Could eleven SEC teams be bowl-eligible this season? Six teams already have six wins. Florida and Tennessee should join the club soon enough.

That leaves three teams with longer but not impossible odds for six wins:

Arkansas. Currently 5-3.
Remaining games: South Carolina, @ Tennessee, Miss. St., @ LSU

Mississippi State. Currently 5-4.
Remaining games: Alabama, @ Arkansas, Ole Miss

Vanderbilt. Currently 5-3.
Remaining games: @ Florida, Kentucky, @ Tennessee, Wake Forest

Vandy might face the longest odds of any SEC team with postseason hopes. Conference wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina have put them in a position to need just one more upset, but the competition is tough in their remaining four games. Wake Forest should be considered no less an opponent than any of the other three.

Mississippi State is hanging their hopes on the Egg Bowl, but they could cement their postseason fate with an upset of Alabama or Arkansas. The Hogs meanwhile face three quality teams and each of the current division leaders. The MSU game might become a must-win situation to avoid a .500 (or worse) season.

If all of these teams manage six wins, the question becomes who, if anyone, gets left out? The SEC has eight official bowl tie-ins. An at-large spot could almost certainly be found for a ninth team. If it gets up to ten or even eleven bowl-eligible teams, it’s possible that someone like Mississippi State or Vanderbilt could miss out.

There are plenty of snobs who think that there are too many bowl games or that 6-6 teams should be grateful for the crumbs they get. But the significance of even the most minor bowl game to a program like MSU or Vandy cannot be understated. Croom is desperately seeking legitimacy (and another year on the job), and a bowl bid is the next step after two big road upset wins. The drought is even longer for Vanderbilt, and they are the only SEC team without a trip to a bowl in this decade (not to mention the last decade). One even wonders if the SEC will intervene and send a 6-6 Vandy team to a bowl for the first time in 25 years over a stronger program like Arkansas who might be disappointed in a 7-5 season.

While we’re celebrating the parity and the wild SEC season, the league hasn’t done much to live up to its billing nationally. LSU’s win over Va. Tech stands tall, but there’s not much after that. Tennessee lost big to Cal. Miss. St. was toothless against West Virginia. Auburn fell to South Florida and just escaped Kansas State. Bama lost to FSU. Georgia’s win over Oklahoma State was nice but hardly significant. We’ll see another round of big non-conference games soon against mainly ACC opponents, and hopefully the league can show out a little better there before the bowl season.

The "right or wrong" question about Georgia’s unsportsmanlike celebration has played itself out. It happened, it worked, and any aftermath will be solely psychological now that no additional discipline is forthcoming.

The notion that Georgia will somehow be seen as a classless program or that Richt’s reputation will be damaged is just silly. As Chuck noted here the other day, "If class were a change jar, then Richt just spent a quarter out of his Duck Tales size swimming vault." If anything, it’s making people finally talk about Mark Richt the football coach. Pundits crank out list after list of the top coaches in the SEC and across the nation, and Richt is more often than not passed over for flashier, though not always more successful, options.

It is noteworthy though to see how a trio of former quarterbacks saw the incident. CBS’s Gary Danielson praised the celebration immediately. Eric Zeier also gushed from the broadcast booth. Kirk Herbstreit likewise had a positive reaction on Atlanta radio. Those three are all veterans of big-time football who recognized exactly what Richt’s motivation was. Meanwhile, the loudest outcries have come from those with – how shall we put it – a little less personal experience with the motivational ups and downs of a college football team.

2-15 was a ridiculous stat for a program like Georgia. Even given Florida’s success over the past 17 years, there was no logical explanation for such a one-sided series. Richt and the team did something equally ridiculous and illogical to address it. I won’t go so far as to say that the past 17 years have been erased, but I suspect that our approach to Jacksonville will be much different in the future than the pucker-fest it has been recently.

What I like most about the ongoing controversy is how Georgia has set the discussion. Florida is responding to Georgia for once. When we saw Meyer and a few Gator players jumping around before the next kickoff trying to show how hyped they were, it was clear that Richt’s tactic had worked. The Gators are a good team and responded immediately on the scoreboard, but Georgia had set the bar for intensity for the rest of the game.

In fact, Georgia’s attitude improvement didn’t start with the celebration. They came out of the locker room with it. The defense sacked Tebow on the opening play. Even after getting burned on 3rd-and-long they kept coming, and Rod Battle caused a rare Florida turnover. Then the offense ran it right at Florida’s highly-ranked rushing defense for nine consecutive plays and didn’t stop until they reached the end zone. The celebration was the most memorable expression of Georgia’s approach to the game, but the Dawgs carried that attitude before and well after the celebration.

Go Gators!

This was Ralphie beating up Scut Farkus. Yes, we know that fighting is wrong. Sometimes you have to do something extreme and unexpected to bring about change. Ralphie stood up to the bully, turned the tables on him, didn’t get killed by his father for it, and the neighborhood dynamics were never the same.

