Randall Cobb Gives Me Nightmares - The Kentucky Preview

It is going to be another quick preview this week. Last year, Georgia went to Kentucky and despite stellar days from Matt Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, and MoMass (despite his two fumbles), the Dawgs nearly blew the game. The Dawgs defense was unable to find an answer for receiver turned QB Randall Cobb and the combination of a kick off return for a touchdown (imagine that!) and fumbles on back to back series gave the Cats a chance to win. Let's hope the Dawgs carry the momentum of last week and put Kentucky away early.

Kentucky has felt the injury bug like no other team in the SEC this year. A number of starters on defense have missed time, leading to horrible numbers for the Wildcat rush defense. Their biggest injury right now is to quarterback Mike Hartline. Without Hartline, Rich Brooks looks to freshman Morgan Newton and Randall Cobb (again) to drive the offense. If Georgia can pressure Morgan and prevent Cobb from making big plays from the Wildcat, they should be able to shut Kentucky down.

For Georgia, this game is a chance to clinch second place in the SEC east. Ask most Georgia fans at the beginning of this season if they would be happy with a second place finish in the SEC east this year and I think most would have been happy with that. I think the seniors (Cox, Geno, Jeff Owens, Mike Moore) have big days and the Dawgs win easy.

Georgia 38, Kentucky 20

GO DAWGS!!!

Give 'Em Hell...The Tennessee Tech Preview

Is it just me, or have the Dawgs been involved in the national spotlight more this year (when we are not very good) than in 2005, when we won the SEC Championship? First it was on the cover of SI after we lost to Oklahoma State, then it was at the head of SEC Ref gate with the personal foul call against LSU, and now eye gougin incident with Brandon Spikes. With the record at 4-4, these things may end up being what the 2009 Georgia Bulldogs are remembered for and that is just sad. Georgia has a shot to repair their image, if we can somehow get it together like we did down the stretch in '06. A couple of big victories could put us back into a decent bowl game and a chance to end the year on a high note.

As for this week's opponent, Tennesse Tech, there is no point in a long drawn out preview. They are a middle of the road (at best) 1-AA school who got blasted by Kansas State earlier this season. This will be far the weakest team Georgia has faced all season. Records and stats do not matter, because the level of competition is no where near the same. Georgia should be able to beat this team with nothing but back ups.

This year's homecoming game should bear more importance than it has in year's past. Georgia is coming off of three straight road contests which saw the Dawgs drop two of three. Georgia has not played a game in Sanford in a month and needs to show the fans that despite the record on the field, this team is still trying to get better.

I think the Dawgs play mad, the coaches play mad, and the team shows up to a 1:00 game for once. Big stats for King and Ealey. Defense will probably give up more points than the fans will like, but it won't matter in the outcome.

Georgia 48, Tennessee Tech 20

GO DAWGS!!!

WLOCP - Nothing To Lose

While Bubba, BFR, and Josh are living it up in Saint Simmons and Jacksonville with most of the rest of the Bulldog Nation, I unfortunately am having a crazy week at work. We all know what this game means and a Georgia would upset would be amazing. If Florida plays offense like it has the last few weeks, the Dawgs definitely have a chance. The South Carolina and Arkansas games proved we have some amazing athletes who can make plays and score. For Georgia, we are out of the SEC race, so at this point we are just playing for pride.

In honor of this year's cocktail part, I present the video of the week, "Nothing to Lose". I know it's not 80's, but I'm not Bubba or Josh.


Prediction

I think Georgia will be fired up and ready to erase some of the bad memories of last year. Does that mean we have enough to beat this insanely talented and experienced Florida team? Probably not. The Dawgs will give them a fight, but it won't be enough in the end.

Florida 27, Georgia 17

GO DAWGS

Struggle Fest 2009: The Vanderbilt Preview

The Dawgs head to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt this Saturday hoping to get its season back on track before the date with the Gators in Jacksonville on Halloween night. Following the heart breaking loss to LSU, the Dawgs looked flat as they got crushed by a Tennessee team that had struggled to beat Ohio University. Vanderbilt, who reached a bowl game last season for the first time since the 80's, comes in at 2-4 and struggling worse than the Dawgs. This match up is not worthy of a normal preview, so instead I present to you a quick preview of the game I have dubbed Struggle Fest 2009.

