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Home > ajcsportstalk > Archives > 2007 > June > 21 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIs UGA’s schedule soft?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sports Illustrated’s web site, SI.com, has just released its listing of Div. 1 football’s 25 toughest football schedules.
Based on in-conference and non-conference opponents, SI ranks the Washington Huskies’ upcoming slate as the nation’s toughest. Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks rate the second-toughest schedule.
In all, SEC schools occupy five of the Top 10 toughest schedule slots. (Auburn is fifth, Tennessee is sixth, Florida is seventh and Mississippi State is 10th.
Georgia appears on the list at No. 14; three slots behind No. 11 Kentucky.
Does the fact that many of Georgia’s SEC opponents are thought to be playing tougher schedules diminish the Dogs’ stature as a “powerhouse” program?
Share your thoughts with us.
Permalink | Comments (304) | Post your comment | Categories: UGA
Comments
By Big Jim
June 21, 2007 3:00 PM | Link to this
It is because Georgia is one of the games that makes the others schedule more difficult…not vice versa.
By All the Facts
June 21, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
No…nobody has a clue who is going to be tough and who is going to be weak…just something to keep sports writers writing.
By SMoney
June 21, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
This comes as news to anyone that the UGA schedule is too soft? Sheesh…
By All the Facts
June 21, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this
No..nobody knows who is going to be tough and who is going to be weak…these rankings are compiled to keep sports writers writing.
By FSSikes
June 21, 2007 3:04 PM | Link to this
How can playing Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, etc. not be a tough schedule?
By davidb
June 21, 2007 3:04 PM | Link to this
They always play soft non-conference opponents. It is a joke.
By SECisWEAK
June 21, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this
UGA should try playing some real teams OOC. Outside of Tech, they never play a decent team. The two good teams that make the SEC schedule difficult for them beat them every year. Who do they actually beat?
By Gary
June 21, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this
Give me a break! You’re saying that just because we have “only” the 14th toughest schedule that it is too soft? What about the other major conferences? How do they stack up with the SEC? There is nothing wrong with the schedule. If the Dawgs beat all the teams on their schedule, they’ll deserve a shot at the national championship. If they don’t win, they won’t get a shot. Can’t get more fair than that.
By V-Money
June 21, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this
Are you kidding me? Playing the worst SEC schedule is still playing the 12 hardest schedule in the country. Don’t tell me Washington’s schedule is tough, they’re in the Pac-10!!!
By gregdog
June 21, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this
if you’re wondering why no one has respnonded to this yet…it’s stupid. you are trying to stir up a discussion of angry dawg fans by posing the argument that the schedule is too soft. Sports Illustrated’s article is opinion first of all. Second of all, even if you accept it-our schedule is 14th strongest. Where is the story in that? How big of a difference is there between say…6th and 14th? Is in miniscule or huge? (my guess is the former). OSU, UA (lower and upper), USC,UF, GT,UT, plus SECCG if you win the east…sounds pretty strong to me. Nice try though AJC…pitiful
By Johnny
June 21, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this
F**K the dawgs! GO BUCKS!
By DawginLex
June 21, 2007 3:07 PM | Link to this
You are kidding right ?
Okie State SC UT UK Fla Ala Aubie Nerd herd
8 bowl teams and the schedule is soft ? Give me a break. I’ll trade with USC any day of the week(the real one-not the chicken herders).
By Jill
June 21, 2007 3:07 PM | Link to this
Play some non-cupcake nonconference games and then UGA might get some respect — like Washington playing Ohio State.
By OZZFEST
June 21, 2007 3:08 PM | Link to this
I asked Damon Evans and Mark Richt several times to their faces about the non-conference schedule, each replies…”Oh, we play an SEC schedule already.” As a fan I am disappointed to see the recent Auburn-USC, Bama and Oklahoma/UCLA/FSU, Vandy-Michigan matchups, and see the Dogs playing OK State, AZ State, and Colorado. Totally WEAK. We have even scheduled Clemson AGAIN. Could you imagine seeing Notre Dame, Nebraska, Texas A&M, or Ohio State playing between the Hedges? …and better yet taking the RED and BLACK to those stadiums!!! Oh well…keep dreaming.
By Ike
June 21, 2007 3:09 PM | Link to this
out of 117 NCAA D1 football schools, SI has ranked UGA #14 in toughest schedules. so in essence, the questions raised by this article (“do the Dogs play too soft of a schedule to rate serious consideration for major bowl games?”) are rediculous and this little article is retarded.
By 28 Sweep Pass
June 21, 2007 3:09 PM | Link to this
Are you kidding?
14th toughest out of 113 or so. That ranks in the top 12% nationwide. UGA has added Oklahoma State, goes to Bama, UT & Tech, not to mention ‘06 upsetter Vandy and has home games with Auburn, SC and the great “neutral”izer from Gainesville in Jax.
Great schedule and looking forward to next year’s slate when we go to Tempe for Arizona State and Baton Rouge for LSU and still play Bama, UT,UF, Tech, SC, etc.!
By Jimmy Payne
June 21, 2007 3:09 PM | Link to this
I read the article. SI does not say Georgia’s schedule is soft. It’s the 14th hardest in the country according to them. This is just another example of the AJC putting out a negative headline about UGA. Report the facts.
By Kfed
June 21, 2007 3:09 PM | Link to this
Georgia’s out of conference schedule year in and year out is a joke.
This year you are playing O-State, which is a step up, but when UGA ever travel anywhere to play a real decent school (nope). Oh yeah, they travel every other year to Atlanta to play a 7-4 Tech team (OUCH so tough). Auburn plays USC and other tough schools. There really is no arguement if UGA has a weak schedule, the answer is YES.
Florida plays FSU, Miami, Tennessee plays CAL, ND, Miami.
By Kfed
June 21, 2007 3:10 PM | Link to this
Georgia’s out of conference schedule year in and year out is a joke.
This year you are playing O-State, which is a step up, but will UGA ever travel anywhere to play a real decent school (nope). Oh yeah, they travel every other year to Atlanta to play a 7-4 Tech team (OUCH so tough). Auburn plays USC and other tough schools. There really is no arguement if UGA has a weak schedule, the answer is YES.
Florida plays FSU, Miami, Tennessee plays CAL, ND, Miami.
By Jay
June 21, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
Not that I am a Georgia fan but how is exactly does ranking #14 out of 117 schedules equate to soft?
By War Eagle
June 21, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
Big Jim, you are a moron!
By JB
June 21, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
davidb is a MORON.
By Jay
June 21, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
Not that I am a Georgia fan but how is exactly does ranking #14 out of 117 schedules equate to soft?
By GSU Eagle
June 21, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
Just wait till you play GSU next year!! We’re gunna kick some dawg and take a BVG on on ya! Go Eagles!!
By Jumbo
June 21, 2007 3:12 PM | Link to this
Big Jim hit the nail on the head. The weaker teams play tougher teams, therefore the weaker teams appear to have tougher schedules. But others make good points as well. Nobody knows right now who is going to be tough and who isn’t. Heck, being listed as the 14th toughest schedule in the nation can’t possibly be misconstrued as a weak schedule!
By trav b
June 21, 2007 3:12 PM | Link to this
number 14 is soft? what about the teams outaside of the top 25? their schedules must be extra extra cushy!! oklahoma state and georgia tech ain’t bad. i would rather see someone other than western carolina, but it didn’t hurt florida when they played them last year!
By Bob
June 21, 2007 3:12 PM | Link to this
Actually, the strength of schedule ratings SI is giving is based on the entire schedule instead of non-conference games. No one in the SEC has any control over the rotating schedule. It just happens that this year Georgia does not play LSU or Arkansas from the West. Next year Georgia plays Auburn, LSU and Bama while other SEC East teams play weaker comptetion.
The one part of the schedule that Georgia can control is actually pretty tough. Auburn plays Kansas State, S. Florida, New Mexico State and Tennessee Tech. Florida plays W. Kentucky, Troy, Florida Atlantic and FSU. Georgia plays Oklahoma State, W.Carolina, Troy and Ga. Tech. I think one could argue that the Dawgs out of conference schedule is tougher than either Auburn’s or Florida’s.
The difficulty of schedule is obviously primarily based on the conference games. Georgia’s out of conference schedule does not hurt it and there is nothing that can be done about the conference schedule. This is much to do about nothing.
By maddawg
June 21, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this
Where does Tech appear on this list?
By Luther
June 21, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this
Great subject just to stir people up. By this article’s reasoning, since the SEC has 7 of the top 14 schedules, there are only 7 other teams in the nation that are worthy of consideration for a major bowl. One of those is the mighty Washington Huskies. This is stupid.
By BlueMoon
June 21, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this
Okay goobers (the ones saying the schedule is weak)
Oklahoma St Ga Tech Tennessee South Carolina Auburn Alabama Florida and the list goes on. Too soft a schedule? Good lord, give it a break. The top conference in the land and they’ll be playing probably 9-10 bowl teams this year. Try again, next time on a real subject.
By Matt
June 21, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
Where is Tech on that list AJC? Not in the top 25 I see.
By DogFan
June 21, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
Schedules are made so far in advance that it would be impossible to say who schedule would be easy or hard. Oklahoma State has lost some of their glory true but we can’t look into the future. I do wish we could play some more name programs for the fans. The SEC East is tough enough and to through in Auburn every other year o the road is quite a task. The problem involves Ga Tech. If they would pick up their end, our strength of schedule would be ranked higher.
By MtPDawg
June 21, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
And you wonder why UGA people feel the AJC is biased?! UGA is rated the 14th most difficult schedule in the country and the AJC writes that the schedule is soft. Let me guess the excuse will be that the writers don’t write the headlines, editors do. Whatever, this is quickly becoming tabloid journalism….
By trav b
June 21, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
this year augbarn plays tennessee tech, k state, and new mexico state…i’ll take tech, okie state, and west carolina.
By Brock
June 21, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this
UGA’s out of conference schedule is regarded as weak because Ga Tech sucks so bad every year.
With the UF game being a “home” game every other year UGA is limited in the OOC opponents it can bring in because the big boys want to play home and homes.
By mikegadawg
June 21, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this
First of all, toughness of schedule is relative at this point since no one has played anyone…..And the dork who posted the article for the AJC excluded the following commentary from the SI article: “Why they’re No. 14: Georgia scheduled a pair of solid nonconference opponents in Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech. Although the Bulldogs get Auburn at home, they face most of their toughest opponents on the road. Georgia would have ranked higher if its list of SEC West opponents had included LSU or Arkansas instead of Ole Miss. The Bulldogs also were one of many SEC teams to schedule a Division I-AA opponent.”
By Seriously?
June 21, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this
do people forget that playing in Jacksonville takes away a home game every other year, thus taking a way a home-and-home since we cant pay a return trip to that school without losing a heckuvalot of money?
p.s. Forida doesnt play Miami this year and Tennessee hasnt played all 3 of those schools in the same season
By Daniel Jacobs Tuttle
June 21, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this
This is one of the most ridiculous questions Iv’e seen posed in quite some time. To have the 14th toughest schedule in the entire country and ask if that hurts us?!?! NO. Of course not. Our strength of schedule changes evey year. It’s not a static number that takes years to change. It MAY keep us out of a big bowl game THIS year but only if teams with tougher schedules than us have better win/loss totals against decent teams than we do.
Honestly though, what are the chances that teams like kentucky, south carolina, washington, mississippi state,etc. are gonna have better records than us when it is all said and done? Their strength of schedule is irrelevant.
Lastly I would like to say that USC has only had one preseason top ten toughest football schedule in the past five years and it asn’t affected them or their claim as a powerhouse.And the teams that they were playing that were considered tough enough to bump them into the top ten were soft teams fron the pac 10 like oregon and ASU. Please.
By Matt
June 21, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this
I wonder who actually started this discussion and why he was too chicken sh!t to include this name instead of AJC. This is another prime example of why I will never subscribe to your rag of a newspaper.
By 2007
June 21, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
Please don’t talk about UGA’s upcoming schedules if you have no clue what you are talking about. Here are some upcoming road trips for UGA. Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Louisville, and Clemson. Not to mention Tech every other year, playing Florida in Florida every year. Auburn every year. If you think UGA doesn’t schedule hard you are an idiot, schedules are made years in advance for example check out the 2009 schedule. Arizona State, Oklahoma State, and Georgia Tech are non conference games, and LSU, Arkansas, and Auburn out of the west. Quit using jealousy of Georgia as a reason to debate factual errors. Idiots - How did A.T. Barnes get into Tech?
By raymond
June 21, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
NO ONE in the SEC has a soft schedule. Just being in the league makes it tougher than the rest of the conference schedule.
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
Kfed,
LMAO. You’re dissing UGA’s OOC slate and lauding Florida’s.
Let me buy you a clue.
This is who Florida played last year in OOC games: Southen Miss UCF Western Carolina FSU
And for ‘07: Western Kentucky Troy Florida Atlanta FSU
Yeah, those are beasts!!!
And saying UGA has a weak schedule is flat out IGNORANT!! When the SOS rankings come out, you will see it with your own eyes. But, even per the SI article, we are 14th there chief. Far from “weak” considering it is still one of the nation’s toughest.
In the end, this is just another pot stirring piece by the AJC. That attracts morons like you.
By Ben
June 21, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
Yup. Having Georgia Tech as a perennial opponent does drag down our strength of schedule.
By Bob
June 21, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
Chip Towers, the other day you asked if the AJCs reporting on UGA was fair. I said it was, but the bi line on this question is an example of how some people have a different perspective. How would the 14th toughest schedule out of 119 be considered “too soft”? Dumber than dirt or simply out of touch? Where is Tech’s schedule ranked?
Michigan and Georgia talked about playing but the Wolverines wanted 2 for 1. Sorry dudes, teams from the real football conference don’t need to visit the Big House two for one. Based on the Big Ten’s record against the SEC they should be the ones playing 2 for 1 in our house.
By ed
June 21, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
What a joke. Georgia’s schedule to easy? Much like every SEC School, Georgia plays an incredibly difficult schedule. The only benefit the Dawgs have going into the season is the bye week before Florida - that’s it!
They play 9 teams which appeared in Bowl games last year - one of which won the National Championship. The truth is Georgia went 1 and 4 in their own conference last year. I love how writers from the North find the ability to comment on Football in the South. Steve - go back to ND and write about Indiana Basketball - now that’s something you can understand - and does anyone find it a coincidence that he happens to choose a former ND coach as having the most difficult schedule?
