SB Nation Atlanta - 2011 Georgia Football Schedule, From Boise State To Georgia Techhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2011-05-16T07:41:17-04:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/17520852011-05-16T07:41:17-04:002011-05-16T07:41:17-04:00Georgia Football Schedule 2011: Dawgs Aim For Three In A Row Over Georgia Tech
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<p>Georgia fielded arguably its two worst teams of the Mark Richt era in 2009 and '10 and still managed to beat Georgia Tech, though the margins of victory were much slimmer than they were in the early years of Richt's tenure. Whatever else Georgia fans would like to believe about their superiority over their in-state arch rivals in terms of talent, recruiting, tailgating or whatever else, Tech isn't an automatic win anymore. And after giving up more than 1,000 net rushing yards in three meetings against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/14242/paul-johnson">Paul Johnson</a>'s triple-option attack, it's clear that the Dawgs need to get a lot better on defense if they are to enjoy those nice comfy wins once again. In a season with a fairly wide-open SEC East race, it'd be a shame for the Dawgs to bounce back from last year's losing record and win the division, only to stumble on the Flats and end the regular season with a loss.</p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE YELLOW JACKETS</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>Paul Johnson, 26-14 in three seasons at Georgia Tech, 133-52 overall<br> <b>Last season:</b> 6-7, 4-4 ACC Coastal (3rd); lost to Air Force 14-7 in the Independence Bowl <br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>12 (six offense, five defense, one special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>RB Roddy Jones, OG Omoregie Uzzi, LB Julian Burnett, LB Steven Sylvester<br> <b>Key losses: </b>QB Josh Nesbitt, RB Anthony Allen, LB Anthony Egbuniwe, CB Dominique Reese</p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> With another year of experience in Todd Grantham's system behind them and a lot more beef up front, the Georgia defense stifles the triple-option, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray">Aaron Murray</a> goes to work on the rebuilding GT secondary and keys the Dawgs' 10th "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" victory in their last eleven tries. There's precedent for that -- two years ago, in what would turn out to be Willie Martinez's final game as defensive coordinator, the Dawgs faced a Tech team that later won the ACC title and held them to just 205 rushing yards, their third-lowest total of the season. Granted, that squad was able to run Tech off their own field with huge rushing performances from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78605/washaun-ealey">Washaun Ealey</a> and Caleb King, but while one-half of that tandem may be gone, Aaron Murray is probably the best quarterback the Jackets will face all season, and he'll be throwing against a secondary that's replacing all four of last year's starters. The Jackets have just as much work to do on defense as the Dawgs, if not more, to win convincingly and make a statement in this rivalry.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> The Dawgs get outcoached and outhustled in the trenches once again and cough up a loss in another season-ending shootout. Since Paul Johnson came to town, this game has averaged 72 total points, and it's clear the Dawgs have a lot of work to do to keep the Jackets' ground game in check. We've heard a lot of talk about how much bigger, smarter, and better-conditioned the Dawgs' defensive front is this year, but we won't know for sure until they start playing, and Tech's deceptive running attack is specifically designed to grind out clock and wear out opponents. Twice in the last three years the Dawgs have seen a healthy lead crumble in the second half, so let's hope that better training and conditioning has made them more capable of standing firm in the fourth quarter.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/5/16/2173215/georgia-football-schedule-2011-dawgs-aim-for-three-in-a-row-overDoug Gillett2011-05-12T07:05:05-04:002011-05-12T07:05:05-04:00Georgia Football Schedule 2011: Kentucky Wildcats Close Out SEC Slate
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<p>By the time the weekend before Thanksgiving rolls around, we'll know what kind of Georgia team we're dealing with in 2011. We'll also know whether they have a shot at the SEC East title, and if they do, Kentucky figures to be one of the most pivotal games on the schedule. Last year's easy 44-31 win notwithstanding, the Wildcats can't be taken for granted -- they've lost a lot of their playmakers on offense but have still managed to beat Georgia twice in the last five years. The Dawgs can't afford to look ahead to either Georgia Tech or a potential SEC title engagement in Atlanta before they welcome the Wildcats to town.