Georgia Bulldogs
Florida Georgia Line
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Florida-Georgia football rivalry began in 1915 and they have played every year since 1926, except for 1943(canceled due to war). The “World’s Largest Cocktail Party” started in 1933. Jacksonville has hosted the game with the exception of 1994 and 1995.
Georgia leads the series with 51 wins 43 loses and 2 ties.
Let’s take a look at the series by decades. Georgia owned the 1980’s winning eight times during that period.
The 1980 game, Georgia trailed 21-20 with time running out, facing a third down and long from their own 7-yard line.
Georgia quarterback Buck Belue scrambled around his end zone then found wide receiver Lindsey Scott open in the middle of the field. I can still hear legendary Georgia radio announcer Larry Munson’s call of the play. “Run Lindsey” lives on today in my memories.
In 1990, Florida hired its prodigal son, Steve Spurrier. The 1990’s belonged to Florida winning 9 times during that decade.
The 1993 game, Florida was leading 33-26 with five second remaining. Eric Zeier, the Georgia quarterback completed what looked like the tying touchdown to Jerry Jerman.
However, Gators cornerback Anthone Lott had called a timeout. On the next play, Lott was called for pass interference giving the Bulldogs one last chance. Zeier last pass was incomplete. Gators won 33-26
The 1994 and 1995 games are the only game since 1933 not played in Jacksonville. In 1994, the Bulldogs traveled to Gainesville and took a beating 52-10.
In 1995, the Gators went to Athens and embarrassed Georgia 52-17. Coach Spurrier stated after the game, “we wanted to be the first team to hang half a hundred on them in their own stadium, we heard no one had ever done that before.”
The 2000’s belonged to the boys from Florida. The Gators won 8 times during the 2000’s.
The 2007 and 2008 games stand out during this decade. In 2007, after a short touchdown run by Knowshon Moreno, the entire Bulldog bench rushes the field to celebrate.
Coach Mark Richt stated that he ordered his team on the field after the touchdown. That celebration fueled the Bulldogs to a 42-30 victory. This game is remembered as “The Gator Stomp.”
The 2008 game featured two top ten teams with an inside track to the SEC Eastern Division race. The Bulldogs dominated the first half on the field but missed two field goals and failed to recover an onside kick. The Gators lead at half 14-3.
The second half was all Gators just like the 2000’s. Tim Tebow lead the Gators to a 49-10 rout of the Bulldogs.
The 2010’s are up for grab this Saturday. Georgia leads the 2010’s 5 to 4 wins. With a win on Saturday, Georgia would win the decade battle for the first time since the 1980’s.
This may be the most significant Florida-Georgia game since 2008. The winner takes control of the division and their college playoff hopes are still alive.
Keys to the Game for the Bulldogs:
- Establish the running game (entire offense revolves around running the ball)
- Win the turnover battle
- Pressure Trask
Keys to the Game for the Gators:
- Tackle, Tackle & Tackle (no yards after contract)
- Contain D’Andre Swift (there is not a team in College Football that can stop him)
- Win the cornerback/wide receiver battles
Georgia is a 3.5 point favor. My prediction: Florida takes it 24-16
The Good, Bad and Lucky
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As someone who grew up in North Carolina and didn’t start really following college football until the late 80’s/early 90’s, I never had much interest in the Georgia/Florida rivalry.
At that time Florida was dominating the series like a father does in basketball against his 7-year-old, so unless you had some connection to either team, it was just a regular game with a clever nickname.
It wasn’t until my wife and I began our short, two-year stint in Athens (‘01-‘03), that I realized just how big the entire game, and the festivities surrounding it, were.
I don’t remember much about the 2001 game, other than the fact Florida won, but the day before the 2002 certainly stands out in my mind.
All sports fans are superstitious to some degree, whether they want to admit it or not. In the case of a fellow employee I worked with at an Athens carpet store during the 2002 season, his superstition involved a Georgia t-shirt he wore every Friday before the weekend’s game.
