The Georgia Bulldogs closed out their 1956 football season by getting shut out against Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech.
This year's team isn't that desperate for points, but who could have imagined such a comparison after Georgia averaged 45.5 points through its September schedule?
Sure, the competition stiffened for the Bulldogs, and star tailback Nick Chubb was lost for the season on the first play at Tennessee, but never have Georgia's offensive prospects looked so bleak this deep into a season under coach Mark Richt, who is in his 15th year in Athens.
After following a lethargic 9-6 win over Missouri with a 27-3 drubbing this past Saturday at the hands of rival Florida, the Bulldogs are chaotic at quarterback, backtracking at tailback and on the offensive line, and dropping more passes by the week.
"What are you going to do?" Georgia first-year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said Saturday night in Jacksonville, Fla. "We've got to go back to work, and we're going to be looking for answers. Obviously a big part for us is getting the running game going. We haven't been good enough, and we know that. We've got to get better movement up front, and I've got to call better runs and better plays.
"I can promise you one thing. We're going to roll up our sleeves and go back to work. You can't sit around in this league feeling sorry for yourself, because nobody else does."
An overwhelming pick to win the Eastern Division in this year's Southeastern Conference race, Georgia has joined Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri and Kentucky in the land of the eliminated. The Bulldogs (5-3, 3-3 SEC) host Kentucky (4-4, 2-4) this weekend with the new objective of attaining bowl eligibility for a 19th consecutive season.
Of course, there is also that newfound challenge of scoring touchdowns, something that last occurred for the Bulldogs on Oct. 10 in Knoxville.
"Well, we can only go up," fifth-year senior receiver Malcolm Mitchell said. "I don't think it will be tough moving forward, because nobody wants to lose regardless of what your record is. Just because we lost doesn't mean I want to go out and lose the next game.
"I want to beat the next team, and that's enough drive to keep us going."
Georgia's closing quartet of Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech doesn't exactly reside in The Associated Press top 10, yet all four certainly could produce more offense than the Bulldogs have shown in recent weeks.
Richt's Bulldogs experienced a midseason stumble in 2006, losing to Vanderbilt and Kentucky, but snapped out of it behind freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford and a stingy defense. Georgia's 2010 team started 1-4 due to a difficult schedule and receiver A.J. Green's suspension but had improved by the end of the regular season.
Do this year's Bulldogs, who still have a chance at a second straight 10-win season, have the pieces to improve?
"Oh, yeah. No doubt, and a lot of it is just attitude and mindset," Richt said Sunday afternoon. "I think we'll have that right mindset, and I think we've got what it takes to turn this thing around - I don't have any doubt in my mind - for the season and going beyond that as well."
When asked whether this week's starting quarterback would be Greyson Lambert, Faton Bauta or Brice Ramsey, Richt said, "We're not ready to get to the quarterbacks yet, but we'll be discussing all possibilities."
Odds and ends
Saturday's game, which kicks off at noon, will be televised by the SEC Network. Richt said Sony Michel broke a bone in his hand within the first couple of plays against the Gators, adding that the sophomore tailback would play again this week. Richt on potential changes on the offensive line: "We're going to take a look at some combinations that might be a little bit different, and I'm not sure where we'll land." Freshman defensive lineman Trenton Thompson continues to battle an ankle injury, Richt said.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.