The whole season leads up to this game. Georgia, the SEC East Champions vs LSU, the SEC West Champions.
   In this game, all of the experts are hailing LSU giving the Bulldogs no shot. If you look at all of the college bowl projections, virtually every one has Georgia playing in the Sugar Bowl with a few Orange Bowl mentions. For either to happen, the Dawgs would have had to lost to the Tigers.
   It is the third straight appearance in the SEC Championship Game for Georgia against three different opponents.
  From the "something's gotta give category." Georgia leads the SEC and is second nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing just 10.4 points a game while LSU ranks first in the league and second nationally in Scoring Offense at 48.7 points per game. In Rushing Offense, Georgia is fifth in the SEC and the Tigers are sixth. The Bulldogs lead the SEC and are second nationally in Rushing Defense (71.0 ypg).
  For the Athens optimist, that's one of the reasons to be hopeful. Experience typically shows that a good defense will slow down a good offense.
  As always, this game is a lot of fun. I personally enjoy watching the LSU fans and their band...always colorful...even if they are Saints fans as well.
  The sell out crowd appeared to be about 90 percent red and black. But Tigers fans were probably saving their travel dollars for the College Football Playoff Semifinals, also in this same building. The national championship game will be just down the road from Baton Rouge in New Orleans.
  LSU won the toss and deferred to the second half. Georgia began the game at their 25 with third down sack of Jake Fromm that was nullified by a facemask call on the Tigers moving the ball to the 43. But that's all they could get. The 31 yard punt sailed out at the 25.
 Clyde Edwards-Helaire got things started with a nine yard run to the 34. Joe Burrow's pass was deflected with the QB bringing it down, then taking it 16 yards to the UGA47. On a third and ten, Burrow hit Terrace Marshall for 24 yards to the 23. With almost nine seconds and no defender in the backfield, Burrow eventually found Ja'Marr Chase in the end zone for a 7-0 lead. The drive took just 3:38 to go 75 yards...close to the season average for a Tigers score.
  Georgia's second drive was again at their 25. D'Andre Swift got a first down with an eight yard catch at the 35. Fromm was off on a pair of open receivers and the Dawgs again had to punt. It was on the shoulders of the defense, which had been averaging just 10 points a game allowed to keep the game from getting out of control early.
  After a false start, LSU had it at their 20. Edwards-Helaire fumbled the ball but replay showed the ground caused it. At any rate, the defense forced a much needed three and out with Georgia getting the ball back in great field position at their 46.
  The Bulldogs had several missed opportunities so far with off target throws or dropped catches. On a third an three, Fromm hit Dominick Blaylock across the middle for 11 and a first down at the LSU38. Blaylock had to be walked off the field with UGA already thin in the receiving corp. They could only get to the 35 with the normally reliable Rodrigo Blankenship missing wide left from 55. Still 7-0 with LSU taking over at the 35.
  The Tigers got a first down with a completion to Edwards-Helaire for 11 to the 48. Then Burrow heaved one deep connecting for 41 yards to Marshall at the 11. That getting out of control thing was starting to happen as Marshall was wide open in the end zone for a 14-0 lead. It had been six games since Georgia had even trailed It was announced that Blaylock had an injured left knee and would not return.
  Brian Herrien rushed for nine yards to the 34 as the game moved into the second quarter. Zamir White got a first down with a carry to the 44 followed by a Swift 7 yard catch to the 37. Tyler Simmons caught one for 15 to the LSU 41. Then it was Demetris Robertson for 17 more to the 24. The Bulldogs best drive of the game. White was brought down for a loss in the backfield making it third and 14 at the 28. Simmons caught one at the 22 but well short of what they needed. Blankenship got Georgia's first points connecting from 39 to make it 14-3. For The Dawgs to make up the 11 point deficit, the defense had to find a pass rush.
  Tigers ball at their 25. Georgia got a bit of luck as Marshall was wide open about 40 yards downfield and let it bounce off his hands forcing a punt to the 20. It would have been a certain three score lead.
  The Dawgs converted a third and six with a 16 yard completion to Herrien to the 40. But Grant Delpit came in untouched for a nine yard sack and a third and 17 at the 34. Fromm's left knee was twisted on the play and he hobbled off the field. Stetson Bennett came in at QB. An incompletion forced a 66 yard punt giving the Tigers the ball at their 20.
  Thaddeus Moss caught one for six. Justin Jefferson caught one for 19 to the 45. Chase added 7 into Georgia territory at the 45. Still another Georgia player was down as nose tackle Michael Barnett limped off the field. Burrow kept it and moved the pile for a first down at the 44. Burrow was almost sacked but dodged Monty Rice and scrambled for 13 to the 31. A short pass to Derrick Dillon got six to the 25 as Kirby Smart took his first time out to contemplate a big third and four. Fromm emerged from the tent as it was announced that he would return. A QB draw came up two yards short with Cade York connecting from 41 yards to return the lead to 14 at 17-3.
  Fromm opened with another underthrown ball to Simmons. But on the next play, he threw to him again and got it out to the 44 with just under two minutes left in the half. Charlie Woerner got his first catch for 16 to the LSU40 as Ed Orgeron took his first time out. From again underthrew a deep pass attempt with Derek Stingley coming down with the game's first turnover at the 13.
