Georgia Bulldogs: Ben Jones Named To 2011 Rimington Watch List

The 2011 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List has been released and Georgia center, Ben Jones, makes his second consecutive appearance. Jones, a senior, is one of six SEC players named on the list for the trophy given to college football's "most outstanding center" each year.

The SEC and the Big Ten had the most nominees.

Other SEC players named on the list include T.J. Johnson (South Carolina), P.J. Lonergan (LSU), Matt Smith (Kentucky), Travis Swanson (Arkansas), and William Vlachos (Alabama).

Jones is considered by some to be one of the top centers in the country and is currently projected to be a late second, early third, round draft pick in 2012.

He's made 35 starts and appeared in 39 games for Georgia—including 12 starts in 2010. He was named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week following Georgia's win over Vanderbilt. A game in which the team tallied more than 500 yards of total offense.

Georgia Bulldogs Football: The Secondary Needs To Tighten Up Before Facing Florida

As Georgia fans bask in the glory that is a satisfying three-game winning streak, it seems only fitting to throw some water on those flames of confidence by mentioning one teeny, tiny, miniscule, little detail: the secondary did not play well last night.

For all the domination the front seven seemed to exact on the young, inexperienced, offensive line of the Kentucky Wildcats, the secondary still managed to give up way too many big plays on third-and-long, and there were far too many occasions of receivers getting behind Georgia's defensive backs for big gainers after the catch.

There was no excuse for the 353-yards that was given up to Mike Hartline—minus Derrick Locke and with little help from Randall Cobb.

Chris Matthews and La'Rod King absolutely killed Georgia. Combined, the two tallied 7 catches, 171-yards, and 3 touchdowns. That's too much freedom for comfort, and Georgia is going to have to address that problem—Vance Cuff, in particular, looks like he may need more coverage help.

Cuff was caught lunging on more than one occasion as a Kentucky receiver was able to get behind him for a catch and score. Cuff, obviously, was in need of more help from the safeties because, on an island, he was burned all day.

That said, it seems fair to mention that Kentucky has a plethora of talent at wide receiver, most of them big, most of them physical, but Georgia has to find a way to maximize the skills of their defensive backs when facing a more physical receiver. This is not a new issue, Georgia has had problems with big receivers all season.

Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina (7 receptions for 103-yards), Greg Childs of Arkansas (3 receptions for 82-yards), and Justin Hunter of Tennessee (4 receptions for 110-yards) all had some of their biggest games of the season against Georgia.

Florida may be reeling right now, but the Bulldogs don't need to give the Gators any glaring holes to trample through. Remember, the Bulldogs were on a four-game losing streak of their own before finally getting back on track—don't underestimate the motivation of Urban Meyer where his Florida Gators are concerned.

This is a match-up where the "better" team isn't necessarily the one that wins.

The secondary needs to find a better way of working together to contain both the receivers and the quarterback. Last night, Mike Hartline found too many easy passing lanes to throw the ball through and that's not what you'd like to see. Granted, Hartline is a much better quarterback this season than he has been in years past, but consistency must be found somehow if Georgia intends to finish strong.

Georgia Bulldogs Football: Washaun Ealey Leads The Way In 44-31 Win Over Kentucky

The Georgia Bulldogs went into Lexington with one goal: run it down their throats—period. It was a plan that worked to utter perfection as Georgia QB, Aaron Murray, barely broke a sweat (9/12 for 113-yards) in allowing Washaun Ealey to do all the dirty work for the offense.

Ealey led the charge in Georgia's 44-31 defeat of the Kentucky Wildcats, running for 157-yards and five touchdowns on 28 carries (5.6 ypc).  He became the first Bulldog running back to do so since Robert Edwards did so against South Carolina.

The game was all Georgia from the start, as they ran out to a 28-10 lead, by halftime, on the strength of a 100-yard return by Brandon Boykin, three rushing touchdowns by Washaun Ealey, and three Kentucky turnovers (all fumbles).