By chad
June 21, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
lol, look at all the rivals piling on. UF’s OOC schedule is W. Kent, Troy, Florida Atl., and FSU. AU plays Kansas ST.(mid tier big 12) S. Florida, New Mexico ST., and Tennessee Tech. UT plays Cal, S. Miss, Arky St, and Louisiana Lafayette. Our schedule is just fine.
By WAREAGLE
June 21, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
UGA is just soft in general.
By Craig Adams
June 21, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this
Give me a break. 14th out of 110+ schools is supposed to be considered weak? Then again, we do have Tech on the schedule again…..
And for those who think that scheduling OOC opponents is as easy as making a phone call to a particular school and saying, “Hey, we’d like for you to come to Athens to play this year and we’ll come there next. Deal?” are pretty much stupid. You’ve got to consider where home games come in play where budgets, etc are concerned.
This little blurb was nothing more than a slow day for the AJC. I notice where no one would put their name on the byline.
By Tom
June 21, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this
Yes, their schedule is tough. When you can’t beat Vanderbilt every team is tough!!
By Big Trouble
June 21, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this
Point blank, I hate UGA.
Now, the 14th toughest schedule is due to the SEC being the best conference. The SEC is a powerhouse. UGA’s problem lies in the fact that aside from GT, UGA always schedule pansy teams for out of conference play (and unfortunately, 1/2 the time GT is a pansy team too).
This leave UGA unbeaten, ranked in the top 15, with wins over crappy teams at the start of the year. They then play the SEC teams and get beat.
Strength of schedule is a factor in the BCS. Until UGA steps up and plays the Notre Dames, the Ohio States, or other high caliber teams in the non-conference spots, they will always have this image and a national championship from almost 30 years ago, and that’s it.
By Schedule
June 21, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this
An easy win is always better than a tough loss. c’mon people.
By Matt
June 21, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this
Not as soft as your momma WarEagle.
By austindog
June 21, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this
It’s not Georgia’s fault that GT sucks.
By Michael
June 21, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this
This is a non-story. 14th in the nation is very high and would be harder if GaTech would step it up. UGA is locked into GaTech and Clemson every year and does not have the luxury of having our rivals in conference.
Getting chastised by Auburn? They broke a signed contract to play FSU.
By derek
June 21, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this
much harder than GT’s schedule, that is for sure.
By Yankee
June 21, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
Does Jawga EVER play anyone north of Knoxville? Are they afraid of the Big Ten or even the Big East? Why not, just for variety, go north?
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
Big Trouble,
I see you omitted your team in your little diatribe.
Ante it up so we can dissect the OOC slate of that team.
And compare UGA’s SOS over the years to yours.
By Yankee
June 21, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
Does Jawga EVER play anyone north of Knoxville? Are they afraid of the Big Ten or even the Big East? Why not, just for variety, go north?
By JB
June 21, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
Put the Dawgs in the big Ten or Pac 10 or whatever they call them, and we’d have the same record, only we’d be winning 48 to 7 or 55 to 0 Every week. All those schools that USC and Ohio state play every week would be Dawg food EVERY WEEK !!!!!!!! Having Tech every year does drag down our toughness rating. We took Virginia Tech to the wood shed in a down year for us. All the dawg Haters better get their licks in 07, because with 18-19 starters coming back in 08, We will be the king of the SEC !
By BK
June 21, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
WAREAGLE, I think Brandon Cox just got picked off again. I’d hate to know my team was 20 points worse than a soft one.
BTW….Washington’s schedule has about four legitimate teams on it…………
By Bob
June 21, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
Big Trouble, yeah you are right dude. Ohio State would add to our strength of schedule for sure. But then someone might see how utterly pathetic they have been against the SEC and devalue that rating. How about 0-9 over the last few years and MOST of them have been laughers like their last little jaunt to the National Championship Game. Lets see, 0-2 against our little USC; 0-3 against Bama; 0-1 against Auburn; 0-1 against GEORGIA; 0-1 against Tennessee and of course who could forget 0-1 against the Gators. I think the Buckeyes have had their fill of the SEC dude.
And WAR EAGLE…has Matthew Stafford scored again or has time run out?
By DeanTateDawg
June 21, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this
What a stupid article. Gee? Why aren’t there 50 teams in the Top 10 toughest schedules? DUH!
Since when is 14th chopped liver?
By mikegadawg
June 21, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this
hmm, 14th out of 110+ schools. And, with Michigan, LSU and West Virginia ranked below us? I dont think we’re in bad company and at least we ranked in the top 25 of tough schedules. Im guessing GT on our schedule hurt us considering it’s schedule didnt even rank as tough along with most of the rest of the ACC.
By Gatorbait
June 21, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this
No other conference, especially the Always Comical Conference or the Pac-1 should be criticizing an SEC team for scheduling. YOu want weak, look at blowSU’s and Michigan’s schedules last year. The buckeyes found out what happens when you run into an SEC team.
If we played 4 I-AA teams in the non-conference we’d still be playing a much tougher schedule than F$U and Miami.
By Michael
June 21, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this
14th out of 117+? Too soft? you’re kidding right? What are we supposed to be, #1 every year? Jeez.
By Michael
June 21, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this
UGA plays NINE bowl teams. No other team plays more bowl teams, and only two teams in the country play as many!!
By porksword
June 21, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this
All speculation and pathos and no substantive content; typical preseason blather from the soft media espurts who make a sort of limp pornography out of actual reportage.
Instead of gnawing on their invisible bones, why do preseason rankings even exist? Furthermore, anti-think pieces such as these do nothing more than create bias. Kill the messenger and let the message play out on the field, during the season. Chaff like this is why somebody like Skip Bayliss actually has a high-profile gig.
By NASCARfan
June 21, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this
OKAY CHIP!!!
You asked us earlier this week if there’s an anti-UGA bias at this stupid, idiotic, moronic newspaper… and I give you this dumb@$$ question!!!
The Bulldogs have the 14th hardest schedule out of 117 FREAKING OTHER TEAMS!!!
You know who’s not on this list?
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Okie St
Louisville
Texas
Cal
Penn St
Wisconsin
VaTech
All of the “so-called” elite teams.
You know who else wasn’t on this list you bunch of Dawg hating morons… GEORGIA TECH!!! How come you didn’t even mention that? How come you bunch of idiots?!!!
I am SICK AND TIRED of idiotic AJC reporting and anti-UGA bias!!! What kind of idiotic mind thinks that having the 14th ranked schedule out of 117 teams (harder than LSU’s, too) is EASY???!!!
By Joey
June 21, 2007 3:39 PM | Link to this
Actually the schedule is tooo hard. Remember Vandy!! Perhaps UGA should stay closer to home and beat up on more inferior schools such as GA Southern, Vadolsta, Fort Valley State. Last I checked GSU and Emory were undefeated…hell with it perhaps just play the Greeks on the intermurual fields, its still acceptable to hold keggers and take stupid gameday pics!!!
By porksword
June 21, 2007 3:39 PM | Link to this
All speculation and pathos and no substantive content; typical preseason blather from the soft media espurts who make a sort of limp pornography out of actual reportage.
Instead of gnawing on their invisible bones, why not ask why do preseason rankings even exist? Furthermore, anti-think pieces such as these do nothing more than create bias. Kill the messenger and let the message play out on the field, during the season. Chaff like this is why somebody like Skip Bayliss actually has a high-profile gig.
By pdawg
June 21, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this
AJC makes me sick..you guys should step your game up…its pathetic. Did you even take a look at Floridas schedule before writing this piece? Does the Editor general or whatever the incharge is called take a look at our comments? Most of you guys should be fired..i can do a better job than most of you…shame.
By Mattimus
June 21, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this
Here is the funny thing:
I know for a fact that in the past 3 years, UGA has twiced asked Penn St, Notre Dame, Michigan, and even mighty USC to consider a 2 game, home and home series with UGA.
Every time, those teams have turned down the offer made by UGA. It’s not that UGA doesn’t want to play good OCC teams, it’s nobody wants to play UGA !! And the teams that do step up to the plate, like Boise St and soon to be Oklahoma St, get destroyed because there is nothing like SEC football. Further, how many other teams in the country will play host to a gauntlet of @Tennessee, @Alabama, and then two weeks later play Florida in Jacksonville ??
But I agree with the others, this is just to give the AJC another reason to bash UGA.
By You can't be serious!
June 21, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this
First of all, this list is simply one person’s OPINION! Second, even if this guy’s opinion is taken seriously, that would put Georgia’s schedule in the top 12% (out of 117 I-A teams) in terms of difficulty. That’s pretty strong if you ask me. Georgia has the eight SEC games that they have to play, & their non-conference slate includes Tech (have to play as well, defending ACC division champ) & Oklahoma State, a bowl game winner last year from a BCS conference. That out of conference schedule, ehich is the only part of the schedule that UGA can have any control over, is much tougher than almost everyone in the league’s, outside of possibly Auburn & Tennessee. I don’t see where this guy is coming up with his rankings, other than just his own personal opinion, which is worth no more than anyone else’s.
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this
Yankee,
No offense, but learn some facts.
You may wish to check UGA’s record vs. the Little 10 and then spout off.
And then go back and ask Michigan why they turned UGA down when we inquired about a series.
I don’t see the Little 10 teams going ot of their way to play the top SEC teams down here. So, I ask you, why isn’t Ohio State, Michigan, etc. coming down here?
By Bob
June 21, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this
Yankee,
Georgia record vs Big 10 is 7-1 dude Michigan 1-1 Mich St 1-0 Ohio St 1-0 Wisconsin 2-0 Purdue 2-0
Find another conference guy.
By austindog
June 21, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
Chip Towers,
Fourteenth ranked schedule is now considered soft? A schedule degree of difficulty below Kentucky? Georgia a (quote unquote) “powerhouse?”
That’s the ajc for ya. Kentucky vs Georgia strenghens KY’s schedule and weakens Georgia’s. How about our friends at Tech, not even ranked in the top 25 and “2 spots below Duke” if you want to spin it.
By Tom Lauerman
June 21, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
Well, they can always drop Ga Tech from the schedule and pick up a tougher team. The Citadel or Ball State might beef up the strength of schedule a bit.
By Mrs. Perdue
June 21, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
I think if Dan McLagan were still around the governor would be writing another angry letter to the editor about this.
By Ben
June 21, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this
The dogs were last year by two SEC “weak sisters” Ky. and Vanderbilt. These teams will again be on the dogs schedule. Are they “weak” again?
By BuzzedinGwinnett
June 21, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this
It is listed as the 14th toughest in the country. That is not too shabby. They are playing Oklahoma State and us OOC and then Troy and a I-AA. Then they play the SEC schedule. It isn’t like they are playing four slap nut teams OOC.
By BuzzedinGwinnett
June 21, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
It is listed as the 14th toughest in the country. That is not too shabby. They are playing Oklahoma State and us OOC and then Troy and a I-AA. Then they play the SEC schedule. It isn’t like they are playing four slap nut teams OOC.
By Coyote
June 21, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
Too soft? Are you joking? UGA plays NINE bolw teams from 2006 and all of them are from BCS conferences. The Dawgs have among the toughest schedule in the nation and it will remain that way for the next 8-10 years because they are one of the only teams in the country that has actually used their 12th game to scheduled a 2nd legit, BCS out of conference opponent. Most teams have only 1 tough OOC game per year, if that. UGA will have 2 most years and 3 in 2009. Plus, due to the neutral site game with UF, the Dawgs have fewer home games than most teams.
Soft schedule? Name the team that plays a tougher slate of games.
By Tom Lauerman
June 21, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this
I swear, we are the only school in the SEC that has a home state newspaper actually pull against it. There is no end to the negative coverage. When there is nothing negative to report, then make something out of nothing.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
June 21, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this
I believe that SI named Ga. as having the 14th ranked schedule in the country. Now ,IMO, the question is ,where would this type of ranking hurt the Dawgs? It could hurt if we were to go undefeated and in the hunt for the NC. The OOC schedule is what sunk AU a couple of years ago when they were undefeated. This won’t hurt us if Okla. St., OLD Miss, Troy and Tech have winning seasons. Troy? I don’t think so but the other 3 have a good chance of having 7-4 records and this SI. ranking won’t matter.
By CJ2
June 21, 2007 3:48 PM | Link to this
What a silly article.
We don’t know who will have a hard schedule until THE GAMES ARE PLAYED.
Last year a lot of teams probably feared FSU on their schedule and in reality they stunk. Two years ago UGA scheduled Boise State and beat them like a rented mule. This year Washington is praised for scheduling Boise State who beat perenially overrated Oklahoma in a BSC bowl.
I love college football, but there is too much off field BS in the sport.
By I-DOG
June 21, 2007 3:49 PM | Link to this
Ike,
Your are EXACTLY right. By definition the 14th toughest schedule in the nation is a “tough schedule. It is roughly in the top 10 percentile for toughness of all teams schedules.
Georgia fans have never claimed that UGA plays THE TOUGHEST schedule every year. Just a “tough” Schedule. This confirms that for 2007.
If UGA were 35th instead of 14th it would be worth discussing and writing this blog about.
The headline makes it “appear” that UGA plays a soft schedule. “IS UGA’s SCHEDULE TOO SOFT?” Imagine a headline of “DAWGS play 14th toughest schedule in all of college football?” That makes it “appear” to the headline reader that UGA plays a very tough schedule in 07 (which is far more accurate) Not THE TOUGHEST but a tough one.
The headline makes the article intellectually dishonest.
By johnboy
June 21, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this
Big Trouble: Not sure I agree with your assessment of Ohio State and Notre Dame as “high caliber teams.” Notre Dame can’t win the big games and hasn’t won a bowl game in YEARS…and what happened the last time Ohio State played an SEC team? (I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t pretty)
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 3:52 PM | Link to this
Who is the moron who lauded Florida’s OOC schedule?
Here is their ‘06 OCC: Southern Miss UCF Western Carolina FSU (who stunk)
And for ‘07: Western Kentucky Troy Florida Atlantic FSU
Yeah, that is a powerhouse OOC slate.
