I know it’s not Thanksgiving yet…

but can I just say that I’m extremely grateful I won’t have to watch Georgia’s secondary attempt to cover Mike Evans this year?

Mumme Poll ballot, Week 8

This isn’t getting any easier. But here goes (*tiebreaker):

• Alabama
• Auburn
• Baylor
• Clemson
• FSU*
• Miami
• Missouri
• Ohio State
• Oregon
• Stanford

Also considered:  Arizona State, LSU, Texas A&M, UCLA

I really struggled with the last two slots this week.  I’m not completely sold on Miami, but the ‘Canes are undefeated against a schedule that doesn’t completely suck.  And I admit there may be some SEC bias in slipping Auburn in there.  But Arizona State’s got that loss to Notre Dame and UCLA’s resume isn’t as strong, either.

It took me thirty minutes – again – to come up with this.  By now, I’m usually knocking a ballot out in half that time, so, yeah, this season’s been a challenge.

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My SEC Power Poll ballot, Week 8

Okay, I didn’t draw names from a hat randomly.  But I’m not sure what I came up with on my own is any better.

1. Alabama.  Back to back 52-0 games against Arkansas.  Can’t get any more consistent than that.
2. Missouri.  Anybody who tells you he or she saw this coming, with the possible exception of Gary Pinkel, is fibbing.  And I’m not even sure I’d believe Pinkel.
3. Auburn.  So when does Gene Chizik step up to take credit for laying the foundation for Malzahn?
4. LSU.  Ah, it’s the return of the inexplicable loss under Miles.  Where you been, buddy?
5. Texas A&M.  So that’s what the best quarterback and receiver and the worst defense in the conference gets you.
6. South Carolina.  Butch Jones 1, Steve Spurrier 0.  That’s gotta sting a little.
7. Georgia.  September seems like such a long time ago.
8. Florida.  Gave up 500 yards to Mizzou.  If the Gators can’t play defense, what have they got left?
9. Ole Miss.  The wildest ride in the SEC right now.
10. Tennessee.  I’m waiting for the Phil Fulmer retort.
11. Vanderbilt.  Finally got their ranked opponent scalp.  But I bet that field goal attempt with 20 seconds to go in the game gets filed in the back of Mark Richt’s brain for future reference.
12. Mississippi State.  Not a good time to catch a bye week bounce.
13. Arkansas.  Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but Arky lost its last two conference games by a combined 104-7.  And the Hogs still have four conference games to go, with two against ranked opponents.
14. Kentucky.  Seriously regrets not having Arkansas on the schedule this year.

Fabris Invitational Results, Week 8

You’d think with all the craziness this weekend that the top of this week’s Fabris Invitational would look pretty ugly, but we had three show up with 8-2 marks.

STANDINGS for WEEK 8

Rank	Selection Name	Standings Adjustment	W-L	Pts	Tie Breaker Game 24-27
1	revdawg	Adj	8-2	8	31-21**
1	WillieDawg	Adj	8-2	8	17-10
1	Aj8	Adj	8-2	8	0-0

Um, let this week be a lesson to you, kids: don’t forget to pick your tiebreaker results.  Congrats to revdawg.

On the season, it’s getting tighter. Trbodawg’s seen the lead narrow to a single, skinny point.

SEASON STANDINGS through Week 8

Rank	Selection Name	W-L	Pts
1	Trbodawg	54-26	54
2	ShockleyforHeisman	53-27	53
3	BosnianDawg	52-28	52
4	VanDawg	51-29	51
4	ParrishWalton	51-29	51

Playing it punt safe.

Give Mark Richt credit for forthrightness.  Answering one of my immediate post-game questions, he explains what Damian Swann was doing out there on the fateful muffed punt catch:

“We were in punt safe,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said Sunday. “If you remember two years ago, they faked the punt on us somewhere around that territory about the same distance. At the time of the game…they were down 13 and the clock’s ticking. We made a great stop and called for the punt safe and when we go punt safe, he’s already on the field and we keep him in there because we’ve got experience catching those balls. That’s designed to be a fair catch anyway. We know when we’re in punt safe, we’re not going to get much of a return. It’s just a matter of fielding the ball. He’s been doing that his whole life. It just hit off his chest.”

He’s right on his history. (Vanderbilt converted a fourth-and-13 from its own 22 with a 35-yard pass play out of punt formation.) He’s right about the execution.  But, still, it’s fourth-and-15 and Vanderbilt’s on its own 19-yard line.  How many other coaches in the country go punt safe there?

I’m not sure I’m even being critical here.  It’s fair to note that Richt’s propensity for the formation hasn’t cost the Dawgs much in field position this season – Georgia’s averaging 4.56 yards per return and its opponents are averaging 4.38 ypr – and I’m sure his mind had already clicked over to protect the lead mode at that point.  It’s just strange to see how often Georgia goes punt safe and under what circumstances, especially because Richt’s shown a willingness to take chances in other facets of the special teams game.  It makes me wonder if the ending to the 2006 Sugar Bowl scarred him for life.

And given what happened earlier in the game on Saturday, I’m also wondering if Georgia has a field goal safe formation.  If it didn’t before, it wouldn’t surprise me if it comes up with one going forward.