</p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE WILDCATS</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>Joker Phillips, 6-7 in one season at Kentucky<br> <b>Last season:</b> 6-7, 2-6 SEC East (5th); lost to Pittsburgh 27-10 in the BBVA Compass Bowl <br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>17 (six offense, nine defense, two special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>QB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78633/morgan-newton" class="sbn-auto-link">Morgan Newton</a>, OG <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78653/larry-warford" class="sbn-auto-link">Larry Warford</a>, WLB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36496/danny-trevathan" class="sbn-auto-link">Danny Trevathan</a>, SS Winston Guy<br> <b>Key losses: </b>WR/RB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36491/randall-cobb" class="sbn-auto-link">Randall Cobb</a>, RB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10397/derrick-locke" class="sbn-auto-link">Derrick Locke</a>, QB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10377/mike-hartline" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Hartline</a>, DT <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10436/ricky-lumpkin" class="sbn-auto-link">Ricky Lumpkin</a></p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> The Dawgs stay focused and clinch their first SEC East title since 2005 with a dominating defensive performance. The battle for the trenches will be challenging, as Kentucky's O-line returns four of last year's starters, but behind them the talent level is limited. Not that Morgan Newton isn't a versatile, physically gifted player, but there's nobody back there who's proven he can match Derrick Locke's running threat, nor anyone with Randall Cobb's combination of speed and shiftiness.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> A low-scoring defensive struggle goes Kentucky's way after the Dawg defensive front fails to make a critical stop late in the fourth quarter. Offensively, the Wildcats may be rebuilding, but defensively they're as experienced as any team in the SEC. And if points are at a premium, the Georgia defense can't afford to whiff on a single stop. Unfortunately, last year's game saw the Dawgs give up one third-and-long conversion after another -- the main reason for their two-TD win was a festival of Kentucky turnovers at inopportune times -- and the secondary simply has to get better at making stops in those situations if the Dawgs are to improve upon last year's 6-7 record.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/5/12/2167097/georgia-football-schedule-2011-kentucky-wildcats-close-out-sec-slateDoug Gillett2011-05-09T07:53:26-04:002011-05-09T07:53:26-04:00Georgia Football Schedule 2011: Vengeance Is The Word When Auburn Comes To Town
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<p>Georgia-Auburn has always been one of the friendlier SEC rivalries on the Dawgs' annual slate, but you wouldn't have gotten that impression toward the end of last year's game on the Plains. A blatant illegal hit by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78561/nick-fairley">Nick Fairley</a>, a retaliatory gesture by the Georgia offensive line, a near-fistfight in the closing minutes . . . and, of course, it didn't help that Auburn won by 18 and roared to a national title behind a couple of the more controversial players of the 2010 season. Georgia won't be able to exact their revenge against Fairley <i>or</i> Cam Newton this year, as both players parlayed superb junior seasons into first-round selections in the NFL draft. Unfortunately for Auburn, that's only the tip of the iceberg in terms of missing players this year -- between early departures, graduations and offseason dismissals, the Tigers return less starting experience than any other team in the country, and it's not even close. A perfect time, then, for Georgia to get their revenge and earn a critical late-season win.</p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE TIGERS</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>Gene Chizik, 22-5 in two seasons at Auburn; 27-24 overall<br> <b>Last season:</b> 14-0, 8-0 SEC East (1st); beat South Carolina 56-17 in the SEC Championship Game; beat Oregon 22-19 in the BCS National Championship Game; ranked 1st in the final AP poll <br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>6 (three offense, three defense, zero special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>RB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/112868/michael-dyer">Michael Dyer</a>, RB Onterio McCalebb, DE Nosa Eguae, TE <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78545/philip-lutzenkirchen">Philip Lutzenkirchen</a><br> <b>Key losses: </b>QB Cam Newton, DT Nick Fairley, OT <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10122/lee-ziemba">Lee Ziemba</a>, C <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10100/ryan-pugh">Ryan Pugh</a></p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> The Dawgs retain vivid memories of the second-half punishment they received from the Tigers last year and rain fire on Auburn's decimated defense, while a front seven that's much bigger and tougher than last year's manhandles the Tigers' inexperienced offensive line and holds Dyer and McCalebb in check. The personnel losses on the Auburn side are really quite astounding -- Eguae, a sophomore, is now the grizzled veteran of the front seven, while the offensive line loses more than 130 career starts with the departures of Ziemba, Pugh and guard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10116/mike-berry">Mike Berry</a> and may only have 15 <i>total</i> among their starting five this season. In a season when the SEC East is still very much up in the air and the Dawgs <i>might</i> still be in the running for the division crown in November, this sets up as a great opportunity for a big win.