AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > August > 25 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBulldogs schedule is meat and tomatoes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Assuming Mel Gibson didn’t serve in the past as a Georgia tight end or head of the Athens Christian Coalition, it has been a relatively quiet offseason for the Bulldogs. Either Mark Richt’s threats to his blue-chip convicts finally sunk in or players just couldn’t work their way into another beer-induced frenzy after falling behind to West Virginia, 28-0.
The Dogs might as well keep resting. The first eight weeks is less a schedule than a walk through a mattress warehouse. It’s probably why Richt thinks he can get by with Joe Tereshinski at quarterback until Matthew Stafford looks functional. Besides, Stafford should be ready for the Florida game. And he’s never lost to the Gators. (That’s one.)
Sept. 2: Western Kentucky
As long as the NCAA’s Dept. of Hypocrisy is going to find some way to justify 12-game schedules — while maintaining they’re all about academics — I’ve got no problem with SEC schools opening the season against Division 1-AA meat by-products. That said, I hope the Hilltoppers have a good HMO plan.
• Prediction: Duh.
Sept. 9: South Carolina
Steve Spurrier could take the Prairie View job, and sphincters would still tighten in Athens. When Spurrier came to Georgia last year, Richt mudwrestled his playbook and nearly lost. Spurrier won seven games last season, the Gamecocks’ best year since Lou Holtz’s last rulebook burning four years earlier. On a related note, be sure to stop by Holtz’s Used Soul kiosk before the game.
• Prediction: Narrow escape.
Sept. 16: UAB
UAB coach Watson Brown stepped down as athletics director after last season’s 5-6 splat. The school has yet to name a replacement, leading to speculation he may reclaim the job. Given his team plays Oklahoma and Georgia in the first three weeks, I’m thinking he might just want to lay low for awhile. Waiter, hemlock!
• Prediction: Not so close.
Sept. 23: Colorado
This football program is one cheap mood candle short of a Tombstone brothel. Of course, if coach Gary Barnett hadn’t lost to Texas 70-3, the debauchery in Boulder could’ve been overlooked. The Buffs say they’re trying to disinfect things. They hired coach Dan Hawkins (Boise State), who reacted by jumping out of an airplane this spring. The parachute opened. We’re not certain if that was by design.
• Prediction: Win.
Sept. 30: at Ole Miss
It doesn’t take much to get people excited in Oxford (not that one, the icky one). The new Old Ms. quarterback is Brent Schaeffer, who scrambled to qualify at a junior college after getting run out of Tennessee (which isn’t easy to do). While in Knoxville, Schaeffer got into a dorm brawl and was charged with assault. He pled guilty to “offensive touching.” Personally, as a guy, I think I’d rather have “assault” on my record.
• Prediction: 5-0.
Oct. 7: Tennessee
David Cutcliffe is back as offensive coordinator, which means fewer decisions for Phil Fulmer. Now I know how standup comics felt when Nixon left office. The Vowels went 5-6 last season, including losses to Spurrier and Vanderbilt. The last time a UT coach felt this much heat, Fulmer was clogging on Johnny Majors’ casket.
• Prediction: Win.
Oct. 14: Vanderbilt
It’s homecoming. Ever notice nobody ever schedules, like, Oklahoma, for homecoming? It’s always the football equivalent of Liechtenstein. Since 1968, Vandy has been Georgia’s homecoming opponent 15 times. That’s even more than Kentucky (11), which I assume is Vandy’s homecoming meat. Where was I?
• Prediction: Win.
Oct. 21: Mississippi State
I realize Sylvester Croom hasn’t won a lot of games yet, but you’ve got to love a coach who said after this year’s first practice: “We had a couple of fat guys who played like fat guys. And we’re not mentally tough enough. We haven’t been the first two years we’ve been here, and we weren’t today.” Alrighty, then.
• Prediction: Another W.
Oct. 28: Florida
So if I’ve got this right, and I can’t recall ever being wrong, the Doggies will be 8-0 going to Jacksonville. And there’s nothing like that annual seamless transition from rapture to misery every fall when the Gators come-a-slappin’. Urban Meyer’s offense will be better than a year ago — and Florida will be coming off a bye week after consecutive games against Alabama, LSU and Auburn. Ugas go bye-bye.
• Prediction: Loss.
Nov. 4: at Kentucky
Rich Brooks is 9-25 (4-20 in the SEC) in three seasons, which makes you wonder what hallucinogen AD Mitch Barnhart was on when he announced Brooks would be back for another season. To his credit, Brooks never loses sight of things down the stretch — Kentucky lost its last two games by 51 points. Hello, Kittys.
• Prediction: Win.
