If there was a common dread after the Tech game (other than the whole losing to Tech thing), it was a resignation that Georgia had cost itself a spot in one of the new “access bowls” whose participants would be parceled out by the playoff committee. Instead, it looked as if Georgia would slip back into the familiar world of a Florida bowl versus a Big 10 opponent, and jokes about a rubber match against Nebraska seemed a lot less funny. Greg McGarity even had to take to the news and assure us that Georgia would not be facing Nebraska nor playing in Jacksonville again.

Georgia did more than avoid Nebraska and Jacksonville. They’ve managed to avoid Big 10 conference and the state of Florida entirely this bowl season. The Dawgs will instead head to Charlotte to face Louisville in the Belk Bowl on Tuesday evening, December 30.

So instead of complaining about the same old, same old in Florida, those Georgia fans can now gripe about being passed over for New Year’s Day bowls in warmer climes for an earlier bowl with a lower payout.

The stories generate themselves instantly. Grantham. The slew of players dismissed from Georgia who are now sitting out their transfer season at Louisville. A planned series between the two programs was shelved a couple of years ago so that Georgia could play Boise State in 2011. Georgia finally gets to face Louisville in a new bowl, new stadium, and new city. For everyone tired of the bowl rut, here you go.

Personally, I’m more interested in this game than I would have been in a game against, say, Minnesota or Wisconsin. If prestige is an issue, things have changed: with the Peach Bowl becoming one of the new “access bowls,” this is the new Peach Bowl. You have two ranked teams from the ACC and SEC. The payout and everything else needs to catch up, but most of the payout gets split by the conference anyway. It’s a reasonable 4-hour drive from Atlanta and Athens, and the Dawgs will play a game in the state that’s given the program Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall, Jeb Blazevich, and Mohammed Massaquoi – among others. Certainly the weather won’t be as nice as it would have been in Florida – hopefully we can get something a little more typical of a November home game rather than something more like the 2001 Music City Bowl.

Though you’ll hear more than you can stomach about Grantham, know that this is a talented defense mostly recruited and trained by Charlie Strong. They have a sound rushing defense and lead the nation with 25 interceptions, mostly thanks to safety Gerod Holliman who tied the NCAA record with 14 picks in 2014. As we saw in 2011 and 2012, Grantham can get results with a talented roster, and Louisville has played solid defense for much of the 2014 season. Football Outsiders has their defense rated 5th best in the nation.

But as much as we’ll hear about Grantham, I’m almost more interested in the other coordinator matchup: Petrino vs. Pruitt. Each has had a season to re-tool his side of the ball in his own image, and there will be challenges for both of them. Louisville lost starting quarterback and Georgia native Will Gardner late in the season but have still finished strong, scoring 31 and 44 points in the final two games of the season. Pruitt has had to piece together a secondary still hemorrhaging players, and the Georgia defense has managed several impressive performances against some quality opponents. Georgia’s secondary hasn’t been tested by a strong passing attack since perhaps even the Tennessee game, so I’m looking forward to seeing how Pruitt and Petrino scheme against one another. Louisville’s 37 sacks allowed ranks near the bottom of the FBS, so Georgia’s pass rush will be a big part of the game plan.

Georgia has given J.J. Green his unconditional release, and that’s a good policy – student-athletes aren’t chattel. It’s a tough policy to stomach though when, as the Senator points out, that policy isn’t reciprocated and puts Georgia at a disadvantage. Where have we heard that before?

As for Green, he was an important part of the story in 2013 and a big reason why Georgia won at Tennessee. But considering the course he’s said to be choosing, that’s about as far as the pleasantries will go.

It was a very important Sunday for Georgia’s basketball teams. Within the span of six hours at Stegeman Coliseum, both teams posted their most significant wins to date in this young season. The men blew open a tie game at the end of the first half and had to hold on to beat 5-1 Colorado 64-57. Thornton was solid inside, and Frazier was perfect from both the field and the foul line. Frazier’s contribution off the bench was necessary because starting guard Kenny Gaines left the game early in the second half with a shoulder injury on a hustle play. Gaines should be OK, and he’ll have two weeks to recover before Georgia’s next game.

Two hours after the men’s game ended, the #19 Lady Dogs took the court against #16 Michigan State. The Spartans survived an overtime challenge from Georgia Tech on Thursday and were playing their first road game of the season. Georgia took control of the game from the start and raced out to a 23-point lead behind effective defense and an energetic tempo. Things became sloppy at the end of the half though, and Michigan State ended the period on an 8-0 run. They had erased a double-digit deficit against Tech and seemed poised to do the same in Athens. The visitors made several runs in the second half to close within single digits, but Georgia responded each time to push the lead back to a more comfortable margin. Michigan State eventually drew within five points, but Georgia was clutch at the foul line in the final minutes. With the 69-60 win, Georgia’s undefeated season continues, and the Lady Dogs became the first team in the nation to reach 10 wins.

Both programs have an extended break ahead for exams. Neither team will play until the weekend before Christmas, giving the players a chance to finish the semester and rest up from the first month of the regular season.

Offseason changes have already begun for the Georgia football program. Longtime staffer and recently installed strength coach Joe Tereshinski Jr. will step down after the bowl game.