  Still over a minute with plenty of time for the Tiger offense to add on. Burrow took off and ran out of bounds but not after gaining 17 yards to the UGA46. What was becoming a normal site was a Bulldog player down on the field. This time it was DT Devonte Wyatt, who walked slowly off the field. Orgeron took his second time out at 1:03. Burrow was sacked at the 41 as Orgeron took his final time out at 0:51 facing a third and five. The play he called work with an 11 yard catch by Chase at the 30. Three incomplete passes and York was back in. This time, he missed wide left to keep the lead at 14.
  The huge Georgia crowd had very little to cheer about in the first half where they moved the ball between the 30s but not beyond. LSU was able to get into the end zone twice. But, the biggest surprise was not Fromm's inaccuracy but the inability of the Bulldog defense to put any pressure on Burrow. With all the time he needed, the QB was able to find open receivers or take off and run with it. His choice. Georgia's offense was only able to accumulate 138 yards of offense to the Tigers' 255. Burrows was 17 of 25 for 204 yards while getting 39 on the ground, leading his team in rushing. Fromm, on the other hand completed just fifth percent of his 20 throws for only 117 yards.
  Still, both sides had missed several chances at big plays and, somehow, Georgia was still within two scores. But, a dramatic change needed to take place. The Bulldogs got George Pickens, the second leading receiver, back to help the passing game, returning from a first half suspension for his brawl in last week's Georgia Tech game. Under Smart, the Dawgs haven't trailed at the half much. But, when they did, they have been 6-7. When they have lead at the half, they are 37-3.
  LSU got the ball first with still another Bulldog on the field as Walter Grant was laying flat on his back. The play was reviewed for targeting. Tony Carter was ejected He'll have to miss the first half of next week's game. The ball was moved half the distance to the goal at the 13. Moss picked up a first down with a catch at the 23. LC Tyrique Stevenson was hurt on the play. By my count, that was the sixth UGA player hurt with only Fromm returning. This time, a cart was needed to remove him from the field.
  Burrow was flushed from the pocket and sprinted free for 13 to the 38. Nine more on a catch by Edwards-Helaire. He was wide open for 15 and another first down at the UGA35. Burrow went to the right side this time with a 10 yard pass to Jefferson to the 25. Back to the left with a completion to Marshall and a first and goal at the 10. The Dawgs dropped a potential interception but got a pass interference call placing it at the three. LSU had a success rate in the red zone scoring TDs 77 percent of the time. Burrow was sacked for a seven yard loss then threw an incompletion. No touchdown this time. But, the got three to extend the lead to three scores 20-3.
  Swift started with a 13 yard carry to the 38. Fromm got another first on a 14 yard run up the middle to midfield. Pickens came in but let a ball slip through his hands that should have been caught. James Cook got his first catch for 11 to the 37. Clearly four down territory needing 8 at the 35. They converted with Pickens' first catch at the 17. Another sack of Fromm lost six. Cook carried it to the 20 for a third and 13. Fromm hit Matt Landers in the end zone but he couldn't hold onto it. Blankenship missed it again, this time from 37 going wide right. The crowd sat in disbelief unable to find anything that was going right.
  Then one for the highlight reel as Burrow hustled left, then right leaving DE Travon Walker grabbing for air twice. Then he launched the longest pass in SEC Championship Game history to Jefferson who got the second half of it on his own back into the red zone at the nine. If there was any faint hope by Georgia fans that they could pull back in it, that one was the backbreaker. Marshall made it official with an easy catch on the other side of the goal line and an insurmountable 27-3 lead.
  But, if that was the backbreaker, then Georgia's first play was the nail in the coffin as Stingley picked off Fromm for the second time and took it back 17 to the 13. Still more time in the red zone. A few plays later an easy toss to Jefferson tacked on six more. The rout was on 34-3. LSU had doubled their half time point total in just the third quarter. The fans halfheartedly waved their cell phone lights as the final quarter began. Not even the most optimistic could hope for the biggest comeback in football history.
  By this time, about a quarter of the Bulldog faithful had hit the exits. But, Georgia had to keep playing as the LSU defense was willing to give them chunks of yards as long as the clock kept ticking. They got a first down with a Herrien catch at the 50. Pickens caught one for 19 to the 28. They converted a fourth and 10 with a Pickens circus catch for 15 into the red zone at the 13. Robertson caught one for 8 at the five. A pass interference call put gave them a first and goal at the two. Finally, Pickens gave them their first TD of the game and seven meaningless points that made the game look a bit closer than it was in a 34-10 score. Orgeron was happy to trade the seven points for four minutes less time on the clock.
  The Georgia kick went out of bounds putting it at the 35. Burrow was surprisingly still in the game. Edwards-Helaire continued to be unstoppable with four carries totaling 36 yards to the 29. Rice ended the drive with a sack. York kicked it through from 50 and a 37-10 score. More importantly, four more minutes were eaten up. Fans continued to stream up the aisles. And in the end, LSU had taken care of business with a thoroughly dominating performance from start to finish in a 37-10 victory. Burrow was named Most Valuable Player.
  Now the Tigers await Sunday's playoff seedings. They possibly could move up to #1 and play the likely #4 Oklahoma Sooners back here at MBS. Or, they could stay at #2 and face Clemson.