Georgia's loss parallels ours to Florida in 2008 SECCG?

theballguy

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I see a lot of similarities in UGA's loss to our loss against Florida in 2008 SECCG. Yeah, we were favored in this game but let's be honest, UGA came into the game believing they would win. They and everyone else in the country were starting to see them as a team of destiny (well, other than Notre Dame). They really have begun to turn a corner. The penalties and slightly undisciplined play were their only un-doings -- and even then they weren't too bad. I think Bama is a better team this year than Georgia but not by much. I think we haven't seen the last of this team going into next year. I just hope for their sake (and the SEC's) that they don't lose to a "Utah" in their bowl game.
 

Condor 63

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Maybe...

The difference here is that Alabama was a once great that had been replaced by Florida as the team people expected to win in the SEC. Georgia is a great program, but they have never shown the ability to consistently dominate in the SEC. In other words Bama was just learning how to get their groove back. Georgia is still searching for that groove.

They can do it IMO - they have just never done it. Not yet anyway.

Can it be the spark they need to join the elites in the SEC and stay awhile? Sure....

It depends on Georgia.
 

92tide

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imho, no.

first of all, they lose a ton this year. a big group of guys got together to return for their senior years to get the title. also, there has been quite a bit of attrition from the "dream team" recruiting classes of UGA, not sure what product they will putting on the field next year. they pick up LSU and florida will be a much tougher out next year. still a pretty "meh" schedule though, so they could sneak into the championship game again, but i doubt it.

second, in 2008, saban, who was at the end of his second season rebuilding a mighty program had just finished mixing the cement that would pave his run (that i'm hoping doesn't crack anytime soon). richt is in what, year 12 at uga, i think this year he just filled in a mudhole with the gravel of talented seniors and a cakewalk schedule. he's not suddenly going to become a dominating coach.
 
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81usaf92

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I really dont see it so much, maybe their game last year with LSU was more comparable.

In 08 Florida lost early and had the famous Tebow speach egnited their team to levels no one thought was acheivable. No one really thought,outside Bama fans, thought Alabama had any advantage that would sway the experts pick. Bama was a very young team with future stars (Julio,Rolando,Ingram,etc), but they had one achillis heel... JPW. Dont get me wrong he was a decent qb when he could manage the game, but he couldnt win the game if he had to, which was one of the major differences in the 08 and 09 SECCG. We did well in the first 3 and a half quarters but Tebow just was too much to overcome that day.

UGA on the otherhand, is a very experienced team that has incredible talent and has been to the ATL a year before. UGA has a great QB and they have a very vicious defense. Plus a good many experts believed UGA had a very sizeable advantage on offense especially in the passing game. The only thing that made many people pick bama in this equally matched game was the Richt factor and the Saban factor. This game came down to the wire but Georgia just wasnt discipline enough to spike the ball and wasnt discipline enough to ignore instincts and just let the pass go.

bottom line: in 08 it was a peaking dynasty vs and a team learning what it takes to make a dynasty. in 12 it was a champion with few flaws vs a worthy challenger with few flaws
 

GeorgiaTider

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I see some parallels in the game, but as has been pointed out the direction of the losing team is different. We were moving up, but Georgia appears to have peaked. I am not sure how they will do the next few years. I expect them to return to a winning team who struggles. In many ways, Georgia is the Wisconsin of the SEC. Always good, but never the best.
 

Im_on_dsp

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imho, no.

first of all, they lose a ton this year. a big group of guys got together to return for their senior years to get the title. also, there has been quite a bit of attrition from the "dream team" recruiting classes of UGA, not sure what product they will putting on the field next year. they pick up LSU and florida will be a much tougher out next year. still a pretty "meh" schedule though, so they could sneak into the championship game again, but i doubt it.
Agreed. UGA is going to be in a rebuilding mode on defense next year. Plus, there is a good chance Murray will declare for the draft. Florida goes to the championship game next year from the East.
 

HartselleTider

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I don't see it. They'll lose way too much in the way of players heading to the NFL unless something bizarre happens and a lot of 'em stay.

Florida is the team that looks to have the more legitimate upward curve, although they stand to lose some quality players to the NFL too in the way of underclassman (Elam, Floyd) and Senior leadership with Jon Bostic.

