the Sunday Misery is moonlight through the pines

"Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers..."

Love me some Skynard. But this week, like no other, I prefer just an old sweet song.

My tell-tale Dawg heart
In elementary school, teachers invited us to the front of the room to either show or tell. You had an option to show the class something that was important to you, or tell them something that was important to you.

Can you guess what I usually chose?

In 1972 my parents moved to Athens GA. I was two and a half years old. I didn't move away until I went off to college.

In my grade school years I remember passing the railroad tracks on the east side of Sanford and seeing it full of empty beer and whiskey bottles plus the occasional worn-down recliner on the way to Sunday School.

After the National Championship in the 1981 Sugar Bowl, I remember all of the billboards around Athens featuring the Junkyard Dawgs and the phrase "Hunker Down"!

Somewhere around 1983, I remember the house that was built adjacent to the Dooley's home near the intersection of West Lake Dr and Milledge Cir. The joke was that Coach was building it for Herschel. I was almost young enough to believe it.

Later, I went to Cedar Shoals High School. I was a couple years behind Athens Good Samaritan Bryant Gantt. He's the guy you've seen on the Georgia sideline probably since the Donnan years. As a lifelong fan turned employee of the University, he's on his way to becoming the only contemporary I know that is on a trajectory that legends like Coach Dooley and, dare I say, Coach Magill were on decades ago.

In 1988 I graduated high school at Stegeman Coliseum. The same Steg I used to (occasionally) skip Wednesday night choir practice with Chip to see Durham's Hoop Dawgs play.

In the Fall of 1989 I completed my transfer from LaGrange College and enrolled at UGA. ("Still in peaceful dreams I see, the road leads back to you.) It was what I have sometimes affectionately referred to here on the blog as my "first sophomore year" of college. It was also Goff's first year as head coach.

In 1990 Coach Webber's Diamond Dawgs won the College World Series. At this point I had been to (at least) twice as many baseball games on campus as I had football games. I bet a majority of today's freshman don't even know what or where Foley Field is.

Beauties.

Also in 1990 I went from being on Academic probation to Honor Roll. A feat Coach Goff, unfortunately, could not replicate. I eventually graduated in 1993. He was fired in 1995. After the similar up and down trajectories of our UGA careers, I got a diploma and he got Zaxby's. Since it was Guthrie's that got me through all those years, I still say I got the better separation package.

In 1996, at Coach Donnan's debut they gave out t-shirts. But we lost to Southern Miss 11-7 and I saw a dude take our a lighter and burn his new souvenir before he even left Sanford. Sidenote - I think Kirby was a sophomore on that team.

In 1997 I married Jenn, the biggest, most badass Dawg fan I know. Our first dance was to a little tune called Georgia, by Ray Charles.

Also in 1997 I cried after a football game for the first time when Donnan's Dawgs beat Florida. Well, they didn't beat them so much as they whooped their ass until the rules stated that they had to stop.

In 2000 I went back to UGA to become what we affectionately refer to as a "Double Dawg", so I had a student ID for both Donnan's final season as well as Richt's first.

In 2002 Jenn and I began our lil Dawg family. Nothing cuter than a girl in pigtails wearing Georgia red!

I documented most of the remaining years in this post-Richt firing post. I don't want to bore you down an already beaten path, but I would like emphasize that all the way through the Richt era I strengthened friendships with friends like Nama, Fred, Joe Waterloo, Cord, and their wives and families around Georgia football.

Undefeated Tailgate Crew

Like you I've also made many friends around tailgates like Tanner, Hillary, the Wrangler, Dustin, Doherty, Matt, and their wives and families. Saturdays in the fall just aren't the same without them.

Thanks to social media I got to meet Robert and Kerri plus her husband Barry out in Boulder in '09. I also met Tony on that trip, on a bourbon aisle of a local liquor store of course. On the concourse right before Ralphie ran onto Folsom Field, Ben screamed at me and we yelled "Go Dawgs!" together for the first time.

On other trips, UGA events, and the occasional Drive By Truckers concert I've met other Damn Good Dawg fans like Mackie, Krisi, Jen from La Jolla, Buddy, the Thinking Bulldog, Groo, Kit, Jake & April & Bryan, Sorrow & Trevin, DentalDawg, Chase, Andrew, Brad, Sandy, Angie, Scott from the Boro, Paul Westerdawg, John aka the Oconee River Rat, Tony & Russ, Jason, and of course the Eternal Redcoat Brett.

I've shared a ride to Columbia SC with Salty to share some beers with Ben, only to suffer through the worst beat down I've seen our Dawgs take.

After the Dawgs' win in Jacksonville Derrick, Colby, and Eddie helped me sacrifice my car. Next year we're going to find a different way to celebrate a WLOCP win.

Even through all the ups and downs, the relationships have held me true.

OUR tell-tale Dawg heart
That's a really, really long way of pointing out that we all have a story. It's moments like this, before your team plays its biggest game in decades, that we as fans tend to reflect on how we, personally, got here.

As the old saying goes, it's not the destination but the journey that's important. Today, here on the eve of the 2018 College Football National Championship, I respectfully disagree. It's both the journey and the destination.

It's the moonlight through those Georgia pines. It's the old sweet song that keeps bringing us back each and every August.

We've all worked through our own moments of fear and trepidation to get here. We've all hugged perfect strangers in the stands of Sanford and other stadiums in the Southeast and beyond when some player wearing that most magnificently beautiful helmet made a play. We've all buried our heads in our hands more often than we've raised them to the Heavens.

