For what was supposed to be a boring week in college football, there is plenty to talk about. First and most importantly, were the two victories by the non-BCS contenders. TCU took care of business and won a great game against Oregon State. The Horned-Frogs are now in position to run the table, but probably don't have the schedule to really get into the National title conversation.
Boise State is in a completely different position. Their national profile is much higher than TCU. The Broncos won an amazing game on Labor Day night against Virginia Tech. Kellen Moore showed why he might be the front runner for the Heisman Trophy, and Chris Peterson showed that he is one of the best coaches in America. The question now is, can Boise State continue winning and winning impressively while BCS schools rack up big wins in conference. Boise's schedule will hurt them because they won't be playing in high profile game like they were last night. They also won't be on TV much for the rest of the season. It's going to be difficult for Boise to keep themselves in the minds of the voters when they won't have another substantial win for the rest of the season.
Closer to home, Georgia fans have to feel good about what they saw on Saturday. Murray looked poised and in control of the offense. He made one significant error but got away with it. The defense was the most exciting thing to see. Watching that aggressive defense attack all afternoon long reminded me of the the days of David Pollack, Odell Thurman, and Thomas Davis. If this team is going to have a special season, the defense will be the most important aspect.
A couple of warnings for SEC fans. Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee aren't as good as they looked against weak opponents. And be sure that Florida's offense won't be as bad as they looked on Saturday.
Ole Miss could possibly be as bad as they looked, losing to Jacksonville State at home!
Week one is in the books, and we will know so much more about every team after this weekend.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Week 1 Preview
You have been waiting almost 8 months for college football to return, and you will be waiting one more week for a great weekend of college football. Don’t get me wrong, there are a couple of good games this weekend, but overall, you don’t have many great match ups. Finding five games to break down won’t be nearly as difficult in the coming weeks, but here we go for week one of the 2010 college football season.
Southern Mississippi v. South Carolina (ESPN 7:30 pm, Thursday)
The Bulldog nation should tune in to get a look at Georgia’s first real opponent of the season. The Gamecocks are coming off a 7-6 season a year ago. You wouldn’t expect to see a Steve Spurrier team struggle to score points, however, the 2009 edition of the Gamecocks ranked 102nd in the nation in scoring at just over 20 points per game. Steven Garcia will be the starting quarterback, but in true Spurrier fashion, another quarterback will get a share of the snaps. True freshman Connor Shaw from Flowery Branch, GA will see the field regularly, and many Gamecock fans think Shaw will eventually be the starter.
Southern Mississippi also went 7-6 in 2009, however, playing in Conference USA is very different than playing in the SEC. Because of their weaker schedule, their statistics look a lot better. With senior quarterback, Martevious Young under center Southern Mississippi should be able to stay with South Carolina for at least the first half. However, with a national audience turning their attention to Columbus, don’t expect the Gamecocks to blow this one.
South Carolina will win but I don’t think they will blow the Golden Eagles out, because I don’t think the Gamecock offense can score enough, but I fully expect South Carolina to win. The bigger question is whether the two-quarterback system will be an advantage or a distraction against teams later in the season, namely the Dawgs next weekend.
UNC v. LSU (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: ABC 8 pm, Saturday)
I believe this game will be close, low-scoring, and eventually a pivotal point for LSU coach Les Miles. LSU’s defense carried them last season, but the offense will have to step up this year. The offense will get an SEC-style test when they meet the Tar Heals. UNC sports one of the best defenses in the nation, with possibly 5 future NFL players on their roster.
LSU comes into the season ranked #21, but they are just 8-8 since winning the National Championship in 2007-2008. Miles will need to improve on that record this year, or he will be looking for another job after the season. Here is the problem for Miles and LSU this season. They have to go on the road to play three of their four biggest games of the year. The Tigers travel to Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas in 2010. The other big SEC game is at home…. against Alabama. I don’t think it would be ridiculous to think that LSU could lose all four of those games. If that is the case, LSU can’t do better than 4-4 in the conference again this season. Add on top of that schedule an early season loss to UNC in the Georgia Dome, and there will be real trouble on the Bayou.
For UNC, they have a chance to get to their first ACC title game this year, but they play in the harder of the two ACC divisions. To make it to Tampa, UNC will have to overcome defending champion Georgia Tech, Miami, and Virginia Tech. Not going to happen.
When we look back on this game at the end of the season, I don’t think either of these team will be ranked, but on Saturday night, give me Butch Davis over Les Miles. UNC wins the game by 3.
Oregon State v. TCU (ESPN 7:45 pm, Saturday)
This is the only game that TCU will play this season versus an opponent that is ranked in the preseason. By ranking TCU so high in the polls (#6 in the coaches poll), the Horned Frogs could be playing for a spot in the national title game on Saturday night. I don’t know anything about TCU, and I don’t want to know anything about TCU. I hope Oregon State beats them by 40.
