The UGA season game by game: Nine wins, coming right up
Ready: Russ the Temporary Mascot. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Sept. 4, Louisiana-Lafayette: The offense will look great. The defense will look ferocious. Aaron Murray will throw two touchdown passes, one to Logan Gray, whom Murray beat out for the quarterback job. Georgia fans will seize on this game as evidence that the Bulldogs are better than they’ve been at any time since 2002 if not 1980, but we have to remember the opponent. Prediction: Georgia 45, La-La 10.
Sept. 11, at South Carolina: Mark Richt hasn’t lost in Columbia, but he has had three very close calls. (The Pollack snatch-and-grab in 2002, the comeback in 2004, the narrow escape in 2008.) This is the biggest game of Steve Spurrier’s tenure in Columbia,and the Evil Genius surely has one last trick left. The Gamecock D flusters Murray on a day when neither team scores much. Prediction: South Carolina 16, Georgia 13.
Sept. 18, Arkansas: Through two games, Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense has held up its end. Here’s where the D wobbles. This is the Razorbacks’ first real game, and it’s one Bobby Petrino and Ryan Mallett have long awaited. For all his excesses, Petrino can design an offense, and Mallett is a a thrower of the first rank. It won’t quite be the Dogs-Hogs shootout of last season, but it will be close. Prediction: Arkansas 31, Georgia 27.
Sept. 25, at Mississippi State: Georgia has two losses. The other Bulldogs, who will have already played Auburn and LSU, could have two losses. And Georgia must travel to Starkville and endure the mellifluous strains of the cowbell. But here’s where the Bulldogs and Murray start to grow up. What seems another scary road test becomes instead just another of those Richt road triumphs. Prediction: Georgia 24, Mississippi State 17.
Oct. 2, at Colorado: The Buffaloes will be honoring the 1990 team, which won the Associated Press national championship. (Georgia Tech, you’ll recall, took the UPI title.) Richt is already fretting that Colorado and its crowd will be pumped for the occasion. Big deal. It’s still only Colorado, which finished 3-9 last season and figures to be looking for a new coach soon. Prediction: Georgia 30, Colorado 17.
Oct. 9, Tennessee: This will be one of the strangest days in Georgia history. Vince Dooley’s son brings his team to play in the house Vince-didn’t-quite-build-but-expanded-a-bunch-of-times. And Tennessee, which has beaten Georgia four times since 2003, has become a nemesis. Not this time. Derek Dooley’s team was picked to finish behind Kentucky in the SEC East, for good reason. Prediction: Georgia 30, Tennessee 10.
Oct. 16, Vanderbilt: Georgia is rolling now, and Vanderbilt isn’t a team capable of stopping the surge. The Commodores have a new coach but the same players, and the reason Bobby Johnson stepped aside in July was the reality of all his hard work resulting in a 2-10 season in 2009. This is the day the Georgia offense really gets going, the day a victory over Florida begins to seem possible. Prediction: Georgia 45, Vanderbilt 3.
Oct. 23, at Kentucky: Trouble is, Georgia still has a week to go before it heads to Jacksonville, and first it must make a stop at Commonwealth Stadium. This seems a classic look-ahead game, when means there’s danger involved, but we must recall that the Wildcats are working under a new coach in Joker Phillips and don’t appear primed for a big year. Georgia wobbles but prevails. Prediction: Georgia 24, Kentucky 19.
Loading ...Oct. 30, Florida at Jacksonville: Every Bulldog season comes down to this game, and Georgia, having won five in a row, goes to Jax believing this is finally the year the series turns. The Gators have no Tim Tebow, no Brandon Spikes, no Charlie Strong. They do still have Urban Meyer and an array of talent the Bulldogs can’t quite match. Maybe it’ll be different in 2011. Prediction: Florida 21, Georgia 20.
Nov. 6, Idaho State: ISU’s nickname is the Bengals. It won once in 2009. Its victory was in the season finale against Portland State, which finished 2-9. Its first two games of 2009 resulted in losses to Arizona State and Oklahoma by the aggregate tally of 114-3. It is coached by John Zamberlin, who’s 5-29 in three seasons in Pocatello. Georgia will set some records this day. Prediction: Georgia 70, Idaho State 3.