And here we are. It started in our veins, it coursed through our heart, and brought us to our feet!

Tweet Champs!

We've stood together in agony. We've put our arms around each other in desperation. We've traveled the nation and drank towns dry. We've suffered through coaching searches and injuries and dropped passes and also getting passed on by the national narrative.

But Kirby's team has punched its own ticket. It's been a fabulous ride...

2017's Final stanza
...but it ain't over. This magical season just had to end with Alabama. Like no other the Tide have stood between us and greatness the most often and the most resolute. They held us five yards short. They've beat us down twice in our own stadium in the last nine years.

And you may have heard recently that our coach is their former assistant. While the national media lazily tries to draw similarities, we need to remember that Kirby is quick to point out the differences. Tucker's defense is more like Junkyard Dawgs than Saban Crimson clones.

After all, sheep are for Tenersee "farmers".

Yes, this season has to end with Alabama. And come Monday night (or very early Tuesday morning) there's no reason the winner can't be Georgia. After all, the Tide had to fight their way in. They are still trying to prove they belong. The national analysts keep saying "It's an all SEC final!". But only one of us is the conference champion. They may like the cut of the Tide's jib, but Saban failed to win his own damn division.

Meanwhile some keep saying "well goshdarn whatever happens happens and beyond a Rose Bowl berth this season is just gravy".

Is that you? Are you satisfied? Is that defeatist attitude something our coaches and players would endorse? Is that why Fromm set the edge for Sony last Monday night so that you could post your #RoseBowl excitement on bookface and scream with glee just so he and Chubb and Zo and Bellamy and Dominick could have the chance to friggin' lose their final game of their Georgia Bulldog career? Is that why Lorenzo Carter finally came back down to Earth earlier this week after hovering endlessly over the Rose Bowl turf to block that damn kick?

Dude, your sadness makes Alanis Morisette want to make another starving dog commercial. Get a gotdamn grip!

We're Georgia and we belong right where we are. They're the ones that need to prove they belong. They're the ones that're bringing their cousins to Atlanta...as dates. They're the ones that have a complacent fan base. They're the ones with a coach that's spent 20 years on AARP benefits.

Let's bring this home. Let's complete this journey! Our destination has been the same since we became Dawg fans! Our goal hasn't wavered since Bellamy stripped sacked that Domer in South Bend! Our focus has been steadfast since the blood coursed through the veins into our heart and brought us to our feet!

Truly, I don't know if we'll win tomorrow, but I can't think of one reason why we can't. We've come this far, we've followed our own paths. For 37 years we've turned our heads towards the Southwest corner for the Battle Hymn until we've developed a crick in our neck. We've joined hands and raised our four fingers and most recently a phone's flashlight to beckon our own inner Glory Glory!

I don't know what the future holds, but I know it's bright and I only want it brighter. Like, NOW! I want the confetti to drench and nearly drown Nick Chubb. I want to see Sony make #JazzHands and snow angels on the Mercedes-Benz floor. I want to see that gap in Zo's smile as he hoists the trophy.  I want to see Bellamy holding the ball he stripped from Hurts with two minutes left on the stage as he accepts the MVP award.

I want to hug my kids with a championship hug. I want my wife to know the joy that she's been been screaming and longing for all these years. I want my friends to feel the joy that I know they've all earned ten times over. I want you, my loyal and eager Reader, to enjoy the long and joyous smile of a truly satisfied Georgia Buldog fan.

Glory Glory, let us bow our thankful heads y'all....dear Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to play in Atlanta one more time. Please let Roquan find many a ball carrier and Wynn raise Chubb to your Heavens at least one more time! In the name of Herschel's Separated Shoulder and Munson's Metal Steel Chair, Amen! Go Dawgs!

#KeeptheMainThingtheMainThing

Georgia vs. Alabama, the rushing game

One thing is clear, whichever team has the ball Monday night will be trying to establish the run. The Dawgs and the Tide, respectively, are one and two in the conference in rushing the football.

But how they go about achieving that goal are two vastly different animals.

Georgia uses a variety of sets and looks to get Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, college football's most prolific backfield tandem, into space. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney wants to have the opponent's defense sufficiently worn down in the fourth quarter when he can even insert D'Andre Swift into the huddle with fresh legs.

For a great reference to that point, make sure you've thoroughly vetted this post by The Senator where he specifically points out how Oklahoma's secondary grew tired of being blocked the deeper into the game they got.

By contrast, Alabama uses multiple looks as well, but they rely heavily on the legs of Jalen Hurts, not to mention his ability to make the correct reads in the read-option and run-pass-option.

So when someone tries to tell you that this is just the same ol' Bama, take that with a grain of salt. Because they don't have that heavy bruiser of a tailback that they use to tote the rock 20-25 times a game.

Damien Harris is a strong runner and likes to get downhill. He's also athletic, something usually attributed more to his colleague Bo Scarbrough. But together they really handle most of the handoffs, albeit to the tune of just 19 carries/game combined (via cfbstats.com)

And that's because this is Jalen Hurts' show. He doesn't have as many yards as Harris, but he has the most carries. For the most part he does a good job of reading the defense and determining which run option is best.