Leading up to the Florida game, I suppose the superstition was working, since Georgia was undefeated and ranked in the top 5. So, you can understand my surprise when this person showed up to work on that Friday, the day before arguably the biggest game of the season to that point, without his Georgia shirt.
Now it wasn’t just those of us in the warehouse that were aware of this ritual, everyone else in the building, including the owner, knew about it.
As word of the forgotten t-shirt trickled throughout the store like a game of telephone, the owner, who was apparently well versed in superstition lore, decided to step in.
Not only did he send my co-worker home to collect his t-shirt, while on the clock, but he stepped right in and filled in for him while he was gone. He, like most everyone else, didn’t want to be the jinx that caused Georgia to lose.
Since I didn’t have a dog in the fight (no pun intended), I thought the whole ordeal was pretty funny, especially since I thought Georgia was going to win.
Florida had really struggled to begin the season and Georgia was clearly the better team; just goes to show records don’t matter in any rivalry, even if it’s one you don’t pay much attention to.
Even though Florida won, the magical shirt continued to be worn every Friday as Georgia finished the season with only one loss. I guess it wasn’t only that the shirt had to be worn, but it needed to be on his body before he arrived at work in order for its mystical powers to flourish?
Now, I realize this isn’t some scandalous story, or one that ends with my buddy running down Broad St. screaming “Danny Wuerffel is my Dad”, but, when was the last time the owner of the business you work for paid you to go home because of a superstition?
Plus, over the course of the two years I lived in Athens, and five years in Georgia overall, I never encountered a situation that embodied how important the Georgia/Florida game is to its fans.
If you’re a Georgia fan, I can only hope my former co-worker remembers to wear his shirt to work on Nov. 1.
From my experience, the outcome of the game depends on it.
Lurking Gators
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Florida (6-1) is back in familiar territory as a top 10 team and national championship contender. The Gators beat No.7 Auburn about two weeks ago.
The Tigers came into the game as the favorites but left Gainesville with a convincing 24-13 loss. Florida was feeling great after that win and headed to No. 5 LSU the following week.
UF won the game in Gainesville last season, 27-19. The Tigers had revenge on their mind and pulled away in the second half. The game was tied at 21 at halftime. LSU won 42-28.
LSU coach Ed Orgeron declared that holding Florida’s defense without a sack was “the biggest stat of the night,” noting how the Gators’ defensive ends had “destroyed” opposing offensive lines in previous games.
Kyle Trask was 23-of-39 passing for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.
“There’s two ways you can go: You can either lose and start pointing fingers or you can lose and start coming together,” Trask said. “We have a great group of guys and at the end of the day; it’s just going to make this team better.”
This is the toughest part of Florida’s schedule. So far, they are 1-1 during these four games. The remaining games are at South Carolina and Georgia at a neutral site (Jacksonville).
Previously I did not think the USC game would be difficult. The Gamecocks were under .500 prior to this weekend.
They shocked the college football world by beating No. 3 UGA in Athens. The Bulldogs turned the ball over four times and South Carolina did not have any. Now this game in Columbia looks like a heavyweight matchup.
South Carolina (3-3) gave up 468 yards to Georgia but forcing the turnovers was the difference. The Gamecocks also lost freshman quarterback Ryan Hilinski to a knee injury. He’s actually a backup and has been playing since senior Jake Bentley suffered a mid-foot sprain in the season opener.
Third string freshman quarterback Dakereon Joyner played several snaps against Georgia. Currently, it does not sound like he will start the Florida game because Hilinski is expected to return.
“He’s got a sprained knee,” Muschamp said of Hilinski. “It’s nothing serious. I’ll know more Tuesday. He’s a little sore, obviously, today. But again, it’s nothing serious. We expect him to play on Saturday.”
So far, I give the early advantage to the Gators. They are ranked 20th nationally in total defense but they have played at least one more game than all of the teams ranked higher. That means they are actually better than many of them.
The Gamecocks are not good on offense and they are led by an injured true freshman QB.
If he cannot make it through the game, the third string QB will come in and they were not effective with him. They should be able to stop them and hold them to under twenty points.
