Dogs’ most dangerous road game?
Looking at the 2009 schedule, the game against Florida on Oct. 31 naturally looms as the season’s biggest challenge, but that’s not technically a trip to an opponent’s stadium so I’m not sure you count it when you’re trying to figure the Dogs’ toughest road game this year. Even if you do, we’ll put that game on a level of its own, especially considering Georgia’s difficulty winning in Jacksonville.
Loading ...Opening the season Sept. 5 against Oklahoma State in Stillwater is expected by many observers, especially in the national sports media, to be a major undertaking for Mark Richt’s rebuilding team, particularly the defense.
Then there’s the trip to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas the week after the conference opener against South Carolina in Athens. That’s a game that a lot of folks are red-flagging as a possible letdown week for Georgia.
All the Lane Kiffin preseason shenanigans aside, Tennessee is something of an unknown going into this season, especially at quarterback, but playing the Vols in Knoxville is never easy. And Georgia’s last visit there was just plain embarrassing.
The return trip to that state the next week to play Vandy is another potential land mine, no matter what sort of team the Commodores have. The Dogs rarely have been at their best in Nashville in recent years.
And then there’s the visit to Atlanta to see if Willie Martinez’s defense has figured out how to defend Paul Johnson’s triple option.
I still haven’t drunk the Kool-Aid when it comes to Big 12 teams, so while I recognize the Pokes have a high-powered offense that some expect to overpower the Dogs defense, and others question whether Georgia’s offense, minus last year’s star power, can keep up, I don’t believe that’s going to be the season’s biggest road challenge. The trips to Knoxville and Atlanta look more dangerous.
Which road game concerns you the most? Feel free to comment, vote in the poll or do both.
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194 comments Add your comment
Really, Jake??
June 30th, 2009
11:40 am
Jake, you are comparing the WAC to the Big 12. Really? Come on man, even you can’t buy that BS. Oklahoma St. will outscore the Dawgs in a defense-less game. Joe Cox, the overhyped chosen one in Athens who has never played a significant snap in college, will fail to live up to all of the preseason hype he is getting. And there is no one who is even remotely capable of replacing Knowshon. Gonna be a long year for you Dawgs, and its laughable that none of you know it.
Pink Out against Tennessee Tech
June 30th, 2009
11:43 am
Lets do it. Joe Cox for Heisman!!
Huh?
June 30th, 2009
11:44 am
If Okie State is the benchmark for our entire season we are in serious trouble. Call me unreasonable but I always like to think of the SEC elite as the benchmarks for our entire season, not some hyped up Big 12 media darling. If we are judging ourselves by how we stack up to Okie State we may be looking at a 6-6 or 7-5 season. We won’t even be able to stay in the freaking stadium with Florida, LSU, or whoever ends up being the SEC’s best this year. Even the Kentucky’s and Vandy’s will give us fits. And if you think that soft Big 12 spread offense crap is tough, wait until Tech’s triple option gets rammed down our throats again. I am simply not buying all this crap about Okie State being the benchmark for our season. If that is true, go ahead and make your reservations for Shreveport right now. Good day.
coachdawg 2000
June 30th, 2009
11:44 am
Scooter,
It bothers me as I mentioned befroe that our guys are thinking about Tech and Florida already. We need to focus on getting a fast start. If we put the cart before the horse we’re not going to go very far. If I really knew what joe cox was going to do ona big stage i would feel a whole lot better. That osu defense that nobody on here seems to respect is probably going stack the line and make jc beat them. I mentioned this earlier he hasn’t been in a game that was still up for grabs since a very forgettable game at oxford in’06 and he looked terible albeit as a redshirt freshman. I have faith in jesus as my lord and savior but i don’t have blind faith that some career backup is going to have a coming out party on the road against a top 10 team that is hungry for credibility. Remember even DJ shockley almost threw away the chicken game in ‘05. (thank goodness daccus turman got a motion penalty to negate the chickens probable game winning touchdown).
Otto
June 30th, 2009
11:46 am
I agree with Huh? Okie St is overrated but.. UGA could very well stumble early. If UGA played Okie St on the 2nd or 3rd game of the season I would not be concerned same as Az St last year.
