Friday, November 5, 2010

Let's make the most of this throwaway game

Note: this blog also appears on http://chuckoliver.net Go there and read it!!!

Saturday Georgia tees it up Between the Hedges when Idaho State comes to Athens. I know a win is a win but is this game honestly necessary? I would rather Georgia had an off week this week instead of playing Idaho State and then have Aubun waiting next week. The schedule-makers tried to do Georgia a favor I guess by making Idaho State the meat of a Florida/Auburn sandwich, but the Dawgs would probably benefit more from an off-week this week opposed to just a glorified scrimmage.

I am not certain why teams play these cupcakes this late in the season to be completely honest. Georgia is facing Idaho State. Florida is playing App State in two weeks and Auburn faces UT-Chattanooga this week. Ole Miss and Tennessee also face non-conference walkovers. I just have to ask why? Couldn’t we have gotten all of these easy wins out of the way early in the season? Perhaps if Georgia had faced Idaho State in game two and South Carolina tomorrow, the Dawgs would have been better prepared for the Gamecocks.

I can understand the AD’s perspective and why they want these games played late in the season: it is an off-week without calling it an off-week. But if that is the case, actually take a bye in October. Georgia has an off-week in two weeks, with one game to play.

As Georgia gets ready for Idaho State, clearly the goal will be to help Aaron Murray forget the first half of the Florida game as well as OT. Get him back to the level he was playing in the second half. The goal for the defense should be to atone for last week’s mistakes. If the ball is on the ground in a pack, FALL ON IT. Don’t try a scoop and score unless you are ALL ALONE. The defense will also want to maybe work on incorporating a spy to gear up for next week’s matchup against Auburn.

At the end of the day tomorrow, Georgia should be back to .500 with what SHOULD be an easy win over Idaho State and hopefully the team can shake off the hangover of the OT loss to Florida which ended the hopes of an SEC East title. The team may not realize it, but there is still plenty left to play for including a chance at taking down No.1 or 2 (depending on the BCS computers) Auburn and then driving a nail into Georgia Tech’s season. Win tomorrow and then sweep the Tigers and Jackets and suddenly an Outback Bowl may be back in play.

On a side note, thanks to Roomie, JCole and JCole's folks, Wifey and I will be headed out to the game tomorrow. SBF will have a full report on what should be a big Georgia win Sunday.

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