I don’t think they will overlook this game since they know Carolina is capable of beating them. After that, they will go in to the bye week with two weeks to prepare against Georgia.
The Peach Curse
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Ten run top of the first inning, blown 25 point Super Bowl lead with 17 minutes left in the game, 2nd and 26 in the National Title game, 4 game sweeps after having the best record in the NBA Eastern Conference, back up QB playing like a Heisman winner in 2018 SEC Title game, Loss after loss to Florida in Jacksonville in 2002, 2003, 2005, when UGA has clearly better teams, 3-2 sliders drilled over the left field fence to change the balance of a World Series, being beat into submission by a FSU home run barrage in the 2019 Athens Baseball Regional.
You get my drift? The list goes on and on. The curse of Georgia sports is real and right now there does not seem to be a cure at this moment in time.
The latest debacle was masterfully created by the 2019 Atlanta Braves.
We should have seen this one coming from a distance. The Braves went 97-65 in the NL East, clinched a division and slumped into the playoffs against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Braves were drilled 13-1 in a deciding game 5 in the NLDS. BTW, Atlanta has not won a post-season baseball series since 2001.
Yeah, we should have seen this one coming, but the 2019 Braves provided something the Georgia sports scene longs for and that is hope. All of that hope faded in about 20 minutes during the 5PM hour on October 9th, 2019.
The debacle started before the series even began when Mike Soroka was slated to only get one start in the series. How does your two most consistent starters during the regular season Mike Soroka and Max Fried only get one combined start in the NLDS?
Fried, a 17 game winner, was relegated to the bullpen in the series where he struggled at times. Maybe his manager could have given this 25 year old kid a confidence boost by giving him something he earned during the regular season, which was a start in the NLDS.
Why didn’t Mike Soroka get two starts in this series? Seven strong innings in game three, but yet he was slotted as a game three starter after a meaningless start in New York on September 29th, which he was coming off 10 days rest after beating the Phillies on 9/19.
If the rotation was Soroka, Keuchel, Fried, Foltynewicz, and Soroka do the Braves win this series? Then you have Keuchel ready for game one of the NLCS.
We know Dallas Keuchel did not pull his weight in the series; or maybe he would have if he was not pulled in the 4th inning of a 1-1 game in game 1 with 2 outs.
Atlanta signs him for $13 million in June for a playoff run and you don’t let a Cy Young winner pitch out of a little jam in the 4th inning?
Why not let Josh Tomlin stay in the game in game 4 when he was mowing down the Cardinals at the time?
We know Freeman, Donaldson, and Markakis struggled at the plate in the series batting .200, .158, and .143, respectively. Freddie, just one fly ball in game 4 and you are hosting the Nats with a World Series on the line.
Why do managers feel like they have to manage differently in the playoffs? I get the all hands on deck mentality in elimination games, but Fried in the bullpen with 17 wins during the regular season raises a lot of questions. Baseball is a funny game maybe our most unpredictable game.
Position players have to produce runs, pitchers have to get outs, and managers have to make the right moves.
As a team the Braves failed in all three areas. The team is young and will continue to grow. Brian Snitker got badly out-managed in this series and I just did not see that coming.
This was a bitter defeat for the Atlanta Braves, and it appears the Curse of Georgia Sports is alive and well.
UGA is undefeated in football, but you have this sick feeling in your stomach don’t you Georgia sports fans that you cannot explain?
The Washington Nationals in the NLCS really stings.
SEC Week 3 Menu
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The SEC kicks into full throttle this weekend with a series a good SEC matchups and then you have the monster Georgia/Notre Dame matchup to finish off a great football Saturday in the nation’s top college football conference.
Here are the games and my predictions:
Southern Miss @ (2) Alabama: In case you didn’t know Nick Saban does not like noon kickoffs.
Alabama will score early and often and Tua should have a field day on Southern Miss with Alabama’s NFL wide receiver unit. The entire Alabama WR unit could start this Sunday for the Miami Dolphins. Bama rolls 52-13.