It’s a certainty that the celebration will be agenda item #1 in Jacksonville next year, and that will be a welcome change from hearing about 3-15. The Dawgs have not won consecutive games in this series in nearly 20 years, and that will likely be the storyline heading into that game. Georgia stood up to Florida in this year’s win, and next year’s job will be to begin turning the tide of the series. It won’t be easy immediately after playing at LSU, but that’s life in the SEC.

UPDATE: Tony Barnhart gets the reaction of several coaches and former coaches across the country. It’s especially interesting to hear the nearly unanimous support from the former coaches who don’t have to play politics with their own fans. Add in the opinions of the former quarterbacks named above, and it doesn’t seem to be much of an issue in the football community.

Mark Richt has written an apology on the chalkboard as punishment for Saturday’s celebration, and I for one hope that this sincere letter brings closure to any and all spectators, pundits, fans, and confused moralists who might have been damaged by the incident.  The apology is nothing if it doesn’t make you feel better, and that’s a deep concern of mine right now.

Principal SEC Commissioner Mike Slive extracted a telephone apology from Richt, and Richt followed up with a letter addressed to Slive.

“I apologize that I put everyone in that situation and specifically apologize to you, the Southeastern Conference, and the University of Florida. You can be assured I will not ask our team to do this type of thing again.”

“I understand that the entire team running on the field created the potential for an altercation and that excessive celebration is not in compliance with the Southeastern Conference sportsmanship policies and expected standards. My only intention was to create enthusiasm.”

Richt admits that his ultimatum to the team to draw a celebration penalty “was inappropriate”.  The good news is that the SEC will still let him have dessert after he’s through in time-out.

Charles Bloom, associate commissioner of the SEC, said Slive received the letter and “accepts his apology.” The league plans no disciplinary action against Richt, Bloom added.

Well…that’s a load off.

I got married back in June of this year. Though others might claim that I fell for the beauty or intelligence of this woman with two degrees from the University of Georgia, the reality is that I married her for a single reason: her higher Hartman Fund score meant access to Florida tickets.

I thought that was one heck of a dowry, but things got even more interesting. It turns out that she had not attended a Georgia-Florida game since 1989. In fact, she never saw a loss to Florida in the three games she attended from 1987-1989. With that information (and two tickets) in hand, there was no way that she was going to miss the first Georgia-Florida game of our marriage. She has still never witnessed a Georgia loss in Jacksonville. Cards, letters, bouquets, and a self-cleaning litter box can be sent to my lovely bride Karen.

Before you ask – yes, we are planning to be there again next year.

Great job, offense

I put the game squarely on the shoulders of the offense, and boy did they do what they had to.  Though the passing game did have several key plays (including uncharacteristically long touchdown passes), not many people expected the running game to be the story of the victory from the opening drive.  The blocking was there, Moreno was magnificent, and Stafford and the receivers efficiently moved the chains when they had to.

As we expected, Florida put points on the board.  It’s no shame to give up 23 to the Florida offense – only Auburn surrendered fewer points to them.  That meant that Georgia couldn’t take the foot off the gas for a second, and they didn’t.  From the opening drive to two huge fourth quarter touchdowns to a simple first down on the final possession which let the Dawgs end the game on their terms, Georgia executed on offense when they had to.

Most important were the answers.  Though Florida stood toe-to-toe and delivered plenty of punches of their own, Georgia was able to answer nearly every big Gator score.  Florida had tied it at 7, and you might have thought that the momentum from Georgia’s early celebration was gone.  Massaquoi’s touchdown erased those thoughts.  Florida answered Henderson’s 4th quarter touchdown quickly, and no one felt comfortable up 35-30.  The Dawgs didn’t cave, and a key third down conversion to Bailey led to Moreno’s clinching touchdown.

My favorite answer was after Florida took a 17-14 lead.  If you think back to 1997, Florida also erased a Georgia lead by going up 17-14.  In that game, a long Bobo pass to Corey Allen set up a Robert Edwards dive over the pile to retake the lead, and the Dawgs never looked back.  In 2007, Georgia also never let the Gators get comfortable with a lead.  My play of the game was a flare to Moreno on 3rd and 4 that could have been stopped for a loss and a 3-and-out.  A 3-and-out following a lead change could have been devastating to Georgia’s momentum.   Instead, Moreno made the first man miss, got a key block from Haverkamp, and made it past the marker.  He’d work some more magic later in the drive by reversing direction and scoring to put the Dawgs back out in front for good.

Tebow

Make no mistake – Tim Tebow is one hell of a football player. The running element of his game was limited, but he made big throws all night long and gave Florida the ability to drive and score in the blink of an eye. Any Georgia fan who tells you that they felt secure about a win until Florida’s late fumble is lying or still drunk. As I saw all of the “Teabag Tebow” stuff throughout the weekend, I wondered when Georgia would have such a successful high-profile player that would draw that kind of reaction from opponents. Not even David Pollack was so universally hated. I admit that the media “Superman” build-up is behind much of the gag reaction to Tebow, but nobody goes to these lengths of scorn and ridicule for untalented or unsuccessful opponents. Percy Harvin isn’t bad himself.

