Tag: clemson football news

Barrett Sallee picks Florida to win SEC East, projects Georgia record

CBS college football writer picks the Florida Gators to win the SEC East over Georgia football, as well as SEC records.

College football experts have already begun to submit their predictions for the 2020 season.

CBS Sport’s college football writer and analyst Barrett Sallee posted his SEC win total predictions for 2020 on Friday, via Twitter.

Sallee has Georgia as the 2nd team in the SEC East, with Florida as No. 1.  He also predicts the Dawgs to drop two games on the season, both being to SEC teams.

UGA has a rather tough schedule this season, playing Alabama away in Tuscaloosa. Georgia also has tough matchups against Auburn, Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky, all of which could be ranked meetings.

The Dawgs have won the past three matchups against the Florida Gators, and have a massive wave of new talent coming in with the No.1 recruiting class in the country for 2020.  Florida had the No. 9 2020 recruiting class.

The Gators and Bulldogs face off on Halloween (Oct. 31) this year in Jacksonville.

Athlon predicts Georgia record, final SEC standings — High on Florida

In Athlon Sports’ SEC season preview, the Florida Gators are 2020 SEC East champions over Georgia football. Details and the full list here.

Last week, Athlon Sports released a preview of its annual magazine, a look at the top 25 teams in college football and a prediction of the final college football rankings at the end of the 2020 season.

The 3-time defending SEC East champion Georgia Bulldogs didn’t get much love. Florida was projected to finish the season at No. 6, ahead of Georgia at No. 7.

“Georgia has an edge in overall roster talent,” Athlon Sports wrote. “But the Gators have a small advantage in crossover play (at home versus LSU compared to at Alabama for the Bulldogs) and coach Dan Mullen’s team has more continuity in staff and scheme.”

While I agree that at home versus LSU is not as challenging as Alabama on the road, “continuity in staff and scheme” is a reach. In 2019, Georgia rolled into Jacksonville with a new offensive coordinator and still scored 24 points and secured their third win in a row versus the Gators.

A new aspect of Athlon Sports’ magazine this year is its SEC season preview, and sticking with its previous predictions, Athlon has Florida as the 2020 SEC East champions over Georgia.

Athlon predicted the final SEC standings and projected each team’s overall record as well.

See here:

SEC East

#1 Florida, 11-2 overall, 7-1 SEC

#2 Georgia, 10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC

#3 Tennessee, 8-4 overall, 5-3 SEC

#4 Kentucky, 7-5 overall, 4-4 SEC

#5 South Carolina, 6-6 overall, 3-5 SEC

#6 Missouri, 5-7 overall, 2-6 SEC

#7 Vanderbilt, 3-9 overall, 0-8 SEC

SEC West

#1 Alabama, 12-1 overall, 7-1 SEC

#2 LSU, 10-2 overall, 6-2 SEC

#3 Texas A&M, 9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC

#4 Auburn 9-3, overall, 5-3 SEC

#5 Ole Miss, 7-5 overall, 4-4 SEC

#6 Mississippi State, 6-6 overall, 2-6 SEC

#7 Arkansas, 3-9 overall, 0-8 SEC

SEC Championship Game

Alabama over Florida

This year, Georgia has more offensive power behind transfer quarterback  Jamie Newman and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, with a record-setting returning defense.

Georgia fans, don’t worry seeing Florida in the headlines. Jacksonville is our home-away-from-home and it always works things out.

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Athlon Sports releases 2020 CFB rankings: Projects Florida ahead of Georgia

Athlon Sports released its 2020 college football top-25 and projected the Florida Gators to finish above the Georgia Bulldogs.

Athlon Sports recently released its list of the top-25 college football teams going into the 2020 football season, saying the list specifically represents where they think these teams will finish the season.

From Athlon:

This is not a preseason ranking of teams going into the season. Instead, this ranking takes into account where we project teams to finish after the national championship in January

The SEC is represented six times. Alabama is at No. 2 behind projected national champion Clemson. LSU is at No. 8, Texas A&M No. 11 and Auburn at No. 13.

Most notably, Georgia, the three-time SEC East defending champion, is ranked at No. 7, behind Florida at No. 6.

