The Georgia Bulldogs have a lot of talent. However, highly gifted young athletes have to be disciplined enough to stay out of trouble, and Georgia has already lost five players for the big season opener against Clemson. This doesn’t count other players who have been kicked off the team for various crimes and violations. Georgia still has a lot to work with, but the distractions and roster changes might leave this team in a tough spot when a critical game comes along.
Strengths
The Bulldogs were a great passing team last season with Aaron Murray at quarterback. This season, they’re going to have a new quarterback in Hutson Mason, so Todd Gurley is going to expect a lot more touches at running back, with the Bulldogs becoming more of a rushing-and-defense team in the old-fashioned mold of what a Southeastern Conference team is supposed to be. The Bulldogs will try to shorten games and bleed the clock thanks to Gurley’s tough yet explosive running, which is normally very decisive and takes place in the middle section of the field, between the tackles. If Georgia’s rushing game, powered by its offensive line, can hit its stride, the Bulldogs won’t have to depend on their passing game or their defense as much. This is the biggest strength of the team, and if it’s very strong, the Bulldogs can mask a lot of their weaknesses in the coming season.
Weaknesses
The Bulldogs had it so good at quarterback over the past several years, and while it’s true that Aaron Murray became a great quarterback after Matthew Stafford left, there are no guarantees that the next quarterback in a line of succession is going to be as great as the players who came before him. Hutson Mason faces a tall order in the attempt to succeed Murray. Georgia probably won’t be able to throw the ball at a high rate in the first two big games of the season against Clemson and South Carolina. The Bulldogs will need to rely on the running game and takeaways by their defense in order to win those two games. Georgia’s rash of suspensions and incidents of player misconduct has also robbed this team of depth. That could be a huge concern going forward for coach Mark Richt and his staff.
Schedule
The Bulldogs host Clemson and then go to South Carolina to start their season. They have a good chance against Clemson, but the South Carolina game is the contest that means more for the bulldogs. If they win that one, they will be in the driver’s seat for the SEC East championship and a trip to the SEC Championship Game. The road trip to Missouri is the only other really tough road game on the schedule, but Florida is a neutral-site game that’s always tough for Georgia. Auburn is a hugely tough home game late in the season.
Outlook
The South Carolina, Missouri, and Auburn games all look like losses. A 9-3 season’s not bad, but it would be under the total for the Bulldogs, who have lots of questions to answer on their roster.
Pick: Under 9.5 at -115
