Georgia football HC Kirby Smart discussed LSU and the SEC Championship.
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Nobody is giving Georgia much of a chance this weekend in the SEC Championship Game vs LSU.
But then again, nobody was giving Georgia much of a chance to even be in this situation after losing to South Carolina in October.
Hey, here we are. For the third year in a row, mind you.
The Dawgs have faced some awfully tough challenges over the last three seasons. Remember, this is the same quarterback, same running back, much of the same offensive line and defensive players that came one play away from winning the national championship two years ago. These Dawgs know what it takes to win. They know what the big stage feels like. To them, this is just another big game.
Kirby Smart finds himself making another trip back to Atlanta for the third time in four years as head coach of the Bulldogs. He’s gone up against some explosive offenses during his tenure at Georgia, too, but none better than this LSU group.
“It’s as explosive of a team as I’ve ever seen on tape,” Smart said. “This will be as great a challenge as we’ve had since I’ve been here, as far as playing an opponent.
They have an outstanding all-around team. It’s a tremendous opportunity to measure where you are when you get an opportunity to play a team like this that’s firing on all cylinders.”
For LSU, the Tigers’ offense ranks No. 1 or No. 2 in just about every category. So when Smart says this as explosive of a team as he’s ever seen, that’s not just him hyping up his opponent as he tends to do. He’s being real with us.
But luckily for Georgia, the Dawgs possess the nation’s top defense. And just like LSU, Georgia is No. 1 or No. 2 in just about every defensive category.
And they did not get to that point off of star power. They got there by playing as a whole and everybody doing their jobs.
“We don’t have the natural star power on our defense,” Smart said. “A lot of the defenses I’ve coached had three or four first-rounders.
“This group plays hard and plays together.”
Smart’s teams have gone up against some of the best in the last decade of college football. That will be more of the same on Saturday, but if Georgia can control the clock and force Joe Burrow to stay off the field, I like our chances.
“This obviously will be the ultimate test,” Smart said. “(LSU has) the best offensive unit we’ve played, all the way around, and it’s really not even close.”
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The two teams play completely different styles of football. For Georgia to win this game, it will need to control the clock, run the ball on LSU and force Joe Burrow and the Tigers’ offense to watch from the sideline. If that happens, I like Georgia’s chances. If Georgia’s offense sputters and proves incapable of converting on third down, then the Dawgs will be in trouble.
We can count on our defense to give us as good of a shot as possible, but if the offense does not help them out then things could get ugly.
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This SEC Championship Game hype video will get your blood boiling!
The Georgia Bulldogs clinched the SEC Championship Game two weeks ago in Auburn and now, it’s finally time for the main event. Georgia and LSU for a spot in the College Football Playoff and bragging rights that will last a lifetime.
In the words of Brent Musberger, here we go!
This epic hype trailer might be the best we’ve ever seen for Georgia football and that’s saying a lot. Just look at how the scenery fits with the music. I mean, wow!
The Hawley vs. Post game location was decided by … the final score of the LSU vs. Texas A&M game?
Saturday night’s college football matchup between the LSU Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies had people watching for more reasons than seeing if LSU would earn its first undefeated regular season in eight years.
The 2A Division I regional final matchup between No. 5 Hawley (13-0) and No. 6 Post (13-0) was using the combined final score of the LSU-A&M game to determine which team will be the home team.
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LSU won the game 50-7 for a combined score of 57 points, which means Post will be the home team. If the score would have been even, Hawley would have been the home team. The game is schedule for 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Mustang Bowl in Sweetwater.
The Home team for the State Quarterfinal game between Hawley and Post will he decided by the combined final score of tonight’s LSU vs. TAMU football game.
Odd total = Post Home Team
Even total = Hawley Home Team
Typically to determine sites and whether a team will be home and away for a playoff contest, coaches and athletic administrators in Texas typically use the “zip code game.” One coach picks a town and the other answers odd or even for the zip code. Things have evolved from actual coin flips. It’s you might see zip code books in a coach’s office next to the latest book about football.
