Tag: Georgia Football

The good vs. the bad from Georgia’s season opening win at Arkansas

Georgia won its season opener at Arkansas 37-10. We breakdown what went wrong and what went right here.

After an abysmal first half where Georgia found itself down 7-2 at one point, the Bulldogs were able to find some rhythm and came back to beat Arkansas 37-10.

The resurgence was due, in part, to junior quarterback Stetson Bennett, who got the call when redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis was pulled after just five drives.

Hear what former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray had to say about the Dawgs’ quarterback play here:

Let’s break down the good versus the bad from UGA’s win in Fayetteville.

Which players stood out?

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Georgia vs Auburn: Previewing The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry

Georgia football has a big game this weekend: UGA vs Auburn. Here’s a preview of the 2020 edition of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.

The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, Georgia versus Auburn, comes early this year with the SEC’s conference-only schedule.

And it’s a matchup of two top-10 programs – Georgia comes in ranked No. 4 after a 37-10 win versus Arkansas in Fayetteville and Auburn sits at No. 7 after a 29-13 win versus Kentucky.

The biggest question once again for the Bulldogs is who will start at quarterback?

USC transfer J.T. Daniels was cleared Monday after missing 2019 with an ACL tear, so we may finally get to see what Daniels can do under center for Georgia on Saturday.

If Daniels doesn’t get the start, we will either see junior Stetson Bennett or redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis.

Mathis started the game at Arkansas but was quickly relieved of duties just five drives. Bennett, who went 20/29 for 211 yards and two touchdowns, replaced him and led Georgia back from a 5-point deficit.

Hear what former Georgia quarterback, CBS Sports analyst Aaron Murray thinks about the Bulldogs’ quarterbacks here:

Regardless of who winds up at quarterback, Georgia will have its hands full with a loaded Auburn team.

The Tigers are led by sophomore quarterback Bo Nix, who was responsible for most of Auburn’s offense versus Kentucky.

He threw for 233 yards on 16/27 passing with 3 touchdowns and led team in rushing with five carries for 34 yards.

Nix didn’t get much help from the Tigers’ backfield, but he did establish a connection with junior receiver Seth Williams, who went off with six receptions for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns.

They will face a Georgia secondary coming off of a three interception performance versus the Razorbacks, returning one for a touchdown and adding a couple of passes defended.

Preseason All-American safety Richard LeCounte had two of those picks and looks like the unquestioned leader of the 2020 Bulldogs defense, who’s depth and talent across the board is among the best in the nation.

The Bulldogs have big junior tackle Jordan Davis in the middle of its defensive front and senior defensive end Malik Herring setting the edge with star linebackers Nolan Smith and Azeez Ojulari cleaning up. And don’t forget about senior linebacker Monte Rice at the mike linebacker spot.

With the current quarterback mess, Georgia will have to lean on these talented guys on the Bulldog defense to get a win versus a tough Auburn team, but Auburn coach Gus Malzahn always seems to have issues scoring versus Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s defenses, so look for a low scoring punt-fest this Saturday.

Auburn vs Georgia: What the experts are saying

Auburn and Georgia face off on Saturday night in Athens.

Round 128 of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry will kick off this Saturday at 6:30 pm in Athens as seventh-ranked Auburn takes on No. 4 Georgia. Georgia is currently favored by six and a half points, but not all experts are sold on the Bulldogs. Here’s what they have to say:

247Sports: 

Brad Crawford: UGA 27 Auburn 19

  • Why: Crawford is extremely high on Georgia’s defense in this one. He says the keys to the Bulldogs’ success on Saturday are to feed Zamir White and negate Seth Williams (good luck with that).

Chris Hummer: UGA 21 Auburn 17

  • Why: Hummer says that he has a lot of questions about both teams, especially Georgia’s quarterback situation. Ultimately he gives the nod to Georgia due to them being, “the more talented team at home.”

Athlon: 

Steven Lassan: UGA

Mark Ross: UGA

Ben Weinrib: UGA

Sporting News: 

Bill Bender: UGA 27 Auburn 23

  • Why: Bender says, “Georgia has quarterback questions, and it will be interesting if USC transfer JT Daniels sees his first action in a tough assignment against Auburn, which looked more consistent with Bo Nix in his sophomore season.”

NCAA Sports: 

Barrett Sallee: Auburn

  • Why: Sallee isn’t buying that JT Daniels is 100% healthy and says that Auburn’s defense isn’t going to be threatened by either of Georgia’s quarterbacks. Sallee also thinks that Malzahn and Morris are going to open up that playbook a lot more on Saturday. “Take those points, but you won’t need them. Auburn will win this game outright.”

Bleacher Report:

Joe Tansey: Auburn (+6.5)

  • Why: Tansey did not like what he saw from Georgia against the Razorbacks, he cites the two costly turnovers by the Bulldogs and says, “Gus Malzahn’s team did not turn over the ball in its win over Kentucky and picked up 233 of its 324 total yards through the air.” He also adds that Bo Nix’s chemistry with his wide receivers is superior. Tansey also adds that history is on the Tigers’ side of covering the spread, “In their six meetings since 2015, Georgia is 5-1 outright, but Auburn has kept three games within one score, which makes the possibility of the Tigers covering the 6.5-point spread larger.”