By shane
June 21, 2007 3:53 PM | Link to this
this makes no difference,if ga. wins the east,and then the sec champ.game, they will be in the bcs bowl mix as sec champs.i don’t see any sec team going undefeated,so any chance of a nc is moot.uf was lucky to get into the nc game last year and look what they did to osu.notre dame is a thing of the past,they are always overated in preseason,then fall short.i would rather be rated no. 15 and sneak up on everyone.
By Bob
June 21, 2007 3:54 PM | Link to this
SI ranks Tech’s schedule as the 9th…read that NINTH toughest schedule. Oh, but that was the 9th toughest in the ACC!!!! Wow.
By Bushwacker
June 21, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this
What’s a joke is USC’s entire schedule every year and they are allowed to compete for a title.
By Big Trouble
June 21, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this
Jeff-
What does my team matter? My point remains the same. UGA schedules weak non-conference opponents.
By the way, I am a GT grad and proud fan (sorry we kept Reggie on QB for 4 years, best player you guys had in our meetings).
I have respect for Richt and the power of the SEC. But the BSC polls do not respect UGA, and it has to be due to the non-conference teams they play. As someone stated earlier, last year they played against 9 bowl teams (and yes, GT was one). Imagine if they had played against 10 or 11 instead of Western Kentucky or UAB.
At least Tech opened up with Notre Dame, and played Miami for homecoming (schedule made before we knew Miami had a down year, yeah they sucked).
UGA schedules weak at the beginning, gets a decent ranking, then encounters the good SEC teams. They will lose 2 games a season; one of their losses will be to a team they should of beat and one wins will be a squeaker against a better team that should of beat them. Then people wonder why nobody wants UGA to play for a championship. That’s just the way it is. UGA is a top 8-12 contender, always. And if that’s good enough for the dawg nation, fine; but UGA will never get a national championship that way.
By Chris Mack
June 21, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this
They play a tough schedule. Oklahoma State is a good game to start the year off. As a matter of fact, since Damon Evans became AD they have lined up home and home series with Oklahoma State, Colorado, Arizona State, Louisville, Oregon, and Cincinati. Don’t forget that we get to whip Clemson two more times as well. I love the fact that Georgia and Clemson will play a home and hom once every 8 years or so. Georgia makes a good schedule almost every year. How cool is it going to be to travel to Tempe, Boulder, and Eugene, Oregon? I like it better than going to New Orleans or Tampa every New Year’s Day.
I do think we should line something up with an elite team such as Michigan, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, or Miami. Its great for the fans and you get tons of exposure on TV. They should play a home and home with Michigan or Miami - they would be the best.
If I had any eligibility left I’d walk on for the chance to play for Richt as he kicked Miami’s butt!
Go Shiloh Generals! Brookwood and Parkview kids are spolied sissys.
By Andy
June 21, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
Georgia will never get nationally recognized respect until ceases scheduling weak out of conference teams that nobody seems to care about.
Then again Georgia fans think playing and typically losing to Florida on an annual basis constitutes the game being a major rivalry which it is not to Florida fans.
FL vs. FSU is a rivalry. FL vs. GA is something FL fans do one Saturday every year.
Plus, Richt isn’t building a football team he’s building a Sunday School class. Why should he even care now that they have given him a big contract because they were scared FSU might want him?
Another crappy year at UGA and Bulldog Nation will be calling for his head and when they get it he will be laughing all the way to the bank with a buyout.
By I-DOG
June 21, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
Big Trouble,
You are blinded by your self admitted hate of UGA, and that is OK… but your facts are all wrong.
UGA usually gets beat by the SEC teams they play after starting the season in the top 15?
This is incorrect. UGA FINISHED in the top 10 overall 4 out of the last 5 years. Also, UGA has more wins than all but 1 SEC program in the last 7 seasons and “I believe” that we are in the top 3 of all SEC schools for most SEC wins during that same period.
You said “then they play the SEC teams and they usually lose”… just not true.
UGA has an image of a soft schedule? Only in your mind. It was ranked 14th toughest out of 100 plus teams for 07. That is evidence that you are wrong for 07 and probably true the last 7
UGA should play Notre Dame or Ohio State? Didn’t Notre Dame play ALL THREE SERVICE ACADEMIES last year (I guess no high school teams were availalbe).
Where to Notre Dame and OHio State rank in strength of schedule compared to UGA year in and out (probably lower).
ALL teams play 2-3 patsies. ALL of them. UGA is going from 3 to 2 by scheduling CO (recent big 12 North two time champion AND hung 50+ on Nebraska 3-4 years back. Home and away series.
We have OK State which is another solid big 12 opponent who usually goes bowling. Home and Away series.
We scheduled AZ State, Solid Pac 10 foe, Home and Away.
If we schedule a Michigan or a USC every now and then, I’m fine with that, but there are no facts to support your arguments other than we don’t play Ohio State and Notre Dame. Well, those teams can only schedule 12 teams and so can UGA. After Purdue, Mich State, and all three service academies, there is little room left on Notre Dame’s dance card.
By Chris Mack
June 21, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this
They play a tough schedule. Oklahoma State is a good game to start the year off. As a matter of fact, since Damon Evans became AD they have lined up home and home series with Oklahoma State, Colorado, Arizona State, Louisville, Oregon, and Cincinati. Don’t forget that we get to whip Clemson two more times as well. I love the fact that Georgia and Clemson will play a home and hom once every 8 years or so. Georgia makes a good schedule almost every year. How cool is it going to be to travel to Tempe, Boulder, and Eugene, Oregon? I like it better than going to New Orleans or Tampa every New Year’s Day.
I do think we should line something up with an elite team such as Michigan, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, or Miami. Its great for the fans and you get tons of exposure on TV. They should play a home and home with Michigan or Miami - they would be the best.
If I had any eligibility left I’d walk on for the chance to play for Richt as he kicked Miami’s butt!
Go Shiloh Generals! Brookwood and Parkview kids are spolied sissys.
By Atl
June 21, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this
War Eagle,
Hey War chicken, after last years kick in the A** by UGA 37 Auburn 15 I would not vent here and talking mack!
Well I have to say it…Boo! Now get the h*ll out of here.
By Filbert
June 21, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this
Of course UGA plays a soft schedule. If they palyed a real college team, like Michigan or Washington, they’d be destroyed. UGA reminds me of Oklahoma in the 80’s and 90’s. Winning huge in their safe little schedule only to wind up getting killed by Miami in the Orange Bowl. too bad so many in this state get so hyped up about UGA football. I think there are some high school teams in California that could give them arun for their money, and maybe even beat them.
By dunn
June 21, 2007 4:04 PM | Link to this
Funny thing, 8 of the 25 or 32% of the toughest schedules belong to SEC schools.
By imf
June 21, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
no
By MariettaDawg
June 21, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
YAAAAWWWWWWWN………I’m sorry, what did you say? I forgot to give a shat.
By Rich
June 21, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
Come on DAWGS. At least play one tough ooc game. Here is Tenn OOC schedule. Miami, ND, Cal, UCLA, NCST,NC, ORE, OK, NEB.
By SkiDuck
June 21, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this
You rank the schedule after the season, count the bowl teams that you beat, the ones in the top 25 poll. That determines how tough the schedule is or was.
By Ryan
June 21, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this
UGA having a soft schedule is nothing new. When was the last time UGA scheduled a tough out of conference opponent? Better yet, when was the last time UGA played one of those games away from home?
By It's about the Benjamins
June 21, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this
UGA hurts its SOS by scheduling weak OOC teams, and especially by opening with a weak team or two. IF UGA opened with a decent opponent, its SOS would always be top 5.
But the AD and coach are paid for wins, and the AD looks better if his chosen coach wins in big numbers. Also the cost to UGA for a weak sister is far less than the cost to a decent opponent to play between the hedges.
It’s all about the Benjamins!
By JamesD
June 21, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this
Who ever wrote this garbage should be fired as soon as possible. What in the hell were they thinking? Did you just let the home and garden reporter write this s**? I have never witnessed such bias opinion based article even in the Auburn Times for Christ sake. Do me a favor and go back to baking cakes retard. What I’m saying in not out of anger it is out of sheer de dee de. It’s just my humble opinion, whoever wrote this incompetent article should look for a new job.
By Bob
June 21, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this
Big Truth, You need to get a life dude. Tech’s schedule was ranked 9th in your pathetic conference. Ninth. But lets look at it so EVERYONE can see who you play.
Notre Dame..good Samford….not Stanford, but SAMFORD Bc Virginia Clemson Maryland Miami Army… Va. Tech Dook UNC and Georgia.
SI gave you credit for scheduling ND and UGA.
Now you claim to have scheduled Miami for homecoming. You chose the homecoming date, but the ACC chose the opponent friend. In case you haven’t noticed, you are in the same ACC Division as Miami. You had to play Miami just like we have to play Tennessee or Florida or Auburn.
By Atl
June 21, 2007 4:09 PM | Link to this
Filbert,
Or Dilbet or Dil-do what ever you lame Handle is. Washington is a real College team. Isn’t their coach on the hotseat?
Washington has been good in years!
By Doug
June 21, 2007 4:10 PM | Link to this
I just laugh when I read that artilce then read all these posts. Just typical Dawg fans. Bob you are an abosute moron. You want to compare UGA’s schedule with South carolina’s or Auburn’s. How bout Auburn’s four road games of LSU,UGA,FLORIDA,ARKANSAS vs UGA’s road games of BAMA,UT, VANDY, and the yellow f*. Tough decision which one is harder. Georgias non conference is Very weak as well and will continue to suffer as other schools continue to add big schools like auburn getting home and away with WVU for 08-09 and South Florida was a pretty damn good pick up for 07-08. I am not even an Auburn fan I just think it is funny how all these idiotic Dawg fans who dont know what the f*** they are talking about talk s** about Auburn.
By 14 out of 117
June 21, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this
damn there are only 103 teams with weaker schedules. whats uga problem? they should at least play a couple nfl teams…oh yeah they do its called the SEC…ask ohio st. about it. okla. st, usc, tenn, fla, bama, auburn, ga tech = weak…get real! and dont forget that uga played the natl champions to the end and had 5 turnovers. sec is head and shoulders about the rest.
By SthrnDawg
June 21, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this
Wow…this paper has really turned into the daily wiper…This is exactly why I never pay for your POS so called publication or visit any of your sponsers. Never reporting facts but twisting words to get the desired response. I get a better take on sports from my 22 month old son….
Dave O’brien and Sekou really need to leave now before this effects their credibility
By DawgNickle
June 21, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this
Why is this article phrased like this? Is the AJC full of that big of morons that a 14th ranked PRE-SEASON schedule makes their “powerhouse” status any less?
Could the person who made this really be any bigger of an idiot?
Seriously, AJC…hire someone other than a stupid monkey.
By Chris Mack
June 21, 2007 4:15 PM | Link to this
I am not saying they need to play The Ohio State or Notre Dame. I am saying it would be nice to continue the pattern of schedule that A.D. Evans is setting in place. I love the schedules that UGA puts out. There is nothing wrong with playing a GA Southern or Furman or even a Western kentucky every now and than. They play in the SEC and thats tough enough. I can’t wait until the Oregon series and I already have travel plans to Arizona State in 2008. I’m probably going to Boulder in 2009 to watch UGA take on Colorado.
i will say this - until georgia beats Florida consistantly we are the 2nd or 3rd team in the SEC. Just realize that brfore you go crowning Georgia.
Shiloh Generals will win state this year. Watch out for the Chris Mack attack #33!
By g_from_dooluth
June 21, 2007 4:15 PM | Link to this
I am a UGA fan/alum and I am annoyed by our weak out of state schedule too. If we are ever gonna be mentioned as one of the great programs we need to start venturing out of the SEC! Even though they lost, I give all the credit to the Vols for scheduling a USC and to GT for scheduling Notre Dame. I think it actually hurt us last year having played a WEAK Colorado team that we barely beat at home.
I say its time to put our money where our mouth is and take down any/all opponents put in front of us. If we are going to claim to be the best, then we should beat the best too…no excuses.
By Mash
June 21, 2007 4:16 PM | Link to this
Since when is the 14th toughest schedule considered “soft”? Steve Megargee, of SI and Rivals.com, correctly points out that our western slate includes Ole Miss, and not LSU or Arkansas. Tennessee gets a boost from having Cal on the non-conference side, whereas we have Oklahoma State. Which again, makes sense. Oklahoma State is a marked improvement over UAB, but still not perrenial top 15 team like Cal. As far as impact on post-season: the impact of the post-season would really only matter if we’re going the BCS Championship - which is very doubtful to begin with. That said, the 14th most difficult schedule is nothing to sniff at, and if we were to take of business on our schedule by beating Florida, Tenn., and Auburn, a feat I can’t recall happening in the last 20 years, but if it were to happen that would speak for itself and the relative strength of schedule would not matter.
By Dawg catcher
June 21, 2007 4:17 PM | Link to this
FINALLY! UGA MIGHT STAND A CHANCE OF WINNING SOMETHING! WHEN UGA PLAYS VANDY AND SCHOOLS OF THAT ILK, HOW CAN ANYONE TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY? THE WHOLE PROGRAM IS A JOKE, AND SCHEDULING SOFT TEAMS TO PAD THEIR RECORD IS TYPICAL UGA SCHTICK! THE PAC-10, THE BIG 12, AND THE KIDS AT THE LOCAL YMCA CAN BEAT THEM JUST THE SAME! WHY DON’T THEY JUST PUT SOME HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS ON THERE TOO WHILE THEY ARE AT IT? GET OVER YOURSELVES GA FANS, YOU CANT WIN!!!!! WHO’S NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE… SOUTH DAKOTA TECH GIRLS SCHOOL FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL??
YALL COME BACK NOW YA HEA?
By Bob
June 21, 2007 4:20 PM | Link to this
Rich, Give us a break. Some of those are very tough teams and others are less so. In 07 you play Cal, Southern Miss, Arkansas STATE and Louisiana LAFAYETTE. First two are good, but probably no better than Oklahoma State and Ga. Tech. Next year you guys play UCLA Wyoming NC State and S. Miss. Ok, but we have Arizona State and Ga. Tech. In 09 you play Marshal, Memphis and UCLA. We play Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Ga Tech. Go find another argument or find someone to play checkers with in your endzone.