Hawley has advanced to the regional finals for the first time in program history after falling short in the area round for six consecutive seasons.
Post is in the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
College GameDay announces its conference championship location.
College GameDay has announced its location for conference championship weekend.
ESPN’s flagship college football preview show will be headed to Atlanta for the biggest game of the season between Georgia and LSU.
Assuming the Playoff Committee does not do anything crazy, it will be No. 2 vs No. 4 and a play-in game for the Georgia Bulldogs.
This will be the first time these two teams have met in the SEC Championship since they played in 2011.
Georgia lost the game 42-10 and was completely overwhelmed in the second half by the Tigers secondary that included Morris Claiborne and Tyrann Mathieu. If you remember, though, Georgia actually dominated the first half and should have went into halftime with a two touchdown lead. The Dawgs dropped an easy touchdown pass and the Honey Badger returned a punt for a touchdown that he actually dropped before crossing the goal line.
Georgia and LSU met most recently in 2018, when the Dawgs travelled to Baton Rouge and got completely demolished by the Tigers in a hostile environment.
This time, nobody is giving Georgia a chance. However, if we can control the clock by running on LSU’s average defense and keep Joe Burrow and the offense off the field, I like our chances.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is looking for some help to position itself for a sixth-consecutive College Football Playoff berth. For fans wondering who to pull for in Week 14, we have got you covered. Below is a collective list of who you need to pull …
The Alabama Crimson Tide is looking for some help to position itself for a sixth-consecutive College Football Playoff berth. For fans wondering who to pull for in Week 14, we have got you covered.
Below is a collective list of who you need to pull for on Saturday.
No. 13 Michigan at No. 1 Ohio State
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET / Channel: FOX
If Ohio State and Minnesota both lose this week, it would set up for a possible scenario where the winner of the Big Ten championship could get left out of the College Football Playoff. Granted, that would only play out if Wisconsin beat Ohio State in that game.
Pull for: Michigan
No. 3 Clemson at South Carolina
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET / Channel: ESPN
Even with a lose to South Carolina, Clemson would still, more than likely, be a one-loss ACC champion. But that loss would be an ugly one, and without any sort of notable wins on the resume, that outcome could cost the Tigers a chance at the College Football Playoff.
Pull for: South Carolina
No. 5 Alabama at No. 15 Auburn
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / Channel: CBS
This game should be pretty obvious, if you’re an Alabama fan. Not only does the Crimson Tide need to win, it would be helpful if they won big.
Pull for: Alabama
No. 12 Wisconsin at No. 10 Minnesota
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / Channel: ABC
If Wisconsin could beat Minnesota, it would hand the Golden Gophers their second loss of the season while also sending a two-loss Badgers team to the Big Ten Championship Game. If Wisconsin could turn around and beat the Ohio State in that game, it could mean the Big Ten gets left out.
Pull for: Wisconsin
No. 9 Baylor at Kansas
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / Channel: ESPN
If Kansas could somehow luck up and beat Baylor (good luck), it would hand the Bears their second loss of the season. That means that a win over Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game would keep the conference out of the College Football Playoff altogether.
Pull for: Kansas
Texas A&M at No. 1 LSU
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET / Channel: ESPN
As hard as this is for Alabama fans, it would be best if LSU continued to win out. Having your only loss be to a No. 1 or No. 2 Tigers team will continue to be an arguing point for those pulling to get the Crimson Tide in.
Pull for: LSU
Colorado at No. 6 Utah
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / Channel: ABC
It’s hard to see a scenario where Utah lost to Colorado, but it would certainly help Alabama’s cause of getting in the Playoff. At this point, the Utes are the Crimson Tide’s biggest threat for that No. 4 spot, so this would be a welcomed sight for fans.