Athlon Sports stated its reason for putting the Gators ahead of the Bulldogs, even though Florida hasn’t won in Jacksonville in three years, is because of the SEC crossover games and staff continuity.

“Georgia has an edge in overall roster talent,” Athlon Sports wrote. “But the Gators have a small advantage in crossover play (at home versus LSU compared to at Alabama for the Bulldogs) and coach Dan Mullen’s team has more continuity in staff and scheme.”

I suppose Athlon Sports has a point, a Joe Burrow-less LSU at home won’t be as tough as Alabama in Tuscaloosa. However, the SEC East runs through Jacksonville and Georgia has held the keys for the last three years.

And as far as continuity goes, the Bulldogs came into the 2019 season with a new offensive coordinator and still took care of business in Jacksonville.

Georgia and Florida meet this year on Halloween from TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

Here is Athlon Sports’ projected top-10 teams in college football for 2020:

Athlon Sports’ 2020 Projected top-10

#1 Clemson

#2 Alabama

#3 Ohio State

#4 Oklahoma

#5 Penn State

#6 Florida

#7 Georgia

#8 LSU

#9 Notre Dame

#10 Oregon

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4-star LB Barrett Carter, a Georgia target, sets commitment date

Barrett Carter, 2021 4-star LB from Suwanee, Georgia sets his commitment date. He is a big UGA football recruiting target.

2021 4-star outside linebacker Barrett Carter (Suwanee, Ga. / North Gwinnett HS) announced on Twitter that he will be committing tomorrow, May 19, at 6:50 p.m. ET on Fox 5 News of Atlanta.

In February, the North Gwinnett High School star released a list of his top-11 schools and Georgia was included.

The list also featured Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Georgia Tech, Florida, Duke, Oklahoma and Ohio State.

247Sports has Carter (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) ranked as the No. 56 player overall, the No. 4 OLB and the No. 6 player in Georgia.

According to the 247Sports Crystall Ball predictions, Carter is predicted to sign with Clemson, but Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs focus on keeping the state’s top talent in Georgia, so don’t be surprised if Carter chooses to wear red tomorrow.

 

 

5-star CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry, a Georgia target, releases top-five

5-star CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry, a big-time Georgia football recruiting target, released his top-five schools on Sunday.

On Sunday, 2021 5-star cornerback Ga’Quincy McKinstry took to Twitter to release his top-five schools.

Out of Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama, McKinstry tweeted a top-five of Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Clemson.

McKinstry ranks as the nation’s No. 23 overall player and as the No. 2 cornerback in the 2021 recruiting class.

According to 247Sports, Alabama is the favorite to land McKinstry, with LSU and Auburn also right there.

Georgia offered McKinstry in March of 2018.

A two-sport star, McKinstry is also a star on the Pinson Valley basketball team. He has won three state championships during his high school career — two in football and one in basketball.

As a cornerback, he earned Alabama Class 6A first-team all-state honors on defense as a sophomore.

Last season, he had 30 tackles, 12 pass breakups and six interceptions.

In addition to defensive back, he also plays wide receiver and kick returner for the Pinson Valley Indians.

Last season as a receiver, McKinstry finished with 47 catches for 700 yards and 12 touchdowns.

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5-star Tristan Leigh names his top schools

Five-star offensive tackle recruit Tristan Leigh has named his top schools including the Georgia Bulldogs and Clemson Tigers.

Five-star offensive tackle recruit Tristan Leigh has named his top schools. Leigh is considered one of the best recruits in the class of 2021. He’s the 13th rated prospect in his class and is favored to join the Clemson Tigers.

Leigh is 6-6 and weighs 285 pounds. He plays football at Robinson Secondary High School in Fairfax, Virginia.

He released his top schools via Twitter:

Leigh puts Clemson, Georgia, FSU, Virginia, LSU, Florida, Virginia Tech, Miami, Penn State, Oklahoma, Maryland, UCF, Ohio State, Alabama, and USC among his top fifteen. Fans can expect Leigh to trim his top schools soon.

Can Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs secure a commitment from Leigh? Matt Luke is an excellent offensive line recruiter and should never be counted out.