Tereshinski played for Georgia from 1972-1976 and started at center from 1975-1976, serving as a captain of the 1976 SEC champions. He joined the Georgia staff in 1982 and has served in a number of roles before he was tapped to head the strength and conditioning program after the 2010 season.

There are a number of theories as to why Tereshinski might step down now, but it’s also the case that he’s put in over 30 years with the program and might just be ready to enjoy his pension and move on. Tereshinski has also been in charge of the video and game analysis, and he’s been the organizer of the year-end Gala since 1998. Through his longevity, Tereshinski has had an important role passing down the traditions and rivalries of Georgia football to each new group of players. Georgia might and probably will find a better candidate to head the strength program, but they’ll have a much bigger job finding someone who can teach the love of the school and the team that Tereshinski had.

Another defensive back is out the door. Brendan Langley spent 2013 as a cornerback, moved to receiver for 2014, and moved back to the secondary when attrition took its toll. Now Langley is a part of that attrition: citing playing time, he’ll be looking to continue his career at another school.

Langley saw his first start of 2014 in the shutout of Missouri, and we were encouraged by how well the secondary performed and looked with him in the lineup. But Langley’s role in the secondary diminished as the season continued, and he wasn’t a factor in the final few games. Langley, a 4-star prospect in the 2013 class, was considered an important piece of the recruiting class when he flipped from South Carolina in November of 2012. He made four starts out of the gate as a true freshman in 2013 but eventually gave way to a rotation of other cornerbacks.

Like many, I stood there unable to move for several minutes after Huston Mason’s interception ended the game. Going back and watching the scene on the broadcast confirms what I remember: a stunned crowd and team trying to make sense of what happened. I’m still trying. To help focus myself, I’ll reply to a handful of tweets I sent out just before the game.

Three questions. 1) Can we limit Tech’s big play *passing* game? Big part of what they do.

— dawgsonline (@dawgsonline) November 29, 2014

I asked this question for two reasons: first, big pass plays helped Tech jump out 20-0 on Georgia last year. I wondered if Johnson would test Georgia’s secondary again. Second, Tech came into the game with one of the top-ten rated passing attacks (a spot ahead of Georgia, in fact.) Though they were completing just over 50% of passes, they were getting a lot from the passes they did complete.

As it turned out, Tech’s passing game played only a minor role in the outcome. They completed 6 of 16 passes for just 64 yards and one score coming at the end of the first half. But it’s the split that tells the story. Tech attempted just two passes after halftime. As with Florida completing just 3 of 6 pass attempts, Tech didn’t need to throw in the second half because their running game was functioning so well.

The Georgia defense did a fair job against the run in the first half, but they couldn’t sustain it. Whether it was fatigue, the return of bad habits, or Tech finding and exploiting a weakness, Georgia’s line was overmatched against the dive. Though Ray Drew played the game of his life, the dive often went off-tackle to the side opposite Drew where the defensive linemen were less effective. Georgia’s interior linebackers recorded a staggering number of tackles, but many of those came chasing down a guy who had broken through the line. Tech put together a string where five out of six drives went at least eight plays. Georgia had only three possessions in the entire second half (true, there was a nice fumble return in there too.) That’s a lot of time for the defense to be out there, and they just couldn’t get off the field. It became classic option water torture.

2) Both teams are similar in takeaways/giveaways. Tech has scored on turnovers in 3 of last 4. Can we keep the turnover margin in our favor?

— dawgsonline (@dawgsonline) November 29, 2014

Oh did turnovers play a part in the game. Georgia’s three red zone turnovers were crippling. Tech’s two fumbles led to 14 Georgia points. I’d go so far as to consider the blocked placekicks by both teams as turnovers. There were huge swings in momentum all day. It must’ve made for an entertaining game for neutral watchers. Tech and Georgia fans had to be dizzy. For Georgia, both fumbles came when backs made extra effort near the goal line. With so many fumbles bouncing back Georgia’s way throughout the season, the ledger adjusted itself at the worst possible time.

Can we get off to a better start and get out ahead this year? Make the most of every possession.

— dawgsonline (@dawgsonline) November 29, 2014

Both sides of the coin in that tweet. Yes, Georgia got out to a much better start this year. They marched down the field with relative ease, scored, and then forced Tech to punt. Georgia’s defense was playing well enough that the Dawgs had a fair chance to go up by three scores in the first half. They never trailed until late in the 4th quarter. But then there’s the “make the most of every possession” detail. Georgia had seven possessions inside of the Georgia Tech 40 that generated a total of 17 points. Five of those possessions resulted in only three points. The three red zone turnovers are obvious enough, but two other scoring chances were significant. The outstanding field position earned on the possession after Swann’s fumble return resulted in two yards gained and a blocked field goal instead of a two-possession lead. The five futile cracks at the endzone after Morgan’s brilliant fake field goal set the stage for the dramatic finish.

It’s a compliment to Mason that his legacy is still incomplete. Some big stages remain, especially today.

