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AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2008 > May > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGet used to tough schedules
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some random thoughts of a Bulldog nature …
Looking at the 2009 football schedule after its completion with the addition of Tennessee Tech got me to thinking: IF this year’s murderous schedule keeps the Dawgs from making a successful run at the national championship and IF Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno decide to stick around for another shot at it, the 2009 schedule isn’t going to be a cakewalk either, though at least it doesn’t have that late-season on-the-road marathon. It’ll be another year with only six home games (the downside to upgrading the nonconference schedule) with the Dawgs opening on the road at Oklahoma State. The schedule does have an open date before Florida, though, as well as a 1-AA opponent the week before Auburn. The home games are South Carolina, Arizona State, LSU (the only October game in Athens), Tennessee Tech, Auburn and Kentucky.
As for this year’s schedule, Coach Mark Richt told the Athens Banner-Herald he thinks it will help keep the players’ heads in the right place: “I think our guys are mature enough to know that our league is rough, our schedule is, I think, pretty unbelievable, and we’ve got a really tall order ahead of us.” But Stafford seems to have the right attitude, telling the B-H: “I think it will be really fun. I think it will be really challenging for us. It’s one of the tougher schedules in the country this year. It’s definitely something that’s got our attention right now and it will keep it throughout the season, which is good for us to help us get focused for every game.”
Focus. That’s going to be the key this season. …
An interesting side note to Richt getting a commitment from record-setting Tampa QB Aaron Murray is that one of his Plant High School teammates, tight end Orson Charles, also is considering the Dawgs. Charles is the one who accidentally knocked over Florida’s 2006 BCS national championship crystal trophy, breaking it into a million pieces. Sounds like a kid who’d fit perfectly in Athens! …
I see that the national champion Gym Dogs will be signing autographs before the game and throwing out the first pitch when the Diamond Dogs meet the Yellow Jackets Wednesday at Foley Field. If you’re not like me (stuck at work) and can get over to Athens, this would be a great time to sample the exciting baseball the league-leading Dogs are playing this season. By the way, CBS will show UGA’s win at the NCAA gymnastics championships this Saturday at 3 p.m. …
Glad to hear smoking is finally completely banned from Sanford Stadium starting this season, bringing us in line with even the hillbillies in Knoxville. And just in case you’re thinking you can take a drag (or do anything else against the rules) without getting caught, remember that UGA plans on installing a high-tech video surveillance system by next season in the stadium, thanks to a federal Homeland Security grant of $236,000 that will pay about half the cost. It’ll allow campus police to see and record what happens in just about any corner of the stadium. This is in keeping with the hard line UGA security is taking these days; last season two guys sitting near us got into a dispute and rather than adjudicate who was in the wrong, the cops simply kicked them both out of the stadium. So be aware that Big Brother Dawg is watching you. …
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By GW
May 6, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this
We’ll travel to Oklahoma State by covered wagon I guess.
By Edward
May 6, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
Will only 6 home games eventually force the Georgia-Florida game to a home and home arrangement? I hope not but the UGAAA needs the money of home games.
By Cuz
May 6, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
Edward, I don’t know if we need the extra money of home games. We are one of the most sucessful programs monetarily. I would be nice to be like the other schools and have seven home games, that is why we scheduled quote, cupcakes, unquote who would not make us travel to their stadium for some extra cash.
Tough schedules work to our advantage in the convolouted mess that is the BCS. I would rather get up for a tough game than not be motivated and beat by a smaller team, or just barely squeak by.
By The General Feeling
May 6, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
Should have been titled “Get used to 8-5.”
By AltamahaDawg
May 6, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
Marginal differences from any other year.
By Columbia Dawg
May 6, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
Georgia and Florida probably makes more money out of going to Jacksonville than they would if the series went to home and home.
By birdman
May 6, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this
get used to 8-5 with an experienced offense, defense and a coach with 1 8-win season in his career? yeah, sure.
By Drew
May 6, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
The bulldogs have been claiming they are a National Championship contender every year since they last won one (1980). Play some of the traditionally better out of conference teams (i.e.,Southern Cal, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Nebraska, Miami)and prove it. Tennessee Tech! Wow, a powerhouse program. Go Ifs!
