Georgia-Arkansas Preview

There is no way to down play the significance of Georgia’s game tomorrow with Arkansas. There is a worried feeling around the program right now, and a loss between the hedges will put even more pressure on a young team that is still trying to find their way.

Mark Richt is a very good coach, but he is cursed with having to coach in the toughest conference in America against two of the 3 best coaches in America (Saben and Meyer). He is a great person who has done nothing in his personal life to bring anything but pride to the University of Georgia. He has won two SEC titles and finished has multiple top 5 finishes on his record in his 9 years at Georgia.

All of the positives that Richt brings to the table have been overshadowed over the past few seasons in Athens. Despite a fantastic finish to the 2007 season, Georgia has fallen off the map nationally and now come in to tomorrow’s game as a slim home favorite over Arkansas.

Arkansas.

A loss on Saturday will put many in the Bulldog Nation on the fence about Richt as the coach that can bring the big one to Athens. Let there be no doubt, the goal at Georgia should be to win the title. I’m not saying that we should win the title this year, but I am saying that the ultimate goal for the program has to be winning it all, and right now, you have to wonder if we are on the right track.

I think tomorrow is going to be a great day to be a Georgia Bulldog, so let’s start making some room on the band-wagon for everyone who bailed on this team after last week’s performance. I believe that after tomorrow’s win, Georgia will win their next 5 games, and show up to play Florida in Jacksonville as the higher ranked team. I know it seems like a pipe dream right now, but understand that this team is no different than they were last Friday, when we all believed.
Aaron Murray his going to have a huge day tomorrow, Washaun Ealey is going to remind us why we were ready to compare him to Moreno last year, Grantham’s defense is going to put up a good effort against a great offense, and Georgia is going to take the first step back to national significance by sending Petrino’s Pigs back west with the first of back to back losses (Arkansas plays Alabama next week).

This is the only game I’m going to preview this week, because as a Dawg fan, this is the only game that matters.

Keep an eye on Georgia’s young quarterback tomorrow, and compare his attitude and demeanor to that of Ryan Mallot, the Arkansas quarterback.

Keep an eye on Mark Richt, and realize the kind of man and leader we have at Georgia. Compare that to Bobby Petrino, who is a win at all cost, me first type of coach.

And after Georgia does away with the Razorbacks, keep an eye on Auburn, Alabama tomorrow night, when the Tigers take on South Carolina. A Gamecock loss puts Georgia right back in position to make it to Atlanta.