Pull for: Colorado
No. 7 Oklahoma at No. 21 Oklahoma State
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET / Channel: FOX
If Oklahoma State could beat Oklahoma on Saturday, it would be the Sooners’ second loss of the season. Even with a win over Baylor in the Big 12 Championship Game, it would not be enough to get in over Alabama.
Will the College Football Playoff feature three undefeated teams?
For the second straight week, Ohio State, LSU and Clemson are college football’s only remaining undefeated teams, and we’re predicting they keep their perfect records in Week 14 in their final regular-season games of the season.
With victories Saturday, Ohio State, LSU and Clemson will remain undefeated going into their respective conference title games next weekend, which means there’s a good chance three of the four College Football Playoff teams won’t have a loss. Last year, there were four overall unbeaten teams going into bowl season (Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame and UCF), three were in the playoff and Clemson was the only one to finish with a perfect 15-0 record — and a national championship, of course.
So ahead of Week 14’s games, here are our predictions for how the three remaining undefeated teams will play. They’re based on their upcoming opponents, how they’ve played so far, the College Football Playoff rankings and ESPN’s Football Power Index projections.
(All games are on Saturday unless otherwise noted.)
No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes 11-0
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Wins: Florida Atlantic, Cincinnati, Indiana, Miami (Ohio), Nebraska, Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Maryland, Rutgers, Penn State Chance of winning out: 64.1 percent Week 14 game: Michigan (Noon ET, FOX) Undefeated after Week 14: Yes
For the first time this season, the Buckeyes were tested and survived. In what was their smallest margin of victory this season, they beat Penn State, 28-17, to keep their perfect record intact in their first of two big tests to close out the regular season. Ohio State has cruised through its first 11 games, while Michigan has been trending upward since its loss to the Nittany Lions in October. But despite the Wolverines playing four ranked teams so far, Ohio State is unlike any opponent they’ve faced this season.
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Going into Week 14, the Buckeyes still lead the nation averaging 49.4 points per game and are sixth in yards per game (530.4). Oh, and their defense is No. 1 in the country in points against (10.5), yards allowed (217.4) and yards per play (3.52). They’re the most balanced team in the country with three players, quarterback Justin Fields, running back J.K. Dobbins and defensive end Chase Young, in the Heisman Trophy conversation. This team is on another level, and since beating Penn State, its chance to win out — which includes the Big Ten championship game — got a big boost from 56.4 percent last week.
Even though this rivalry game is in Ann Arbor and, with momentum, Michigan is only an 9.5-point underdog, we’re still picking Ohio State to come out on top.
No. 2 LSU Tigers 11-0
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Wins: Georgia Southern, Texas, Northwestern State, Vanderbilt, Utah State, Florida, Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas Chance of winning out: 44.0 percent Week 14 game: Texas A&M (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) Undefeated after Week 14: Yes
In the preseason, everyone had high expectations for Texas A&M, and it was even ranked for the first seven weeks. But the Aggies have been beat up throughout a rough schedule that ends with what will surely be another tough loss to one of the best teams in the nation. Led by quarterback and Heisman frontrunner Joe Burrow, LSU’s offense has been dominant all season and enters this weekend ranked second nationally with 48.5 points and 561.1 yards per game. Burrow is on fire with the best completion percentage in the country (78.9), while running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire is practically unstoppable. The Aggies’ defense — which is ranked 21st with 321.5 yards per game and gives up 4.99 yards per play — won’t be able to slow the Tigers down.
Last season’s game between these two teams ended in a wild seven-overtime shootout with Texas A&M ultimately winning, 74-72. Not this year. Although LSU’s defense isn’t the commanding force fans have come to expect over the years, it should be enough to hold off the Aggies’ offense, which is averaging 419.6 yards per game (57th nationally) and relies heavily on quarterback Kellen Mond, who has only a 63.5 completion percentage.
