Georgia on the Mind of Many, But Not Ours

Grace Riley Head coach Bobby Petrino keeps an eye on his Hogs' summer performance.

Georgia has become nearly every prognosticator's choice for 2008 Southeastern Conference champion, and certainly the talent is on hand for a run at the title. But before anyone bets the house on the Bulldogs to take the crown, let's examine how they became the popular pick to begin with.

Pretty much out of the SEC East race in October with two division losses, the Bulldogs finished 2007 with a flourish. Enough to attempt to make a case that it was worthy of a spot not just in a BCS bowl, but in the BCS Championship Game. Georgia argued it belonged in place of LSU, another two-loss team that at least won its way there as SEC champion.

Late in the season, Georgia impressively blew out Auburn in the second half at home. The Dawgs took apart Georgia Tech and lame-duck coach Chan Gailey. But this is also the same Georgia team that cannot seem to get over its bow-down-and-worship of South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, who outcoached Georgia's Mark Richt in a 16-12 game last year. Tennessee also ran roughshod over the Dawgs for the second straight year. Alabama, which a week before had pulled out a last-second win over Arkansas, let Georgia escape with an overtime win. Even Vanderbilt had the Dawgs on the ropes.

Then came the Sugar Bowl when the Bulldogs started 22 players better than Hawaii, including at quarterback. They easily won, leading many more to wonder if Georgia was just as good as anyone at season's end.

The Dawgs have the SEC's top returning rusher in Knowshon Moreno and a wondrous receiver with an equally wondrous name, Muhammad Massaquoi. Quarterback Matt Stafford was penciled in for college football greatness back when he was leading Highland Park in Dallas to a Texas state title, so if you believe Stafford finally got his feet in place as a college signal caller the last half of the season, then Georgia should have a banner year.

But Georgia also has one of the strangest schedules we've seen for a contender, including a dangerous road trip to Arizona State that could knock the Bulldogs down the polls, should they lose. They should clean up on Georgia Southern and Central Michigan to start the season, but the Bulldogs then have to prove at Columbia, S.C., that they don't fear Steve Spurrier.

The Dawgs have Alabama, Tennessee and Vandy in a row between the hedges in Athens, then comes a road run at LSU, Florida at Jacksonville, Kentucky and Auburn before wrapping up with Georgia Tech.

If Georgia survives these games and a likely rematch with LSU, Auburn or Alabama, or maybe even Ole Miss in the SEC Championship Game to make the BCS title match, then by all means, consider the Dawgs as good as they come.

The Rest of the East