Scooter the setup for both teams is tough, Okie St could come in over confident. UGA could be finding a RB, the correct lineup and chemistry on the lines or many other things that are changing this year.
Huh?
June 30th, 2009
11:49 am
“Enter yoJoe Cox, the overhyped chosen one in Athens who has never played a significant snap in college…”
This is the part where everyone stops reading and starts laughing directly in your face because you don’t have the single last clue what the hell you are talking about. Joe Cox started a game his freshmen year and threw a winning touchdown pass against Colorodo, a Little 12 team. I would call that “a significant snap at the college level.”
I think you Big 12′ers need to get off your high horses. I know Georgia probably won’t be a top 5 team this year, but we aren’t Washington State, Houston, Missourri State, and Troy either (Okie State’s 2008 nonconference schedule). I mean really, how impressive is a 9-4 record when you’re padding the W column with creampuffs like that? Okie State is an overrated poser until proven otherwise. Good day.
Fletch
June 30th, 2009
11:53 am
This just in: Ken Malcome has committed to the Dawgs!!
Chewbacca
June 30th, 2009
11:55 am
Hey Ramble On and Helluva Engineer,
did you guys have that wookie sleep over thingy at Helluva’s parents house?
Tbone the prophet
June 30th, 2009
11:57 am
UGA losing to tech in Atlanta this year is about as likely as Bernie Madoff being there to watch it….perhaps you can throw in Michael Jackson, Farrah and Billy Mays as well. NO WAY….I said NO CHANCE do we lose that game. If the “triple fumble” offense scores more than 14 I will be shocked. Okie State, UT, ARK, and of course the gators are all possible disappointments.
hmmmm.....
June 30th, 2009
12:04 pm
It’s the FL game. OK st is overrated. kiffin crapped all down his leg by opening his mouth. As long as uga doesn’t play down to any of these teams or come out flat, they’ll be fine. in few years tenn might be tough but that’s cause of kiffins daddy coaching the d.
Oledawg
June 30th, 2009
12:08 pm
Since we have beaten the reigning NC for the last two years, I don’t expect that to change. The UGA players who beat FU last will be returning along with those who have game experience subbing for them last year. That’s a lot of successful game experience to be able to put on the field-much more than FU has. The Vols are unknown, but I remember players leaving when their new coach showed up and that makes them “iffy” in my book. If their new recruits can step into playing SEC ball as freshmen, they may have a chance. The repaired D will take care of the bugs, but that won’t stop Tech from scoring points; just not as many. I don’t believe the bug D can handle this year’s line and experience they bring. The bugs will face a more cohesive unit who will be able to control Dwyer and Jones. Vandy is a tough game because they get it together for us and they have a fine coach. No slackers around when they face UGA. Arkansas can get us plain and simple. It will take our best effort to play a team that images ours very well. They have the best QB we will face who is talented enough to get it to his receivers in small openings. These boys play SEC ball like they invented it since they moved from the Southwest(now big 12). Last, but not least, the Cowboys are in a conference that has some members that can push the SEC, but OSU ain’t one of ‘em yet. Yeah, they have a good receiver, but getting the ball to him will be problematic. Not so with AJ and his crowd of varied and fast receivers. OSU is capable of scoring points, but not like UGA. I would compare this game to the Texas/TT game last year and we are in the role of Texas. Yeah,yeah I know Texas lost on the last play, but they were the better team on the field and they all play Big12 ball where anything can happen. The SEC is a “bust your butt into next week” and therein lies the difference. Okie St is a good team playing at home, but UGA seems to enjoy that. The Dawgs should set the tone for the year which will make this a special game of “We gotta win!”. We won’t look back.
Simply put, I think our SEC opponents are like always , our biggest worry. The rest can be viewed as flashes in the pan.
Gatorzone
June 30th, 2009
12:12 pm
Kudos Coachdawg 2000, good comments.
I think anytime you play a top 10 team the first game, it will be the toughest one that you have listed.
ghost dawg
June 30th, 2009
12:16 pm
ramble 45 42 is nothing compared to 8 and 1. Soon ole chan is going to start looking pretty good. LSU for you is the shape of things to come, wonder who your next coach will be? Don’t be scared it won’t hurt much. Only when you laugh so don’t laugh just cry.
