"Dawg" Day Afternoon

It's about time......

The University of Georgia played 4 quarters of football......the way the "Bulldog Nation" envisioned in August.

From the Knoxville News Sentinel:

Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms (2) drives and gets a first down during the first half Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 in Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA.

ATHENS, Ga. – Mark Richt should sleep better tonight.

Georgia ended a four-game losing streak with a 41-14 pounding of error-prone Tennessee on Saturday at Sanford Stadium.

Aaron Murray, Georgia’s freshman quarterback ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more.

Georgia led 17-0 in the first quarter thanks to the first two of three Tennessee turnovers.
Tennessee heads into an open date at 2-4, 0-3 SEC. Georgia is 2-4, 1-3 SEC.

Georgia led 27-7 at the half, then the teams traded touchdowns coming out of halftime.

Murray’s 5-yard run made it 34-7, but the Vols answered with a 71-yard drive and a 2-yard Tauren Poole score to get within 34-14.

The Bulldogs answered right back with another long drive and a 1-yard TD by fullback Shaun Chapas.

Georgia was up 41-14 as the fourth quarter began.

Three Tennessee turnovers equaled 17 Georgia points and that was the story of the first half.
Eric Gordon fumbled on a kickoff return and later on a punt return and the Bulldogs capitalized with scores both times.

The Bulldogs also got an interception off a tipped pass and converted that to points.
Tennessee’s offense was pretty much a disaster with the lone bright spot of freshman Justin Hunter.

Hunter had catches of 28, 38 and 25 yards. His 38-yard TD pass from Matt Simms early in the second quarter was UT’s only score.

The Vols had not had a turnover since the Florida game but they came in hurry Saturday.
Both of Gordon’s fumbles were turned into touchdown passes by Murray. Murray also ran 35 yards for a touchdown on Georgia’s opening drive.

The Vols trailed 17-0 and had managed only one first down at one point late in the first quarter.

A "Baker's Dozen"?

A Bizarre ending.....to an SEC game.   Can anyone count?  13 men on the field?

This is too.....funny:

An Uprising...........in Athens

In this small, southern, college town......

The natives are circling the wagons......the "Bulldawg Nation".....is up in arms.....the sky is falling....it's doom and gloom.

For their beloved University of Georgia football team.......is 3-3. and has lost 2 games in a row....(to then 4th ranked LSU, 20-13.....and last Saturday to an un-ranked Tennessee team, 45-19.)

"Fire Mark Richt!!!"......."Fire (Defensive Coordinator) Willie Martinez!!!!"......"Fire (Offensive Coordinator) Mike Bobo!!!"........"Bench QB Joe Cox!!!!"......and finally, "Fire the Bulldog mascot, Uga VII!!!!"

These headlines saturated message boards all across the south.

Blind passion...can be a dangerous thing. Expectations can be even more dangerous.

Last year, these very same dogs.......were pre-season #1....in everybody's poll. Losses to Alabama, Florida, and Georgia Tech......rendered them to a 10-3 record.....but still ended up in the top 10 in the final poll.

This season........UGA started out ranked #15......despite losing Matthew Stafford (the #1 pick in the NFL draft), the best QB in the nation....and losing Knowshon Moreno (drafted 7th), arguably , the best running back ....


Still........these blind loyalist.....thought all Georgia needed to do was ..."reload"......and still contend for the SEC championship.......as well as the national championship.

To the "Bulldawg Nation": Take the blinders off. Look to the north.....there is Tennessee, with a young new coach in Lane Kiffin......Look to the west, with that beast of a team (Alabama), coached by Nick Saban......and ....yes....look to the south, with Florida, led by a guy named, Urban Meyer.

The competition in the SEC is brutal......gone are the days where one team beats every opponent, 50-7.......and goes 12-0.

Reality check.........since coming to Georgia, Mark Richt is 85-23....with 2 SEC championships, and 5 top 10 finishes......in the last 7 years.

Mark Richt did not .......get ...."dumb" over the winter. He will assess the season......evaluate the coaching stall........make changes where needed.......and all will be well.....in the "Bulldog Nation".

Showdown in The River City

Must See.....TV.....

Normally, we don't get so excited about a college basketball game played in February. We wait until the madness known as March is upon us.

However, come Saturday night at 9 pm, on ESPN, in the River City, on the banks of the great Mississippi, a very meaningful basketball game will be played.

The #1 ranked Memphis University Tigers are hosting the 2nd ranked Tennessee Volunteers. And we're talking men's basketball....not the 7 time champion Tennessee Lady Vols. Memphis is undefeated (26-0) and looking to go into the NCAA tournament with a perfect record. The 1991 UNLV team, which lost to Duke in the semifinals, was the last team to go into the NCAA tournament undefeated. Tennessee is 24-2 and the pride of a weak Southeastern Conference, losing at Texas and at Kentucky.

The Tigers' regular-season streak is the longest since Indiana's 57 in a row from the 1974-75 season into the 1976-77 season, a winning binge that included the last undefeated season by a men's team, the 32-0 Hoosiers of 1975-76.

Tickets are out of control.

Premium seats are going for upwards of $1,000 apiece. Seats way up high are being sold for more than $400.

That’s more than Final Four seats.

Hype it up........and enjoy the game.

Fall's in the Air & Weekend Predictions

With night time temperature dipping into the low 40's around here.....fall is definitely in the air. Last weeks predictions were a little off. We ended up going 3-5, so this week , we'll do a little more research and pray a lot. Anyway here's this weeks College Football picks:

South Carolina (-7) at North Carolina

This border war does not have the same tradition as say a Florida-Georgia, or an Ohio State-Michigan......but.....it's a border war just the same. UNC is coming of an emotional win against Miami, while USC destroyed an over-rated Kentucky team. The 'Cocks have had an extra couple of days to prepare since they had the Thursday game last week. That's about all Spurrier needs: USC 27, UNC 14.

Alabama (-6) at Ole Miss

The tide lead Houston 23-0 before holding on to win....at home. Nothing impressive about this team. Look for the Rebels to eke out a tight game.......Ole Miss 24, Alabama 20.

Tennessee (-7) at Mississippi State

Go figure Tennessee. In their first 4 games, the Vols could not run...could not stop the run....their pass defense was awful....they couldn't tackle.......Special teams play was poor.....then along comes a bye week and #12 Georgia.....and the Vols smack the dawgs all over the field, 35-14! If they carry that same intensity into Starksville, the game won't even be close......but.....this is the SEC .....and it is just another war on the road. Still......Tennessee has too much talent for a game Bulldog bunch...Tenn 30, Miss St. 14.

Wisconsin (+7) at Penn State

Don't piss off 82 year olds......Jopa has been in the news this week because of this alleged road rage stuff. We thought the Badgers were over-rated last week and it showed in their loss to the Illini. Look for this Penn State team to rally around its coach and come out busting ass. Wisconsin's defense will keep it respectable but the Nitany Lions win and cover....Penn St. 23 , Wisconsin 10.

Missouri (+10) at Oklahoma

Yep......the nations #11th ranked team is a double digit underdog.....but they're play at the #6 Sooners . Bob Stoops is a master at getting his players fired up. They would love to hang 40 or 50 on the Tigers......but Mizzoo is a much better team this year. Oklahoma will win...but not cover. Oklahoma 31, Missouri 24.