CFN has its projection of Georgia’s 2016 season here. Take a look:
2016 Georgia Bulldogs
2016 Prediction: 10-2
2016 SEC Prediction: 6-2
Sept. 3 North Carolina (in Atlanta) WIN
Sept. 10 Nicholls State WIN
Sept. 17 at Missouri WIN
Sept. 24 at Ole Miss Loss
Oct. 1 Tennessee Loss
Oct. 8 at South Carolina WIN
Oct. 15 Vanderbilt WIN
Oct. 22 OPEN DATE
Oct. 29 Florida (in Jacksonville) WIN
Nov. 5 at Kentucky WIN
Nov. 12 Auburn WIN
Nov. 19 Louisiana WIN
Nov. 26 Georgia Tech WIN
That’s a good year, but not in their opinion good enough to get to Atlanta, as they’ve got the Vols going 11-1, 7-1. Still, that’s a seven-game winning streak to close out the season and with a bowl win, lots of momentum for Smart to ride into next season.
Ten wins is my optimistic take on 2016, and nine feels more realistic. What’s yours?
Get The Picture 
10-1 with a loss to UNC and back in the dome for the SEC champ vs Texas A&M
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If you have A&M going to Atlanta, you much have them beating TN. I can see that happening since the game is in College Station. I see LSU or Bama winning the West, but feel if A&M beats TN this season, I see the UGA/Florida winner going to Atlanta. I don’t think either of the three winning in Atlanta with the talent each has for 2016. I am with the Senator on this one, 9-3 most likely and 10-2 is a stretch (both of those records say more about the schedule than the talent given the questions we have at this point.)
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10-2 with the two losses being to Ole Miss and Tenn would be a damn fine first year. I know many will disagree, but UGA isn’t some stacked juggernaut right now. It’s light on the DL due to depth issues, will either trot out a true freshman QB or Greyson effing Lambert. It’s top two RBs are in doubt for the first game.
Plus, any season in which UGA beats Auburn and Florida is right by me.
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And Tech.
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It’s “tech”, Senator. Right Athens Dog? 🙂
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Tough to answer, which is why it’s getting so much discussion.
What I want to say: looking at the schedule I see only the 2 games that will be hard fought, so it could easily be 10-2 or 11-1.
What I really think: ole piss and tn will be losses as our team just isn’t complete yet and FL will still be a game where lack of poise will drain the kids mentally thereby being the 3rd loss. Could be 8-4 if UNC plays a solid game.
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I see it this way too…but I believe we could just as easily upset UT while dropping an un-focused game to UF or Aub or NC. The UNC game, because it’s the first game with new staff and our attrition and injuries in several areas, could be a challenge. If we played this game in November, I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a win. UT will be a tough one but we get them between the hedges…I think staff, team and fans will be hyped to the max. This could be our best game and biggest win. I’m not sure how playing Ole Miss the week before will affect us. Sooner or later we will have a let-down. If Aub has a bad record when we play them, it could be our trap game. UF could be UF. This is one area I hope Kirby breaks the mental weakness that haunts us. I have not done my homework on Ole Miss’ but their QB play worries me. We will need that O clicking to keep up. The others on the schedule have more problems than we so I’m not too worried…and I hope that doesn’t come back to bite me.
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CFN has a&m going 7-5 with wins over bama and ut. wtf.
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We have 5 games that we can lose, without counting an upset collapse. Kind of feels like 2006 in a lot of ways. If Chubb plays a lot we could get to 10 wins, but the front loading of the schedule and his recovery timeline concern me. I’d say either 8-4 or 9-3 seems about right, but a winning streak at the end of the season along with a bowl win would be a good way to finish.
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You don’t think that Chubb will be full-bore by the third game? C’mon.
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I think 10-2 would be an incredible inaugural campaign for the new coaching staff. However, I don’t think it will do much to impress broad swaths of the fan base. We fired a guy that won 10 games with regularity. We hired away a coach from Ala-damn-bama because 10-2 wasn’t getting the job done. Kirby is supposed to be a kinder, gentler Saban. A guy who can get us past the “mediocrity” of 10-2 without being a jerk. Expectations are stratospheric to say the least. I suspect if Kirby wins less than ten the honeymoon is officially over. It’s a ridiculous mindset in my opinion, but I hear it a lot.
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Everyone keeps talking about our 10 wins last year being bad wins. No wins over teams with a winning record. I know it is apples and oranges but how many wins would this new staff have gotten last year against the same schedule with the same injuries?
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You never count your money…
…when you’re sittin’ at the table. 😉
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I think we’ve gotten used to an elevated status quo at Georgia, when it comes to wins over our historical average (which was around an average of an 8-4 season over the 100+ years prior to Richt). Richt did significantly better than that. In that respect, he was a historic outlier at UGA.
