Finally, college football is here, and in 5 short days Georgia will face off with North Carolina in the Georgia Dome. The first week of college football is truly great because everyone’s team is undefeated, and most fans still have hope for a great year. I know I am full of hope for the season, but for a type “A” person like me that hope soon turns to worry, and I will expound more on that later. First, let’s address all the gossip surrounding the starting quarterback. Apparently, if you believe everything you read than Jacob Eason has been secretly named the starting quarterback. Maybe he will get the start, but it would still surprise me. Let me be clear, I feel certain that Eason will play on Saturday, but I just haven’t bought into the fact that he will take the first snap. It just seems like a risky move for such a young player. It will be an awful big stage for any freshman, and especially for a quarterback. But you know what? I really don’t have a clue who will start, and I don’t think anyone is going to tell me. However, I feel certain that whatever decision the coaches make it will likely be the right one. They are the ones that run practice, evaluate film, and call the plays. So I am not going to worry anymore about who will play QB because there are other areas of concern heading into Saturday. Please allow me to share these concerns with you, and fill you with anxiety heading into the game. Here are My Top 5 Concerns:
- Nick Chubb’s Return– The big story in this game is not the damn quarterback. It’s Nick Chubb who is one of college football’s most talented running backs. Of course, I do not know him personally, but he appears to be a great kid with an excellent work ethic. We all saw him suffer a brutal knee injury in Knoxville not even a year ago. If this team is going to have success early in the season they need Chubb back on the field at 100%. I truly hope he runs for 150+ and has the triumphant return he deserves. I hope he proves to be superman, and looks like he hasn’t lost a step, but I know that could be a lot to ask.
- Containing Ryan Switzer – Kickoff coverage always scares me, but it really scares me when the new head coach mentions it as an area of concern at the Touchdown club. Kickoff and Punt coverage have been an issue for Georgia in recent years, and North Carolina has a very talented return man named Ryan Switzer #3. He is the kind of guy that take one back a few times in a game. So trust me Dawg fans, the less you hear or see from Ryan Switzer on Saturday night the better.
- Georgia’s Offensive Line – All football games are won or lost in the trenches, and we just don’t know much about the offensive line. I know that North Carolina’s defense did poorly against the run last year, but can UGA capitalize on that weakness? I sure hope so because the offensive line will be crucial to the success of Nick Chubb, and whoever the hell is going to play Quarterback.
- The UNC Offense – Despite scoring just 13 points in the first game last year, North Carolina’s offense averaged 40 points and almost 500 yards of offense a game. Granted, they lost to South Carolina, but they really came to life after that game. If you recall, they damn near beat Clemson and won the ACC last year. Long and short, the Georgia defense better be in shape and ready to play. Otherwise, it could be a bad night.
- UGA’s Dreaded Dome Record – That’s right folks! Georgia has a bad record in the Georgia dome. To my recollection, UGA is Four and Six in the Georgia Dome since it was constructed. The Dawgs have lost to Virginia, Alabama, twice to LSU, and let us not forget Boise State. Did I mention the loss to West Virginia in the “faux” Sugar Bowl post Katrina? This record needs to improve a little before they tear it down, and Saturday night would be a good start.
Well are you a little worried now? I hope so because Georgia can easily lose this game. All that being said, please allow me to go back on everything and act hypocritical because I still think Georgia wins a good one. Despite all my worries and concerns, I think it will be a 34 to 30 Georgia win over the Heels. Go Dawgs!