The 2008 season is now over and 2009 has started off with a plethora of interesting bowl games from Texas' last minute touchdown to Oklahoma's failure to score twice in the red zone and once within 30 yards of the Florida endzone. I'm sorry for all your losses in the past few BCS bowls including some painful blowouts but this one's got to be on you, Stoops ol' buddy. Everyone enjoys starting off the fresh new year watching a couple of bowl games while at the same time more than half the nation is bitter because their respectful teams fell short of the BCS title game (Texas, Alabama, Utah, USC, Georgia Pre-season #1). But of course, we all still watch these games and that is why the BCS still exists in this world.
First off, let me start the new year by congratulating the Florida Gators for yet another storybook ending after a questionable loss to Ole Miss in the middle of the season. Being a faithful Bulldog fan for a decade now, it left a very sour and envious taste in my mouth last night watching Florida chomp off the field with yet another crystal football within the past three years. I'm not going to go on and on about the excuses Georgia had because honestly, when you are one of the most talented teams in arguably the most dominant conference in the nation, there is no excuse because that is what depth and a good coaching staff are for. I have some "family and friends" that support and attended Florida so I will be getting it from them this coming weekend. It's funny though because they always like to celebrate their wins and championships on us but I excitedly celebrate one win over them in maybe ten years (2007 Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party) and they just complain about how we were bad sports by dancing in the endzone. I don't even want to hear it because they have two championships in three years. The least they can let me do is enjoy one win over them. Now before completely getting off the topic that I'm struggling to talk about, now that the BCS title game has ended, teams are looking ahead to the next season, biased ESPN is already predicting what they call, "way too early to tell 2009 preseason rankings", and the top players in the collegiate level are deciding whether they want to declare to the NFL or come back for another year to battle for the championship or one of the 746,543 bowl games or just break a school record and maybe enjoy the campus life a little longer while still having to deal with midterms and final exams. Thus begins MY predictions for the 2009 season.
Now I know it's far too early for a 2009 preseason ranking but if ESPN can do it, why can't I?
1. Texas: McCoy is coming back with a vengeance and after what happened this past season, you know he won't settle for less than 13-0.
2. Florida: With Tim Tebow most likely coming back, the Gators could make a convincing statement for back-to-back titles but did anyone else see how big of an impact Mr. Harvin was in the championship game? The rest of the Gators might be very athletic but "Percy Harvin's" are hard to come by.
3. LSU: What LSU did to Georgia Tech in the Chick Fil A bowl could be a preview of what LSU might do to the rest of the nation in 2009. Then again, they could be the 2008 Georgia Bulldogs for this next season. Or not. Mr. Jordan Jefferson, it's all up to you, sir. Please don't make me feel like an idiot for putting the Tigers up this high. (LSU will be a top contender or a bust for the second straight year.)
4. Ohio State: This is probably a far too high of a ranking but Terrelle Pryor showed flashes of greatness in a few games this season after replacing Todd Boeckman. With experience now under his belt, he will enter his sophomore season as one of the most feared leaders behind center in the 2009 campaign. Beanie, Laurinitis, and Jenkins will be missed.
5. USC: Too low of a ranking for the powerhouse? Lower than the Buckeyes? A team that the Trojans pummeled? They get tons of blue chip prospects year in and year out, Coach Pete is a hall of famer in the making, and all of the Pac-10 fears the University of Southern California. Maybe except Oregon State.. Any Stanford Cardinals in the house? Until the
"All-Mighty" warriors in red and yellow can finally manage to get out of the Pac-10 undefeated, they will stay less than qualified to be the top team in the nation. In my opinion, if they hadn't lost that game to the Beavers from the state of Oregon, without a doubt would they have been the best in the nation. I'm sure many people in California agree with me. Advice for 2009, you might "own" the Pac-10 in football, but stop looking past the sleepers in your own conference.