— dawgsonline (@dawgsonline) November 29, 2014

Ugh. Is it a cop-out to say that Mason’s legacy is still incomplete? Or would ambiguous be the better choice of words? It would have been much more tidy of course had Georgia’s final touchdown held up, but the interception that ended the game is burned in our memories now – never mind that it was his first interception since Vanderbilt. Even before those moments, the game was a mixed bag for Mason. He missed a couple of third down throws that should have extended drives. But given the ball with two minutes and incredible pressure, he orchestrated what should have been the winning drive.

A year after Mason passed for nearly 300 yards in Atlanta, Georgia’s approach to the passing game on Saturday was much different. Pass plays were short and intermediate and heavy on screens. That was fine so long as the running game was working – the space was there for a short pass to turn into more as it did for Chubb on the opening drive. But as Tech tightened up against the run (and Georgia’s line became less effective), there wasn’t much of a response from the Georgia offense. We didn’t see a real test downfield until an incomplete pass just beyond Conley well into the third quarter. We didn’t even see Conley targeted until the third quarter. Georgia’s senior receivers – Bennett and Conley – combined for 12 catches, 182 yards, and a touchdown in Atlanta a year ago. On Saturday Conley didn’t record a catch until Georgia’s final drive of regulation, and Bennett was shut out. Not to take anything away from Malcolm Mitchell’s outstanding game (holding on to that go-ahead touchdown was no small thing), but I just can’t process that two accomplished senior receivers weren’t a bigger part of the plan. I don’t put that on Mason or Bennett or Conley, and it’s not as if the final passing stats were that far from a typical 2014 Georgia game. And, again, the offense generated enough scoring chances to win. The approach just had a very strange feel to it.

Not much to note from the game, and that’s a good thing. Georgia tidily put the game away by the end of the first quarter. While that seems like a minor point and probably doesn’t mean much going forward, it’s more than some playoff contenders can say for their performance on Saturday. You mainly want to come out of these games intact, and Georgia seems to have dodged a bullet on the injury front. We’ve got bigger fish to fry this week, so we’ll make this quick.

• We’ve secretly replaced Lee Greenwood with Kenny G. Let’s see if anyone notices.
• I was glad to see Charleston Southern bring the band and let their whole program experience a game at Georgia. The Western Carolina coach was passionate about what these games mean to FCS programs, and we know there were several Georgians on the CSU team for whom this opportunity had extra meaning. We haven’t seen any whining “open letters” yet from the CSU camp, so we hope they all enjoyed the day.
• We only saw Chubb for a brief moment, but the long touchdown and the abuse of a would-be tackler was all anyone needed to see before it was time to go back in bubble wrap.
• Speaking of physical runs, Hicks made the most of his single carry. After he bounced off the line and went outside, Hicks wasn’t going to be denied the endzone.
• Charleston Southern didn’t record a sack, but Mason several times had to elude an oncoming defender and make a play on the run. His touchdown pass to Justin Scott-Wesley was such a play – Mason was flushed to the right by a defender who had gotten past Jay Rome, and Mason led Scott-Wesley nicely for an easy catch.
• Mason looked as sharp as he has all season, and it was good to see him take a few shots downfield. It would have been nice to connect with Mitchell a few times – that combination seems like the missing piece for a Georgia offense that’s already very potent, but it just hasn’t come together yet.
• Ramsey (8-for-12) also looked better than he did in his other extended action versus Troy (4-for-8). The interception wasn’t a great throw, but his touchdown pass to Rumph had some nice touch.
• Enjoyed seeing Rumph and Scott-Wesley make the most of their days with touchdown receptions. Scott-Wesley had his first receptions of the season after a long road back from ACL surgery, and Rumph showed some nice elusiveness on an early catch that he turned into a first down.
• The day belonged to Conley. After some disappointing drops against Auburn, the senior had two touchdown receptions including what could likely be Georgia’s catch of the year. The Redcoats saluted him with the Star Wars theme – a very nice touch.
• We all know how electrifying McKenzie can be in the return game, but he’s still making some freshman mistakes. The returners had to be frustrated by the rugby punts, but it would have really sucked for the top returner to go down with a bad injury trying to field a meaningless second-half punt. He’s also dropped some very catchable passes in back-to-back games, and those are plays he’ll need to make to avoid being pigeonholed as just the return guy.
• Jordan Jenkins had another disruptive game. There aren’t many Bulldogs playing better right now.
• The starting defense performed well and largely kept the option offense from generating many big plays. They were forced to adjust after Sanders went out, and it was a small silver lining that Parrish and Bowman got a lot of work against that kind of offense.

Finally, thank you to all of the veterans in attendance on Saturday and also to those involved with the ceremonies and tributes. Fans were impressed, moved, and humbled by the stories of valor and sacrifice.

We know Georgia needs Missouri to lose one of its final two games. But how likely is that to happen?

Thankfully, the Football Study Hall has put hard numbers to the likelihood of Missouri running the table. The Tigers have a 22.1% chance of going 2-0 against Tennessee and Arkansas which means that Georgia has about a 78% chance at this point of winning the East. Not a sure thing, but very strong odds.

There’s more: they also run the numbers for the three contenders remaining in the West and give Alabama a 79.2% chance of coming out on top – even slightly higher than Georgia’s odds in the East. When you combine the likely outcomes in both divisions, we currently have about a 62% chance of a Georgia-Alabama rematch in the Dome.

