Georgia Bulldogs
Upset Minded Gators
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Gators are off to a slow start this season, their .500 after six games.
They were ranked in the top 20 in the preseason in both the AP and Coaches Poll. Now they have a bye week before the showdown with No. 3 Georgia (7-0) in Jacksonville.
I honestly always give the edge to Florida because they’ve owned UGA since 1990, winning 21 of the 27 games. Florida having nine players suspended is why I think Georgia has a great opportunity to win.
There have been Gator teams in the past that faced long odds going in to a big game and found a way to win. I’m going to look at some of the best upsets in Florida history.
Sticking with this series, we can look back at 2002. Georgia was 8-0 and ranked fourth in the nation heading into the game. Florida was unranked with a 5-3 record. Ron Zook (remember him?) was in his first year as UF head coach.
On paper, this looked like a lopsided game. It turned out to be a tough game with both defenses playing well. Rex Grossman threw a touchdown in the fourth quarter to take a 20-13 lead. Georgia was not able to respond and that was the final score.
The Dawgs finished the season 13-1 and a win in the Sugar Bowl but that loss cost them a chance to play for a national championship. Florida finished the year 8-5.
The 2014 game also featured a Florida team that did not live up to expectations. Will Muschamp was never a good fit in Gainesville and he was in the last season of his lackluster tenure.
Florida was 3-3 and coming off an embarrassing 42-13 homecoming loss to Mizzou. Georgia was ranked ninth with a 6-1 record.
The Gators started true freshman quarterback Treon Harris who only attempted nine passes in the game. They ran wild over Georgia, rushing for 428 yards and won the game 38-20. That team also finished the season 8-5, which led to Jim McElwain being hired on December 4 of that year.
We can all agree the real turn around for Florida started when Steve Spurrier got hired as the head ball coach in 1990. During that season, they played No. 4 Auburn at home. The Tigers won the SEC the previous three years and were 6-0-1 with the tie against No.5 Tennessee.
The fifteenth ranked Gators pulled of the upset with a blowout win, 48-7. Auburn coach Pat Dye was dismissive about Spurrier’s offense before the game. That wound up being his worst loss of Dye’s career.
That following year in 1991 Florida State was 10-1 with the only loss against No. 2 Miami 17-16 the previous week. Florida was also 10-1 and ranked fifth. This was the first top five matchup in the series. The Gators won at home 14-9.
In Zook’s final game in 2004 he led his unranked team to a 20-13 win over No. 10 FSU in Tallahassee.
Even with the odds stacked against them Florida can still compete. They recruit well so they have talented players. Think twice before counting them out.
The Two Jakes
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is a movie that Jack Nicholson directed and starred in from 1990 called The Two Jakes. It’s a sequel to Nicholson’s classic Chinatown, but The Two Jakes doesn’t come close to matching the quality of the earlier film.
I bring this up because The Two Jakes could also be the title of a movie dramatizing the 2017 Georgia Bulldogs’ football season.
Jake From State Fromm
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
JakeFromStateFromm. That is the Twitter handle of the Georgia QB, Jake Fromm. It is for certain his Twitter followers have sky rocketed over the last month, especially in Dawg Nation.
Fromm, a graduate from Houston County, was one of the most feared QB’s in the state of Georgia when in high school.
In fact, most thought he would not sign with UGA since Jacob Eason was already cemented as the starter for Georgia. However, Fromm did commit and instantaneously gave the Dawgs some much needed depth at the QB position.
Coach Kirby Smart had the luxury of another 5-star QB on the roster, just in case something were to happen to Eason.
SEC East Report Card
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Going into the season we had a pretty good idea of who should win each conference. We had favorites to win the different divisions so we might know what the conference championship matchup might be.
One of the most unpredictable divisions had to be the SEC East. I’m going to give my report card for the division.
Georgia (4-0): It pains me as a Georgia Tech fan to praise UGA. They look head and shoulders above everyone else in the division.
Kirby Smart has the defense playing fast and physical mirroring Alabama (which is why he was hired). You know about the two beasts at running back, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.
True freshman quarterback Jake Fromm is the real deal. My only concern is he’s experiencing everything for the first time so I don’t know how he’ll react. For instance, playing in front of over 100,000 fans at Neyland Stadium next week. Grade: A+
Florida (2-1): Since Tim Tebow left Gainesville the Gators have struggled on offense.
They were manhandled on both sides of the ball in the first game against No. 7 Michigan. Since then they have started to have a little more success moving the ball with freshman QB Felipe Franks.
There may be a quarterback controversy brewing because Luke Del Rio has been named the starter against Vanderbilt. They also have nine players facing felony fraud charges including WR Antonio Callaway and RB Jordan Scarlett.
We’re used to the annual beat down they give Georgia every year in Jacksonville but this can change everything if these players are suspended or dismissed. Grade: C
Kentucky (3-1): The Wildcats are coming off of a tough 28-27 loss to Florida over the weekend. So far, they look like the second most consistent team in the division. Senior QB Stephen Johnson is completing 64% of his passes and the offense has several playmakers. Mark Stoops is looking to keep his job and lead Kentucky to their second consecutive bowl appearance. Grade: B
South Carolina (3-1): The Gamecocks had an impressive win over NC State to begin the season. The lone loss was by ten points to Kentucky. They struggled to beat Louisiana Tech over the weekend 17-16. It looks like Will Muschamp has finally gotten a team that can play some offense. As a team, they are inconsistent so we aren’t sure if they will play to the level of competition from week to week. Grade: B-
Vanderbilt (3-1): Vandy had an impressive win at home over No. 18 Kansas State a couple of weeks ago. Then they got destroyed 59-0 by Alabama the following week.
