When last I doubted the wisdom of ESPN’s Insiders and its Scouts Inc. brand of predicting, the Worldwide Leader was right and I was wrong. I thought Georgia Tech would beat Miami. Scouts Inc. picked the ‘Canes. Score it Scouts Inc. 1, MB nil.
So I pass this along for purposes of edification. Scouts Inc. gives Florida the edge over Georgia in seven of nine categories. (Link requires registration.) The Bulldogs are preferred at wide receiver and linebacker, you should know. Me, I’d have made it eight of nine, but I’m a famous Gator fan
Regarding Georgia’s offense, such as it is, against Florida’s top-ranked defense:
“Look for Georgia to attack the middle of the Florida run defense. True freshman RB Washaun Ealey and 222-pound backup Richard Samuel are both tough between-the-tackles runners who can lower their shoulders and pick up yards after contact. In addition, FB Fred Munzenmeir is an effective lead blocker who has done a nice job filling in for the injured Shaun Chapas. On the flip side, Gators MLB Brandon Spikes is questionable with a groin injury that forced him to miss the Mississippi State game, and Florida’s interior defensive line is banged-up.”
Regarding the men of Matinez versus the minions of Meyer:
“Florida will likely continue to have problems running QB Tim Tebow inside in short-yardage and red zone situations. Tebow is a north-south power runner who needs a seam to be truly effective, and Florida’s interior offensive line is allowing too much penetration. Georgia DT Geno Atkins is at his best using his above-average initial quickness and upper-body strength to shoot gaps and disrupt plays in the backfield. He is surrounded by a strong supporting cast as well, with the 315-pound Kade Weston getting good push up the middle and the active Jeff Owens holding his own at the point of attack.”
By now, you’re doubtless wondering if Scouts Inc. has been watching the same Bulldogs you have. And you’re also wondering: Does Scouts Inc. really think Georgia will win? The answer:
“Outside of the Kentucky game, Florida’s offense has sputtered during SEC play. Look for that trend to continue to a certain degree this week. Georgia’s pass defense has been one of the most porous in the country, but Tebow lacks the weapons at wide receiver to take advantage, and the Bulldogs have had a bye week to prepare for him. As far as the running game is concerned, the Bulldogs are capable of controlling the middle of the line of scrimmage and they have the athletes at linebacker to contain the speedy Gators running backs. However, Georgia’s offense will have an even tougher time putting points on the board working against the Gators’ stifling defense, and that will be the difference in the game.”
The projected score, according to Scouts Inc.: Florida 24, Georgia 16. Given that the spread is 15 points, I’m thinking that’s virtually a Dog victory. But what the heck do I know?
Hey! There’s no need to answer all at once.
175 comments Add your comment
FireUga7.net
October 29th, 2009
2:36 pm
Florida 38, UGA 10.
DirtyDawg
October 29th, 2009
2:39 pm
Florida 24, Georgia 16? Think more like Florida 52, Georgia 3 if you want to be realistic. Keep in mind that Richt is our coach, not Meyer or Miles or Sabin.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DUMP RICHT, MARTINEZ, AND BOBO?
Benny Hana
October 29th, 2009
2:41 pm
UFL 49, UGA 10.
Jill Miller
October 29th, 2009
2:42 pm
Maybe Gators 42, Dawgs 17. I hope it will be closer than that. Maybe ESPN has it right this time.
Jill Miller
October 29th, 2009
2:45 pm
Oh lord, I just read that another Dawg player was arrested. When is this kind of stuff ever going to end, and why doesn’t Coach Richt just suspend these jokers permanently? That would make a statement!
AthensSG
October 29th, 2009
2:49 pm
“….a bye week to prepare.”???? Hope Willie does more preparing than the last bye week (Tech ‘08)
AndyC
October 29th, 2009
2:51 pm
I don’t know Mark. I have given up trying to figure out this GA squad. I think it will either be a blow out or a close game, no in between. I will provide two scores, both with the Gators winning, 41-17 or 20-13.
Pi$$onaDawg
October 29th, 2009
2:51 pm
Enter your comments herePi$$onaDawg
October 29th, 2009
2:48 pm
MARK B the UGA fans are really getting their YELLOW PANTIES in a TWIST now that UGA VII is ready to rollover and DIE at 4-3. With the GATORS(uga4-4), Ga TECH(uag4-5) and with Willie needing to beat UK and Auburn to make it to a BOWL I think uga fans are crying about any and everything they can. HAHAHHAHAHAH. Like the Great Lewis Grizzard said to his friend wanting to lick himself like UGA. “Hill Bite jew.” Mark the Dawgs are trying to BITE U.
shannon
October 29th, 2009
2:53 pm
From where the dawgs are sitting this year, the view never changes. GO GATORS!!