PTC DAWG
June 30th, 2009
12:24 pm
We’ve obviously got two very tough OOC games that mean absolutely NOTHING to our SEC hopes.
PTC DAWG
June 30th, 2009
12:27 pm
UGA is 6-2 in their last 8 games with LSU, why all the LSU love?
Gatorzone
June 30th, 2009
12:29 pm
The UGA players who beat FU last will be returning along with those who have game experience subbing for them last year. That’s a lot of successful game experience to be able to put on the field-much more than FU has.
OLEDAWG, REALLY?
REALLY?
Please explain this statement.
coachdawg 2000
June 30th, 2009
12:41 pm
PTC DAWG-
If you think going out and getting spanked by osu won’t have an impact on our season then you must crazy. I know how this works we go out and lose a game to a very good team and half of the nimrods on this blog will be calling everybody to be fired,benched, cut, scholly revoked,etc.
There will be a firestorm of criticism and it WILL infiltrate the team. All of these delusional people on here try to compare okie.state to Hawaii. Giving up a ton to the sooners or texas is not the same as padding your record in a conference with san jose state, san diego state, etc. And trying to compare joe cox to shockley is absurd. Shockley had tremendous arm strength,game experience, and the athletic ability to make something happen with his legs. Unfortunately watching G-day I saw way more of a comparison Joe T. than shockley.
Huh?
June 30th, 2009
12:49 pm
I keep hearing all these references to Okie State as “a top 10 team.” I find that very interesting because I am very confident that it is only June 30th and that the season has not even begun yet. There could only be two possible explanations for this: 1) You believe preseason polls are worth something more than toilet paper, in which case your opinions should be summarily disregarded; or 2) You have a time machine and/or can predict the future, in which case you are a threat to national security and should be locked up in supermax for the rest of your days. Which is it?
AC
June 30th, 2009
1:02 pm
I agree. I do not think OK St will be the toughest because UGA will be up for that game. They usually do well when faced with a difficult opening opponent, Clemson for example. The one that scares me is Arkansas. They will have another year under Bobby Petrino who was a terrific college coach and now be armed with one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
UGA will be in danger of a lack of intensity for this game after coming off a series of big games.
Cuz
June 30th, 2009
1:04 pm
I’m with you Huh! I don’t see Okie State being that much of a threat unless we completely shut down and sit in a fetal position on the sidelines. This team, from what I have read, has an attitude problem. The kind we want. They feel they have something to prove and they are carrying around a rail road tie as a chip for their shoulders. I think our offense blows their defense off the line and Slikc Willie’s defense shows up and takes some hits on their QB. Uh-oh, Super Max just called, my cell is ready. Gotta go.
Ramble On, stay safe around the campus. I would miss laughing at your commentary if you were attacked by the urban terrorists, homegrown variety. Give your campus cops some guns and tell them to shoot first and ask if they want season tickets later.
coachdawg 2000
June 30th, 2009
1:11 pm
Huh? says “1) You believe preseason polls are worth something more than toilet paper, in which case your opinions should be summarily disregarded;”
I bet alot of yall were sitting around basking in the glow of a preseason #1 ranking, but conveniently this year they are worthless.These same people last year were all emotional about dropping to #2 after the glorified scrimmage against southern.
coachdawg 2000
June 30th, 2009
1:19 pm
Alot of yall suffer from fulmer’s disease(the inability to give credit to your opponent).Tech beat us because they were better for 60 minutes one saturday out of the last 8, and florida beat us because they are better than us (and have been for almost 20 years), and bammer beat us because we took the first 30 minutes off. Why can’t yall admit that ,while there is no better conference, there are good teams all over america. The pac-10 is trash but USC would probably spank us this year.And whether yal want to admit it or not if we don’t come to play in stillwater then we will go home unhappy and probably reeling.
sharecropper
June 30th, 2009
1:20 pm
First, let me compliment you for your productivity on Georgia’s football coverage. If only Ga. Tech has somebody that committed. Speaking of which, you should be, for your blithering assertion UGA would finish the season ranked No. 2 in the country. God, where have we heard that before? By all means be a fan. Just stop making an idiot of yourself.
Chris in Indy
June 30th, 2009
1:25 pm
Whoever said that UGA has the athletes and the talent was dead on. Coaching is a different story. You guys are getting the Braves’ reputation: great teams, great seasons, but fold at the end. That is a coaching problem, not a talent problem.