(4) LSU @ Vanderbilt: The Tigers are feeling pretty good about themselves. Vanderbilt may make them uncomfortable for a quarter or so then LSU pulls away for a 38-17 win.
I want to see that Tiger defense improve in SEC play.
Tennessee @ (9) Florida: The Swamp has never been too kind to the Vols. Franks is done for the season and Kyle Trask is now the man in Gainesville.
Dan Mullen is paid to win football games so remember Gator Nation that there was a reason that Trask was the back-up QB.
The Gators seem to be already counting this one in the win column. My gut tells me Tennessee will play inspired football, but it also may be the burrito I ate for lunch. Florida wins 23-14.
(23) California @ Ole Miss: The Rebs should be ready for this one.
Could Cal wilt in the 90-degree heat in Oxford on Saturday? Ole Miss could make a statement and I think they will. Ole Miss 27-24.
That Ealy kid at RB is going to be a star in this league.
(8) Auburn @ (17) Texas A&M: Is Bo Nix ready for 100,000 Aggies in College Station.
The Aggies already played Clemson at Clemson and should be locked and loaded for this one.
I’m not sure Auburn can run the football consistently against a quality defense. Can Kellen Mond make plays on a good Auburn defense? I think A&M makes enough plays to beat Auburn 28-20.
Kentucky @ Mississippi State: The Cats gave away the game to Florida at home last week by playing not to lose.
Mississippi State lost at home to Kansas State and did not look good in the process. I’m not very high on MSU and I’m thinking Kentucky goes on the road and gets the win in a 20-17 type game. Both offenses may struggle in this game.
South Carolina @ Missouri: South Carolina gave up too many big plays against Alabama, and Missouri’s offense is nothing close to what Carolina witnessed last week.
Kelly Bryant is a South Carolina native playing against the Gamecocks. South Carolina needs this one more than Missouri. Give me Carolina 31-30.
San Jose State @ Arkansas: This one is going to be like two mules fighting over a turnip. These are the types of games Arkansas will lose, but maybe they are going to turn the corner with Nick Starkel at QB. Give me the Hogs 38-33.
(7) Notre Dame @ (3) Georgia: This could be the most anticipated home game in the history of UGA football.
The Irish come to Athens undefeated with Ian Book at QB. The Irish have questions stopping the run and UGA has four running backs who can start anywhere and a mammoth offensive line.
This could be the Zamir White and George Pickens coming out party. I think UGA is more talented and I’ll take Jake Fromm over Ian Book. UGA beats ND 31-21 and gets a bye week before Tennessee.
The SEC East Crystal Ball
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are now under three months and counting until the start of College Football Season.
As far as I’m concerned, no other sport compares to College Football and the best conference from top to bottom is the SEC.
Clemson from the ACC won the Natty in 2018, but the ACC is nothing near the caliber of the SEC in football. If that previous statement bothers you then get some sensitivity training. We will take a look at the SEC East.
Here are my SEC East Predictions for 2019:
Georgia 11-1: Kirby Smart is the best recruiter in the business. Georgia has the best 85-man roster in the country.
Jake Fromm could be a sleeper contender for the Heisman. The offense could be scary good with the best offensive line coach and players in the country.
Will this team lay an egg against someone they are not supposed to? History says yes.
I’m dreading the Auburn trip on 11/16. This team will play for the SEC title and will contend for the College Football Playoff. If the Dawgs win the SEC, they are in. This could finally be the year. The pass rush must improve in 2019.
Missouri 9-3: Kelly Bryant will be at QB in 2019. Barry Odom is doing a fine job in Columbia. Could the Tigers be 8-0 coming to Athens on November 9th? Florida comes calling on November 16th for second place in the East. Give me the Tigers over the Gators.
Florida 8-4: Two words, Feleipe Franks. Will Franks lead the Gators to back to back 10-win seasons?
Dan Mullen has trolled UGA in the off-season, but the schedule is tough. The Gators open against Miami and have Auburn, LSU, and Georgia in the heart of the SEC schedule.
Florida is putting all of its’ eggs in the Georgia basket, but they better be careful.
