SIZING THEM UPThe SEC’s top five programs since Mark Richt arrived at Georgia before the 2001 season:SCHOOL – RECORD – SEC – TITLES1. LSU – 115-29 – Four2. Georgia – 106-38 – Two3. Florida – 106-39 – Two4. Auburn – 102-40 – Two5. Alabama – 98-44 – One
ATHENS, Ga. – The dean of Southeastern Conference football coaches has started his second decade a lot better than he ended his first.
Georgia’s Mark Richt will begin his 12th season with the Bulldogs this Saturday when they welcome Buffalo to Sanford Stadium. With a 106-38 record, an SEC East championship last season and a No. 6 ranking this year, the Bulldogs seemingly have left behind the dark days of 2009 and ’10, when 8-5 and 6-7 seasons ended in trips to Shreveport and Memphis.
“There were so many close games that we didn’t win during that stretch,” Richt said Tuesday. “If you go back further and some of the years that people were saying we were more successful or seasons we had more wins, there were a lot of close games we won. It’s really a fine line between winning and losing.
“You have to understand that sometimes when you are winning there are some things that need to be fixed, and sometimes when you are losing there are some things that you probably don’t need to abort.”