59bulldawg
June 30th, 2009
1:28 pm
It’s one thing to recruit a player. It’s quite another to coach him up! Also if the Tech game was the only game where execution was a problem, the notion about “It’s not always the plan!” might fly with me. But we had numerous defensive breakdowns in numerous games last season. That I think is a result of poor planning, poor coaching, or both. No one will be pulling CWM and the Georgia D more than me this season. But with the players we have, if our D looks as bad this season as it did last season, unless every defensive player we have gets hurt, I don’t see how ANYONE can continue supporting Willie. It’s time to either fish or cut bait!
Nolabigdawg
June 30th, 2009
1:31 pm
Hey Nola Dawg,
Good to see other Dawg fans in the Nawlins area. Would like to know if there is a Bulldog club in the area.
Hang in there in the sea of purple and gold!!!
THWGT
Nolabigdawg
June 30th, 2009
1:33 pm
Regarding the toughest road game, I am always uneasy with the S. Carolina game. Road game or not, this will be the biggest early test.
Gator Growl
June 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
Funny how Jax has become a “road” game the last 19 years! Ok State will be a severe early challenge. If UGA can get a win there, then that will be an indication of a really good year for them, maybe 11-2. If they lose, expect at least 4 loses.
coachdawg 2000
June 30th, 2009
1:34 pm
59-
who is out there that would be so much better than Willie Martinez? Marion Campbell, joe kines, joe lee dunn. To quote Rick Pitino(loosely) “Erk Russell isn’t walking through that door.” Whoever earlier wanted to hire Kirby Smart is smoking something. That guy made less tackles playing than Bobo did.
Jefferson
June 30th, 2009
1:35 pm
What the excuse this year?
Otto
June 30th, 2009
1:40 pm
Coach dead on with the comments at 1:19. GUA should win but if they expect to win or don’t play the entire game it can turn into a loss very quickly.
UGA has the talent to win every game they play. I have said it before I think this team is looking better than last but if the team does not win in Stillwater, the USCe and Arkansas run will be very hard to rebound in.
Otto
June 30th, 2009
1:40 pm
excuse the typo *UGA
Otto
June 30th, 2009
1:45 pm
Kirby Smart has been running a solid defense out at Bama and Kines was better than CWM during his time in Tuscaloosa. I’m not for CWM being fired but those two have been getting the job done. Atlease we aren’t stuck with Prevent Defensee 101 aka Chavis like LSU. While we’re at it how many passes did CMR complete at the U?
Michael
June 30th, 2009
1:50 pm
wow an SEC guy not giving another conference any respect. seems like this happens everyday of the week that ends in “y”.
coachdawg 2000
June 30th, 2009
1:56 pm
Otto,
Don’t let anybody fool you Nick Saban runs that bammer defense.
Rick
June 30th, 2009
2:13 pm
I think you Georgia fans are seriously underestimating OSU. With no proven quarterback or running back how do you expect to outscore the pokes. I personally would be worried about you guys defense as you had alot of disappointments last year GT being one of them.
PAC 10 Homer
June 30th, 2009
2:21 pm
Most Dangerous Game? How ’bout all of them.
OKST: Dont kid yourselves dawgs, Big 12 & OKSt have a national stage and they are going to make the biggest statement of the year. OKSt is gonna DESTORY UGA in Stillwater, giving the Big 12 bragging (and ranking) rights over the SEC until December. Pssstt, dont tell anyone…OKSt has a New DC. Sshhhh. It’s a secret.
USC: This game is always close. Will UGA have anything left in the tank, after a national TV beatdown, by an “inferior” Big 12 team? Doubtful.
Ark: Petrino’s “break-out” game. Think what you like, but facts are facts: Petrino is an Offensive Mastermind, and a better coach than CMR & BoBo, combined.
ASU: A slight pause between “rounds” for the UGA.
LSU: Next Round: Have to say odds favor LSU here.
FL: The Urban Meyer Special: Another National TV beatdown for UGA. CMW gets fired the following Monday, giving CMR “cover” for the disastrous season he will be having, with more mosses to come. Now, CMR would have an excuse for the 7-5 season he will have. One last beatdown for Meyer as he will go to ND after FL wins another NC with Tebow as a Senior.