Wins: Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Syracuse, Charlotte, North Carolina, Florida State, Louisville, Boston College, Wofford, NC State, Wake Forest Chance of winning out: 87.7 percent Week 14 game: South Carolina (Noon ET, ESPN) Undefeated after Week 14: Yes
Here’s the thing about this matchup: If Clemson and South Carolina played each other in mid-October when the Tigers’ one-point win over UNC was fresh in everyone’s minds and the Gamecocks had just upset Georgia in overtime, we’d probably have a different answer about which team wins. But since the defending national champs’ iffy start to the season, they’ve absolutely wrecked the rest of their schedule with the No. 3 offense and No. 2 defense. Their margin of victory is more than 35 points, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence has a 27-8 touchdown-interception ratio and hasn’t been picked off since October 19. Clemson struggled early but recovered nicely, even if it does play a relatively weak schedule that currently features no ranked opponents.
And even if the Tigers were still having issues, we have no idea which South Carolina team is going to show up Saturday. Will it be the one that beat playoff-hopeful Georgia or the one that lost to Appalachian State (don’t ever pick against Appalachian State)?
From the top-3 teams to Baylor and Utah, here’s a guide to the CFP scenarios.
Although the College Football Playoff race this season seems a bit less complicated than previous seasons, it’s still challenging to keep track of which teams need to win or lose and when if your team is on the bubble.
Generally, regardless of which team you root for, you want the top-3 teams, Ohio State, LSU and Clemson, to win out because if they lose, depending on which team it’s to, they could still make the playoff and take the fourth spot. For example, if LSU loses to Georgia in the SEC championship game, both teams could get in, which is not ideal for everyone else. Though unlikely, the same could be true if Ohio State’s only loss is, say, to 12-1 Minnesota.
So ahead of the final regular-season games for the playoff hopefuls with conference championship matchups looming, here’s a guide to help you keep track of which teams to root for and against in the next couple weeks.
If you cheer for Ohio State, LSU or Clemson…
Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
Obviously, this one is pretty simple. The top-3 teams are in total control, on 11-game win streaks going into Week 14 and have at least an 86 percent chance to make the playoff. All they have to do is keep winning, and they’re in the College Football Playoff. And realistically, Ohio State could lose to Michigan and LSU could lose to Texas A&M, and they likely would both still make it as one-loss conference champions.
With its strength of schedule, Clemson is probably the only team that cannot afford to lose either this weekend against South Carolina or in the ACC title game to have a shot at defending its national championship.
However, for these three fan bases, you also want to probably want to root for Auburn to beat Alabama this weekend, which would hand the Crimson Tide their second loss and probably keep them out of the playoff for the first time. An Alabama loss wouldn’t help ensure Ohio State, LSU or Clemson contend for a title, but come on: Do you really want to have to deal with Alabama in the playoff?
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If you cheer for Georgia…
You want everyone else to lose and lose multiple times. The Bulldogs are 28.5-point favorites against Georgia Tech on Saturday, so that game really shouldn’t be an issue. But to make the playoff, they will likely have to upset LSU in the SEC championship game, which college football math suggests isn’t actually that outrageous of a goal. The Tigers currently have a 52.4 percent chance to beat Georgia, according to ESPN’s FPI, which makes this game basically a coin toss and probably a big reason why the Bulldogs currently have a 50 percent chance to make the playoff.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
But Georgia will also want a backup plan, however unlikely it may be. If it loses a close SEC championship game and finishes 11-2, it could possibly still make the playoff if the selection committee views it relatively favorably compared with potential two-loss conference champions around the country.
Bulldogs fans should root for Alabama to lose to Auburn and Minnesota to lose to Wisconsin, in addition to two-loss Big 12 and Pac-12 winners. Since it seems unlikely that Baylor will fall to Kansas this week, the best bet is for Oklahoma to lose to Oklahoma State for its second defeat of the season but then win the Big 12 championship game. And then in the Pac-12, you want two-loss Oregon to beat likely Utah in the title game. (If Utah loses to Colorado this weekend, USC will represent the Pac-12 South, which means the conference will have a two-loss champ either way.)
