

Rumph "never thought about taking a redshirt"

Rumph saw the field Saturday. Yesterday, he saw the media.

One of the developing side plots for Saturday will be if and how often Murray and Rumph can connect. It'd be real nice to develop another dangerous target before heading to the Plains.

"Pat Dye jumping the shark again" for $500 Alex.

The guy is like a train wreck that you hate to witness, but can't help but enjoy watching from a distance.

During a speech Monday at the Knoxville Quarterback Club, Dye called Auburn's 2012 quarterbacks "cowards." 

Of all the cringe-worthy comments that have escaped from the mouth of the legendary Auburn coach during his retirement, that single word had to be the worst. 

As if Kiehl Frazier, Clint Moseley and Jonathan Wallace didn’t suffer enough during the 2012 season. As if the entire Auburn family - players and fans alike - didn’t still have scars from that experience. 

It’s one thing to make a foolish prediction, as Dye did last year when he said that Gene Chizik wouldn’t be fired even if he didn’t win another game. It’s something else entirely to attach one of the worst insults imaginable to young men who suited up for your school. 

Dye told me Tuesday evening that he’d talked to Frazier about it but didn’t want to say anything more on the subject. 

“I'm not gonna talk about it," Dye said. "I don’t want to do anything to be a distraction to us playing Tennessee."

Too late Coach. Although that would've been a breath of fresh air for Barners I'm sure.

Faint recollections from the Cocktail Party

See, I am Wonder Mike and I'd like to say hello!...One, two, three, four. Come on girls! Get on the floor!

One thing I never learned in Blogging School is that your golf game could become part of  full length feature film's trailer. Also, I should add that none of Perry's many engaging personalities were harmed getting down off of that party bus. Or witnessing Chris' blow torch!

So no full blown video with interviews this week. Probably a good call on Nama's part. Beyond what you saw there, other achievements that were unlocked - a deceptively fast black van, corn hole using RVs as natural hazards, Oscar convincing me he was in Jax lockup, the Church's chicken, cheese and egg biscuit, a small yet impressive sampling of The Wrangler's Sunday School class meeting on SSI at 1am, many a sad, empty growler, and an exponentially greater number of sad gator fans making questionable life choices.

Wiggins recalls Armati Edwards. Kind of.

Weiszer brings you up to date on all things App State here. Including their move to FBS football and subsequent transitional period. But what Shaq Wiggins remembers is the Mountaineers' big time televised moment.

Just last week, ESPN Classic re-aired a showing of a game that increased Appalachian State’s visibility nationally when it stunned No. 5 Michigan, 34-32, in 2007.

“Every time somebody brings up App State, I remember that game,” Georgia freshman cornerback Shaq Wiggins said. “I saw it on TV. All I remember is the black quarterback with the dreads, No. 10, I don’t know his name, but that’s all I remember when they say App State.”

WLOCP wrap up

I think I've regained enough sleep to compose some semi-cogent thoughts. Pulling three consecutive late nights, eating as if calories were a concept from Mars, drinking from a refillable Sanford Stadium cup, then adding in the euphoria that is Jacksonville after a WLOCP win, and you've got an old guy needing some recovery time.

To be perfectly clear, I've never had a bad time on WLOCP weekend. It's just that when the actual game matches the exuberance of the trip itself, it transcends awesome. Because there ain't nothing like beating the Florida Gators!

via Ward Studio

• Heading down to Jacksonville through the moist air Saturday morning I made a note that I thought the offensive line play would be key. While that may not have been very prophetic, it carried out just that way. Sure, Georgia only averaged a little less than a yard a rush more than Florida, but Coach Friend's crew only gave up two sacks for 15 yards while Florida gave up four for 28. 
• And no sack was bigger or more clutch than Corey Moore's. Fantastic call and very well executed.
• Gurley's presence was huge. That's stating the obvious. But when a freshman tailback comes in and runs over your top ranked defense, well...that had to be a bit demoralizing. And another word for demoralizing in this case is fantastic!!
• I'm sure I'm not the only one that cringed whenever we lined up for a punt. But it is time to give credit where it is due. Special teams play was solid. Theus did a great job on long snaps and Marshall Morgan keeps doing his thing.
• Before leaving the game itself, I just want to express (or attempt to come close to) how damn proud I am of two players especially. While joining Buck Belue and Johnny Rauch as the only Georgia quarterbacks to beat Florida three or more times is indeed elite, rarefied air, the way in which Murray obtained his particular three wins is truly special. They were never easy. But I think if you reflect back on his three trips to Jacksonville you will recall some special throws and some gutsy performances. Kudos to you Aaron Murray!
• And Garrison Smith...I knew this guy had himself a bigger game that what I had seen from the stands when I saw Sunday morning that Mrs. Bernie had posted a couple pics to Instagram off the CBS feed of him doing some work. Then I saw some of his post-game interviews and read some of the wrap-ups from the locker room. This guy's something special. I know I said it already earlier today, but it is true leadership when you walk what you talk. And Garrison does it on the field and off. Cheering his entrance onto the field come Senior Day against Kentucky is already putting a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth.

Lastly, many thanks to the hospitality of St. Simons Island. Our stay at the Hall-iday Inn was as pleasant as ever. And while I have no Earthly idea why y'all put up with the foolishness of "frat beach", I sure am glad y'all put up with me and my crew - Wonder Mike, Nama, Perry, the Sugarhill Gang, the Wrangler, Terry, Rob Base, Perald, and the Ying Yang Twins once a year.

Do The Humpty Dance and stay fresh SSI! And Go Dawgs!

Garrison Smith's play honored

Good on ya GSmith!

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: Garrison Smith, NG, Georgia 

• Smith recorded a career-high nine tackles, including 2.5 sacks for loss of 12 yards, during Georgia’s 23-20 win over Florida.
• After coming into the game with 1.5 sacks this year and only a single sack during the first three years of his career, Smith is third on the team with four sacks and third with a total of 44 tackles this season.
• He led a defense that surrendered only a pair of touchdowns (which had drives of 14 and 50 yards) and a field goal.

I haven't finished re-watching the game yet. But it's clear from everything I've read and seen and heard that Garrison left everything he had in the tank for this game on the field at Everbank Stadium. It's not easy to turn your back on a senior that's talking the talk. But this guy was walking it too.

Damn Good Dawg!

Brendan Douglas trucks some gators

If was nice of them to line up in an orderly fashion just to get bulldozed.

Seriously, I could watch that all day long.

Jordan Jenkins sums it all up

And he does so for both the team and the fans I would believe.

“If we lost to Florida, we knew our season was over with,” outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins. “I feel like the morale would have definitely been hurt. … With this win, we just know we can still come to practice working and ready for something.”

WiLLL sits atop his throne

As usual, good stuff from @BassinDawg.

Sunday's thought on the number THREE!

The tides have officially turned along the St. John's. Yesterday saw a rare matchup of two equally matched yet uniquely mismatched teams in the GA-fla rivalry. Ironically it also became the take if two halves. Or almost did, until Georgia exerted its manhood and broke Florida's will.

Now one team gains new momentum in the series and the season. While the other slithers back into the swamp searching for answers. That won't be easy as there were several "tense" exchanges between Muschamp and fans yesterday.

But we'd need not worry about that. Because I said its great to be a Georgia Bulldog!