Yesterday’s extreme cold pushed the Georgia football team indoors to the multi-purpose facility added as part of the most recent Butts-Mehre expansion. That facility has a turf surface but only about 20 yards of space, making it useful only for walk-throughs. It was not intended to be an indoor practice facility (IPF.)

Several coaches, most vocally Jeremy Pruitt, used the occasion to put pressure on the administration to complete a proper indoor practice facility.

“This is gonna be the last football team at Georgia that’s gonna have days where they don’t get better because of not having an indoor facility. Because I know our folks upstairs are gonna get it done,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt explained that he had used the lack of a facility against Georgia in recruiting, and other coaches would continue to do so. “I’ve been on the other side when you recruit against Georgia, and when you don’t practice you don’t get better, so that hurts player development.” Studies have shown that these facilities don’t get used as much as you’d think, but as the stakes start to get much higher in terms of the rivalry game and a possible postseason, every day counts.

It’s rare to see a coach challenge the administration like this, particularly a coordinator. Even linebackers coach Mike Ekeler said, “It’s amazing we don’t have one.” I doubt Pruitt was going rogue though – Mark Richt might not like to air laundry in public like that, but Pruitt is more than happy to speak for the staff.

We know that the wheels are turning – the athletic department approved $400,000 just a couple of months ago for a location study. According to Seth Emerson, “UGA hired an architect for the project last week.” The next step is an update for the board in February. That’s not exactly a glacial pace in the academic world, but it’s also not something on the fast track to be completed in time for next season.

(N.B. the location study isn’t a minor thing. So much hangs on the site selection for this facility. There are tradeoffs between cost, scope, and utility for a facility built near Butts-Mehre versus one out on the Milledge property.)

Pruitt’s challenge and short timetable naturally prompted a response from Greg McGarity. “We’re moving as quickly as possible, but it’s impossible to be ready by 2015. There’s just so much to do.” That seems reasonable – even if the board settles the location, scope, and cost issues and approves the project on the spot in February, it’s not very likely that a project of any size or usefulness could be built in the six months remaining before the season.

At any rate, the project is moving forward and it will happen – perhaps not at Pruitt’s preferred pace, but it won’t be long either. Pruitt’s message was intended much more for recruits than McGarity anyway. It’s no coincidence that the staff is being very public about the coming facility after a chilly weekend on which Georgia hosted one of the most star-studded collection of prospects to visit Sanford Stadium. They’re responding to the messaging that’s being put out by other schools and feedback they’ve received from prospects.

Apparently Georgia’s response is being received loud and clear:

UGA getting a inside facility ??

— Chauncey Rivers (@Rivers_Cinco) November 19, 2014

When you look at the stats and see that Auburn was 8-of-14 on third down, you might conclude they did a good job of sustaining drives. That was the case on Auburn’s first possession when they converted on three third downs before scoring. After that drive, Auburn was a little less-impressive: 5-of-11. One of those five was the screen pass with two seconds remaining in the first half, and another was late in the fourth quarter with the backups in. In other words, Auburn didn’t have a meaningful third down conversion after the middle of the second quarter.

We knew that the Auburn offense is geared to move the chains on third and short, and they did well in that situation. They converted five of their seven opportunities at 3rd and 4 or shorter. It stands out that one of those Georgia stops was on Auburn’s second possession following Georgia’s failed fake punt. With momentum on their side, a lead, and a lucky break from the incorrect penalty on the fake punt, Auburn was set up to drive for a two-score lead. Stopping Artis-Payne a yard short on 3rd and 3 was a big moment in the game.

The Tigers were predictably less-effective on longer third down distances, converting three of seven. One was unfortunately on the opening drive and led to a score. The other two longer conversions were inconsequential – you had a screen just before halftime and a 25-yard completion against the reserves in the waning moments.

Third down distance is all about success on first and second down. Seven of Auburn’s ten first half third down opportunities were short yardage. They did a good job on the early downs of getting in a position to move the chains, and they converted 70% of their third downs in the first half. Fortunately Georgia was able to put together a pair of long scoring drives in the second quarter to keep the Auburn offense off the field. The Georgia defense avoided the big play and made enough timely stops to prevent Auburn from putting any more points on the board. Auburn converted just one third down all game in Georgia territory, and that was on the opening drive.

Though the Georgia defense was playing well for much of the first half, they really stepped it up on first and second down after intermission. Auburn didn’t have a single third down opportunity in the second half shorter than 3rd and 8. Their average distance to go on third downs in the second half (after penalties) was over 13 yards. That was a great job by the Georgia defense to slam the door and make sure there wouldn’t be any fourth quarter drama this year.

If the Kentucky game last week was Mike Bobo’s magnum opus for this season, Auburn was Jeremy Pruitt’s. The Georgia defense has played statistically better games and shut out two other opponents, but they’ve never come up so big against an offense of the quality they faced on Saturday. With nearly everyone expecting a shootout, this was instead every bit the overwhelming Georgia win that we saw the last time an Auburn team running the Malzahn offense visited Athens in 2011.