That being said, Georgia secured commitments from an excellent pair of 2020 offensive tackles in Broderick Jones (five-star) and Tate Ratledge. UGA landed more offensive line recruits in 2020, but those two are favored to take over for NFL first round picks Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson.

Georgia may not have room for another elite offensive tackle commit, especially with Matt Luke pursuing in-state five-star Amarius Mims. Leigh is likely a long-shot for the Dawgs.

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247Sports spot on in ranking Kirby Smart 4th best coach in CFB

247Sports ranked Georgia football’s Kirby Smart as the #4 coach in college football. Here’s why he was spot on.

On Thursday, Brad Crawford of 247Sports released his list of the top-25 coaches in college football.

Give credit to Crawford — he took on this story knowing that it would receive mixed reviews from across the country.

Here was his top-five:

1. Nick Saban, Alabama

2. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

3. Ed Orgeron, LSU

4. Kirby Smart, Georgia

5. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma

I don’t think there’s any question about numbers one and two. Saban and Swinney have taken turns ruling college football for the last decade.

But after those two is when fans start to think their coach should occupy that #3, #4 or #5 spot.

I’m not here to bash Crawford’s ranking of Smart at #4. Instead, I 100% agree with it. How can you not?

I saw a story that stated Georgia fans should be offended by Smart’s ranking on this list. It mentioned recency bias as the main reason Orgeron was put at #3.

I’m not on board with that. Some can call it recency bias, but I call it a national championship win, meaning he’s accomplished something that Smart has not. Meanwhile, they were both playing in the same conference, and LSU kicked Georgia’s butt for the second straight season. At one point, you have to tip your cap to Coach O.

Smart’s time will come where he’ll eventually pass Coach O, but that won’t be until he wins a title. He’s doing everything else right. He’s getting his team to the big games, he’s recruiting better than any coach in America, he catapulted Georgia back into the national spotlight and he’s producing NFL talent.

All that’s left is a ring. That may be a very simplistic way of looking at it, but in the end that’s how success is measured. Have you not been watching the Jordan documentary?

Had Georgia beaten LSU last season in the SEC Championship Game, then we would be having a different discussion. But Georgia did not just lose, it got pounded by a final score of 37-10. The year before, Georgia got spanked in Baton Rouge 36-16. In Smart’s last two games vs Orgeron, his Bulldogs have gotten beat by a combined score of 73-26.

So no, Georgia fans have no right to be offended about the #4 ranking for Smart. If anything, we should be celebrating the fact that Georgia has the fourth best coach in America.

I loved Mark Richt as much as the next guy, but come on, he was never a top-five coach in America. Maybe not even top-10.

Kirby’s time will come.

A few other notable names on the list:

#8 – Florida head coach Dan Mullen

#9 – Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher

#13 – Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn

#15 – Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops

#21 – Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt

247Sports ranks top-25 CFB coaches: Where is Georgia’s Kirby Smart?

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart was ranked 4th in 247Sports’ list of the top-25 coaches in college football.

On Thursday, Brad Crawford of 247Sports released his list of the top-25 coaches in college football.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart checked in at No. 4.

Crawford’s top-five was as follows:

1. Nick Saban, Alabama

2. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

3. Ed Orgeron, LSU

4. Kirby Smart, Georgia

5. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma

Smart was named the Bulldogs coach in 2015 after serving as Alabama defensive coordinator under Nick Saban for eight years.

Smart has led his alma mater to a 44-12 record over four years as the Bulldogs head coach and has boasted three consecutive No. 1 ranked recruiting classes.

There is no question that Smart has built a powerhouse at Georgia. He recruits at an elite level and has one of the best defensive minds in all of college football.

So, what separates Smart from Saban, Swinney and Orgeron?

A national championship.

Smart has led Georgia to three consecutive SEC East titles, an SEC Championship title, a College Football Playoff victory and a National Championship bid, but a couple of close losses to Bama have held the Bulldogs from the top of college football.

Jan 1, 2018; Pasadena, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart holds the Rose Bowl trophy — Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

However, Smart will have another shot at a title in 2020 and it may be with the most talented team he has had in his time at Georgia.

