This Changes Everything

It has been 43 days since I walked out of Williams-Brice Stadium, numb, after watching Georgia's undefeated season ended with a huge thud.  35-7.

The backlash almost started immediately  Fire Richt, Fire Bobo, Fire Uga! Ok maybe not Uga.

I wrote then, that despite the loss is Columbia, it was a long season, and Georgia still had a chance to achieve all of it's goals.

Going into the Florida game, Georgia fans were dejected.  There's no way we could beat the Gators.  They are the number two team in the nation.  Remember Columbia?

After the Florida game, I said that we true Georgia fans needed to move to the middle of the band-wagon to make room for those who jumped off.  Well, everyone get ready to get even more crowded, because everyone will be back on after this week.

I toot my own horn not to be obnoxious, only to give more credibility to what I'm about to say.

The biggest hurdle is still ahead.  The Alabama Crimson Tide.

After what can only be described as an amazing day and night of college football, the Georgia Bulldogs control their own BCS destiny!  Barring an upset of epic proportions next weekend, Georgia will play Alabama in Atlanta, with the winner moving on to play in Miami for the National Championship.

There will be plenty of time to break down the Georgia/Georgia Tech game, as well as the eventual game with the Tide in the Dome.

Right now I want to talk about the next few weeks.

Before Saturday, I thought Notre Dame would lose to USC.  After watching, yes I actually watched USC play UCLA, I'm not as sure.  Barkley is a mess at quarterback and USC's defense seems to have lost all of the talent that they were known for in the early 2000's.  Irish eyes might be crying tears of joy next weekend as they cap an undefeated season and punch their ticket to the National Championship game.

Let's get two things out of the way right now.  First, Florida will NOT be in the National Championship game, because they will lose, rather convincingly, to Florida State next weekend.  The Gators are not a great team, and I think you might even see the human polls drop them this week just to make sure they aren't in position to get to the title game.

Secondly, if Notre Dame loses to USC, no other SEC school deserves a shot at the National title, other than the winner of the SEC Championship game.  You need to take a good look at Florida State and even Oregon.  The fact that there are so many SEC teams in the BCS top ten is a testament to the strength of the conference, but Florida is not great, South Carolina is not great without Lattimore, LSU should have lost to Ole Miss, and Texas A&M got way too big of a jump in the polls after beating Alabama.  I love the SEC, but we need to beat a team outside of the conference to win our 7th consecutive championship.

Georgia, and Alabama,, are in the driver's seat, and before Dawg fans start raising their expectations too high too quickly, remember that this is Alabama and this is Nick Saban.  If Georgia is going to beat the Tide, they will have to beat an angry team playing at their very best.  Georgia will have to play their best game, not only of this season, but maybe their best game in a generation.

To steal a line from Ric Flair, to be the man, you have to beat the man, and Alabama is the defending National Champions for a reason.  Georgia will have to earn every yard.

That said, think about the fact that 32 years later, Georgia has a chance, with freshman running backs to possibly play Notre Dame for the National Championship.  If that doesn't make some chills run down your back, nothing will.

I love Georgia with all of my heart, and that heart is racing even now thinking about what could happen over the next two weeks.  This Georgia team is more talented than any other team we have ever had.  Ever.  I hope so badly that the players are invigorated by this opportunity  and respond by putting in the best two weeks of practice that they have ever had.  As a lifelong Georgia fan, I have hoped  that one day I would get the chance to watch my team play for the National Championship.  Being this close to it is almost surreal.

No matter what happens over the next two weeks, Its Great to be a Georgia Bulldog!

This has been an amazing ride and it isn't over just yet.

Tech preview later this week.  Happy Thanksgiving to all!

GO DAWGS!!!