By MCDAVID
June 21, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this
YES, I’M VERY TIRED OF GAMES WITH LITTLE MORE THAN HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS, HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN FIGHTING GAME DAY PRACTICE TO SEE THE DAWGS WASTE TIME AGAINST WESTERN KENTUCKY AND TROY JUST SO WE WON’T PLAY TOO MANY GAMES AWAY. THE HOME SCHEDULE CONTINUES TO BE AWFUL WHEN YOU ADD GAMES LIKES THESE TO EITHER KENTUCKY OR VANDERBILT. I WANT TO SEE THE DAWGS WIN BUT IT NEEDS TO BE IN GAMES THAT ARE WORTH SOMETHING.
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this
Hey Dilbert,
You’re proof positive that these types of blogs/”articles” bring the morons out in droves.
Washington is a “real” team? LOL.
Let me buy you a clue.
Over the last 10 years, UGA ranks as the 6th best team in all of college football.
The Washington Huskies? Uh, that would be a very meidocre 57th.
And go check UGA’s bowl record and get back to me. Including against the Little 10.
By DFWBV
June 21, 2007 4:23 PM | Link to this
B*** & moan if you like, but there is little chance that Western Carolina, Troy or Vanderbilt will make the Top 25 at season’s end. Oklahoma State might, but it is no certainty. Four weak sisters on our schedule makes a Top 25 rank for our schedule questionable in my eyes.
By Big Trouble
June 21, 2007 4:24 PM | Link to this
This is why you cannot hold a football converation with a UGA fan…
UGA is a top 8-12 team annually. The SEC is the best conference. They are a good team in a great conference. But until UGA schedules, plays, and beats tougher non-conference opponents they will not be ranked higher on a consistant basis.
Why is that such a problem to get through your heads?
Regardless of GT, UF, Auburn, Tenn, Bama, ND, USC, Pac-10, Big West, Conference USA, etc…that is how UGA is perceived by the BSC voters/polls and pretty much anyone else who does not pull for UGA on Saturdays in the fall. But good luck to Coach Richt this year.
By Pollack 4 Heisman
June 21, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this
This is pathetic of the AJC to even stir this kind of topic up. They know how strong our schedule is…As far as I am concerned the SEC teams should be ranked 1 thru 12 for strength of schedule. I dont care what anyone says. The only reason those PAC 10 schools are getting a high grade is that they suck but have 4 good games or so and all of a sudden they look like they are scheduling hard teams. It’s all relative, if you are a down team then your schedule can only go up, but if you are a top team your schedule can only look down. Here is a good example: Washington schedules 4 hard teams, then UGA schedules those same 4 teams…Who gets the higher grad on SOS? Washington
By Bob
June 21, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
Doug,
You my friend are the moron. If you could read, you would see from my first post that I clearly said that the UGA SEC schedule was not that tough. I also pointed out, you dimwit, that the conference schedule rotates and that the toughness levels rotate too. No one, not even you can control that schedule. So if you would read, you might know something about which you speak. For a team that dodged FSU a couple of years back, Auburn should be the last to talk.
Who else other than WVU dude? We have scheduled Louisville too who by the way, won that conference that WVU plays in. We have Oregon, Louisville, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Colorado and Clemson on home and home schedule over the next ten years plus Georgia Tech…who just might be better than USF.
By Renegade
June 21, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
Georgia should play Clemson opening game EVERY year!! What happened to that rivalry?
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
Doug,
Before running off at the mouth, maybe you should go look at Auburn’s OOC slate.
Hardly better than Georgia’s.
By overrated
June 21, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this
It is a tough schedule however, it’s still a “prove me” year with Stafford getting the nod. Best bet for the year is UGA is out of the top 25, not far out, and losing 5-6 games. UGA is always a contender but lacks the fluency that the team needs to get on a serious roll.
By lakejs
June 21, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this
You better hope it’s soft. UGA lost to Kentucky and Vandy. Should have lost to CO except they didn’t take the safety. Tenn has been weak. Ala had a LOSING record last year and Duke lead them at 1/2 time. Everyone’s TIRED of the SEC is tough enough crap. Ask the other SEC teams that play at USC, up at ND and out West. When does UGA ever cross the Miss River or Mason/Dixon line?!?!? When you actually beat FL and play SOMEBODY outside the SEC besides the likes of Troy, THEN you can start talking smack.
By imf
June 21, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this
Doug, What the crap is your point? UGA doesn’t compare to Auburn because they don’t play at UF (we play them at a neutral loc.)? They don’t play at LSU (that comes around next year)? They don’t play at Ark (that comes around year after next)?
Nobody controls their rotating SEC schedule, so that means UGA’s will be better than Aub’s some years and some not. But UGA did go out and schedule a much more difficualt OOC schedule than either AUB or SCU.
By Dave
June 21, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this
The 14th toughest schedule in the nation is too soft?! Go fly a kite, moron.
By the Rev. Al Sharpton
June 21, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this
Can anyone on this blog name the last time UGA went out of the southeast to play a non-conference game (bowl games do not count)? Here is a hint—The year was 1967—LBJ in the White House, the Beatles release Sgt. Pepper …for those too young to remember…it was vs the Houston Cougars…ok, for those that count Texas as the southeast then you have to go back to 1965 vs. Michigan. Year in and year out the UGA non-conference schedule among is the weakest in the nation. The time is now for Evans to drop the Dooley-era excuse that the Jacksonville game prevents UGA from scheduling the big boys home and home.
By shane
June 21, 2007 4:33 PM | Link to this
filbert,give me a break,michigan?they have been on a down turn since bo was there.he was a great coach,but it’s the 21st.century now.the big ten is a power no more.look what uf did to osu. the spartans are nowhere,as munson would say “whadayagot?” NOTHING. ca. is a “speed state”,so are tex.fla.and GEORGIA,in that order.the big ten can steal a few players from these states,but not enough to compete on a regular basis.so you play notre dame,so what,look what lsu did to them last year.penn state,i love joe papa,one of the finest men,in my opinion,ever associated with college football. joe just doesn’t have the stud horses any more.all the big ten has is a bunch of sportswriters in their back pocket.
By UGAAlumni
June 21, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
I’m a former UGA student who knows the football program is overrated. As a fan of football how can you not want Georgia to play a Ohio State, Texas, or Miami. If the SEC and Georgia are so great go ahead and schedule a powerhouse team and beat them! And please go on the road once in a while. Stop hiding behind “SEC schedule is so tough” excuse and play somebody
By DAN
June 21, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this
No Way!! The SEC has the toughest conference in college football. Georgia plays almost every team in the SEC. How can that possibly be a soft schedule. That’s my opinion, and I’m sure that many will agree!!
By johnny
June 21, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this
Hey WAREAGLE, IT WASN’T TOO SOFT WHEN WE RAMMED IT IN YA LAST YEAR WAS IT? WAREAGLE/TIGER/GET A NAME AND STICK WITH IT
By Devildawg
June 21, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this
Typical AJC how you slant a story to fit some lame agenda- you dont mention that the Tech schedule is ranked 9th toughest….in the ACC!!! UGA is ranked ahead of BC (who is the second highest ACC ranked team)….6 SEC teams in the top 10 vs 1 ACC team….dont bother interrupting my dinner ever again with your lame subscription pleas till you find some journalistic integrity.
By harry
June 21, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this
Where is Tech on the ranking?
well, this is the FIRST time tech isnt listed in the top TEN (maybe 15) of the hardest schdules in awhile. Playing at notre dame is harder than anything Georgia played out of conference.
I was suprised to see UGA set up a match with ok state…and oregan in…2014? something like that…
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 4:38 PM | Link to this
Big Trouble,
I can tell you really know a lot about how the polls work.
You say, “UGA is a top 8-12 team annually. The SEC is the best conference. They are a good team in a great conference. But until UGA schedules, plays, and beats tougher non-conference opponents they will not be ranked higher on a consistant basis.”
Newsflash McFly: Georgia’s schedule has no bearing on being ranked in the in the top 5, wins do.
Did you not see Georgia ranked #3 in ‘02? Why is that? Let me clue you in- we won a lot of games and only lost 1. Despite basically the same OOC schedule we have now, maybe slightly worse.
And did you not catch the National Champion Florida Gators this past year, who played this OOC slate: Southern Miss, UCF, Western Carolina, FSU (who stunk).
Or, what about LSU in ‘03, who played for and won an BCS title despite this whopper of an OOC slate: LA Monroe, Arizone (who won 2 games), Western Illinois, and Louisiana Tech.
Yeah, those OOC slates really cost those teams dearly.
Not to mention, UGA has been in the top 5 several times since 2002.
So, your point holds NO WATER.
So, spare us the “This is why you cannot hold a football converation with a UGA fan…” As I’ll conversate all day long with you, when and if you bring some facts to the table.
By UGAAlumni
June 21, 2007 4:38 PM | Link to this
All you georgia and the “SEC is so mighty” fans were pretty quiet when West Virginia was running you guys ragged all over the georgia dome. Please get off your high horse. USC dropped 60 points on the SEC west champ last year, in Arkansas! How great is the SEC???
By DBD
June 21, 2007 4:40 PM | Link to this
I’m a die-hard Dawgs’ fan and I’ve always had an issue with our soft non-conference schedule. Troy? Western Carolina? Oklahoma State (not as bad as the latter)? Even if we win the SEC Championship game, we will get the lessor of the BCS games. Unless…..we find a way to go undefeated, win the SEC Championship game, and get lucky. One soft opponent is alright, but three? I’m sorry folks, but I’m sick of folks living in the glory days of the early 80s. The crazy thing is that we can stumble and lose to Troy and that lives with us for a few years.
By imf
June 21, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this
Rev. Al Sharpton, Damon Evans is way ahead of you. UGA heads to Arizona State 16 games from now.
By ReggieATL
June 21, 2007 4:42 PM | Link to this
UGA has the 14th toughest schedule out of over 100 schools. How is that “soft”? We’re playing a good big 12 team, and if GT didn’t suck so much egg, it be even tougher.
This article has Carter Strickland’s paw prints all over it. How the hell did we get stuck with a beat writer who has so much contempt for his beat??????
By TECH!!
June 21, 2007 4:42 PM | Link to this
Playing Tech hurts our OOC schedule. We can’t help it that they suck every year!!
By lakejs
June 21, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this
“As far as I am concerned the SEC teams should be ranked 1 thru 12 for strength of schedule” hahahahah Ole Miss, MSU, Arkansas (that got blown out at USC), Tenn (beat Air Force by 1pt), Ala (losing record), Vandy (so what they beat UGA but so did Kentucky)and Kentucky…yeah all those are powerhouses. And just who has SCarolina beat?!?! Just because SOS is there BIG DEAL. Props to LSU and (gulp) UF but that’s about it.
The SEC was stronger last year but it’s a statistical fact that the ACC was in 2005 (better BCS record, better bowl record, more draft picks, higher draft picks, 1st overall, etc..) The ACC was decimated by the NFL draft but will be back stronger this year than ever.
By Lewis
June 21, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this
You can make the argument that the SEC is a tough enough schedule as is, and that might be true. But when SEC schools are stepping up to the plate and scheduling quality non-conference games, UGA has to follow suit. Furthermore, UGA is the point where it should be playing for the National Championship every year. SoS is obviously a HUGE factor in that. It could mean the difference between playing in the BCS title game or settling for 3rd. It’s worth the risk for UGA to schedule tough opponents.
By Keith
June 21, 2007 4:47 PM | Link to this
I’m a Tech alum, and maybe that’s why I’m smart enough to think of this. But someone thinks that having the 14th toughest schedule out of 120 means that it’s too soft?
What a joke.
By Bob
June 21, 2007 4:47 PM | Link to this
UGAAlumni, Rev Al,
I agree that Georgia has not played as many good non conference games as I would have liked. Damon Evans is changing that. That being said, it is not only the Florida game that has caused difficulty in scheduling that game. Carolina, Florida and Georgia are the only schools in the SEC whos major in state rivalry is with a non-conference opponent. So in addition to scheduling 8 conference games, those 3 schools must play Clemson, FSU and Tech. With an 11 game schedule it was extremely difficult to schedule home and home games outside the conference. That has now been fixed with the 12 game schedule and I indeed hope that one day Michigan and Ohio State will agree to play home and away games with Georgia. BTW, I haven’t seen them schedule anyone else in the SEC lately except for Michigan’s game with Vandy.
By david
June 21, 2007 4:52 PM | Link to this
nine bowl teams from last year=soft? go figure. only one other team in the country plays that many. IDIOTS
By Doug
June 21, 2007 4:57 PM | Link to this
BOB, Granted we lost to both teams home and away but to Ga tech and USC ring a bell you f*** moron????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
By NASCARfan
June 21, 2007 5:01 PM | Link to this
The guy claiming to be “UGAalumni” ISN’T a UGA alumni.
I’d be surprised if that Bug wannabe even knows where Athens, GA is. What a freaking loser, trolling this blog, pretending to be a UGA alumni to make it look like a dawg fan is trashing his own team.
Dude, get a freaking life!
By 2N4YEARS
June 21, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
What I find amazing is that if GaTech were to have either TENN, AUBURN or FLA on their schedule (along w/ GEORGIA), their schedule would be looked upon as one of the toughest out there. The fact that GEORGIA plays these teams every year shouldn’t diminish the strength of their schedule. I think last year should prove to ANYONE who doubted that the SEC IS the toughest conference.
By nashvilledawg
June 21, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
Why is the AJC even reporting this. This is not news. No games have been played, therefore the strength of schedule is impossible to predict. But yeah, sure… our schedule is soft… how is that again when we play all of the SEC teams ranked ahead of us for Strength of Schedule… hmmmm…
By Big Trouble
June 21, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this
Dang Jeff, you got me. I guess I should have said “win all your conference game, then schedule tougher non-conference opponents and win those.” But since you cannot see the obvious, I’ll include that line.
The tougher non-conf goes for if ANY (3) teams go undefeated. Which of the (2) get to play, the one’s with the tougher schedule.
Barbie says, “Math is HARD!”
Sheesh… UGA fanatics. Jeff, did you even attend UGA? Or just hopped on the bandwagon like 90% of the non-alum fans?
Remember the Herschel glory days all you UGA fans, because it seems that’s all you will ever have.
By Big Bad Bob
June 21, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this
What nonsense? This is college football, not the Christians vs. the lions in the Colosseum. What makes one sked tougher than another — the distance the visiting team has to travel to play? Come on, get real. Tough teams make tough games, and all college athletes are tough. Why else would they get those full ride scholarships?
