Georgia To Face Alabama

The goals Georgia set at the beginning of the season are still reachable: a second straight Southeastern Conference championship, and perhaps a shot at the national title.

At least that’s what coach Mark Richt told his team in the aftermath of its first loss.
“All is not lost,” Richt said on the day after No. 7 LSU beat the No. 12 Bulldogs 17-10.
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“We painted the picture of what the future can hold for us. There’s an awful lot of things to play for.”

With eight games left, including matchups with Florida, Tennessee, and this weekend against Alabama, Georgia (3-1) controls its own destiny in the SEC, like nearly every other team. That thought likely will help the Bulldogs recover from the loss to LSU, especially since they’ve had an off week to contemplate it.

In spite of the loss, there’s plenty to be optimistic about in Athens, starting with the performance of the defense.

While hard-hitting safety Thomas Jones has grabbed his share of the headlines, the young linebacker corps has also been a big part of the success of a unit that is second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 8.5 points per game and only 10 points in the first half all season.

Monticello native Odell Thurman has been a key component of the success, ranking fourth on the team in tackles with 30 and leading the team with four tackles-for-loss. Thurman also forced an important fumble against LSU, giving Georgia a chance to tie the game at 10.

If history is an indicator, Georgia has to like its chances to avoid a second straight loss. The Bulldogs are 4-1 after a loss under Richt and haven’t lost back-to-back games since 2001 when they fell to Auburn and Florida consecutively.

Last season, Georgia won in Tuscaloosa for the first time ever, as Billy Bennett kicked a 32-yard field goal with less than a minute to play, to secure a 27-25 victory.

Alabama’s last visit to Sanford Stadium was not as pleasant, as the Crimson Tide rolled to a 31-0 win on September 30, 1995.

Saturday’s game against the Crimson Tide will be televised by CBS, with coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m.