Add to that, the immediately noticeable pass-rush offered by a determined Justin Houston (who finished with three sacks), and you have a Bulldog team that continued to roll for the third straight week.

With the win, the Bulldogs move to 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the SEC (2nd to South Carolina).

The stat of the game is 423-yards. That's the total yards given up by the Georgia defense tonight—353-yards of which came through the air. The secondary will need to tighten up before next week's match-up with Urban Meyer's Gators who, reeling themselves, will be looking for any advantage they can find against this, suddenly, surging Georgia defense that has been so stingy against the run.

But, for the night, Georgia fans can rejoice in being a .500 football team. Something that seemed improbable just three-weeks ago.

Steve Spurrier Gets Cocky and Cat's Go Wild: Kentucky Steals Big Win Over Top 10 Foe (VIDEO)

Remember all that chatter about Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks suffering a letdown this week over the Kentucky Wildcats, after defeating the former No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in Columbia last week? Well, that came to fruition tonight as the Kentucky Wildcats and, new head coach, Joker Phillips, got their first signature win over a ranked opponent.

The Gamecocks were leading the game with less than 1:00 minute to go in the fourth-quarter, but then Kentucky quarterback, Mike Hartline connected with Randall Cobb for a 24 yard touchdown reception—followed by a two-point conversion—making it 31-28 Kentucky with less than :15 seconds to play.

Stephen Garcia took over on his own 31 but, two big completions to both D.L. Moore and Tori Gurley placed the Gamecocks within striking distance of a field goal. Then, the unthinkable happened, Spurrier used his final timeout to draw up a play for one last shot at the end zone—he likely should have just gone for the tie but, for whatever reason, he decided to try and go for the win instead.

His gamble ended up being a poor one as Stephen Garcia was intercepted in the end zone—Wildcats win:



So close...yet, so very far away.

Nice win for the Cats' though, after the close loss to Auburn last week, they were bound to come out on the winning end of one of these eventually.

Georgia Is No. 64 According to the Orlando Sentinel...Guess What I Say?

The Orlando Sentinel has been counting down the Top 120 teams in the nation and the Georgia Bulldogs have landed at No. 64.

"Why Georgia at No. 64?: It’s been a long time since Georgia has been pushed outside of the national top 60, but the Bulldogs must prove themselves on too many levels to be deemed a major factor in the preseason. Georgia must win with a new quarterback, a new defensive scheme and find a way to improve last year’s unspectacular performance on both sides of the ball." (6/28/10)

I find it comical that the Georgia Bulldogs can come off an 8-5 season and suddenly be plagued with this much doubt. Two close losses early on in the season to both Oklahoma State and LSU all but sealed the 8-5 finish, otherwise Mark Richt likely would have had another ten win season.

That being said, this is the same publication that places Iowa State above Michigan and Kentucky ahead of Tennessee—credibility is in doubt.

While I can appreciate the challenges that Georgia faces in implementing a new defense, I don't believe for one second that it will be any worse than it was in 2009.

Furthermore, despite the inexperience at the quarterback position, I don't see any reason why Georgia will have trouble moving the ball this season—particularly if the line can avoid serious injury and play up to its potential. The presence of Clint Boling and Ben Jones will be key in the development of both Aaron Murray and the running game.

The presence of A.J. Green is a definite plus but the emergence of both Orson Charles and Aron White as legitimate forces in the passing game cannot be discounted.

Georgia at 64 is insulting and, in many ways, shows a great deal of blatant idiocy on the part of the author—especially when Kentucky is No. 65.

Seriously...Georgia is only one spot better than the Wildcats?!?

Ohhh, Jeremy Fowler, how you kid. Let me know when you remove your lips from the fluffy pillows attached and protruding just beneath Urban Meyer's back—maybe then you can regain perspective.

64?....Jeez, what a moron.