Mark Richt Has Saved His Job With Georgia's March To SEC Championship Game

When the Georgia Bulldogs lost their first two games of the season, most analysts (including me) wrote off their chances of having a successful season.  Coming off a disappointing 2010 season in which they went 6-7 and lost their bowl game (Liberty Bowl, ugh) to the University of Central Florida, Mark Richt was most definitely on the hot seat.

I have always liked Richt, but I was getting a bit sick myself of Georgia under-performing.  Richt's teams had gone a collective 14-16 against main rivals Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee.

In Richt's earlier years with Georgia, they won two SEC Championships in 2005 and 2002 but never got the chance to play for a national title. Since Richt joined Georgia in 2001, six SEC teams have won the BCS Championship (LSU twice, Florida twice, Auburn, Alabama).

One would think that with a current overall head coaching record at UGA of 106-36 over 11 years, Richt would have won more titles with UGA.  As a fan, I have a hard time balancing my respect for a guy who is routinely winning 10 games a year with my impatience at the lack of Championships.

However, that has all changed this year with their current 9-2 record.  Early losses aside, UGA has beaten Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee in the same season for the first time in about 30 years.  If UGA manages to beat Georgia Tech next week, it will be the first time in the history of Georgia football that they will have beaten Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech in the same season.

I believe that's good enough to keep your job.  I also believe that UGA has a chance to win this year's SEC Championship game.  I will get into more detail once we know for sure who the opponent will be.

It's good to be a Georgia Bulldog.