Well, if Mark Richt has been disheartened over the scheduling difficulties his team has faced the last two seasons, he’s about to feel as if he’s died and gone to heaven. Paul points us to this projected 2011 Georgia football schedule, and if it proves out, Richt’s looking at a year with seven home games, a bye week before the Florida game and no Alabama or LSU on the slate. You can’t align the stars any better than that.
Given that the 2010 schedule doesn’t look as formidable as the last two years’ either, there’s ample opportunity to rebound from this year’s dip if the program gets its ducks in a row.
Get The Picture 
You know, geographically, the first half of that schedule sets up by state. South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee. Granted, their not all road games, but still.
And yes, 10/8/11 is CIRCLED.
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Of course it’s not the complete reason we are where we are right now, but playing, say, Ole Miss’ schedule this year might have provided a little more stability to the team’s fragile psyche and in the fanbase. I honestly feel like the worst is behind us (and was left in Knoxville) and that lack of effort had a lot more to do with the wind being taken out of our sails by the referees and LSU. If we win that game 13-12, we come into Knoxville ranked about #8-10 and looking for blood. But instead, I feel we were still looking back at what could have been.
Despite what most people who expect perfection think, scheduling does make a difference. Still, our performance at Oklahoma State to me is the head scratcher of the year.
Oh well, Gators eat boogers.
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I’ll try my best not to be the guy that prematurely insists that next year (or the year after that) is “our year,” but it’s hard not to get pretty excited when you consider those two upcoming schedules in conjunction with the amount crazy-talented youth we’ve got on the team these days. (Not to mention the fact that we might also have a brand new stud DC …)
I mean, yeah, here’s hoping we turn this season around and all. But NEXT season …
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I don’t think we should play Coastal Carolina. I’d rather see UAB, Troy or MTSU than a FCS team, but other than that I think its a decent schedule to work with.
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2011 is a disappointing schedule from a “big game” standpoint, although it is difficult to tell what level teams will play at 2 years in advance. Based on historical play, only Auburn is a real attractive home game. Anytime we get the two Mississippi schools as our rotating West opponents, the schedule lacks “pizazz” unless we have a sexy OOC game.
I know there are those who would like to play all cupcakes to pad the record, but it is disappointing to see us get away from continuing to play new, intersectional games with respected programs. I see Bama has a home and home scheduled with Penn State, and TN has both Ohio State and ND lined up in out years. We instead return to playing Clemson.
What is wrong with getting a USC, OU, TX , Ore., Wis., Nebraska, etc. ? The 12th game allowed us a great opportunity to add variety to the home and travel schedule which, to Damon’s credit, we did for a few years. Now we go back to our old ways and leave the big stage. 98 degrees in Sanford and playing the Raging Cajuns, now that is something to get pumped up for.
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Mac,
You do realize that we play Clemson, Colorado, Oregon, and Louisville in the coming years, right? I understand what you are saying, but schedules are very difficult to put together. And it’s not like we just quit scheduling these type games.
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Yes, I guess I consider Colorado a part of the “good Damon scheduling” since we played them in 2006 and finish them off next season. I had forgotten Oregon, honestly. As for Lousiville and Clemson I think those are two I feel fit our past profile and am disappointed in. They are basically regional games where we risk a lot if we lose and get nothing for winning (sort of like gt).
Nothing wrong with playing Clemson or Louisville occasionally, but we have nothing in the way of OOC “marque” games to look forward to. You are right though, it is hard to schedule so far in advance. When we scheduled Louisville, Petrino was the coach and their program looked better than it does now. Who knows what will be going on at Clemson by the time we play them.
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I do wish we would back out of the Louisville series and a higher quality opponent in its place. We scheduled that back when Petrino was still there and Louisville was an up and coming program. Now they are terrible again and going nowhere. Kragthorpe will be gone soon and they will be breaking in a new coach about the time we play them.
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If we’re lucky, that new coach will be Fulmer, although the rumors are hot and heavy that Louisville’s in love with Jon Gruden.
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They can be in love with John Gruden, but like my fantasies involving Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr, it isn’t actually going to happen in reality.
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What are the chances that new coach is Phil Fulmer with John Chavis and David Cutcliffe? Nothing says, “Let’s get the band back together” like an opportunity to rebuild a program.
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I don’t see it happening. All three are in better positions now than at The ‘Ville…Fulmer included.
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Of course, next year Florida gets the week off before the WLOCP.
And Georgia gets the week off this year.
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Mac, to be honest, friend, I can’t for the life of me understand your thinking. Nobody – and I mean NOBODY – except Florida can understand our unique scheduling situation. Every other year, we only get 3 home SEC games and 5 SEC road games. Plus, every year, we play an in-state, bitter OOC rival. Nobody but us and Florida understand what that is like. Florida has taken a different scheduling route and tried to rest it’s troups for the SEC battles. Obviously, that’s not working out well for them.
We, on the other hand, are playing talented BCS conference teams early in the season. How differently would 2007 have turned out if we’d had a warm-up opener and not had to show our hand to So. Car.? How differently would 2008 had gone if we played La-Laf. the week before Bama at home instead of flying 2,000 miles for a huge nationally televised game? The truth is that we don’t know. But the reality is that we always seem to go down to Jax banged up, and Florida always seems to be healthy. I wonder if that has anything to do with them playing less 4th quarter games.
I don’t mind playing the games we’re playing, but they do come at a price over the long haul. I want to win championships. Every time we tee it up against anyone but Vandy in the SEC, we’ve got a shot to lose. It’s very hard to run the table in the SEC. So why do we want to increase the chances of losing another one just so we have an exciting home schedule. This isn’t basketball where playing good teams makes you better at the end of the season. It doesn’t matter if we lose too many games how good you are at the end. Give these kids a break and let’s try to win a championship every once in a while.
Clemson is a rival. We should play them at least every 10 years, which is what we’re on. We also need to alternate between cross country trips and regional trips for our fans, which Damon has done. Why should we schedule a series w/ a top 5 team like USC or Texas when #1 is on our schedule every year and #2 and #9 are on our schedule 2 out of every 6? I mean, just give me an example of ONE school doing what you’re talking about? And don’t say Tennesee or Bama. They don’t play Tech. And they don’t play Florida in Jax every year. I want to compete at the highest level. I just don’t understand that thinking from fans.
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I do understand your thinking, I just don’t agree with it. There are many who feel the way you do. I am also about championships, SEC titles, the only ones that count. Sure tougher games can impact that slightly, but we have lost as many players to injuries against GSC as we have the big name programs. Some wear and tear, but that comes in all games. I don’t subscribe to the travel issue.
I am a UGA fan, an SEC fan, and a CFB fan. We only have 13 games a year so I think they are precious. Wasting a quarter of them on boring games to me is wrong. Why let a flawed system drive us away from the great pageantry that CFB can be when great programs interact and fanbases mix? Respect that I may be in a minority, but I am for maximizing all the great opportunities a season can afford us. I get no satisfaction in steamrolling outmanned teams, and I don’t respect those who pad their stats and records by doing so.
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What about Kansas/Mizzou or Texas/Oklahoma? I don’t see UT or OU complaining.
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sUGArdaddy is a wise man. +10.
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The schedule is completely irrelevant if we have the same defensive coordinator….
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Talk about beating a dead horse! UGA fans have more than worn this one out. The only thing I see from this very vocal, negative approach is more negatives. Discussions about personnel are best left for the off season, like after signing day, imo.
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