Answer #1 every year is avoid a slew of significant injuries. That said, for this year there are two keysthat I will be paying particular attention to in each game. One on offense, one on defense:
Key #1 is regaining our dominance in rush defense. UGA’s performance the past few years, in average yards per game:
2020: 72.3
2021: 78.9
2022: 77.1
2023: 113.6
Teams typically force an opponent into known down & distance for passing by putting them into 2nd and 3rd and long. You do that, you can be more confident in your pass rush schemes/blitzes. And then you have the opportunity for more sacks, which in college detracts from the opponents rushing total. So it has a compounded effect on rush yards given up on the stat sheet. Some will shrug last year off and say that it doesn’t matter, that UGA almost won it all if not for field goal loss to Bama. Or that UGA will just outscore its opponents in 2024. But it does matter. Bigly. And so I will be looking for how well our run defense stacks up, starting tomorrow.
Key #2 is unforced errors by our offensive players. Folks will often think of UGA’s 4Q turnover inside its 10 yard line in the SECC last year, but after watching every game last year at least 3 times this past off season, but that was far from the only one. We had several instances last year where either the snap wasn’t clean, or the QB exchange with a RB/WR was fumbled. Some we recovered, some we didn’t. But none of them were forced. Can’t afford that lack of execution when we play our biggest games this season.
My prediction for the Dawgs in 2024: 14-2, no natty. (Yes, boo and curse me all that you want.) 11-1 regular season, win the SECC, win 1st round CFP, but lose in the CFP semifinal.
Thoughts on our notable games:
Clemson: Yes, this is a “man enough” game for Clemson. So some are wary. But.. they’re not man enough.
Bama: Ahh, the ghost of Bama. Was it Saban, or was it Bama? Tough enough to beat Bama, when they are proven to be in our heads. Tough enough to win in Tuscaloser, for any team. Combined, UGA loses a tough one on the road. (But beats Bama or Texas in the SECC.)
Texas: Sark is probably the best game planner and QB coach in college football. And Ewers is a legit dual threat. But despite their incoming transfers, this Longhorns team isn’t as deep as last year. UGA wins in Austin.
Ole Miss: Lane hasn’t won a big game yet at OM. This one will certainly not be his first. They are pretenders who have an easy schedule this year. Dawgs win big.
Shout out to AU (after the Bama game) and UTk (after the OM game). They could be trap games for the Dawgs this season.
I will say this, if UGA were to go undefeated and win the natty in 2024, against this schedule and the new CFP gauntlet, it will be the single greatest season in college football history for any team, ever. The task at hand provides them a special opportunity to make history, and they are capable. If the Dawgs are undefeated after October 19th (Texas), don’t bet against them.
My picks:
SEC champion: UGA
Final Four: UGA, Texas, tOSU, Oregon
Natty: tOSU (aka, best team money can buy, 2024 edition)
UGA’s biggest positional strengths and vulnerabilities over the course of an entire season can be a fine line, that are not revealed until we play our toughest opponents. With that said:
Likely strengths:
QB (experience, talent, poise)
OL (experience, depth)
RB (thunder in BRob, lightning in ETN/Frazier)
Possible vulnerabilities:
DB (lack of depth/experience)
DL (questionable against elite OL, havoc plays questionable)
WR (can they get separation against top secondaries?)
Can’t wait to see this new edition of UGA football! Go Dawgs!