I remember back in 1992 when Florida players celebrated a close win by mocking Garrison Hearst’s Heisman hopes. I have to admit it felt good to drive the stake into Tebow’s Heisman campaign this year, but I fully expect him to be the front-runner entering next season. He’s a very good player involved in a high percentage of plays in a very good offense. Endurance obviously will be the limiting factor. Hopefully Stafford and eventually Moreno can give him plenty of competition for postseason honors down the road.

Officiating

It’s usually the role of the losing fan to mention some questionable calls (such as an illegal formation penalty called 20 yards downfield), but I will ask this: how the hell does Urban Meyer coach the game from the near hashmark and not receive the same “sideline warning” that was given to Georgia? I fully expected to see Meyer listed in the game’s participation report.

But, hey – I enjoyed celebrating every Georgia touchdown all over again after the reviews came back.

Geniuses

Charlie Strong has been a thorn in Georgia’s side for the better part of this decade, and most of us would love to see him earn a head coaching opportunity…far, far away from here. It’s incredible how pedestrian a great coordinator can look when his talent wanes and how brilliant other coaches can look when a dynamic young tailback emerges and when passes are placed where they should be (and then caught). The same Florida defense that knocked heads off in recent years is now doing its best PAC 10 audition, and Strong is no less competent now than he was then. The grass-is-greener trap is easy to fall into. In some cases, it really is greener. Stacey Searels has the newcomer-laden Georgia offensive line to the point that they are no longer a liability or excuse for underperforming offense, and that says volumes about the job he’s doing. But more often, coaches are a lazy target for both blame and credit.

Freshmen

Knowshon Moreno was the player of the game and the offensive player of the week in the SEC, but he wasn’t the only newcomer to shine. Tight end Bruce Figgins had a tremendous day blocking and also caught a nice pass on a drag route for a first down. Linebacker Rennie Curran played early and often. He’s only going to get better and should remain a starter. We also can’t forget the linemen. Trinton Sturdivant, aside from providing the seminal moment of the touchdown celebration, also anchored the left side of the offensive line with Chris Davis, and the Dawgs were able to run to that side all night. Standout defensive end Derrick Harvey was hardly a factor.

It wasn’t a perfect day for the youngsters.  Figgins missed a key block that led to Florida’s only sack. Rashad Jones was taught a valuable lesson about pass defense on Florida’s first touchdown. Though not a freshman, sophomore Prince Miller was really picked on. It happened with guys like Thornton, Wansley, Oliver, and so on…there’s just a certain amount of abuse most young cornerbacks have to take before they become stars. Miller is taking his lumps now, but he has the swagger and attitude to let each mistake roll off him, and he’ll be a very valuable defender in the next two seasons.

Continuity

Every Georgia fan I encountered after the game (the coherent ones anyway) asked the same question.  “Where was that against Tennessee?”  It’s a fair question, and I don’t think there’s a simple answer.  Tennessee came off their bye week with as much intensity as Georgia showed following their own bye.  The Dawgs weren’t able to answer Tennessee’s challenge, and the results were uglier. 

I’m not surprised by inconsistency from such a young team.  Sensing an absence of leadership to fill the intensity void, Richt created his own.  It worked brilliantly for a game.  Now it’s the job of the team to sustain this attitude and make the most of the opportunities opened by the win.  The last two wins over Florida were followed by losses to Auburn.  Troy is no pushover either.  Can the Dawgs somehow avoid slipping backwards?

Departing this morning for Amelia and of course the game. I’ll always enjoy the trip.

It is time to just win the damn thing.

The drama over Caleb King’s status has really taken off in the past 24 hours. The coaching staff had some interesting things to say on Tuesday, and we’re now parsing every statement looking for a sign that he will or won’t play in Jacksonville. At the very least, we know he’s making the trip and has spent time working at the tailback position.

The good news is that this is a distraction just for the fans – the coaches and team have a much better idea what King’s role (if any) might be.

Let’s be clear that we’re strictly talking about depth. We’re taking for granted that Knowshon Moreno will get most of the carries and snaps. No one is for taking minutes away from Moreno. The question is about those plays where the starter is getting a breather or – God forbid – is injured. It might seem like overkill to focus on the backup tailback, but an effective reserve can be a strategic advantage.

The central issue goes beyond the Florida game. As the Senator points out, the recovery of Thomas Brown’s collarbone is a key question. Though a comeback for the Florida game was never really the question, there was hope that Brown could be ready in time for the Auburn-Kentucky-Tech stretch at the end of the season. But the collarbone is an area that takes constant pounding on a running back. If it were a quarterback, I might believe an aggressive schedule for his return to action. A premature return for a running back who could see contact to the collarbone 15-20 times in a game (not to mention in practice) could result in a greater risk of re-injury, and Brown has a future to consider. For that reason (and this is all speculation anyway), I would plan on a Thomas Brown return later rather than sooner.

There are also other issues making this a more complex decision.

