Looking Back at Ole Miss

What the hell, Georgia fans? Why is it that everywhere I go, people seemed to be upset about the outcome of the game this past Saturday. Why? Was the game perfect, certainly not. But it was a solid victory over an SEC team on the road. Here are my thoughts on Saturday's victory and what it means going forward.

• First things first, the defense was dominant. Holding a team to under 200 yards of offense, whether it is Ole Miss or Soutwestern Prairie View State means you had a solid effort from your defensive squad. Coach Grantham's guys are finally starting to figure things out and it shows. And my counter argument to, it was only Ole Miss, is that they still did not have 200 yards even with a trick play that went for almost 40. Take out the drive where they scored their only offensive TD, and the Rebels gained around 130 yards. That's awesome.
• Crowell is becoming the feature back we thought. He had big run after big run in the first. And even though he was clearly winded in the second, he still made some nice cuts to pick up extra yards. Samuel is serviceable, if he would just learn to stay on his feet. And Carlton Thomas is slowly but surely making me a believer.
• Hello Aron White. Glad to see our other tight end finally make an impact.
• Offensive play calling was much better, but I did not understand the reasoning for going so conservative when the lead was only 11.
• Justin Anderson is not good, but unfortunately he is all we have got right now.
• Murray looked better this week than he did against Coastal Carolina. Too bad Bobo won't let him take more shots down field. The interception was on OC, not Murray. The only bad 'lock on' moment I saw was the 4th and goal when he tried to pass to Crowell. But the pass interference was called, so it doesn't really matter.
• Special teams is really struggling right now. Part of it is players (Walsh-what the hell) and a lot of it is coaching. After great games against the Carolina school, Brandon Boykin had a bad day on kick returns. Drew Butler continues to kick well, however.
• Shawn Williams is a beast. I can't wait to see him and Olgetree back in the same lineup. Remember that the defense did all this on Saturday without Ogletree and Christian Robinson.
• What is the biggest difference in Georgia's pass defense now vs. 2 years ago? Now, the corners and safeties actually play the ball instead of the crap Willie used to have them do. I saw at least three break ups that could have been catches if the players had not watched the ball and knocked it down.

So, at the end of the day, it was a horrible Ole Miss team that we let hang around a little too much. But was the final outcome ever really in doubt? I don't think so. This game reminded me a lot of the 2008 game at Arizona State. If the Dawgs defense can continue the momentum this week against a Mississippi State team that needed OT to beat Louisiana Tech, the Dawgs could have a winning record for the first time since opening day in 2010.

10 Things About Ole Miss and This Week's Prediction

Georgia will be in Oxford tomorrow to take on the lowly Rebels of Mississippi. Is it fair to call them lowly? When you just got drubbed 30-7 by Vanderbilt and you don't play in division 1-AA or the WAC, then yes. Here are 10 things to know about Ole Miss:

1. Their mascot is now the Ole Miss Black Bear. This is after they got rid of Colonel Reb and they had students vote on who the new mascot should be. The bear won over the likes of the land shark. They should have went with Admiral Ackbar (damn you George Lucas!)

2. They haven't won a conference championship since 1963. That is a long time for a team that some consider to be a good football school.

3. They replaced Coach O with Houston Nutt and after winning back to back Cotton Bowls after the 2008 and 2009 seasons, the Rebels have looked terrible. Maybe they should have kept Coach O and the wild boyz.

4. While I have never been to the Grove, I have heard it is amazing. Too bad the campus administrators took away Georgia's only area that was even remotely close (North Campus).

5. That being said, why the hell do Ole Miss fans hang chandeliers under the tents at tailgates. It just seems strange.

6. Eli Manning was better than college than he has been in the NFL, but in college they couldn't win a conference championship, let alone a national title. In the NFL, Eli helped the Giants beat the undefeated Patriots.

7. Dexter McCluster and Patrick Willis are two of my favorite SEC players of all time. I loved watching Willis club people with the cast on his hand during his senior year.

8. Ole Miss has put up horrible numbers on both offense and defense this year against pathetic competition. They are probably better than the numbers indicate. But Georgia's defense is also much better than the statistics indicate (especially scoring defense).