By Fort Worth Dawg
May 6, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
Herschel is at the TCU bookstore in Fort Worth today (5-6-08) starting at 6:00 Central time. Per the local paper, he’ll only be signing his book.
By Ed
May 6, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this
8-5 would be the worst season under Richt so far, and not very likely.
So far the two “bad” seasons are 8-4 in ‘01 (Richt’s first season, redshirt freshman quarterback), and 9-4 in ‘06 with a true freshman quarterback, an inexperienced o-line, and problems on defense.
8-5 in 2008 with the talent and experience Georgia will return? You wish.
By AltamahaDawg
May 6, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this
Yea! Drew posted some words.
By Thomaston Dawg
May 6, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
Let’s see, Miami, ND, and Nebraska went a combined, what, 15-20 last year. Doesn’t look like Tenn Tech is much worse.
By P Dawg
May 6, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
Tough schedules are fine with me. I’d rather play SoCal than Tennessee Tech but you can’t blame UGA for having a couple of cupcakes on the schedule. Everybody else does it. As a matter of fact SoCal and OSU probably have as many tough games as we have cupcakes. But that’s ok, they’ll keep getting all the respect. Who can blame them, play a weak schedule and win the one or two toughies and skate into the NCG. SEC teams don’t have that luxury.
By Georgia Fan
May 6, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this
Drew is right. Georgia should drop LSU, Florida, and Auburn from its schedule and play 3-9 Notre Dame, 5-7 Nebraska, and 5-7 Miami instead. That would really prove the doubters wrong.
By Pat
May 6, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this
UGA is locked into 9 games with no choice, 8 SEC and GT. Add one more BCS school so that leaves only 2 spots for “cupcakes.” Even this year Southern and Central Michigan will be competitive but lack of depth won’t let them keep it close in the end. Why do critics always assume USC, Ohio State, ND, Texas, Nebraska, Miami, etc. want to play Georgia?
By AltamahaDawg
May 6, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
Drew, the silly thing is, did you bother to actually look at the schedules of THOSE schools??????
Again, you did manage to put a group of words together. Good for you.
By AltamahaDog
May 6, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this
The bulldogs have been claiming they are a National Championship contender every year since they last won one (1980). Play some of the traditionally better out of conference teams (i.e.,Southern Cal, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Nebraska, Miami)and prove it. Tennessee Tech! Wow, a powerhouse program. Go Ifs!
By Pitbull
May 6, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
The AJC provides such hard hitting tough journalism for the citizens of Georgia. Will they get a Pulitizer for that provocative investigative piece on UGA spending 2.2M to go to the Sugar Bowl and collecting 10M for the trip? I mean the reporter had to walk all the way to the UGAAA hopper to pick up the documentation.
Or is the AJC just trying to see if they can brew (up (easy there Tech fans) a controversy to sell a few more papers or more web advertising? The AJC would never do that, right?
I am surprised AJC employees are not arrested at night for soliciting on Metropolitan Blvd.
By Tom Trojan
May 6, 2008 9:24 PM | Link to this
Every year USC tries to win the PAC 10 and go to the Rose Bowl! We must play schools within our conference, but can schedule ‘Out side’ games! We choose Ohio State and Notre Dame, this year! Any questions to the caliber of these two programs? We would love to play UGA, we seldom venture into the SEC, maybe to Alabama when ‘Bear’ was there, and years ago, when Tark was at UGA, they came to ‘Our House’ and played a great game! It’s all about money really, and we have a full schedule for many years, but we would love to play UGA! GO DAWGS!!
By desertdawg
May 7, 2008 1:07 AM | Link to this
I hear ya Tom Trojan—its not USC’s fault they are in the PAC 10—every other scholl needs to nut up and get some palyers. I recall USA going to Auburn a few years ago and putting a jack stomping on those toilet paper throwing necks. UGA vs USC would be a great game, USC is a program we all have respect and admiration for—hell, they have been in the National Title hunt for the past 5 years( or more) and always schedule tough out of conference games —i.e. ND and OSU. Plus they have extremely hot cheer leaders!
By SugarHillDawg
May 7, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this
I have no qualms with the scheduling. Knowledgeable fans will know that the Dawgs didn’t duck anyone and like Ric Flair says,”to be the man, you gotta beat the man”. Champs don’t duck anyone!!!!