The Commodores aren’t as talented as the rest of the division but they play hard and disciplined.
They should play solid enough to win three more games but they don’t match up well with Georgia, Florida or Tennessee. Grade: B
Tennessee (3-1): We knew the Vols would have a tough time replacing QB Joshua Dobbs. Quinten Dormady has struggled, only completing 58% of his passes and throwing 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Running back John Kelly is the focal point of the offense averaging 112 rushing yards per game with 6 TD’s.
The Vols beat Ga Tech by one point in their first game and honestly should have lost. Florida beat them on the last play of the game with a Hail Mary. There coming off of a lackluster 17-13 win over U Mass. Grade: C-
Missouri (1-3): Their record says it all. The loan win was against an FCS team. They’ve been blown out in every other game. Grade: F
Georgia Best In SEC East?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
At the beginning of the season the SEC was shaping up to be a three headed monster.
You had Georgia, Florida, and possibly Tennessee, all favored at one point or another to contend for the division title.
I know we’re only three weeks in and things can change quicker than the cast of All My Children but right now it feels obvious that Georgia is separating itself from the rest of the pack.
Jason Bishop Show w Kipp Branch Sept 16
Georgia Bulldog 2017 Preview
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
My favorite time of the year is upon us. I have been called one of the biggest Red and Black Kool-Aid drinkers on the planet by my editor Jason Bishop so it is poetic justice that I writes the UGA preview for SSE this year.
The pageantry of being in Sanford Stadium on a crisp fall afternoon is like no other and to hear those wonderful words over the PA system “If your blood runs red and black….It’s time to tee it up betweeeeeeeen the hedges”
2017 is a year of high expectations for the Dawgs. Kirby Smart entering his second year as head Dawg has a wealth of talent returning.
Where’s The Beef?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Kirby Smart announced on Wednesday that Fall Camp for UGA will begin on July 31st. Smart in his second year at UGA returns a stacked defense and most of the questions surrounding the 2017 Dawgs circulate around the offensive line.
Smart spoke to the media on Wednesday and had this to say about his offensive line:
The Game July 8
Smart Recruiting
By: Christian Goeckel
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As our access to recruiting information continues to grow, so does our tendency to overreact. A lot of dawg fans are worried about the lack of action in Georgia’s 2018 class.
With only seven commits thus far, only one of which is in the top 300, the worry is building. Well Georgia fans, take a deep breath and relax. You know who else has started off slow? Alabama and the perennial number one ranked recruiting class.
Top recruits typically like to wait until their season at least kicks off, so the lack of movement isn’t anything to be concerned by.
The signing of the nation’s number one back, Zamir White, was a huge get for Kirby Smart and the Dawgs and should do a ton to quell the tide of negativity.
White is just the start of what should be another great class for Georgia. Today we take a look at the top 5 dream prospects for this year’s class.
Justin Fields (Dual #1) / Matt Corral (Pro #1): Georgia hasn’t had consistent quarterback play since the final days of Aaron Murray. Kirby Smart is doing his best to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
With the signings of Jacob Eason and Jake Fromm in back-to-back years, Georgia is set at the position for the next four years, but becoming complacent in recruiting during those years can be devastating.
With the signing or either Fields or Corral, Georgia’s QB depth chart would become elite. Fields represents the higher rated prospect with his versatility and maturity. While Corral is more of what UGA traditionally sees as their style of quarterback. Either one would put Georgia in a great spot heading into the future.
Projection: Fields – Fla St 50%, UF 30%, UGA 20%
Corral- UGA 90%, UF 10%
Jamaree Salyer (OG #1) : The offensive line was a huge problem for Georgia in 2016. Lack of depth and experience cost Georgia greatly.
The dawgs did a great job of addressing the problems in the 2017 class with signings like Isaiah Wilson and Andrew Thomas. Salyer would be another top notch offensive lineman to add to a unit that could become UGA’s strength with Coach Sam Pittman at the helm.
Projection: UGA 80%, Clemson 20%
Tyreke Johnson (S #2) : The “No Fly Zone” between the hedges is well in effect. Senior Dominick Sanders is a ball hawk with 12 career interceptions. Incoming freshmen Richard LeCounte and DeAngelo Gibbs should be able to fill the void Sander will leave after this year, but the SEC is all about depth.
Tyreke Johnson is just the guy to add to what could be a truly dominant secondary. He is big at 6’1 190 and would be a great fit at the strong safety spot, stepping up to the line or dropping back into coverage. His range is what makes him a must have safety.
Projection: UGA 70%, Fla St 20%, UF 10%
Kearis Jackson (WR #21) : It’s no secret that Georgia’s passing game has struggled these past few years and a good amount of the blame falls on the quarterback position. However, not all the blame can be placed on the guys under center. They need someone to throw to after all.
There hasn’t been a real go to wide out in Athens since Chris Conley. Kearis Jackson wants to be that dude. A hard UGA lean, Jackson has a build like Anquan Boldin and the ability to match. He can play the X,Y, or Z spot from day one.
Projection: UGA 100%, others need not apply.
James Cook (RB #3) : Can you say thunder and lightning? If Cook and Zamir White were both to commit to Georgia, the dawgs would have a future backfield comparable to the current Michel/Chubb combo.
A firm Florida State commit, Cook shocked everyone last week when he backed out of his commitment to the Noles. Georgia has emerged as the favorite. Need a player comparison for his style of play?
Look no further than his older brother, Dalvin Cook. Yeah, the guy who torched college football for three years and was the first round pick of the Vikings. If Georgia was able to complete the flip it would signal the arrival of Kirby Smart as the nation’s best recruiter not named Nick Saban.
Projection: UGA 60%, Fla State 20%, Bama 20%