By Big Boy
June 21, 2007 5:07 PM | Link to this
What kind of dog squeeze is this? Anyone with any sense knows these schedules are made years in advance. If this is the best you bumblebee loving AJC writers can come up with you need to retire. Also, the schedule of any SEC team is tough due to being in the best conference in college football.
By Bob
June 21, 2007 5:08 PM | Link to this
Doug,
Are you talking to me idiot????????? What is your comment in reference to? I think you must be attempting to answer somebody else since I didn’t say anything about “lost to both teams home and away”…duh
By ChampDawg
June 21, 2007 5:09 PM | Link to this
Whoever decided to put this up on the AJC website is an absolute MORON and knows nothing of #1 how to write and #2 football and rankings.
The title says “Is UGA’s schedule too soft?” then the article goes on to suggest that it is. Whoever you are, you are a MORON!!
First of all, by your own writing, the SEC has 5 schools in the top 10… FIVE. And 2 others, UK and UGA, in the top 15. That’s SEC schools making up almost HALF of the top 15!!!!!!!
UGA’s schedule is 14th out of over 100 schools. According to someone at SI (who himeslf, probably doesn’t know his @$$ from a hole in the ground) UGA schedule is “softer” than 6 other SEC schools. But that doesn’t mean it’s soft overall and within the entire D1.
As usual, the AJC is a bunch of slackers just poking around on a slow news day looking for useless garbage to write about. Go get a life…… and hey, were’s GT on this list!!!!! MORON!!!!!!!
By UGAAlumni
June 21, 2007 5:10 PM | Link to this
NASCARfan,
Class of ‘06 buddy, graduated with honors. You just wish you went to my school. I’ve just got an objective opinion, you should try it some time. Georgia fans just need to stop living in the 80’s and realize they aren’t a top tier program that’s why they schedule like a mid major.
By Jeffisgoofingoff
June 21, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this
Sure, but that same group didn’t try to see FSU’s schedule as diminishing their rankings in their bowl bids when they were playing teams like Tulane, Georgia Tech or USM in their regular seasons…
By JWH
June 21, 2007 5:14 PM | Link to this
For starters, the article doesn’t call UGA’s schedule soft, the local fishwrap did. Secondly, these are probably the same writers that felt OSU was unstoppable in ‘07. The fact is the SEC, like it or not, is argueably toughest conference on college f’ball.
By the way…
Everybody dumps on UGA’s OOC schedule, but how many “big” programs want to come to Athens to play?
When you already play 8 bowl elligible teams plus have to play 11 straight weeks before a break as UGA did on ‘07, a “soft” game is welcomed.
By Frank
June 21, 2007 5:16 PM | Link to this
some of you people just don’t get it. Georgia tried to get a home and home series with Michgan, and the wolverines wanted no part in it. So did every other big school Georgia talked to. Every school wants easy wins. Thats why Michgan elected to keep Vandy on the schedule, instead of replacing them with Georgia. Georgia was supposed to play both Oregon State and Oregon, but both backed out for easier games. So people get real Georgia plays as tough of a schedule as the other teams will let them play. Lets face it, schools across the country seem to be scared of the bulldog nation. Because when we play out of conference games and bowl games we win them. Tech hasn’t beat us in this century. We play the world beaters from Boise and we kill them. We play Virgina Tech a team was only giving up 9 points a game, and we score 34 on them and beat them. So if you want to play a tougher schedule folks its real easy you just have to start losing. Which no Georgia fan wants to happen.
By andrew
June 21, 2007 5:19 PM | Link to this
That’s strange since they play 9 teams that made it to a bowl game last year!
By Ryan
June 21, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
The reason our schedule is such a joke is because we have to play GaTech every year. If only we could make them our homecoming game….Six in a Row!
By NASCARfan
June 21, 2007 5:28 PM | Link to this
To the guy claiming to be a UGA alumni,
I’m here. Been here since the fall. Taking summer courses right now. Have a class with Kelin Johnson.
It’s one thing to trash your own program dude, but when you do so with little fact to back it up, well, I have to wonder (if you actually DID graduate from UGA) if daddy didn’t by your diploma for you.
@$$.
By Top Dawg
June 21, 2007 5:33 PM | Link to this
All SEC teams with schedules ranked tougher than UGA’s are ranked tougher than UGA’s because they play UGA. Get it? Now, go back to work.
By Gatorbait
June 21, 2007 5:37 PM | Link to this
UGAALUM — Dude, even I can tell you’re a poser who’s probably a fan of Georgia Tech of the Always Comical Conference. We’ll give the puppies their annual spanking in J-Ville, but they’re still massively superior to anyone in the Always Comical Conference.
The SEC is the only conference. OOC scheduling is going to be soft because every other conference in the land is soft.
By Steve
June 21, 2007 5:42 PM | Link to this
14th toughest in the country is soft. What do you consider the 99th toughest?
By Muttley1211
June 21, 2007 5:43 PM | Link to this
I CAN’T BELIEVE HIS MANY PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THIS BS ARTICLE…
By Rick
June 21, 2007 5:44 PM | Link to this
If you actually bothered to read the article, you’d see that UGA is commended for playing two quality opponents out of conference (Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech). According to the writer, UGA was hurt by the presence of Ole Miss, rather than LSU or Arkansas, as one of their rotating games against the SEC West.
As others have noted, 14th NATIONWIDE can’t possibly be considered weak. If this is all you Tech fans can find to blather about this time of year, it speaks volumes about how bad things have gotten on The Flats.
By Bulldog Black
June 21, 2007 5:48 PM | Link to this
I guess a GT fan wrote the SI article.
By wdc
June 21, 2007 5:51 PM | Link to this
give me a break - uga plays osu, usc, au, ala, gt, uf, vandy, uk, ut. that’s 8 bowl teams from last season. not tough enough? please…
By Bob
June 21, 2007 5:53 PM | Link to this
Bulldog Black,
There is nothing wrong with the SI Article. It simply does not correspond to the dumb a$$ AJC headline.
By cody
June 21, 2007 5:53 PM | Link to this
who cares who has the toughest schedule. It does not matter if you play in the sunbelt conf the wac conf the “i dont give a crap about who did this who did that we played this team out of conf and beat them teams are scared to play us because we win whenever we play smaller schools and we asked them to play us and they declined conf” it does not matter what happened last year or the year before that or 200 years ago the only thing that matters is the present and future “what have you done for me lately” so to all those people who have said stupid things whoever goes undefeated this season should play in the national championship game not who the fans want to see or some stupid computer plain and simple if you go undefeated in any league you should be there when they start considering.
By Hobnailboot
June 21, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this
What a dumb article. Only 14th?!? Oh noes!!! They play what…four bowl teams from the SEC East, maybe two from the West, a rivalry game at Tech, and host Oklahoma State? Slackers.
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this
Big Trouble,
You’re not the brightest bulb on the tree, are ya?
What does your point have to do with UGA being a #8-12 team because of their OOC?
Nothing!
Like LSU, Georgia could play the world’s worst OOC and if we go undefeated, we will have a GREAT chance of playing for the NC. End of story.
Go look who USC had for the OOC games in ‘03…it was FAR better than who LSU played. And going into to the final tabulation, USC was even ranked ahead of LSU in the BCS poll rankings. But, guess what? LSU leapfrogged USC solely on account of their OVERALL Strength of Schedule. So, LSU went to the BCS Championship DESPITE their OOC.
In the end, Georgia has finished 8-12 at times because of their won-loss record. NOT because of their OOC ranking. Which invalidates your entire earlier point.
Stick to playing with your slide-rule Nerd. Football ain’t a good topic for you.
By Funny Christian
June 21, 2007 5:59 PM | Link to this
How can UGA take credit for what Florida did last year in the National Championship game again Ohio State, it’s like me saying “I can’t beat you up but my neighbor can”. I’m orginally from Memphis and hate the University of Tennessee, but I must admit, they do not have to apologize for their OOC. Plus, UGA, when was the last time you guys won a National Championship game besides gymnastics
By cooter11
June 21, 2007 6:01 PM | Link to this
georgia always has a tough schedule…ask any dog.
Patsy settled this a few weeks ago.
For UG to be ranked higher…play a tougher OOC schedule!
By GT FAN
June 21, 2007 6:03 PM | Link to this
God people…anyone with a little bit of sense knows Georgia has the softest schedule in the SEC…they have been doing it FOR YEARS!!! Give me a break; when they start playing bigger & better teams then I might give them an inch of respect. They need to quit ranking these teams too before they even start playing; how can you rank a team before the season starts? They need to start at rock bottom & work their way up; oh yeah, we are talikg about the dogs!!
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this
Big Trouble,
Help me find Tech on the SI SOS rankings.
And you would give me your slide-rule if Tech could be a perenial #8-12 ranked team.
Finally, I always get a kick out of Tech geeks who say Georgia never schedules anyone good for our OOC games…despite the fact that we play Tech every year. Only a techie would put their feet in the mouth as much.
By augustus
June 21, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this
Man, damn SI
By Heeldawg
June 21, 2007 6:15 PM | Link to this
Wow.
Lots of emotion over a two-bit article designed solely to arouse controversy. Along those lines, I guess the AJC accomplished its goal with this execrable piece of fluff.
This has been said repeatedly, but when your schedule is tougher than ~90% of the rest of division 1-A football, a headline implying a relative softness of schedule is just more tabloid journalism.
For those who feel that the headline is justified (on the basis of last year’s losses to Vandy and Kentucky or for whatever reason), my only answer is to ask Clemson (who Georgia has beaten like a drum the last few times they’ve played them), Boise State (last year’s bowl heroes who got pounded into oblivion a couple of years ago) and media darlings LSU (humiliated in the last two meetings with the Dawgs) and Virginia Tech (whose top-rated defense crumbled in the second half against the worst Georgia team of the last half decade). Oregon State backed out of a home-and-away series with Georgia last year, forcing the Dawgs to schedule UAB and Troy, and the mighty Notre Dame team that Tech crowed so loudly about scheduling before losing to them last season was humiliated once again in a bowl game against an SEC opponent. (BTW, Georgia would love to play the Domers in a home-and-away series. They’d be embarassed once again; we’d be ten points better than them this season). And the Big 10? Georgia’s beaten Purdue (twice), Wisconsin (twice), Ohio State and Michigan State in bowl games in the last 20 years, and has lost to NO ONE from the Big 10 over that span.
As regards the SEC in-conference schedule, U.Ga. has the highest win percentage in the SEC since Mark Richt took over as head coach. So the allegations that the Dawgs “lose in the SEC” is not based in reality.
In short, those posting complaints about the strength of Georgia’s schedule (especially Tech fans, who have NOTHING to say about Vandy when they play Duke every season. Glass houses, etc.) are simply grousing because they are jealous at the win/loss record that the Dawgs have posted during the Mark Richt era. Richt has averaged over 10 wins a season and has won two conference titles over six years in the toughest conference in the country. Moreover, he has done it in such a manner that he sets an example of how young people ought to live. To accuse Mark Richt of trying to recruit a “Sunday School class” is actually a compliment, because it implies that he is trying to mold young men into the kind of people that can be role models for others. One should not fault a man for trying to instill a sense of personal responsibility, hard work and fair play into his young charges. College football is not just about football. It is also about opportunity, and character, and the development of a work ethic that will help these young men get ahead in life even if they don’t play in the NFL (and most of them won’t). Just ask David Jacobs. Or Albert Hollis III.
As a coach, Mark Richt has been successful in winning football games.
As a mentor for young men, he has been even more successful in building character.
It is an outstanding testament to Georgia football that he has managed to do both so well. Not perfectly, but certainly better than at least 90% of college football coaches in Division 1-A.
Which, incidentally, is the percentage of 1-A programs with weaker schedules than Georgia’s. Ironic, huh?
By Justin
June 21, 2007 6:16 PM | Link to this
You have got to be kidding. It should no longer be news to anyone that unless more than two teams go undefeated (or there are no undefeated teams, and more than two have only one loss), “schedule strength” no longer means anything.
Really, though, it’s simple: Georgia plays an SEC schedule that includes Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn, and Alabama. They also play a borderline Top-25 Oklahoma State team, and Georgia Tech. Troy, one of our two “cupcakes,” is projected as the clear #1 team in their conference. And, as evidenced by their 2006 seasons, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Ole Miss aren’t exactly pushovers, either.
No SEC team’s schedule is “too weak.” none. Go undefeated in this league, and you deserve to play for a national title. Period.
By Bob
June 21, 2007 6:16 PM | Link to this
Funny Christian,
Appropriate first name. I didn’t realize there were such things as Gymnastics games.
How is Georgia taking credit for the A$$ whuppin put on Ohio State dude? When people say we should schedule tough teams like Ohio State, then it is appropriate to mention that we played some pretty tough teams on a regular basis. The Gators had a much tougher time with South Carolina, Vandy, Georgia, LSU and of course Auburn than they did with the Buckeyes. That is the only corolation and no one is taking credit for the Gators deserved National Championship.
Yes, Tennessee does usually have a good out of conference schedule. They are also not hamstrung by HAVING to play Ga Tech every year and with a neutral site game with Florida. No excuse, but fact. Essentially every other year Georgia only gets 3 true home SEC games. Is it self inflicted…yeah, and the Athletic Departments of Florida and Georgia have decided it is in the best interest of both schools to play the game in Jax.
By joey
June 21, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this
UGA has a tuff schedule, morning workouts, Keg Lifting, catered lunch, x box, afternoon naps, evening drills, more Keg lifting, game tapes, Coach Richt’s bible studies, evening x box, all nighters in Lovely Athens w/ those pretty GA coeds, Classes? that is what tutors are for!!! “Dont worry the Univ. will take care of you son”..Hershel had to actually workout carring special shoe boxes…After a long summer in Athens, UGA needs a couple of gimies before the season starts….Farewell to the GREAT MUNSON, that’s the Real Story!! The state is losing a true Hero, he is the voice of football.
By Justin
June 21, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
Wait a minute…I overlooked the fact that this guy is implying that the #14 schedule in the NATION — out of 119 — is “weak.”
Seriously.
By UGA FAN in Cali
June 21, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this
FACE IT, UGA NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE IN RECRUITING MORE NATIONAL RECRUITS & SCEDULING MORE NATIONAL TOP 10 TEAMS, HENCE THEY WILL NEVER BE A TOP 5 Program UNTIL THIS HAPPENS!
