🏈 Make or break stretches in the SEC in 2009

[252BAMA]

Alabama
Sept. 26: Arkansas at home, Oct. 3: Kentucky on the road, Oct. 10: Ole Miss on the road -- It doesn't look like a menacing stretch on paper, but it's still early enough in the season that the Crimson Tide could be sorting things out on the offensive line. And winning at Ole Miss would put them in commanding position in the Western Division race.

Scroll down for other conferences.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/ncfnation?tag=key stretch 2009

 

[252BAMA]

Georgia
Sept. 5: Oklahoma State on the road, Sept. 12: South Carolina at home, Sept. 19: Arkansas on the road, Sept. 26: Arizona State at home -- There are a bunch of unknowns for the Bulldogs going into the season, and they sure don't ease their way into the schedule. Surviving the first month of the season will be critical. If they do, this could be a team that surprises some people. If they don't, it could be a long year in Athens.

And the 5th game is Oct. 3: LSU at home. I know many of you are going to :rofl:, but this is why I have UGA opening 0-5. But remember, most of you did the same when I picked LSU to go 7-5 last year. And when I said Ole Miss would be 8-4. After changing the "W" in the opening game at WF when Hardy went down in the preseason drills. Had them 9-3 to begin with.

 

[TerryP]

Georgia
.

And the 5th game is Oct. 3: LSU at home. I know many of you are going to :rofl:, but this is why I have UGA opening 0-5. But remember, most of you did the same when I picked LSU to go 7-5 last year. And when I said Ole Miss would be 8-4. After changing the "W" in the opening game at WF when Hardy went down in the preseason drills. Had them 9-3 to begin with.

I recall you picking LSU lower than I did...and I recall you and I being about the only ones that were saying Ole Miss is going to be better than most think.

The biggest contention/argument I remember from last off-season were those that didn't agree with Ole Miss over Auburn and just how far Auburn had fallen even with the points backing those thoughts up.

I'm leaning towards picking UGA vs Okie State.
I don't see a reason to pick South Carolina over Georgia.
Same can be said for Arkansas - I don't think they can hold Georgia back enough on defense.
Arizona State is another W for UGA in my eyes.

I'm tempted to pick UGA right now over LSU. That's going to be a good game. However, I don't know that we are going to be able to get a handle on what kind of team LSU is going to field until those first two weeks in October.

I do like what Georgia returns in the middle of the DL - that's a great combination between Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens.

 

[252BAMA]

I recall you picking LSU lower than I did...and I recall you and I being about the only ones that were saying Ole Miss is going to be better than most think.

The biggest contention/argument I remember from last off-season were those that didn't agree with Ole Miss over Auburn and just how far Auburn had fallen even with the points backing those thoughts up.

I'm leaning towards picking UGA vs Okie State.
I don't see a reason to pick South Carolina over Georgia.
Same can be said for Arkansas - I don't think they can hold Georgia back enough on defense.
Arizona State is another W for UGA in my eyes.

I'm tempted to pick UGA right now over LSU. That's going to be a good game. However, I don't know that we are going to be able to get a handle on what kind of team LSU is going to field until those first two weeks in October.

I do like what Georgia returns in the middle of the DL - that's a great combination between Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens.

I just think they lose the opener and they don't stop the bleeding until ut. I am thinking worst case, and you are thinking best case. We are both probably wrong. Somewhere in the middle, like 2-3 or 3-2, makes the most sense.

I know you are high on their D, but the problem I have with that is their DC. If they didn't have one and Richt was interviewing for the job, I don't believe that guy would get the job. If you wouldn't hire him, why keep him?

 

[TerryP]

I just think they lose the opener and they don't stop the bleeding until ut.

I know you are high on their D, but the problem I have with that is their DC. If they didn't have one and Richt was interviewing for the job, I don't believe that guy would get the job. If you wouldn't hire him, why keep him?

You've lost me a bit here.

Willie Martinez has been their DC since 2005.

If we set aside last year, their 2007 defense was formidable. Scoring defense and rush defense was right at the top of the SEC. They were a little suspect in their pass defense, I'll grant.

2006 was a damn good defense. And, they were at the top in the nation in a few categories in '05 as well - if I recall that year correctly. The one thing I do remember about '05 is they were in a shuffling game in their linebacking corps with injuries again. But, when he got those guys back in '06 in was a good group. All three drafted if I recall correctly.

I know there was some fan unrest with them last year, but I have to reserve judgment on him based on the years cited above.

I think Rodney Garner is a pretty good DL coach but when you have two guys coaching the line that is something I've always looked at with a little suspicion.

High on Georgia's defense? I'd feel more comfortable with the statement I've got more confidence than a lot...I just think they are under-rated, or better said the expectations from a lot of SEC fans are lower than mine.

 

[252BAMA]

You've lost me a bit here.

Willie Martinez has been their DC since 2005.

If we set aside last year, their 2007 defense was formidable. Scoring defense and rush defense was right at the top of the SEC. They were a little suspect in their pass defense, I'll grant.

2006 was a damn good defense. And, they were at the top in the nation in a few categories in '05 as well - if I recall that year correctly. The one thing I do remember about '05 is they were in a shuffling game in their linebacking corps with injuries again. But, when he got those guys back in '06 in was a good group. All three drafted if I recall correctly.

I know there was some fan unrest with them last year, but I have to reserve judgment on him based on the years cited above.

I think Rodney Garner is a pretty good DL coach but when you have two guys coaching the line that is something I've always looked at with a little suspicion.

High on Georgia's defense? I'd feel more comfortable with the statement I've got more confidence than a lot...I just think they are under-rated, or better said the expectations from a lot of SEC fans are lower than mine.

I suppose, being over here in Georgia, I am basing my judgement on the fan unrest you speak of. Thinking that they know better than I do about what their problems are. And they do. They probably aren't right, but they know more than I do.

 

[252BAMA]

Didn't mean to make this a thread about UGA but their stretch caught my eye because I think they are in trouble early. I also noted that Bama was included in the make or break stretch of only 3 of their 8 conference opponents. What does that mean?

 

[TerryP]

Didn't mean to make this a thread about UGA but their stretch caught my eye because I think they are in trouble early. I also noted that Bama was included in the make or break stretch of only 3 of their 8 conference opponents. What does that mean?

As one example, look at LSU. We aren't included in their "make or break" stretch because they'll likely be broke after those two trips. (well, in my eyes, you have them winning in Athens I'm betting :lol: )

Quite frankly, I'm not surprised you and I are focused on Georgia. Their schedule is the most interesting to start the year followed closely by Tennessee.

Ours starts off well, but hit's a lull until the end of September.

LSU's is just a...yawner.

The way the schedule plays out around the league this year it will begin to give us a barometer on the teams we face week by week - getting clearer week by week as well.

Consider...

Wk 1 Georgia faces Okie State and goes into SC and Ark...
Wk 2 UT faces UCLA and goes into UF and then in two weeks Auburn.
Wk 3 Auburn faces WVU then in two weeks hits UT and Arkansas.
By Wk 4 we are back to Bama facing Arkansas and going into our SEC stretch.
Wk 5 we start watching LSU when they face UGA...
Wk 6 we are facing Ole Miss, LSU is facing Florida and we should have a really good idea how the conference is going to break down for November.