A Note From the Sports Desk

This season's success by the Georgia Bulldogs football team has not gone unnoticed here at WDW.  Yesterday, the then No. 3 Bulldogs beat Florida by a commanding 42-7, and to make things even sweeter, No. 2 Penn State lost to Ohio State.  Today, the AP rankings have Georgia at No. 2, right behind No. 1 Alabama.

The 8-0 Bulldogs have a good chance to go undefeated this season, and at this point., it seems almost inevitable that they'll face Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.  That will most certainly be a tough game to win and if they do they should be ranked No. 1 in the country, but here's the rub: it's not entirely impossible that given Alabama's success, and even more their reputation, that if Alabama loses to Georgia in the SEC Championship, they may only drop down a few spots in the polls and still be ranked No. 3 or 4 in the country.

That would mean that Georgia would have to play Alabama a second time.  If Georgia is No. 1 and Alabama No. 4, they'll play each other in the National Championship Playoff Game, facing each other again for a second consecutive game.  Two Georgia-Alabama games in a row!  If Georgia is No. 1 and Alabama No. 3, and Alabama wins their playoff game against the No. 2 team, then Georgia and Alabama will face off in the National Championship (assuming of course that Georgia wins its own playoff game), which will basically mean that the National Championship Game will be a repeat of the SEC Championship.

In other words, for Georgia to be national champion and the No. 1 team at the end of the season, they may very well have to beat Alabama not once, but twice. The road to the National Championship for the Bulldogs apparently goes through Tuscaloosa, then turns back around and goes through Tuscaloosa again (both games will actually be played here in Atlanta, but you know what we mean). 

Of course, if Georgia does lose a game this season, including the SEC Championship, the chances are good they won't still be ranked in the top four and all the above considerations are off (they don't enjoy Alabama's reputation and weren't ranked No. 1 for the entire season like the Tide).  If Georgia does lose and finishes out of the top four, predictions are they'll probably face Miami in a bowl game, provided that Miami, who are having a remarkable, undefeated season themselves so far, doesn't wind up in the top four and in the National Championship playoffs themselves.  It will be especially interesting if Georgia and Miami do play in a bowl, as it will be a revenge match for Coach Mark Richt between his current team (the Hurricanes) and his former team (the Bulldogs, who let him go two seasons ago).

So yes, it's not all music and meditation here at WDW, and we here at the Sports Desk have been watching these games and keeping a close eye on things, and what with this season's success of the Georgia Bulldogs, and the New England Patriots seeming to regain their poise after a few early-season hiccups, it's not a bad year at all here at the Sports Desk.    

Back to you, Shokai!