At the risk of sounding nonchalant about another stellar rushing performance, Georgia’s offense lived up to their end of the shootout. It would have been news if Chubb and Gurley weren’t spectacular. They didn’t score quickly with explosive plays (not for lack of trying), but it was more of a steady, consistent buildup towards the final score. Once Georgia got the opening they needed thanks to a fumbled punt return, the Georgia running attack began its stranglehold on the game. Blocking on the edge was excellent from the tackles, fullbacks, tight ends, and receivers, and a national audience now knows who David Andrews and Greg Pyke are.

Georgia was able to take a more deliberate approach to its offense as the game wore on thanks to the defense. Everyone buckled up for the anticipated track meet following Auburn’s opening drive, but the Georgia defense started making stops. There were several big moments for the defense, but the most important might have been Auburn’s second possession. Auburn’s early success and the bad breaks and penalties that cost Georgia three scoring opportunities on their first possession had me a little concerned that we’d soon be looking at 14-0 and digging out of a hole for the rest of the game. After moving the chains, Auburn got seven yards on a first down carry to set up 2nd and 3 – a distance which is almost an automatic conversion for this offense. Instead, Georgia stuffed Cameron Artis-Payne on second down and stopped him just short of the marker on third down. Facing 4th and 1 from their own 37, I was honestly surprised when Malzahn sent the punter out. The Dawgs won a small victory against this offense, and Auburn didn’t cross midfield again in the first half.

It’s water under the bridge now, but things really did seem to hang in the balance midway through the first quarter. You can see Georgia’s slow start in the win probability, and no points from their first two possessions didn’t bode well when we all expected that Georgia would have to keep pace in a high-scoring game. That first defensive stop and then the fumble recovery gave the offense the cover and then the spark they needed to post three straight scoring drives to end the half and gain control of the game. Most of us expected Auburn to catch fire at any time and get back into the game, but the Georgia defense did an outstanding job of making sure that never happened.

One of my big concerns coming into the game was Georgia’s ability to stop the run with a smaller secondary. Georgia had both the plan and the execution to defend the run:

• The line had one of its best games occupying blockers so that the next level of defenders could, in the words of Mark Richt, “clean up.” The skill players often get the credit in an explosive offense, but we saw how important a dominant lineman like Greg Robinson was for Auburn. Florida’s offensive line was able to push the Georgia front around, and Auburn wasn’t. There’s more to the defense than that, but it’s an essential starting point.
• With the line doing its job, the linebackers had to actually make the stops. Last year Ramik Wilson had a remarkable 18 tackles at Auburn. He was a little less productive this year, but he and Herrera still combined for 20 tackles. Herrera, with 12 tackles, one tackle for loss, and an interception, was outstanding.
• Pruitt addressed three problems by using Leonard Floyd at times in the “star” role usually played by a defensive back. First, he found a way to get Jenkins, Carter, and Floyd on the field and use that abundance of talent and speed at outside linebacker to counter Auburn’s elite skill position talent. Second, the move changed the nature of Floyd’s assignment – he was less responsible for containment, something with which he struggled against Florida. Third, the move shored up Georgia’s lighter back five by putting a 6’4″ 230 lb. outside linebacker where we usually see a 6’0″ sub-200 lb defensive back.

You can see the results in the stats: last year, two of Georgia’s top four tacklers against Auburn were safeties. This year, only one of Georgia’s top five tacklers (Swann) was a defensive back. Jordan Jenkins from the outside and Toby Johnson from the inside each accounted for six tackles. With Herrera and Wilson cleaning up what got past the line, there was a lot less pressure on the secondary to provide run support.

Auburn really missed leading receiver Duke Williams. Not only did his injury limit what Auburn was able to do downfield – they didn’t complete a pass longer than 20 yards until garbage time – but the diminished passing threat let Georgia risk Floyd at star to bolster the run defense where he might’ve struggled in pass coverage. Auburn was able to hit a few passes in the middle of the field to move the chains, but the deep balls that had been so effective for them earlier in the season weren’t there.

Just a few more things…

• The staff let us know right away that we wouldn’t see a repeat of the timid approach to the Florida game. They surely anticipated a higher-scoring game as well and came out swinging. It wasn’t just the fake punt (really nice play, by the way). The deep pass to McKenzie on third down was a high risk/reward play. 15 of Georgia’s 19 pass attempts came in the first half, and several of them were shots into the endzone.
• Georgia’s two most exciting plays of the night were touchdowns that were called back. Gurley’s kickoff return put a cattle prod to a crowd that had been deflated by Auburn’s first score, and the crowd had no reason to pipe down for the rest of the game. Chubb’s touchdown-that-wasn’t was the kind of individual highlight that moves a guy from the Best Supporting Actor category to leading man status. Chubb paid homage to that effort with another tackle-shedding stroll on the final touchdown of the night.
• Going back to Chubb’s touchdown-that-wasn’t, the play featured Chubb and Gurley in the backfield. We had seen that earlier in the game with Chubb at the fullback spot in an I-formation, but on this play each flanked Mason in the shotgun. Gurley sprinting to the left drew a lot of attention, and Chubb was open on the middle screen with a path down the right sideline. It was a very nice play that took advantage of the attention that must be paid to Gurley while getting the ball to Georgia’s other backfield weapon.
• Malcolm Mitchell’s two catches for 13 yards might be the most unassuming significant contribution of the night. With other receivers struggling to hold onto the ball, Mitchell came up with two very difficult catches that led to 14 of Georgia’s 17 first half points. Mitchell’s touchdown reception came on a quick slant where the safety leaned inside just long enough for Mitchell to come open underneath the cornerback. Georgia needed a play to cash in on Auburn’s fumble and tie the game, and they turned to their best receiver. It took a perfectly-thrown pass, and Mitchell still took a good hit before falling into the endzone. Mitchell’s second catch didn’t score points or even move the chains. On 3rd and 7, Mason was flushed from the pocket and rolled right to avoid pressure. I thought he was trying to throw the ball away, but he found Mitchell low and along the sideline to pick up six yards. That tough completion turned a sure field goal attempt into a fourth down decision for Mark Richt, and Nick Chubb soon thundered into the endzone to give Georgia a 7-point lead.
• Malkom Parrish started the game with a big hit on the opening kickoff and all but finished the game with a forced fumble. It was more of him than we’ve seen in a while, and it’s always a good thing to have a guy in the secondary who likes to hit. And if we’re talking about hitting, it’s a joy watching Tim Kimbrough make tackles. Every time.