What have you done lately?
Georgia got crushed by Tennessee on the road. Vanderbilt lost to Army. As bad as the Dawgs loss was, Vandy's is worse. Advantage: Georgia

Who has played a tougher schedule?
All of Georgia's games this season have been against opponents from BCS conferences, including 3 teams currently ranked in the top 25. Vanderbilt has victories over Western Carolina (1-AA) and Rice. The only common opponent is LSU, who Georgia lost to by 7 on a late TD and Vandy lost to by 14. Advantage: Georgia

Can anyone move the ball on offense?
Georgia is 97th in the country in total yards, Vanderbilt is 86th. Georgia cannot run the ball this year (104th in the country) but Vanderbilt cannot pass the ball (113th). Neither teams score a lot, but Georgia has the lead (75th in the country to 110th in the country). Georgia is -11 in turnovers, Vandy is +6. Advantage: Push

Who can make a stop on defense?
Vanderbilt has not allowed more than 23 points in a game this season. Georgia has only allowed less than 23 twice and has allowed more than 38 three times. Advantage: Vanderbilt

Who has more to play for?
If the Dawgs lose this game, the season will essentially be over. At 3-4 with games left against Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech, there would be little chance for the Dawgs to even make a bowl game. After a season where they made a bowl game, finishing under .500 is just the norm again for Vanderbilt. For Georgia, this game is life or death, for Vandy it is just another Saturday in Nashville. Advantage: Georgia

Final Score: Georgia wins, 3-1-1

I think (hope) the Dawgs come out pissed off. The loss at Tennessee last week was embarrassing and they need a good game to get that out of their system before the bye week. It is desperation time for the Georgia coaching staff and hopefully they unleash the talent on the team this week. I think the Dawgs win this one fairly easy.

Georgia 27, Vanderbilt 10

Time to Topple Rocky Top: The Tennessee Preview

Following the loss to LSU, the Dawgs hit the road to face their old rival the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville. For both teams, this game will be key between getting their season back on track or continuing their fall from grace.

Who are these guys?

Tennessee is not a good football team. After struggling through their second losing season in the last 3 years, Tennessee fired long time head coach Phil Fulmer and replaced him with Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has ruffled many feathers in his short time in Knoxville, particulary jawing with Florida coach Urban Meyer. They have a solid coaching staff, including Lane's dad, Monte Kiffin, engineer of the Tampa Bay defense that won the Super Bowl earlier in the decade.

If football was only played on defense, Tennessee may be among the better teams in the country. Led by All-American Eric Berry, the Tennesse defense has proven its worth time an again. They even held Florida in check in Gainesville this year, a game many thought the Gators would put up 50 on the Vols. In my opinion, Eric Berry is the best player in the country and is a real threat to make a play every time he is on the field.

Conversely, the Tennessee offense is a complete train wreck. Running backs Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown give the Vols a decent one-two punch on the ground. The two have combined for over 800 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns this year. If the Dawgs can shut down the Tennessee running game, they should have a good chance to win this game because the UT passing offense is anemic. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton is horrible and they have a lack of experienced play makers at receiver.

What are the Dawgs going to do?

Hopefully, the Georgia offense shows up early in this game and doesn't wait until the second half like it did last week. Georgia clearly has more talent on the field than Tennessee right now, but if we get into a defensive battle, it may be one that Tennessee can win. Despite the struggles, Georgia must try and establish a running game early. Without Caleb King, look for Washaun Ealey to get more carries this week and we may see Carlton Thomas for the first time in a few weeks as well.

Losing Tavarres King for the week will also hurt the Georgia passing game, as he has proven to be a viable down field option opposite AJ Green. That means that Rontavious Wooten and Marlon Brown may see an increase in their playing time. I know Brown will be hungry to play in his home state and show the Tennessee fans what they are missing out on. Despite the threat of Berry in the secondary, I think the Dawgs will continue to try and stretch the field with long passes to AJ Green and passes to the middle of the field to the tight ends.

Defensively, Georgia should apply a similar game plan to that it used last week against LSU. Crompton has proven to be shaky in the pocket, and if Georgia is able to get the kind of pressure it did last week, they should be able to produce a couple of turnovers. Rennie Curran will need to be everyone, as Tennessee will try to pound the ball with Hardesty.

