I’m not going to predict Florida’s or South Carolina’s fate tomorrow (I’m especially clueless about Florida-Auburn), but there sure is a lot at stake, particularly for the Gators.
Auburn is a game with huge consequences for Florida. Win and Muschamp’s team continues to control its destiny. Lose and the chance of winning the East gets very, very slim. Not only would the Gators have to run the table with the rest of their conference schedule, they’d also have to have both Georgia and South Carolina lose another SEC game. That’s a lot to hope for.
From a purely Georgia perspective, though, I’m not sure Florida winning or losing on the Plains matters so much, simply because I think the Dawgs have to win in Jacksonville no matter what to have a legitimate shot to get back to Atlanta at season’s end.
That’s not the situation in Starkville. As long as Georgia and Florida keep winning, South Carolina can’t lose. One slip up and the ‘Cocks lose their tiebreaker advantage with the Dawgs.
One other scheduling note to consider: for all the focus on which of the three has the hardest path against the West, it’s also important to remember which of them have games left against the weakest teams in the East. South Carolina has already played Vandy and Kentucky; Florida has yet to play Vanderbilt. Georgia hasn’t played either, until tomorrow. (By the way, if you now lump Tennessee in with those two, keep in mind that South Carolina’s record in Knoxville is 1-14.)
How do you think things will look in the East around 11:00 tomorrow night?
Get The Picture 
That Florida/Auburn game is going to be weird.
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Auburn win it, though.
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Auburn’s defense does not remind anyone of the ones the Gators faced against either Alabama or LSU. And while Dyer is a great running back, the Auburn QB situation looks worse than the Gators, if that is possible.
All this said, Florida is 8-25 at Jorden-Hare.
Like you said, this is a huge game for Muschamp and the Gators.
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Yeah, but you hit the most important attributes of the game. Auburn’s D is worse than yours so the advantage goes to your speedsters. Dyer will put the points on you, but not enough.
This may be the most important game of the year for you in terms of half-time adjustments and coaching. We all will see.
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Trotter hasn’t looked good lately, but overall has looked better than either true freshman the Gators have
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The way both offenses looked last week, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if we ended up with another 3-2 “Baby I’m Burnin'” game in Auburn this weekend.
Well, OK, it’d surprise me a little. But one of those happy surprises, like when I got Optimus Prime for Christmas when I was six.
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I’m thinking more like 35-34. Malzahn will score. Period. And even missing a QB, when you line up with Rainey, Demps, and company, you will score against what Auburn calls a defense.
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Florida would be smart to run some “wildgator” with Demps and Rainey.
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The option stuff they ran with Burton against LSU was the best their offense looked all game (I’m obviously excluding that fluke deep ball to start the game).
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Hopefully, as I am in my hotel room in Nashville tomorrow night reflecting on a nice, comfortable win for the Dawgs around midnight, I’ll be watching highlights from the day and see USCe got undone by the other bulldogs, Florida got hammered by Aubren, and UT got drilled by LSU. If by chance those highlights include shots of a visor being summarily abused and Muschamp engaging in one or more sideline tantrums, I’ll go to sleep a happy, happy man.
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My hope is similar, only that Florida and Auburn required an SEC record 10 overtimes to finish, Demps’ ankle is tweaked again, Chris Rainey blew out both knees, and Dyer wound up with 58 carries and will be dinged up and less than 100% the rest of the year.
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i don’t think it’s worth speculating unless we win the next two or possibly three games depending on how auburn looks this week. i don’t expect usc to win out but i don’t know if we will either. On a seperate note it still blows my mind that if we just don’t play giveaway with usc we likely blow out a top 15 team, control our own destiny, and could lose in jax and win the east.
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this
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si, senor
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That was a direct result of not having a tune-up game to get the kinks worked out before starting the conference schedule.
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This may be true, but the tune-up game wound up disguising our kinks last year.
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True.
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I was hoping that you wouldn’t bring that up.
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I think either SC or UF loses, more likely UF sans Brantley. If both lose, Georgia becomes an almost prohibitive favorite to win the east, since USC will will lose to UF, UT or Ark and Georgia will likely beat either UF or Auburn (guessing the latter).
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Actually MSU has a real shot at SC. The game’s in StarkVegas with those damned cowbells and SC has a new QB.
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It’s funny, but when I was reading vincent’s post above, I was thinking, “Dude, give us some credit for how we’re playing now.” But then I read your post, and I thought, “Stop calling us the favorite; you’re gonna jinx us!”
