What Time is It Dawgs

Well folks, here's my two cents on what COULD be a very SPECIAL season for our beloved Dawgs. Our players are faced with a tremendously challenging schedule, huge expectations and the pressure of such a lofty preseason ranking. Ultimately, CMR is correct, the players can only FOCUS ON THE MOMENT and literally play the entire season one moment at a time. As fans, all we can do is support our team, by rooting, cheering, watching, and sometimes praying.

Obviously, UGA has several question marks heading into this season:
1) The YOUNG O-line (lots of position shuffling w/the loss of TS at LT, 1 Junior, 3 Sophomores, 1 or maybe even 2 Freshman)
2) The less than stellar WR corp (expecting Freshmen to quickly become playmakers)
3) Place kicking (another True Freshman)
4) Arguably the nation's toughest schedule (can't do nothing about this one, just gotta go play the games)

So, for the record, I am predicting at least 1 regular season loss for our Dawgs this season, but much like many others that wear the Red & Black and spend their Saturdays barking, I actually do believe that the Dawgs COULD go undefeated, even against this brutal schedule. On the other hand, I also believe that UGA could lose up to 4 games. Ultimately, I am predicting the 1 loss to come against either, Bama or Auburn, (most likely Auburn).

Now, my question for the rest of you is…what games, if any, do you think UGA will lose and why?

I say Bama because it will be UGA's 5th game in 5 weeks and the Dawgs will be coming off 2 consecutive tough road games at SC, at ASU, and will be pretty tired and most likely rather nicked up when the Tide rolls into Athens. Plus the fact that UGA has beaten Bama the past 3 times they have played and Bama wants to beat Georgia real badly I'm sure. Also, Bama played the Dawgs tough last year and they are a much more talented team this year.

Auburn is gonna be tough for UGA to beat for similar reasons. The road trip to Auburn will be UGA's 6th game in 6 weeks (after the 10/4 BYE week) and in that 6 week stretch UGA will have played:
vs. UT
vs. Vandy
@ LSU
@ UF (Jax., but it AIN'T no home game)
@ UK
@ AU

That's 4 straight weeks on the road for our Dawgs. OUCH! Anyways, Auburn was flat out embarrassed by UGA the past 2 years and this IS the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry so there is no love-loss between these 2 programs and the Plainsmen are gonna want some revenge. Plus, by mid-Nov. AU will have mastered Tony Ball's new spread attack. The one thing UGA has going for em' is that this game is in Auburn not Athens. The road team has actually fared better in this storied rivalry going back several decades now.

Now, what is that you say GooseDawg? I am not worried about either LSU or UF, the 2 teams holding the highest preseason rank on the Dawgs schedule. No, I'm worried about the Bayou Bengals & the Gators, both have more than enough talent to beat the Dawgs. I'm just expecting the Dawgs to be fired up for both of these games. A trip to Baton Rouge is never easy but I think UGA can beat LSU in a defensive struggle if they don't turn the ball over. Both have great defenses, LSU's is probably a little better than UGA's but I think UGA's offense should be at least a couple FG's better than LSU's assuming our Freshman kicker can knock it through the uprights w nearly 90,000 Cajuns screaming at him.

As for the WLOCP in Jax., yeah, I know, Urban Cryer is STILL all PO'd about last year's Dawg Party in the endzone at Alltel Stadium but replaying the DAWGS CELEBRATION in the Gators locker room 10,000 times isn't going to make the Gators defense any better. Can UGA stop the Gators O is the only question to me? UGA will score plenty of points on the Gators D, I have no doubts. The question is can UGA hold UF to less than 30 points again. I like the Dawgs chances to win again in Jax. IF the LSU game the week prior doesn't result in injuries to any of our key players. That is a BIG IF.

Ok, I left out the only 2 teams that beat UGA last year: SC & UT. Well, all I'm gonna say about these 2 teams is if the Dawgs aren't fired up to avenge last year's losses, then they don't deserve to play for a Nt’l Title. It doesn't take a genius to look at the SC vs. UGA history (especially during the Richt era) and predict a low-scoring, defensive struggle. It seems to ALWAYS be a low scoring affair when these two rivals hook up. This year, I expect SC to score less than 20 and UGA to muster more than 20 for the win.

