Georgia Bulldogs vs. Troy Trojans preview

It has been a long week in Athens in the wake of a disappointing loss to South Carolina, but on the bright side for fans of the Georgia Bulldogs, things look quite a bit brighter on Saturday. The Troy Trojans are the opponent for UGA in the third game of the season, and for the first time during the campaign, the Dawgs are a sizable favorite against an over-matched team. Here’s our preview of the festivities.

Opponent: Troy Trojans

Time/TV: 12:00 pm, SEC Network

Georgia Offense vs. Troy Defense

The Bulldogs have scored 80 points in the first two games. Somehow, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is still under fire (as if the offense was the issues), but he should have no trouble directing this unit to multitudes of points against Troy. The Trojans are currently 118th in the country in scoring defense, allowing 40 points per game, and that includes allowing 48 points to UAB and 38 points to the powerhouse program known as Abilene Christian.

To be honest, Georgia should score at will throughout, and the biggest concern is how many carries that potential Heisman candidate Todd Gurley will see in a game that should be lopsided. Freshman Nick Chubb is banged up, but we could see a handful of running backs get meaningful work, and Hutson Mason should be handing off for much of the day.

Georgia Defense vs. Troy Offense

Defensively, this should (hopefully) be an opportunity for the defensive backfield to get its sea legs. Ironically, Troy has had its most success this season when throwing the ball, as they have averaged nearly 250 yards per game through the air, and that matches up favorably with Jeremy Pruitt’s secondary. There were all kinds of issues on tape for this group against South Carolina, and the pass rush can only do so much to cover up for the defensive backfield mishaps.

Up front, Georgia’s size and strength advantage should manifest itself from the outset, and Troy has struggled to run the ball against mediocre competition. You have my permission to worry if the Trojans are putting together any sort of momentum on the ground.

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This is a spot where Mark Richt can get some of his young players meaningful time, and with the exception of a potential blowout against hapless Vanderbilt, it will be more than two months before we can safely project a lopsided margin. This is a “take care of business” week if there ever was one.

Stay tuned for post-game coverage, and a live game thread that will open on Saturday morning. Check it out!