No. 4 – Georgia Bulldogs Season Preview

Could this be the year that Kirby Smart finally leads the Georgia Bulldogs to their third national championship? It’s been over four decades since UGA last won a national title, and Dawg fans are hungry. Georgia has been painfully close in recent years, and this year the Bulldogs have an edge against most of their rivals. While most national title contenders are starting a new quarterback, the Bulldogs have someone with experience in J.T. Daniels.

Georgia Regular Season Win Total

Over 10.5 Wins -140

Under 10.5 Wins +110

OFFENSE

J.T. Daniels was very impressive in his four starts for Georgia last season. He didn’t start the year under center as he was dealing with an injury, but he is now the undisputed signal caller. Daniels completed 67.2% of his passes for 1,231 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in 2020.

Unfortunately, superstar wide receiver George Pickens won’t be available for most of the season. Pickens tore his ACL in March, and he isn’t expected to return until the end of the year if he does play at all in 2021. Kearis Jackson and Jermaine Burton were two of the team’s top receivers in 2020 though, and they are back. LSU transfer Arik Gilbert will help the depth too.

The ground game should be rock solid with an elite offensive line. Justin Shaffer and Jamaree Salyer are both likely to be playing on Sundays next season, and Warren McClendon started all but one game in 2020.

These running backs are some of the best in the country too. Zamir White led Georgia with 779 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2020, averaging 5.4 YPC. James Cook averaged 6.7 YPC, and both Kendall Milton and Kenny McIntosh would start on most other Power Five teams.

DEFENSE

Georgia has been known for its defense under Smart. The Bulldogs have allowed 20.0 PPG or less in each of the last four seasons. However, there are more concerns than usual on this side of the ball.

There are only five returning starters on defense. That puts the pressure on both the stars and the new players to step up. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis is great at clogging the middle of the line and was a First Team All-SEC pick in 2020. Linebacker Nakobe Dean is the leading returning tackler for the Bulldogs.

Nolan Smith should be ready to become a major contributor at linebacker, and there are plenty of talented freshmen in the three-deep in the front seven. Safeties Lewis Cine and Christopher Smith are returning starters too, but the cornerbacks are a concern.

Clemson transfer Derion Kendrick is expected to start at one cornerback slot, while Ameer Speed starts opposite him. Neither player is proven, and that could be problematic against teams that can throw the ball well.

SCHEDULE

The Bulldogs have a tough season opener against Clemson. Their next difficult test isn’t until October 9 when they go on the road to face Auburn though, and that is their toughest opponent in cross-division play. As always, the SEC East will be decided in late October when Georgia faces Florida in Jacksonville at the World’s Largest Outdoor Party.

PREDICTION

This Georgia team has a chance to be special. The Bulldogs might finally have a quarterback that can win a national championship, and they have a lot of talent on offense. Over is the play as Smart might have his most productive offense yet in Athens.

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