King spent much of his high school senior season injured. If he played against Florida, his first real live game action since his junior year in high school will come on national TV in an unfamiliar stadium against the defending national champions and against one of Georgia’s biggest rivals. That’s quite a setting for one’s debut, especially for a high-profile freshman. Some thrive in that kind of setting, and I’m sure part of the coaches’ decision is gauging how well King might react to being thrown into the Georgia-Florida game.

There is also a non-football consideration. King spent much of his senior year at GAC focusing on academics in order to qualify to enroll at Georgia. One of the advantages of a redshirt season is the opportunity to adjust to the academic environment of college. Given King’s long and public journey to qualify, getting off on the right foot academically at Georgia might be more of a priority for King (and the coaching staff) than it might be for someone else. Could increased playing time become a distraction over the last part of this semester?

It seems as if all of this is boiling down to whether or not the Dawgs can "get by" without burning King’s redshirt. The options of Johnson and Chapas are the safe route, but neither really offers much excitement. Those brimming with hope for King are relying on reputation and potential and not results. Still, the fact that he’s even making the trip with Chapas and Johnson available tells us that the redshirt might be the only thing holding King back from playing time. There is no question though that the moment Knowshon Moreno leaves the game will be one of the most scrutinized substitutions of the season.

If the game gets out of hand early, I think it might convince the coaches to save the redshirt and try to get through Troy without using King. But if the game is still in the balance and the Dawgs need to keep Moreno with something left for the second half, I wouldn’t be surprised to see King trot out there. As Tony Ball said, “We are trying to win games.”

The weekend in the SEC was no less interesting than it was elsewhere across the nation. The two marquee games really lived up to their billing, and two upsets out of the spotlight punctuated the day.

It all reminded me how important matchups are. Every team has weaknesses – the question is whether or not you have the goods to exploit them. Everyone but Georgia has had success against Tennessee’s defense, and John Parker Wilson did what Matthew Stafford could not. Meanwhile in Columbia, a Vandy defensive front that got to Stafford only once the week before and saw Knowshon Moreno shred them in the second half stuffed the South Carolina running game and recorded seven sacks.

Every game presents its own unique matchups, and you can’t forecast on the basis of one game without considering how those matchups will change. Mouths are watering after Andre Woodson threw all over Florida, but we’re talking about a Georgia offense that struggles to break 20 points in SEC games and also struggles to hit passes longer than 25 yards.

My initial thoughts about the Florida game haven’t changed after a week, and outcome of the UF-Kentucky game only reinforced the pressure that will be on the Georgia offense. Florida will score some points; they have in nearly every game. They managed 24 on the road at LSU against the BEST DEFENSE EVAR. Georgia’s defense did a good job last year giving up only 14 points to the Florida offense, but it’s reasonable to expect Florida to score a little more this year.

I understand the obsession over Meyer and Tebow. It’s a great story, and Tebow is a unique player in a unique situation. But while I read dozens of message board posts saying, "I hope Martinez is watching this" during the Florida-Kentucky game, I have to admit that my first thought was, "can we complete the kinds of passes Kentucky is completing?" Weaknesses are no good if you can’t use them to your advantage.

Some big plays and stops from the defense will surely help – Kentucky just couldn’t get the late stops they needed. I’m more convinced than ever that Saturday’s game is much more a test for Bobo (and Stafford). If the Dawgs can come out with some efficient and productive drives to start the game, they might just have a chance, and it would be a pleasant change from recent history.

Georgia has come out strong three times against Florida since 1991 that I can remember – four if you count Frank Harvey’s long touchdown in 1992. The Dawgs grabbed the lead in 1997 and were able to answer when Florida grabbed a brief 17-14 lead. Georgia also got off to a strong start in 2000, but a backbreaking Lito Shepard interception near halftime completely erased that early momentum. A pair of gutsy fourth down conversions helped the Dawgs get out ahead in 2004 as Leonard Pope became a household name.

But recently, it’s been all Florida to start the games. The Gators had 14 points seemingly before the coin toss in 2005, and that was all they needed against an anemic Tereshinski-led Georgia offense. Florida also got 14 first half points without a Georgia answer in 2006, and a defensive score to start the second half provided just enough of a cushion before Georgia finally got going.

Against Tennessee, things went about as badly as they could on both sides of the ball. The offense had a miserable three-and-out, and the defense gave up a long scoring drive. Contrast that start with the trip to Alabama. Georgia scored on the opening drive, kept Bama off the scoreboard for a while, and as a result played with enough confidence to weather the Crimson Tide’s comeback and regroup for the win. I don’t want to say that scoring first is the absolute determining factor in this game, but Georgia has lost two of three games this year in which the opponent has scored first (Ole Miss as the exception).

Though Moreno will be a valuable weapon (particularly in a close game in the second half), this game is Matthew Stafford’s chance to show what all of the fuss was about. The Alabama win was a great moment, but there has yet to be a complete great game from the Dawgs’ heralded starting quarterback. Georgia’s best chance is to have Stafford lead a efficient passing game that takes time off the clock and keeps the Florida offense on the bench.

If that fails, the Dawgs will struggle to another 10-14 point output in Jacksonville, and Florida could have Tiny Tim under center. It won’t matter.

