Column: MMQB (yes, yes), predictions, and Loughdmouthings (last week, weasel coaches, dumb ADs, UGA/Bama)
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Predictions
GHSA Semifinal
No. 4 Warner Robins (R1/2, 12-1) at No. 5 Creekside (R3/2, 11-2), at Banneker
Don’t underestimate Creekside, whose only losses are to Cartersville by 3 and Woodward by 7, a pair of top-5 teams. The Seminoles have three shutouts and three more games allowing only 7 points. But Warner Robins hasn’t shown much of a weakness since losing to Ware County, and is likely to shrug off another subpar following – the crowd at Jones County should have been about double – and take care of business on the road. The Demons’ consistency is fairly astounding. Fred Perry is a beast.
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 11
The Maxwell Ratings/Georgia High School Football Daily prediction has Warner Robins winning 28-21.
GHSA Finals
Class AA
No. 1 Brentwood (10-1) vs. No. 2 Terrell (11-1)
The common denominator is that each has a loss to a quality AAA team, Brentwood 38-12 to John Milledge to open the season and Terrell 56-35 to Westfield in early October. The difference this year for the War Eagles is on D, and that’s the difference.
TSR: Brentwood by 15
Class AAA
No. 1 John Milledge vs. vs. No. 2 Pinewood Christian (11-1)
Life is fixin’ to change for John Milledge: It’ll start having some competition for more than a half here and there. We thought the first meeting between these two would be a battle, and JMA won 41-6 in early September. OK, so will this one be close?
TSR pick: John Milledge by 19
Loughdmouthings
Yes, an abbreviated offering this week. The rant about rants about the College Football Playoff rankings will come Saturday before kickoffs. …
We went from a really good Friday for Central Georgia’s GHSA teams to a bad one, with everybody but Warner Robins ending the season.
As per the Georgia High School Football Daily’s Maxwell Ratings, only two of the eight area teams were favored: Warner Robins by 21 and Perry by one. The website was pretty much on point, missing Warner Robins-Jones County by seven, Peach County-Pierce County by two, Northeast-Swainsboro by one, Putnam County-Fitzgerald by two, and FPD-Prince Avenue by two. …
Sure would be nice if college coaches didn’t lie or deceive, and if athletics administrators weren’t as fiscally irresponsible as a drunken sailor and hired better than the Kardashian’s dating coordinator.
Just say, all the time when asked: “I’m not looking for another job, I love it here, this is a great community. But I think we’ve all learned to never say never.” About 19 times in a row, the questions will decrease.
And the ADs who heave around buyout money should have every coaching decision that doesn’t work out come out of their salary, and more importantly, their retirement. That’s likely with every hire based on a “splash” or “big name.” …
Remember to get your favorite Friday night football game streamer/announcer/screamer a set of nice and inexpensive binoculars this Christmas, and in the card put “Please watch the game and stop saying you didn’t see the play you’re supposed to be there to see.” …
Yup, somebody in Thomaston has still forgotten to update the GHSA’s standings for the “total” column, because it’s been updated all year. Not for the playoffs.
Won’t even go into the GISA website (except to thank whomever for moving the Twitter feed out of the way of the brackets). …
Was a bit off last week in guessing that Bobby Dodd would be 62 percent Georgia. That was woefully short. …
The line for the SEC title game is about 6.5 points. Georgia will cover that in the first quarter, and cover for the day.
Georgia 2021 is Alabama, well, pick a year: fundamental, consistent, disciplined. The Bulldogs don’t make the mistakes that lost them games to Alabama.
Sure, the rough Iron Bowl outing has people thinking Nick Saban has the Tide where he wants them, ready to perform better.
Nope, not concerned about Stetson Bennett and some patchwork needed on Georgia’s offensive line. Alabama has a great weapon on defense, but not enough, and minimal weapons can be neutralized.
Their ‘A’ game doesn’t equal Georgia’s. At all. If somebody in particular on Georgia’s sidelines doesn’t meddle or micromanage or get funky, Georgia will knock a crimson-attired monkey off its back, and some backups may get some snaps with more than 39 seconds left.
Prediction: Georgia 31, Alabama 17
MMQBs
Nov. 17: Mark Georgia down; Loughdmouthings - Falcons, HS upsets, coaching moves, Valdosta, more
Nov. 10: The Bennett Bashing has to stop; polls; Loughdmouthings
Oct. 27: The playoff picture is clear and fuzzy; Central Georgia polls; Loughdmouthings
Aug. 30: High school, college, pros; Loughmouthings; area HS football polls