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> The more experienced Georgia D still can't keep Gus Malzahn from hanging another fat point total around their necks and the Dawgs go down in an upset. Sure, that might seem far-fetched at a time when Auburn has just lost a once-in-a-generation superstar, but consider that in Malzahn's first year on the Plains, he resurrected an Auburn offense that had gone in the tank under Tommy Tuberville and guided them to a second-place finish in the SEC in total yardage -- with <i><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/35414/chris-todd">Chris Todd</a></i> as his quarterback. Granted, he had a much more experienced offensive line to deal with, but the way Auburn has recruited the last couple seasons, he isn't going to lack for raw talent. If the Dawgs can't corral Dyer and McCalebb any more soundly than they did some of the better tailbacks on their schedule last year, this will be a dogfight even with the Tigers limping in undermanned.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/5/9/2160928/georgia-football-schedule-2011-vengeance-is-the-word-when-auburnDoug Gillett2011-05-05T07:39:04-04:002011-05-05T07:39:04-04:00Georgia Football Schedule 2011: New Mexico State In The World's Largest Cocktail After-Party
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<p>Come November 5, the Dawgs will either be celebrating a rare win over Florida in Jacksonville (and praying it portends a historical shift in the Georgia-Florida rivalry) or wailing and gnashing their teeth with fear that yet another rookie Gator head coach is going to continue their inexplicable losing streak in Jacksonville. What does all this have to do with New Mexico State? Not a thing, really. The Aggies, who haven't had a winning season since the last time Georgia played them in 2002, are little more than a light scrimmage between the Cocktail Party and the Dawgs' season-ending stretch run. </p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE AGGIES</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>DeWayne Walker, 5-20 in two seasons at New Mexico State; 5-21 overall<br> <b>Last season:</b> 2-10, 1-7 WAC; finished 8th<br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>16 (seven offense, seven defense, two special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>RB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116390/kenny-turner">Kenny Turner</a>, RB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/79177/robert-clay">Robert Clay</a>, KR Taveon Rogers<br> <b>Key losses: </b>RB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37124/seth-smith">Seth Smith</a>, WR <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/79179/marcus-allen">Marcus Allen</a>, CB Davon House, TE Kyle Nelson</p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> The Dawgs shrug off whatever happened in Jacksonville, win or loss, and pound NMSU into submission. Let's don't beat around the bush here -- New Mexico State is a baaaad team, having averaged fewer than three wins per season since head coach Tony Samuel was fired in 2004, and they haven't beaten a BCS-conference team in more than a decade. Last season they ranked in the nation's bottom 10 in nearly every defensive category, and in total yardage and scoring offense to boot. If the Dawgs play up to their potential, Todd Grantham's defense will look like the second coming of the Steel Curtain, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/113388/hutson-mason">Hutson Mason</a> will be subbing for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray">Aaron Murray</a> early in the third quarter.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> Whether hung over from a win in Jacksonville or bummed out from yet another loss, the Dawgs play distracted, hold a tenuous lead at halftime, and don't really start putting the Aggies away until midway through the third quarter. The precedent is there for such a thing -- four years ago, Georgia came home after knocking off Florida in the infamous End-Zone Celebration Game only to find themselves in a shootout with Troy (which they won 44-34). Granted, Troy is a dramatically more talented team than NMSU, but the Aggies have just enough talent at running back and on special teams to make it a longer day for the Dawgs than they'd like. A good kick return here, a long, grinding drive there and all of a sudden Dawg fans are wondering why it's the third quarter and they're only up by nine or 10 points. This game won't test the Bulldogs' physical talents much, but it will test their focus.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/5/5/2155009/georgia-football-schedule-2011-new-mexico-state-in-the-worlds-largestDoug Gillett2011-05-02T08:10:45-04:002011-05-02T08:10:45-04:002011 Georgia Football Schedule: Will 2011 Be The End Of The Florida Gator Curse?