9. I can't name a single current Ole Miss player off the top of my head right now. That is how bad they are.

10. Georgia should not lose this game. This would be about on the level of losing to Colorado last year.

Georgia 41, Ole Miss 20

When We Last Met: Ole Miss Edition

The last meeting between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Ole Miss Rebels was during the 2007 season. It was a game that showed the potential that would be realized down the stretch that year, but it was before the debacle that was the 2007 game in Knoxville. Interestingly enough, this game started out looking like it would be a Georgia loss.

Ole Miss already had a 7-0 lead when they drove to the Georgia one yard line. But before they could go in for the two score lead, a fumble by Ole Miss QB Seth Adams lead to a Georgia recovery. From there on, the game was all Georgia.

Many of us remember the great year that Knowshon Moreno had in 2007 and we often forget the accomplishments of then senior Thomas Brown. The Ole Miss game was arguably the best game of Brown's career, as he rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns on only 16 carries. Add in 90 yards and touchdown from Knowshon Moreno and 43 yards from walk-on Kalvin Daniels, and the Dawgs finished with 328 yards rushing on the day. This was the first game under Coach Richt where the Dawgs rushed for over 300 yards.

After falling behind early, the Dawgs defense played solidly throughout the remainder of the game. They forced two turnovers (the fumble in the first quarter and later, a Brondon Miller interception) and held Ole Miss to single second half touchdown.

Final Score: Georgia 45, Ole Miss 17

Coach O is still crying

Classic.

Carolina is Done, On to Mississippi

The Georgia Bulldogs completed their two game set against schools from South Carolina on Saturday with a 59-0 domination of Coastal Carolina. And while everyone expected the Dawgs to easily dispatch the Chanticleers, they did in convincing fashion which has not been the norm for Georgia against cupcake schools. This was a domination in every sense of the word and it was just what the Dawgs needed after two tough opponents to open the season. Just a couple of quick observations:

• The burst that Crowell had on his first quarter touchdown was ridiculous. This kid is the real deal, both running past people and through them. Let's hope for 20 touches this week.
• The line was dominating. Even though they did not record a sack, they were making plays in the backfield and keeping the quarterback on the run from start to finish.
• Blair Walsh has some issues right now. One second he misses a 35 yards, the next he makes it from 56. One kickoff looks horrible, the next sails through the back of the end zone. We need him to get this right.
• Great game by Shawn Williams filling in at ILB. It makes me feel a lot better about facing Miss State without Ogletree.
• Aaron Murray is struggling right now. He throws into coverage too much and seems to have lost the ability to throw on the run. Wasn't that one of strengths last year?
• Happy to see Ray Drew finally make his debut. He looked pretty good, making a few tackles and getting some good pressure on the QB.
  

Lots of freshmen played and some backups, including Hutson Mason, got some work. Overall, it was a near perfect game between the hedges. This week, the Dawgs head to Oxford for the first of two games against the state of Mississippi. In 2006, Georgia swept Mississippi, but only after struggling in both contests. Ole Miss is coming off a bad loss to Vanderbilt and looks to be the weakest team in the conference this season. Hopefully the Dawgs can pick up their first SEC win of the season and continue the improvements we have seen over the last two weeks.

A couple of other thoughts:

• I attended the most insane high school football game I have ever seen in the Georgia Dome on Saturday night. It was my high school (South Gwinnett) vs. my wife and step brother's high school (Central Gwinnett). The final score was South 63, Central 55. The game featured over 1,300 yards of offense between the two teams, ten turnovers, and about 40 penalties. Apparently, no one plays defense in high school football anymore (I'm kidding, just not in this game). Malaci(sp) Jones, the younger brother of Notre Dame wideout TJ Jones, had like 280 yards and five touchdowns. We need to make this kid an offer.
• Penn State has to score late to beat Temple. Ohio State gets beaten by Miami. And Notre Dame knocks off Michigan State. People want to talk about the SEC East being down, but they need to be talking about the Big Ten getting beat up as well.
• Pitt and Syracuse are joining the ACC...and I don't really care. This definitely feels like a basketball move. The Big East is pretty much dead. The team I feel bad for is TCU, who was finally moving to a major conference only to see that conference dissolve before they get there. Maybe Boise State will them come back to the MWC. With the ACC growing, don;t expect any of those schools to jump to the SEC. West Virginia or Missouri are the most likely candidates for team #14.
• Florida State is back...almost.
  
• What a devastating injury for Justin Hunter of Tennessee. That leaves Tyler Bray with only Da'Rick to throw to. We'll see how is stats hold up.
• LSU at West Virginia on Saturday night in Morgantown is going to be a hell of a scene.

