Georgia fans have plenty on their own plate, but the scoreboard could get a little friendlier if a few other teams do the Bulldogs some favors.
Auburn is first on that list. Even if most Georgia fans still haven’t forgiven the Tigers after that horrific loss two weeks ago, there’s a case for pulling for them the rest of the way. If Auburn keeps stacking wins, its own resume improves, and it could also knock other teams out of the SEC Championship race.
LSU fits the same idea, even if the idea of cheering for Lane Kiffin isn’t exactly a warm-and-fuzzy one. A Tigers win over Alabama could help push the Crimson Tide out of both the playoff and the SEC Championship picture.
That matters because Georgia already has enough to worry about with Florida coming up and Ole Miss waiting right after. A little outside help from Auburn or LSU could make life easier for the Bulldogs.
Alabama’s path is already getting shaky, and a three-loss team making the playoff is a long shot. The complaints from Crimson Tide fans and any inside lobbying by Nick Saban on GameDay aren’t likely to change that.
LSU appears to be peaking at the right time, and if it beats Alabama in two week, that would go a long way toward finishing the job of eliminating the Tide. For Georgia, that would be a welcome result.
Ole Miss is another team Georgia fans should be watching closely. Texas already handed the Rebels their second loss of the season, and if Auburn adds another one this weekend, that would remove Ole Miss from Georgia’s path to the SEC Championship game. It would also set up a chance for Georgia to get some revenge next week in Oxford after last year’s playoff loss to the Rebels.
Georgia’s schedule still matters most, of course, and the Bulldogs have built a resume full of ranked opponents. But a strong finish to the regular season, a run through the SEC Championship, and then a playoff push are all very much in play. Gunner Stockton is determined to shake off the nastiness of the Auburn loss, and Georgia looks positioned to close hard.
Ohio State is the other team Georgia fans ought to keep an eye on. On a player-for-player basis, the Buckeyes may be the toughest obstacle between Georgia and another national title.
But another loss for Ryan Day’s team would probably keep Ohio State out of the playoff, too. That means Georgia fans may want to stay up late and root for USC, Oregon and Michigan in the weeks ahead.
Georgia still has to win its own games. But if the Bulldogs get help from a few places in the SEC and the Big Ten, they could end up with some of their biggest threats watching from home.
In Other News...
Georgia Backfield Just Got An Encouraging Chauncey Bowens Update
Georgias backfield has been waiting on Chauncey Bowens, and there is at least some encouraging movement after a two-game absence. The running back has been dealing with an injury described as being between the toes, and his return to practice this week offered a sign that the recovery is heading in the right direction. He has been working through agility drills, which is a step forward for a group that has had to keep adjusting without him.
Bowens still is not cleared for full contact or game action, so the Florida matchup appears to come too soon. Even so, the fact that he is back on the field at all gives Georgia reason to think he may factor in later this season, depending on how the injury responds over the next stretch. For a team trying to manage depth in the backfield, that kind of progress matters, even if the finish line is still a little ways off. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Auburn Loss Exposed A Problem Kirby Smart Cant Ignore
Georgias home loss to an unranked opponent was the kind of setback that can linger well beyond one Saturday in Athens, especially when the details point to self-inflicted damage. Costly penalties and turnovers helped drag the Bulldogs into an avoidable defeat, and even with some bright individual performances, the overall picture was hard to miss for Kirby Smart and his staff.
Freshman receiver Craig Dandridge gave the offense a spark with a team-high 88 receiving yards, while linebacker Raylen Wilson turned in a busy day with 10 solo tackles and a sack. Still, the most jarring number belonged to Auburns Byrum Brown, whose 115 rushing yards topped Georgias entire ground game, a mismatch that underscored a problem the Bulldogs cant afford to shrug off as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans Are Suddenly Eyeing Sanford Stadium For A Huge Reveal
Georgia fans have spent the day trying to decode a simple butterfly image posted by the athletic departments official social media accounts, and the lack of explanation only added to the buzz. In Athens, even a vague tease can turn into a full-blown guessing game, especially when it appears tied to Sanford Stadium and the kind of announcement that could bring a different crowd to campus for a big fall reveal.
One theory making the rounds points to a concert by Grammy-nominated artist Noah Kahan, with the butterfly imagery echoing what is on his tour website and a countdown timer adding to the speculation. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the clock is clearly ticking, and Georgia fans will not have to wait long to find out whether the tease is about football, music, or something else entirely. [Read more 🡒]