Georgia Bulldogs - For Real?

[Mike A. S.]

Is Georgia for real this good or not?

 

[tducey]

Yeah, I think they are, don't think they run the table but I can see a 9 or 10 win season from them.

 

[RomeDawg1956]

We have to develop our passing game, just hitting the occasional pass isn't going to win championships.
Other than that, we're ahead of schedule.

 

[iowajerms]

There win vs Notre Dame wasn't that big when they played. The fact they won by 1 even made them look worse where Alabama's win vs Florida State almost put them in the NCG automatically, it seemed like. The loser of that game had a good shot at being #2 seed in CFP, and so on.

Now, Alabama beating Florida State seems as good as Alabama beating the other FSU team and Notre Dame win seems like one of the bigger wins so far this season. I put UGA #2 and Alabama #3 in this week's poll.

 

[Erie Warrior]

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

This is what they've always done. Start out hot, usually against lame competition, end up losing a tough game to a better team and one other game to a lesser team. Prime candidates this year are Auburn and Florida

 

[hatcher3333]

How we play against Florida will tell. In the past 20 years the better team (UGA) on paper lost games they shouldn't have. But i think Kirby has this bunch fired up on the field. Not dancing in the end zone.

 

[RomeDawg1956]

There win vs Notre Dame wasn't that big when they played. The fact they won by 1 even made them look worse where Alabama's win vs Florida State almost put them in the NCG automatically, it seemed like. The loser of that game had a good shot at being #2 seed in CFP, and so on.

Now, Alabama beating Florida State seems as good as Alabama beating the other FSU team and Notre Dame win seems like one of the bigger wins so far this season. I put UGA #2 and Alabama #3 in this week's poll.

I rate Bama over UGA because of their dominant OL.

 

[4down20]

I put not really, based on someone ranking them #2.

Best team in the SEC East I believe. Playoff contender, aka can beat Alabama? No.

 

[RomeDawg1956]

This is what they've always done. Start out hot, usually against lame competition, end up losing a tough game to a better team and one other game to a lesser team. Prime candidates this year are Auburn and Florida

You don't have a clue.
Under Richt we were more likely to lose early and rebound as lose late.

 

[RomeDawg1956]

I put not really, based on someone ranking them #2.

Best team in the SEC East I believe. Playoff contender, aka can beat Alabama? No.

Our path is the toughest of top contenders because we would have to beat Bama to get to the playoff.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

You don't have a clue.
Under Richt were more likely to lose early and rebound as lose late.

Sigh...

I most certainly have various clues.

2001, Richt's first year, lost to Carolina in week 2, won four straight, then lost to Florida & Auburn
2002: started 8-0, lost to Florida
2003: started 3-0, lost to LSU
2004: started 4-0, lost to Tennessee
2005: 7-0, then lost to Auburn and Florida
2006: started 5-0, lost to UT and Vandy
2007: lost to Carolina in week 2
2008: started 4-0, lost to Bama
2009: lost in week 1 to Oklahoma State
2010: lost 4 of their first 5, finished 6-7
2011: lost to Boise State and Carolina to open season, then won 10 straight before losing to LSU in the SECCG and then Michigan State in the Outback Bowl
2012: started 5-0, lost to Carolina
2013: lost to Clemson in week 1, won four straight, then lost to Mizzou and Vandy
2014: lost to Carolina in week 2
2015, his last season: started 4-0, lost to Bama and UT

Eight seasons where they started off at least 3-0 or better before their first loss.

Seven seasons where they lost in week one or two.

 

[Clayton]

I don't know. They're only a 30pt favorite against Mizzou. Alabama would be at least a 40pt favorite

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

UGA will win the SEC.

 

[Ojb81]

Georgia, Schmeorgia

 

[Chewbaccer]

This is what they've always done. Start out hot, usually against lame competition, end up losing a tough game to a better team and one other game to a lesser team. Prime candidates this year are Auburn and Florida

That's not really true. We haven't started 6-0 since 2005, and as a South Carolina fan, you should know that Georgia definitely isn't known for hot starts. Hell, that early South Carolina game in 2007 kept us out of a shot at a natty.