Nov. 11: at Auburn
There’s a chance this game might be rescheduled, pending ceremonies to honor the Tigers’ front seven by Bob’s House of Catfish and Sociology Degrees. If this turns out to be only a minor annoyance on the wide scale of SEC academic fraud scandals, Auburn should win the SEC. With honors.
• Prediction: Loss.
Nov. 25: Georgia Tech
The last five meetings have gone to the Doggies, and they’ll be coming off a bye. Tech will be playing for the sixth straight week. I know. Rivalry game. But the money is on logic.
• Prediction: 10-2.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz, UGA / SEC
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By Whopper Dawg
August 25, 2006 03:45 PM | Link to this
About right, I think 9 - 3 to 10 - 2. The games that could go either way are SC, TN, FLA and Auburn. We won’t win them all or lose them all. 11 - 1 is too much to ask given the QB situation. FLA is overrated with SC being underrated.
By Ft Worth Dawg
August 25, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
I think Tennessee and UGA are the two biggest question marks in the SEC right now (well, okay South Carolina, and maybe Arkansas, and how bad is Florida’s line banged up, and what’s up with LSU). I’d take 10-2 right now in a heartbeat if I could lock it in.
Nice article - funny and fair. The Tech counterpart is equally so. I guess the assumption is that the Gators make the SEC Championship game and UGA does not. ESPN is predicting UGA vs. Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, which would be a good matchup and a nice short trip for me.
By WarEagle
August 25, 2006 05:05 PM | Link to this
Georgia plays for the SEC title.
Florida’s better but they won’t make it through that schedule.
Auburn SEC champs.
By Robert
August 25, 2006 05:13 PM | Link to this
Dawgs are due to beat an overrated Florida team and Meyers and the Gators will lose three games. Dawgs will upset the paper tigers too.
However, USC or UT will upset Georgia before the Florida game and if UT beats the gators watch out for the hungry Vols this year.
By Dave
August 25, 2006 05:22 PM | Link to this
I’ll say 10-2 as well, but 9-3 wouldn’t be a surprise.
I think we’ll lose to UF (as always). We’ll be upset by SC and upset Auburn. And don’t take Colorado for granted - close win for us.
By bugger
August 25, 2006 05:46 PM | Link to this
The Gators smell bad and will lose to the Georgia Bulldogs.
By RxDawg
August 25, 2006 06:01 PM | Link to this
OMG, Jeff are you a techie? Sounds a bit critical calling our recruits convicts. And will the damn media please get it through their heads that Stafford just may not play this year. He is after all just a freshman. We have other QB’s ya know. Ugh, I’m going to the other blog.
By RxDawg
August 25, 2006 06:22 PM | Link to this
OMG, Jeff are you a techie? Sounds a bit critical calling our recruits convicts. And will the damn media please get it through their heads that Stafford just may not play this year. He is after all just a freshman. We have other QB’s ya know. Ugh, I’m going to the other blog.
By RxDawg
August 25, 2006 06:25 PM | Link to this
oops, sry bout the double post but it took forever
By Gator
August 26, 2006 09:36 AM | Link to this
WarEagle: Your right about the schedule… at this point though… Im only worried about @ Auburn and @ FSUcks and LSU. Concerned about the others as well… but not as much as those three. I had to cover up the schedule on my desk at work so it wasnt a constant reminder.
Bugger: In the immortal words of Lee Corso “Not so fast my friend”
By JTugg
August 26, 2006 09:46 AM | Link to this
UGA 11-1. The Auburn game scares me.
By shane
August 26, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this
**This will be a rebuilding year. Mark this down: 7-4. Sorry.
By ray
August 26, 2006 12:31 PM | Link to this
We will all know soon if we are going to be in the running for a good year.I hope we have some good offensive plays for certain situations.And make them at the right time.
By Matt
August 26, 2006 02:41 PM | Link to this
7-4?
You’ve got swamp for brains.
By Kendall
August 26, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this
Ok, all of you “experts” saying SCu will beat the Dawgs….who do they have on Defense this year? How will they stop ANYONE? And while you scramble to answer that question, go ahead and check out the richards offensive line. I have seen swiss cheese with fewer holes. Learn about something before you run your mouth. This is not SOS’s year, next year is. I hate to always feel the need to educate.
By The Moderate Voice
August 26, 2006 06:48 PM | Link to this
UGA will win 10 games this year. Auburn will be tough as always and so will Florida. I think we can win both games. The Auburn game always comes down to the last minute it seems and it is our turn to sneek out with a win. Florida is more mental than anything. We have more talent and have for the past four years, but injuries or missed field goals or personal fouls penalties at the wrong time always seem to doom us. I am still not sold on Urban Myth’s offense working in the SEC but we will see.