Nov. 13, at Auburn: It was the second-biggest win in a strange season. Georgia fell behind Auburn 14-0 at home and was poised to slip to 5-5, but the Bulldogs rallied to win 31-24 last November. (Then they lost to Kentucky the next week. Like I said: Strange season.) This time the game’s at Auburn, which doesn’t mean much in this series. And Georgia has better players. Prediction: Georgia 28, Auburn 20.
Nov. 27, Georgia Tech: The biggest win of 2009 was the emphatic back-to-basics defeat of the Jackets, who were ranked No. 7 in the nation. The belief here is that Georgia will be far better this season and that Tech won’t be quite as good. The belief here is that Georgia, having started the season 1-2, will wind up 9-3 and stamp itself as one of the teams to beat in 2011. Prediction: Georgia 27, Tech 24.
This was another sneak peek into Sunday’s special AJC College Football Section, which will appear in the print AJC. The 34-page section will preview Tech, Georgia, Georgia State, the SEC and ACC, top games, Heisman candidates and more.
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378 comments Add your comment
RxDawg
August 28th, 2010
2:46 pm
I believe the Gators offense will be are more risk, more reward type of offense this year. They are less likely to methodicly move the chains, but more likely to hit some homeruns. That’s just my guess, not following them very closely.
RxDawg
August 28th, 2010
2:47 pm
a* more risk..
GatorLid
August 28th, 2010
2:47 pm
compared to teams like Auburn, wit 15 Senior starters back, Florida only has 7 Senior starters back. The guys who left were impact guys too, you lost 2/3rd’s of offensive yards, and 1/2 of tackles.
NoGaGator
August 28th, 2010
2:49 pm
On another note, looks like both UF and UGA lucked out in not getting Wilder. Blakely was 2X better last night in the Plant – Manatee game with Wilder at either RB or LB. I know it’s only 1 game but it appears the hype machine got carried away with his name and physique. Good luck on the noles
Dawg'88
August 28th, 2010
2:49 pm
Fightin’ Phils….Are the Phillies realy coming after losing 4 in row vs a last place Astros team? Thats laughable!
Reality Check
August 28th, 2010
2:52 pm
The Gators will be solid this year. The question will be if UGA will be strong enough on D to play with them. UGA’s defense will definitely be much better than last year but that’s not saying much.
TampaGator
August 28th, 2010
2:54 pm
Pannama Gator…..
You might want to get to know your Gator team better….
The only freshman starting for the Gators this year is Jelani Jenkins at MLB (and he is a reshirt freshman and really alternating with Joe Bostic to give the Gators great play and depth at MLB).
True freshman who will play and have an impact as second and mostly 3rd stringers (and on special teams):
-Matt Elam as a sub for both safety positions and during some nickel situations when Jeremy Brown is at CB instead of Moses Jenkins….who has suddenly become an outstanding CB in his senior season (at least so far in summer camp…the DB coaches are raving about him as a 6′2 and 195 corner who can both cover and tackle very well.
-Dominique Easley and Sharieff Floyd as 3rd and 4th string DTs
-Ronald Powell in some passing situations and on special teams
-Quentin Dunbar at WR (3 star freshman who has been playing like an advanced 5-star in practices)
-Joshua Shaw and Jaylen Watkins on special teams and mop up at the CB positions in blow outs
-Gerald Christian as the third string TE/H-B position and on special teams
Any other freshmen playing much will be reshirt freshman…and they are mostly listed as 3rd string 0-linemen (although very talented, 3rd stringers).
Heater
August 28th, 2010
2:56 pm
Bradley-
You can’t have it both ways.
If the past head to head match ups matter, then you have to only say Georgia loses only to Florida.
If the past head to head match ups don’t matter, then you have to say Georgia beats Florida and loses ot everyone else.
But you can’t say Georgia loses to Florida, Arkansas, and South Carolina when the head to head records are opposites.
