A curse from being on the cover of Sports Illustrated? Of course, says Jeff Dantzler.

“Absolutely. We confirmed it. Florida was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1985 and we beat them 24-3 the next Saturday. They’ve definitely had some No. 1 duds.”

Dantzler, the radio play-by-play man for Georgia baseball and women’s basketball and color guy for men’s hoops, is never short on opinions and never hesitant to make sure people know they are “his” Bulldogs. (He did provide an SI out for those Bulldogs though-it’s “a little bit different this year since they have regional covers.”)

Despite his belief in the cover jinx, Dantzler, whose 960 the Ref profile says he likes to “quietly dream of beautiful women and tailbacks,” says history is on Georgia football’s side this season.

“The last four or five years the team that’s been picked No. 1 in the preseason poll has done awfully well. I guess it’s one of those things where if you are No. 1 at least you feel like everyone thinks you have a great team, and that definitely helps.”

That said, Georgia has, as everyone has probably heard by now, a formidable schedule to navigate. But there are two games that are must-wins for Dantzler.

“I think there are about seven (games) that you’d have to say are toss ups,” he said. “But for me No. 1 is to beat Tech. That would be eight in a row and match the drought we had from 1949-1956.”

“And No. 2, if you’re talking national championship, I think we have to beat Florida. To get to Atlanta (and the SEC Championship) we’re probably going to have to beat them because their schedule looks much more manageable. I’d say if we win those two guys, I’d let the chips fall where they may the rest of the season.”

As for that Florida game, Dantzler said he may buy into the notion that Urban Meyer and the Gators are still steamed up over the oft talked about end zone celebration from last season-but with a twist.

“They might be. But they’ve talked about it so much that if there’s any karma involved it may have been flipped back our way.”

All things considered, Dantzler is already calling the current calendar year one of the best all around in Georgia athletics history. And he’s got a point, regardless of how the football team does in the remainder of 2008 and into 2009.

“Absolutely. You look at other things (besides just winning) too, like (women’s basketball coach) Andy Landers going into the Hall of Fame, (swimming coach) Jack Bauerle coaching the Olympic team,” he said.

“And football finishing No. 2 after beating Alabama, Florida, Auburn and Tech, baseball making it back to the College World Series and winning the SEC, repeat national titles in (men’s) tennis and gymnastics, men’s basketball going on that unbelievable run and winning the SEC Tournament on Tech’s floor.”

“If it wasn’t the best, it was certainly one of the two or three best.”

Things have no doubt already been great for Georgia during this calendar year, but Dantzler, who said he’s been within one game with his predictions the past several years, has something still a little sweeter in mind for this football team.

“11-1. I’ve got us going to Miami and drinking the Kool-Aid, winning it all over USC.”