What a weekend of football. Even Maryland – Virginia was interesting. If you haven’t followed the ACC (and I don’t blame you if that’s the case), Virginia has ripped off a program-record seven straight wins since losing the season opener to…Wyoming. Most of those wins have been decided in the last minute, and the comeback at Maryland was no exception. They are definitely in possession of the golden horseshoe right now.

If you’re a basketball fan, this point in the football season is like the Sweet 16. Everyone dwells on the Cinderellas that made it out of the first round and how this might be the year of Southern Illinois or whoever. But almost always the Sweet 16 weekend brings those dreams to an abrupt end, and the real contenders emerge. There’s no question that the college football scene is muddled this year, but that’s only because the presence of a loss or two is making us think a little beyond the default undefeated=best rule.

There are still several unbeaten football teams – most as a result of schedule. That’s not to say that teams like Boston College or Kansas aren’t good; by this point in the season you have to have beaten someone to remain undefeated, and they have. Who knows – one of them just might survive the rest of the season. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that a relative lightweight survives their schedule without a blemish. It’s reasonable though that most, if not all, of these teams will lose and end up with nice but irrelevant seasons.

Meanwhile, teams like LSU, Oklahoma, and, yes, even Southern Cal (has a premature obituary for a program ever been written more quickly?) are right there hanging around, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see things shake out over the next month to see these familiar names separate themselves a little. Until then, we’ll continue to fantasize and fret over a Kansas – Arizona St. title game.

It is interesting to see the issue of being undefeated vs. strength of schedule come up. We live by the bogus "every game is a playoff" mantra, yet it doesn’t seem quite right that LSU’s triple-overtime loss automatically makes them drop below Boston College. It’s good to see people discussing this problem. Obviously there’s a line somewhere; sooner or later you have to actually win regardless of the strength of your schedule. Still, is it heresy to suggest that the best team at the end of the season might have two losses? Or is it time to throw up our hands and say that trying to determine the "best" team is a quixotic pursuit?

It’s this pursuit of the perfect record that leads us to less-than-desirable scheduling. We can debate the merits of a strong schedule, but as it is now, schedule is secondary and a status symbol. Winning is paramount. As long as a single loss continues to carry such a heavy penalty, it remains in the best interests of major programs to schedule accordingly.

Earlier this summer, I questioned the assumption that the Georgia Tech passing game had nowhere to go but up with Taylor Bennett (or anyone not named Reggie Ball). No less a writer than Furman Bisher said that Gailey owed Tech fans an explanation for sticking with Ball after watching Bennett’s Gator Bowl performance. I pointed out that Gailey had in fact opened the door for someone like Bennett to take the position during Ball’s career,

Bisher asserts that “Chan Gailey stubbornly stuck with Ball,” but Gailey did try someone else when Ball was struggling, even if it wasn’t Bennett. Damarius Bilbo got a chance against the Dawgs and was even worse. 3 completions, 10 attempts, and 29 yards. Gailey eventually gave up and went back to his starter. The quarterback position was up for grabs several times during Ball’s four years, and each time he held off the competitors. Against challenges from Bilbo, Pat Clark, and Bennett, Ball stood out time after time. Tech’s own official site declared the position up for competition entering the 2005 spring practice, but Ball emerged again with a clear-cut victory.

It’s finally Bennett’s turn, and we’ve now had half of a season to see if that grass really was greener. Get the Picture looks at the results so far and concludes, “I think it’s safe to say at this point that, at least with regard to choosing his starting quarterback, Chan Gailey isn’t a stupid man.”

As expected, the weak passing game doesn’t make a bad team. I wasn’t the only one thinking that “behind Choice and another quality defense, I think they’ll be rather good.” Tashard Choice and, to a greater extent, the defense are proving to be the biggest factors keeping Tech above water this year and likely headed for another bowl bid.

Poor, misunderstood Dink NeSmith.

After last week’s column met with criticism, he follows up with a response published in the Red & Black. Given the distribution list for his first column, you’ll also probably find his response in the Florida Times-Union, Boston Globe, Financial Times, and in among the coupons in your local Pennysaver.

He seems surprised that the column generated debate and pushback. Could his intent have been anything other than stirring the pot? The Journal-Constitution, Banner-Herald, and Red & Black didn’t come to him begging for a rudimentary analysis of the Georgia football program. He went looking for them and the Bulldog fans who read them. Other than suggesting that the Bible is a hoax, I don’t know of many other Dawg fans who could get the same opinion piece published in three unaffiliated newspapers. All hail the power of the First Amendment!

My issue with NeSmith’s column remains the same even after this response.

NeSmith sought out publication in (at least) three newspapers to basically tell Mark Richt that his team needs to hustle a little more.

He does a nice job of marginalizing those who disagree with him. If you agree – good news! You’re clearly in the majority of fans who can see the "truth." If not, you’re some hothead who can do little but hurl insults at a poor, loyal Bulldog who’s just trying to offer a little friendly and constructive advice to the ol’ coach we all love.