ONE NATIONAL TITLE (27 YEARS AGO) & EVERYONE TALKS HOW GREAT UGA IS — COME ON!
By Mark
June 21, 2007 6:23 PM | Link to this
I say let get a Non Conference game like Nebraska, Ohio State, Cal, Texas, FSU… Be a hell of a game to get Texas between the hedges!
By truthteller
June 21, 2007 6:26 PM | Link to this
Ever since Dooley became coach and AD at uga, they have always tried to “schedule” at least 7 wins per year, and then hope to upset one of the few tough teams they play each year. UGA is the most overrated program in the country.
By CJ
June 21, 2007 6:26 PM | Link to this
I can’t believe you wasted time posting this question. Oklahoma State and Tech are both quality non-conference games for next year. UT plays Arkansas State, Southern Miss and Lousiana Lafayette. Florida plays Troy, Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic. Give me a break.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
June 21, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
OOC games, West Div. games, none of that really matters until we start beating the Reptiles in J’ville on a consistent basis. When that happens we’ll be ranked higher in the Polls and have the chance to play for the NC. We simply must start winning that game and this season is the time to start. I believe we will.
By Bob
June 21, 2007 6:34 PM | Link to this
Mark,
” I say let get a Non Conference game like Nebraska, Ohio State, Cal, Texas, FSU… Be a hell of a game to get Texas between the hedges! “
I couldn’t agree more, but it takes two to tango.
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 6:35 PM | Link to this
UGA “Fan” in Cali,
Remind me how many years it had been since winning a National title for USC and Texas before just the past few years.
Fact is, Georgia is one of the winningest programs in NCAA football in the last 10 years, with a 96-30 record while playing in the best league in the land (#1 Texas is just 98-28). And take out Boise State, who doesn’t belong in this debate) and we are top 5.
None of your rhetoric makes this not so.
By GDawg
June 21, 2007 6:35 PM | Link to this
This is retarded… I would expect halfarsed “journalism” like this from the AJC but this being an SI list is a little suspect. I mean Oklahoma State to start, both Bama schools from the West? Sorry we have to close the year out vs Tech, I guess THAT is what’s supposedly holding our schedule back??
By Dwight K. Schrute
June 21, 2007 6:37 PM | Link to this
This moronic excuse for a blog is precisely the reason why when a little fella wearing a blue ajc shirt walked onto my front porch earlier this week and asked if I’d like a subscription to his paper…I laughed until he had faded off into the sunset.
I know you fools think stirring up the UGA fanbase is a good way to create hits, but just think about the possibilities if you guys would just report the facts…good and bad. Hell, you might not be hemmoraging money at a record pace.
Hope you yahoos enjoy standing in the unemployment line…
By Wiley Ansley
June 21, 2007 6:38 PM | Link to this
No it is not too soft.This will change during the season and from year to year.
By cool
June 21, 2007 6:39 PM | Link to this
how could any schedule in the sec be anything but difficult. If you play in the sec you are going to have a tough schedule.
By UGAAlumni
June 21, 2007 6:41 PM | Link to this
NascarFan,
What facts do I need when you can prove my point? What top tier program has Georgia played out of conference in the past 5-7 years? Exactly, silence is golden.
By joey
June 21, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
UGA doesn’t play big time football OOC, instead opting to play inferior regional teams. Until GA plays these other teams in the regular season GA wont get the respect,i.e continue to lose in-state recruits…even Tech steps up and plays quality teams every now and again, Tech beat an AU team that GA lost to!!! Tech will never get the kind of players that UGA,TEN, or FL get year in/out…but a least they get the respect nationally and this is why TECH has more NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
By ugarulz
June 21, 2007 6:45 PM | Link to this
If any of you UGA haters would bother to invest just 2 mins of your time to look at the SI site that “claimed” that UGA has a soft schedule, you would find out that UGA ranked 14th out of 112 teams. Also teams like Alabama, Texas, Va Tech, Louisville, the great “powerhouse” Georgia Tech didn’t even break the top 25…. So before you and the AJC start knocking UGA before the season even starts, please please understand the facts.
Also, about UGA playing Division 1-AA teams every year…whats your point?? there are only 2 SEC teams ( TENN and LSU) this year that haven’t scheduled to play 1-AA team, instead TENN has opted to play Arkansas State & La. Lafayette, and LSU to play Middle Tennessee & Tulane all of which im sure will be huge nail biters…sooooooooo give me and the rest of the Bulldog Nation a break.
By mark
June 21, 2007 6:48 PM | Link to this
bottom line is we need the florida georgia game to be a home and home. that causes hardship on georgia with ticket sales. then we can schedule someone like washington or or texas. we do not ever need to play clemson, ever.
By DanCFrom NJ
June 21, 2007 6:59 PM | Link to this
knowshon moreno is gonna be a star!!
By suwanee
June 21, 2007 7:07 PM | Link to this
For all those that think that UGA doesn’t play top quality competition, please mosey on over to the College Football Data Warehouse and do notice that in their all time SOS rankings, UGA is ranked #2. That’s because they rate each opponent in the context of the particular year played - not by meaningless 2000’s “name value.”
UGA has played a regular season game outside of the southeast THIRTY ONE times in its long history. No other SEC team (no, not even Tennessee) has played that many road games outside of this region. We’ve played the big boys like Michigan, USC, and Texas all on the road, amost entirely without a return game. When we beat Michigan in 1965, it was time to stop playing only 4 out of 10 home games a year and start bringing people to Athens. Well, the results and the revenues speak for themselves as to what a smart move that was.
Since UGA is #11 in all-time victories, obviously we could have stayed at home more and scheduled some easier wins so that we’d be top 10 by now. Same thing with the SEC schedule. Check out which team has played the combination of Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Miss. St. and Ole Miss more than another SEC school. Nope, it’s not UGA. But if we had, we’d be a runaway #2 in terms of SEC wins and SEC titles.
You see, you can say whatever you like. But the record books don’t change. It does matter who you play. And the #2 all time SOS ranking says that UGA’s earned everything it gets.
So all you haters can take note. You’ll always lose this argument becuase all you have is rhetoric. I deal in facts. And there isn’t enough rhetoric that can overcome FACTS.
Oh and to the nameless wonder who made this blog entry, since when is the 14th rated overall schedule in the country “soft?” What was that about an AJC bias?
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 7:12 PM | Link to this
Joey,
You say, “but a least they (Tech) get the respect nationally…”
Pass the doobie!!!
Did Rueben Houston sell you that wacky tobacky?
Tech nationally respected. LMAO.
By Pitbull
June 21, 2007 7:13 PM | Link to this
UGA is playing the 14th most difficult scedule in the country and the AJC is asking if that is too soft. What is Tech’s scedule ranked, or is that not news?
There goes the AJC bias again.
By boone
June 21, 2007 7:17 PM | Link to this
what a joke of an article by the writer. this is not even national enquirer material.
We play OK state, cocks, UK, Tenn, UF, Aub, bama, GT, and others, and that’s a soft schedule? Sorry we’re not in our rotation for LSU, we already opened a can of whoop-arse on them a few years back.
By Pollymanna
June 21, 2007 7:25 PM | Link to this
This rating is for talk,something to sell rags and keep us interested.The ranking could be 1st by the end of the season.On the flip side it could be lower.It is exactly as accurate as other pre-season rankings.In other words not very.
By NASCARfan
June 21, 2007 7:30 PM | Link to this
To the guy posing as a UGA alumni:
Hey, moron, it’s been said ad naseum, but I guess I am going to have to break it down Barney Style for you:
Georgia has approached Michigan, SC, Oregon, Oregon St, Ohio St, and many, many other “elite” programs. Approach means WE went to them. They don’t come to us. And what happens when we go to them looking for a fair deal? They will never agree to an equal deal, which is, we play there one game, and they play here one game. Do you understand the concepts of fair and equal? It’s when each person (or team) has just as much as their friend (or opponent). Do you understand what equal means? They all want us to agree to play one extra game at their place. Or, like Oregon and Oregon St, they back out of deals completely. Dude, get off your high and mightly horse, admit you’re really a Bug, because we all know you are, and shut the hell up!!!
One other thing, because we play in Jacksonville EVERY year, we have one less home game than EVERY other team in the nation except for Florida. Do you understand what that means, or are you still to stupid and need me to break it down even more for you?
And to the idiot who thinks we don’t recruit nationally? What the hell are you SMOKING!? We recruited NeDarris Ward from Cali. Knowshon Moreno from Jersey. Stafford from Texas. Barnes from Mississippi. And Logan Grey from Missouri. They all had offers from teams like SC, Texas, Missouri, Rutgers, BC, SoCar, Auburn, Alabama, OleMiss, etc, etc. Georgia doesn’t recruit nationaly? That’s a freaking joke! In fact, there’s been complaints here that for the last two years, Georgia has let guys in state get away because we recruit TOO MANY players from around the country and not enough in state.
GOD!!! Some of you people are complete and utter idiots! You deserve the crappy AJC coverage!!!
By oldtimedawg
June 21, 2007 7:35 PM | Link to this
Surely this is a joke. 14th toughest out of 120 something schools in D1. We play at Fla, at Tennessee, At Alabama, and play Auburn, Okla St, South Carolina. I guess with Troy and Ga Tech on our schedule we will always be rated down.
By A-ville Ranger
June 21, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this
I checked the SI article.It stated that the ranking would be higher except for the rotation having us playing Ole Miss and not Alabama or LSU.I agree with others however,it’s pre-season these ratings will look very different in dec.It’s all arbitrary now, let’s play some games and see how it looks then.
By Michael
June 21, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this
UGA plays 9 teams who were in a 2006 bowl game; and 2 non conference BCS foes and that is weak?
By mike
June 21, 2007 7:47 PM | Link to this
The best 57 games of 2007
By boozer
June 21, 2007 7:51 PM | Link to this
Ga ALWAYS plays an easy schedule other than fl and TN Auburn and then proclaim themselves another great team. The softies at the begining of the schedule are pitiful Want to be considered a class team how about Norte Dame ? USC? Texas? Oklahoma? Nebraska? Michigan? Ohio State? No all too tough. OK how about even Clemson Alabama or even just play everyone in the SEC nope gotta schedule at least 7 sure wins in every year. Thats why I have no respect for them
By nobodies fan
June 21, 2007 8:00 PM | Link to this
I dont follow any of the teams in the south but I have no respect for UGA they traditionally play a bunch of weak teams at the begining of the season NE LA monroe, NE state, Temple Ga Souhern an IAA school and always play Kentucky,Vanderbilt and Misssippi teams that have a pttance of the money UGA sports teams have and then they brag how good a team they have until they play the tough SEC teams or lose to someone good in a bowl game —thats even i they play someone decent in a bowl. Natl champs ? No natl chumps.
By IMF
June 21, 2007 8:07 PM | Link to this
boozer, We’ll give you a mulligan on that one. Go back, rethink what you posted, look at UGA’s past, current and future schedules, take a couple of deep breaths, and try posting again.
By stallion
June 21, 2007 8:20 PM | Link to this
only degenerate U[sic]GA fans who immerse their nonexistent lives around football are capable of so many posts about such a trivial event. jeeeezus, if only they devoted their void lives to something like cancer research.
their fans are so inbred they think NP-hard is an adult film.
By AtlantaUrinalConstipation
June 21, 2007 8:30 PM | Link to this
Boozer has been throwing them back apparently. I wish the Dawgs would play Nebraska, Notre Dame, or Ohio State to show how overrated they are. This is a dumb article since the best teams are favored to win most games so therefore the schedule looks weak. Duh…
By Why????
June 21, 2007 8:30 PM | Link to this
You want to ask why this headline? Because 3/4 of the idiots that read the headline will not read the detail and see UGA’s schedule is 14th toughest. Then those idiots can rant about UGA’s weak schedule all year.
Just another reason why I no longer get the AJC … that I pay for …
By stallionisgay
June 21, 2007 8:33 PM | Link to this
You’re right stallion, you must be better than everyone else. On a football blog people talk about football dumb@$$.
By No, I got it now!!!!
June 21, 2007 8:35 PM | Link to this
Why???
If a news organization can’t sell newspapers selling legitimate news … just try to outsell the trash magazines at the grocery store check out. Maybe that will increase income.
Weak - AJC!
By lindsayscott-not
June 21, 2007 8:37 PM | Link to this
Diminish the Dogs’ stature as a “powerhouse” program? Sorry but “powerhouse” programs do not lose to their border rivals annually. No one will take UGA seriously again until they eke out an occasional victory in Jax. Improving SOS would, therefore, have no impact. First try beating the teams that are already scheduled.
By Big C
June 21, 2007 8:38 PM | Link to this
Their opinions on schedule strength will not even be relevant when the Dawgs go undefeated. Come on Oklahoma State and we’re gonna send you on back home feeling like those Boise boys.
By Jim
June 21, 2007 8:41 PM | Link to this
Drop Tech from the schedule. That will improve the rating.
How can being #14 a negative. Do we have Tech’s yet?
By Big C
June 21, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
Opinions on schedule strength will not even be relevant when the Dawgs go undefeated. Out of conference? Come on Oklahoma State and bring it. We’ll send you home looking like them heralded Boise boys.
By Randall
June 21, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
If UGA is playing good old FU and USC and UTENN and Auburn and there all on this so called list with tougher schedules how can it be a weak schedule, this statement in fact cancells itself out.
By Randall
June 21, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
If UGA is playing good old FU and USC and UTENN and Auburn and there all on this so called list with tougher schedules how can it be a weak schedule, this statement in fact cancells itself out.
By Randall
June 21, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
If UGA is playing good old FU and USC and UTENN and Auburn and there all on this so called list with tougher schedules how can it be a weak schedule, this statement in fact cancells itself out.
By Randall
June 21, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
If UGA is playing good old FU and USC and UTENN and Auburn and there all on this so called list with tougher schedules how can it be a weak schedule, this statement in fact cancells itself out.
By Top Dawg
June 21, 2007 9:12 PM | Link to this
Isn’t it great that football season is rapidly approaching???!!!!!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS!! Sic’ em!!! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!
By markdawg
June 21, 2007 9:18 PM | Link to this
It’s a stupid statement designed by sports writers to get everybody worked up! Don’t fall for it!