AthensSG
October 29th, 2009
2:54 pm
Jeez, Jill Miller, this “arrest” wouldn’t even take place in most of our towns. A ticket would be issued and it wouldn’t be news. The Athens police thrive on harassing UGA athletes, and the AJC and Tim Tucker wait breathlessly for crap like this……
AthensSG
October 29th, 2009
3:01 pm
Bugkiller, and how many raises has Willie gotten for OCs at FU, Bama, Tech, KY, Vandy, UT, WVA, etc, etc. He’s singlehanded created quite a few millionaires.
Win Dawg Win!!!
October 29th, 2009
3:05 pm
BugKiller and DirtyDawg….BugKiller, no one is EVER defending WM!! The dawgs have to do something with him and that is ask him to leave, no matter what happens this Sat. I have yet to see anyone defending Willie!! Dirty Dawg(non UGA fan, don’t respond and say you are the “biggest UGA fan of all”)…Firing CMR is NOT the answer. The other 2, you might be onto something. I just laugh when all of you football coaches (that don’t have a football job) say do this, do that! You have no clue as to what CMR is doing or saying in practice or in the games. Losing control during a game on the sidelines is NOT the way to make your team play better. The head coach has to stay in control. Now if an assistant or two wants to “snap” on someone, go for it. Until you are on the practice field, in the locker room, etc… you have NO IDEA what is being said and what is being done. Also, why waste a year on Murray now. He will be special, but at 4-3, I think it’s a waste to waste the year now! Hope we win Sat., but it will be more than tough to do it!! We will have to win a low scoring game. We won’t score much against that UF defense. That sux too! Go Dawgs!
MS
October 29th, 2009
3:23 pm
“222-pound backup Richard Samuel are both tough between-the-tackles runners who can lower their shoulders and pick up yards after contact.”
Clearly this person has never seen R. Samuel carry the football once in his life.
Oconee Dog
October 29th, 2009
3:23 pm
The dogs will win. We will come together as team on Sat and play a complete game. The Gators should not have won at least three games this year. The Ga offence will score points against this defense. Tim is not a complete QB and Ga will prove this. We will stop there dive play and it will be over. Tim can’t win with his arm and the Gator nation knows this, even against our secondary he can lead them to victory throwing the ball. GO Dawgs
Georgia is next
October 29th, 2009
3:23 pm
Dawgs defense can’t hold the Gators to under 20 points because that is what the Florida D is going to do.
robodawg
October 29th, 2009
3:26 pm
Scouts Inc.’s assessment is pretty much exactly my own. The really decisive element, I believe, is Florida’s lights out defense. But unless we self destruct with turnovers and special teams mistakes (or the exact wrong defensive game plan), this one should be close enough that, if a handful of emerging players play their best and some good things happen (like Miss State’s TWO pick 6s), we just might sneak away with a miracle win.
Yeah, don’t bank on it, but it IS possible. Richt has righted the ship midseason before. We’ve got the talent to make this one competitive, the pieces just need to fall into place.
Party at Joe Cox's to watch SEC Title Game
October 29th, 2009
3:27 pm
Joe Cox formally invites you to a party to watch the SEC Title Game
December 5. 2009
5 P.M.
2009 Multiple Penalties Way – Athens, Ga 30605
BYOB
Big Enos Burdette
October 29th, 2009
3:27 pm
Any fool who would pick GA over FL would show up at a ministers funeral dressed in feathers.
Forecaster
October 29th, 2009
3:29 pm
Dawgs score more than 10 points it will be a moral victory and they can leave the stadium with their heads held high.
Big Enos Burdette
October 29th, 2009
3:30 pm
Any fool who would pick the Dawgs over the Gators would show up at a minister’s funeral dressed in feathers.
Tech sucks
October 29th, 2009
3:30 pm
Why do people respond to blogs and say “First?”
That’s gayer than screaming “Get in the hole” when someone tees off on a par 5.
Arno
October 29th, 2009
3:33 pm
EW – this is a real post, not kidding:
anybody besides me haveing problems posteding
half the post i do wont post sometimes it tells me they was a errow other times it just dont post
Big Enos Burdette
October 29th, 2009
3:35 pm
Pardon my repetitiveness. My sincere apologies.
Demosthenes
October 29th, 2009
3:38 pm
The Dawgs certainly cover (lousy, stupid line). They win with one special teams great play and two turnovers, they lose if they lose the turnover battle, and can’t make anything happen in the return game. Florida’s O is alright at best, defense is too stout, and will keep AJ in check.
Lee Roy Mercer
October 29th, 2009
3:41 pm
This here bloggin’ is more fun than beat’n up hippies.
SWFLJacket
October 29th, 2009
3:55 pm
Hey puppie fans,,,,hope your AD finds out that God and Greyhound stop in Athens to drop off Chan and pick up CMR
Island Jacket
October 29th, 2009
3:59 pm
I’m taking the Dawgs – Gators are overdue for a beating!