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<p>In 2002, finally freed from the tyranny of Steve Spurrier, Georgia went down to Jacksonville hoping to make a statement that things had changed in the Georgia-Florida rivalry . . . and lost an ugly game to Ron Zook. Three years later, a Bulldog team heading toward an SEC title returned to Jacksonville to face a Gator team struggling with the transition to the spread offense . . . and lost an ugly game to Urban Meyer. Time and time again, the Dawgs have had a chance to reverse their inexplicable recent fortunes in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, only to screw it up and hand another victory to the hated Gators. Now, with Florida being led by a first-time head coach (a Georgia grad, no less) and the Gator program in a bit of disarray, Georgia has a chance again . . . but will they take it?</p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE GATORS</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>Will Muschamp, first year<br> <b>Last season:</b> 8-5, 4-4 SEC; finished 2nd in the SEC East<br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>13 (seven offense, six defense, zero special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>RB Jeff Demps, WR Trey Burton, DT <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36023/omar-hunter" class="sbn-auto-link">Omar Hunter</a>, QB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10162/john-brantley" class="sbn-auto-link">John Brantley</a><br> <b>Key losses: </b>C <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10218/mike-pouncey" class="sbn-auto-link">Mike Pouncey</a>, CB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36014/janoris-jenkins" class="sbn-auto-link">Janoris Jenkins</a>, WR <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36008/carl-moore" class="sbn-auto-link">Carl Moore</a>, OG <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10235/maurice-hurt" class="sbn-auto-link">Maurice Hurt</a></p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray" class="sbn-auto-link">Aaron Murray</a> heads an uprising against the depleted Florida defense and leads the Dawgs to an emphatic victory, signaling a shift in what has been a one-sided rivalry for two decades now. Last season excepted, one of the common threads running through Georgia's string of losses in Jacksonville is that they just can't seem to score any points. This year, though, Florida returns only two starters in the back seven, and probably their best defensive player, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, was just kicked off the team for a third marijuana arrest. Granted, Florida still has an incredibly physically gifted stable of athletes back there, even if they're not the most experienced, and a Will Muschamp defense is never something to be taken lightly. But with the Florida offense adding a total overhaul under Charlie Weis' pro-style scheme to their list of recent upheavals, the time is right for Murray to show there's a new sheriff in town.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> The running game continues to struggle, the entire offense has another one of its familiar Jacksonville mental meltdowns, and Muschamp's defense dooms the Dawgs to their third loss in their last 22 tries against the Gators. It's become a depressingly familiar script by now, but the fact is the Gators have had a mental hex on the Dawgs for a while now, one that Murray and the coaching staff will have to prove they can break. No question, the Gators are a team in transition at the moment, but that didn't seem to matter against the Dawgs in 2002 or '05, and those were two of the best teams Mark Richt has fielded in Athens. A squad coming off a 6-7 season and still struggling to put the right pieces in place on defense simply can't take anything for granted here.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/5/2/2148931/2011-georgia-football-schedule-will-2011-be-the-end-of-the-floridaDoug Gillett2011-04-28T07:54:04-04:002011-04-28T07:54:04-04:002011 Georgia Football Schedule: Vanderbilt Provides A Breather Before The Late-Season Stretch Run
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<p>Bobby Johnson never succeeded in turning Vanderbilt into a powerhouse, but by the latter half of his career in Nashville, he'd at least turned the Commodores into a team too dangerous to overlook. After a pair of 2-10 seasons, though, Vandy appears to have regressed to doormat status, and it hasn't helped that they're now on their third coach in three years. Former Maryland offensive coordinator <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115134/james-franklin">James Franklin</a> has taken the reins from Robbie Caldwell, who stepped in after Johnson's abrupt retirement in the summer of 2010. Franklin inherits an experienced roster, but that roster has all of one SEC win to its credit over the last two seasons, so an immediate turnaround doesn't appear likely in Nashville.