It’s your obligatory Sugar Bowl game day post!

Whether you see it as Georgia’s last game of the season, or its first game of 2019, either way, there’s a game tonight.

I have to admit I don’t have the confidence about Georgia covering the spread now that I did a week or two ago.  That’s not because of Baker, Fields, or motivation.  It’s because I’m nervous about the injury situation ($$).

D’Andre Walker, the team’s sack leader, still hasn’t healed fully from a groin injury suffered in the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs were hurt mightily in the outside contain game against Alabama’s Jalen Hurts, in no small part because of Walker’s absence. And Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger also is known for running (418 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing this season).

Jordan Davis, a freshman nose tackle who started the final four games, has been dealing with a back injury. Davis has been a boon to Georgia’s interior run defense in the second half of the season.

Walker and Davis may only play in “situational” roles Tuesday night, according to Smart.

That ain’t good.

I’ve seen some in the comments here and elsewhere thinking this game is going to be a shootout, but I’m leaning in the opposite direction.  Georgia’s natural tendency is to run the crap out of the ball, anyway, but if Smart feels a need to protect his defense by keeping it off the field as much as possible, that’s not exactly a formula for fireworks.

Add to that one of Tom Herman’s strengths, which is keeping big games close as an underdog (going back to his Houston days, his teams have covered the spread 12 times out of 15), and I can see this being a grind it out affair that runs into the fourth quarter before Georgia salts it away.  That’s a scenario we’ve seen play out more than once this season.

Oh, yeah — what’s the over/under on the number of snaps Justin Fields takes before the fourth quarter?

Have at it in the comments, peeps.

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“At that moment, Tua Tagovailoa was Justin Fields.”

Shorter Mark Bradley:  Oh, what might have been, if only Jake Fromm had gotten hurt.

The only thing lacking from making that a quintessential Bradley piece is that he didn’t express any admiration for how Paul Johnson handled two quarterbacks.

“Personally, I was looking forward to going up against someone like Deandre Baker.”

Welp, pal, you’re getting Tyson Campbell instead.

“I feel like I’ve got a bright future and I’m not stressed or anything,” Campbell said.

No offense, Tyson, but I’m betting you’re in the minority on that stressed sentiment this morning.

Just turn and walk away

The Greatest Retiree of Our Era calls it a day — again — this afternoon.  What’s the over/under on the number of times the announcing crew bloviates about Corch’s legacy?

That’s one drinking game that could pose a serious health hazard.

Closer than you think

Once more, if you don’t have a subscription to The Athletic it’s a shame, because Seth Emerson’s piece on Mark Richt and Kirby Smart ($$) is definitely worth reading.

“I’ve always had a greater purpose in coaching than trying to get a raise or trying to win a championship or coach a Heisman Trophy winner,” Richt said. “I mean I’ve been blessed to win championships, coach Heisman winners, All-Americans, national championships, ACC championships. I know we didn’t do that at Georgia as a national champion. But you know, I experienced all that. And if that’s all there is at the end, it’s empty unless you help these guys.

“And that’s what people misunderstand sometimes: I’m highly motivated to win the national championship. But just because I care about them beyond football they think, ‘Oh he’s more worried about that than he is winning.’ No, that’s not true at all. Not true at all. I want to win, and we’re gonna do the best we can to try to win. But I feel like we truly are educators and we truly have a responsibility to help these guys.”

I get the people who are angry about Richt’s legacy because they feel personally cheated by the program’s lack of ultimate accomplishments.  What I don’t get is the bitter armchair psychoanalysis of Richt’s character from people who have never met the man.

By the way, there’s some very good stuff in there about Smart, too.  All in all, a great read.

Go on, take the money and run.

Why would folks cluck about Will Grier doing what’s best for himself, professionally speaking, while giving Dana Holgorsen a pass for bailing on the recruiting class he just signed by jumping to Houston for a more lucrative deal?

That’s easy.  Because Holgorsen didn’t skip a meaningless bowl game!