With all of this talk about realignment, you haven’t heard one person from TCU, Boise State, or Utah ask to be put in one of the big 6 conferences. These guys don’t want to play the big boys week in and week out, so they don’t deserve to play for the national title. I’ll take a one loss Ohio State team and a two loss SEC champion over one of these “mid-majors” any day of the week.
Boise State v. Virginia Tech (ESPN 8 pm, Monday)
Please re-read everything I said above and insert Boise State every time you see the word TCU. These teams are a joke, and the people who voted them in the Top 10 should lose their voting privileges.
Louisiana-Lafayette v. Georgia (SEC Network/Peachtree TV 12:20 pm, Saturday)
Aaron Murray and Todd Grantham will be making their Georgia Bulldog debuts “Between the Hedges” and I’m not really sure which I’m more excited about. I don’t want to see a Stafford like performance on Saturday out of Murray. I want to see the calm, steady David Greene type of performance that lead Georgia back to the top of the polls in 2002. Aaron Murray is the only new starter for the Bulldogs on offense, and his job will be to manage the game and distribute the football.
On defense, Georgia needs to get back to that aggressive style of defense that thrived in the mid 2000’s.
This game should be well over by halftime, but if you want to look for a few things, keep an eye on penalties. A new quarterback needs to get the team in and out of the huddle and avoid delay of game penalties.
Georgia wins by about 30. The real question is whether Hutson Mason will play in the 2nd half. Mason is listed as Georgia’s backup quarterback, but playing him will mean losing his redshirt and an extra year of eligibility.
Southern Mississippi v. South Carolina (ESPN 7:30 pm, Thursday)
The Bulldog nation should tune in to get a look at Georgia’s first real opponent of the season. The Gamecocks are coming off a 7-6 season a year ago. You wouldn’t expect to see a Steve Spurrier team struggle to score points, however, the 2009 edition of the Gamecocks ranked 102nd in the nation in scoring at just over 20 points per game. Steven Garcia will be the starting quarterback, but in true Spurrier fashion, another quarterback will get a share of the snaps. True freshman Connor Shaw from Flowery Branch, GA will see the field regularly, and many Gamecock fans think Shaw will eventually be the starter.
Southern Mississippi also went 7-6 in 2009, however, playing in Conference USA is very different than playing in the SEC. Because of their weaker schedule, their statistics look a lot better. With senior quarterback, Martevious Young under center Southern Mississippi should be able to stay with South Carolina for at least the first half. However, with a national audience turning their attention to Columbus, don’t expect the Gamecocks to blow this one.
South Carolina will win but I don’t think they will blow the Golden Eagles out, because I don’t think the Gamecock offense can score enough, but I fully expect South Carolina to win. The bigger question is whether the two-quarterback system will be an advantage or a distraction against teams later in the season, namely the Dawgs next weekend.
UNC v. LSU (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: ABC 8 pm, Saturday)
I believe this game will be close, low-scoring, and eventually a pivotal point for LSU coach Les Miles. LSU’s defense carried them last season, but the offense will have to step up this year. The offense will get an SEC-style test when they meet the Tar Heals. UNC sports one of the best defenses in the nation, with possibly 5 future NFL players on their roster.
LSU comes into the season ranked #21, but they are just 8-8 since winning the National Championship in 2007-2008. Miles will need to improve on that record this year, or he will be looking for another job after the season. Here is the problem for Miles and LSU this season. They have to go on the road to play three of their four biggest games of the year. The Tigers travel to Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas in 2010. The other big SEC game is at home…. against Alabama. I don’t think it would be ridiculous to think that LSU could lose all four of those games. If that is the case, LSU can’t do better than 4-4 in the conference again this season. Add on top of that schedule an early season loss to UNC in the Georgia Dome, and there will be real trouble on the Bayou.
For UNC, they have a chance to get to their first ACC title game this year, but they play in the harder of the two ACC divisions. To make it to Tampa, UNC will have to overcome defending champion Georgia Tech, Miami, and Virginia Tech. Not going to happen.
When we look back on this game at the end of the season, I don’t think either of these team will be ranked, but on Saturday night, give me Butch Davis over Les Miles. UNC wins the game by 3.
Oregon State v. TCU (ESPN 7:45 pm, Saturday)
This is the only game that TCU will play this season versus an opponent that is ranked in the preseason. By ranking TCU so high in the polls (#6 in the coaches poll), the Horned Frogs could be playing for a spot in the national title game on Saturday night. I don’t know anything about TCU, and I don’t want to know anything about TCU. I hope Oregon State beats them by 40.
With all of this talk about realignment, you haven’t heard one person from TCU, Boise State, or Utah ask to be put in one of the big 6 conferences. These guys don’t want to play the big boys week in and week out, so they don’t deserve to play for the national title. I’ll take a one loss Ohio State team and a two loss SEC champion over one of these “mid-majors” any day of the week.