However, he ain't perfect. This video of Sugar Bowl highlights gives you an idea of how they utilize the running backs mentioned, but also shows you that Hurts can get flustered. For instance, pay particular attention to the moderate pressure (at best) up the middle Clemson throws at him at about the 2:30 mark when they are able to force a fumble off a bad read and exchange.

That's something, as we discussed yesterday, that could play into Coach Tucker's hands. The Tiger linebacker is really just making a read and playing off of Hurts' eyes. I wouldn't even call it a blitz. Plug Roquan in there on a favorable down and distance and it could definitely lead to a positive result.

That's all well and good. But no matter what anyone (myself included) writes or what any expert on the television tells you this week, we all know from past meetings that this game will come down to which team controls the line of scrimmage best.

In the 2012 SECCG it was practically a draw at the line of scrimmage until late when we had used pretty much the same defensive front the entire game. John Jenkins was gassed and we couldn't stop Eddie Lacy or TJ Yeldon.

Tucker's defense is much more versatile than Grantham's 2012 version. And the point of this post is to highlight the possibility that Alabama's offense is less versatile today than it was then. In other words, stop Hurts and you stop the Tide. They just don't have that one running back that can wear on you from down to down.

Well, to be honest, I think Harris especially fits the bill. It's just that they don't use him that way. Perhaps I just haven't watched enough of them to know that they just don't need him or Scarbrough as much as Hurts. In Harris' best game against Vandy he had 12 carries for 151 yards. In the close game against Mississippi State thogh he was averaging over 11 yards a carry but only touched it eight times. Meanwhile Hurts had 19 carries for two yards a clip (sack yardage included).

Have they been saving 34 and 9's legs just for this game Monday?

In the end I'm going to give Georgia the edge in the rushing game, all while hoping I'm not just seeing what I want to see. Because admittedly, I've watched a lot more of Georgia than Alabama. I just see our rushing attack as much more versatile.

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing...Go Dawgs!

Even the little things are The Main Thing

It's taken a while to digest exactly what happened. It's so much more than the game itself. It's the experience and the sheer joy you feel when you see your team come out on top on that kind of stage. After a day of thinking and reflecting I still can't come up with the words. But I highly recommend you read this Tommy Tomlinson piece on his experience and why moments like what happened Monday night are so important.

As for the game itself, it was truly an instant classic. Reminiscent of game like the 2006 Rose Bowl which served as the National Championship game between Texas and USC. But this one was our own Georgia Bulldogs! Two amazing teams with amazing talent, both who clearly wanted to be there and wanted to win.

It was a game full of huge swings in momentum from sideline to sideline, as each big play seemed to be one that would finally turn the tide for good. But then there was another, and then another. And then there was another!

I had wondered a few weeks ago if time of possession would be the key factor in stopping the Oklahoma offense and giving us our best shot. I was right about being able to run the ball effectively, I just didn't take into account how effectively we would run it. Something like three drives that took less than a minute. It was the game we knew Sony and Chubb could and should have. So glad Sony got the chance to atone for that fumble and seal the deal himself. And more on that in a minute...

But there were a couple of smaller things that also became the Main Thing. I'll leave the argument of whether the decision to squib kick it to end the first half up to the Sooner fans. But the heads up play by a former reserve running back turned reserve linebacker in Tae Crowder to instinctively snag that kick and lay on it, was amazing.

Think about how easy it would be to just go out there as a kick return specialist and simply go through the motions. Special Teams coordinator Shane Beamer mostly gives credit where it is due, to Crowder, but I'm sure they had been warned to watch for an "nontraditional" kick off. Still, to be ready to go back to your days as a Harris County HS shortstop and snag that ball ended up being a game changer. It was. We had to have it!

Because with just a few ticks on the clock (and with our offensive coordinator in an elevator on the way to the locker room), we were able to call a quick out to Godwin and grab another nine yards and stop the clock with just a second left.

At this point I'm thinking, "Well, that makes Fromm's heave to the endzone a little shorter." But the coaches had another bold idea and Rodrigo took it from there. And there was never a doubt.

VIA

Another small thing I noticed that was huge was not just the blocking on that Sony Michel 27 yard touchdown trot, but actually who was blocking - reserve wide receivers and Nauta. Of course, Fromm gave his man on the outside all he could handle to give Sony the room to run. But to send out guys like Crumpton and Simmons and Blount, all with fresh legs and bodies in the second over time to lay some wood was a great call, and refreshing to see.

And now it's on to Alabama in the biggest game our Dawgs have been in since 1982. We've had games where we were playing for this chance. It just wasn't until Kirby preached to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing that we actually succeeded in getting it done.

Go Dawgs!

Difference between bowls and actual playoff games

Things shifted when the bowls adapted into the Bowl Championship Series which begat the College Football Playoffs. Similarly things will shift Monday when the mere bowls give way to the real games.

Oklahoma meets Georgia. Alabama meets Clemson, again.

Two epic matchups. And only two winners will prevail.

The real difference between those two bowls and the rest that we’ve witnessed before them is that Oklahoma and Georgia and Alabama and Clemson all are hungry. Teams in mere bowls are subject to changing coaches’ allegiances and seniors eyeing draft prospects and others lacking the hunger.

Every player in the games on Monday are hungry. The playing field doesn’t tilt on the whims of a coaching staff or a running back protecting his draft stock.

It’s almost time to man up.

Go Dawgs!