By Zeb McKluskey
May 7, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this
Alt, you kill me man. Such a poetic smartazz, I love it. Hey Drew, who’s your team there kitten??? Like Alt said, at least you managed to type some words. We dumb dawg fans are very impressed. Gotta go, Damon Evans is on the phone. He wants suggestions on who I think we need to go after for our OOC games in the future. You know how pesky those darn AD’s can be.
By AltamahaDawg
May 7, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
Zeb, prabably an accurate tag.
Schedule: I really dont get the fuss over the schedule this year. I cerainly do not respect the rivals delight in it. It seems that they predict we will lose 4 games every year, so what’s new.
Granted, the more difficult a schedule is, the higher percentage that you could have a loss, but its not cummulative. Once you clear a hurdle, its no longer part of the equation. I think any number of actual advantages could be argued.
What are we talking here, percentage points more difficult that any other year?
I don’t think the schedule has any tangible bearing on how its going to turn out. Can anyone give me a real example of how it ever did for any team?
By Zeb McKluskey
May 7, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this
Altamaha, would you please go to the tech site and interject some of your rapier wit on the blog about academic progress. Those people really need your help. Dam near gave myself a headache reading some of those posts. Talk about intellectual testosterone!!
By Tony the Tiger
May 7, 2008 5:35 PM | Link to this
What you talkin’ bout McKluskey…Intellect coming from the Butt Sniffer blog ???…OK Altamaha…If you know how many points a 3-point field goal accounts for in basketball then come out of the closet….And rapier us with your wit…..
By biggest patsy of the year
May 7, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
schedule? dogs start two weeks later than rest of the country…LOL!
By SEC
May 7, 2008 7:15 PM | Link to this
start easy conf! just watch dogs! LOL!
By montana dawg
May 7, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this
I’ll be in stillwater in ‘09. We have bigger fish to fry in Tempe and i’ll be there rootin’ for the Dawgs
By War Eagle
May 7, 2008 9:28 PM | Link to this
Does UGA play Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, Arizona State and GT plus SEC games? All SEC teams have tough conference schedules..Clemson beat Central Michigan 72-7, last year, Georgia Southern is l-AA, Ariz. State graduated the system almost, and GT, well what else is new?LSU, Auburn and SC is only three games dawgs have to win for BIG SHOW,,Schedule not that tough.././
By War Eagle
May 7, 2008 9:35 PM | Link to this
When you add Tenn and Florida, its a hard road to travel…JUST KIDDING ABOUT EASY SCHEDULE. DAWGS SHOULD BE PRE SEASON #1, HOPE IT FARES BETTER THAN AUBURN IN 2003.
By Seth Abromowitz
May 7, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
Did you really just use Tennessee Tech and tough schedule in the same sentence? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. What a joke.
By AltamahaDawg
May 7, 2008 9:51 PM | Link to this
Zeb, I think I’ll pass on the tech blog, but I will say this: the heading, “Did UGA beat Tech, or did they both win”. Isn’t that the title of chapter 2 in the GT orientation handbook?
By AltamahaDawg
May 7, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this
gee Tony, thought of that all by yourself, did ya? And seriously nobody noticed that you’ve used the same played out 5 yrs ago joke a half dozen times today already.
By S.E. Dawg
May 7, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
War Eagle, not looking for an argument here but you guys usually have a hard time with Tech and we have to play them every year
By sobedawg
May 8, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this
I don’t know about everybody else, but it’s going to be nice watching the VOLS FALL in Athens this year…will be sweet! Dr. SobeDawg
By Barkleydawg
May 8, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
Check out the documentary of “Uga and His Family” on CSS this Sunday at 5 p! Saw it last night and it was awesome. Great stories form Larry, Lauren, Richt, and all the Seillers!!
By Okie from Muskogee
May 8, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this
History will prove. Check back in Dec-08 after the all the dust settles, and UGA will be 8-4 at best.
Write this one down boys, write it down, because you know I am right.
By Okie from Muskogee
May 8, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
By Barkleydawg
Odd how any books or media on UGA history always side steps the Donnan and Goff era, which was about 15 miserable years of so called UGA football.
