By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

A 7-5 UGA team coming off a disturbing loss to Georgia Tech accepted a bid to go play in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis for the first since 1987 where Georgia on a late John Kasey FG beat Arkansas 20-17. 

This season has been a huge disappointment and that is putting it mildly. Home losses to Tennessee, Vandy, and GT. The annual what now seems to be a loss in Jacksonville to Florida, and a blowout loss to a 5-7 Ole Miss team that did not make a bowl.

Kirby Smart is putting together a monster recruiting class and needs these bowl practices to get some of these young Dawgs some experience going into 2017. Word is now circulating that Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and Lorenzo Carter will be returning for 2017 which could be huge for UGA in 2017.

Liberty Bowl keys for UGA:

Slow down the TCU offense. The TCU offense certainly has firepower, ranking 27th in the FBS in total offense with 5,700 yards. However, quarterback Kenny Hill’s 15 interceptions and the Horned Frogs’ 18 total giveaways have stunted drives far too often this season.

Hill, the Texas A&M transfer, has passed for over 3000 yards this year. TCU has weapons and UGA’s must be ready to play in this contest. This will be one of the better offenses UGA has faced this year. UGA must tackle well in space.

Run the football. In games where Nick Chubb has not rushed for 100 yards UGA has lost that contest. Pretty simple if you ask me. Commit to running the football Jim Cheney, and don’t put so much pressure on Jacob Eason.

TCU has struggled against the run all year. UGA must pound the rock control the clock and wear down this TCU defense. Gary Patterson has a month to get ready for UGA which worries me greatly.

Limit the drops in the passing game. In some big games like Florida and GT the UGA receiving corps have had some huge drive killing drops. UGA must catch the football in the Liberty Bowl to force TCU not to load up the box to stop Chubb and company.

Gary Patterson is a defensive mastermind and I will take him in a head to head match up with Jim Chaney anytime, anywhere, and anyplace. Patterson is a great coach that has had an excellent run at TCU.

While the 6-6 record, this year is disappointing to the Horned Frog nation it can’t be a deceiving factor to UGA. This team can play. While they have struggled a lot, TCU will come into Memphis ready to play. You can bank on that. UGA must act like they want to be in Memphis as well.

Georgia is a slight favorite in the game. If TCU hopes to pull off the upset, it will need to rely on its defense. Gary Patterson has coached the Horned Frogs to eight bowl wins in their last 10 postseason appearances, and opposing offenses have been held under 20 points seven times over that 10-game stretch. 

While Beale Street and BBQ will be a nice bowl destination for the fan base this is a key stepping stone for UGA going into 2017. I think UGA needs this win more than TCU does.

Recruits making their decisions late will be watching this outcome that are considering UGA. UGA needs some dynamic playmakers on offense to choose UGA.

Prediction: I think UGA is the overall better team talent wise. I think UGA wins 34-27. 

Good luck Dawgs you will need it against Gary Patterson. This will be the fourth meeting all time between the schools with UGA winning the previous three meetings. Let’s hope that trend continues.