Tennessee has slaughtered the Dawgs the past 2 years, plain & simple. Nothing pisses off Dawg fans more than hearing Rocky Top played in Athens so I'm just gonna hope that our Dawgs bring their \"A\" game on 10/11/08 and the only song being belted out in Sanford is \"Glory, Glory to Old Georgia\". Anyways, the UT game worries me cause UT seems to play well in Athens and these two teams really hate one another. I always feel like UT is more prepared for a tussle than UGA since they play the Gators in Sept. every year while the Dawgs are playing lesser opponents. However, this year is different because in addition to playing SC early as usual, the Dawgs are also playing quality opponents such as Ariz. State & Bama prior to the visit from UT. This should help UGA prepare for the speed and power of the Vols. Still, I like the fact that the Dawgs have the BYE week prior to the UT game giving em' 2 weeks to prepare for the Vols. Again, if the Dawgs can't beat the Vols after a BYE week, they can kiss their NC hopes goodbye.

Arizona State seems to be a trendy upset pick for many. Quite frankly, I don't see it happening. Maybe I'm being a homer on this game since I dropped a big wad of money for a flight, hotel, ASU season tickets, and a rental car to make the long trip to Tempe to watch my Dawgs play the Sun Devils on 9/20. I admittedly don't know a great deal about ASU but I know they have a good QB and some talent at the skill positions like most every Pac 10 team. I also know that their O-line gave up 55 sacks last year and they are all returning. I think the young men in Red & Black will be super pumped up playing out West on Nt'l TV and will come out and represent the SEC. ASU is gonna be fired up too I'm sure, but I don't see their D holding down the Dawgs running game. I like the Dawgs in a bit of a shootout in this game.

I don't see any upsets coming from Ga. Southern, Cent. Michigan, Vandy, or Kentucky, but the Ga. Tech game does worry me a little bit. After watching GT play in person last night at Grant Field I will say that the triple option looks dangerous. Add the fact that UGA has won 7 in a row in the Clean, Old-Fashion Hate series and the simple fact that GT hates the Dawgs more than anybody else causes me some worry. Still, the Dawgs should make it 8 in a row over the NATS by the time the leftover Thanksgiving turkey is polished off.

With the Dawgs Sept. schedule, we should soon know how good UGA is this season. If UGA is sitting at 5-0 heading into the UT game on 10/11 and can beat UT, I really think we’ll be in for a special season in Athens. If UGA drops a game prior to the LSU game on 10/25, I just don't see us playing in the NC game w/o a whole lot of other upsets happening across the nation. Regardless, I am more anxious and nervous about the upcoming season than I have ever been in my life. To win a NC UGA will have to make it through the season w/o any more major injuries to key players, they will have to win some close games, and they will have to win on some Saturday's when they don't play their best ball. I am confident that our Dawgs CAN do but I try to be realistic and acknowledge that they also could finish 3rd in the SEC East. Maybe my expectations are too high, maybe not, but I sure can't wait to find out if my Dawgs are able to Hunker Down and proof most pundits wrong by riding this brutal schedule all the way to Miami on 1/8/09!

I'm not gonna get ahead of myself and even speculate on the SEC Title Game or the BCS Bowl Game but I will say this: IF UGA can just win the SEC East and make it to the GA Dome for the SEC Title Game, I really, really like our chances to win it all!

Regardless of how the season goes in Athens, there’s just no denying the fact that right NOW is simply the most wonderful time of the year.

It's time to wear your Red & Black, it's time to practice yelling GOOOOOOOO GEORGIA BULLDOGS, it's time to wake up at sunrise on Saturday morning, it's time to load up your cooler, it's time to fire up your grill, it's time to lose your voice while yelling at the game, it’s time to scream at some blind referees, it’s time to question some coaches, it's time for some scoreboard watching, it's time to hate the hell out of your rivals and anything that wears orange, it's time for ecstasy or agony, it’s time to make Sanford your home away from home, it’s time to ring the old (new) chapel bell, it’s time to listen to Larry call the game, it's time for Uga VII to begin his reign, it’s time to hunker down, it’s time to tee it up between the hedges, it’s time for some Georgia Bulldogs Football!!!

GATA GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Excellent post, GooseDawg.
I share your concerns about an undefeated season. I am anxious to see how Bama plays against Clemson. That game worries me.
They all worry me but your point about the Gamecocks and the Vols is undisputed. We MUST win those games to consider ourselves contenders.
You are right. Look out for Auburn, a lot of talent on that team.
I hope nobody beats us. God help us. God bless us.
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOF, WOOF, WOOF!!!!!