Many of us are focused on the big game Saturday, but Georgia’s men’s and women’s basketball teams open their 2014-2015 seasons on Friday evening. The Lady Dogs will take the Stegeman Coliseum court at 7:00 against Morgan State. Meanwhile, the men will start the season in Atlanta against Georgia Tech, also at 7:00. The Dawgs have lost three in a row to their rivals, and this game will set the tone for a season in which the Dawgs are expected to take a step forward. The women are right back in action on Sunday at 1:00 in an important nonconference game against TCU.

Expectations

Georgia’s second place SEC finish last year was a pleasant surprise, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a weak nonconference performance and earn an NCAA Tournament bid. The Dawgs did make it into the NIT and hope to use that postseason experience as a building block for this year. Georgia returns all but forwards Donte’ Williams and Brandon Morris. Kenny Gaines and preseason All-SEC selection Charles Mann anchor an experienced backcourt, and freshman Yante Maten is expected to have an impact down low. The Dawgs were fifth in the preseason SEC picks. With so many players returning, Georgia should be expected to improve on their 2013-2014 season and make a case for an NCAA Tournament berth.

The Lady Dogs lost just a single player, guard Khaalidah Miller. They come off a fairly lackluster season where they finished in the middle of the SEC pack with a losing conference record. Georgia did eek into the NCAA Tournament to keep their appearance streak alive but were bounced in the first round. The Lady Dogs start the season with a jam-packed roster of 16 players. They’ll look to use this depth to their advantage by pushing a frenetic pace on defense. Erika Ford and Krista Donald are the lone seniors, and there is experience at every position. Wing Mackenzie Engram could have the biggest impact of six newcomers. One of Andy Landers’ first priorities is finding a point guard to replace Miller. Georgia is again expected to finish towards the middle of the standings, but enough experienced talent returns to make a push towards a top four finish.

Recruiting

Both the men and women opened the fall signing period with a pair of additions. The men welcomed Athens guard Will “Turtle” Jackson and forward E’Torrion Wilridge from Texas. Andy Landers inked sharp-shooting guard Amber Skidgel and JUCO wing Shanea Armbrister.

The Red & Black has a look at Sanford Stadium’s premium seating including the Champions Club, SkyClub and SkySuites. The premium seating is a big money-maker for the athletic department, and – as you’d expect – the high-dollar tickets almost always get used one way or another.

The most interesting nugget was that the popularity of (not to mention revenue from) these seats could lead to a conversion of some part of the stadium to additional premium seating.

“I would envision in the next 10 years we’ll have done something,” said Georgia Bulldogs Club Director Mark Slonaker. “We’ll have converted some kind of space in the stadium to more premium seats.”

Even before the season, we knew that much would ride on the outcome of the Auburn game. With the long history of the rivalry, the ending of last year’s game, and the stakes on the table in 2014, this game is being analyzed to death. Many of us started thinking about this game even before Florida (sigh…). Might as well throw my two cents in.

Defense

The performance of the front seven against the run is deservedly getting a lot of attention since the Florida game. That’s supposed to the the stronger and more experienced area of the defense, and it’s troubling when cracks show there. I want to talk about another element of Georgia’s run defense. If you look at the defensive stats from last year’s Auburn game, two things stand out from the tackling numbers: first, Ramik Wilson was a tackling machine with 18 total tackles to his credit. Second, two of the top four tacklers are no longer with the program. We remember Matthews and Harvey-Clemons for their error on Auburn’s final score, but those two had been key defenders against Auburn’s running game. Now the challenge falls to Georgia’s current safeties: guys like Mauger, Moore, and Sanders will have the unenviable job of providing support against what’s essentially an option running attack while remaining aware of Auburn’s ability to hit deep passes.

