Dogs 7th in first BCS rankings

Okay, the first BCS standings are out and Georgia is No. 7. The goal is to finish the season ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the final standings that will be released on Dec. 7. Given the schedule ahead, is that a real possibility for the Bulldogs (6-1)?

Of course it is. The 2007 season taught us that anything is possible in the wild and whacky world of the BCS. Last season LSU jumped from No. 7 to No. 2 and a spot in the BCS championship game in just one day. Georgia has seven weeks.

But there are a lot of things that have to fall into place. And yes, there is an element of luck. Here are five things the Bulldogs absolutely, positively must do if they are going to have a chance to play in the BCS championship game on Jan. 8 in Miami.

1. Overcome history

Georgia is ranked No. 7 and history says that is not a good place to be. Only once in the 10-year history of the BCS has a team been ranked outside the top six in the initial standings and gotten to the championship game. In 2003, LSU was ranked 12 in the first standings and went on to beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship. In the second half of that season LSU beat No. 17 Auburn, No. 15 Ole Miss and No. 5 Georgia in the SEC championship game. This season Georgia will face No. 13 LSU, No. 10 Florida, and No. 18 Georgia Tech down the stretch. If the Bulldogs get to the SEC championship game, they could face an Alabama team ranked No. 1 or No. 2. That schedule can overcome a lot of history.

2. Do something to impress the humans

It goes without saying that Georgia has to win the rest of its games. But the Bulldogs also have to do something to impress the voters in the Coaches and Harris polls, which both had Georgia ranked No. 9 Sunday. The computers like Georgia, giving the Bulldogs an overall No. 6 ranking. But voters have been reluctant to show Georgia a lot of love since Alabama marched into Sanford Stadium and took a 31-0 lead at halftime on Sept. 27. They seem to be waiting on Georgia to have its breakout game or do something dramatic. Beating LSU on the road and Florida in Jacksonville on consecutive weeks would probably get the voters’ attention.

3. Root for Alabama and Texas

Georgia’s goal is to get to the SEC championship game with only one loss. In order to get a shot at the national title, the Bulldogs need to play the best possible opponent on Dec. 6. So Georgia needs to pull for Alabama to run the table and to be ranked no worse than No. 2 if the Bulldogs make it to Atlanta. Understand that at this point of the season it’s about eliminating the competition. There are three other SEC teams ranked in the top 13: Alabama, LSU and Florida. If the Bulldogs take care of business, they will get a chance to eliminate them all. That’s where No. 1 Texas (7-0) comes in. The Longhorns host No. 6 Oklahoma State (7-0) on Saturday and then goes to No. 8 Texas Tech (7-0) on Nov. 1. Let Mack Brown do the heavy lifting there and stay at No. 1. Georgia just wants to get to No. 2. Somebody in that league still needs to beat No. 4 Oklahoma (6-1). Texas Tech (Nov. 22) or Oklahoma State (Nov. 29) could do that.

4. Root for Ohio State this week, then against Ohio State the rest of the season

Somebody needs to take care of No. 3 Penn State (8-0) because if the Nittany Lions and Joe Paterno go undefeated they are going to the big game. The voters will not pass up on a chance to possibly send Joe Pa out with a shot at the national championship. And if Ohio State doesn’t beat Penn State on Saturday in Columbus, the only teams left on the Nittany Lions schedule are Iowa (5-3), Indiana (2-5) and Michigan State (6-2). The reason Georgia fans should root against Ohio State after the Penn State game is that the Buckeyes, who lost to Southern Cal 35-3, are the only quality win on the Trojans’ schedule. No. 5 Southern Cal (5-1) is a problem for Georgia. The next point will explain.

5. Pray for the luck of the Irish

Despite the inexplicable loss to Oregon State on Sept. 25, the human pollsters absolutely love Southern Cal. After watching the Trojans steam roll Washington State 69-0, the Harris poll moved USC from No. 8 to No. 5. The coaches already had them at No. 4. The Trojans have a computer ranking of 10 which will probably get worse because of a weak schedule. Still, Southern Cal is positioning itself to be the highest ranked one-loss team. Somebody needs to take care of the Trojans and get them out of the picture. California goes to USC on Nov. 8 and the Bears traditionally aren’t intimidated by the Trojans. Notre Dame throws the ball reasonably well and might have a shot but that game is in Los Angeles. As a last resort, remember that UCLA upset USC two years ago and helped put Florida in the BCS championship game.

GEORGIA’S ROAD TO THE BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Here is a possible path to the BCS title game for the Bulldogs.

Oct. 25: No. 7 Georgia beats No. 13 LSU; No. 9 Ohio State beats No. 3 Penn State; No. 1 Texas beats No. 6 Oklahoma State

Nov. 1: Georgia beats No. 10 Florida; Texas beats No. 8 Texas Tech

Nov. 8: California beats No. 5 Southern Cal; No. 2 Alabama beats LSU

Nov. 15: No. 9 Ohio State loses at Illinois

Nov. 22: Texas Tech beats No. 5 Oklahoma in Norman

Nov. 29: If Texas Tech doesn’t beat Oklahoma, then Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma in Stillwater; Notre Dame beats Southern Cal at The Coliseum

Dec. 6: Georgia beats No. 2 Alabama in the SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome; If nobody has knocked off Southern Cal to this point, UCLA and coach Rick Neuheisel find a way to upset the Trojans