Enter Kirby Smart, a first-time head coach who encourages his players to call him by his first name, a coach whose career has been built as a defensive assistant under the most notoriously micromanaging defensive-minded boss in college football.
Georgia lost its entire starting defensive front seven from last season, among other things.
Taking all that into account, I think 9-3 would be a pleasant surprise. A regression to just Georgia’s historical average of 8 wins this season would frankly be fairly impressive for a rookie head coach.
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11-2 with a bowl win a top 3 recruiting class would be a really solid first year.
10-2 might get us into the Cotton, Orange, or Sugar, but mostly likely 10-2 feels like Outback or Citrus Bowl.
So say realistic 10-2, win the Outback bowl against Michigan State and then finish with a #5 class.
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We moved into 2nd place on Dawgs247 with OT Thomas committing. It’s looking good…
We are 2nd place in average also. If we close on the remaining targets…that elusive #1 recruiting class ranking is obtainable.
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We have a lot of ground to make up to get to the top spot. OSU is putting together a monster of a class right now. LSU has heavy leans in the 2 of the top 3 players and Bama is always there to flip on NSD.
having the #3 class on NSD would be awesome. The #1 class seems like a stretch for 2017 class.
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Vols are over rated. Just don’t think they are that good. Ole Miss. will be a tough win. See 11-1 loss in SEC championship and going to a Major Bowl this year. 12-2 with a bowl win
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I think the Vols are overrated, but UGA has some major Questions and a new staff.
I also think UF is underrated. 13 mid year enrollees. I think they’ll be ready to play in late October.
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It better be at least 10, or there’s going to be a flood of “I told you so’s” aimed at those who wanted Richt fired.
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Ole Miss lost 3 first round draft picks – that’s a lot of firepower and leadership to lose. I think we will surprise a lot of people and win at Ole Miss. Tennessee is going to be very, very hard to beat, especially given that they will most likely be a very confident football team after breaking their loss streak at Florida. Unfortunately I think we will lose to Florida in a game that’s projected as pick ’em, and lose to Auburn in an upset but at least beat Tech thoroughly. So I’m thinking 8-3 and maybe a Peach Bowl win, with some grumbling and then a really good 2017 season.
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psstt…..if we win the peach bowl this year it means we are playing in the national title game.
Making the playoffs @ 8-3 would be really impressive. Or I guess every other football team just gave up after Chubb comes back?
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If our record is 8-3 at the end of the regular season, which of our 12 games got cancelled?
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Ya got me. My bad. I should have said “Citrus Bowl.” Got the wrong fruit.
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We will know so much more after the game with North Carolina.
Tennessee is a team that could be very legit and could be a paper tiger. Georgia should have beaten them handily last year…and should have done the same with Florida. I pretty much pin both of those losses on the coaching staff…and absolutely the FL loss. My greatest optimism isn’t in the healthy return of Chubb (which I do acknowledge will be wonderful), or even the knowledge that we may have a future All American playing QB…but in the belief that Smart will have this team ready to play, balls to the wall, and that Schotty is somewhere far, far away. While I’m cautiously optimistic that Georgia will make it to ATL,, I realize it will require a LOT of things to go just right. Mostly, I’m excited that we are entering a fresh era and curious about the way it’s going to go.
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I’ll take it! Especially with a win over UF.
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Good but not good enough, LOL.
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8 or 9 wins would be fine with me. Spread it out how you like. The talent level and depth is about to go to a level we have not seen in quite awhile. I am fine with this year being the year we sort out the bugs and Kirby learns the top man’s job on the fly. I am quite optimistic moving forward. I have not been that way in awhile. Beating UF would be a nice bonus.
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I depends on who the two losses are to. I don’t want to lose to Tennessee. However, 10 wins would be very good for a new staff and rookie coach. I think 8-9 wins would be acceptable assuming we improve through the season and play hard/smart. Donnan left Richt a bunch of talent, but it took Richt a season to figure out head coaching. I figure Smart will be the same, and I’ll look to next season to be a real good one.
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Hmmm… Both our star running back will be coming off of surgery. Chubbs is rare athlete and rare running back. How rare is full recovery from the type of injury he had? Kneeland has shortened the career of Dawgs.
Is this Chubbs final season? It’s been less than a year if he plays in the opener.
Youth and depth on the defensive line.
WR?
O wine maturity
Quarterback play
9-3. With a little luck.
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The CFN picks look exactly right to me, with the exception of the UF game, which could be a loss. At any rate, I think 10 wins isn’t unreasonable for us, esp. factoring in the bowl game. It’s an important number for CKS, perception-wise, I think. Else, the offseason will be full of, “CMR won 10 last year with less talent available (after Chubb’s injury)!”