What is going to happen?

If Georgia can come out and get a lead early in the game, they have a chance to blow Tennessee out. But if Tennessee can keep this game as a close defensive struggle, the Dawgs will be in for another close battle. I think the Dawgs will come out fired up after the loss last week and put Tenneesse away early.

Georgia 31, Tennessee 17

D-Day 2009: The Louisiana State Preview

Four games into the 2009 season, the Georgia Bulldogs are still looking for an identity. After opening the season with a tough loss on the road to Oklahoma State, the Dawgs have come back to win three games in a row. Sitting at 3-1 (2-0 in the SEC), the Dawgs are right where most experts expected them to be. But the road to get here has been rather unpredictable. After two shootout victories in conference, the Dawgs struggled to put away Arizona State at home and find themselves as a team that can't find a pass rush, shows brilliance on offense one moment and looks horrible the next, and continues to make turnovers which lead to easy scores for the other team. Without the play of AJ Green, the Dawgs record may be 1-3 instead of 3-1. This weekend, the #4 LSU Tigers come to Sanford Stadium as a team that is searching for an identity as well. At the end of this game, we will know that one team is alive and should be a contender for the SEC Championship. The other team could be in for a very long season.

Who are these guys?

LSU is ranked #4 in the country, but that ranking comes mostly from starting the season ranked high and winning games they should win while other teams ahead of them have lost. The Tigers have looked rather unimpressive in their victories over Washington, Vanderbilt, Louisiana-LaFayette, and Mississippi State. The Mississippi State game was the most telling, as the Tigers needed a goal line stand to prevent an upset loss to the lowly Bulldogs from Starkville.

On the defensive side of the ball, LSU has been solid allowing just over 15 points a game. They are led cornerback Patrick Peterson. An elite member of LSU's 2008 signing class, Peterson draws the task of guarding AJ Green this week. Peterson will not be alone, as LSU safety Chad Jones will provide support. I expect to see both of these players on Green almost everytime he is on the field. The Tiger defense is much improved over the squad that struggled down the stretch in 2008. While I am not ready to put them on the level of the 2007 team, they are dangerous with playmakers at every position.

The real trouble for the Tigers this year lies on the offensive side of the ball. The Tigers rank dead last in the SEC in yards, averaging only 310 a game. That is good for 105th in the country. With dual threat quarterback Jordan Jefferson and experienced running backs Charles Scott and Keiland Williams, many expected the LSU rushing attack to be among the best in the SEC, but they are only 76th in the country right now. Charles has really struggled, averaging a mere 44 yards a game (after averaging 90 yards a game last season).

Jordan Jefferson was expected to improve his passing during his second season, but despite having a great receiving tandem in Terrance Tolliver and Brandon LaFell, the Tigers are 88th in the nation in passing at 190 yards per game. Jefferson has been an improvement over Jarrett Lee 9he of the many pick 6's last season) by throwing only 1 interception thus far. like many other teams this season, I expect LSU to try and use its size advantage over the Georgia corners to complete deep passes.

What are the Dawgs going to do?

That is a real good question. This team has been more up and down than the 2006 team that lost to Vandy and Kentucky and came back to beat three ranked teams to close the season. One minute the offense looks great, the next minute we can't move the ball. There have truly only been two consistent things about Georgia in 2009: turnovers on our side of the field that lead to easy scores and AJ Green.

For Georgia to win this football game, Georgia will have to prevent LSU from getting easy scores. That may mean that Joe Cox is not able to just throw it up and hope that AJ comes down with. LSU's secondary is too tall and athletic to just count on the fact that AJ will make a play. That also means that the running backs must hold on to the ball. All three Georgia running backs have had costly fumbles that have led to points for the opposing team this season. Caleb King had a good game running the ball for the second week in a row, but the fumble and two dropped screen passes put a damper on the performance. LSU is big and quick up front, and i think stretch runs and toss sweeps to Caleb give Georgia the best chance to get a running game going.

If the running game is successful, Georgia should be able to open up the play action game and take advantage of the double coverage applied to Green. Look for Cox to throw short to Michael Moore and Orson Charles if LSU keeps the double team on Green into the second half.

