So, Georgia has more talent & depth overall than we do. They should be favored, and they are. But they're very beatable this year. In fact, this is the first time since 2016 where I feel we actually have a chance. Let's look at Georgia's problems this year:
1) They start slow offensively in almost every game. They struggled to get their offense going in the first half in almost every game. Even their Texas win was mostly the defense creating turnovers & big plays. Tennessee had them down 10-0 early. Clemson had them in a struggle, 6-3, at half. They were behind until the 4th quarter against Kentucky. They were down 30-7 at halftime against Bama. Even against UMass, it was 21-14 until very late in the first half.
2) They drop a lot of passes. Their receivers are not great. They have some talent. But they don't have Bowers and McConkey anymore. There's no one that consistently takes the top off of a defense. Now, in the last two games, they've improved. But we're not facing 2018 Clemson or something. Those guys drop a lot of catchable balls, and it affects Carson Beck's confidence.
3) Carson Beck is just not that good. He was better last. This year, he's a turnover machine. If we can rush him, he starts to get happy feet, and he misses guys who are open, or he throws it to the other team.
4) Their running backs are injured and they're down to just using freshmen in the backfield. And they don't run the ball as well as they used to. Nate Frazier is very good. But he's young and still learning his position. He's not Nick Chubb or Sony Michel. And Trevor Etienne is injured. Their OL struggles to establish the LOS for a running game.
5) Their defense doesn't tackle well. UMass ran all over them. Kentucky ran through their tackles. Many teams have run the ball against them, and broken their tackles consistently. If we had a healthy Haynes King, I think our offense would shred them. We still might with the 2-headed QB monster or with Philo.
6) They struggle with mobile QB's. Milroe shredded them. Jaxson Dart did as well. They do better against statue QB's. Philo is more of a pocket passer. But I hope his light-bulb that came on late against NC State - wrt running the ball - stays on.
7) They don't play complete games. They've just played good halves. Their best halves were the 2nd half of Clemson, 2nd half of Tennessee and 1st half of Texas. Other than that, their entire season has been a slog. This is a sign of a team that hasn't fully bought into what their coaches are telling them. I like a united Brent Key team against a UGA team that's still searching for a complete game.
They are beatable. This is not the '85 Bears we're facing, and they're not nearly as good as they've been over the last 7 or so years.
We will have to play a clean game. Philo will have to be ON, and the WR's need to catch whatever they can touch. I'm worried about their crowd at night. But we can make a game out of this.