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Our defensive line has the third fewest players as a position group with 11 total listed (10 if Ledbetter is canned). This includes the walkons that are used as blocking dummies. Only QB’s and TE’s have less. With walkons counted the RB/FB’s have 13. We will be running on empty in the 4th quarter of games this year or have walkon’s playing DL. Kirby’s man coverage schemes will cause us big problems against both Ole Piss and UT when their QB’s take off running. This one weakness could be the difference between 10-2 and 8-4. Sorry to piss in all your Kool-Aid.
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9-3 seems about right to me. I see losses to UNC, Ole Miss, and (yes, gagging) Florida. It will take Kirby another year or so to begin erasing the UF conundrum. And I’m confident he will do just that. Without knowing who our QB will be or the health of our most talented RBs, it’s hard to see more than 9 regular-season wins. However, the Dogs will not lose to Tennessee in Athens no matter who the QB is (and I suspect it will be Eason by then). A Florida bowl against a Big Ten opponent will provide a chance for a 10-win season.
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10-2 with wins over Florida, Auburn and Tech? I’ll take that forever. If Richt beat Florida like he beat Auburn and Tech, he’d still be in Athens. Doing all that In Smart’s first year with a new staff, new front seven and a questionable returning offense would be amazing.
This year’s team has question marks at every position group except tight end. We don’t even have a friggin kicker. The offense at the end of last season was just sad, and we lost both starting tackles plus our leading receiver. Maybe Chubb comes back, and maybe he is just as strong, but maybe not. Teams that score a lot of points – UNC, Ole Mis, and Tennessee – are going to score some on us, and I’m not sure we’ll be able to keep up. Florida always gives us their best game, Auburn is at its best when expectations are low, and Tech can’t possibly have as many injuries again (and we only beat them by 6 at home!).
So, yeah, I’d be ecstatic with 10 wins. Now let me get back to my Munson tapes.
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My .02
2016 Prediction: 10-2
2016 SEC Prediction: 6-2
Sept. 3 North Carolina (in Atlanta) WIN
Sept. 10 Nicholls State WIN
Sept. 17 at Missouri WIN
Sept. 24 at Ole Miss Loss
Oct. 1 Tennessee WIN
Oct. 8 at South Carolina WIN
Oct. 15 Vanderbilt WIN
Oct. 22 OPEN DATE
Oct. 29 Florida (in Jacksonville) Loss
Nov. 5 at Kentucky WIN
Nov. 12 Auburn WIN
Nov. 19 Louisiana WIN
Nov. 26 Georgia Tech WIN
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Maybe I’m delusional, but I just don’t see Georgia losing to Tennessee. I know they’re the hot team in the preseason, but so was Auburn. I don’t understand why Tennessee is supposed to just magically click and “get it” this year. Georgia was their statement game last year. Georgia was mediocre and damn near won the game on Tennessee’s home field last year despite losing our best player on the first snap and having to scrap our entire game plan. If Reggie Davis catches Georgia’s most beautiful pass of the season…
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That said, if you want to give me ten wins right now in a coaching change year with victories over Tech, Auburn, and Florida, I will sign on the dotted line right now with no questions asked.
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I get your drift and agree with it.
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The only thing better than beating UTK would be to see their mascot Smokey humping the little Bitch Butch like a chained chihuahua. Then pissing on his size 2 Thom Mcans.
As far as our 2016 record…I hope we will be talking about Wins and Losses rather than misdemeanors and felonies.
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I’ll take the record for sure but screw losing to UT and especially at home. Losing our one good home game per year, every year, is as Georgia Way as it gets.
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11-1. I am extremely optimistic. However, if we go 9-3 so be it. Year 2, good coaches strike. Richt 13-1 SEC champs, Saban (lsu) 11-3 SEC Champs, Saban (bama)12-2 SEC Runner Up, Meyer 13-1 National Champs. Everybody has issues every year, but we’ll know Smart’s coaching abilities by the end of year 2. Times have changed and it will not take 4 years to know that part like years ago. I will say his Recruiting is ridiculously good.
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Next year’s schedule is the toughest Year Two schedule for any new coach I can recall. It is an ugly slate, with all our toughest games on the road. Year Three looks much more promising to me, especially considering the influx of Kirby’s recruits.
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I would take 10-2 right now with wins over the Big 3. I really think 9-3 is more realistic especially given the QB situation early in the season. We’re likely to slip up and lose a game we shouldn’t because of lack of depth on the line of scrimmage, an in-game decision made by a new head coach, or just absolutely playing like the team got out of bed and went directly to the stadium.