USA Today:

Of the 17 sportswriters polled, only two picked the Tigers (I love being the underdog) and they are Ben Niewoehner of College Football News and Scott Steehn of WinnersandWhiners.

Overall many experts are skeptical of JT Daniels, as they should be, but they’re also not sold on how well Auburn’s O-line will hold up against Georgia’s solid defense. Personally, I like our chances at keeping this game dangerously close on Saturday. This game is one that everyone will be watching.

 

 

 

What Auburn football media is saying about Georgia ahead of Saturday’s matchup

No. 4 Georgia takes on No. 7 Auburn Saturday at 7:30 p.m., see what Auburn media is saying about the Bulldogs here.

The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is here a bit early.

Because of the SEC-only schedule this season amid the Covid-19 pandemic, No. 4 Georgia and No. 7 Auburn matchup in just their second games of the season.

Once again we are in the dark about who will start at quarterback for the Bulldogs.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart and staff elected to start redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis against Arkansas, and then abruptly pulled him after only five drives for junior Stetson Bennett.

Bennett played well, using his championship run experience at Jones County Junior College in 2018 to lead the Bulldogs back from a 5-point deficit to beat Arkansas 37-10.

There was a chance we would see USC transfer J.T. Daniels if he was cleared from an ACL tear from 2019, but he wasn’t cleared before kickoff like Smart hoped.

Then, on Monday, Smart announced that Daniels had been cleared for gameplay and now the Bulldogs once again must make a decision on who will start at signal caller.

Here is what the Auburn media is saying about Georgia and its quarterback situation:

“A defense that led the nation in points allowed last year (12.6 per game) and rushing defense (75 yards per game), the Georgia Bulldogs bring back plenty of talent from that 2019 group led by a deep and talented front seven along with a secondary that has one of the best college football players in the country in senior safety Richard LeCounte.”

“We recruit the state; I think a third of our team is from the state of Georgia,” Malzahn said. “You can look at it since I’ve been at Auburn, it’s always been very, very important and the winner’s usually gone on to do really well. It’s a big one.”

“Smart has had to worry about his own quarterback situation this week after redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis started but struggled against the Razorbacks and junior Stetson Bennett entered the game in relief. The availability of Daniels, a former five-star recruit, has muddied the picture going into Saturday’s game, and Smart has been hesitant to tip his hand one way or the other.”

“No. 7 Auburn at No. 4 Georgia (-6.5): The wrong team is favored here. I don’t buy that JT Daniels is 100% following his knee injury last season or that he has the same ceiling as he did prior to it. Whether it’s Daniels or Stetson Bennett IV, Auburn’s defense won’t be threatened by an offense that struggled to find its sea legs. Auburn has its work cut out for it on offense, though. Quarterback Bo Nix looked better after some halftime adjustments last week, and there’s no doubt that coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Chad Morris held back much of the offense against Kentucky. Take those points, but you won’t need them. Auburn will win this game outright. Pick: Auburn (+6.5)”

 

 

Georgia football at Auburn: Expert picks and predictions

The UGA Wire staff gives their score, stat and game predictions ahead of the Georgia football home opener against the Auburn Tigers.

The No. 7 Auburn Tigers travel to Athens this Saturday to face the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs between the hedges.

This top-10 matchup will be the host to ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew and is expected to be a shootout.

The Tigers beat Kentucky last week, 29-13, while the Bulldogs beat Arkansas, 37-10. The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is scheduled to kick off this Saturday at 7:30 EDT on ESPN.

With that said, the UGA Wire staff has put together a number of score, stat and game predictions ahead of Saturday’s matchup.

Here are the picks:

The moneymakers:

No. 4 Georgia (-6.5) vs. No. 7 Auburn

(Odds courtesy of BetMGM)

UGA WIRE Game Picks:

Joe Vitale: Georgia 

James Morgan: Georgia

Henry Sillen: Georgia

J.C. Shelton: Georgia

Spread Pick (Georgia -6.5/Auburn +6.5):

JV: Georgia -6.5

JM: Auburn +6.5

HS: Georgia -6.5

JC: Auburn + 6.5

Over/Under (44.5):

JV: Under

JM: Under

HS: Over

JC: Over

Score prediction:

JV: Georgia 27, Auburn 13

JM: Georgia 20, Auburn 17

HS: Georgia 30, Auburn 23 (Correct score prediction last week of 37-10)

JC: Georgia 26, Auburn 22

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UGA football target 4-star WR Jayden Thomas sets commitment date

The Georgia Bulldogs made the top five schools for Pace Academy WR Jayden Thomas

The Georgia Bulldogs made the top five schools for Jayden Thomas. Thomas is a four-star receiver who plays high school football at Pace Academy. He’s from Atlanta, Georgia, and is a member of the class of 2021. Now, Thomas is ready to make his commitment.

Pace Academy is a bit of a University of Georgia pipeline high school. Georgia has recruited talented players Andrew Thomas and Jamaree Salyer from Pace Academy.

