Georgia Football: Bulldogs 2017 season preview and predictions

After a humdrum 2016 season, Georgia football is looking for what has been an elusive SEC East title in 2017.  Can the Bulldogs pull it off?

It’s not that UGA was bad in 2016–far from it.  There are teams out there that would sell their souls for a 8-5 regular season and a definitive postseason bowl game win. Considering that it was also Kirby Smart‘s first year coaching the Dawgs it was not a bad inauguration.

I could natter on about the SEC and high expectations, but anyone that knows anything about football has analyzed that to death. Smart comes from the SEC and was well aware of the pressure on him when he took the job.  All in all, Georgia had a few games that could have been better (Ole Miss and Vanderbilt come to mind) and a few games that were on point (Florida).

But this is a new year and a new season. Georgia has landed one of the best recruiting classes in the country, according to Scout.com.  UGA preseason practice just began and there are definitely some interesting questions facing the Dawgs in 2017. The Dawgs have 19 starters in the Scout Top 300. They do have some glaring issues starting the 2017 season though, particularly on offense. In addition, special teams are unsettled at best and completely chaotic at worst. There are no standout punters, kickers, or returners. That could really hurt the Dawgs in the high-scoring circus of the SEC.

The SEC East will most likely be a three-team race between Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.  If the Bulldogs’ outstanding defense can shine, Georgia has the chops to make it to Atlanta in the fall.

The Offense

Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason had a rough 2016. He was a 5-star recruit and he shows a great deal of promise.  He didn’t have much consistency last season. His completion percentage in 2016 was only 55 percent, which needs to improve if the Dawgs hope to compete in the SEC.

He does have a pair of the best running backs in the country with Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, who both chose to stay at UGA their senior season rather than move on to the NFL. Chubb, in particular, should finish the season as a Heisman contender if he can avoid injuries. The O-line struggled last year, but if Eason can settle into a rhythm and improve accuracy, the Dawgs have a chance to clinch the division title.

What’s holding them back?

The main problem lies not with Eason, but with the receivers. It’s not that they lack talent–far from it. It’s that they are young and inexperienced. There aren’t many consistent blockers on the UGA offensive line and that might hamper the receivers.  Indeed, the issues at offense were so pronounced in 2016 that Chubb and Michel’s formidable talents were almost negated, particularly in the first half of the season.

For some odd reason, OC Jim Chaney wants to run up the middle. He doesn’t have the OL for it and still won’t this year.  Hopefully, he will correct that error and also let Eason settle into the shotgun, where he excels. The offense did gain some momentum late in the season. If they can play like they did against Auburn last year and clean up their red zone play, the offense should have a good shot.  There is a great deal of room for improvement, but the talent is there.

The Defense

Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker has been smart with his recruiting and the Bulldogs have more depth in the D-line than they have had in years. Watch for DT Trenton Thompson, the 6-foot-4, 295-pound beast, to be another leader this season.

UGA also has all four linebackers coming back this season. Having seasoned veterans like Lorenzo Carter and Roquan Smith will add even more depth to a loaded D-line.  UGA easily could have one of the best defensive units in the country. They ranked 16th nationally last year, and with almost all of their starters returning they should be even better in 2017.

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The Dawgs have a deep front seven with Trenton Thompson back in full health. Carter and Davin Bellamy are both fantastic rushers.  The secondary is laden with talent, particularly safety Dominick Sanders and cornerback Malkom Parrish.

Georgia’s defense is poised to become one of the best. This could help to shore up the weaknesses in the offense and give the Dawgs a clear shot at the SEC East title.

2017 Schedule

Final thoughts

The Dawgs could easily take the first four games of the season, but Appalachian State is never a cupcake game. The Mountaineers always give their opponents a challenge, so expect a few nail biting and head-shaking moments in this one.

ESPN FPI has Notre Dame as a favorite over the Georgia in week two, but I don’t think that there is any way the Irish can take on the Dawgs on either side of the ball. Their quarterback situation is iffy and their defense is terrible. Samford and Mississippi will be cupcakes this year.

Where UGA will struggle is in midseason. They take on Tennessee, Vandy, and Missouri in a brutal three-week stretch.  Both history and the Dawg’s own tendencies to self-destruct may work against them.  We can opine that the Dawgs will lose at least one of these games, and probably the one we’d least expect. Georgia has a marked tendency to lose to teams that they should readily beat. This year, it might be Missouri. They may beat Tennessee, but it is going to be close.

The game that will change the season for the Dawgs will, of course, be Florida. That game never has anything to do with talent or with records–it’s all about emotion, and emotions run high at this one. Since both teams are running with full-throttle defenses this year it’s going to be a brutal, physical matchup.  If it comes down to the offensive line, UGA has the edge, but only slightly.

Auburn will also be a nasty one for the Dawgs. The game is at home for Auburn this year and the Tigers will be looking for some revenge after their loss in Athens last year.  They’ll be gunning for the Dawgs in preparation for the Iron Bowl two weeks later. I think Georgia will go down to Mizzou, Florida and Auburn but will take the SEC East anyway.

Prediction: 10-3

Georgia should start the season 4-0 mainly through the talents of a powerhouse defense. Their offense will gain confidence by beating Tennessee and Notre Dame at home, but they won’t be able to take down Florida. Missouri may account for the second loss but they’ll come back with a vengeance to beat Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and South Carolina. Despite a loss to Florida, the Gators will lose to Tennessee and lock up a spot for the Dawgs in the SEC East title game.