I'm a Dawg fan, not an SEC fan

Today Missouri opens SEC bowl play in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl against the Texas Longhorns. It will be the first of nine bowls that feature a Southeastern Conference team, and thereby sparks up the annual dialogue about the myth that is "conference loyalty".

Some people like to root for our own rivals. It's a practice that I fail to understand. I am a Georgia fan. Not an SEC fan. I can't stand the other teams in the SEC. I can't stand the referees in the SEC. I can't stand all of the Cracker Barrels in the SEC. And I hate watching those other teams win.

Many of you may know that I graduated from Cedar Shoals High School. Our cross town rival was Clarke Centtral. They were bigger and better at most things as I was growing up. So was I filled with pride when they'd bring home another state title just because I was from Athens?

Hell no. I hated them even more for it. The same way I hated it when Tennessee won the National Title in 1998, and don't even get me started on the Gators during their hey days. My heart skips a beat whenever one of our conference rivals' quarterbacks throws a pick six. Oh the joy!

So, you'd sit next to this and high five it when they scored? (Hypothetically.
since we all know they ain't playing in no bowl game this year.)

I'd root for Russia over Florida and I'd prefer to be friends with JR Ewing over Philip Fulmer. At least when JR'd eventually stab me in the back he wouldn't smell like rank possum meat and gin while he did so.

"But Bernie, what if I picked an SEC team in my bowl pool, or maybe even placed a wager on one of them to win a game?"

Glad you asked. I hope you do well in your pool. I've picked my share of enemies to win some of those games too. But I'll be thrilled if they lose instead. If you placed a bet, I hope you don't lose your money. I really don't. But just because you think highly enough of the Gamecocks to bet $50 on them doesn't mean you need to cheer for them to do well.

And if you show up on my lawn wearing orange it'll be a race between my youngest and my dog to see which gets a hold of your ass first.

I'm a Dawg fan. To root for other SEC teams is a Tennessee Hillbilly kind of sad. Cuz those sonsabitches are sitting at home with nothing to do but live vicariously through the rest of us.

Rose Bowl Betting Preview: Georgia Slight Favorite vs. Sooners

Georgia and Oklahoma are two of the marquee programs in college football and have been for decades, yet the Bulldogs and Sooners have never met on the gridiron. That changes on New Year’s Day at arguably the most storied venue in the sport, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The Dawgs opened as 1.5-point underdogs but a check of Bovada for latest odds on the game shows UGA as a 2-point favorite for the first national semifinal. Oklahoma has won six of its past seven games as an underdog, however, including both this year.

There are 41 bowl games this season, including the Jan. 8 national title matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and there perhaps isn’t a pairing of more polar opposites than Dawgs-Sooners.

Georgia, the SEC champion for the first time since 2005 under second-year coach Kirby Smart, wins with ball-control offense and a ferocious defense. Led by Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, one of the best tailback duos in the country, Georgia ranks 10th nationally in rushing yards per game at 263.5. Smart generally asks freshman quarterback Jake Fromm to manage the game and avoid mistakes – Fromm largely has with just five interceptions. He’ll run occasionally too.

Big 12 champion Oklahoma hasn’t faced a defense near as good as Georgia’s this season as the Dawgs rank fourth nationally in points allowed (13.2) and fourth in yards surrendered (271.0 ypg) behind Butkus Award winner and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Roquan Smith. Georgia allowed more than 20 points just twice: a 53-28 win over Missouri and a 40-17 loss at Auburn. UGA’s final three opponents, Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Auburn in the SEC title game, totaled just 27 points.

Behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Sooners lead the nation in total offense (583 ypg) and are third in passing (367.4 ypg) and scoring (44.9 ppg). Mayfield is No. 1 nationally in rating (203.8) and completion percentage (71.0) while ranking second in TD passes (41) and yards (4,340).

If there’s one quarterback comparison for Georgia this season regarding Mayfield, it’s Missouri’s Drew Lock, who threw for 3,695 yards and an NCAA-high 43 touchdowns. In the Tigers’ 53-28 loss in Athens on Oct. 14, Lock was 15-for-25 for 253 yards, four TDs and a pick. Missouri couldn’t run the ball whatsoever that day. OU has three running backs who have rushed for at least 500 yards, topped by Rodney Anderson’s 960 yards and 11 touchdowns. Mayfield himself has rushed for 310 and five scores.

Of course, it’s Georgia’s first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma was a No. 4 seed in the playoff following the 2015 season and was routed 37-17 in the Orange Bowl semifinal by No. 1 Clemson.

This will be only the 10th time since 1966 that Georgia will face a Heisman winner in the same season the player won the trophy. It last happened in 2015 when Alabama running back Derrick Henry rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown in the Tide’s 38-10 win in Athens, a loss that helped spur the end of Mark Richt’s tenure. UGA’s last win over a Heisman winner in the same season was in 2007 over Florida and Tim Tebow – the infamous “Gator Stomp” game.

Either Georgia or Oklahoma would be an underdog in the national title game against No. 1 Clemson or No. 4 Alabama. Check Bovada for latest odds on that game. Incidentally, the 2015 Bama-Georgia matchup referenced above was the only time this decade that the Tide opened as a betting underdog. The Dawgs haven’t beaten Alabama since 2007 but have played only three times since. Georgia last played Clemson to open the 2014 season and throttled the Tigers in Athens, 45-21, behind four touchdowns and 293 all-purpose yards from Todd Gurley. Deshaun Watson wasn’t Clemson’s starting QB yet back then.