PanamaGator
August 28th, 2010
2:59 pm
I mainly meant at WR & TE & QB, the impact offensive positions. Just wish their was more expeience at those positions.
PanamaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:02 pm
Ok, Georgia yes, 2010 is your year, maybe 2011 too, because we get Alabam & LSU and you don’t. But look out in 2012.
TampaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:02 pm
Gator Lid….based on camp so far….
To replace Brandon Spikes….Jelani Jenkins and Joe Bostic will give the Gators more speed and depth at the MLB position….and both are future NFL players.
To replace Ryan Stamper….Brandan Hicks is a senior with tons of playing time at both OLB positions and was a star against Oklahoma in the NC game a couple of years back.
To replace Joe Haden…..Moses Jenkins, a senior, who missed most of last season with injury…has had an unbelieveable camp at CB and the coaches are raving about his big corner back skills. And Jeremy Brown, who is very talented, is challenging for the starting role and will play a lot at the nickel position as well.
The only replacement issue for the Gators is at DE….where it will be difficult to replace Cunningham and Dunlap. But Justin Trattou will play this year as a senior without his shoulder problem and Duke Lemmens has played a lot as the backup to both DE and is a senior. William Green is coming on and has a lot of inexperienced talent. A lot depends on the development of Ronald Powell…who is off to a slow start in practice but suddenly doing better….and Dominque Easley.
As I previously posted….the Gator offense is going to be more well rounded and much more explosive this year. If the D plays well….and I think it will….the Gators will be very difficult to beat.
NoGaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:03 pm
I’ve tried a couple of times to post on the Plant – Manatee game to no avail. UF and UGA are lucky Wilder committed to the noles.
"Off the Mark" Bradley
August 28th, 2010
3:04 pm
How many years have I picked USC over UGA? Any body know the Richt era uga-usc record? How about the Lou Holtz era? overall record? If I stay consistent and continue to pick USC I will likely be correct 1 or 2 times over the next decade.
TampaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:06 pm
PannamGator….
I guess you haven’t been reading and watching the Brantley reviews. The Gator offense with Brantley is dynamic in practice. He is a future #1 pick at QB and has all the skills to be so already. And Thompson and Moore are looking very good at WR in practice…and they are seniors…and so is Rainey at the Harvin position…and the development of Omaris Hines at the hybrid TE position is currently the talk of camp. He is a real match up problem for LBs and is big and very, very fast…and can really catch and run with the ball. Very hard to tackle.
GatorLid
August 28th, 2010
3:06 pm
Hope you’re right man, but I don’t see it this year. But all will be back on track in a year or two. You can’t lose 2/3rd’s of your offensive production and 1/2 of your defensive tackling and just keep going. Some guys will need to get in there and get some reps. We also have a new D coach, and a new QB who hasn’t started a game yet. So, no, this year, 9 wins I’d take in a flash. 2011, maybe 11 wins, and then 2012 13 or 14.
aarh
August 28th, 2010
3:07 pm
Vernon Duh- That seems reasonable enough. I get your point.
TampaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:10 pm
NoGaGator….
I agree about Wilder….he played for the cameras…not for his team. He did not show any burst at RB and was a poor tackler at LB. He also quit on his team when they got behind. The Noles can have him for sure and Georgia is lucky they didn’t get him…based on that one game.
The Manatee RB….Barkley….who is a huge Gator fan by the way….looked unstoppable….very quick, very strong, and was much better(ran over and then left him in his dust one one big, long run for a TB) than Wilder.
Nesbitt for Heisman
August 28th, 2010
3:14 pm
`
Let’s see:
Under Coach Paul Johnson,
Georgia Tech is undefeated in Athens
and 3-0 in regular season road games against the SEC.
The Fightin' Phils
August 28th, 2010
3:20 pm
you freakin’ rednecks and your hick college football – meanwhile your Braves are falling apart and the NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies are coming for what is rightfully theirs…
Beast from the East
August 28th, 2010
3:22 pm
The Fightin’ Phils,
Why are you on a college football blog if you hate it so much? Just being an obnoxious Yankee? Way to show your colors!