DaveDawg
October 29th, 2009
4:01 pm
Didn’t we just have our QB go as the #1 overall pick in the NFL draft? Moron.
McDawg
October 29th, 2009
4:02 pm
on paper it makes sense but on paper were are 7-0 right now
North ave Trade
October 29th, 2009
4:03 pm
Like I said when FLA losses they BETTER drop below us…
GMan
October 29th, 2009
4:07 pm
Heavy Dawg, right…that BIG win over a 2-6 (0-5) Vanderbilt definitely did the trick! That will give any team confidence when facing the #1 team in the country that even it’s their worst game looked better than UGA.
Scottie
October 29th, 2009
4:09 pm
Florida = OVERATED!
Tom
October 29th, 2009
4:12 pm
They just want something to talk about. Everyone knows good and damn well Florida is going to win. Florida 48 Georgia 24. Our 24 points will come in the 4th quarter thanks to Mr. Richt.
Cuz
October 29th, 2009
4:12 pm
Florida is going down!!!
Maybe when they play Bama, that Western division curse.
My DC fantasy league has UF by 14. Willie is not the worse DC in the SEC. There are four worse than him. Unfortunately, Strong is the best DC in the league.
Mark Bradley
October 29th, 2009
4:14 pm
My two cents (devalued to a penny): It will either be 48-7 or 24-20. Whichever way, Gators win.
Tom
October 29th, 2009
4:15 pm
What the hell does “First!!!!!!!!” mean? Its on every blog and its gay. Please stop.
GMan
October 29th, 2009
4:15 pm
Nationally Georgia is 70th in total defense, 84th in scoring defense, 54th in rushing defense and 103rd in rushing offense…yup, I smell an upset by Georgia over Florida.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
October 29th, 2009
4:15 pm
Gatorzone, don’t get upset, your backup is the fourth best QB in conference
Tom
October 29th, 2009
4:16 pm
Mr. Bradley,
I like you so much better than Schultz.
phloridaphan
October 29th, 2009
4:17 pm
I would like to take this chance to assert my beliefs about gator football:
we are going to beat you on Saturday.
we are going to beat every other team we play for the rest of this season.
tebow is going to win a heisman. (yes another one)
three/four national championships for Timmy and the seniors.
and next year you can have plenty of fun beating up on our mediocre team, but right now youve gotta admit urban has created one hell of a program and you can’t say you wouldnt be gloating if these things were true of your football team.
go gators and better luck next year- this year’s ours.
Keith Thompson
October 29th, 2009
4:18 pm
I would love to see Ga beat the gators. Any of you fans that want ga to lose just to get rid of a coach in my opinion is not a true ga fan. The gators are the big enemy. To salvage any kind of season we really need this one. Fla is really not that good take the ref’s out of the game and anybody can beat them. As for new coaches we need some. I’ve been a Ga fan for 30 years and we need to pull for the dawgs in this tough year. I really think Ga can get it done if all the players will buckle down and beat some gator ass. Go Dawgs
Mark Bradley
October 29th, 2009
4:20 pm
“What does ‘first’ mean?”
That one’s pretty self-explanatory, it would seem to this observer.
Area 51
October 29th, 2009
4:21 pm
Damn, with THAT D-line how the hell can we be so bad on D. Weston, Owens and Atkins those guys are/were big time players. If they get after it this Saturday we should at least hang. I can’t believe that ESPN didn’t see any of the Tennessee game film before posting that we had almost a chance. We made Crompton look like a Heisman contender. Imagine what we will do for a real Heisman contender? I love my dawgs win or lose but please show up and play lights out Saturday.
Dan
October 29th, 2009
4:22 pm
Yo Mark, you still think Tech will lose to Vandy?
Mark Bradley
October 29th, 2009
4:24 pm
No, Dan. I flipped that pick about five minutes into the Georgia-Vanderbilt game.
Somehow I was under the impression Vandy had gotten rather good when I made that silly forecast.. This VU team is the one I grew up watching (lose).
Frogger
October 29th, 2009
4:29 pm
It’s a win, win situation for the Dogs. If they win the game, it’s a signature win, and their back in the top 25. If they get blown out then WM is history as D coordinator. WE CAN’T LOSE.
St Simons
October 29th, 2009
4:33 pm
((((45-42)))) Hahahahahahahahahahahaha
GMan
October 29th, 2009
4:36 pm
St SImons…step away from the paint fumes!
Kerry
October 29th, 2009
4:36 pm
Mark
Would you even pick Vandy now if they were 6-2 instead of 2-6? Even if they were good, you’d still go with GT the way they are dominating.
Yellow=Pee
October 29th, 2009
4:40 pm
VERY TRUE FROGGER. I LIKE YOUR STYLE!!