Georgia can still win the SEC. Win at Kentucky and vs. Auburn, wait for Missouri to stumble, and then go take down Alabama or Mississippi State in the Dome. Add in victories over Charleston Southern and Georgia Tech and in whichever bowl game, and that's 12-2 with an SEC championship.
That would be a good season, right? But I get the feeling that lots of Bulldogs backers would disagree, and I wonder why. What makes them think Georgia is entitled to more?
It can’t be because Georgia can take SEC championships for granted. The Bulldogs haven’t won the league since 2005, before Urban Meyer struck gold with Tim Tebow and Nick Saban started his empire in Tuscaloosa. National championships have been even rarer for the Bulldogs.
Is it because Bulldogs fans spend a lot of money, time and emotional capital backing their team? Is it because Georgia makes so much money from its football program? Is it because UGA gets many of the best recruits and its fans are so passionate?
Well, I just described every SEC football program outside of two or three. It’s tough company. And now even if an SEC team makes it through the league wringer to the college football playoffs, it still must win two more tough games for a national championship.
I’m all for high aspirations. Georgia fans want great seasons, not good ones, and they remember they were five yards away from something special in 2012. Plenty of Georgia folks note that they don’t have a coach of the same caliber as Meyer or Saban. Meanwhile, Auburn definitely found their guy and Mississippi State and Ole Miss may have found theirs.
Probably UGA partisans feel that not having a great season for so long is a reason to strive for more, not settle for less. But if “less” ends up meaning 12-2 with an SEC championship and no playoffs berth, it’s still not bad. It actually would be dang good.
If that happens, hopefully Bulldogs backers with raw emotions from that bad loss to the Gators would have the perspective to recognize a very good season even as they ache for more.
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