They have a solid defense, but again Feleipe Franks. If this team contends in the East it will be because of improved QB play. Can Mullen recruit with Kirby? Time will tell.
Tennessee 7-5: If the Vols win in Gainesville on 9/21 then excitement goes through the roof in Rocky Top.
Jeremy Pruitt is a fantastic coach and he is starting to put some pieces together in Knoxville.
Will Tennessee ever beat Alabama again in football? Pruitt needs two more top 15 recruiting classes to get Tennessee back to being Tennessee again. Be patient Vol fans you are on the way back.
South Carolina 6-6: The Gamecocks have a brutal schedule. Alabama and Texas A&M from the west and Clemson to close out.
I think Will Muschamp is a pretty good football coach, but with Georgia being a national power, and Florida and Tennessee on the way back it is going to be hard for Carolina to get any traction in the division.
South Carolina is putting together a good 2020 recruiting class. This team will upset someone in 2019, and ruin their season.
Kentucky 5-7: The Cats will come back down to earth in 2019. Benny Snell is gone.
The Cats host Florida early in the season after breaking a long losing streak that stretched over 30 to the Gators in 2018. Basketball is king in Kentucky. Cats go back to being a bottom feeder in football.
Vanderbilt 3-9: Vandy hosts UGA in the opener and LSU in week 3. This is going to be a long season for Vandy football.
Vandy fans might better tune into the College World Series starting this weekend as that may be the high-water mark for the athletic program for the rest of 2019.
Biggest division game: UGA vs UF in Jacksonville
Division upset of the Year: South Carolina over Texas A&M. The Aggies get caught overlooking Carolina at home the week before playing Georgia in Athens.
Bowl Teams: Georgia, Missouri, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
Special Breed
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
College basketball teams can have the perception of their program altered more than any other sport, based off of a single recruit.
We’re still an entire football season away from the start of the college basketball season, but it’s not too early to talk about how important Anthony Edwards could be to Georgia basketball.
To say that UGA hasn’t been a popular destination for top level basketball talent is a bit like saying Winterfell isn’t a popular vacation destination for anyone with the last name Lannister.
Even though Georgia has done a decent job in the past of recruiting within the state, they have struggled when it comes to bringing in top level talent.
There have been a number of in-state recruits that listed Georgia, or Georgia Tech for that matter, as one of their final schools only to spurn them for another program. (Most of these recruits never seriously considered staying in state, but the consensus thought is that by listing them it would give the schools a little notoriety and maybe help with lesser recruits.)
As big a deal as it was to get a Top 5 recruit like Edwards to sign, it carries even more weight since he’s from Atlanta.
Let’s assume Edwards has an All-SEC type season and helps lead Georgia back to the NCAA Tournament- all expectations that normally follow a recruit ranked this high- it could open numerous opportunities for the Dawgs on the recruiting trails.
For one, Tom Crean would be able to use Edwards as a recent example of the program’s ability to showcase one and done talent while preparing them for the NBA.
More importantly, it will be much easier to entice some of the higher rated 4-star recruits to come to Athens. I highly doubt Georgia will be able to compete with schools like Duke and Kentucky on the recruiting trail, but if they can start landing the kids ranked in the 30-50 range consistently, you’ll start seeing a program making deep runs in the tournament.
North Carolina made it to back to back championships with those same second tiered players, and Virginia did this year, to an extent.
If Edwards happens to struggle this season and his draft stock falls, it will undoubtedly have a negative impact. Programs that bring in Top 10 recruit after Top 10 recruit can afford to miss on one every now and again. When you’ve only had one, it’s hard to recover if it doesn’t work out.
It’s kind of like dating; if you have a lot of good times, you’ll overlook the toilet seat being left up or the hour and a half it takes to get ready. If not, go ahead and leave one scoop of ice cream in the carton and see how that works out.
And look, I’m not saying that if Edwards doesn’t work out quite the way Georgia hopes that all is lost and they should just shut down the program and go home. More than likely things will continue to be status quo; a middle to lower level SEC team that considers making the tournament a huge win.