Rarefied air

Now that the bowls have started, have you noticed how much air time Georgia is getting in half-time commentary, ESPN playoff commercials, and general highlights? Although it still feels a little surreal, it also is helping it to hit home that "HOLY CRAP! We're in the CFB Playoffs and have to play Oklahoma y'all!"

We were in Virginia visiting the in-laws this weekend. The wife and I went into a local grocery store and were immediately met by the Salvation Army greeter who gave us a solid and boisterous "Go Dawgs!" upon seeing our red and black attire. He explained that he wasn't a Georgia fan but he'd be rooting for us. It seems fans that have no dog in the hunt still like a good Dawg to pull for.

Then as we were checking out a dude came up behind me and practically screamed "I hope y'all beat Bama!" I turned around and it was a guy wearing an Ohio State jacket and cap. He had strong opinions about how the Tide got in the playoffs despite a weak schedule and subsequently screwed over the Buckeyes.

Funny how he didn't want to talk about Iowa or 2016's version of Penn State getting left out. Anyway, it's cool seeing your team get so much air time. And I bet there are plenty of "Dawg fans in Exhile" enjoying the fact that the Dawgs are firmly in the national spotlight and have had similar experiences to the one we had at a Richmond area Kroger.

It's a fantastic addition to this Holiday season thus far. And a reminder that the coaches and staff are probably more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs about the players losing focus and getting a lot of this talk in their ears.

Two weeks from today!! Go Dawgs!

Rose Bowl - could time of possession be the game's biggest factor?

If we can agree that this Rose Bowl isn’t likely to be the high scoring affair that Sooners have gotten used to with Mayfield at the helm of its offense, and if we can agree that the Georgia coaching staff is likely to want to slow this game down and limit the Sooner possessions as much as possible, then we might start to look for 2017 games for each team that could serve as a crude, yet convenient barometer for what each team wants to avoid.

Never fear, I did just that last night.

October 14th, the Red River Shootout, Oklahoma 29   Texas 24. (And yes, that’s considered low scoring by their standards.) Time of possession is pretty even with the Sooners possessing the ball for just under 32 minutes. Here’s a recap of the highlights:

What I see is a lot of big plays breaking down (for both offenses really) to the point where the quarterback and his playmakers have to improvise. Both quarterbacks do a remarkable job of moving the pocket, using their feet for both time and yards (points), and simply waiting for the secondary to break down to the point that a receiver was open or there was room to run.

In the end Baker made one more play than Ehlinger. Otherwise it might have been the Longhorns running out the clock at the end instead. And in the end Texas surrendered 174 yards on 39 carries. The Longhorns were essentially beaten by Mayfield’s arm because they weren’t effective enough in stopping Trey Sermon and Rodney Anderson on the ground.

November 11th, Iowa State 38   Oklahoma 31. The Cyclones handed the Sooners their only loss, and ISU too held the OU just below their season average in time of possession. Unlike the Longhorns though, the Cyclones were able use enough screens, score late, or play some defense late to hold off another Sooner rally.

There’s no question that Georgia’s secondary should provide a more difficult task for the Heisman winner and this Sooner offense. But the last thing we want to see is Tucker’s defense struggling to balance when to rush extra men and when to drop them back. Because Mayfield is the type of quarterback that will expose a defense that is playing on its heels.

And he’ll do it with ease.

Baker dominated the Buckeye midfield logo. What a champion!

If 2017’s version of the Red River Shootout and the loss to the Cyclones at home are the types of games Oklahoma wants to avoid playing again, then without question Georgia wants to avoid what happened on the Plains about a month ago even more.

November 11th, the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, part one, Auburn 40   Georgia 17. This was, obviously, the Dawgs’ worst game in terms of controlling to game’s momentum and possessing the ball - 26:54 to 33:06. (We only held the ball for 25 minutes in Jacksonville, but that was all you needed to whip the gators’ ass this year, so…)

The Tigers were undoubtedly the more physical team at the point of attack. They gashed Tucker’s defense for 237 yards, and made it feel like double that.

However you feel about the Big 12 being a finesse league and full of soft defenses and cute passes, make no mistake that this Sooner o-line is legit. They’ve got a Heisman winner that has helped them win some awards and gain some recognition. Plus they’d love nothing more than to contain Georgia’s pass rush and open up holes for their running backs in front all those NFL scouts that will be out in full in Pasadena.

I like the fact that our offense could really complement our defense well on this grand stage in the Rose Bowl. Fromm will definitely have to make some throws, but there should be plenty of yards to gain on the ground against a defense that is 40th nationally in rush defense.

Hand the ball off. Tick tick tick tick tick tick...Keep the Baker man cold on the sideline as much as possible.

Go Dawgs!

The 8th Annual Bowl Pool - Another Festivus Miracle!

The brain trust at ESPN has spoken and matched all of the teams up for us. So it's time to select the winners and see who comes out on top.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

PASSWORD = Festivus

It all starts December 16th with Grambling vs NC A&T in the Celebration Bowl. It ends in The Benz with the Rose and Sugar winners. Should be quite the ride. So gather round the table and let's begin with the Airing of Grievances!

Atlanta by way of Pasadena

Man, what a weekend! Two years ago today we didn’t have a coach. Yesterday we watched Kirby give an interview to Rece Davis after Georgia was seeded third in the CFB Playoffs!