Defensively, the game plan should be similar to what was applied against Oklahoma State. They have a mobile quarterback with proven weapons at receiver and tailback. If Georgia can keep Jefferson in the pocket and get some pressure, they may be able to force some bad throws.

Prediction

This is a match up between two teams who I feel are very similar. Both teams are filled with extremely talented players who have yet to put it all together. If one team can cut down on the mental mistakes, this games has the potential to move from a close battle to a blowout. However, I do not think that will happen. Vegas favors the Dawgs in this one pretty much on the fact that we are at home. I was in Baton Rouge last season and I am sure the Tigers want to get some revenge for that game. This one should be close, but for the first time i am predicting us to come out on the short end of the stick.

LSU 31, Georgia 28

"Devil, just come on back, if you ever want to try again.." The Arizona State Preview

Arizona State travels nearly 2,000 miles to seek some revenge for the 27-10 beat down the Dawgs handed Arizona State in the desert last fall. Last year, the Sun Devils were talking a lot of trash, even passing out signs that said "Bring on Georgia":

This year is a different story. After struggling to a 5-7 record in '08, the Sun Devils come east very quiet and heavy underdogs. I expect the results to be much the same as they were last fall.

Who are these guys?

Arizona State comes in 2-0 after playing two cupcake games to open year. They looked impressive, especially defensively, but Arkansas's defense looked pretty good against crappy competition as well.

As stated earlier, Arizona State was a preseason ranked team who struggled to a 5-7 record in 2008. Gone is quarterback Rudy Carpenter, replaced by senior Danny Sullivan. Up until this point, Sullivan has been more of a game manager, only completing about 50% of his passes for only 1 touchdown. The real offensive leaders on the team are running back Dmitri Nance and receiver Chris McGaha. The line is still questionable at best and if they can't provide better protection for Sullivan than they gave to Carpenter last year, it may be a long night for the Sun Devil offense.

Defensively, the Sun Devils are currently ranked as the #1 overall defense in the country. Granted, that has been against bad competition, but allowing only 150 yards a game is still impressive. For Arizona State's defense to have success against what is suddenly a prolific Georgia offense, they will need big days from DE Dexter Davis and DT Lawrence Guy. Shutting down Georgia's running game will be the key to stopping Georgia from marching up and down the field at the same speed they did last week.

What are the Dawgs going to do?

Defensively, the best thing the Dawgs can hope for is a repeat performance of last fall. The Dawgs entirely shut down the line of scrimmage, repeatedly hitting Rudy Carpenter and holding Nance to 12 yards on 10 carries. Georgia has proven it can shut down running games but we know that is not the issue. Arizona State's line is week and I think this the week Willie may finally get creative with blitzes. If he does, Justin Houston will benefit the most and could be in for a huge day. Also look for Georgia to conintue to use 5 DBs in passing situations as Akeem Dent and Darius Dewberry have continued to be slowed by injury.

After the passing fireworks last week, I think this will be the game where we see an offensive explosion from the running game. Caleb King looked strong on his 11 carries last week and Richard Samuel showed his homerun power on the 80 yard TD run. Look for a combined 35 carries between the two and around 200 yards on the ground. Orson Charles role in the team will continue to grow and AJ Green should have another big day.

What is going to happen?

For the first time this season, Georgia will come out and look dominating. The offense will not score as much as it did against Arkansas, but the defense will not be as bad either. A close game at half turns into a blowout in the second half.

Georgia 38, Arizona State 20

"I'm fussy about my barbecue. If it's not pork, it's not barbecue." - Lewis Grizzard

THE ARKANSAS PREVIEW

After one of the craziest and hard fought victories for Georgia in recent memory last week against South Carolina, the Dawgs hit the road headed for Fayetteville to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks for the first time since 2005. Georgia leads the all-time series between the two teams, 8-3, including the 30-3 victory in the 2002 SEC Championship Game. Here is the Bubba N' Earl preview of the 2009 match up between the Dawgs and the Hogs.

Who are these guys?