</p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE COMMODORES</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>James Franklin, first year<br> <b>Last season:</b> 2-10, 1-7 SEC; finished 6th in the SEC East<br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>21 (11 offense, eight defense, two special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>RB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/79065/warren-norman">Warren Norman</a>, LB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/11083/chris-marve">Chris Marve</a>, TE <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/11128/brandon-barden">Brandon Barden</a>, CB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/38435/casey-hayward">Casey Hayward</a><br> <b>Key losses: </b>DT <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/11100/adam-smotherman">Adam Smotherman</a>, QB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/11050/jared-funk">Jared Funk</a>, C Joey Bailey</p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> Georgia stomps Vandy badly enough that <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray">Aaron Murray</a> is sitting on the bench sipping Powerade midway through the third quarter. Hey, even last year's Georgia team managed to pound the Commodores 43-0 -- they should be able to pull off a similar feat this time. If the Dawgs can beat Vandy and Tennessee and get revenge against <i>either </i>South Carolina or Mississippi State, they'd likely be no worse than 5-2 (4-1 in league play) heading into the bye week, with all five games left on the schedule being winnable.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> The Dawgs slog around for four quarters and escape Nashville by the skin of their teeth, picking up another SEC win but inspiring little confidence as they prepare for a late-season stretch that includes Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. In their current state, Vandy doesn't look like much more than a tune-up, but the current state of the program is such that Mark Richt can ill afford getting played close in games his team should be putting away early. If Georgia <i>doesn't</i> enter the Vandy game holding a winning record, a blowout win may be vital to restoring some morale and confidence as the Dawgs head into a late-season schedule loaded with bitter rivals.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/4/28/2138716/2011-georgia-football-schedule-vanderbilt-provides-a-breather-beforeDoug Gillett2011-04-25T07:49:54-04:002011-04-25T07:49:54-04:002011 Georgia Football Schedule: Dawgs Look For Second Straight Win Over Tennessee
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<p>For the entirety of the 1990s, the Dawgs couldn't buy a win in the Georgia-Tennessee series; now, at least, the rivalry has gotten competitive again, but unfortunately that's because both once-proud programs are struggling to keep their heads above water in the SEC. Two years ago, Georgia went to Knoxville and got humiliated by Lane Kiffin's Vols; last season, Tennessee came to Athens, this time under Derek Dooley, and got suckerpunched by a Bulldog team coming off a four-game losing streak. With promising raw talent at the offensive skill positions but a slew of question marks on defense, the Vols will be under pressure to show improvement in Dooley's second season at the helm, but the Dawgs desperately need a win here to show that they can still make their presence felt in the SEC East race.</p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE VOLUNTEERS</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>Derek Dooley, 6-7 in one year at Tennessee; 23-27 overall<br> <b>Last season:</b> 6-7, 3-5 SEC; finished 4th in the SEC East<br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>13 (seven offense, six defense, zero special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>RB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37887/tauren-poole">Tauren Poole</a>, QB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/116203/tyler-bray">Tyler Bray</a>, FS Janzen Jackson, WR Justin Hunter <br> <b>Key losses: </b>LB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/11002/nick-reveiz">Nick Reveiz</a>, DE <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37892/gerald-williams">Gerald Williams</a>, WR Denarius Moore, TE <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/11027/luke-stocker">Luke Stocker</a></p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> The Dawgs pound the Vols for a second straight year, with the Bulldog running game, working behind a better-conditioned offensive line, grinding the Tennessee front seven into powder down the stretch. Last year <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray">Aaron Murray</a> got to bomb away at the Tennessee secondary in his first game with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36143/a-j-green">A.J. Green</a> back and at 100 percent; this year the Dawgs will have Murray but no Green, and there will be much greater pressure for Isaiah Crowell, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78605/washaun-ealey">Washaun Ealey</a> and the rest of the running game to perform. But if the Dawgs can jump out to another fast start -- they led 17-0 after one quarter of last year's game -- they should be able to wear down an already depleted Volunteer defensive front and coast to their first back-to-back wins in the series since 2002-03.