What a time to be alive!

When Joe Waterloo texted me for a prediction before the SEC Championship game I went with 28-17. I knew our offensive line especially would play better than they did in the environment of Jordan Hare three weeks ago. The wild card was Kerryon Johnson. Turned out he was a shell of his former self. I’m not entirely sure he should’ve even been playing at all.

Take away their running game and Malzahn is back to being just a gimmick with no alternate game plan.

Kirby preached before and during his game interviews about “physicality” and “composure”. His team really played with his instructions in mind. We were dominated in the trenches three weeks ago, but Georgia's coaches were able to flip the script on Malzahn & Co. Saturday night. The offensive line was bulldozing jokers and the defensive front was everything we saw in other locations like Knoxville and Jacksonville earlier this season.

We knew it before Saturday, but this team is something special. Now that we've made it in I'm thoroughly looking forward to seeing how they measure up against the nation's elite.

Speaking of which, I really think the committee got it right by bringing in Alabama at #4. I didn't think they would, but it seems they saw what many of us did as well - with Ohio State you have an up and down team. Conference champion or not, on January 1st in prime time no one wants to tune in to see a re-run of Clemson obliterating the Buckeyes.

On the other hand, a rematch of last season's epic battle between the Tigers and the Tide? Yes please.

But there's a lot of time in between now and then. I'll have the 8th annual Bowl Pool up later today or tomorrow. Until then, you can keep pinching yourself until the cows come home. But this is real y'all! Go Dawgs!

via GeorgiaDogs.com

Annual Bowl Pool - Festivus is back!

In the long storied history of the blog's annual bowl pool, I've never won. Maybe the seventh time is a charm.

Regardless, we're getting the pole out of the crawl space and meeting at the Costanza's for dinner after the Airing of Grievances. Click the link and the password is "JazzHands". Then simply create your entry and join Kramer on The Strike line.

For you noobs...a historical catch you up. Please make your checks out to The Human Fund.

Bowlin' with Santa

My general malaise has lifted enough to take some glimpses at possible bowl destinations for Kirby's first team. I've heard a lot of people making bold statements about wishing we weren't going bowling and making negative predictions about the number of fans that would show up.

I take a different track. First, say what you want about the season, but these seniors deserve a trip somewhere and to suit up one more time as a tackle football player for the University of Georgia. Also, a young team could use the extra reps in practice.


Well hell, the coaches could too for that matter.

Anyway, stumbled on this list for Georgia specifically. Durham lists the potential bowl games as: Music City, Texas, Belk, Liberty and Birmingham.

Personally, I think we can strike the Music City and Belk Bowls from the list. Sure, anything can happen when conference management and egotistical athletic directors get together on a conference call. And yes, we all know our own AD is just an overcooked angel hair noodle in a suit. But I'd place my bet on the Birmingham Bowl first and then possibly the Liberty.

There's been some murmurs about the Texas Bowl being willing to part with their SEC West team preference and take Georgia in. That'd be news if it happens. And the bowl rep is surely talking up Georgia nicely.

“Yeah, we absolutely will do whatever the SEC thinks is best for our event, and for the conference,” Fletcher said. “It’s tough not to love Georgia. A national brand, a great history, had a fantastic season on the field, has a lot of young talent. As you’ve seen with coach (Kirby) Smart, Houston has become more important – and really Texas as a whole – has become a more important market to try and build a base in going forward.” 

Fletcher said he also heard there was a “large contingent” of Georgia alums in the Houston-Dallas corridor. In fact, UGA has been holding fan days in those two cities over the past few years, including a Kirby Smart appearance in Houston last June.

McGarity of course deferred comment to the SEC offices. Perhaps those alumni in Houston can make a pitch to Sankey in our AD's stead. I'm one that actually takes some pride in our bowl streak, and it'd be cool to finish off a difficult season with a new bowl game to add to the resume.

But that's just me. Go Dawgs y'all!

Why I'm rooting for Clemson to beat Alabama

My line of vision was barely above his hips as I watched him move ahead of me through the crowd. In the distance you could hear the pre-game cheering and that seemed to only make everyone's gait even livelier. 

And Dad was certainly energized. As I tucked the rolled up program against the inside of my right elbow, effectively securing it from potential tacklers, I recalled the excitement in his voice when he told me we'd be going to Clemson on Saturday. His enthusiasm leading up to our departure that morning had let me know that something special was in store; something exciting.

The paw prints had led Dad's old blue Opel in from Seneca. We'd parked out by the lake and I'd been told to stay close. From there to the stadium I'd peak around his right hip and then switch to his left as I envisioned him as my lead blocker. The air was electrified by the amazing sights, sounds, and smells of college football. 

One sniff and I was hooked.

I remember this hanging in Dad's office, a
humorous reminder that he was in the minority.
(h/t Tbone)

Dad matriculated at Clemson University towards the end of Coach Howard's era. A stint in the Air Force and jobs from Raleigh, NC to Athens, GA had made it hard for him to catch many Clemson home games. But here we were at the end of Steve Fuller's celebrated career at quarterback with two tickets safely tucked somewhere in Dad's jeans. I extended my skinny right arm to lead him into another block. And to let him know I was staying close. 

In the distance the cheerleaders lead the early crowd...C L E M...S O N!!