I guess you could say I’m on the fence right now. 🙂
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Not any more than the rest of us, Will. We can sit back, however, and look for plays they have to uncork that they might have been saving for us.
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I can’t decide what to do. I hate Auburn. I hate Florida. Who do I hate more? Can I hope both teams lose? I guess I agree that UGA has to beat Florida anyway, so maybe an Auburn loss. NO, NO, NO. I can’t possibly say the words, “I hope Florida wins” so I guess I will let the College Football Gods decide.
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I’m right there with you on this one. I’ve told myself many times over the years that there will be a time that I have to pull for the Gators. I don’t know if I’m mentally prepared for that, but it may be coming soon. In particular their game against USCe, which is a team I have grown to hate pretty strongly over the last few years.
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Why not pull for the weakest team that you perceive? That would be Auburn as far as I’m concerned. If they win, I feel that we have a better chance of kicking both of their butts.
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I feel dirty for it, but I will be rooting for Auburn against Florida, just like I will be rooting for Tennessee against South Carolina. I will be able to taste the bile in my mouth the whole time, but anything to help the Dawgs get to the Dome again.
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I will not be roooting for Auburn to win but will be hoping that UF loses. That will help UGA out more with UF having another SEC loss. Plus a winnless October would be great for gator moral.
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florida – auburn is one of those where you hope both lose. I think it’s better for us if auburn wins (and I think they will) so maybe we go to Jacksonville with a little more of the attitude that these guys are beatable.
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I will be rooting for both teams bus crashing while driving to the stadium.
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Any Dawg fan worth his salt knows how this weekend plays out. Dawgs put up an ugly win in Nashville, while the Gaytors and ‘Cocks both win. Without Garcia, the SC offense suddenly starts clicking. Then we head to Jax needing a W. Any guess as to how that one will play out?
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Energy Vampire
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Not sure I said anything negative. Munson would agree with me.
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Charlie! Get your ass off that cooler and get on the bus
http://www.arvlfc.com/
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😆
Dog, I couldn’t resist.
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The handle “Skeptic Dawg” couldn’t be more accurate…. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a positive post come from him.
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Still not sure my original post was negative. What did you happen to find that was disparaging? The fact that the Dawgs win ugly in Nashville? Are you new to the Dawg Nation? Not seen too many teams fall flat against the Dores? Or was it my suggestion that we just might come up short and drop #19 out of 22 in Jax?
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1 team this decade lost to Vandy, 2 beat them by less than two touchdowns. The rest were blowouts, including the curbstomping we gave them last year. I wouldn’t say we struggle much against the Commodores, although I won’t discount he possibility that it could happen tomorrow.
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There you go again, Skeptic Dawg.
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Re-read my post, I was referencing the fact that you always find some nit to pick. Try to be positive once in a while, you might enjoy it.
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Last weekend worked out pretty good for us on all three counts. I think I’ll continue to hold out hope for this weekend as well.
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Skeptic wrote;
“Then we head to Jax needing a W. Any guess as to how that one will play out?”
I don’t know how it will play out, but if that happens, if Florida does beat Auburn, then the squeaking from tight sphincter muscles belonging to Georgia coaches will be audible all the way to Jacksonville
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I think you have your head too far up our ass, Mike.
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No. It’s up his own ass.
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Then I would think that you have your head too far up our ass, Mike.
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Sorry Mike. The first one didn’t post until the second better one did.
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I like ol’ Mike about as well as any human being can like a Gator, but he certainly does spend a lot of time on what we’re all thinking. A lot more time than a guy who owns the other guy’s team should spend, for that matter.
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I think we will still be looking up at South Carolina. The Gators can go %#*! themselves.
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I have to think that Georgia and South Carolina put space between themselves and Florida tomorrow. If USCe can’t beat the Bizarro Dogs, they likely don’t have any business winning the East. I’m not sure Florida’s QB situation is going to allow them to win on the Plains tomorrow.
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Haven’t you heard that Fat Charlie gives them a “decided tactical advantage” so the QB isn’t relevant at Florida?
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I’ve heard that Weis tilts the field in their direction. Not sure that’s an advantage, though.
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Too good!
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That was definitely worth a chuckle.
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ditto
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That explains why fumbles always roll toward Charlie
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Would that also explain why the refs are always on Florida’s side?
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That’s an excellent point. I think so but have to defer to the Mayor of Dawgtown, our pre-eminent expert on all SEC officiating conspiracies, for his take on that one
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Thanks for calling me an expert on anything.
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USC’s DL is going to decide this game – unless Shaw has all the inconsistency of Garcia without all the Bro-ness and style points.
