Kirby said this week that they did very well in pass protection against Arkansas, and guess what?
They did.
Daily Archives: October 1, 2020
A curious surprise
So, 247Sports “surprise SEC team” managed this:
I guess Georgia’s defense being pretty effing good isn’t a surprise.
Filed under Arkansas Is Kind Of A Big Deal, Georgia Football, Stats Geek!
“If you’re starting to wonder how Georgia can compete with Auburn at all…”
This betting piece on Saturday’s game isn’t quite the Georgia slam the quote in the header sounds like. At least not completely.
Whether the Tigers face Daniels, Bennett IV or Mathis on Saturday probably is immaterial. The Bulldogs have suffered significant losses on the offensive line in recent seasons and ran for just 2.9 yards per carry against Arkansas.
Outside of one-time Auburn commit George Pickens, it’s fair to wonder whether Georgia has any receivers that will threaten the Tigers downfield. Not that Kirby Smart will want Monken and the offense taking too many chances with a lesser offensive line and a lack of comfort at quarterback.
The defense gets some praise.
… consider the Bulldogs defense. Georgia features eight former five-star players on that side of the ball, the most of any team, and ranks No. 1 in SP+ defense.
The Bulldogs defense is surprisingly passive. It doesn’t generate much havoc in the form of sacks, tackles for loss, passes defensed and interceptions. Georgia plays disciplined, scheme-first football designed to prevent big plays. You may get a few first downs, but you’re rarely going to gash it.
The Bulldogs allowed just 11 plays of 30+ yards in 2019, second-best nationally.
Basically, he thinks both defenses are going to have the upper hand Saturday, which makes taking the under (the over/under started at 38.5 points and moved to 45) the smart pick.
Unders are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these teams, cashing by an average of 11 points per game. Auburn-Georgia has produced 35, 37 and 35 total points in the last three years.
Here’s a chart of the team’s last 10 games:
Kentucky-Auburn and Georgia-Arkansas cashed for under bettors on Saturday, producing 42 and 47 points, respectively.
The Auburn-Georgia total sits at 45. All due respect to the Razorbacks and Wildcats, but the Tigers and Bulldogs offenses face much bigger challenges this week.
Take under 45 as well.
You know what else is 8-2 over those ten games? Georgia is. That’s why I assume he’s only betting on Auburn to cover the spread, rather than win outright.
For the latter, I leave you in Barrett Sallee’s hands.
No. 7 Auburn at No. 4 Georgia (-6.5): The wrong team is favored here. I don’t buy that JT Daniels is 100% following his knee injury last season or that he has the same ceiling as he did prior to it. Whether it’s Daniels or Stetson Bennett IV, Auburn’s defense won’t be threatened by an offense that struggled to find its sea legs. Auburn has its work cut out for it on offense, though. Quarterback Bo Nix looked better after some halftime adjustments last week, and there’s no doubt that coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Chad Morris held back much of the offense against Kentucky. Take those points, but you won’t need them. Auburn will win this game outright. Pick: Auburn (+6.5)
Game changer
This really was a nice drive.
Coming after the defensive stop that forced Arkansas to settle for a field goal and its final points of the game, this is when the game turned.
The line blocked, Stetson was decisive with his reads and throws, White had some crisp moves… and there are receivers open on every passing play. (In particular, check out the field on the completion over the middle that set up the first-and-goal). I’m starting to think this Monken fella may actually work out.
One minor thing — notice that Georgia had actually gained more yards on the day before the drive started?
Filed under Georgia Football
Larry tried.
Hey, Larry Scott went through a lot of trouble to restart a football season to qualify for some of that sweet playoff cash he didn’t think was going to be there, and this is how you repay the favor, Mr. College Football Playoff Man?
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott asked the College Football Playoff management committee on Wednesday to consider expanding this year’s playoff to eight teams but the proposal was declined, playoff executive director Bill Hancock told USA TODAY Sports.
“After thorough, respectful and civil discussion, they decided that the best outcome would be to make no changes in the format, because it would have been such a significant change and would come with so many challenges, especially given that the season is already underway,” Hancock said.
That’s a shame. Now Larry’s gonna have to argue with a straight face how his 6-1 conference champ deserves a spot alongside nine and ten-game winners.
Due to the league’s limited number of games compared to its Power Five peers, the Pac-12 would have stood to benefit most from increasing the number of teams in this year’s playoff.
A bigger tourney would have meant more TV money, too. Sorry about that, Lar.
Filed under BCS/Playoffs, Pac-12 Football
They’re back, baby.
I don’t know if his bosses were feeling the heat, acting in their self-interests or just decided it was the right thing to do, but Greg Sankey bowed to common sense and waived a rule.
The SEC altered its rules to allow immediate eligibility for intraconference transfers in light of the coronavirus pandemic by approving waivers for some players who transferred within the league, the conference announced on Wednesday.
Previously, the SEC had mandated that players transferring within the league had to sit out a year before they were eligible. Before Wednesday’s change, the previous time the SEC adjusted the intraconference transfer rule was in 2018, when it created two exceptions — one for graduate transfers and one for players on teams facing NCAA postseason bans.
“It must be stated unequivocally that these approvals are solely a reflection of the unique circumstances present and should not be interpreted as endorsement of the rationale set forth by individuals seeking these waivers,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “These are unprecedented times in which decisions about eligibility and competitive opportunities demand consideration of the current challenges facing student-athletes and schools as a result of COVID-19. In a non-COVID environment there may have been a different outcome for some of the waiver requests determined today.”
That, of course means freedom to play for Cade Mays and Joey Greenwood Gatewood. One other high-profile transfer remains in limbo, although that’s not the SEC’s fault.
The SEC’s decision does not affect Ole Miss safety Otis Reese, who played at Georgia last season, because he hasn’t received a waiver from the NCAA, sources told ESPN.
I wonder if Reese regrets his public outburst now.
It sounds like this is a precursor to a more long-term move by the conference.
“Our member institutions have been clear in the past that they oppose immediate eligibility for intraconference transfers,” Sankey said in the statement. “Given the increased number of waiver requests this year, and a changing national landscape related to student-athlete transfer issues, it is evident that the current transfer bylaw must undergo a thorough review by Conference membership in the most timely manner possible and prior to the 2012-22 academic year.”
Bet there are a few coaches who aren’t happy about that.
Filed under SEC Football, Transfers Are For Coaches.
Get The Picture 
You must be logged in to post a comment.