Boise State v. Virginia Tech (ESPN 8 pm, Monday)
Please re-read everything I said above and insert Boise State every time you see the word TCU. These teams are a joke, and the people who voted them in the Top 10 should lose their voting privileges.
Louisiana-Lafayette v. Georgia (SEC Network/Peachtree TV 12:20 pm, Saturday)
Aaron Murray and Todd Grantham will be making their Georgia Bulldog debuts “Between the Hedges” and I’m not really sure which I’m more excited about. I don’t want to see a Stafford like performance on Saturday out of Murray. I want to see the calm, steady David Greene type of performance that lead Georgia back to the top of the polls in 2002. Aaron Murray is the only new starter for the Bulldogs on offense, and his job will be to manage the game and distribute the football.
On defense, Georgia needs to get back to that aggressive style of defense that thrived in the mid 2000’s.
This game should be well over by halftime, but if you want to look for a few things, keep an eye on penalties. A new quarterback needs to get the team in and out of the huddle and avoid delay of game penalties.
Georgia wins by about 30. The real question is whether Hutson Mason will play in the 2nd half. Mason is listed as Georgia’s backup quarterback, but playing him will mean losing his redshirt and an extra year of eligibility.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Georgia Predictions
We've looked all over the country at the different conferences, and previewed the upcoming year in college football. But any true Dawg only wants to know one thing:
How will the 2010 Dawgs perform on the field?
Well, here is my prediction for the 2010 Georgia Bulldogs.
Obviously Georgia will open their season with a win against ULL on Saturday. There is just too much talent on Georgia's sideline for this to be a game in the fourth quarter.
I do think Georgia will experience a setback in Columbus. Asking a red-shirt freshman to lead a team on the road in the SEC with no experience is just unrealistic. South Carolina always plays Georgia tough, and I think the Gamecocks will get the best of the Dawgs. If Georgia wins, it will be a defensive battle where either a defensive touchdown or a special teams touchdown will be the difference.
After a loss at South Carolina, the magic starts to happen. Georgia will beat Arkansas at home, then go on the road to beat Mississippi State and Colorado. Georgia will come back home and beat both Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
The hot Dawgs will win a close game in Lexington, and set up a top 10 battle with Florida in Jacksonville. Georgia will win in Jacksonville for the first time since the magical 2007 season.
After beating Idaho State by as many points as Georgia decides to score, Georgia will travel to Auburn.
Now let's be clear. When you think about this team going 10-2 this year, you would take that to the bank right now. However, in mid-November, having only one loss and being in the discussion for the national title, Dawg fans will have their hearts broken on the Plains when Georgia comes up a little short against Auburn.
After a bye week, Georgia will continue to "Run this state" by beating Tech for the second straight year.
By beating Florida in Jacksonville, Georgia will earn a spot in the SEC title game where they will meat Alabama.
The Tide will prevail and probably take their talent to the National Title Game, while the Dawgs will return the the Sugar Bowl for the 3rd time in the Richt Era.
Aaron Murry will be fine, AJ Green will be heading towards the NFL, and all of the critics who want Mark Richt fired will have to go back to being die-hard Richt fans.
Let's get ready for the ride!
GO DAWGS!!!!
How will the 2010 Dawgs perform on the field?
Well, here is my prediction for the 2010 Georgia Bulldogs.
Obviously Georgia will open their season with a win against ULL on Saturday. There is just too much talent on Georgia's sideline for this to be a game in the fourth quarter.
I do think Georgia will experience a setback in Columbus. Asking a red-shirt freshman to lead a team on the road in the SEC with no experience is just unrealistic. South Carolina always plays Georgia tough, and I think the Gamecocks will get the best of the Dawgs. If Georgia wins, it will be a defensive battle where either a defensive touchdown or a special teams touchdown will be the difference.
After a loss at South Carolina, the magic starts to happen. Georgia will beat Arkansas at home, then go on the road to beat Mississippi State and Colorado. Georgia will come back home and beat both Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
The hot Dawgs will win a close game in Lexington, and set up a top 10 battle with Florida in Jacksonville. Georgia will win in Jacksonville for the first time since the magical 2007 season.
After beating Idaho State by as many points as Georgia decides to score, Georgia will travel to Auburn.
Now let's be clear. When you think about this team going 10-2 this year, you would take that to the bank right now. However, in mid-November, having only one loss and being in the discussion for the national title, Dawg fans will have their hearts broken on the Plains when Georgia comes up a little short against Auburn.
After a bye week, Georgia will continue to "Run this state" by beating Tech for the second straight year.
By beating Florida in Jacksonville, Georgia will earn a spot in the SEC title game where they will meat Alabama.
The Tide will prevail and probably take their talent to the National Title Game, while the Dawgs will return the the Sugar Bowl for the 3rd time in the Richt Era.
Aaron Murry will be fine, AJ Green will be heading towards the NFL, and all of the critics who want Mark Richt fired will have to go back to being die-hard Richt fans.
Let's get ready for the ride!
GO DAWGS!!!!
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