UGA’s next opponent at a glance: Missouri
Who: at Missouri
When: 7:45 p.m. Saturday
TV; radio: ESPN2; 750, 95.5
About Missouri
Record: 1-0 (0-0 SEC)
Last time played: The only previous football game between Georgia and Missouri came in the Orange Bowl at the end of the 1959 season. Georgia won 14-0 on two long touchdown passes by quarterback Fran Tarkenton.
Offense: Missouri’s spread offense revolves around dual-threat quarterback James Franklin, a 6-foot-2, 228-pound junior who last season passed for 2,865 yards and ran for 981. Starting tailback Kendial Lawrence, a senior, ran for 121 yards in a season-opening 62-10 victory over Southeastern Louisiana last week. The Tigers’ top receiver is T.J. Moe, who caught 146 passes in the past two seasons. Freshman Dorial Green-Beckham, a 6-foot-6, was the nation’s No. 1-rated high school receiver last year and caught three passes for 32 yards in his college debut.
Defense: Missouri allowed 380 yards per game last season, which ranked No. 61 in the nation but No. 4 in the offense-oriented Big 12. Outspoken defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, well-known for his comment that Georgia plays “old man football,” is a highly regarded player who transferred to Missouri from junior college last year. Cornerback E.J. Gaines was first-team All-Big 12 last season, when he had 16 pass breakups. Linebacker Zaviar Gooden has started 27 consecutive games.
Special teams: Sophomore Marcus Murphy returned punts 70 and 72 yards for touchdowns last week, becoming the first player in Missouri history with two two kick-return TDs in the same game.
What you should know: Missouri (8-5, 5-4 Big 12 last season) has won eight or more games in each of the past six seasons.
Coach: Gary Pinkel is in his 12th season at Missouri (86-54 record) and 22nd as a head coach (159-91-3, including 10 years at Toledo).
– Tim Tucker, AJC
THE AJC’s COMPLETE COVERAGE OF GEORGIA’S SEASON OPENER:
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191 comments Add your comment
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
4:59 pm
I don’t see how any UGA fan can predicting a “cake walk” at Missouri after having watched UGA against Buffalo. UGA might play better, and heck they might even beat Missouri. However, acting like the Missouri game will be a walk in the park is either a sign of a complete UGA homer, or a complete fool.
Buckhead Bulldog
September 4th, 2012
4:59 pm
MizzouTiger88
…dude! you have NO IDEA what is coming at you. CRUSHED!!!!
DirtyDawg
September 4th, 2012
5:00 pm
One other thing…just maybe Buffalo’s a better football team than we thought they were gonna be.
Buckhead Bulldog
September 4th, 2012
5:00 pm
Huh?…ah no…a REALIST
AltamahaDawg
September 4th, 2012
5:01 pm
Even if that were true BB, we will get to see what Georgia has when it actually runs more than 5 plays, so it’s still a better chance to define for us what kind of a team they are.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:02 pm
Buckhead….ok bud. If it helps you sleep better at night. Just know that a lot of people, including Vegas, disagrees with you.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:03 pm
DirtyDawg…I can tell you what kind of team Buffalo is…..BUFFALO. No more excuses….UGA should have beaten the crap out of Buffalo with 5 plays and the scout team.
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:04 pm
Is anyone else pissed at the polls? Why did oklahoma get to stay ranked in the top 5 but UGA dropped to 7? WTF?! They play MUCH worse than we did. What the hell voters? Did you not watch the game! Ok didn’t win the game, UTEP lost the game! You look me in the eye and tell me they didn’t deserve to drop out of the top 10 in that game! You look me in the eye and tell me Georgia didn’t look a million times better, but we are the one that drops?! Can anyone explain that to me?
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:06 pm
Go Dawgs…it’s way to early to get jacked up about the polls. Win your games and everything will work out.
AltamahaDawg
September 4th, 2012
5:07 pm
Don’t mind HUH?, Dawg fans know he is just a tool Bama fans who likes to argue with everybody.
Dawg-Gawn
September 4th, 2012
5:08 pm
Best Hi-light from the Buffalo game:
Arthur Lynch taking out one of Penn Wagers officiating crew…. dude made him bleed bad!
Give Artie a game ball for that hit!
@AltamahaDawg – The Try-Angle punt might get it’s first real test against Mizzou!
