Georgia Bulldogs 2019 College Football Preview

College Football Predictions – Georgia Bulldogs 2019 College Football Preview

2018 Recap

Record – 11-3

ATS – 8-6

So close.

The Bulldogs entered the SEC Championship GAME vs ROLL TIDE with an 11-1 record and full of confidence. They grabbed the lead and looked like they might SHOCK THE WORLD but Alabama pulled off the comeback win behind “back-up” QB Jalen Hurts. It’s hard to be disappointed with an eleven-win season, but they had chances to do GREAT things in each of the last two years and fell short on both occasions. They lost to the Longhorns as double-digit favorites in the Sugar Bowl but that’s understandable given what happened (again) vs ROLL TIDE. Thankfully, it was a 700,001 STAR MEGALOCKS SUGAR BOWL 40 TONNE BUNKER BUSTER BOMB winner.

Are the Bulldogs still the obvious choice to take down the SEC East?

2019 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating

East Division – #1

SEC – #3

Georgia Bulldogs 2019 Outlook

OFFENSE

The Dawgs were fantastic on offense last year rolling for 239 YPG on the ground (#1 SEC) and firing away for 226 YPG through the air. They posted 38 PPG and the only team to score more than that was ROLL TIDE. Star QB Jake Fromm is back this year and it’s hard to believe he is still a junior. Fromm completed 67% of his passes LY with a fantastic 30-6 TD to INT ratio but it will be more difficult to gain yardage in the THROW GAME this season. Georgia will be without their top-two WRs from last year’s squad along with dangerous TE Issac Nauta. Let’s be honest. It’s hard to know what to expect from the passing attack, even with an excellent QB like Jake Fromm under center. Thankfully, the Dawgs have one of the best offensive lines in college football and a Heisman Trophy candidate at RB in D’Andre Swift (1,049, 6.4, 10 TD LY). They will miss their OTHER (!) 1,000 RB Eliijah Holyfield but have a lot of highly-touted youngsters ready to jump in and dominate.

New OC James Coley has some impressive tools in the toolbox but it’s hard to see the Bulldogs getting to the 38 PPG mark like they did last year.

DEFENSE

The Bulldogs allowed a mere 19.2 PPG LY (#T4 SEC) and might be nasty once again in 2019. They bring back six starters and four of their top-five tacklers to the mix, and don’t forget that they have been recruiting really well since Kirby Smart arrived in Athens. The front seven only returns three starters but the DL has imposing size and should allow the LB group to do some damage. They are going to miss star DE Jonathan Ledbetter and linebacker D’Andre Walker (#5 DC Titans) who led Georgia with 7.5 sacks in 2018. The secondary looks strong with three returning starters and plenty of talent.

Here’s the thing. We respect Georgia’s ability to reload as they have entered the RAREFIED AIR of Clemson and ROLL TIDE in that regard, but keep in mind that they only bagged 24 sacks LY (#12 SEC) and allowed 61% completions (#9 SEC). New DC Dan Lanning has some nice pieces to work with, but we project the Bulldogs to have a “very good” but not “great” defense in 2019.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Bulldogs take a huge hit in the return units with the departure of the devastating Mecole Hardman (PR, KR). The kicking game has continuity including PK Rodrigo Blankenship (19/23 FGs LY, 2nd Team SEC).

Schedule Analysis

Overall – The first two months of the season don’t look that daunting outside of a visit from Notre Dame. It will have to be a NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER if the Dawgs are to come out on top in the SEC East. They have four tough games in a row (Florida, Missouri, at Auburn, Texas A&M) and then finish with the rebuilding Yellow Jackets.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing terribly spooky has been noted.

Season Win Total

Over 11 +120

Under 11 -140

MEGALOCKS says:

Have to side with the ‘under’. This doesn’t have the feeling of a 12-0 team.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

Legendary sports writer Grantland Rice coined the term “Between the Hedges” that famously describes the home of the Bulldogs in the 1930s in reference to the famous English privet hedges that have surrounded the Sanford Stadium turf since its inaugural game against Yale in 1929.

The original hedges were removed in preparation for the women’s soccer matches hosted at Sanford Stadium for the 1996 Olympic Games. Offshoots of the original hedges were planted shortly after the games. Impress your PAROLE OFFICER with that tasty trivia nugget.

MEGALOCKS ATS Outlook: Neutral

The SEC East is there for the taking once again. Florida might be closing the gap but it’s still Georgia’s world until someone proves otherwise. There are a couple of questions with the roster (WR, pass rush) but they are loaded with talent and have a winning pedigree (24 wins over the last two seasons). They just need to figure out how to get past ROLL TIDE.

Kirby Smart has done a fine job vs the point spread compiling a 25-17 (59.5%) mark against the number. Expectations are high once again and it may be hard to find betting value with these guys on a regular basis. Pick your spots.

Go Dawgs!

Want more Georgia football ?

WEBSITE

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FORUM

http://georgia.247sports.com/Board/Georgia-Bulldogs-Message-Board-Forum-19

http://www.secrant.com/rant/uga-sports/

https://uga.forums.rivals.com/forums/the-dawgvent.26/

NEWS

https://www.dawgnation.com/

http://thedawgbone.com/

http://www.dawgsports.com/