All you hear about is Dooley and CMR, whom have only delivered 1 national title in the last 28 years.
Win a few national titles, then you can brag about your program, but until then, keep a lid on it and leave the bragging for the big dogs.
By Are you kidding me??
May 8, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this
UGA has one of the easiest schedules in NCAA football this year. I could care less what their strength of schedule is….
Georgia Southern…joke, Central Michigan…bigger joke, South Carolina…no QB and not a real SEC team, Arizona State…team lost a lot of starters, Alabama…could play tough but not a power yet, Tenn..no QB and not powerful in last few years, Vanderbilt…do I need to say anything here, LSU…I don’t care how much talent they have they will lose 5 games this year and are a joke, Florida…UGA’s only game this year with quality opponent, Kentucky…lost the only player worth anything and no QB, Auburn…were lucky last year and are not that good, Georgia Tech…new coach and new offense no chance.
So if UGA doesn’t win every game by more than 50 points then something is wrong. This is the best chance UGA will ever have with almost every other team in the nation rebuilding this is UGA’s one opportunity, kinda like 1980. UGA is never really good, it’s just eveyone else has to be bad for UGA to win.
By Doggie Style
May 8, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
All UGA fans need to go to this link:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AKjurP9ceKI
An ABSOLUTE must see for Dawg fans!!!
By Emorydawg
May 8, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this
You sir obviously know absolutely nothing about football and need to get off of your mommy’s computer now little guy.
By SEC down this year!
May 8, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this
dog fans float that “tuff” schedule like the “big lie” often so when they “loose”, they have an excuse already tailored. Funny though, ga south and mich teachers coll really are ….something beside tuff.
By Big Dawg
May 8, 2008 8:47 PM | Link to this
Keep talking trash, are you really so stupid that you can critize UGA when they own every good player in the nation? You are really freakin laim to even go there. we’ll see who sucks next year and I can promise you it want be Georgia Mr. sec is going down. How old are you, 13?
By Bill
May 10, 2008 6:24 AM | Link to this
The Dawgs reality check will start in Columbia this September. QB issues aside (expect to see Garcia early), Spurrier has quality depth for the first time. Sleeper team in the SEC because they will fly under the radar.
By AltamahaDawg
May 10, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this
uh, I think it is safe to say that you guys will NOT be flying under Georgia’s radar this September. I do however agree that quality depth is a good thing to have.
By Cuz
May 12, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
Same story, different year. Gamehens to win. I always knew that they would win one someday. Someday was last year, not this year. Good luck getting over .500 this year chickens.
By Whitegoat
May 12, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this
Fear the Gamecock crow. You lose in Columbia. Bill is right. Even Mr. Meaty knows. Yeah Buddy. As always, it should be a great game. Like most, I am tired of the what ifs. Let’s play. Let the Big Goat(Mr.Meaty) Eat!!!
By I-DOG
May 13, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
Doggie Style:
That is absolutely hilarious. How sad that a good deal of the footage is from the Donnan days! back in the 90’s. I can’t stop laughing at how pathetic that is. Maybe you should come on here and tell us how bad the Goff squad was defensively from 1995. Thanks for making my day! I also heard that the 1978 team wasn’t all that good, maybe you could break that down for us?
The SEC is down this year:
??
How do you explain potentially three teams in the top 5 pre-season in LSU, FL, and UGA? That is a pretty good start. Then Auburn, TN, and probably one other from (AL,USC, Arkansas, or Kentucky) will be in the top 25 as well.
Half the conference in the top 25 and 1/4 of it in the top 5. The SEC would have to be even better than it actually is to consitute that as a down year.
Are you kidding me:
Are you saying that we should cancel our visit to ASU because they lost some starters? These schedules are made several years in advance.
You conveniently say that you will ignore the numerical analysis of the strength of schedule in favor of your own biased view of our schedule.
EVERY sports analyst in the country says UGA has a good team coming up in 08,but they have a murderous schedule.
We should ignore ALL of them and listen to you? You are focusing on the one or two patsies on UGA’s schedule when ALL teams play at least one or two of them. I didn’t see you mention games away at ASU, LSU and FLorida back to back as well as Auburn.
Not many teams (even good ones) could come away from those four games any better than 2-2