Tag: Florida Football News

Georgia football offers scholarship to Shone Washington

The Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators have offered scholarships to defensive tackle Shone “Malice” Washington.

The Georgia Bulldogs have offered a scholarship to defensive tackle Shone “Malice” Washington. Washington is not yet rated at this time and is a member of the class of 2022.

Washington has received interest from USC, Alabama, Texas A&M, Florida, and more. Washington is just a sophomore, but is already receiving loads of offers from elite programs. College football fans should expect Washington to be a highly rated prospect by his senior season.

Shone Washington was excited to receive an offer from Georgia:

Why may Georgia have an inside track at Shone Washington? Look no further than the interior of the Bulldog offensive line. Sedrick Van Pran, a four-star center and UGA signee in the class of 2020, went to Warren Easton High School with Shone Washington in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Washington sat out the 2019 high school season due to transfer rules, but will play for Warren Easton this upcoming season. Washington has impressive size at 6-4, 290 pounds.

We’ll keep you updated throughout Washington’s recruitment. The Dawgs and Gators are battling for another prospect.

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BetMGM releases odds on Georgia football’s key games for 2020

Betting odds released for several of Georgia football’s key games.

Whether for not we will even have a 2020 college football season is a mystery right now, but everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that our favorite sport will return, with fans in the seats, this September.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season, online gambling sites are continuing to releasing odds on future college football games.

If college football is a go this year, BetMGM is where you can turn to find the lines for some of college football’s key 2020 matchups.

BetMGM released lines for six Georgia games, which we have listed below.

Start strategizing now.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 4:20 p.m. ET. 

Next … September 7 vs Virginia

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Steve Spurrier on absence of spring practice, how long teams need to prepare for 2020 season

Steve Spurrier, while on the Paul Finebaum Show, discussed how long teams will need to prepare for the 2020 CFB season after coronavirus.

Coronavirus has forced the NCAA to cancel all spring sports, including spring practices and scrimmages for college football teams.

Losing offseason practices is never something a college coach enjoys, for the obvious reason it takes time away from evaluating your roster and preparing for the following season.

However, while on the “Paul Finebaum Show,” SEC coaching legend Steve Spurrier went into deal about just how big of a deal the absence of spring practice is for these teams, saying for some coaches it’s really not that huge of an obstacle.

“Most all coaches would tell you that the staffs that have been there for 2, 3, 4 years or more that it’s not that big a deal not having spring football,” Spurrier said. “Maybe if you had competition at quarterback or some other positions, it would be important, but preseason, if you can get a month in before you play, I certainly think everyone would be capable of playing — maybe not quite their best, but pretty close to playing the best they can.”

Where Georgia falls into that is tricky. Kirby Smart is going into his fifth season as head coach of the Bulldogs, so he has a pretty good understanding of how things will run and look next season.

But then there’s the quarterback factor. As far as competition goes, Georgia does not have one. Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman will be the guy under center in 2020. But at the end of the day, he’s still a new quarterback playing in a new conference against a much higher level of talent. So, yes, I’m sure Smart would love to be able to see how Newman gels with the team this spring. But all things considered Smart understands what’s important at a time like this.

“Right now, I think that’s what we’re all hoping and praying that colleges can get 3-4 weeks of preseason and, then, hopefully, we’ve gotta have fans in the stands. I don’t know how you play college football without the fans,” Spurrier said. “They make it what it is. To me, that’s why it’s the greatest sport in the world. The fans talk about it year-round.”

 

 

College Football News writes that Georgia could be in for disappointing 2020

Could Georgia football be in for a tough 2020? One college football analyst says it’s a possibility.

Georgia has been the top-Dawg in the SEC East for the past three seasons, making the SEC Championship every year since 2017.

For 2020, expectations remain the same for Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs. A top-four finish, an SEC Championship appearance and a potential return to the College Football Playoff. Anything less is a disappointment.

With those expectations, a 10-2 regular season would be considered a disappointment. It would practically eliminate the Dawgs from Playoff contention, unless Georgia goes out and wins convincingly in Atlanta (if it can navigate its way there) and gets a lot of help from around the country.

