The Georgia Bulldogs' wildly improbable football season returns this week to where it all began: the Georgia Dome.
Thirteen weeks after a disappointing 35-21 loss to then-No. 5 Boise State in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game, the Bulldogs will be back at the Dome on Saturday to play LSU, the nation's No. 1-ranked team, in the SEC Championship game.
On the night of Sept. 3, Georgia wasn't ready for the big-game atmosphere and a highly ranked opponent. On Saturday, the Bulldogs' progress will be measured in an even bigger game against an even better opponent.
SEC West champion LSU is 12-0 and on track for a BCS title game rematch with Alabama, which the Tigers defeated 9-6 in overtime on Nov. 5. SEC East champ Georgia is 10-2 and on a 10-game winning streak, the nation's third longest behind LSU's and Houston's.
The buildup began Sunday, when the coaches, Georgia's Mark Richt and LSU's Les Miles, met with the media via teleconference:
Richt said he expects tailback Isaiah Crowell, Georgia's leading rusher who did not play in the 31-17 victory over Georgia Tech because of a sprained left ankle, to return to practice Monday. "Unless there is a setback, I would think he will play in the game," Richt said.
Richt hopes tailback Richard Samuel, who has missed the past four games with an ankle injury, will be able to play this week, but expressed doubt Samuel will practice Monday.
Georgia defensive end DeAngelo Tyson, who left the Tech game with an ankle injury after two plays, is questionable, Richt indicated.
Miles referred to LSU's opponent as "a great Georgia team," adding, "I know they started slowly but got it in gear."
Miles, whose team ranks No. 2 nationally in total defense, said he is impressed by Georgia's defense, which ranks No. 5. "They deploy extremely well," Miles said. "We certainly understand quality defenses, and [Georgia's] will be a great challenge to our offense, one that they'll look forward to."
Asked how he thinks his team matches up against top-ranked LSU, Richt said, "We're going to find out this Saturday. We're a team that has certainly improved as the season has gone on, and we've done a lot of good things since Game 2, but, until you play a team, you really don't know how you match up against them."
LSU is in the SEC title game for the fifth time since 2001, and the first time since 2007. Georgia is in the game for the fourth time since 2002, and the first time since 2005, when it upset LSU 34-14. Georgia was ranked No. 13 and LSU No. 3 entering the 2005 game.
While many analysts project that LSU would reach the BCS title game even with a loss to Georgia, Saturday's game will drive the Bulldogs' bowl destination.
If Georgia defeats LSU, the Bulldogs will go to the Sugar Bowl. If Georgia loses to LSU, three bowls appear in play for the Bulldogs: the Capital One, Outback and Cotton.
The Capital One gets the first choice of SEC teams after the BCS games and appeared over the weekend to be weighing Arkansas and Georgia. On its official Twitter account Saturday, the bowl said Georgia is "looking good right now with 10 straight [wins], but SEC [championship game] will loom large. Arkansas probably still our highest-ranked SEC team."
Arkansas, 10-2 with losses to Alabama and LSU, was ranked No. 6 and Georgia No. 12 in the Associated Press poll released Sunday. The Bulldogs' only shot at the Capital One Bowl might be an extremely close loss to LSU.
If the Capital One takes Arkansas, the Outback and Cotton -- the bowls that share the next two picks from the SEC -- would sort out which takes Georgia and which takes South Carolina. Via Twitter on Saturday, the Outback Bowl offered "congratulations to Georgia and South Carolina on big rivalry wins today and 10 win seasons!"
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