The scope of the challenge becomes more apparent when you look at the roster. Georgia’s largest safety is Moore, officially listed at 6’2″ and 206 lbs. Mauger is 6-0 / 199. Sanders is 6-0 / 187. Damien Swann occasionally moves into the star position, and he’s 5-11 / 180. Matthews wasn’t a huge guy at 6-0 and about 200 lbs, but he had a reputation as a big hitter. Harvey-Clemons was a hulking 6’5″ and had the size to take on bruising tailbacks. Assignments, gap discipline, and technique are first principles when defending any team, but sometimes it comes down to physics – can these guys bring down Nick Marshall (6-1 / 210) or Cameron Artis-Payne (5-11 / 210) and limit the yards after contact? Auburn is one of the nation’s leaders converting on third down because it sets up short and manageable third downs. Georgia’s tacklers must limit yardage on first and second down to set up longer third downs where the pass rush can have some impact.

Granting that Auburn is going to have some success moving the ball, the next best thing is to force them to accept three points rather than seven. The Tigers still jumped out to a big halftime lead on Georgia last year, but four Auburn drives ended with relatively short field goal attempts. Georgia blocked one of them. The other three attempts were good, but Auburn settling for those nine points kept the game from becoming a runaway and opened the door for Murray’s fourth quarter heroics. Texas A&M held Auburn to two field goal attempts in the second quarter of last week’s game, and the outcome of the second one changed the game. Auburn’s season high in field goals was three – against Mississippi State, a game Auburn lost.

I keep thinking about Thurman in 2003 or Rambo in 2011 (and 2009!) – can the defense find a way to make a positive contribution that changes the course of the game?

Offense

Georgia’s primary storyline will be the return of Todd Gurley. That one fact leads to several questions. With the exception of the Florida game, Georgia has continued to run the ball well in Gurley’s absence. How much can he really elevate the offense beyond what we saw without him last weekend? Does the team settle into a “Todd’s got this” mentality and leave it up to him to make the plays? More practically, can Georgia’s run game have more success against this year’s Auburn defense?

Certainly this is a much different and run-oriented Georgia offense this year. Auburn won’t hold the Dawgs to 117 rushing yards again. In part because of the nature of the game (playing from behind) and in part because of Auburn’s strength up front last season, Gurley was held to 79 yards on 15 carries a season ago. He was actually about as productive in the passing game where he put up 77 yards on 10 receptions as the offense looked for a way to counter Dee Ford and Auburn’s onslaught of pressure. Gurley’s presence will give Georgia a deeper tailback rotation which, as it has several times already this season, pay dividends in the fourth quarter.

Georgia’s problems getting going on offense a year ago started on the line. The tackles struggled, as they had a habit of doing, on the road with the pressure from the outside. Runs were stuffed, and Murray was disrupted. The line is coming off of an outstanding performance at Kentucky, and the home crowd should negate most communication issues.

I still find it hard to believe a year later, but Theus claimed that intensity was a problem. “We came out a little sluggish the first half,” he said. “I think they kind of caught us by surprise. They came out with a lot of energy and they were playing really hard.” That can’t happen again this year. The crowd will take care of the energy level, but the offense must be ready to attack from the opening kickoff. They’ll also need to sustain that attack. Even with a good start, a slow quarter or two is more than enough to let Auburn back in the game or give Auburn an opening to run away with the game.

While Chubb was the big story during Gurley’s absence, the steady play of Hutson Mason wasn’t far behind. Mason has been completing passes around a 70% clip, avoiding turnovers, and reportedly has been one of the vocal leaders getting the team focused in the midst of plenty of distraction. With Gurley and the backfield likely to draw plenty of attention again, Mason will have a role and an opportunity to make plays. Mason’s poise was a big part of Georgia’s 8-for-8 on third downs at Kentucky. Sustaining drives will again be paramount for Georgia’s offense not only to set up scores but also to keep Auburn’s offense off the field. Sans Scott-Wesley, this is the most diverse and healthy set of receivers Georgia has had all season.

We should include the tailbacks when talking about receivers. We saw what Gurley can do against an Auburn defense with ten receptions in the comeback last year. Georgia used Gurley as an outlet against intense pressure, and while Auburn doesn’t have the pass rush they did a year ago, it could still be a crowded line of scrimmage with stopping the run Auburn’s first priority. Going all the way back to the Clemson and South Carolina games, remember Sony Michel split out in the slot. That’s one way to get two of the three leading tailbacks on the field at the same time, and we know Michel can be explosive at that spot either on sweeps or inside screens.

Mike Bobo has more of his options available to him than at any point in the season. I look forward to seeing how he uses them in a game that will require another high output from the offense.

When a win is so decisive, we tend to blow right by it, especially with such a big game up next. Kentucky has dropped several games after a fast start, but this was still a team that had defeated South Carolina and hung with the #1 team in the nation just a few weeks earlier. Georgia fans have fresh memories of close calls in Lexington, and no one knew how the team would respond after the flat performance in Jacksonville. Fortunately, the team seems to have had an easier time with that than I did. The Dawgs scored 21 points in both the first and third quarters and pulled away for a 63-21 win over Kentucky. The 63 points were the most scored by a Mark Richt team against an SEC opponent.

Nothing too organized here…just some more thoughts from a very enjoyable win.

