BNE 3rd Annual Pick 'Em: Week 5

UGA is 1-4. Let's be frank, we can evaluate this situation from all different angles, from blaming Richt for losing the ability to coach his players (both on and off the field) to Bobo not coaching in general, from the lack of skill-set players to run the new D to the plethora of talent not executing, the fact remains that something is wrong in Athens and the Dawgs have slipped to 1-4 this season. If it were just one thing it would be blatantly obvious, but in this case, I think we're looking at a systemic failure across the whole team top to bottom, and the team is in a fog as a result.

I'll be honest, I was the one and only person who picked Colorado in the BNE Pick 'Em this week. It wasn't because I'm an Auburn fan or don't have faith in the Dawgs, I just saw a bad situation in a bad location for the Dawgs to turn this thing around. AJ Greene came back and proved why he is the best WR play maker in FBS this season. However, as I said in my last post, the altitude got to him and most of the team resulting in a lot of cramping and substitutions, and one man does not make a team. Altitude is a variable that has to be taken into account for any game played in higher elevations. This factor, coupled with the time change, the travel, and the intensity coming into a game with a 1-3 record only helped to disrupt a team already playing with little focus. I don't think UGA lost this game because of bad play (the fumble not withstanding), I feel everything else was stacked against the Dawgs before they even arrived.

Now sitting 1-4, UGA has an even greater sense of urgency to win coming into this week's game against the Vols. Luckily for the Dawgs, they're back in Athens. My only hope is that the fans are back as well and will have enough faith to back the Dawgs when things get tough. Richt has taken a suggestion from a fan to heart, and will lead the Dagws out onto the field this Saturday. I have a feeling he will lead them out and on to a win over Dooley. If not, he might be leading someone else off the field entirely...

Outside of this game, look for me on ESPN2 when I make the trek with the #8 Auburn Tigers as we go to face the Wildcat offense of Joker Phillips, Mike Hartline and the rest of the 3-2 Smurfcats in Lexington. We're favored by 6.5 and rightly so given our double come from behind wins against the state of South Carolina. I think I'll also be catching up on Bama and SUC, Arkrysaw and the Aggies at Texas Stadium, UCLA and Cal, and maybe Clemson and UNC just for fun.

And now for our top 5 leaders for the week followed by our overall leaders:

1. LostinAlabama making a midseason surge after a stint as our BFotW with 218 points and a 17-5 record
2. BLACKOUT with 210 points and a 16-6 record
3. woof woof with 209 going 16-6
4. Hayduke with 206 points yet managing a 14-8 record
5. AUMav's Picks with 199 points going 16-6

Our overall leaders:

1. woof woof with 1232 points and a 89-27 record
2. AUMav's Picks with 1192 points and a league-best 91-25 record
3. Hayduke just one point behind at 1191 and 85-31
4. Dawgsman81 with 1774 points and a 88-28 record
5. Silver Britches and allyugadawg with 1164 points and a 87-29 and 86-30 record respectively

Now that the cream has risen to the top, we can shift our focus to the bottom and our weekly Bottom Feeder of the Week, sponsored by http://www.georgiadogs.com/ , the official website of the UGA Athletics Department. This week's BFotW is OneHairyDawg with 151 points and a mediocre 13-9 record. What can I say OneHairyDawg, you're on a downward spiral much like the real Dawgs of UGA. You started off with such promise in Week 1 with 319 points going 21-6, just like UGA and their shiny new season, only to slip and fall over the next 4 consecutive weeks. And while this week you managed a 13-9 record, your picks showed a lack of focus and attention causing you to fumble into our BFotW...just like UGA did in Boulder. Picking Navy over an Air Force team that nearly beat Top 10 ranked Oklahoma, AND with 20 confidence points?? JoePa and a shallow offense over Iowa's swarming and fierce defensive line? And what did you see in Kansas to convince you to risk 11 points over Baylor? You must have been calling that pick in from the land of Oz. Seriously, much like UGA, you need to turn this around and fast. Four consecutive weeks of falling points! Wake up, make a change, try something different, don't go with the status quo, make smart choices, watch some tape! Hell, maybe even let your girlfriend pick 'em based on uniforms, or mascots, or cutest QB. Whatever you do, do it fast or else you and the Dawgs might share the same fate this week and head straight into a downward spiral.

Who wins? Smokey...

...or Uga?