OSU,FLORIDA,TENN,AUB,SOUTH CAR.(maybe),ALABAMA
ARE you SERIOUS???
By Fool Filbert
June 21, 2007 9:57 PM | Link to this
Filbert: Do you know ANYTHING about ANYTHING?
“Real” teams like Washington and Michigan? We’re talking the University of Washington, Ty Willingham’s latest stop, which has not had a winning record in the pathetic PAC-10 in four or five years? Or Michigan, the perpetually underachieving bunch from Ann Arbor who have played ZERO games of national impact in the past half-decade (and, no, Michigan-Ohio State last year doesn’t count. OSU was revealed as a pretender against the Gators).
Georgia has the best winning percentage in the toughest football conference in the country over the last five years.
Get at least one fact straight before you post something on this BLOG!
By Bob
June 21, 2007 10:05 PM | Link to this
Boozer is an appropriate name for sure. The SEC schedule is the same for all the teams on the conference over an 8 year period. The schedules are rotational and if you would put down the Jim Beam you would realize we play Bama this year and are scheduled to play Clemson home and home in the near future. Georgia has no say in the scheduling of 8 SEC games and the Tech game.
NASCARfan, in fairness, Oregon did not cancel out. They are scheduled home and home in the future. Oregon State got out of the games. Michigan wanted 2 for 1 and we rightfully told them to go back and play Minnesota, Illinois, Northwestern, Indiana, Michigan State and all the other teams in the Big Ten.
Maybe the question should be asked why the Big Ten Teams are afraid to play SEC teams. Well, we probably already know that based on their performance the last 30 years. Still, the question is always put to the SEC when it should be put to the Big 10. Seems like future SEC schedules are full of PAC 10, Big 12, Big East, ACC and Notre Dame games. Look around the conference and you will see it. The noticeable absence of Big Ten teams from these schedules is more an indicator of why they don’t want home and home games with us. The only exception I have seen is the renewal of the old Bama-Penn State series. It could not be our stadium sizes which on average are larger. It could not be for lack of attendance since the SEC is always number 1 in total attendance and average attendance. I suspect it has much more to do with the pathetic Big Ten record against SEC schools over the past 30 years.
By george
June 21, 2007 10:48 PM | Link to this
Yes, Georgia schedule as usual is a joke. No wonder come the tough games like Auburn and Florida they fall apart because they play anyone early on in the season.
By Big Surprise
June 21, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
Well, I guess UGA must be expected to have a great year since the AJC is already questioning their schedule. Funny how gt’s schedule is not even mentioned? Would not be surprised if gt’s is ranked 100 or so? Pathetic a-sissy, I mean ACC conference. So, UGA’s schedule is still ranked 14th overall? And this is considered “soft”. You guys are a complete JOKE.
By Firebrand
June 21, 2007 10:52 PM | Link to this
Uhh…anyone else remember this?
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070602/SPORTS0202/706020328/1028/RSS05
By vinney
June 21, 2007 11:16 PM | Link to this
dags can’t win in the big east
By vinney
June 21, 2007 11:16 PM | Link to this
dags can’t win in the big east
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 11:17 PM | Link to this
Stallion,
You say, “only degenerate U[sic]GA fans who immerse their nonexistent lives around football are capable of so many posts about such a trivial event. jeeeezus, if only they devoted their void lives to something like cancer research.”
Yet, you have no affiliation and chose to post on the subject. I guess you were on break from your own cancer research, huh?
I always get a kick out of girls like you.
You the pot or the kettle?
By Buzz
June 21, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this
This is nutts !!!!
With Damon Evans in the office now and having the balls to schedule . Ok St , Az St and so on . Not like Vince. UGA should be in the top ten every year.
By AJC - Pulls another fast one..
June 21, 2007 11:31 PM | Link to this
You change the headline on the UGA sports page … you DID say UGA’s schedule was soft…
Stand up … be a man … admit it … don’t cover it up with “we are not saying UGA’s schedule is soft, but”
YOU SAID IT WAS SOFT …
Not biased - ha!
Just like a third grade weazle you change what you say and try to cover it up - ha!
AJC - such a joke!
By Gen Neyland
June 21, 2007 11:39 PM | Link to this
ugarulz
Troy and Western Carolina stike fear. Think they’ll be nail biters, too..? Give ME a break…These kinda games are what the doctor ordered. Mend the troops, get a W, and look to the next major offensive…
By Jeff
June 21, 2007 11:55 PM | Link to this
Gen Neyland,
Quid pro quo.
Will powerhouses Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayett srike fear in all you Vols?
Fact is, EVERY team in the country has some cupcakes. Always have, always will.
After all, if ONLY the top teams played, there woudn’t be enough games to go around.
By Coyote
June 21, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this
The people who say 14th is still strong are right but what they fail to mention is that 14th is a ridiculously low rating for this schedule. It is top 5 easily. UGA plays 9 games against bowl teams from ‘06, NINE, and all 9 of them are from BCS conferences. Not one team ranked ahead of UGA plays more tough games.
For the idiots who claim UGA’s schedule is always a joke, you haven’t got a clue. UGA’s schedule is always among the toughest in the nation and it will be that way for at least then next 10 years because we are one of the few schools that had the courage to schedule more than 1 legit OOC opponent every year. In addition to Ga Tech, Georgia will also play a home and home series with Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Louisville, and Clemson. Meanwhile, at least 90% of the teams in the country will have only 1 legit OOC game per year. Plus, UGA will have a SEC schedule including a neutral site game every year.
There is not a team in the country that would trade places with UGA in terms of the difficulty of the opponents. That’s what makes this whole blog and particularly the headline one of the most ill-informed things I’ve seen yet on the AJC. It’s amazing how these people stay employed when they clearly either don’t know squat or are filled with absolute contempt for the flagship local team whose fans pay their salary.
By MikkUGA
June 22, 2007 12:10 AM | Link to this
Alot of the people that are posting comments on here are clearly morons. Number one someone on here said Georgia will not go play any tough teams in the future. Ok Arizona St., Oklahoma St., Louisville, Clemson and Oregon. As for other teams fans bashing our schedule….. well lets see, any of these teams sound familiar, Portland St., Eastern Washington, Eastern Michigan, Sacramento St., Louisiana Tech, Florida International and Western Carolina. There are not many teams, maybe a handful that can open their mouths and say anything about anyone elses schedule. Now that is done, next…UGA has tried to schedule Michigan, Notre Dame and Oregon St. All of which backed out. When the stronger teams do not want to schedule you and time starts running down you just have to take what comes around.
By dawg fan
June 22, 2007 12:23 AM | Link to this
For anyone who says UGA never schedules any decent teams OOC other that GT is kidding themselves!!! There have many times (including trying to fill in this year 2007) that Evans has tried to schedule Michigan and a few others but everyone one of the bigger schools especially the Big 10 HAS TURNED US DOWN. It is not that we don’t try it is also the fact that that do not want to play us.
Also no school that has a legitimate shot year in and year out wants to have another big program come in and play them. With the way the BCS polls and what have you are why would you play that game. All they care about are the win-loss column and nothing else. A win over Texas means no more to them 2 weeks later than a win over East Carolina!!!
So why ruin a chance to play for the title just to schedule a powerhouse tv rating game. It is not worth it anyway.
By Daaaaa Doggies!
June 22, 2007 12:28 AM | Link to this
You Doggie fans sound like the “Da Bears” guys from the old SNL skit. Every year you’re going to be 12-0 and play for a national title with your pathetic non-conference schedule and maybe 3 tough SEC games. Quit acting like Ole’Miss, Vandy, Miss State, KY, or even Alabama most years are any good. Even Arkansas was risen from the dead last year, but usually are only a factor once every 10 years. The Herschel Walker era is STILL over and nobody outside of this state can really give two $hits about the Doggies. I hope they have enough elligible players this year, it gets tough staying away from booze and violence.
By shane
June 22, 2007 1:42 AM | Link to this
i fail to see the point of all the notre dame and big ten talk.these programs are washed up and going nowhere.should one of these guys want to come to athens in sept.and offer a pile of money for the honor of getting their butts kicked that would be okay.their is no reason to lose money on these guys by playing them away.i would rather re-open the rivalry with clemson,they are a better team than notre dame or anyone in the big ten.now,i would buy a ticket for texas,usc,or oklahoma,that would be a game worth seeing.
By steve slaton
June 22, 2007 1:48 AM | Link to this
Who cares because WVU is taking the title this year.
Anyone seen Greg Blue?
By shane
June 22, 2007 1:58 AM | Link to this
by the way uga alumni,alumni is plural,alumnus should be used unless you speak for all uga grads,which i doubt.i don’t think you are a uga grad,you don’t even know basic latin.
By Doug
June 22, 2007 7:02 AM | Link to this
IMF where can I get some of that crack you are smoking If you think UGA has a better ooc schedule that Auburn and SC. AU and SC dont have fantastic ones but it is not like f*** ok st tech and the other powder puffs are much to brag about either you f*** moron. AU and SC CERTAINLY have on par or beter ones than does UGA.
By Nathan
June 22, 2007 7:08 AM | Link to this
hell they better have a soft schedule this year considering they would/should have had a losing record last year had it not been for 3 things. 1. A UGA staff member was hired and traveled with the team to Oxford and was the ref for the Ole Miss UGA game. 2. WVU played the worst 30 minutes of fooball in the history of college footall. 3. UGA had to be UNBELIVABLY lucky to beat one of the worst teams in all of college football in their own back yard in Colorado.
By Nathan
June 22, 2007 7:11 AM | Link to this
I meant to say Va tech in the peach bowl
By Lew
June 22, 2007 7:11 AM | Link to this
Yeah, opening with Oklahoma State and South Carolina— two cream puffs— is a joke.
UGA ought to play Samford— now there’s a terror! And why doesn’t Georgia play Duke?
By Lew
June 22, 2007 7:12 AM | Link to this
Yeah, opening with Oklahoma State and South Carolina— two cream puffs— is a joke.
UGA ought to play Samford— now there’s a terror! And why doesn’t Georgia play Duke?
By Carolina Dawg
June 22, 2007 7:40 AM | Link to this
The fact that the other SEC opponents have to play the Dawgs is why they have a tougher ranked schedule
By p
June 22, 2007 8:04 AM | Link to this
bite me
By Doug
June 22, 2007 8:28 AM | Link to this
SMoney - hello Lance.
By Tony
June 22, 2007 8:30 AM | Link to this
Seriously Someone said Florida’s non-conference sched is tough for playing Miamia and FSU is tough? You are living in the 90’s those arnet exactly powerhouses anymore.
By DawgByte
June 22, 2007 8:45 AM | Link to this
Georgia Tech always drags our schedule down in the rankings. They’re such a sorry excuse for a football program it’s like playing a Div. II school every year. I think it’s time for UGA to dump Georgia Tech and replace them with Oklahoma, Michigan or Texas.
By NC Dawg
June 22, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this
You gotta remember that these rankings are predictive. Nobody’s got that ever clear crystal ball to consult. The teams themselves or their opponents may be weaker or stronger than predicted. Also, we’ve all seen teams which surprise us, good or bad, from opponent to opponent. Key injuries during the season have often changed the whole picture. You never know, really. That’s part of what makes it interesting. So polls and rankings are interesting but nothing you can hang your hat on. Practically speaking, all bets are off when the cleats meet the turf. I think the opener w/ Ok State will really be interesting. Frankly, I wasn’t real happy about some of the apparent preparation for the team last year, especially early on. I mean, they have films of opponents to watch before the contest, but many times it looked like they had never seen some of the offensive and defensive schemes they encountered. Hope they’re better prepared this year.
By rb
June 22, 2007 8:57 AM | Link to this
Sure SC’s schedule is tougher than ours. Totally reasonable…They have to play UGA, we have to play SC.
By daniel
June 22, 2007 9:06 AM | Link to this
I agree with Doug’s point. Our schedule IS easier than Auburn or South Carolina’s. I would rather have OK state and tech than K state and South florida, or Clemson and North Carolina ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. So just quit b*** dawg fans. I dont think our schedule should be ranked this high up.
By austindog
June 22, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this
If Georgia State does get a football team going we need to switch our in state rivalry game to GSU, I’d hate to lose a shot at the BCS because the Jackets can’t play. Our SOS would be top 5 if we dropped GT and ended the season against Southern.
By Joey
June 22, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this
What a freekin joke! Are Techies really calling UGA soft? I think one of these posts is actually from Reggie Ball. He will be the first to tell you that UGA is not soft (Ball had a great 0-4 career against UGA). Tell GT to show up to a game with UGA every once in awhile. Since they suck every year, it does nothing but hurt our strenth of schedule.
By John
June 22, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this
Someone said earlier that if UGA beat everyone on their schedule.They would deserve a shot at a National Title. I won’t disagree with that, but remember Auburn beat everyone on their schedule not to long ago and did not get a shot.Fact of the matter is unless you are Florida you will probably get overlooked.
By John
June 22, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this
I will say one more thing I am tired of hearing UGA fans say ” we play vandy and kentucky, it makes our schedule weaker” What about teams in the west that have to play ole miss and miss st. Those teams still have a tougher schedule than UGA. How rediculous get over yourself UGA fans both sides of the confrence have 2 very weak teams. Quit making excuses. Oh and its not the AJC bashing UGA that was an article on SI.com LOOK IT UP.
By BSdeca
June 22, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this
Austindog, you are a moron. Go Vols!
By George
June 22, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this
TO HELL WITH UGA
By gatordan
June 22, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
powerhouse—-HAR HAR HAR HAR—them puppies can’t match up to the TITLETOWN GATORS….FLORIDA RULES!!
By birddawg
June 22, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
Always laugh whenever this argument gets started.
UGA’s OOC the past 5 years:
2006 Colorado-bad year last year, but Big XII 2-time North champs before that
2005 Boise State-beat OU in Fiesta, remember?
2004 GA Southern yeah, I-AA but the best in its division historically Marshall-perennial mid-major bowl team——was in the top 10 I believe just a few years ago
2003 Clemson, MTSU, UAB-if i remember, MTSU came all around beating somebody big like FSU or Bama that year…they’re not much now, but before they went I-A, they were close to a GA Southern I-AA type program; Watson Brown made UAB into a competitive I-A along the lines of Marshall…remember we came all around losing to both.