• It didn’t take long to start seeing the differences from last week’s Florida game. A kick return unit that had blocked so poorly in Jacksonville opened up an expressway-sized lane for Isaiah McKenzie on the opening kickoff, and Georgia’s return specialist went 90 yards untouched. We hadn’t heard much from McKenzie – or the return game in general – for several weeks, so it was a nice shot in the arm to get 14 points directly from an area of the game that was pretty dismal just a week ago.
• Hutson Mason wishes every opponent wore Kentucky blue. A year ago Mason took over against the Wildcats after Murray’s injury, and Mason threw 13-for-19 with two touchdowns – one passing and one rushing. That wasn’t a bad debut for a backup who came in cold off the bench. Now the starter, Mason was efficient, smart, and accurate in his best performance yet. It wasn’t all easy tosses – Mason and his receivers tested the limits of the field, and it took a combination of precise passes, sure hands, and agile footwork to complete several of Georgia’s passing touchdowns.
• Mason made a difference from the beginning. Chubb’s first run lost yardage. Mason picked up eight yards on his own on second down to set up a manageable third down. He found Bennett in close quarters to move the chains, and the Dawgs had their first of eight third down conversions.
• It’s easy to underrate the week-to-week improvement in Georgia’s offense. Kentucky is, after all, a step down in class from Florida on defense, and the Wildcats really began to look like a team that hadn’t had a bye week since September 20th. All that said, you rarely see that level of execution even against the worst opponents, much less against a team on the brink of bowl eligibility. Georgia was perfect on third downs, didn’t turn the ball over, never punted, and got points from every drive on which they didn’t take a knee.
• Defense was a little more of a mixed bag. Georgia’s run defense still showed some of the same issues that caused them problems against Florida. Kentucky popped off a long touchdown run in the second quarter not so much because of the horrible containment we saw a week ago but because a senior inside linebacker missed the tackle. Not great, and Herrera needs to make that tackle, but also not a sign of a structural flaw in the defense. Georgia struggled a bit with Kentucky’s power formation – the diamond backfield which featured two blocking backs.
• The Dawgs had better success against Kentucky’s passing game. Kentucky posted only 139 yards through the air – just 4.5 yards per attempt. The yardage and completion percentage were season lows for their decent quarterback, Patrick Towles. Georgia’s line was able to tee off on the pass after opening a 25-point lead not long into the third quarter, but the pressure was effective from the outset.
• Even with some difficulty stopping the run, the defense had its moments. The three-and-out on Kentucky’s first series allowed Georgia to build on the momentum from the opening kickoff and establish the double-digit advantage they’d enjoy for the rest of the game. Holding Kentucky to a field goal after the Wildcats recovered a short kickoff was very important at the time and preserved a two-score lead. Of course the interception to open the second half was big. Kentucky closed the first half with a score, and they started the second half with a chance to get within four points. There was probably some luck involved on the tip, but credit to Corey Moore for being alert enough to make a difficult catch just inches from the turf. Those are plays Georgia didn’t make last year.
• I’ll be honest – I had written off Rumph. We knew he wouldn’t be redshirted, and I figured he wouldn’t see the light of day again. In his first action of the season, he led the team in receptions and yardage. We saw how his size is a big advantage on two catches: one where he used his body to essentially “post up” a defender and then later when he outjumped the defender and turned the catch into a long reception. If he’s available for the rest of the season, he’s an intriguing matchup problem on the outside.
• Speaking of impact receivers, Mitchell continues to round into form. His first touchdown of the season was a nice throw and catch in stride on a route that a healthy Mitchell will win every time. My favorite though was a tougher catch that Mitchell made low and along the sideline. That’s the reliability that made him such a dangerous target earlier in his career.
• As the Gurley suspension ends, I don’t know what more we can do to appreciate Nick Chubb. Whatever praise we give him, it seems as if it’s not enough. Even in the Florida loss, he was a bright spot and put up more yards in Jacksonville than any Georgia back since Moreno in 2007. He’s been consistently excellent even as defenses began to key on him. His 671 yards in these four games tops the season total for all but 13 ball carriers in the SEC.
• And welcome back to Sony Michel. Michel quietly posted 84 yards of his own, and it was almost cruel to see a rested Chubb trot on the field towards the end of a drive. The offense just seems to open up more with Michel available, and he can be used in the backfield or in the slot. One thing we didn’t see at Kentucky: Michel might be Georgia’s best operator of the wildcat offense.
• Dinged-up or disciplined? The theories about why Leonard Floyd saw so little time at Kentucky abound. There’s no doubt that Floyd played poorly against Florida, but he wasn’t alone. Lorenzo Carter made the most of the start; it had been a while since we had heard much from him.
• Chubb, Michel, Carter, McKenzie – all freshmen. Blazevich notched his first touchdown reception and followed it up with another. That’s going to be a nice core to have around.

Six weeks ago, the Dawgs were said to rely too much on a single player. With that player unavailable, the team went on a four-game road trip and posted a 3-1 record. A freshman tailback emerged as a star, and the senior quarterback was a steadying leader. The defense made progress but showed the frustrating inconsistencies of a unit dealing with both talent and experience issues. It wasn’t enough to keep the team in the national playoff picture, but the Dawgs return from the road and the Gurley suspension with a realistic shot at the division title. Now it’s time to put it all together and finish out the regular season at home.