The Bulldogs return many of the starters from the 2019 record-breaking defense and have a new air-raid offensive system behind the arm of Wake Forest transfer quarterback Jamie Newman, and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

A few other notable names on the list:

#8 – Florida head coach Dan Mullen

#9 – Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher

#13 – Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn

#15 – Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops

#21 – Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt

Clemson’s Dabo Swinney confident we’ll have a 2020 CFB season

Clemson football HC Dabo Swinney is confident that we will have a 2020 college football season despite growing concern over coronavirus.

Concerns over whether or not we will have a 2020 college football season is continuing to grow.

ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit said that he would be “shocked” if we were to have any football, collegiately or professionally, this fall given the current coronavirus pandemic in the United States and around the world.

Fans were split on Herbstreit’s statement. Many agreed but a bigger number thought it was far too early to even discuss the possibility of no football this fall.

One man who does not agree with Herbstreit is Clemson’s two-time national title winning head coach Dabo Swinney.

Swinney discussed the pandemic and its potential impact on the sport we all love during a conference call with the media on Friday.

“My preference is let’s get to work and go play,” Swinney said. “That’s the best-case scenario, and I think that’s what’s going to happen. I don’t have any doubt. I have zero doubt that we’re going to be playing and the stands are going to be packed.”

Swinney sounds very optimistic that there will be a 2020 college football season despite concerns of it being delayed from a number athletic directors and analysts.

He is not thinking like that just yet. For the time being at least, Swinney is preparing as if his team will be reporting to camp in August.

He told the teleconference participants that he has created a T.I.G.E.R.S. acronym for his team. It stands for “This Is Gonna End Real Soon.”

“That’s just my mindset. I’ve got one plan, and that’s to get the Tigers ready to play in late August, early September,” Swinney said. “I’ll leave it to the smart people to figure out the doomsday scenarios. We’ve got one scenario, and that’s to run down that hill and kick it off in the valley.”

Swinney also mentioned that he is hopeful that players may actually be able to return to campus as early as next month, even if classes are still being conducted online only.

“This is America, man. We’ve stormed the beaches of Normandy. We’ve sent a rover out on Mars and walked on the moon. This is the greatest country. We’ve created an iPhone where I can sit here and talk to people in all these different places. We’ve got the smartest people in the world. We’re going to rise up and kick this thing in the teeth and get back to our lives.”

College Football News releases 2020 bowl projection for Georgia Bulldogs

College Football News released bowl projections for Georgia in the 2020 season.

Kirby Smart has transformed the Georgia program into one that’s consistently in the College Football Playoff conversation each preseason.

Smart guided the Dawgs to the playoff during the 2017 season and came so close to doing it again in both 2018 and 2019.

Could 2020 be the year that Smart gets the Dawgs back into the playoff? Pete Fiutak of College Football News thinks it’s a good possibility.

In his SEC bowl projections, Fiutak has Georgia sliding in and facing off against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

Yep, you read that correctly.

Georgia vs Ohio State, or as the media would read it come December: Georgia vs Justin Fields.

Could you imagine? Bulldogs vs Buckeyes in the Grandaddy of Them All, where replays of Sony Michel’s walk-off touchdown are still playing clearly in the brain of DawgNation.

Fiutak also recently projected Georgia’s win total for 2020, predicting 10 regular season wins for the Bulldogs next season.

With that in mind, it sounds like Fiutak has the Dawgs sneaking into and winning the SEC Championship Game with two regular season losses. In this scenario, that win in Atlanta would impress the committee enough to let a two-loss Georgia team, that played a very difficult regular season schedule, into the playoff.

I asked Fiutak for some more information on what led to this projection:

“Without spring ball to go on, just projecting talent – and Georgia has it. Here’s the deal. If the Dawgs split the Bama and Florida games, can they avoid a South Carolina loss like last year? They have to beat Auburn, too, but that’s at home. It’s still April – going with the call now that they win two of those three, and FINALLY pull off the SEC Championship. These things always change and adapt as we go … let’s see how these teams actually look, first.”

Fiutak also has Alabama and Clemson squaring off in the Sugar Bowl. Sadly, he predicts Ohio State and Alabama both advance past the semifinals and meet each other in Miami for the College Football Playoff National Championship.