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Gators win just because I hate them.
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I feel the same way.
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Typically I feel that is the way college football works.
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as georgia fans we want uf to win every game from here on out except the cocktail party.
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Not if we’re carrying a conference loss we don’t
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Yea, I don’t really get this. We aren’t vying for a BCSNC anymore. We want all our divisional foes to lose as many as possible so we can make it to the dome. If we made it to the dome and miraculously pulled off an upset for the ages and were SEC Champs and Sugar Bowl bound at, say 9-3, would anybody REALLY be upset?
Also remember in the event of a three way tie, BCS rank becomes a factor on who goes to Atlanta. Recall 2003.
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Would we have to play West Virginia again?
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Boise. Rubber match.
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Boise? Yikes. That one will have to be cleared with Todd. He may have already had his yearly dose of that quarterback.
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9 – 3 implies a loss to one of our key rivals…FL, AU, or GT. Mark Richt would be fired before the SECCG. It’s a fact!
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I don’t know how it’s all going to play out, but I do know that I am trying to figure out how to get Stephen Garcia to come party with us at our tailgate this weekend in Nashville. Every time Connor Shaw throws an incompletion, he’s gonna do a shot.
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And every time Shaw throws and interception he he torpedoes a beer. Hopefully the guy will be drunk by halftime.
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The guy’s going to wake up Saturday morning already next-day drunk, Mayor. The hope should be that the guy passes out before halftime.
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By sheer accident this weekend, Garcia invents a new tailgating game bong pong. Sadly he writes the games rules on the back of an empty bag of Doritos which gets throw away. The future of the game is lost forever.
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I think SC beats MSU with little to no trouble. OT with La Tech and down 0-3 in the 3rd against UAB. Nuff said.
Florida at Auburn is a bit different. I could see either team winning, but I think Florida will probably win a close one. Auburn can score a lot of points when they put their minds to it but UF has the better D and that will probably win them the game. Honestly though it could go either way.
We’ll beat Vandy by a couple of TDs. 24-10 is what I’m thinking. Could be a bit closer if we come out flat.
I don’t write any of this with pessimism as I think our chances to win the East are good as long as we take care of business each week. Of course, knowing how the Jacksonville trip often plays out, I will be rooting for Auburn on Saturday without question. We need Fl and SC to have as many losses as possible.
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“Auburn can score a lot of points when they put their minds to it but UF has the better D and that will probably win them the game. ” Last week– Auburn vs uSC…… who was suppose to have the worst D in the SEC?
just sayin’
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I think we beat Vandy by 14, too. Also think Charlie and Sunshine Rainey beat the Chiz by 14 in a tune-up for us and that #’s 6 and 7 beat Mississippi State by 14
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I actually think we will destroy Vandy. This will be a great tune up going into the bye week to get ready for the Turds.
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I think we beat Vandy by at least 14…. and the wheels come off both uSC and Florida.
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We have to Beat Florida-In order for this season to be a success we must beat Florida-I don’t think I am alone in thinking beating Florida is more important than winning the SEC East!
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Then you’ll like the cast for this year’s episode:
Ishmael: Mark
Moby Dick: Charlie
Capt. Ahab: Todd
Capt. Boomer: Boomer
Queequeq: Bobo
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Sounds like an uplifting whaleshit movie.
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Hey, we win 1.5 out of 10 of these no matter what. We’re due. Harpoons locked and loaded
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On that note, Georiga has never beaten Florida AND won the SEC East in the same year. Maybe this is the break through year that UGA fans have been looking for.
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Mike, you’re going past snarky with that repetitive stat and “break through year”. Nothing insulting, but gettin’ awfully scratchy. Will you be back on here after this weekend or are these fading into the sunset remarks until after TWLOCP?
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We’ll see him in the bye week and then during Hate Week, and then if things don’t go well for Florida at the Cocktail Party, we won’t see him again until recruitin’. The typical Gator doesn’t stick around to get his comeuppance. Perhaps Mike will prove me wrong, he does seem to be among the more reasonable and less offensive of the Gators, his obsession with Grantham’s choking gesture notwithstanding.
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“reasonable and less offensive of the Gators”
Like those effing exist!!!
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I will come back after the WLOCP no matter the outcome. Either to take my punishment or to chortle.
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Smallsamplesizesays”what?”
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SOs is sweating bullets he is playing in Starkville. it is his Kyptonite. He actually has a losing record in Starkville. MSU has beat UF and SOS in Starkville with much worst teams than this one. The visor flies early and often.
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Well guys, one out of two ain’t bad for you.
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