Another week in the books and Georgia continues its march towards Atlanta (hope I can type that as coolly this time next week). So let’s see how the team fares in comparison to its predecessors under Richt that made it to the SECCG. Here’s how things look after Tennessee (all stats via cfbstats.com):
- Hold opponents under 18 points per game. As a team, Georgia is yielding 22 ppg.
- Finish at least +8 in turnover margin. Georgia’s turnover margin is +1.
- Average better than 380 yards per game on offense. Georgia’s offense is averaging 536 ypg.
- Finish in the top five in total defensive yardage. Georgia’s defense ranks tenth in total defense.
- Finish in the top three in first downs. Georgia is fourth in first downs.
- Finish no worse than third in passing yardage. Georgia is fourth in passing yardage.
- Finish no worse than third in sacks. Georgia is ninth in sacks.
Progress wasn’t exactly made last week, although it’s too early to panic. But it’s pretty obvious that the offense is carrying the team through the 5-0 start.
Get The Picture 
I’m starting to think that our path to Atlanta, if that’s where we end up, will take a different route than how we got there before. I guess I just miss old man football.
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I’m still confident the D will turn the corner.. this is a team with basically the same horses as last year.. lets not write them off yet. And who would of thought the offense capable of carrying the team at all, at the beginning of the year?
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So what happened with all that promise that was returning on D this season?
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No offense intended, but stats are only minimally useful, IMO. Especially stats like “Finish in the top three in first downs” because with Gurshall and the passing game, we aren’t stopping to roll up first down stats, we’re taking in in if we can. And that makes the only stat that counts : 5-0!
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Hopefully, after a run to the SECCG this season, next years Dawg Stat Watch wiil be a little more balanced with offensive numbers instead of heavy D numbers. (Heavy D, get it? Jenkins, Geathers, the rapper…..nevermind)
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If this trend continues and Georgia makes it to the SECCG, there won’t be another DSW. It’ll all be blown up.
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Since the Techies won’t have a football team after this season, perhaps they could bring some slide rules over and create a scale where blowing the top off one metric allows you to miss on another. For instance, averaging 150 yards more per game thaan the standard, gets you a pass on the first down shortfall because we don’t need to move those silly chains when we caan break it from deep in our own territory. In fact, the scoring offense trumps all defensive categories. Wow, sounds like something written in the PAC12 or Big 12 doesn’t it? Groovy, now I don’t have to stay up until 2 AM every Sunday to get my fill of touchdowns.
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I know this is short circuiting the whole process and I should just let this percolate up over time but like Saban I don’t have time for this …. and so I’m jumping straight to the end. I blame Bobo. I also agree with Jrod our D is going to turn it around…hopefully this weekend.
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Averaging 536 yards per game covereth up a multitude of sins. Those sins, particularly the defensive ones will catch up with us if we don’t improve because we just can’t expect to keep scoring 40+ every week, even Scam Newton got held to 17 against miss state and basically shutout in the first half against Bama.
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We’ve turned into the Oregon of the SEC.
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Which must be killing the AM and CMB haters.
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Psh AM STILL hasn’t beaten a ranked team!
/sarcasm off
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There’s really only 4 stats that matter tp win the SEC and a National Championship:
1- Offensive points per game average
2- Offensive total yards per game average
3- Offensive rushing yards per game average
4- Opponents average scoring in 4th quarter
That was what Auburn did well in 2010. How does UGA compare?
1- 48 pts vs 41 for Aub 2010- UGA better
2- 538 yards er game vs. 499 Aub 2010- Uga better
3- 250+ rushing yards per game vs. 280 Aub 2010- Both stellar
4- 4 pts per 4th quarter average allowed vs. 3.8 Aub 2010- both stellar
Team is right on track with Auburn 2010 National Champions.
UGA Offense is better overall than Aub 2010, UGA 4th quarter defense is keeping pace.
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Aub 2010 Defense also averaged 7 tackles for loss per game, so is UGA in 2012.
Aub 2010 def also averaged 2.5 sacks per game, where UGA 2010 is at 16. sacks per game so far. UGA needs to add 1 more sack per game, The trio of Ogletree-Vasser-Commings need to average a sack a game as a trio, or else Jones needs to make it up.
Those 2 stats seem to matter, looking at Aub 2010.
It’s still early, but good for UGA to be tracking the Aub 2010 team in so many areas.
Don’t have to do it with just defense, great offense makes up for a lot, as we learned in 2010. As long as UGA offense maintains pace, the defense can give up a lot of points & yards in the first 3 quarters, but regardless the defense has to be stout in 3 areas: 4th quarter points, tfl’s, and sacks.
Auburn defense seemed to be more rested in the 4th quarter in 2010, likely due to heavy rotations in first 3 quarters.
But there’s another template for UGA to finish #1.
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