Heading Back to Atlanta: Georgia Bulldogs vs. LSU Tigers

For everyone associated with the SEC, the conference championship game has become a game of glory. Those who are a part of the SEC know that this is the best conference in football. Those who aren't are in a sad denial.

For some people, however, the 2011 SEC championship game is looked at as a game with no meaning. It's been presumed that even with an LSU loss to Georgia, the Tigers will still be making a trip to New Orleans for the National Championship. 

The Bulldogs are aware of the situation. They know that even with a win over the Tigers, they can't make it to the BCS National Championship—something the winner of the SEC championship game has done for the last five years.

Georgia knows the pride that comes with being champions of the greatest conference in college football, and it's something they haven't felt since 2005. It was that game in 2005 that the Bulldogs last upset LSU, beating the then-ranked No. 3 Tigers 34-14. The Dawgs believe they can do it again.

"We've been an underdog ever since those two games we lost," defensive back Branden Smith said. "We're used to it. We believe in ourselves. Even when no one else believed, we still believed. Even though we're an underdog now, we keep believing."

Defeating LSU is a daunting task that has already seen a remarkable seven ranked teams try and fail.

The Tigers have put together a championship season that, should they win out, would go down in history as one of the greatest single seasons in years. It would certainly go down as one of the greatest single seasons for LSU who, believe it or not, sit at 12-0 for the first time in school history.

 

Tigers Head Coach Les Miles believes his team has benefited greatly from the big games it's already been a part of this year.

"To me, we're used to playing in that environment, used to being on the big stages," Miles said.

Outside of LSU, who has been hot since the get-go, the Georgia Bulldogs come into Atlanta as maybe the hottest team in the country. The Dawgs are currently riding a 10-game winning streak for the first time since 1982 when they finished the season as SEC Champions—before losing to Penn State in the National Championship.

At 10-2, the Bulldogs haven't gained a lot of respect from the BCS rankings, which currently have them ranked at No. 14. 

Many believe it's their relatively weak schedule holding the Dawgs back. Having only defeated two ranked opponents—No. 24 Auburn and No. 25 Georgia Tech—LSU will be Georgia's first true test since dropping their first two games of the season to Boise State and South Carolina.

While many thought it was Arkansas' Tyler Wilson that would provide a problem for the LSU defensive backs, it could be Georgia's Aaron Murray the Tigers have trouble with.

“He's the kind of guy that you have to make sure you're responsible,” Les Miles said. “Your coverage, you have to focus your eyes and make sure you're over the top. The guy that can move the ball around to as many receivers as he gets it to, you have to have the ability to play coverage and certainly play coverage with the ability to get some pressure on that quarterback without necessarily calling extra guys in the rush.” 

The sophomore set a school record with 32 touchdown passes to compliment only 10 interceptions. Murray will be throwing the ball to big, physical Georgia receivers. A position the Dawgs are extremely deep at with players who aren't afraid to matchup with the tough corners from Baton Rouge.

The Bulldogs are expecting freshman running back, Isaiah Crowell, to play on Saturday. Crowell missed almost all of last week's game with an ankle injury, but head coach Mark Richt said the injury shouldn't be a problem.

"Unless there's a setback, I think he will play in the game," Richt said.

It will be imperative that Georgia establish a run game versus the Tigers for Aaron Murray to have any success through the air—something Murray is aware of.

"We really want to be able to run the ball," he said. "I think we need to be able to run the ball against LSU to get the victory and put some points on the board."

To those who are writing the Bulldogs off in this one, don't. 

While it is hard to foresee an outcome that favors Georgia, it's not far-fetched to believe they have a good chance in pulling off the upset. This is a different team walking into the Georgia Dome on Dec. 3 than the one that played there Sept. 3.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/962577-heading-back-to-atlanta-georgia-bulldogs-vs-lsu-tigers

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