I admit that I have not been watching football or doing much of anything else for all of 41 years. When I reach that age, perhaps I’ll be able to identify that a close loss turned on defensive hustle and intensity and not on athletic ability, experience, execution, preparation, scheme and playcalling, or any combination of those. There is no question that the Dawgs have looked pretty bad at times lately. To conclude that the root cause is a simplistic question of "giving it all we’ve got" is barely the stuff of a message board rant let alone "constructive criticism" worthy of publication in Georgia newspapers. Even if you do accept that intensity is a problem, does he really think that the coaches won’t recognize it without his help?

I’ll give NeSmith this: he is correct when he says that Richt already has an incentive-based contract. Every coach does. If Richt’s teams don’t win and revenues decline, he’ll be replaced just as his two predecessors were. That’s a pretty clear incentive. Apparently that’s not good enough.

Let’s try this: if, as NeSmith says, "football is a huge economic engine for the University," why base our hypothetical incentives on wins? The scoreboard in business is the bottom line. During the successful Mark Richt era, the "Athletic Association’s cash register" is overflowing. Georgia has even earned the title of the nation’s most profitable athletic department. We all know that football drives the bottom line of athletic departments in this part of the world. If we’re going to dangle financial incentives in front of Richt, why shouldn’t they be based on the financial performance of the organization?

Hopefully we won’t get yet another response (look in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine to be certain) because the substance leaks from each subsequent piece like a week-old balloon. He concludes, "We’ll bleed for you and our team." What the heck does that mean? What is this fascination with Erk and blood?

UPDATE: Naturally the Senator is a step ahead of me. Lots of good points in there, including a thought-provoking question about incentives. If pay-per-win would work for Richt, why not for the players? Adding to that thought, if Richt and staff deserve a bonus when players graduate, why wouldn’t the graduates also get a check with their diplomas? It’s not as if Richt is the one going to class and taking the exams.

Matchups

Two of the big matchups in this game concern me.

Auburn and LSU showed that a defense that can attack the spread option and cause disruption behind the line of scrimmage can have success against Florida. I’m not so sure that it’s a blueprint that Georgia can follow. The first issue is pressure from the defensive line. Geno Atkins has helped in this area, but a good push hasn’t really been the hallmark of the Georgia defense this year. I’d like to see Atkins start in Jacksonville; he’s the closest thing Georgia has to someone capable of getting to Tebow before he gets going. The defensive front did play better against Vanderbilt, so that’s a step in the right direction.

Then when you get past the defensive front, assignments come into play. One way to test the experience and discipline level of a linebacker is to throw some misdirection at him. Georgia’s patchwork linebacking corps struggled with Vanderbilt’s option and reverses last weekend, and Florida’s spread option is orders of magnitude more complex. Marcus Washington’s return might help, but smart, fast, and disciplined play from the linebackers as well as big hitters like Rashad Jones will be put to the test.

Then there’s the matchup on the other side of the ball. Knowshon Moreno might be Georgia’s most consistent and exciting weapon on offense, but Florida’s rushing defense is their strength. It’s actually a bit odd – the Gators are average-at-best when it comes to sacks and tackles for loss, but they are Top 15 in the nation against the run. If they have a relative weakness on defense, it’s against the pass. Georgia’s best chance might be through the air, but they have struggled with inaccuracy and drops. Sooner or later Stafford is going to start hitting receivers down the field, and it might as well be in this game.

In Florida’s two losses, Auburn and LSU attacked Florida differently. Auburn wasn’t able to run the ball, but their protection held, and Brandon Cox was able to pick off chunks of yards through the air. LSU was more effective running the ball, but they used their own spread approach involving heavy use of the quarterback in the running game. Depth might have come into play at the end of the game as Jacob Hester was able to power into the heart of that Gator run defense.

Offense

7, 13, 24, 26, 14, 17, 7, 37, 7, 14, 23, 10, 13, 13, 31, 10, 14.

Those are the point totals put up by Georgia against Florida since 1990. It’s an average of 16.5 PPG including the two wins, and it’s closer to 15 PPG under Mark Richt. While the high-profile offenses of Spurrier and Meyer have defined Florida over that time, the Cocktail Party has more or less been determined by Georgia’s (in)ability to put up points. So while the coverage leading up to the game dwells on Willie Martinez and the game plan against Tebow, some attention should also be paid to the creativity and resourcefulness of Richt, Bobo, and the rest of the offensive staff to get what they can from the personnel. Even if the defense is somewhat effective in its approach, it’s asking a lot to expect a win in this game if the Dawgs can’t break the 20-point mark.

Georgia has scored over 20 points in regulation only once in five SEC games this season.

Location

The merits of the Jacksonville location came up for discussion over the summer as they always do. There was no doubt then that the location of the game was in the heads of Georgia players and coaches. The question will almost certainly be put to the Dawgs again over the next week. Watch the quotes we get on the subject for a look into the frame of mind with which the team will approach the game.

My response last week to Dink NeSmith’s opinion piece was visited and discussed more than anything I’ve written in some time. I appreciate all who had something to say on the subject whether or not you agreed with me. The tone and passion in the initial column as well as the responses and discussion that has taken place since tells us that the program is close to a tipping point.