Arkansas comes into the game with a record of 1-0 after defeating Missouri State on September. Quarterback Ryan Mallett, finally eligbile after sitting out the 2008 season after transferring from Michigan, had a career day throwing for 309 yards in the 48-10 victory. Arkansas finished the 2008 season 5-7 under Bobby Petrino and are poised to perform better in '09. They have a quality runningback in Michael Smith, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2008, and one of the best tight ends in the country, DJ Williams. They have a number of other quality receivers, giving Mallet a number of targets to throw at. Mallett, who started a few games at Michigan his freshman year, is a tall, stand still quarterback. Unlike our last two opponents, the Georgia D should not have too worry about Mallett running the ball too much. Their offensive line allowed the most sacks in the SEC in '08, so look for the Dawgs to try and get to Mallett early and often.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Razorbacks defensive line looks to be the strength of young, but talented group. They also return all three starters at linebacker. The secondary is the weak point and Georgia should look to exploit some mismatches.

What are the Dawgs going to do?

The key word for Georgia in this game is RUSH. This will be the key for both the offense and the defense. On defense, if Georgia can utilize a similar game plan from the South Carolina game, they should be able to get hits on Mallet much easier than they were able to get to Stephen Garcia. If Mallett struggles early, look for Arkansas to rely on its run game, an area where the Georgia advantage on the line will be key. Also, look for a lot of pressure from DE Justin Houston, who returns after missing the first two games. Houston's return allows for Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens to resume their normal roles in the middle of the Georgia defensive from. I don't expect too much blitzing from the linebackers this week, as Arkansas will try to spread the field with multiple receiver sets. If Georgia can cut down on the short passes to the tight end, they will make a major stride in winning the battle on defense.

Offensively, the return of Caleb King could not come at a better time. The performance of Richard Samuel last week proves that he is willing to run straight at opponents and try to gain yards after contact. The 'slash and dash' style of King should provide a little balance and hopefully allow the offense to establish the running game early. If the running game clicks, look for Bobo to call some play action in the second quarter and try to take advantage of AJ Green's downfield ability. Once again, Brandedn Smith and Orson Charles may have large roles in the success of the offense, though I also expect Brown and Wooten to get their first receptions this week.

What is going to happen?

Unlike last week, expect the first quarter of the game to go by quickly as Georgia will attempt to establsih the running game. Georgia pressure on Mallett will either force some errant throw or sacks and will allow Georgia to control the field position game. I expect Georgia to have strong second and third quarters and open up a comfortable lead. The Arkansas passign attack will lead the Hogs back in the fourth, but it will be too little, too late.

Georgia 34, Arkansas 20

If I Ever Get Back To Georgia, I'm Gonna Nail My Feet To The Ground: South Carolina Preview

It’s Saturday, in Athens!!! The Dawgs return home after a tough loss on the road at Oklahoma State to face Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Plenty has been written this week about what went wrong in Stillwater, but the time for second guessing is over. This Saturday night, it is time to tee it up Between the Hedges for the first time in 2009.

Who Are These Guys?

Now in his fifth season in Columbia, Steve Spurrier leads South Carolina back to Athens. Georgia won a defensive struggle last season 14-7, and the all time record sits at 45-14-2 in favor of the Dawgs (What a rivalry!).

Thursday Night Pros, much like Boise State. Last week Georgia faced an opponent in Oklahoma State known primarily for its powerful offense. This week, the Dawgs will face a team that in many ways is the opposite. The defense, lead by linebacker Eric Norwood, shined in the Gamecocks’ 7-3 win over N.C. State, allowing only 133 yards of total offense. Norwood had two sacks and was a force disrupting Wolfpack QB Russell Wilson, who couldn’t test South Carolina’s young, talented defensive backfield.

As good as the defense was last week, the South Carolina offense struggled. QB Stephen Garcia, continuing a theme from last year, struggled, completing 13 of 22 passes for 148 yards. Garcia also threw a key interception that led to N.C. State’s only score of the game. Garcia’s targets aren’t as reliable as former WR Kenny McKinley and former TE Jared Cook as this year’s stable is very young with freshmen WRs Alshon Jeffrey and Tori Gurley. WR Moe Brown, who scored the lone TD against Georgia last year, is the veteran of the group.

Against N.C. State, RB Brian Maddox led the rushing attack, running for 66 yards and a touchdown, but averaging just under 3 yards a carry. The offense totaled only 256 yards of offense. Spurrier also had a tough time replacing kicker Ryan Succop (now in the NFL). New kicker Spencer Lanning missed a chip shot 27 yarder and a botched snap on another attempt cost Carolina at least 6 points.