No matter where the program is five to six years from now fans will be able to look back and see how pivotal a role Edwards played. All it takes is one player to change the future of a program, for the good as well as the bad. After years of trying, Georgia finally has that player.
A Louder Bark
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I was a sophomore in high school, driving around in a lime-green Chevy Chevette with a neon orange bumper sticker that read “Save gas, fart in a jar” the last time the Georgia men’s basketball program “officially” won a game in the NCAA tournament. (I’m sure I don’t have to remind you the 2002 win has been vacated, but just in case, that’s why it’s not counted.)
It’s been twenty-three years since the ‘96 team advanced to the round of 32 and while I don’t think that feeling of loss is going to change this year, there are definitely signs the streak could come to an end within the next two years.
Normally when a program has suffered through this type of drought, especially when playing in a major conference, it has to do with some mixture of coaching, talent, and sanctions. In Georgia’s case they hit the ineptitude trifecta.
It’s always been difficult to recruit top level talent to Athens, but I know the hope was all that would change when Tom Crean was hired; finally, a coach with the cache to bring in that top tier talent.
Crean has already started to show promise on the recruiting trail with two commitments from 4-star recruits and could really bolster things if he is able to land Anthony Edwards, a 5-star guard out of Atlanta. (Edwards is a heavy Florida State lean, but stranger things have happened.)
That being said, the likelihood of the Bulldogs making and winning a NCAA tournament game in the next two years isn’t based on who is entering the program, but rather the three standout sophomores currently on the team.
I doubt there was much fanfare when Nicolas Claxton, Rayshaun Hammonds, and Teshaun Hightower arrived on campus, but the trio are proving to be a sturdy foundation on which Crean can rebuild the program on.
Claxton is having an all-conference season this year and Hammonds isn’t too far behind and should be mentioned in the conversation of all conference player next year.
Hightower on the other hand has that aura of a being the player who tends be an afterthought when compared to the other two, but is quietly one of the most vital players on the team.
Really, besides injury or someone leaving early for the NBA, the only thing I see preventing them for turning things around is the fact the SEC has become a very good basketball conference. If I’m not mistaken it was just a few seasons ago where you had Kentucky in the Top 25 and maybe one other SEC team, but that was about it.
Now the conference has two to three legitimate top 10 teams and about six or seven that deserve the be in the top 25.
Georgia could arguably have their best team in years when the season starts next year, but struggle because the rest of the league has upped their game.
The talent is starting to show, as evident in Georgia’s recent victory over Texas, but it’s still a young team.
Tom Crean was brought in to bring respectability back to the men’s basketball program. Entering this season, it would’ve been easy to think he would need to bring in his own players to achieve that, but there are a few current players who don’t want to wait.
I parted ways with my old Chevette years ago; I think Georgia’s basketball team will be parting ways with their years of futility soon, too.
Super Running Back U
By: Kipp Branch
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
When the Patriots selected Sony Michel in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft you just knew he would come in and have a great year with the franchise of the century.
Michel along with Nick Chubb had great rookie seasons in the league which is no surprise as the both came from the University of Georgia or better known as Running Back U.
Now, you have a marquee matchup with Running Back U legends in Super Bowl LIII in Sony and Running Back U legend Todd Gurley or TG3 as superstars have their own tag line.
Other than Herschel, I have never seen a more talented back at UGA than Gurley. He has the size, speed, and vision that is makes him a generational running back.
TG3 is currently the best running back in the NFL, which makes him the best running back in football period.
TG3 just has a knack for scoring touchdowns. Gurley has been a major factor in the resurgence of the Los Angeles Rams as they make their first Super Bowl appearance in 18 years.
Sony Michel is a beloved player in UGA circles. The Rose Bowl performance against Oklahoma makes him an all-time great with just that game alone. Sony always had a knack for making big plays a key time in big games during his UGA career.
My wife has his #1 UGA jersey hanging in the closet and puts it on every Saturday for UGA games. Sony is not big, sneaky fast, but has great vision and just seems to always make someone miss and he just makes plays.