As I sat in Vanderbilt Stadium on Saturday night at halftime, I wasn’t thinking much about the second half. Instead I was starting to get a picture of the Georgia fan base after a second straight loss to Vanderbilt, and it wasn’t a pleasant picture. NeSmith’s column would have seemed like a love letter compared with two weeks of bloodletting following a loss in that game.

That scant three-point win over a good-but-not-that-good Vanderbilt team meant a lot of things, but most importantly it saved the fan base from completely going off the deep end. Last year’s loss to Vanderbilt was a shock to the system. A consecutive loss to the Commodores on the heels of another decisive loss to Tennessee might have been the point of no return for the strong base of support enjoyed by Mark Richt.

By no means should the win be taken as a sign that all is well or back to normal. Problems persist on both sides of the ball, depth at key positions like linebacker and tailback has taken several hits, and the schedule gets no easier. I don’t want to make a big deal over a win against Vanderbilt, but the second half performance of the team does say a little something about their pride. The "here we go again" panic could have certainly taken hold in the locker room at halftime; I can assure you that it was present in the stands. Granting that even the second half comeback had its shaky moments, I give them plenty of credit for not packing it in and making enough plays to get the win without which the program probably couldn’t have survived.

The win served as a temporary levee against a torrent of public opinion that would have swept over the program had they lost. With a bye week ahead, we’ll see what the coaching staff can do to make that barrier stronger. With a very tough stretch coming up against three of the top 20 BCS teams, the job ahead must seem like re-engineering New Orleans.

A bye week at this point in the season provides a chance to rest and recharge for the team and the fans. It also provides some time for introspection, and we’ll see no shortage of state-of-the-Dawgs stuff over the next week. At least with a win that introspection might be a little more level-headed and a little less emotional than it surely would have been after a loss.

Dink NeSmith isn’t your ordinary Georgia alumnus and fan. He’s a successful Athens businessman, publisher of newspapers throughout the southeast, former president of the Alumni Association, and chairman of the Athens ’96 Committee during the 1996 Olympics. He’s carried the Olympic torch. He is also an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the UGA Athletic Association. You get the point.

So when someone like Mr. NeSmith submits a guest column to the Journal-Constitution about the state of the Georgia football program, it gets one’s attention. This is the kind of fire and brimstone that will surely be circulated among countless e-mail chains and resonate with many in the fan base looking for answers (and any target for blame) after a troubling loss at Tennessee. Unfortunately, NeSmith’s column demonstrates that the emotions of college football can turn even respected pillars of the community into patronizing and spoiled know-it-alls.

Romanticizing the past has been a popular technique of coping this week, and NeSmith begins his column recalling the memory of watching Georgia beat Florida in the rain. Of course that 51-0 win in 1968 was two years removed from Steve Spurrier’s final season at Florida, but we’re not here to quibble over minor points about games from 40 years ago.

The larger point is that our dreamy recollection of the glory days necessarily smoothes over the bumps and ends up robbing us of perspective.

The legend of Erk Russell is still vivid, and the image of a bloody forehead serves as an icon for an attitude and an intensity associated with his defenses. But Russell’s story is an example that outward intensity and even scheme aren’t, by themselves, means to an end. Erk bled no less during disappointing 1977 and 1979 seasons than he did in 1976 or 1980. The tandem of Dooley and Russell had more than a couple of down seasons along the way including a few losing campaigns – a low point Mark Richt hasn’t come close to approaching in seven seasons. In this current climate, one wonders if Dooley and Russell would have lasted long enough to see Herschel, Buck, and Lindsay.

NeSmith makes a common assumption that millions of dollars, top recruiting classes, and world-class facilities are unique to Georgia and are a competitive advantage. In fact, those attributes are just the ticket to the party. They allow you to be competitive in the SEC. “Competitive in the SEC” is understating Mark Richt’s impact at Georgia. A petulant demand that “it’s past time for the investments to pay off” not two years after Georgia’s second SEC title under Richt is plain insulting. NeSmith, as a ticket holder for over 40 years, should know better. His tone is that of someone who jumped on the bandwagon in 2002.

When has Richt ever been embarrassed by Steve Spurrier or Urban Meyer? He has a winning record over Phil Fulmer, one of the most successful coaches in the nation over the past 15 years. It is “unacceptable” for anyone, Athletic Board or not, to lecture Mark Richt in this manner while completely misrepresenting the state of the program. None of us knows whether the current slump is a temporary valley or a more permanent trend, but we also recognize signs that the staff isn’t complacent and satisfied with the status quo.

We also have the obligatory nod to academics. Though I believe a coach is not directly responsible for the graduation of his players, let’s say that he is. The most recent APR for Georgia football is second-best in the SEC and well above NCAA guidelines. As the APR is the NCAA’s measurement of eligibility and retention of current student-athletes, the “immediate and sustained improvement” that NeSmith sees fit to mandate is already underway. Anyone associated with the Athletic Board surely knows that fact.