And lastly, I want to mention that Georgia alum Kyle Chandler won the Emmy last night for his portrayal of Coach Eric Taylor on Friday Night Lights. I have mentioned quotes from the show numerous times on the blog and it was one of my favorite shows on TV. I was sad to see it end, but glad to finally see Chandler's excellent performance recognized.

Ole Miss Mascot - From Old Southern Gentleman to Star Wars Alien?

Ole Miss's new mascot? You've got to be kidding!

I'll admit it, I am huge Star Wars fan. Call me a geek, but George Lucas's space opera is one my favorite movie series of all time. Star Wars has carved its own little space in the college football world because of the film's music (created by John Williams). And while Auburn playing the imperial death march is fine and dandy, never would I figure a Star Wars character could appear on the sidelines of a major college football program. That may all change in the near future.

The AJC is reporting that the Ole Miss student body is currently pushing for Star Wars character Admiral Ackbar to be their new mascot. Ole Miss is currently searching for a replacement for Colonel Reb, whom the school retired a few years ago after some felt the mascot was not politically correct. The students are voting for the new mascot online. How does Admiral Ackbar connect to Ole Miss? Because in The Return of the Jedi, Admiral Ackbar was the commander on the Rebel Alliance. Ole Miss Rebels...Rebel Alliance...makes sense, right? Yeah, not so much.

Seriously Ole Miss, if you let this happen you will become the laughing stock of the SEC. Can't you just get an old dog (Georgia, MSU, Tennessee), cat (LSU), or other annoying animal (see Auburn's Eagle, Florida's Gators, or Cocky)? Seriously, Vanderbilt would never consider replacing the Commodore with a walking Commodore 64!

This is the SEC. In the words of Admiral Ackbar himself, switching your mascot to a Star Wars character is a trap!

Lets leave the Sci-Fi and fantasy stuff to the Nerds.

COVER CURSE CONTINUES: OLE MISS EDITION

Ole Miss has become the latest victim of the Sports Illustrated Cover Curse.

Four teams were featured on regional covers this year. Two of those other teams, Oregon and Oklahoma State, have both suffered embarrassing losses this year. Ole Miss becomes the latest victim after the egg they laid last night (even though so many were expecting it).

There's only one team left from this year's covers, and that's Penn State. They just happen to have a big game against Iowa this weekend, and they were upset by the Hawkeyes last year.

You're officially on the watch, Nittany Lions!

Streit's Bowl Picks: SEC Edition

The bowl season is almost halfway over and now the real bowls can begin. The SEC has sent 8 teams to bowls for the 2008-2009 season (the only guys missing out are Mississippi State, Auburn, Arkansas, and Tennessee). Below are my picks for all of the SEC games, including Georgia's match up with Michigan State, leading up to the BCS Championship. I will preview that game in a later post.

Music City Bowl - Boston College vs. Vanderbilt

Vandy finally qualified for a bowl game for the first time in 26 years and they get to travel to... Nashville. That's right, they get to stay home and play Boston College in their home town. Vanderbilt was everyones early season darling, jumping out to a 5-0 start and a top 15 ranking. But, the Commodores soon returned to Earth and lost 6 of their final 7 games (including an embarrassing loss to Duke). Boston College was not expected to compete for the ACC Championship in their first year PMR (Post Matt Ryan). The Eagles ended the regular season strong, winning their final 4 games before falling to Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship. Boston College improved during the season while Vandy seemed to get worse.

Boston College 37, Vanderbilt 13

Chick-Fil-A Bowl - LSU vs. Georgia Tech

As much as the Georgia defense was a disappointment this season, LSU's defense was worse. LSU allowed 31 points in each of its final 3 games to the likes of Troy, Ole Miss, and Arkansas. Lesticles does not have a solid option at QB with Jarrett Lee continuing to throw touchdowns to the wrong team and Jordan Jefferson still a year away from being ready to take the reins. Receiver Brandon LeFell and RB Charles Scott are big time players, but the lack of a QB hurts the Bayou Bengals. Georgia Tech has become a media darling this season with Paul Johnson's triple option attack working better than most thought it would. ACC player of the year Jonathan Dwyer, Roddy Jones, and Josh Nesbitt will be a tough task for the LSU defense. most people are picking Tech to win this one, but I think there will be an upset.