As a big Georgia fan, I'm frequently asked what it was like to grow up in Athens during the 1980's. The truth is that, at least for me, it's a flood of memories such as these: hearing Larry Munson on the radio, which Dad probably had on so that he could get updates on the Clemson score as much as to hear how the Dawgs were doing; seeing billboards around town of Dooley's face or "How 'Bout Them Dawgs!!" in an effort to sell more cars, hardware, and restaurant visits; or simply the latest prank Dad's coworkers had played on him to fuel the office rivalry between Dawgs and Tigers.

The most fundamental truth however, is that it was a great time to grow up a college football fan. You weren't inundated with eternal instant access, televised regurgitations of network bias, or blatant solicitations towards their calculated agenda. It was just Saturdays, a burning a pile of leaves, and using the old swingset as a goalpost to kick game-winning field goals. It was as much imagination and folklore back then as it is instant highlights and propagandized drama today.

Maybe I just feel that way because I was ten years old back then, but it was pure innocence and wonder. It was hearing a highlight and going to the backyard to try and recreate it. It was hoping the D-cell batteries in the radio propped in the open window sill didn't give out before Rex Robinson kicked that field goal, or Perry Tuttle caught that touchdown pass.

A family heirloom

Having successfully negotiated our way through the crowd and the turnstiles, we climbed up the stadium to our seats. Dad pointed out specific players and key matchups to keep an eye on. They were as small as ants, but they were nothing near so insignificant. In fact, I was captivated by the spectacle of seeing a game live. Their movements and the corresponding roars that erupted from the crowd only intensified the excitement brewing inside my head.

I suddenly understood Dad's enthusiasm leading up to this trip. This was special. My eyes couldn't take in the sights any faster than my ears could soak up the sounds.

Of course it's a new age. More and more my favorite pastime is about the almighty dollar and winning at all costs. But for me, it's always been about relationships. It's about bringing people together to enjoy a Fall Saturday. Fellow alumni, friends, family, former classmates, neighbors, coworkers, loved ones. We find a spot and throw up a tent. We sit beside each other and join our voices as one.

I enjoy those moments like no other. I'll live out my days looking at the calendar towards the next time I get to sit inside Sanford Stadium. My heart swells whenever I hear my own kids yell Go Dawgs! It's eternally coursing through my veins.

Yes, Sanford is my home now. But as you now understand, I first understood the importance, the brilliance, and the majesty of college football back in 1979 sitting beside my dad at Clemson Memorial Stadium. I don't wear orange, but I'll happily yell Go Tigers! when Clemson and Alabama kick off tomorrow night.

I'm not a loyal SEC fan. And I'm certainly not your everyday Clemson fan. But I truly hope my Dad gets to see his team win another national championship tomorrow. After all, he was a great lead blocker back in the day.

2015 Georgia Bulldogs - it was a tale of two cities

From Athens to Jacksonville, and back again. This past season proved just how important Everbank Field is to our collective psyche.

3-27

24-17

Yet, it was so much more than two trips to Jax. Dramatic wins over South Carolina and Auburn. Hung 50 on Spurrier for good measure. The field goal fest that was Homecoming. But in the end, it still has a feel of what the hell happened? Essentially, back in August how many of us thought a picture like this would be the other bookend to the season?

via ABH

Our wide receivers coach accepting the bowl trophy and a true freshman receiver the MVP. And you thought WR was a position of many questions back when the days were longer and we were in shorts and flip-flops.

I guess Godwin winning the MVP as a freshman is actually easier to believe since Chubb had done it the year before. Still, that picture goes to show how much can change so quickly.

Other than that, since the bulk of our games this year were played in two cities, I would sum up 2015 with a Dickens quote - It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

On one hand, we're happy with another ten win season. Sent this senior class out with yet another win over Tech and 40 wins in their tenure. On the other, it was just another ten win season that left us wanting more in Jacksonville. Again.

Wherever you fall, I was happy to share the journey with you Reader. Despite some uneasiness of the coaching transition, it continues to be an exciting time to be a Georgia Bulldog fan.

SEC "fans" sleeping with the enemy

Tonight the SEC bowl season begins. So it's time for my yearly post on why it's idiotic to root/cheer/hope other SEC teams win their bowl games (or any game for that matter).

And I'd like to start with this:

If Alabama wins a national championship on Jan. 11, it helps Georgia. No, really, it does — at least according to Kirby Smart.

Smart, the Bulldogs' new coach and outgoing Crimson Tide defensive coordinator, is currently juggling both jobs. And he knows the best recruiting pitch and publicity he can use for Georgia right now involves earning another championship ring. Even if doing both jobs at once is cutting into his sleep time, and sanity.

"Obviously it's a challenge," Smart said at a pre-Cotton Bowl semifinal media availability on Monday. "It's a time-management challenge. There's only 24 hours in a day. There's only so much you can do each day. And once you accept that and know that you've got to focus on the task at hand – which the task at hand is to get ready for Michigan State – that's what we're focused on here."

Let me be frank...that's all bullshit. No, I'm not against Kirby finishing the season with his now former team. I applaud that just the way I do for Bryan McClendon. And Smart is being truthful about the whole awkwardness when he approaches it from the angle of honoring a commitment to his players.

But Bama winning Thursday does nothing for Georgia. LSU winning tonight does nothing for Georgia. South Carolina winning their bowl game does nothing for Georgia. Tennessee and Florida winning their bowl game does absolutely nothing to help Georgia.