So, when Pete Fiutak of College Football News picked Georgia as his potentially disappointing team from the SEC, he does not foresee an 8-4 season or anything like that. Instead, he made mention to how it’s all relative. Meaning that a 10-win season for 95% of FBS programs would be considered great, however, if Georgia wins 9 or 10, that’s a let-down by UGA standards.

From Fiutak:

It’s all relative.

No, 2020 Georgia isn’t going 8-4, or anything like that.

We predicted that Florida would be one of the top ten teams in college football before last year started – but would be a slight disappointment because it wouldn’t win the SEC East – and Georgia will begin this season in the top five, if not top three.

Georgia’s 2020 is going to be a difficult one. Aside from losing so much experience on offense and a few defensive leaders, that schedule is no joke.

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On the road at Alabama in week-three. An October game vs Auburn. The annual matchup vs Florida, this time on Halloween. If Georgia is undefeated heading into November, it’s the best team in the country and will be everybody’s pick to win the national title. But if Georgia comes out of that stretch with one or two losses, it’ll need a lot of things to fall into place in order to make it back to the playoff.

One regular season loss is fine, as long as Georgia wins the SEC Championship.

Two losses, and Georgia will need A LOT of help to make it back. A lot.

From Fiutak:

Georgia is going to keep coming into seasons as one of the five or six teams with a realistic shot at winning the national title. However, have a misfire like last year’s loss to South Carolina, finally be on the wrong end of the Florida showdown, lose to Alabama, or even have another season like the last two with an 11-1 regular season and a loss in the SEC Championship, and the CFP dreams are gone with two losses.

Georgia football schedule: Bulldogs’ three toughest games in 2020

A look at the 2020 Georgia football schedule and a dive into the Bulldogs’ toughest games.

Whether or not there will even be a 2020 season is uncertain right now. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit actually said that he would be “shocked” if we had an NFL or college season at the rate things are going in regards to the coronavirus pandemic.

Right now, I think it’s way too early to throw such an idea out there. We still have 5+ months until college football is set to resume.

So, until there’s official word that college football will be played in the fall of 2020, we will all keep our fingers crossed, pray and hope for the best.

Related — 2020 Georgia football schedule: Game-by-game predictions

I mean, Georgia plays Alabama in week-three. Please do not take that away from not only Bulldog and Tide fans, but football fans across America.

Taking a look at Georgia’s 2020 schedule, there’s no doubt that that September 19th meeting between UGA and Bama in Tuscaloosa is the toughest game on Georgia’s schedule.

When the two powerhouses meet, it will likely be a top-five battle that will have huge implications on both the SEC and the NCAA.

We take a look at Georgia’s three toughest games on its 2020 schedule, with Alabama checking at No. 1.

1. Georgia at Alabama – September 19th

This will be the biggest regular season game of Kirby Smart’s career in Athens. Kirby will be back in Tuscaloosa playing in Nick Saban’s house, where Kirby’s coaching career really took off.

After spending nine years at Alabama, Kirby is yet to defeat the Tide as head coach of the Bulldogs. In two tries, he is 0-2, with both losses coming by a combined 10 points.

Both Alabama and Georgia will go into the 2020 season ranked in the top-five, and by the time they play each other, it’s expected that both will be undefeated.

Georgia’s first three games of 2020:

Virginia

East Tennessee State

Alabama

Alabama’s first three games of 2020:

Southern Cal

Georgia State

Georgia

Alabama will be tested opening week in Arlington, when it meets the Trojans. USC could very well open the season in the top-25, but I don’t think there’s anyone out there who believes the Trojans are going to take down the Tide.

Georgia and Alabama have not met since the 2018 SEC Championship Game, where UGA lost 35-28.

A lot has changed since then. Both teams have new quarterbacks, with Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa leaving their schools for the NFL. There’s new coaching staffs, recruits, transfers, etc.

Players and coaches come and go, but the style remains the same. This will be a physical, defensive battle that will be won in the trenches.

If Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman can adjust to the atmosphere in Bryant-Denny Stadium, I like Georgia’s chances.

But honestly, it’s just way too early to make a prediction on this game, with both teams being so close in terms of talent level.