None of us were pleased or even neutral about the performance we saw last Saturday. Most of us have vented about it one way or another in public or private, and we all have the right to voice our opinion no matter how vicious or blindly supportive it might be. But someone of NeSmith’s stature seeking out media venues at this time to air such vague and unverifiable claims of too often being “out-coached, out-hustled and out-classed” is different. When one’s opinion, especially in a public forum, is likely to be taken with such gravity, there is a responsibility to put a little more thought into it. You expect more than this fantasy compensation scheme.

As I noted up top, NeSmith is plenty connected. If he really desired a heart-to-heart conversation with Mark Richt or even Damon Evans, I doubt he would be turned away. I have to wonder about the motivation for dispatching this missive to the AJC and the Red & Black. Despite the backhanded “I believe in you,” is he serving public notice to Richt on his own or on behalf of a larger group of dissatisfied boosters? You can be fairly certain that the recruiting effort of which NeSmith so glowingly speaks will now have to deal with rumors of eroding support.

Sic ’em, woof, woof!

A look around the SEC and college football landscape:

First, a tip of the hat to Jim Harbaugh. The new Stanford coach has been poking Southern Cal with a stick ever since he took the job. Maybe Southern Cal never really took this game seriously, but they usually stomp mudholes in teams that talk up the upset. Not so this time. While the Cardinal have looked awful for most of this season, they backed up Harbaugh’s braying in this one.

While Ohio State is a long way away from breezing through the rest of their schedule, would they be the least-heralded undefeated Big 10 team ever? Teams like Illinois and Wisconsin (and of course Michigan) will have their shot, but the Buckeyes have faced a few moderately decent challenges so far with few problems.

LSU is going to be pushed a few more times this season. The impressive multi-faceted running game is tough to stop, but the offense is going to struggle to put good teams away without a playmaker like Doucet in the passing game. The defense is plenty good enough to keep most teams from challenging them, but an undefeated season for the Tigers might include one or two more close calls.

You’re not hearing as much these days from the Alabama fans who had so much fun at the expense of Auburn a few weeks ago.

Southern Cal, Arizona State, Cal, and Oregon might give the Pac 10 the strongest top four of any conference. Consider some of the others:

• SEC: LSU, Florida, …, South Carolina?, Auburn?
• ACC: Boston College, Va Tech, …, FSU? Clemson?
• Big 10: Ohio State, Illinois, Wisconsin, …, Michigan?
• Big East: South Florida, West Virginia, …, Louisville? Rutgers?
• Big 12: Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska?

Arizona State gets tested beginning this weekend with Washington and then will play 3 of their next 4 against Cal, SoCal, and Oregon. There’s bound to be some shaking out within the next month. Still, it’s been an impressive six weeks for those four teams (even with Southern Cal’s loss).

Tennessee, South Carolina, and Kentucky currently lead the SEC East with one loss each. I don’t expect that grouping to hold through the end of the season, but Tennessee suddenly has the inside track to win the division. They don’t play LSU, don’t play Auburn, and they’ve already played Florida and Georgia. Their toughest remaining games are against South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas. Those games won’t be easy, but the Vols should be favored in at least two of them. Tennessee’s game against South Carolina in Knoxville could determine the East, though the Gamecocks still have Florida remaining.

All that said, I don’t believe too much in reading into a single game, and Tennessee still had plenty of problems earlier this year. I still expect Florida to emerge somehow, but a single loss to Kentucky, Georgia (wishful thinking I know), or South Carolina would sink the Gators.

Is there any conference race less interesting or more difficult to follow than the ACC? Even though BC is undefeated, with the haphazard distribution of the divisions I fully expect to see completely random and irrelevant teams like Maryland and Miami play for the conference title. Maryland and Miami might even be in the same ACC division. Are they Atlantic or Coastal?

Not since the Auburn game in 1999 has Georgia been so completely overwhelmed and taken out of a game by halftime.

Many people expected somewhat of a shootout. We knew Tennessee could score and thought they might put up some points.  What was completely surprising was Georgia’s inability to do nearly anything on offense in the first half.  The first series had a run stuffed and then two poorly-thrown shots down the field, and it didn’t get much better.  Against one of the SEC’s statistically worst defenses, even first downs were rare causes for celebration.

It was the Georgia defense that looked like one of the SEC’s shakiest units.  Tackling was woeful enough to bring new life to a struggling Tennessee running game, and the powerful Tennessee passing game was left to just efficiently fill in chunks of yards as needed.

Special teams and the intangibles we all thought might determine the outcome never had a chance to enter the equation. 

Now to add injury to insult, Thomas Brown is out for at least four weeks with a broken collarbone.

What now?

A loss to Tennessee that was disturbing in its own way last season turned out to be just the beginning.  The Dawgs went even lower losing three of their next four and just survived against Mississippi State. 

Vandy awaits again, and as crazy as it might sound, the Dawgs have to go to Nashville with a sense of urgency.  This week and the off week ahead is their chance to regroup as Tennessee did and sort out what they can this year. 

Vandy is now a “must win.”  I think I’m going to be sick.