Jayden Thomas announced his commitment date via Twitter:

In case you can’t see the tweet, Thomas will be committing Oct. 2. That is a special day for him because it is his grandma’s birthday.

At 6 feet, 1 inch, 200 pounds, Thomas has solid size. He will decide between UGA, Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan and Arkansas.

Kirby Smart and Georgia have 15 commitments in the class of 2021. Thomas would be a great addition to the class. Can UGA persuade the four-star to stay in the Peach State?

Kirby Smart and the Dawgs have secured three straight elite recruiting classes. Look for the class of 2021 to be no different. Georgia has two wide receiver commitments: Adonai Mitchell, who flipped from Ole Miss, and Jackson Meeks.

Thomas frequently works out with Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver legend Terrence Edwards.

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UGA football Twitter reacts to Pearce Spurlin’s commitment

The Georgia Bulldogs received a commitment from 2023 tight end Pearce Spurlin, a four-star recruit from Florida (South Walton High School).

The Georgia Bulldogs offered a scholarship to sophomore tight end Pearce Spurlin in the offseason. Spurlin is young, but very talented based on the amount of recruiting attention he has received. Now, Spurlin has committed to the University of Georgia football program.

He has solid size at 6 feet, 6 inches. Spurlin will grow into his frame and has already received interest from other major schools such as Tennessee, Maryland, Penn State, Florida State and Louisville.

Spurlin is a member of the class of 2023 and is rated as a four-star recruit. He plays high school football for South Walton. His hometown is Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

Georgia and Kirby Smart already have one commitment in the class of 2023, Treyaun Webb. Georgia isn’t afraid to recruit standout players from a very early age. Spurlin joins Webb in the class of 2023.

Based on his tape, Spurlin will be a legitimate threat in the red zone in college. He has a few years before he plans to face SEC level competition. Look for him to add muscle and weight to his thin frame.

Here’s how UGA football Twitter reacted to his commitment:

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UGA Football Live, with J.C. Shelton: S1, Ep. 2 – Aaron Murray talks UGA QBs

You don’t want to miss my conversation with former Georgia QB Aaron Murray about the Bulldogs’ QB situation. Listen here!

Your friends at “UGA Football Live” and UGA Wire present your one-stop shop for all things Georgia Football!

We will release episodes and interviews each week during the 2020 college football season with a little bit of everything sprinkled in between.

Listen here:

OR:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uga-football-live-with-j-c-shelton/id1533295384#episodeGuid=Buzzsprout-5686597

In this week’s episode I talk with former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray (10:32) about the Bulldogs’ quarterback situation and what he saw from redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis and junior Stetson Bennett versus Arkansas.

PLUS:

  • Arkansas recap

I go through key stat lines and plays from Georgia’s 37-10 win over the Razorbacks

  • Georgia analysis 

Who played well and who didn’t? I go through each position group and look at the numbers.

  • Auburn Preview

What will the Tigers look like Saturday? I break down some key match ups to look for when Georgia takes on Auburn this Saturday in Athens.

  • Braves and sadly, the Falcons

I give the Atlanta Braves update and cry about the Atlanta Falcons. It’s all in a day’s work as a Georgia sports fan.

 

 

 

 

 

Mecole Hardman reels in 49-yard TD pass in Kansas City Chiefs’ win

Former Georgia football WR Mecole Hardman scores 49-yard TD from Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City Chiefs Monday Night Football win.

Former Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman had himself a night on Monday in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Monday Night Football win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Hardman finished the contest with a season high 81 receiving yards on 4 receptions.  Hardman also scored his first touchdown of the 2020 NFL season on a 49-yard deep ball from Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

WATCH:

Hardman and the Chiefs suit up next this Sunday at 4:25 p.m. EST against the New England Patriots.

Georgia QB J.T. Daniels cleared for Auburn game

Georgia football QB J.T. Daniels, who transferred from USC following an ACL tear, has been cleared for action ahead of Week 2 vs Auburn.

Former 5-star recruit and USC transfer quarterback J.T. Daniels has officially been cleared for Georgia, heading into game two vs Auburn.

Daniels suffered an ACL tear last season with the Trojans on August 31st and has now been given the green light by doctors to resume his football career.

As a freshman in 2018 Daniels threw for 2,672 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.  Georgia lost its three year starting quarterback in Jake Fromm to the NFL Draft this offseason as well as Wake Forest graduate transfer Jamie Newman, who opted out of the 2020 college football season due to COVID-19 concerns.

Head coach Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Todd Monken gave redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis the nod for the Arkansas game during week one, but was soon benched after poor play for junior Stetson Bennett.  Bennett played an incredible game, completing 69 percent of his passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns in just three quarters.

Now that Daniels is cleared, there should be a massive quarterback battle for the Bulldogs.  Mathis showed glimpses of greatness in his first career collegiate start while Bennett showed some great poise and game management, securing the Georgia win.

It will be interesting to see who coach Smart names as the starter for the Dawgs’ home opener against the Auburn Tigers.  Smart has made it clear that the return of Daniels only means the quarterback battle will be even tougher.

Georgia kicks off against Auburn this Saturday between the hedges at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.