If there’s one thing I know for certain, though, it’s that Saban will want nothing more than to beat Kirby and the Bulldogs. This offseason, Kirby stole Saban’s longtime strength coach Scott Cochran by offering him the position of special teams coordinator in Athens.

This will be a thrilling fight between two of college football’s biggest names.

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SportingNews releases preseason CFB top-25: Where is Georgia football?

Where is Georgia football in SportingNews’ preseason college football top-25 rankings?

This week, SportingNews released its preseason college football top-25 for the 2020 season.

Whether or not there will even be a 2020 season is uncertain right now. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit actually said that he would be “shocked” if we had an NFL or college season at the rate things are going in regards to the coronavirus pandemic.

With no spring practices or scrimmages, it makes it that much tougher to assemble these preseason rankings.

Related: USA TODAY releases preseason CFB top 25: Where is Georgia?

But those who are still taking it upon themselves to create a top-25 are doing us all a favor, making the offseason slightly more entertaining.

In SportingNews’ preseason top-25, created by Bill Bender, the site had the Georgia Bulldogs ranked fourth in America.

Bender’s top-five is as follows:

  1. Clemson
  2. Ohio State
  3. Alabama
  4. Georgia
  5. LSU

Notable mentions include: #10 Florida, #11 Auburn, #17 Texas A&M and #23 Kentucky.

On Georgia, Bender wrote:

Jake Fromm is gone, as well as the vast majority of Georgia’s offensive line. The Bulldogs did pick up graduate transfer quarterback Jamie Newman from Wake Forest, and he will work with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Georgia also hired Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran. Kirby Smart has built with a string of top-five recruiting classes. Zamir White and James Cook will keep the ground game going, and George Pickens could emerge as the best receiver in the FBS. Rising redshirt-sophomore linebacker Azeez Ojulari could make the jump to All-American. The road trip to Alabama on Sept. 19 is the next chance to win the big game.

Georgia will look to cap its season with a fourth consecutive trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game. That will not be as easy as in years past – not that it was ever easy. Before November, Georgia visits Alabama, hosts Auburn and will play a Florida team in Jacksonville that’s received a ton of offseason hype.

We’ll know just how far this Bulldog squad is capable of going by November 1.

ESPN’s Booger McFarland names elite SEC coaches

ESPN’s Booger McFarland talks which SEC coaches are in elite status. Did Georgia football HC Kirby Smart make the cut?

While on the Paul Finebaum show, ESPN analyst Booger McFarland was asked about the job that Dan Mullen is doing at Florida.

In response, he said that Mullen deserves to be considered as one of the league’s elite coaches and then went on to name other SEC coaches who he’d put in that top-tier.

McFarland included Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Ed Orgeron and Mullen as the coaches who are at the top of the conference at the moment.

“I think if I had to rank the top four right now,” McFarland said, “I would go Saban, and in some order, you can sway me in this order — it would be Saban, it would be Kirby, it would be Ed and it will be Dan Mullen, and I think there’s a line of delineation right there and then there’s a second-tier.”

Sorry Gus Malzahn and Auburn, Booger does not think you’ve done enough to be included in that top-tier of coaches. Three 8-5 seasons, one 7-6 year and one at 9-4 just will not cut it.

Also left off the list is former national championship winning coach Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M) and Kentucky’s Mark Stoops, who has recently turned the Wildcats program into a headache for some of the league’s top contenders.

Georgia football target Kamar Wilcoxson de-commits from Florida

For a second time, Kamar Wilcoxson has taken a step back from his commitment to Florida.

For a second time, Kamar Wilcoxson has taken a step back from his commitment to Florida. The four-star athlete, a projected defensive back, originally pledged to the Gators in 2018 before de-committing in April 2019 only to re-commit three months later.

Wilcoxson is ranked the 12th overall ATH in the 2021 recruiting cycle and the state of Florida’s 31st-ranked prospect as per 247Sports.

Just this week, the Sunshine State standout told Sports Illustrated he was “solid in [his] commitment” to Dan Mullen, Todd Grantham and company. He’s since entertained Alabama and Ohio State fans’ tweets before officially announcing his intention to back off of Florida.