The argument that the OOC is weak just doesn’t hold up. And UGA has scheduled several major programs in the coming years (Arizona State, Louisville, Oregon) for anybody that cares to look it up.
Our OOC holds up against anybody in the SEC—-Probably the only team in the conf. with tougher OOC recently has been UT.
By gamecockgary
June 22, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
all the ole ball coach knows is how to win…gamecocks will run and stun the bullpuppies between the twigs…sec east champs///SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS!!
By AJC - Question
June 22, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this
I still want to hear from you on why you changed the headline on this tread on the UGA main page from – “SI: UGAs Schedule Is Soft”
To - “Don’t Squeeze the Schedule … We’re not Saying UGA’s 2007 slate is soft…”
Your original headline was biased … when you were called on it, you changed it as it should … but then you tried to lie and cover it up by saying “we’re not saying UGA’s 2007 slate is soft.” Because – YES YOU DID… and now you lie about it. Professional journalism at it’s best.
As I said earlier, AJC must be trying to outsell STAR at the grocery counter checkout.
By bulldawgincarolina
June 22, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
GEEZ…URBAN CRYER MUST HAVE HAD TO HAVE GOTTEN UP EARLY TO GET WESTERN KY,TROY, AND FLORIDA ATLANTIC ON THEIR SCHEDULE….HAS THERE EVER BEEN A DEFENDING CHAMP WITH SO MANY CUPCAKES ON THEIR SCHEDULE!!!!!!!!!!!GATORS WILL ALWAYS BE LOSERS!!
By suwanee
June 22, 2007 11:01 AM | Link to this
How come UGA has scheduled a home and away series with at least one member of every BCS conference, with the exception of the Big 10? Arizona St. and Oregon from the Pac 10, Colorado from the Big 12, Georgia Tech and Clemson from the ACC, and Louisville from the Big East. But no Big 10?
Why did Penn St. decide to schedule Alabama and not UGA in 2003 when we had reached an agreement in principle with them?
Why did Michigan turn down overtures to get them to HOST Georgia last year to open the season since we both had a game to fill?
I’ll give Penn State somewhat of a pass since they do have a history with the Tide. But it also might have been that in 2003 they saw where UGA’s program was heading.
As for Michigan, there is no excuse. All they had to do was agree to come to Athens sometime in the future - anytime convenient for them. Their answer, “No thanks.” Instead, they open their season with Vandy and we open with Western KY.
As for Tech fans criticizing UGA’s schedule? You’re lucky we even give you the time of day. You were dumb enough to leave the SEC and go out on your own. In short order, you went from being a national power to being a laughing stock.
But it only took you until 1978 to come crawling back on your knees asking to come back in, only to have the MS schools and LSU vote to keep you out because they remembered that Tech thought they were too good to play them on the road. Ole Karma paid Tech back.
And I wonder why the Techies don’t seem to get the criticism of UGA’s OOC schedule? They’re laughing at YOU! They’re wondering why we play you. They don’t respect you. So you guys might want to think about it the next time this subject comes up.
For the rest of the haters, read it and weep:
http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/rankings/alltimeteamschedrankings.php
By Gen Neyland
June 22, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this
Jeff
Seeing how you’ve opted to join in with a QPQ ( which we could swap for eons, going nowhere ), I was responding to ugarulz, 21JUN,1845, post…Take a moment and jump back up there and maybe you’ll see my point. OSU (h) vs UGA for an opener is very respectable. The U of CAL (a) for UT is no cupcake. As for scheduling, UT has 12 regular season games in 2008. Opening with UAB, Then UCLA (a), UF(h) AU(a)…Pretty tough start on paper,huh..? The point, Jeff, is by seasons end and the power of the schedule is in play, that’s where we should find our answers. Not in a flipping preseason power ranking…Actually Jeff, I don’t get even a ripple of a thrill from preseason follies…It’s a he said, she said kinda thing to me…
By Scott
June 22, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this
The bottom line is UGA can’t handle a tough schedule..I see all this complaining about Colorado on the schedule instead of Ohio St. Do you remember the Dawgs almost lost to CU last year? Lost to Vandy and UK…Maybe you should worry about the present schedule before biting off more than you can chew…Add 2 National Powers and You may add 2 losses…
By Jeff
June 22, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
Scott,
Pray tell, who is your team? Ohio State?
Shall we dissect your OOC slate over the years?
By Joseph
June 22, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this
Of course, the Pac 10 and the Big 10 play the toughest schedules, if you don’t believe it ask them. Better yet, read SI, those alumni connections are incredible. UGA plays an extremely tough schedule year in and year out. 14 out of the lot is actually pretty tough. Go Dawgs!
By Pitbull
June 22, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this
So here is the joke: SI rates UGA’s schedule the 14th most difficult in the nation of 121 teams. It also rates Tech’s schedule 9th hardest of 12 ACC teams. So which does the AJC choose to pick on? Yea Chip, the AJC is biased and it sucks too.
By tshue
June 22, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
I recently read an article in the AJC about the biased or non biased nature of this paper. I thought this was a little bit of a conspiracy theory. Well this proved me wrong. To start a subject “is Ga schedule to soft” is beyond ridiculous. Hey AJC it should have read is Ga schedule too tough. Idiots and the only ACC school in the top 25 is FSU. Tech ranks 9TH, 9TH in the ACC. So shut your pie holes. GEEZ
By joey
June 22, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this
well why dont you morons just concentrate on beating some of the worst teams in the SEC such as VANDY, Kentucky, and Ole P** (since yall did lose to them last year as far as I am concerned due to the worst call/calls in the history of college football)before you start fretting about your non conference schedule. I mean damn last year Colorado had lost 12 games in a row before playing yall and you idiots had to get blind a* lucky to beat them. But hey I forgot this is a national championship year for the DAWGIES……. always is
By Kdogg
June 22, 2007 1:19 PM | Link to this
I would normally be mad about this article, but unfortunately I expect these negative jabs from the AJC. Its just ridiculous. I am only going to say one thing about this then I am going to breath deeply for a few minutes…
The fact that other teams in the SEC are above us is because WE are on their schedule! Plus the article is about HARD schedules, so the fact that we are on it is enough. Unbelievable.
By Jeff
June 22, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this
Joey,
Let’s compare Georgia’s record with your team’s the last 10 years.
Heck, since you act like a Tech Geek, let’s compare last year.
How does it feel to lose to a team you suggest is so bad?
As usual, techies inserting foot into mouth.
By AL
June 22, 2007 2:29 PM | Link to this
Maybe we should drop Tech that might help!
By gdawginkalamazoo
June 22, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
When did Carter change his name to AJC? Way to hide Carter/AJC. If we could play ourselves we would be ranked in the top 5. Hell top 14? That’s soft? Besides all this changes from the first weekend when you and one of your opponents wins or loses.
And BTW, if you are one of the people above who said in any form or fashion “well you guys need to beat Vandy and KY first” You just might be an a*******clown.
By Marc
June 22, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this
Come on AJC, you can do better than this! What a weak attempt to stir up controversy..Preseason Polls and Preseason Strength of Schedule Polls mean absolutely nothing.
By concerned citizen
June 22, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this
How can one paper suck this hard?
By CocaColaDawg
June 22, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this
Oh, you silly techies. We don’t need actual pictures of the wrecked car to have some online fun at its’ expense.
By MariettaDawg
June 22, 2007 3:04 PM | Link to this
Hey Tech dorks,
6
That is all.
By Jason
June 22, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this
THIS is another stupid story posted by the dumb-fux at AJC who have nothing to report, so they come up with some c** and bull story to try and rile the UGA foes into posting some “I agree with you” kind of nonsense. AJC sucks.
By RedRockDawg
June 22, 2007 5:09 PM | Link to this
So, according to SI, there are basically 100 other teams whose scedule is easier, including Michigan and LSU . Yeah, now that I think about, it must be a weak schedule.
By BuLLdawg
June 22, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this
Number 14 toughest schedule in the United States of America BEFORE the games are PLAYED to KNOW where the teams on our Schedule ACTUALLY DO RANK AT THE END OF THE SEASON, and “AJ-C” whoever that fakey handle is, wants to know if that makes our schedule “SOFT” ? Huh ? Who are the weakest cupcake schedules ? The entire ACC ?
By Atl
June 22, 2007 7:03 PM | Link to this
Chip with this Bullsh*t you and ajc have losted all credibility.
By Bryan Carver '97
June 22, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this
Is UGA’s schedule soft? Not any softer than Texas (Arkansas St, Rice); Ohio State (Youngstown St, Akron, Kent State); Michigan (Appalachain St, Eastern Michigan). Ooooh, Oklahoma scheduled Miami. OU should - they also play North Texas and Tulsa. Ooooh Southern Cal plays ND - they should since Idaho, Stanford, Washington are on the schedule. Ooooh Tennessee plays Cal - they should since Arkansas St and Louisanna-Lafayette are on the schedule. Ooooh, Georgia Tech plays ND. They should since Army, Duke and Samford are on the schedule. One can say that Western Carolina, Vandy, UK, Troy, Mississippi are easy. That’s fine. But one also has to admit at the same time that Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, Oklahoma State, South Carolina and Georgia Tech are equally as tough as those other teams are easy.
By jim
June 23, 2007 12:11 AM | Link to this
The better our O-line gets the softer our schedule will get. If you watched South Carolina’s spring you saw why their schedule is so hard. There are too many factors involved for this rating of schedules to hold water.
By DeanO
June 23, 2007 6:50 AM | Link to this
If playing 9 games against teams who played in a bowl game and the defending NC is soft then I guess the schedule is soft. I would love to see UGA play teams like Texas, SoCal, Michigan, Ohio St., but I’m a realist. Why would you load your schedule up with these teams when you already have to play UT, UF, AU and yes even SC every year. Then you throw in Alabama, Arkansas and LSU every couple of years. Soft? I think NOT! There’s really no upside to playing the se teams other than bragging rights. Unless you’re Tech fans then you could blame your “tough” schedule for your laughable record.
By Glen
June 23, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
A better schedule question concerns the 2008 year. UGA has only 5 home games & 11 opponents. What’s up with that?
By Anonymous
June 23, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this
We’re not saying the AJC sucks but there are a ton of other papers that are better. And oh yeah, UGAFan in Cali is not a UGA fan so get off the blog.
By BT
June 23, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this
I can’t believe the AJC would take up space to print a blog like this. 14th in the nation and some Tech writer is going to call our schedule soft?! Who says those othe SEC schools have it tougher? Sporting News says UGA has THE TOUGHEST SEC schedule from both divisions. We play OSU(not Oregon State who was originally on the schedule then backed out because they didn’t want to get beaten by another Southern program), the east, Bama, Auburn from the west and Tech. Schools like Colorado, Louisville, Arizona State, and Oregon are on the slate for the seasons after this. Georgia has the best record of any team in the eastern division over the last 5 years, has been to more BCS bowl games in the last 5 years than Florida and Tennessee combined and is only second in overall record to LSU during the same time period. The Dawgs have cleaned Tech’s clock every season during that time as well! So evrybody do your homework and come back with some info that matters. Dawgs are national title contender next year and will suprise a few teams this year! How’s that for a bite!
By SarahLovesSix
June 23, 2007 7:15 PM | Link to this
By SECisWEAK
June 21, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this
UGA should try playing some real teams OOC. Outside of Tech, they never play a decent team. The two good teams that make the SEC schedule difficult for them beat them every year. Who do they actually beat?
You call Tech a decent team? enough said.
By Mark
June 23, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this
According to SEC sportswriters (linke below), Georgia was voted to have the toughest non-conference schedule in 2007. And there’s nothing they can do about their conference schedule. Swapping Mississippi State for Alabama in the western division rotation isn’t very soft, either.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070602/SPORTS0202/706020328/1028/RSS05
By Buck Cochran in the NW
June 24, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this
SI made the rankings , not he AJC, and the question isn’t some “We don’t like Ga.” I think the ranking actually helps the Dawgs. If we beat the teams ranked(according to SI.) ahead of us that will help our SOS and put us in a much better position for a BCS bowl. To answer AJCs question about “is Ga. schedule to soft”, no it puts us in a better position and I hope that everybody does the same thing. That won’t happen because a couple of people have already picked the Dawgs to win the East.
By DawgsGoneWild
June 24, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this
There is no way any Dawg fans are posting here. These are all imposters. Everybody in the SEC knows the Dawg fans are at Piedmont Park for this weekend’s Gay Pride Festival.
By Pitbull
June 24, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this
For some great pics of the crashed Tech Wreck car go to http://www.13wmaz.com/news/local_story.aspx?storyid=40217 and if they are not on the front page check the Georgia Tech coverage news for the story. They are there too. Yiiiipppppeeee!!!
By carl edward smith
June 24, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this
A short letter to Henry Aaron. Henry, What are you thinking man? I’m a 66 year old Black man and I know your hurt, but,Barry is Bobby’s boy. You do owe something to his son. carl edward smith PS-He’s Willie’s God-Son
By Michael
July 3, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this
Has SI gone retarded? First to address this: I have been looking at all these post from dif. people, talking about how the SEC sucks and it makes me laugh. What other conference had more than 4 teams in the double digits in wins last year? None! Close is three: ACC, Big 10, Big East, and the Wac 10(I mean Pac 10) Sorry. Now with that being said. I don’t care about what has happened before that because it doesn’t matter. Because going into this year its all about the SEC. Now, with matters on hand. Ok so maybe Georgia’s schedule isn’t that tough but I know this, There is going to be at least 6 games that are going to be tough just because of the rivalry of the games, I mean come on 1. Alabama Only happens, what once every five years, and when it happens its a game to remember. 2. S. Carolina, Team that’s going to get tougher and tougher to play. Its already as tough as we need it. 3. Tennessee (As much as I hate this team) It has always been a game to remember from one year to the next, and as much as I hate to admit it we have sucked against them. But we’ve made it up through beating tech. 4. Florida - I hate this f’ing team with a passion, I have nothing good to say to them other than thank god leak is gone!!! 5. Auburn - Most respectable team around in the south, if we lose to them its ok for me, it gave me the most remembrance moment known to college football. When Uga almost chomped off butlers balls.. So, so funny! 6. Georgia Tech. Thanks for 6 great years and the best memories through them. Thats just my opinon, dont cuss at the screen if you dont agree, it only shows your ignorance.