Sure, will I get some measure of satisfaction if LSU wins tonight? Probably, as I need some real help in my bowl pool. But that's really small potatoes and I'm already losing to my wife anyway.

But don't let my logic and superior reasoning get in your way. Go on and fall head first into those ESPN segments where they put the conference records up against each other and pretend like that means something. Be a lemming while you sip your conference kool-aid.

Meanwhile I'll be perfectly happy if the SEC goes 1-9 this bowl season, as long as the one win comes at Penn State's expense.

Sixth Annual Bowl Pool - The Feats of Strength

Previously known as #Festivus4TheDawgNus, this bowl pool is the only one you'll find that is brave enough to drag the Festivus Pole out of the crawl space and cheers uncontrollably at the sight of Sony's Jazz Hands.

For you lifers, sorry about the name change. As I set it up, ESPN told me the name for that group had already been taken. Personally, I suspect the title may have been intercepted. But that's just me in my 2015 dark place talking.

Enough of the melodrama, here's the deets: click the link below and enter the password, create your entry as well as your entry's name; the bowl selection is "straight", so you're only picking winners (no spread and no confidence points to negotiate); feel free to share the link (preferably through this blog post, or look for the tweet and/or bookface posts. Then just sit back and watch how badly I beat everyone!!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

PASSWORD = thehumanfund

If you're unfamiliar with the celebration of Festivus you are still allowed to enter my bowl pool. But you first must watch "The Strike" episode in its entirety (check your listings for TBS "Seinfeld" reruns) or simply use his clip to get you started.

Oregon quacks "No means no"

Rose Bowl got ugly late. Most of the FSU players had forgotten that when you lose you shake hands. Then the Ducks fired one more shot at Jameis.

Belk Bowl preview

As I pack for Charlotte, (actually, while the family and I help fee the local homeless today) here's some predictions for Tuesday evening. Not sure I'll have much more before the game as things are pretty busy right up til kickoff, so please add to this in the comments.

Gonna miss these guys.

• First, don't be surprised if Keith Mrshall plays. Not saying he'll definitely play, especially since there are a couple of backs that may be ahead of him on the depth chart. But word is Marshall has practiced very well this week and really wants just one more year in Athens. Yes, we heard similar things about Marshall back in August, and really before then, about his progression after knee injury. But if he's healthy (and I think he should be) and he truly only wants just one more year of eligibility, then he should be a good change of pace to Chubb.
• All that being said, I think Sony Michel will have an explosive play. Maybe two. He's just the kind of player that we grew accustomed to Grantham defenses overlooking. And #1 can play many positions in a Bobo game plan.
• Also, that being said, how well does Lilly execute Bobo's game plan? It's one thing to have the same plays designed and highlighted as would've been had the offensive coordinator stayed. It's another to call based on instincts and hunches. And experience.
• How big of a deal is Michael Dyer not making the trip gonna be? He's not even their leading rusher. But my guess is he would have factored heavily in Petrino's gameplan. Plus, this is an offnse used to having more than one running back and then figuring out which is the hot hand. Now all that is changed.
• While we're talking about folks not making it to the Queen City, how big of a deal is it that Isaiah McKenzie is in absentia? Sounds like Malcolm Mitchell has taken his reps at punt return. My guess is Mitchell gets more looks (or at least the first look) at punt returner over Reggie Davis. Georgia has options to replace McKenzie, but no one has that kid's play making abilities in the return game. Could be a factor, albeit a subtle one.
• Can the defense play with discipline? It's one thing to not let Grantham get in their heads during media interviews. It's another to allow Pruitt to show he's the better overall communicator that we know he is already.
• Senior leadership. Bowl game wins are almost dependent on it. If you have a group of good ones that really, really want to go out on top, then you have a better chance of seeing a team focused on winning.

Otherwise, it's really just a means to an end. 

Go Dawgs!

Why the Belk is important.

Most of you aren't at all excited about this. And 50% of you that are...well, you're just pretending. Shut up! You aren't. Really.

Well, here's why you're wrong.

- 61. 31. 5. 52. 51. 39. 14. 82. 84. 88. 47. 96. 88. 

- If you don't care about them going out on top, GTFO of here.

- We lost to Tech.

- Lilly hates Grantham. I hear the Louisville defensive coordinator once made his "Vanderbilt face" at Lilly's daughter's 4th birthday party.

- Hey, we lost to Tech! Duh.

- Petrino sympathizes with North Korean computer nerds.

- They're one of the best teams in the ACC. (not sure which division, because....)

- Losing the last game of the season is worse than microwaved grits.

Buy a ticket. Or at least tune in, ya filthy animal. Go Dawgs!

One year removed from Grantham, big game looms

Walking away from Sanford after losing to in-state rival Tech, I knew whatever bowl we ended up in against whatever opponent said bowl matched us up against...it'd be a huge game for the Georgia Bulldogs. When it was announced that Charlotte was the destination and Louisville was the opponent, it was a matter of time before the comparisons between Pruitt and Grantham began.

I think Weiszer hits in the biggest difference here.

The biggest difference is the vast improvement on the back end.

Georgia surrendered big plays — touchdown passes of 73 yards against Auburn, 77 against Clemson and 99 against Nebraska — last season, but hasn’t give up a pass play longer than 38 this season.

The Bulldogs are the only team in the nation to not give up any pass plays of 40 or more yards, according to cfbstats.com. Opponents had 10 against Georgia in 2013.