Now the two RBU legends face each other in the Super Bowl next week. TG3 had a huge 100-yard performance against a Dallas Cowboy run defense that looked like Swiss Cheese in the divisional series, which sent the Cowboy nation back into their 23-year annual hibernation.
That alone makes him a hero in my book. He didn’t play much due to being banged up in the NFC title games against the Saints, but he will be ready in the Super Bowl. Look for him and the high-powered Rams offense to have a good day.
Sony, in my opinion is the biggest reason why the Patriots are back this year. Sony has been a steady threat in the run game and teams can’t just focus on stopping Tom Brady they now have to stop a balanced offense. That makes New England ever more dangerous as the Chargers and Chiefs just found out. Sony ran wild against the Chargers and Chiefs with back to back 100-yard games.
Running Back U will be on full display in Super Bowl LIII with Gurley and Michel. Any high-profile high school running back looking for a place to get ready for the NFL, look no further than the University of Georgia. RBU puts backs in the league.
I don’t really care who wins Super Bowl LIII, so I will be pulling for Running Back U to have huge games. Wouldn’t it be great if UGA produced another Super Bowl MVP?
What college has produced more Super Bowl MVP’s than UGA? Gator and Auburn fans look that up and let me know.
State Champs?
By: JJ Lanier
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
While both the Georgia and Georgia Tech basketball programs seem to be in a race back to mediocrity- one that neither team looks to be in a hurry to achieve- Georgia State has made a strong argument to carry the mantle of “best college basketball program in Georgia”.
It’s easy to dismiss what the Panthers have accomplished over the last five years. Including this season, since they play in the Sun Belt conference, but that would be a mistake.
Over that five years span, Georgia State has had more appearances in the NCAA than both Georgia and Georgia Tech combined (two to one) and is the only school with a tournament win, advancing to the Round of 32 in 2015 and 2018.
As a point of reference, the last time Tech won a NCAA tournament game was 2010. Georgia’s last tournament victory came in 2002, which technically has been vacated, so it’s actually 1996.
This year the Panthers have the most dynamic and arguably the best player of the three schools in D’Marcus Simonds, as well as Ron Hunter, whom I believe is the second-best coach of the three, behind Tom Crean.
(I’ve always thought Josh Pastner was overrated, and to be completely honest with you, I’d be surprised if he’s still coaching the Yellow Jackets after next season. Crean, I think, is a good coach that was in a little over his head in Indiana, but is a good fit in Athens.)
Georgia State was also crowned the de facto winners of the completely made up title “Intrastate champions of the sport most Georgia fans only watch when their remote is broken and they don’t want to walk over to the TV to change the channel”.
They were awarded this absolutely ridiculous title after Georgia defeated Georgia Tech, courtesy of Georgia State’s 91-67 victory over the Bulldogs. Basically, they’re state champions, in the loosest sense of the word.
There’s also a good chance when you include Georgia State’s victory over Alabama, that even though they aren’t in the SEC they will enter February with as many SEC conference wins as the Bulldogs-two.
Again, while they play in a lesser conference, they have more than proven they can compete when going up against a team from a major conference. Sure, they may not be able to hang with the Duke’s and Kentucky’s of the world, but there aren’t a lot of teams that can.
Even though their entire season and whether they’ll be back in the NCAA tournament will basically come down to the Sun Belt Conference tournament, they are still the state’s best shot at making the big dance.
Barring some unforeseen miracle occurring with either the Yellow Jackets or Bulldogs, both of their tournament hopes will rest on winning their respective conference tournaments, too. I don’t know about you, but if I have to choose between those three, I’m going with the Panthers.
As I mentioned, given the chance I think Tom Crean will have the Georgia program back to respectability within the next years. And given the law of averages, Georgia Tech is bound to trip up and bring in someone that can lead them back to the tournament with some semblance of consistency.
Until that time arrives, when it comes to basketball in the state of Georgia, the Georgia State Panthers are the team to beat.
Add another trip to the tournament this year and the rest of country may find out just how good they are, too.
