If you are reading this, there is a chance you might have read my last two posts on Georgia football. I wrote one in late July and one in early August. Both were optimistic outlooks on the season. In one case, I was just hoping they would play at all and in the other I was focused on a new all SEC schedule. My predictions were definitely done through “Bulldog Lenses “. I thought today would be a good time to be a little more realistic about the upcoming season. Let’s be honest with each other and admit we really don’t know what to expect. In July, we didn’t think there would be a season. In August, we learned the Big Ten and Pac 12 wouldn’t play. And in September we learned that Jamie Newman wasn’t playing either. Now the Big Ten is playing and maybe the Pac 12 is playing and who knows what is going to happen next. This is the craziest year that really anyone living has probably seen, and this bizarre year is going to give us some unexpected results in college football. There is no telling what will happen, but here is a stab at what we might see.
Wild Upsets
We have already seen Georgia Tech beat FSU. Truth be told, I am not sure if that is even an upset anymore. I am not sure if that reflects well on Tech or just serves as an example of how bad it is now at FSU. This season we will be fortunate to get all 10 games in for each team due to quarantine rules, but I do think it can be done. But what is almost certain to me are upsets and lots of them. These already happen in a normal year so why would we expect there to be only a normal amount of them in 2020? The only team in my view that might go undefeated is Clemson due to schedule and Notre Dame’s inability to win a big game. Everyone else will end up with a loss if not two. Personally, I would look at Kentucky and maybe just maybe Ole Miss in the SEC to cause some real problems for the gambling sort. The SEC champion might actually have two losses this year.
Offensive Issues
I just don’t believe that many of these teams in the SEC are going to fair well on offense. I could be wrong, but with such an abnormal off season I think SEC defenses will have record setting years. Even the bad teams can play defense a little in the SEC. You couple that with the lack of Spring practice and more injuries it could get real interesting real quick. Take for instance Georgia, they are one play away from either Stetson Bennett or another true Freshman playing in Carson Beck. To my knowledge, JT Daniels has still not been cleared
But What Should We Expect for Georgia?
This is where I must be more realistic than my past predictions. I really hope Georgia wins them all, but that isn’t going to happen. In fact, they probably lose two games. I just hope they lose the right games and make it back to Atlanta. I am sorry if you disagree but hear me out. They have a new unproven quarterback that hasn’t played in almost two years. They have a new offensive coordinator that is supposedly “opening things up”. Well, I have heard that one before. They have a group of receivers that haven’t done much except for Pickens in half of a year. Running backs that have a lot of stars but not many actual yards. A new offensive line coach with a reduced group of linemen. A minimal about of fans in the stands to help encourage the team at home. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that they didn’t have spring practice this year to help install a new offense? My point is that we as fans might be a little arrogant and little dumb to think Georgia makes the playoff this year.
Bottom Line
Don’t get me wrong I am so excited they are playing and just the fact that it is happening makes this one helluva of year. I really believe the players and people in general need this to happen. I am so grateful that people are working to find a way to play despite everything. It gives me hope that one day we are all going to wake up. But I think we need to look back at history and understand that our team has some real challenges in front of them. But you got to play them one at a time and our first one is Saturday. I am so damn excited to see them play I can barely stand it, and maybe I am so excited because we will look so different and I have no idea what to expect. The only thing I know to expect are the throw back uniforms. Can you imagine the excitement if these had been a surprise in Atlanta vs Virginia? Would have been awesome!
No to the Collar but Loving the Red Ones
Something 𝕠𝕝𝕕 & something 𝕟𝕖𝕨.
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 17, 2020
2020 brings the drip 💧🥶#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/OvwRd42Oj1