Though Ohio State is the current favorite to secure Wilcoxson’s services, the IMG Academy transfer originally from Lilburn, Georgia has been extended a scholarship offer from Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. It’s one of the high schooler’s 30 total D1 offers.

The first of many came from a coach presently employed by Smart. Georgia faithful may be interested in knowing that current Dawgs’ secondary coach Charlton Warren held the same position in Gainesville at the time Wilcoxson initially committed to Florida.

With rapport in Athens and plenty of time before both December’s early signing period and February’s National Signing Day, expect Wilcoxson to make at a few trips to northeast Georgia.

USA TODAY Sports releases preseason CFB top-25: Where is Georgia football?

Where did Georgia football ranks in USA TODAY’s preseason CFB top-25?

Kirby Smart and the Georgia football program will once again head into the next season with hopes of bringing the national championship back home to Athens, Georgia.

Via elite recruiting of both high school prospects and collegiate transfer students, the Dawgs have positioned themselves well to be in this position every year.

Even with the departure of a Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift, Lawrence Cager, practically its entire offensive line, a few defensive leaders and one of the greatest kickers in school history, Georgia still should find itself sitting in the top-five come next fall.

With coronavirus causing so much uncertainty in the world of sports, whether or not there will even be a 2020 college football season is a mystery right now. However, that did not stop USA TODAY Sports from releasing its post-spring preseason top-25 for the 2020 season.

Paul Myerberg went ahead and compiled his rankings, with Georgia sitting at No. 3 in America.

Here is the top-five:

1. Clemson

2. Ohio State

3. Georgia

4. Oregon

5. Alabama

A few notable mentions include: #7 Florida, #9 LSU, #12 Auburn, #13 Texas A&M.

On Georgia, Myerberg wrote:

Georgia takes a big step forward in the post-spring rankings after cementing its quarterback position with Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman. If replacing Jake Fromm’s experience and reliability may be difficult, Newman’s arm and athleticism should provide a different look to an offense run by a new coordinator in Todd Monken.

Georgia will look to cap off its season with a fourth consecutive trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game. That won’t be as easy as in years past – not that it was ever easy. All before November, Georgia visits Alabama, hosts Auburn and will play a Florida team in Jacksonville that’s received a ton of offseason hype.

We’ll know how elite this Bulldog squad is by November 1st.

Urban Meyer: ‘I think this is the year’ that Florida beats Georgia

Former Florida Gators HC Urban Meyer thinks this is the year Dan Mullen and UF beat Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs football program.

During his tenure at Florida, former Gators head coach Urban Meyer went 4-1 vs Georgia, with his only loss being the famous 2007 “Gator Stomp” game.

Meyer’s success against the Bulldogs has not yet been replicated by another Gator coach since.

Now, with Dan Mullen as the head guy in Gainesville, Florida is playing catch-up to Kirby Smart and Georgia. The Dawgs are 2-0 against Florida since Mullen took over and have won the last three vs the Gators.

Georgia has taken control of the series, holding a 6-3 record since 2011.

But Meyer, now a college football analyst with Fox Sports, thinks that this is the year that Mullen gets Florida back into the national spotlight, beats Georgia and navigates the Gators to their first playoff appearance.

“I think (Florida) should be in the playoff. I think it’s time,” Meyer told GatorBait’s Buddy Martin. “Dan’s built a good program. But I spent six years at Florida. Georgia is a big game. Until you beat Georgia you can’t say a thing. And I think this is the year.”

Meyer looks at 2020 as a transition year for Kirby Smart and the Dawgs.

He’s not wrong, but Georgia fans see the transition as a good thing. The Dawgs got an upgrade at offensive coordinator with Todd Monken, a fresh face at quarterback in Jamie Newman and what could even possibly be a boost at offensive line coach with Matt Luke coming into replace Sam Pittman.

There’s a lot of player talent to replace other than Fromm, but Kirby’s landed the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in each of the last three years. I have no doubt that Florida will give Georgia a challenge the year, but I’m getting the sense that Kirby has Mullen’s number, and that’s not changing.

Florida is coming on strong, and many do expect the Gators to dethrone Georgia as SEC East champs in 2020. If that happens, it would make Florida the first team other than Georgia to win the division since 2016.