While the football teams will be playing to determine one of the nation’s best football teams in a little over a week, the basketball teams will meet Saturday at 4:00 (ET) to determine last place in the Rainbow Classic. Georgia’s last-second loss against Tulane last night gives them two losses in the tournament and forces them to beat the hometown team in order to avoid the Golden Pineapple. With emotions already charged over the upcoming Sugar Bowl, you can bet that local sentiment will be against the Dawgs this afternoon.

The grumbling has predictably (and justifiably) picked up against Felton this weekend. After a national spotlight piece the other day in which Felton claims, “we’re as talented as we’ve ever been,” one doesn’t expect losses to ETSU and Tulane, especially on the same day.

I really expected (and still expect) three things from this season:

• Beat Tech. Georgia has yet to lose to the Jackets in Athens since the series went home-and-home in 1995. Keeping that going could be the last chance Felton has to hold off mass revolt.
• Finish at least .500 in the SEC. They managed it last year, and the league doesn’t look that impressive this year.
• Make the postseason again. We all want the NCAA Tournament, but given the unexpected losses of Brown and Mercer, any postseason would be something at this point.

All three of those objectives look more difficult after the past two games, but I think meeting all three is still a necessity for Felton to continue to claim consistent – if not incremental – improvement in the program.