“Fan-Up”
“Get the G on”
“Our Team, Our Time, No Regrets”
Believe in the “G”
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:09 pm
Huh? What the hell are you talking about? Do you remember when Auburn went undefeated in 03, or 04? They were withheald from the National title game and they were undefeated! What the hell makes you think they won’t do that to us this year? The polls have always hated UGA, and I don’t know why? They are willing to move Nothing Dame into the top ten next week if they beat a mid level oponent again and go 2-0, but UGA can blast Mizzery and won’t crack the top 5! Its bs!
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:11 pm
That’s funny AltamahaDawg….so far, I’ve been accused of being a fan of SC, FL, TN, Auburn, GT, and now Alabama. That’s a new one.
Altamaha should know, by now, who I am a fan of. However, he’s too busy arguing with everyone else to actually read a post. (Also, he is trying to get back at me because another UGA fan said the same thing about him a few days ago).
Clanton Dawg
September 4th, 2012
5:12 pm
Trying to gauge the Dawgs based on how they played against Buffalo is RIDONKULOUS. I agree we didn’t play well enough to move up the polls but this was Buffalo guys! More focus this week for sure. Just hide and watch if you don’t believe me.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:13 pm
Go Dawgs…being undefeated and not playing for the NC is a one-in-a-million scenario…and it will not happen to an SEC team now. And, the polls do not hate UGA…every fan thinks that the polls hate their school. From where I sit, UGA has been treated pretty fairly.
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:14 pm
Don’t get me wrong, after that material their d-lineman gave out, I think UGA wins by 17 at least, but it still won’t help in the polls. Mark my words, unless someone takes UGA’s side and makes a stink about this, even if UGA goes undefeated, if there are 3 undefeated teams, UGA will be on the outside looking in.
DostaDawg
September 4th, 2012
5:14 pm
Thanx S. Richardson. Dawg’s need to get p.o.’d after last week.
kingdaddy
September 4th, 2012
5:15 pm
Hio St. moves up 4 spots because they beat the powerhouse North Iowa. Come on…
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:15 pm
Huh, it has happened MANY times in the past. If UGA is treated fairly, why didn’t OK move down more than us? They played MUCH worse than we did. We should be ahead of them if you are going by how teams played. Hell, Auburn should be ahead of them if you went by how teams played week one!
Buckhead Bulldog
September 4th, 2012
5:15 pm
Huh?
Do NOT ever call me “bud’ again you fu…ing puzzy!
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:16 pm
Go Dawgs…if there are 3 undefeated teams, then maybe (schedule). However, that rarely happens.
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:17 pm
kingdaddy, thank you for proving my point! Thats a load of crap! If OK didn’t move, UGA shouldn’t have moved either. OK shouldn’t even be in the top ten after that preformance.
kingdaddy
September 4th, 2012
5:18 pm
Ohio St., damn keypad…
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:19 pm
Buckhead…I was trying to be nice…however, name calling is pretty predictable among UGA fans.
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:19 pm
Huh, maybe you should check your history books. There are usually at least 3 undefeated teams at the end of the year. Sometimes more. And not always have the ranking and decision of the three to determine the national title been fair, and not always has the best team won.
01HAWK
September 4th, 2012
5:20 pm
UGA…………………………………You have to do like BAMA did…………………SMASH them in the mouth the first half and then coast to a victory with your 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th string.
Once you build a 20-30 point lead then the other team gets really down and will not play as hard alot of the time.
Kenyon Drake and Dillon Lee both got a chance to play for BAMA.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:20 pm
GO Dawgs…you worry too much about how other teams are doing. UGA was treated fairly because of how THEY played. Every week, some fan of some school has an argument about the polls. Point is, if you win all of your games and you play in the SEC, then you’ll be fine trust me. What happened to Auburn ten years ago is a rarity.
MIZTIGER
September 4th, 2012
5:21 pm
Missouri will win this game by 2 touchdowns. The Dawgs will head back to Athens like a bunch of puppies with their tail between their legs. Can you say….Overrated!!!
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:23 pm
Really, huh, seriously, you need to check your history. The SEC as a whole has had several undefeated teams held out of a national title, often to a one loss ND or USC team. The polls have always been bs and if you don’t stand up for your team, they will fall out of contention before they even loose a game.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:23 pm
Go Dawgs…Tell me the years that 3 legitimate teams went undefeated (except the Auburn year). There have been years where a nothing team went undefeated and nobody game them any thought.
