Yes, you read the title correctly. I don’t know if the Dawgs can win this Saturday. It pains me to say this for numerous reasons. First of all, I am unabashed Georgia fan that will pull for Georgia no matter what. Second, I hate admitting that Ole Miss’s roster appears to have more talent. Third, I am not positive that Ole Miss’s best players were recruited honestly. Lastly, there are a surprising number of Ole Miss people running around Athens, GA. That’s right! Athens is full of Ole Miss fans. Even my oldest son, Walker, wears Ole Miss T-shirts, and claims that Ole Miss is his 2nd favorite team. Honestly, it drives me absolutely crazy. I guess we will see how much he really likes Ole Miss if they beat his beloved Dawgs this weekend. If that happens, I bet he doesn’t handle it too well. For example, I claimed to be a Yankees growing up, and then they beat the Braves in the 1996 World Series, and I have hated the Yankees ever since.
So why does Athens have so many Ole Miss Fans? Well I think there are several reasons. The obvious reason is that some people in town went to Ole Miss. I think Oxford is an attractive place for a lot of people that grew up in Athens. It offers a great college experience, and they have never really been a rival to Georgia. So you can grow up in Athens, and attend Mississippi without feeling guilty. Additionally, Ole Miss has been easier to pull for over the years when compared to Alabama, Auburn, and LSU. In the end, one of the biggest reasons may be that it is so hard to get in UGA these days. Therefore, we are seeing more and more Georgia folks go out of state to other SEC schools. All Ole Miss fans aside, I have been thinking about the game all week, and I am really glad it is not my job to game plan this one for Georgia. I think Kirby has his hands full this week, but I have now decided there is hope and a chance for Georgia to pull this off. And here’s how it can happen:
- 11 AM Local Kick– Early kick offs almost always favor the visiting team. It is just hard to get motivated for a big game so early. Most of Georgia’s upsets in the last 20 years were early kick offs. For example, Tennessee in 2001 and Auburn in 2007.
- Turnovers– Turnovers are always key, and with Ole Miss’s love for RPOs (Run Pass Option) you just know Chad Kelly is bound to throw a couple.
- Sony Michel– I am convinced that we will see Michel have a big game. Likely catching some passes more than running the ball. Someone has to step up and help McKenzie in the passing game. Michel could be another good option out of the back field. Especially, with against an aggressive defense.
- Fed Up Offensive Line – These boys have been called out and told that they aren’t playing well. It is just a matter time before they get mad and have a good game. Tomorrow would be an ideal time for this to take place.
- Georgia Plays 4 Quarters– If Georgia can keep it close they have a shot. With only three games played they have shown they are fighters. They have come back in every game so far, and that is good to see. I think Georgia has got a shot if they can keep it a two score game heading into the 4th.
So there it is folks. My optimistic outlook on a game I predicted Georgia would lose. But they play the games for a reason and that’s because the outcome is never certain. So pull the Dawgs through wherever you are this weekend. Go Dawgs! GATA