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> The Dawgs fall victim to the same inertia that doomed them in their last two trips to Knoxville, and they trudge home bearing the bruises of another horror show of a loss. Even now it's hard to explain what happened to the Dawgs in Neyland Stadium in '07 and '09, but whatever the reasons were, the Dawgs will have to work to make sure they don't pop up again. Tyler Bray may have padded his 2010 stats against a late-season schedule of lousy teams, but he'll still be a handful for the struggling Georgia secondary, particularly with Tauren Poole and Justin Hunter, one of the SEC's most exciting young offensive talents, on hand to help him out. Aaron Murray, meanwhile, will be throwing against one of the most physically gifted secondaries in the conference and can't afford to make the kinds of mental errors he did against Florida last year. While a win in this game wouldn't immediately establish the Dawgs as contenders, a loss would signal an ominous turn at a time when Mark Richt really can't afford one.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/4/25/2131408/2011-georgia-football-schedule-dawgs-look-for-second-straight-winDoug Gillett2011-04-21T07:20:55-04:002011-04-21T07:20:55-04:002011 Georgia Football Schedule: Dawgs Gunning For Revenge Against Mississippi State
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<p>Last year's loss to South Carolina in the second game of the season, while disappointing, was understandable for a team rebuilding in several key areas. The following week's loss to Arkansas was at least close, and besides, the Razorbacks ended up in a BCS bowl. But there was no lipstick for the pig that was the Dawgs' 24-12 loss at Mississippi State the following week, a 60-minute stinker in which the struggling Georgia offense didn't even get into the end zone until late in the fourth quarter when State was already preparing coach Dan Mullen's Gatorade bath. It was the first time the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a> had to bow down to their bizarro brethren since 1974; more importantly, it represented an unequivocal sign that the 2010 season was headed over a cliff. For that reason, this year's matchup will be a critical test of just how far Mark Richt's Bulldogs have bounced back.</p>
<p><b>BETTER KNOW THE (OTHER) BULLDOGS</b><br> <b>Coach: </b>Dan Mullen, 14-11 in two years at Mississippi State<br> <b>Last season:</b> 9-4, 4-4 SEC; finished 5th in the SEC West and ranked 15th in the final AP poll<br> <b>Returning starters for 2011: </b>15 (eight offense, seven defense, zero special teams)<br> <b>Key returners: </b>QB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10636/chris-relf">Chris Relf</a>, RB Vick Ballard, WR Chad Bumphis, CB Johnthan Banks <br> <b>Key losses: </b>DE Pernell McPhee, OT Derek Sherrod, CB Maurice Langston</p>
<p><b>Best-case scenario:</b> Georgia's bigger, more experienced defensive front clamps down on Chris Relf more than they were able to last season and leads the team to a get-back win in Athens. Don't expect a blowout win even if the Georgia Dawgs are at the top of their game, because let's face it, this is not the hapless Mississippi State program of the late Jackie Sherrill/early Sylvester Croom eras; Dan Mullen has fashioned his team into a fairly potent instrument that's no longer a gimme win for anyone, much less a Georgia team in transition. But UGA still has the edge in talent, and with stouter play from the front seven and a crisper running game on offense, they're more than capable of earning their revenge.</p>
<p><b>Worst-case scenario:</b> Without <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36143/a-j-green">A.J. Green</a>, the offense continues to struggle and falls to State in another ugly game. MSU is replacing its entire starting linebacking corps, but every other unit on their defense returns mostly intact, and that could spell trouble for a Georgia offense that couldn't get out of its own way in Starkville last year, particularly in the running game. Georgia's offensive line supposedly has been getting in much better shape this off-season, but without the talent and experience of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10348/trinton-sturdivant">Trinton Sturdivant</a> guarding Aaron Murray's blind side, the rugged State defense will give them everything they can handle.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/4/21/2124454/2011-georgia-football-schedule-dawgs-gunning-for-revenge-againstDoug Gillett