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Bulldogs Eye SEC, National Title Wins

Venus51099 · 2002-12-08T04:17:36+00:00

Bulldogs Eye SEC, National Title Wins [URL]http://wxia.com/assetpool//images/0212703319_dawgs.jpg[URL] Georgia Bulldogs Provided By: The Associated Press Last Modified: 12/7/2002 8:01:27 PM ATLANTA (AP) -- The Georgia Bulldogs know they can win one championship Saturday. If things go really well, they could wind up with a chance to play for the biggest title of all. The scenario presents an interesting dilemma for coach Mark Richt. Richt knows the players, assistants and even he will spend at least part of the afternoon glued to the television, watching the Miami-Virginia Tech game. If the No. 1 Hurricanes lose, the fourth ranked Bulldogs (11-1) will go into the Southeastern Conference championship game knowing that a victory over No. 22 Arkansas may give them a spot in the national title game. "It would be foolish of me to think the players won't be paying attention to the Miami game," Richt said Friday. "They'll want to know what happens. We won't try to hide it from them." Instead, Georgia will stick to its normal routine for a night game, which includes position meetings and a chapel service, but also free time for the players to relax in their rooms. The Miami-Virginia Tech game kicks off five hours before the SEC championship. Georgia, which was third in this week's Bowl Championship Series standings, is hoping to claim a spot opposite unbeaten Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. To do that, the Hurricanes have to lose at home. "We realize that if Virginia Tech wins, we're going to be a little more excited for our game," Richt said. "If Miami wins, we'll probably be a little down. Hopefully, it won't be anything that keeps us from playing a good game." Richt spent the week stressing to his players the importance of winning the SEC title, which hasn't happened at Georgia since 1982 -- the longest championship drought in school history. "It's a little overwhelming," offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb said. "This opportunity hasn't come around as much as we'd like. We hope it's not a rare occurrence from now on. We hope this is the beginning of something special for this program." Arkansas (9-3) didn't look like anything special when it started 1-3 in the SEC. But the Razorbacks reeled off a six-game winning streak to earn a spot in the championship game, finishing with an improbable 21-20 victory over LSU that clinched the Western Division. The Razorbacks raced down the field in the final minute, hitting a couple of long passes to stun the Tigers. Matt Jones -- who had completed only two passes the whole game -- hooked up with Richard Smith on a 50-yard play, then went 31 yards to DeCori Birmingham for the winning touchdown with nine seconds remaining. "The way it ended was very fun," linebacker Tony Bua said. "After about 10 or 15 minutes, we were worried about Georgia. We've been in a one-game playoff ever since we started out with three losses in the SEC." Star safety Ken Hamlin hopes the Razorbacks can pull off another surprise. "We've been part of a lot of games that we had to come back and win," he said. "I don't know if it's expected. We're just hoping the angels are watching over us one more time and make something happen." If the Razorbacks are going to make something happen offensively, they'll need a big game from Jones. At 6-foot-5, 225-pounds, the sophomore quarterback is deceptively fast and does more damage with his legs than his arm. "Guys will have a clean shot at him and they just slide off," Richt said. "Even if you have a clean shot at him, there's no guarantee you're going to make the play. You've just got to hold your breath and hope you tackle him." Jones has gained 588 yards, ranking second on the team behind 1,00-yard runner Fred Talley. The Razorbacks led the SEC with an average of 243 yards per game on the ground; on the other hand, they have the league's most puny passing attack. Georgia is more balanced with quarterback David Greene (the league's top-ranked passer) and their own 1,000 yard rusher in Musa Smith. In addition, the Bulldogs have an experienced line and are especially deep at receiver, where Terrence Gibson, Fred Gibson and Michael Johnson form a formidable trio. That group will be bolstered by the return of Damien Gary, who missed the last four games recovering from a torn leg muscle. Defensively, the Bulldogs sent out one of the league's best front sevens. End David Pollack is a finalist for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy. Linebacker Boss Bailey was a semifinalist for both the Butkus and Lombardi awards. Johnathan Sullivan, a 299-pound tackle, is so effective in the middle that most teams are forced to double-team him. "Their defensive line is one the best in the league," Talley said. "I really can't find any faults with them." While Georgia was a solid eight-point favorite, Richt reminded his team what happened in last year's SEC championship game. Tennessee squandered a chance to play for the national title by falling to an LSU team with three losses. Sound familiar? "The psychology is not very good any time you're the favorite," Richt said. "We're battling a team that has a lot to prove. At the same time, we have a lot to prove ourselves. It's been such a long time since Georgia won a championship." Maybe they'll win two. (Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)