LSU 31, Georgia Tech 27

Outback Bowl - South Carolina vs. Iowa

Steve Spurrier's Palmetto State chickens finished an up and down 2008 season with a loss to rival Clemson and a 7-5 record. Outside of WR Kenny McKinley (who missed part of the season with injury) Carolina never found a true identity on offense. The strength of the SC team is their defense led by linebackers Eric Noorwood and Jasper Brinkley. The 'Cocks will be without leading tackler Emanuel Cook, who has been suspended by Coach Steve Spurrier. The Carolina defense ranked 11th in the nation, one spot ahead of the Iowa Hawkeyes. For Iowa, the game plan is all about defense and running back Shonn Greene. Greene beat out Knowshon Moreno and Javon Ringer for the Doak Walker Award by putting up big time numbers for the 8-4 Hawkeyes. The edge in this game goes to Iowa because of their ability to pull a major upset (of then #2 Penn State).

Iowa 20, South Carolina 14

Cotton Bowl - Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech

Houston Nutt surprised a lot of people in his first season in Oxford by winning eight games. I was not one of those people. With Texas transfer Jevan Snead under center and a new attitude on the sideline, I expected the Ole Miss program to have a strong 2008. Jevan Snead and WR/HB Dexter McCluster lead an explosive Mississippi offense. The question is, will they be able to keep up with Mike Leach's Red Raiders? Graham Harrel and Michael Crabtree lead the Texas Tech offense that scored 535 points this season. This team reached as high as #2 in the rankings and also gave one of the most memorable moments of 2008:

Texas Tech 45, Ole Miss 38

Liberty Bowl - Kentucky vs. East Carolina

Kentucky gave Georgia a scare this season when it finally found its QB of the future in Randall Cobb. The 'Cats were riddled with injuries this year, and after a 4-0 start lost 6 of their last 8 games. East Carolina also started the the season with some big wins, dropping Virginia Tech and West Virginia in consecutive weeks. But, disappointing losses to NC State, Houston, and Virginia derailed their BCS dreams. The Pirates recovered and won the Conference USA Championship by beating Tulsa. Even with ECU's impressive wins, I think Kentucky has a chance to pull the upset.

Kentucky 27, East Carolina 21

Sugar Bowl - Utah vs. Alabama

Another non-BCS school gets to take on the SEC in the Sugar Bowl. This sucks and I expect to see a similar story to play out as the one that happened last year. Nick Saban will have the Crimson Tide ready for the Utes and I expect the defense to have a field day. The Tide offense, while not explosive, will do enough between the running of Glenn Coffee, the passing of JPW, and the receiving of Julio Jones to put up 40 points. Without consensus All-America OL Andre Smith, suspended for violation of team rules, Alabama will need to get the ball out of the backfield a little quicker than usual. Don't look for that to cause Saban too many headaches in the game planning. Utah still runs a variation of the offense left by Urban Meyer, so look for them to use a similar scheme to that which was used by Florida in the SEC Championship. This game won't be as ugly as Georgia's destruction of Hawaii was, but another easy win for 'Bama none the less.

Alabama 45, Utah 24

Capital One Bowl - Georgia vs. Michigan State

At this point, we all know the big story line of this game is the match up between Knowshon Moreno and Javon Ringer. Both backs had great seasons and were finalists for the Doak Walker Award. The Dawgs were a preseason #1 team that underachieved and lost big games while the Spartans were a middle of the pack Big 10 team who is hoping to get to 10 wins for the first time since Nick Saban left for LSU. Rather than carry on about statistics, I'm just going to give my opinion on this game: Georgia should win rather easily. Georgia's offense boasts several top-tier college players: in addition to Knowshon Moreno, consider the fact that Matt Stafford and the combination of AJ Green and Mohammed Massaquoi have become one of the best QB/WR combos in the country. While Georgia may have struggled on D over the last few games, the offense has not. We are the better team and we should win. Ringer is a good back, but he averages only 4.2 yards a carry vs. 5.9 for Knowshon. If we step up and make tackles (yes, that is a big IF), we should stop Ringer in his tracks. And despite our struggles on D, we still ranked 28th in the country on total defense while Michigan State was 61st. I'm picking the Dawgs to pick up their 10th win of the season.

Georgia's 2009 New Year's Resolution: TACKLE BETTER!

Georgia 45, Michigan State 28

I'm headed to Orlando in the morning to cheer on the Dawgs. I'll be back next week with my National Championship Game preview as well as a season wrap up for Georgia.


GO DAWGS!!!