Georgia Bulldogs: Mississippi State Game Thoughts And Prediction
By W. M. Lawson
The Georgia Bulldogs (3-0) are just a few hours away from kickoff against the other Bulldogs of Mississippi State (3-0). We’re about to find out who is for real.
Nobody has to tell Georgia Bulldog fans how much this game means. Now, there are many different reasons that this game means much for Dawg Nation, and so answers would vary to a question of “why is this game important?”. But nobody would say it isn’t. In fact, one gets the sense that this is a fence post game for the Georgia Bulldog Football program.
The National, and regional, media have all jumped on the MSU bandwagon. This is primarily due to the backside chapping they gave LSU last week. It certainly caused everyone to take notice. Mississippi State doesn’t do that to LSU often.
In a year where most of the SEC games have, heretofore, looked like bad football, this game should be different. It has the feel of an old-school SEC slobber-knocker. A fist in the dirt, blood in the nose, I.V. in the arm kind of game. The following are a couple of thoughts about it:
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- A Physical Game. I truly think this is the major difference maker. If there isn’t one team demonstrably more physical than the other, then the other points will become magnified. But if one team can dominate physically in the 4th Quarter, it will be the difference and win the game. LSU got whipped physically last week. We’ll see if MSU can do that to UGA.
- Turnovers and Special Teams. Yes, it seems simplistic to say that these things will be important. They are in every game. But UGA has to be better tonight in these two areas to hope to win. They have to score off of turnovers at least once, and they have to continue to be better than average on Special Teams. Anything less, and they lose.
- “Setting The Edge”. If you don’t understand what that means, you should after this game. Much like Notre Dame, MSU runs multiples off of RPO. Against, ND, Georgia was very effective at setting the edge. MSU is better at it than Notre Dame and Georgia barely beat Notre Dame. If the Dawgs are going to win tonight, the OLBs have to keep Nick Fitzgerald from running off the edge.
One more thing, but it’s tangential to this actual game. This game is bigger than just its effect on this 2017 season. And the outcome of this game is HUGE for 2017. Have you noticed the talent assembled from High School recruits who will be there? Close to 30 five and four star recruits from the 2018, 2019, and 2020 classes will be there. We’ve never seen that kind of future talent on campus at the same time for a game.
A win, and an electric atmosphere at Sanford Stadium, would “set it off” as Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons would say.
Next: Georgia Bulldogs: We’re About To Find Out How Physical They Are
Prediction: PAIN. I think this is going to be a killer football game with both teams taking and giving shots. MSU is a good football team and every now and then Dan Mullen has teams like this. Very physical and disciplined. But there is something going on in Athens this weekend. If Fromm doesn’t kill UGA with turnovers, and the Defense can win the TO battle, I think UGA is physical and fast enough to win up front and in space.
Georgia 27, Mississippi State, 20