All in all, it was an ugly game against a bad team for the Gamecocks last week. The defense was strong but Garcia remains unproven as a quarterback in the SEC and will need help from his running game if the Cocks hope to have better success against a Georgia D that held Zac Robinson under 200 yards passing last week.

Expect to see the Gamecocks use Jarvis Giles a little more at running back on Saturday. He’s young, but he’s South Carolina’s future at the position. Also expect to see the use of the Wildcat formation with true freshman CB Stephon Gilmore taking the snaps. Gilmore won a starting CB position three days into fall camp and the Gamecocks want to showcase him on both sides of the ball. He leads a young defensive backfield that features some talent but was untested last Thursday night.

What are the Dawgs going to do?

The Dawgs come home licking some major wounds left by the loss at Oklahoma State. After an impressive 80-yard drive to open the game, the Georgia offense went cold and could only muster a field goal the rest of the way. To get the offense back on track, I expect Georgia to come out with a more traditional look on its opening drive this week. Look for a heavy dose of rushing from the combination of Richard Samuel and either Caleb King or Carlton Thomas. Also look for the return of screen passes to the backs and quick outs to the receivers early in the game to help Cox get into a throwing rhythm. Also expect to see the debut of Marlon Brown and Rontavious Wooten at receiver.

On defense, look for the Dawgs to try and bring more pressure on Garcia this week than they did against Oklahoma State. Garcia has proven to be erratic under pressure and does not have the weapons around him that Zac Robinson did last week. Despite the roughing call against Reshad Jones last week, I also expect the safeties to continue to play tough and hit receivers coming over the middle. If the defense is to regain its swagger from years past, it must get strong play from the linebackers and safeties to keep the gains short.

On special teams, it doesn’t look like there will be much change this year on kickoff coverage philosophy as Georgia continued to corner kick the football and give up big returns. In the return game, hopefully Branden Smith has shaken off his first game jitters and will be willing to take a knee. Blair Walsh had a tremendous game last week and if the offense struggles again, his leg may be the difference between a win and a loss.

What is going to happen?

The recent history between Georgia and South Carolina reads almost like a book. The two teams play a close game that is ultimately decided by a mistake made by one team in the second half. Rankings, previous years, and star power matter little in the outcome. The offenses for both teams played horribly in their respective openers, so expect another low scoring affair between these two. I expect that the Georgia offense will not play quite as bad as it did against Oklahoma State and that the South Carolina defense will not fair quite as well as it did against N.C. State (At least I hope). This means that Georgia will score more points than the 10 points it put up in Stillwater last week. The only question is whether Carolina can find a way to create turnovers and help its offense. This game will be close, but I like the Dawgs at home to put the game out of reach in the 4th quarter.

Georgia 24, South Carolina 13 and hopefully a lot of this...

The Georgia of Wrath: Oklahoma State Preview

“When someone tells you, 'You can't do something,' it motivates you and you better yourself.”

That quote from starting quarterback Joe Cox sums up where the Georgia Bulldogs sit going into the 2009 season. After a disappointing 2008 season and the loss of Knowshon Moreno and Matt Stafford to the NFL Draft, Georgia heads to Stillwater as an underdog. When these two teams met to open the 2007 season, many questioned whether Georgia would be able to stop the Oklahoma State offense (which the Oklahoma State Web site touted as the greatest offense on Earth prior to THAT season). What followed was a 35-14 Georgia beat down:

Georgia would go on to finish #2 in the nation while Oklahoma State would struggle and finish the year at 7-6. Once again, the 2009 match up will set the tone for both teams. Here is the Bubba N’ Earl preview of the 2009 season opener, Georgia at Oklahoma State.

Who are these guys?

The Cover curse bit the Dawgs in ’08. Will it take a bite out of the Pokes in ’09?

"Okie use' ta mean you was from Oklahoma. Now it means you're a dirty son-of-a-bitch. Okie means you're scum. Don't mean nothing itself, it's the way they say it."