And at any rate if that were true, why would you apply Mark Richt trends to a Kirby Smart team?

And as for the lame competition, there's a year here and there where that's true, but most of the time Georgia plays a P5 OOC opponent early in the season.

Given the recent history, I'll always be nervous about Florida. It's a game where no matter the quality of the teams, it's hard to be confident about it. But with Auburn, given the recent history of the rivalry, if Auburn beats UGA, just expect them to beat Bama too, because over the last 11 years, UGA has owned Auburn moreso than Bama has, and both seasons Auburn beat UGA in that 11 year span, they also beat Bama and played for a title(and in 2010, the worst UGA team I can remember gave Cam and co all they could handle for 3 quarters, and in 2013, they needed a 4th and 18 tipped ball hail mary to beat a very mediocre UGA team).

 

[Chewbaccer]

But as for the question, I think we're a good team. Probably a legit top 5-10 team, and I think the defense would keep us in the game against pretty much everyone.

But I don't think we're really championship contenders just yet. We're ahead of schedule for sure, but there's still some question marks about the team.

Our front 7 is as good as any in the country, we can shut down the run game, including QB runs, but I still have some serious questions about our secondary. They've looked good so far, but we really haven't faced a good passing attack yet this season, Watching Vandy march down the field right before the half last week was a cause for concern for me.

And the O-line so far has vastly surpassed my expectations, but it's still a relatively untested group, and they still have a lapse or two in every game. They're opening up holes for a great group of running backs, and Fromm has had more time to throw than Eason ever did last season, but against a front like Auburn, Bama or Clemson, I'm not sure how they would hold up.

And I guess my biggest concern is if the running game isn't working, can we maintain drives with the passing game. Fromm has looked good when asked to pass, but most of the time, teams are selling out to try and stop the run, and he only throws 10-15 passes a game.

Are we a for real good team? Absolutely. Are we ready to dethrone Bama? Anything's possible, but it's hard for me to see it happening this year unless Bama beats themselves.

That's about as honest of an assessment as I can give.

 

[Chewbaccer]

UGA will win the SEC.

Not yet, I don't think, but I think we can make it the first interesting SEC title game since 2012.

I'm looking at the Saban at Bama trajectory. Bad first season, great regular season, but lose the SEC title game to the eventual national champion in the second season. Natty on a platter with the start of a dynasty in season three.

 

[RomeDawg1956]

Sigh...

I most certainly have various clues.

2001, Richt's first year, lost to Carolina in week 2, won four straight, then lost to Florida & Auburn
2002: started 8-0, lost to Florida
2003: started 3-0, lost to LSU
2004: started 4-0, lost to Tennessee
2005: 7-0, then lost to Auburn and Florida
2006: started 5-0, lost to UT and Vandy
2007: lost to Carolina in week 2
2008: started 4-0, lost to Bama
2009: lost in week 1 to Oklahoma State
2010: lost 4 of their first 5, finished 6-7
2011: lost to Boise State and Carolina to open season, then won 10 straight before losing to LSU in the SECCG and then Michigan State in the Outback Bowl
2012: started 5-0, lost to Carolina
2013: lost to Clemson in week 1, won four straight, then lost to Mizzou and Vandy
2014: lost to Carolina in week 2
2015, his last season: started 4-0, lost to Bama and UT

Eight seasons where they started off at least 3-0 or better before their first loss.

Seven seasons where they lost in week one or two.

Other than losses to UF Richt was great through 2005.
The other years confirm my point for the most part.

 

[RomeDawg1956]

Not yet, I don't think, but I think we can make it the first interesting SEC title game since 2012.

I'm looking at the Saban at Bama trajectory. Bad first season, great regular season, but lose the SEC title game to the eventual national champion in the second season. Natty on a platter with the start of a dynasty in season three.

Of course Saban might still be a barrier going forward.
Saban was just getting warmed up while Meyer was losing control in Gainesville, he hasn't had a serious rival since.