All you can do is win your games and quit worrying. Worry about beating Missouri.
kingdaddy
September 4th, 2012
5:24 pm
Too early to worry about the polls yet, but watch how fast they move Ohio St., Wisconsin, and Michigan St. up the polls. Just watch…Congratulations Alabama…
Buckhead Bulldog
September 4th, 2012
5:24 pm
Huh?
no name calling… just the fact that you are a f….ing puzzy. Facts…not fiction, punk! Go jack off in someones elses neighborhood!
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:25 pm
MIZTIGER, you are an idiot. or should I say mizz tiger because you obviously don’t know football. Your team has NEVER faced a caliber of defense they will go up against on Saturday, and we aren’t all that good for an SEC defense right now. After your dumb a$$ DT let that little speach about playing old man football go, you can bet UGA will show up with the fire and pound your little kitten a$$es! Dawgs by 17! Take it to the bank!
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:25 pm
Go Dawgs…I think you need to check your history. If you want to go back to the 30s, 40s and 50s be my guest. But give me proof in the modern era.
It’s week one. Quit worrying…there is an entire season to be played and for the polls to work themselves out. If UGA loses to Missouri, it won’t matter anyway.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:26 pm
Buckhead Bulldawg…stay classy bud…stay classy.
kingdaddy
September 4th, 2012
5:26 pm
Just win the games and don’t worry about…
GO DAWGS!
September 4th, 2012
5:28 pm
Huh? you ae dead wrong on this one. You have to look at this early, then trend it. UGA will be put on the backburner regardless of preformance
kingdaddy
September 4th, 2012
5:28 pm
I see LSU held steady. Way to go…
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:29 pm
kingdaddy…yeah I agree with you on the fact that sometimes teams are the media darlings of the polls…however, at the end of the year it usually rights itself.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:31 pm
Go Dawgs…Think what you want. I just believe that you need to enjoy the season and not get so worked up about the polls in week one. Just win your games and you will get to where you want to go.
John
September 4th, 2012
5:45 pm
Maybe the media/poll doesn’t understand what kind of coaches are at UGA, but Vegas knows even though UGA is ranked #7 and Mizzou is unranked that Bobo is the offensive coordinator…that makes it a toss-up.
Skint
September 4th, 2012
5:49 pm
I have said many times, we cannot keep playing walk ons on special teams and expect to be good. We cannot keep starting walk ons and expect to be dominant. You can let the walk ons play when the game is out of hand.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
5:50 pm
Vegas has no control over the polls. They could care less what team is ranked and what team isn’t. They set a line based on making money. That said, Vegas is looking at the UGA/Missouri game as a close one.
CHDawg
September 4th, 2012
5:56 pm
Vegas also looks at ~8+ starters missing due to injuries and suspensions. I sure hope Tree is back because waiting till the last second to reveal that key players won’t participate helps the other team. They get a boost at the last second. They will have a plan for any possible lineup.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
6:00 pm
CHDawg…I agree that Vegas looks at potential missing starters. However, how would Vegas know if UGA doesn’t reveal?
I disagree on Tree. It’s his second time being in trouble. He needs to sit another game or two.
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
6:09 pm
Fran is still The Man.
North Georgia Dawg
September 4th, 2012
6:10 pm
This game could certainly go either way, but I think Georgia’s pass-rush and Aaron Murray’s passing will be just enough to get Georgia by. Mitchell’s return will help slow down Missouri’s passing game.
Anthony
September 4th, 2012
6:18 pm
The polls mean nothing until October. If UGA is 5-0 heading in to October then we have a chance of a running the table like last year and making it to the SEC Championship game. UGA didn’t make the schedule for SEC opponents. They were scheduled to play Alabama but with the 2 new additions to the SEC everyone’s schedule was redone. I think the SEC East will be better than last year but their is still a huge leap to the elite teams of the SEC West. As each week goes by each team in the SEC will get better which is scary if you have Alabama and LSU on your schedule. Looking forward to watching Missouri and Texas A&M this weekend. The Gator and Dawgs better be ready.
AltamahaDawg
September 4th, 2012
6:18 pm
Well, actually that was spin on a direct quote by you. You remember butting in my discussion with somebody else to start “name calling” out of the blue, right?
Huh?
September 4th, 2012
6:19 pm
Anthony….UGA didn’t run the table last year.