Georgia Bulldogs: SEC Championship War Coming

“Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively. They are like a great river that maintains its course but adjusts its flow.”- Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

According to some historians and philosophers, going back to the Roman Empire, athletic games and violent sport have been used to satiate the masses and fill a public need to divert energy from actual violence and war. The idea is that the more hours spent screaming and cheering for a favorite team or athlete in a stadium, the fewer hours spent screaming at corrupt politicians and officials for their malfeasance. You only have so much screaming and effort in you. The roman poet Juvenal (where we get our word juvenile) famously wrote his friend and Roman Emperor, Tiberius, warning him of the deleterious effects of “panem et circenses” or “bread and circuses.” The Georgia Bulldogs faced a full eight-ring circus last week against rival Georgia Tech and will be walking into a full-fledged dog fight battle today in Atlanta.

This latest installment of “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets was, and is, an instant classic. If ESPN actually still showed sports during the day, instead of mouth breathers spewing spittle at each other for hours, this game would be on rotation immediately. A 17-point comeback. Multiple lead changes. Eight overtimes! It was the type of game that requires respect for both teams, regardless of your allegiance. It was the type of battle that viewers walk away and lay due honor for both sides. You can’t fake that type of effort. You can’t fake that type of heart. You can’t fake that kind of passion and athleticism. It was historic. It was all-time. It was a war without weapons.

But now, in many ways, the war has just begun. Everything leading up to this moment has been in preparation for today. The Southeastern Conference Football Championship game. Short of a national championship, this trophy means everything.

These Georgia Bulldogs are hurt. Every team has bumps, bruises, contusions and concussions at this point in the season, but having gone through the most difficult schedule in the country, the Dawgs are literally limping into the post-season. Every bit of effort you see from them today will be through the gritted teeth and clinched jaw of injury.

The opponent for this game, the No. 2-ranked Texas Longhorns, is a familiar one. Georgia famously put “strap to hide” on the Longhorns at their place a month ago. No doubt this Texas team is loaded and ready for revenge. It is the only loss of their season. It was an embarrassing one. They want that lick back.

Aside from the usual trappings of being the SEC Champion, of which there are many and they are great, there are important ramifications for the college football playoff in winning this game. Both teams are, most likely, in the playoffs whether they win or lose. But the winner will have a full 14 to 17 days off before having to play again in the Sugar Bowl. The loser will have to turn around and play almost immediately in the following week. In football terms, it would be like going from Gettysburg straight to Antietam and then to Chickamauga. Good luck with that. Send us a postcard if you make it.

Can these (10-2) Bulldogs beat the (11-1) Texas Longhorns again? Absolutely. The axiom that it is difficult to beat a team twice is known for a reason: because it is very difficult. But it can happen. As Sun Tzu wrote, though, you have plan effectively and change decisively.

In 10 games this year against power-5 teams, Georgia’s offense averaged 11 points per game in the first half. The first time these two played, UGA scored 23 points in the first half. Needless to say, 11 points won’t cut it.

The last time we saw UGA’s offense look decent, it was in the second half of the Tennessee game when coach Bobo went to “13 personnel.” I’d really like to see that again. It helps with a struggling run game and play-action.

This game today in Atlanta is going to be another war without weapons. These modern-day gladiators are going to be in a full four-quarter battle for glory. If Georgia can find a way to win Kirby Smart’s third SEC Championship and buy two weeks’ worth of rest and preparation for the coming playoff, this could wind up being a very special season for this team. The kind where they build statues.

But these dudes are going to have to show that Dawg in them. They are going to have to sacrifice and strain through the pain for hours to get to glory. It is right there for them and Dawg fans will be waiting to sing, “Glory, glory to old Georgia!” Glory is waiting. It is right there.