Vandy & KY: Too close to call
GT: One last nationally televised loss for UGA.
Island Dawg
June 30th, 2009
2:22 pm
St Simons, I hate the fact that you and I purportedly share this lump of dolphin crap. I wish like Hades I knew who you were as I NEVER see your crappy colors here. Get a life and give up the mouse paste, loser!
PAC 10 Homer
June 30th, 2009
2:27 pm
Almost forgot:
Joe Cox & rest of UGA offnese wont know what hit them when Monte Kiffin’s Tampa-2 defense steps on the field. A decidely “rookie” UGA offense has NO CHANCE against a SUPER-BOWL WINNING DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND HIS DEFENSE.
You can count this one as a GUARANTEED LOSS.
Rick
June 30th, 2009
2:29 pm
Lets not forget that the DC that OSU hired had the KU jayhawks of all teams in the top 15 in total defense in 07′ shows how good bill young is.
southgadawg88
June 30th, 2009
2:35 pm
…1st game is toughest because it’s the 1st?really?Why is it tougher for UGA than OK state?In general UGA has played better on the road than at home(have no idea why)Most people make preseason assumptions based strictly on returning Offensive talent(UGA 2008)people tend to overlook two important factors..OL AND DL play.We had Stafford,Moreno and MO’mass so everybody expected that to be enough to carry the team.To a degree it was but when we played teams who were able to exploit our weakness on both lines we lost…simple as that.Now we have OK state,ARK,LSU and GT as these “scary” games..yeah?They have all this offensive firepower right?Yet they also have the same weaknesses poor or rebuilding OL and a weak DL(poor D in general). We will win all those games a hell of a lot easier than you think.We should dominate both lines of scrimmage against damn near the entire schedule!You already saw just how far great offensive talent will get you without solid line play.. now you guys want to come up with all this crap about why these teams should beat us because of their offense?You didn’t learn ANYTHING watching UGA last year.
Otto
June 30th, 2009
2:37 pm
PAC10…Monte Kiffin? What does an admitted PAC10 homer know about defense?
Monte’s super bowl defense will work about as well Weiss’s Super Bowl offense has in ND.
Otto
June 30th, 2009
2:40 pm
Southgadawg, The reason I have heard that CMR and Tubby at Auburn may played better on the road is there are less handshake acts, all the meetings with recruits, alums etc. At an away go you wake up at the hotel, go to the stadium, do your warm up, and play the game. It has fewer diversions than a home game.
Big 12 Rules
June 30th, 2009
2:42 pm
2009 will be a Train Wreck for UGA.
Long Dawg
June 30th, 2009
2:44 pm
Let me begin by stating the obvious; tech sux and nobody cares about tech and we own them 59/39/5.
Oklahoma State is way over rated. They have zero defense and they will be the unfortunate bunch that we take our frustration out on because of last season. We will kick there ass.
All of the remaining away games will be equally difficult except the tech game. There will be more Georgia fans in the BD stadium than tech fans because no one cares about tech football. Bend over Ramble ON my dog thinks he reconizes you.
Rick
June 30th, 2009
2:47 pm
OSU offensive line is in the top 15, not terrible by any standards as for the DL we will see thats probably the biggest weakness on OSU’s D.
G-G-G-Gator
June 30th, 2009
3:01 pm
You dawg fans are dreaming if you think you’re just gonna rollover Tech this year.
If key players stay healthy, Tech offense will easily put up 35+ points per game. By second half of season, that offense will be putting up 40+ per game.
Without Stafford & Moreno, dawgs aint gonna score more than 30 pts on ANYONE.
Tech 48 Dagws 20
Trade School Junkie
June 30th, 2009
3:06 pm
Its funny how dawg fans are still saying all the same BS things about Tech that they did last year, right before Tech rolled into Athens and Beotch-slapped the dawgs.
I actually think I saw Buzz drop a turd on that big G. LOL
big easy
June 30th, 2009
3:10 pm
The most dangerous is usually the one you’re supposed to win, but dont win. That would have to be either Arkansas, or Tennessee.
GA should be expected to win each one. They wont win both.
Trade School Junkie
June 30th, 2009
3:38 pm
I’m a neglected little Tech tool