6. Oklahoma: Mr. Heisman 2008, will you stay or will you go? If you care enough about your coach, you will come back and try to get him his first bowl win in a long time. Maybe you should just head to the NFL, because I talked to Colt the other day and he isn't too happy about what happened with all the rankings.
7. Virginia Tech: Tyrod Taylor and the always powerful Hokie defense will look to defend their conference title. Could they possibly go for more than an Orange Bowl this season?
8. Georgia: Goodbye Stafford, Good luck Moreno. Thanks for the highlights but us Georgia fans were hungry for that Title game. You left us with a bitter taste in our mouths. Now the more than faithful ball coach will probably look to the Red shirt senior, Joe Cox to lead the team behind the young but experienced offensive line. Don't be surprised by what these Dawgs will be capable of doing even without Staff and Knowshon when the lineup is healthy (Knock on wood).
9. Alabama: Their two best offensive linemen gone(If you don't think that's a big deal, go back and watch the film of the Sugar Bowl when "Andre the Giant" wasn't present to keep his pretty little quarterback from eating turf multiple times)? Mt. Cody possibly headed to the NFL? J Parker Wilson done with the collegiate level? Look for Mr. Julio Jones to be one of many possible X-factors for this once #1 team in this past season as they look to surprise the nation once again in 2009.
10. Oklahoma St: All offense and no defense will be the story of their season. Typical of a Big-12 team. Oops, did I say that?
11-15 Florida State, Oregon, Ole Miss, Penn State, TCU in no specific order.
Once again, this pre-pre-pre-season ranking is far from accurate but who's ever heard of an unbiased opinion.
Lastly, as a die-hard Georgia fan since the fourth grade, here's my message to the world whether you are for or against the Dawgs.
First for those against Georgia, I don't really have much to say but don't hop onto our bandwagon once we FINALLY reach that national championship.
And those of you who cheered for Georgia this year because we were preseason #1 and then hated on us saying we suck because we lost a few games to some of the top teams in the nation, don't even think about trying to be a Georgia fan in the future because we don't need your pathetic and unfaithful support.
For the majority of you Georgia fans who are panicking about the 2009 season saying we're done before it has started, claiming it to be a rebuilding year, consider this. Other than the fact that #7 and #24 are moving onto the NFL to make millions of dollars, next year, The University of Georgia will be returning their entire starting offensive line. Sturdivant who was an all SEC linemen as a freshman will be at 100% after a season ending injury in the preseason that forced him to red shirt his sophomore year. Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins will build a near impenetrable wall on the interior of the defensive line and prospective junior linebacker Rennie Curran will lead the defensive secondary alongside two returning cornerbacks in Asher Allen and Bryan Evans as they will try to take Georgia to the top in their senior campaign. So some of you are saying, "well this is great that we have all this, but who is going to replace our two most "valuable" players from these past few seasons?" Within just two recruiting years, the Bulldogs have brought in Caleb King, Richard Samuel, Carlton Thomas, and Dontavius Jackson respectably. Haven't heard much or anything at all about them before? Well it's because these future bright stars have been waiting for their time to shine once Knowshon left for the pros as he became just the second rusher in Georgia to have consecutive 1000 yard rushing seasons. The other man, Herschel Walker. Heard of him? Caleb King will most likely be the go to guy, but expect the others to step up big as back up relievers as well as big time specialists. Envious of Florida's Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps? You got yourselves a comparison in Carlton Thomas and Richard Samuel. Don't forget to mention our upcoming running back from the c/o 2009 in Washaun Ealey. None of these guys were in the top 3 of their positions ranking in their recruiting class but how can you assume so soon when Knowshon was redshirted as a freshman and was originally the #15 running back in his recruiting class. Just a little history for those of you who didn't know much about the man Moreno until he bursted onto the scene in his debut vs Oklahoma St. Now for Mr. #1 NFL Draft pick. How could we possibly replace him? Please... Matthew Stafford was a stud but he wasn't invincible. Some may be worried