Brad
August 28th, 2010
3:23 pm
The guys who call first are tools. Go outside and play.
Loran, whatdayagot?
August 28th, 2010
3:23 pm
Josh Nesbitt, Anthony Allen, and Roddy Jones will run all over the Dawgs.
Georgia Tech is a much better team than South Carolina or Arkansas.
The Fightin' Phils
August 28th, 2010
3:24 pm
because you rednecks can’t even sell out your stadium for the first-place (soon expiring) Braves – you freaking rednecks and your obsession with college kids
NoGaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:24 pm
TampaGator -
Yeah it looks like the rater hype machine got carried away with Wilder based on his name and physique. Blakely mad him look bad. At 5′9″, 195 lbs and his speed, I sure hope UF isn’t slow-playing him with Huggins and possibly Bellamy in play. UM and his staff usually get it right tho’.
PanamaGator – as Tampa has said, UF’s offense should be even more dynamic this year than last. No offense to Tim but with his running ability, if option 1 was covered, he took off and ran – because he could. The O also became very predictable as DC’s had several years experience against Tim.
Brantley has talent to be able to very quickly progress through his reads – getting to option 2 and 3. He also has a very quick release. Rainey/DeBose/Demps/Gillislee/Brown’ s speed combined with their high-end ability in open space will make for some huge plays this year, providing Brantley stays healthy.
The Fightin' Phils
August 28th, 2010
3:25 pm
BOOM…BOOM…BOOM. The Big, Bad Philadelphia Phillies are coming for ya……
Smitty
August 28th, 2010
3:25 pm
If Mark Bradley’s right, and Georgia’s defense holds South Carolina to just 16 points, Richt has a 91% chance of winning that game, Richt wins 91% when the defense holds the opposing offense to 19 points of less.
If Bradley’s right about how many points georgia scores against Florida & Arkansas, there’s a 91% chance Georgia wins those games too, as Richt wins 91% of the games where his offense scores at least 19 points.
So, if Bradley’s scores are all right, 91% chance Georgia beats SC, Ark & Fla.
Smitty
August 28th, 2010
3:26 pm
PS. Richt’s record in Sept is 23-5, so 82% chance he beats SC & Ark.
Mr Charlie
August 28th, 2010
3:27 pm
TFF, Yep the braves are falling apart, it there was a decent team behind them, braves would be looking up to first place, fortunately we only have the phils, and while we are trying to give it away, they can’t take it. Glad they are giving us time to right the ship, instead of striking while there is blook in the water.
The Krukker
August 28th, 2010
3:28 pm
hahaha, these hicks are hilarious aren’t they? I was looking for some braves / Phillies talk – I guess I’ve found it. SEC! SEC! – yeah, we’re obsessed with 19 yr old college kids – woo hoo!
Mr Charlie
August 28th, 2010
3:28 pm
Boom Boom Boom, is that the sould of the Philies collapsing behind us?
Beast from the East
August 28th, 2010
3:28 pm
The Fightin’ Phils,
Again, why are you on here? Just to act like a child? You’re doing a great job, kiddo.
Mr Charlie
August 28th, 2010
3:29 pm
We have lost 4 in a row, and the phils have picked up a half a game. Hahahaa
The Fightin' Phils
August 28th, 2010
3:29 pm
ohhh mr charlie – you will forever regret not being able to distance yourselves from the Philadelphia Phillies while you had a golden opportunity – its all over now, their coming!!!!
GIVE ME A BREAK
August 28th, 2010
3:30 pm
Ealey lied to Richt and gets a one game suspension. That’s why players don’t respect him.
The Krukker
August 28th, 2010
3:31 pm
Hey Mr Charlie – when you have a chance to knock out the 2-time NL Champions from the race, and you FAIL, that is a very bad thing – the Champs won last night and will win again today, meanwhile the braves are falling apart!
Mr Charlie
August 28th, 2010
3:31 pm
TFF, failing to capitalize when the other team is cold is the sign of a true loser.
PanamaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:32 pm
Nobody knows for sure if Brantley can play or not. We’ll see. Anxious to see him start a game and get hs chance. We just dn’t know. Hard to imagine Brantley being better in hist 1st year than Tebow’s Sr season, or any TE being better than Hernandez this year or the new defense under Austin being better this year than Strong’s last year. Plus, the schedule’s a lot harder, you get Alabama and LSU. Not this year, I’ll take 9 wins this season. But come 2012, when Alabama and LSU roll off the schedule, might win it all.
The Fightin' Phils
August 28th, 2010
3:32 pm
exactly mr charlie, the braves are losers, they didnt capitalize when the Phillies were cold – the Phillies have proved they know how to win the division – have the Braves??
Mr Charlie
August 28th, 2010
3:33 pm
Remember when the Phils were getting blanked by the Mets and the Braves made up like 10 games, that is how it is done. You don’t win divisions by losing when the team you are trailing is also losing.
Mr Charlie
August 28th, 2010
3:34 pm
TFF, we made up 10 games when the phils were cold. Oh, I was thinking about when they were cold in May-July, not the team that is cold in August. Seem like they are cold alot, huh?
Bud
August 28th, 2010
3:36 pm
Mark
Can you permanently ban the trolls on here talking about the Phillies instead of the UGA season?
The Georgia boys are gonna win it all fellas.
Mr Charlie
August 28th, 2010
3:38 pm
Football season has not even started, nobody has seen the first team play, het they predict the wins, losses and scores. I man, talk about a pointless exercise.
Gator Mike
August 28th, 2010
3:38 pm
I am sure that all of you will agree with me that it is great to have the season finally start next weekend. I will not make any predictions, nor will I criticize any other team. However, in my opinion, UF will be much better than a lot of the naysayers predict. Tebow was great, but it was time for him to go so we can turn the page. Also,it is super that some folks are under estimating Brantley and the Gator Defense.
It should be a fun year for everyone.
Go Gators!
NoGaGator
August 28th, 2010
3:44 pm
PanamaGator -
Don’t know if UF will have a better overall record I just think their Offense will be much more dynamic.
UF has big question marks on D at DE and 1 CB position. They lost a lot from last year on D but have quality, albeit inexperienced replacements. And you’re correct with the schedule of UA and LSU back-to-back. If UF splits those, it could be a very good season.
Regardless, it’ll be more fun than the hype and expectations as was the case last year. Thank God Lamie is also gone to languish in probation land.
ATL is TigerTown
August 28th, 2010
3:44 pm
You got the three losses right. Howevah! Auburn and Tech will also prevail over UGA. You’re nuts if you think the streak against Auburn will continue. You can chisel this one in stone. Auburn stops the streak. It’s Great to be an Auburn Tiger! War Eagle!
DIT
August 28th, 2010
3:48 pm
ATL is TigerTown – YAWN……
You can call me Ray...
August 28th, 2010
3:50 pm
The Cesspoolers will be 7-5, including being slaughtered by Florida.
By the end of the season, half of the starting thugs will have been suspended at least one game, and UGA will be a unanimous winner of the Fulmer Cup.
Gen Neyland
August 28th, 2010
3:51 pm
The first surprise W of the afore mentioned picks may come at USCe. The first surprise L may, MAY, come at Starkville…Now if Tennessee brings John Chavis in as it’s guest DC on 09 OCT, everybody say 2006..!
SecGuy
August 28th, 2010
3:51 pm
Mark, I think Georgia is a team you’ve never had a handle on. You had them winning it all several times as I recall and they never really came close. This year I think you have it wrong again. With the off field problems at SC, Georgia just got a big break, so I’m going with the dawgs on that one. Agree with Arkansas but believe Georgia will get Florida and make it to the SECCG. I’m a Bama fan but see a big year for Georgia.
here's the deal
August 28th, 2010
3:53 pm
we win at both SC and Ark. – SC is not good enough on offense and special teams to outscore us. Arkansas has no defense and we will keep Mallet on the bench with our running game. We will be undefeated going to Jax – that game is a toss up – the Gator D will miss Charlie Strong.