Perhaps I'm the only one not buying into the hype of the upset special brewing today. Last week it took a miracle for UK to pull off the unthinkable over a Mizzou team that we handled solidly this season.
And in complete deference to Wartdawg's correct line of thought that who-we-beat-then and who-they-lost-to-then have nothing to do with one another, I do think conclusions can be drawn as to the mechanics of the game. UK doesn't do well against the hurry-up offense, and it seems like every time we run it, we see yards chewed up and points on the board. Everyone I know is predicting a low-scoring, defensive struggle. I'm not so sure I buy that, although I will agree that the defensive effort makes the difference today in who wins and who loses. Snell will have to have, and very well may, the game of his life today.
To me, this game comes down to a few things, none of which are based on any kind of profound football knowledge. Very simple.
The lines:
Again, nothing earth-shattering here: The line of scrimmage is the gateway to victory in the SEC. Period. End of subject. I could stop the whole post with that statement alone. If we dominate the line of scrimmage, it's a long day for UK.
Which UGA line are we going to see? The lines against South Carolina or the line against LSU? That's the biggest X-factor in my book and it's what's causing me the greatest unease in this game.
Penalties:
Discipline. I've been chirping about this all season and sound like an annoying broken record. Getting our heads right earlier in the season was paramount for games just like this. You can't go into a hostile environment and give them yards on stupid penalties. I have no problem with an errant false start or offsides on a blitz, but the unsportsmanlikes, roughing the passer, running into the kicker, illegal substitutions and the like will absolutely kill us in a game like this. CKS preaches discipline and focus, well, let's see it. If we play a squeaky clean game, that shifts the balance in our favor mightily.
Defensive Turnovers:
We have to create points on defensive turnovers, ala Florida, ala South Carolina, ala Mizzou. That's the fastest way to silence the noise and gain momentum in a game like this. Make them pay for every mistake. Our secondary will be tested in this game, and its high time they shut the lanes down. I've seen improvement by the secondary from game 1 until now, but this is the time that maturity needs to be shown.
Once again, I'll continue my incessant babble about needing to see some packages designed for Fields. Fields tweeted "trust the process." I'm glad to see the young man patient and mature; it's a testament to just how much the players trust CKS and the Process. However, this kid is a weapon that just needs his magazine loaded and let loose. I'm not saying he needs to start, but he absolutely needs to be utilized.