No. 20 - Bulldawg Illustrated XX: UGA vs. New Mexico St, 11/5/11
The Train Keeps on Rolling Towards Atlanta
42 points in the second quarter! Did some of Steve Spurrier’s pre-South Carolina DNA get mixed in with Richt’s morning cup of coffee? Under normal circumstances, Richt would’ve pulled his first, second, third, and fourth strings for the JV team at Cedar Shoals High School once the score got that lopsided. Thank God the mercy rule—instituted by the Wussification of America movement—hasn’t made its way to college ball, because that was awesome.
Now, I’ll try to be a gentleman.
Nahh, that’s no fun.
The truth is, Bulldawg Nation needed a big win before the Auburn game. And to add more wind in our sails, the Gamecocks left Fayetteville with their second conference loss—PIG SOOIE! For those with cash to burn, nosebleed seats at the SEC Championship game are starting in the low three hundreds… seats closer to sea level are pushing $900. As Charlie Daniels croons, “Oooooh Atlanta, you’re the only home I ever knew.”
Wait—was I really just talking about Georgia going to the SEC Championship game?! Floating in the euphoric cloud of last weekend’s blowout has left me in a state of pigskin jubilee… Matter of fact, I’ve been up there for two weeks. But I’ve got to get back down to sea level. I wouldn’t want to count my chickens before they hatch.
Speaking of chickens, let’s compare the team we just beat to the war chickens of Auburn. New Mexico State has an all-time record of 416-558-31. Their last bowl game was in 1960, and their last conference championship was in 1978—in the illustrious Missouri Valley Conference. Auburn, on the other hand, is 712-400-47 all time, has played in 36 bowls, won the National Championship last year, produced three Heisman winners, claimed 11 conference titles, and would like nothing more than to leave Sanford Stadium victorious.
About the only thing these two programs have in common is that both have hybrid Bermuda grass in their stadiums.
That being said, Auburn is no joke. They haven’t played well on the road, but then again their three losses were at Clemson (ranked 9th), Arkansas (ranked 8th), and LSU (ranked 1st). Not to mention, the BCS has Auburn ranked 20th and Georgia 15th—not that big of a difference.
As unbiased as I can be, I believe we’ll extend our winning streak to eight this weekend, and nine when Kentucky pays us a visit. We’re a strong team with the momentum of a locomotive, and the players can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s hope there’s still steam in the engine when we roll on down to Grant Field—it probably won’t take much, as Richt is 9-1 vs. Tech.
I recently retrieved my SEC Championship tickets from a safe deposit box at the bank. Yes—I keep old football tickets in a bomb-proof box that requires two different keys to open. I’d like nothing more than to add a fourth SEC ticket stub to my collection… maybe get it framed and hang it in Andrew’s nursery with the other UGA memorabilia that my wife wants off his walls.
I think Corinne is afraid his nursery will turn into a college football museum. Honey, if you’re reading this, there’s nothing to worry about. Andrew’s nursery is not going to be a museum. I’ve got some Augusta National stuff and a vintage Field & Stream magazine to hang up. Close your eyes and picture a men’s club/tavern/hunting lodge—that’s the nursery look I’m going for.
Anyway, I’d prefer a win if we get to the Dome, but just having the opportunity to represent the East in the best conference in all of college football would sit fine with me.
Go Dawgs!
Editor’s Note: Brad Evans is a guest blogger for Bulldawg Illustrated. He writes from the perspective of a UGA alumnus and suburban dad who longs every weekend to be in Athens. Instead, he ends up watching the game at home in a red-and-black bow tie, bourbon in one hand and cigar in the other—joined by his wife, an Auburn grad, and their 3-year-old daughter and 3-month-old son, both caught in the middle of mom and dad’s football loyalties.