If you cheer for Alabama…
You want to beat Auburn, obviously, and then sit back and watch the college football world burn so your team’s 47 percent chance to make the playoff gets a boost. You need the top-3 teams to win out and maintain their positions, but you especially want LSU to beat Georgia in the SEC championship game.
From there, you’re cheering for Georgia’s backup plan. You want as many playoff contenders as possible, particularly the conference champions, to have a less favorable resume than the Crimson Tide. And, if the top-3 teams win out, Alabama probably will be up against Georgia, Oklahoma, Baylor and Utah for that final playoff spot. So two losses for everyone!
If you cheer for Utah…
And your team doesn’t beat Colorado, none of this matters. Utah lost to USC, currently second in the Pac-12 South, back in September. So another loss would put it in a tie with the Trojans, who would then win the tiebreaker. But Utah is a 28.5-point favorite over the Buffaloes, and if it does, it will advance to the Pac-12 championship game. Beat Oregon and win the conference, and it will look pretty good to the selection committee as a one-loss champ.
But for good measure, Utah fans should also root for Alabama to lose to Auburn and for a two-loss Big 12 winner, which would certainly help it in the eyes of the committee.
If you cheer for Oklahoma or Baylor…
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
You’ve got a one-loss team with a shot at the conference title. But first, Oklahoma needs to beat Oklahoma State, and Baylor needs to beat Kansas in Week 14. They could both lose and still play in the conference championship game, but they’d probably be eliminated from the playoff picture.
Both fan bases want their team to emerge as a one-loss Big 12 champion, and the best-case scenario would also include a decisive victory. But to all but ensure a playoff berth, fans should also root for Auburn over Alabama and a two-loss Pac-12 winner, which would likely Oregon.
If you cheer for Minnesota or Wisconsin…
You’re probably excited/very nervous about their Big Ten West matchup Saturday because the winner will play Ohio State in the conference title game. Wisconsin is a slim 3-point favorite in Minneapolis.
Now, both teams have ridiculously low chances to make the playoff with Wisconsin at just two percent and Minnesota at one percent. However, if the winner of Saturday’s game can ultimately upset Ohio State, it might be hard for the selection committee to deny it a playoff spot — especially if we’re talking about a one-loss Minnesota team. In that scenario, it seems like the Buckeyes would still get in if that’s their only loss, so the committee really couldn’t justify putting the Big Ten runner-up in without the champion.
Winning the conference is really the only hope here. A loss at any point would be Minnesota’s second and Wisconsin’s third, and that won’t earn a playoff spot without some colossal chaos around the country — and even then, it might not be enough.
If you cheer for Penn State, Florida, Michigan or Oregon…
Former Georgia football wide receiver Mecole Hardman gave his thoughts on the newest CFP rankings and added an interesting twist.
Former Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman, now having a sensational rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs, gave his thoughts on the most recent College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday.
After beating Penn State, the Buckeyes jumped LSU and claimed the No. 1 spot in the rankings. College football fans are split on the committee’s decision, and Hardman is one who disagrees with the order.
Yeah, the OSU win was nice, but LSU has been doing that all season.
Here are Hardman’s thoughts on the rankings.
Let’s be realistic now, LSU definitely should be #1, but if any other team was to be ahead of them it should be Clemson because they haven’t been dethroned yet so 🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/rcuI2xZDGC
Ohio State is back atop the College Football Playoff Rankings.
We had a little bit of surprise at the top of the College Football Playoff rankings that were announced Tuesday night on ESPN, as Ohio State jumped over LSU for the No. 1 spot.
Ohio State, of course, is coming off a good win over Penn State while LSU is coming off an easy win over a terrible Arkansas team. Clemson and Georgia rounded out the top 4, with Alabama remaining at No. 5.
Now all of these teams still have some big games left, including Ohio State, who plays Michigan this Saturday, so these rankings are far from being a done deal.
The committee moved Ohio State to 1 for flexibility to create whatever playoff matchup they want. After conference championships there is justification to keep them there or move LSU up to 1 after beating Georgia #CFBPlayoff