The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 18

You just down right offensive, boy. Offense, offense, offense. All off season, we have heard the same thing over and over. Oklahoma State returns all three of its key offensive stars that make up one of the best attacks in the country. If it wasn’t for Tim Tebow, quarterback Zac Robinson would be a household name as one of the best dual-threat players in the country. Robinson has accounted for 7,000 total yards in the past 2 seasons (1,355 rushing and 5,559 passing) since taking over the QB reins from Bobby Reid. Yes, the same Bobby "I'm a man, I'm 40!" Reid who Georgia pounded to open the year in ’07. Robinson will have running back Kendall Hunter to hand the ball off to. As a sophomore in ’08, Hunter rushed for over 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns (numbers comparable to those of Knowhon Moreno). Robinson and Hunter are talented, but OSU’s best player is wideout Dez Bryant, who returns as a preseason All American and arguably the best receiver in the nation. Bryant had a marvelous 2008, racking up 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns on 87 receptions. In addition to these three, the Cowboys also return six other starters from the 2008 offense that ranked 7th in the country, including offensive tackle and Outland Trophy nominee Russell Okung.

Welcome home, Bill Young. It's a mess. Oklahoma State’s defense is a completely different story. While they do return 6 of 7 starters in the front, they return only one member of a defensive backfield that was ranked 110th in the nation in pass defense. Leading tackler Andre Sexton had 100 tackles from his linebacker position last season and is the anchor of an experienced linebacking crew (though starting middle linebacker Orie Lemon tore his ACL in practice and will now miss the entire 2009 season). OSU's starting defensive ends Derek Burton and Ugo Chinasa also return but only had a combined 2.5 sacks between them last year. New defensive coordinator Bill Young returns home to his alma mater from Miami with a big reputation behind him. Can he get the defense turned in the first game?

The intangibles for the Cowboys lie with their fiery head coach and the excitement that comes with the school’s highest preseason ranking ever. Coach Mike Gundy is very passionate about his team, but they still managed to drop all of their key games (Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon) and only reached 9 wins last year. Opening the overhauled T. Boone Pickens Stadium against a powerful SEC opponent on national television will be quite a challenge for the Pokes.

What are the Dawgs going to do?

When Georgia opened the 2007 season by hosting the Cowboys in Sanford Stadium, Oklahoma State came in touting the “greatest offense on earth.” By using a controlled defensive attack, the Dawgs were able to shut down their offense and used special teams and field position to lay a 35-14 beat down on Oklahoma State. Defensively, I think the Dawgs will take a similar approach in 2009. If they over commit to the run, Zac Robinson and Dez White will have a field day on the inexperienced Georgia secondary. Instead, I look for the Dawgs to use the defensive push to contain Robinson and prevent him and Kendall Hunter from getting outside. Defensive end Rod Battle had arguably his best game against Oklahoma State in ’07 and with Justin Houston out, he will need to once again step up. I also expect the linebacker crew, led by Rennie Curran, to spy Robinson, preventing him from using his legs to pick up large chunks of yards on the ground.

I also suspect Georgia to put a lot of pressure on the Oklahoma State kicking game. A key punt block helped get things going for the Dawgs in ’07, and we all know what Prince Miller can do if he gets a few good blocks:



I expect Joe Cox to enjoy his first game back as a starter since his freshman season. The 110th ranked pass defense that only returns one starter in the defensive backfield will have a tough time covering AJ Green and Michael Moore. I look for the Dawgs to come out throwing early in the game, but balance it out near the end of the first half with a healthy dose of Richard Samuel and Carlton Thomas. Also, look for the tight ends to play a bigger role this year as I expect both Aron White and Orson Charles to catch multiple passes from Cox in this game.

What’s going to happen?

If recent history has taught us anything, a good defense from the SEC typically has the ability to hold powerful Big XII offenses in check (for further evidence, see last year’s Cotton Bowl and National Championship games as proof). I expect Georgia to come out with an aggressive offensive attack that will immediately put Oklahoma State on their heels. The emotion of the crowd will bring the Cowboys back and their high powered offense will eventually get going. But this a Mark Richt coached team, and since becoming head man in 2001, Richt has lost exactly 4 true road games (LSU in ’03, Auburn in ’04, Kentucky in ’06, Tennessee in ’07). The Dawgs will not be intimidated and will make a strong charge in the second half. This will be a close one, and both teams will put a lot of points on the board.

Dawgs win with some very late defense, holding off an Oklahoma State charge.

Georgia 34, Oklahoma State 31