The last seven games of Georgia’s 2007 season couldn’t have been scripted any better for Bulldog fans. Six straight regular season wins, a dominating Sugar Bowl performance and a number two national ranking leaves many asking the same question. Is Georgia ready to take the next step?
The proverbial next step would not be a conference championship, which Richt has already done twice. The next step is a national title. Georgia will more than likely be ranked somewhere in the top five to start the 2008 season, but can they really put themselves in position to hoist the crystal football at season’s end? What are the negatives going into next year? First, winning the national title takes being very good and even more than–that at times it takes being very lucky. Too bad for the Dawgs that the schedule for 2008 is very unlucky.
Trips to South Carolina, Arizona State, LSU and Auburn will be no easy task – not to mention the rival game in Jacksonville with Florida, who will also be ranked top five to start the season. Georgia does get Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia Tech in Athens but home games, particularly against the Vols, have not meant sure victories in the past few years. Bottom line: Georgia is going to have to find a way to win ten out of eleven games, and if they do this then the national title shot is a real possibility
scout.com
6/3/08