Georgia's running game should be in good hands with Gurley and Marshall, but may be breaking in a freshman quarterback next year while Driskel took his lumps this year. Question in my mind for Florida is whether they'll have a running game next year with Gillislee moving on to the NFL. I always said that Florida wouldn't compete again until they were able to run between the tackles again... which they could do this year with Gillislee.... and couldn't do the past few years with 150 pound knats like Demps and Rainey.

However, I still think they're both looking up at South Carolina next year... even without Lattimore.
 

BigEasyTider

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I don't see it. Back in 2008 we were a program very much trending upwards that had a very young and inexperienced roster. No matter what happened in the '08 SECCG, our best football was still in front of us.

Just don't see the same with this Georgia team. We'll see how the draft goes, but UGA could take some brutal hits in the offseason. Already losing a good number of seniors, and several juniors could (likely will) leave early. Next year they will not have Cummings, Jenkins, Abry Jones, King, Rambo, Washington, and Williams, and you can probably say goodbye to Murray and Jarvis Jones, too. A guy like Alec Ogletree is probably also a first or second round pick if he leaves early.

I think you all know I'm not one to rub it in, but I think if they were ever going to get it done under Richt, this was probably their best chance.
 
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imaloyalone

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I don't really see the comparison between the two outside of Bama and UF being dominant teams. Georgia, even this year, has the reputation of underachieving relative to their talent level... and that reflects directly back to CMR. Being the dominant program in GA, UGA will always have the talent... but will they ever be able to "coach them up" to consistently challenge for the league crown. For the past two years, they have been the beneficiary of the easiest schedule in the east and last year were beneficiaries of a weak division. They realistically could get to Atlanta every year because of their talent, but unless CMR either changes or is gone, winning against a 0-2 loss West opponent will likely always end in defeat.
 

bamafaninOhiO

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Alabama, as a program, in 2008 simply had not peaked and was on the rise with a number of young players.

Georgia in 2012 peaked with a senior-laden team and fell short still.

So no, the losses are not comparable.

This is the biggest difference. Our 2008 squad was a young team which gained a LOT of experience from the loss....this Georgia team is a veteran group which will lose a bunch of experienced players who take the experience with them.
 

colbysullivan

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Going into the game, I actually thought Bama resembled Florida in 2009. Both teams had won 2 out of 3 National Championships and were looking to make it 3 out of 4. It turns out I was wrong, and we are on the way to a truly historic run :)
 

CapeHorn

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I agree with you BET, this was their year if they were going to do it. They will be good next year on O if Murray comes back but their D will be average at best. They will probably have their typical Ga year going somewhere around 9-4.
 

JIB

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UGA loses at least 8 guys off the defense including Jenkins, Jones, Ogletree and the entire secondary.

They do get pretty much everyone back on offense, so they'll be a handful there, but we all know how that book ends.
 

rgw

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Parallels all depends on the player's response to the game. I think this one hurts more in my opinion though the stakes were the same. They didn't play poorly, they were 4 yards from the endzone when time expired. Alabama had a complete offensive collapse in the fourth quarter while Tebow finally cracked the code of our defense and tore us a new one. Alabama left that game knowing Florida completely outplayed them in the fourth quarter while Georgia probably feels they just ran out of time. Psychologically, I think the latter is harder to recover from than the former.
 

HartselleTider

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One of the main differences for me was that in 2008, we knew that was the least talented team Saban was ever going to have at Alabama. Whereas I believe Richt is going to be hard pressed to have another team like he had this year, especially one that coincides with the weak schedule.
 

KrAzY3

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Georgia has peaked, at least for a few years. They don't have a Saban who can instantly reload. They'll be down before they are up again.

Part of the issue is that enough of Richt's good guy persona has rubbed off to see him for what he really is. He is a win at all cost coach. He not only doesn't properly discipline his players, he revels in this on the border of chaos style. He doesn't mind penaltys, he has encouraged unsportsmanlike behavior, he openly states he lets his players coach themselves to a certain extent. Had he resorted to Auburn's recruiting tactics his team would be as bad as they are, his only saving grace is he doesn't seem to be recruiting active gang members and the like.

He is a good coach in a lot of ways, I'm not so sure he's good for his players. Also, he's flirted with disaster for a long time. He's managed just enough discipline and order to keep people in line and his player friendly coach stuff goes over well with 18 year old kids. But, I think he's more likely to run off the track than to maintain truly elite status.
 

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