I’m not sold on Tennessee as many others have stated. We haven’t lost to Tennessee in Athens since 2006 with JT3 at QB. I’ll take any of the 3 QBs currently on campus over him right now, and we don’t have Two Thumbs directing the defense either.
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Worst case scenario: 0-8 in the SEC, lose to NC and GT, finish 2-10. WWWWhhhhaaattt!?!?!?!? Not likely, but it could happen. Why? Questions at OT, green DL, injured RBs, green QBs, thin at WR, players must learn new coaching staff.
Best case scenario: 15-0, NC. Also not likely but somewhat more likely than the first prediction. Why? Georgia has recruited as good or better than every team on its schedule. Good coaching and good luck allows UGA to beat NC, Ole Miss, and UT. After that, Eason comes on strong, Chubb and Michel are healthy, the defense gells and the ‘Dogs are playing the best football in the nation.
Most likely scenario: UGA loses both times as an underdog, and wins all the rest except one (probably NC ’cause its so early in the season, but possibly Auburn or Florida). Georgia wins the bowl game, however, and finishes 10-3. Half the fan base screams that’s no better than last year and calls for Kirby’s head.
There. I’ve covered myself for all results other than 0-12 and 1-11, and I’ll fix that now by mentioning that even those two results could happen if a meteorite tears into practice eliminating half the team.
I’m fearless.
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WERE GOING 18-0 BANK IT.
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L’s to UNC and Ole Miss.
Chubb sits until Mizzou or Ole Miss, maybe even UT.
Once Chubb is back and QB is settled, we’ll be pretty good. We’re always good. And we’re always better than 80% of our schedule.
Jacksonville is the problem.
10-2 or 9-3. Did we fix our Jacksonville problem? Main question of 2016.
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Has to be at least 11 wins total for year to better somewhat than what we are used to. A win is a win is a win, a loss to anyone on schedule hurts just as bad as the other one.
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“How does it feel?” What is this, the Ballad of the Thin Man?
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Not good enough.
Fired the last guy for winning 10 per year.
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These comments don’t bode well. Based on this, boy, we (as both a fanbase and, I’m afraid, a program) are in for a very rough few years. I have a bad feeling things may snowball to the point where we look something like Tennessee has until recently.
This team is not winning more than ten games this season. I doubt they’ll win more than nine. And if/when that causes a huge and vocal portion of the fanbase to complain about the state of the program, question why Richt was fired, etc., that’s going to undermine the program and make us all look even worse than we already do to the rest of the college football world. (And frankly, the way it looks to the outside world is like we’ve always got a bunch of criminals on the team, and the fanbase is insane for having demanded the firing of the program’s most successful coach of all time.)
I sure hope we somehow manage to avoid the “wandering in the wilderness” phenomenon that has dogged Tennessee for about the last decade, but this doesn’t look promising.
Note: I’m personally not a hardcore Richtophile, but I’m also not blindly drinking the Kool-Aid that would enable me to believe that our rookie head coach has the power to magically solve all of the problems that have led the program to average “only” 9-10 wins a year for the past decade and a half. If it were up to me, once Richt was fired, I’d have preferred to see someone with head-coaching experience offered the job. But we all knew that was never going to happen. For one thing, this is Georgia, a program which has NEVER hired a coach with D-I/FBS head coaching experience. More importantly, the couple of boosters who matter have been in love with Kirby for a while now, and by God, they were going to get Kirby.
Anyway, yeah. 10-2 would be shockingly successful for a rookie head coach whose team is so thin defensively. I think 9-3 is far more likely. Honestly, I think even 8-4 is more likely than 10-2…and there is a chorus of people here indicating that 10-2 wouldn’t be adequate for a program whose all-time win percentage before Richt was around .650 (and whose all-time win percentage including him is only .700). This is insane.
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If you keep taking those downers IV, there can be no good to come of it. However, if you take the elixir of 12-0 and move from there in your calculations of who can beat us, you won’t differ too much from my numbers. Tenn is here and is our victim; Ole Miss is going to be free-swinging because they shipped two big guns to the NFL without someone of like caliber to fill their shoes; FU is overdue from the gift games presented in the last two years and the skunk in the works will be Tech even though Auburn is burning for revenge.
This team can chug with the best of them with Hardman, Montezuma’s Revenge, #5, Chubb, Sony and maybe a Freshman QB throwing for Nautta. Anyone heard of the Spring Game names that you had never heard of before, e. g., Stanley. Get the hell outta here ! We have targets and throwers , runners and d-Fenders and an O-byGod- Line. We have standby tight ends who were magnificent last year and blockers- did I tell you about Douglas and a few other RBs?- and we are sitting around blogging about someone beating our ass on the words of pundits and writers who don’t know anything more than people on this blog know. What is this “losing to” shit that I hear of?
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