about how Richt is loyal to seniority and will most likely start with Cox. What's wrong with Cox? It's Joe Cox, not Joe Tereshinski III (Starting Senior quarterback 2006-07 before getting replaced by a freshman named Matthew). He's got excellent accuracy and with a healthy fully repowered offensive line, the sky is the limit. Not only that, we'll most likely get to see a combination of Logan Gray and Aaron Murray behind center snapper Ben Jones. Zach Mettenberger who is the fellow 2009 quarterback recruit along with Murray, will most likely end up getting redshirted. Logan Gray will be interesting to see at the qb position as he is very mobile and was the punt return specialist at many times this past season. And who is Aaron Murray? He is without a doubt a top 3 quarterback in the nation in high school and could have made a huge statement as being the #1 passer in the land if not for an injury that kept him out of the regular season in his senior campaign. Unless he is redshirted his freshman year, expect him to come in and make a huge impact immediately. So we got plenty of replacements at both positions. They may not be all americans yet, but you can't blame 'em since they were backups to two and didn't really get much of a shot until now. Could Richt possibly build another three headed monster at the running back position? (Lumpkin, Brown, Ware) Maybe a dual quarterback threat with speed and pocket presence? (Greene, Shockley) By the way, all five of those names are in the NFL. Here are some positive points that I will be looking forward to in the 2009-10 campaign for the Georgia Bulldogs. We will hopefully be healthy which is the most important thing, we won't have too high of expectations with a pre-season #1 ranking (I always liked seeing us move up from a lower ranking), Stafford won't be here to do that stupid quarterback draw option play that worked once every 20 times, and if and when we reach the SEC championship game, we will get yet another home game and accomplish a goal that most of the sports nation doubted. Georgia Bulldogs 2009-10 champs? Probably not, but my elementary school teacher told me I was a big dreamer.
Speaking of dreams, I dream of a day when a playoff system will be enforced upon the world of college football. I wouldn't be too surprised if it happened very soon. The past few seasons haven't supported the BCS system very well. A split national champion? Who wants to share the championship with another team? How can there be teams that finish undefeated and not get a shot at the championship when they have just as impressive of a track record as a one loss team just because of strength of school history which is the case nowadays, not strength of schedule. Even our new President, Barack Obama, is asking for a playoff system. I know he isn't a king or anything, but if our president wants a playoff system, would it be too much to ask? Now that all the bowl games have been played and are done with for this season, let's go back and see what I think would have happened. Since the BCS to me is a bunch of nonsense, I will do an eight-team playoff according to the top eight teams from the AP rankings.
#1 Florida vs #8 Texas Tech 59-21 (This one would be over before the half)
#4 Alabama vs #5 USC 23-33 (Lots of field goals but in the end, USC is just too loaded)
#2 Oklahoma vs #7 Utah 28-35 (Comes down to a 4th quarter drive when the Heisman can't lead his troops to answer a previously impressive touchdown by Brian Johnson and his Utes)
#3 Texas vs #6 Penn State 20-16 (Texas meets a tough defense for the first time this season but manages to pull out in a grind)
#1 Florida vs #5 USC 27-31 (USC gives up the lead for the first time in the 4th but regains it with just enough time for Tebow to make a last drive effort before falling short)
#3 Texas vs #7 Utah 35-21 (Colt smiles with satisfaction as his Longhorns knock off the team that previously eliminated conference rival Oklahoma)
#3 Texas vs #5 USC 21-35 (Texas holds off USC's high octane offense but doesn't have enough energy to hold off the Trojans in the final quarter as USC scores their last two touchdowns with big drives in the fourth quarter)
#5 USC National Champions
Yeah yeah, all this is ridiculous and isn't necessary because this didn't even happen and we will never know what really would have happened but who's to say I can't make my own predictions. Like I said before, if ESPN can write about whatever they want, then so can I. Hopefully when we one day actually do get an eight team playoff, Georgia will be within a qualifying spot to compete.
Until my next post, Gooo Dawgs! Sic' Em!
-Jason Chong
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