for the upcoming game than the past few weeks of the regular season? I felt the same way 2 years ago. I was much more nervous going into the Ole Miss & Arkie games during '03 than the SECCG. It was like a big sense of relief that no matter how great of a season we had up to that point, it could all be ruined with a late loss in the regular season and I felt the same way about the last 3 games this year. I want to see the players play with great intensity, but I also want them to play relaxed & confident in what they are trying to do. We need JR & the receivers to play a simple game of "pitch & catch" out there. If we can get this offense to put up 20+ points, that should be enough to get the "W".
Well, not the last 3 games - but definitely the Arkansas game. I could barely be excited because I was just so relieved once it finally ended & we had won.
This feels nothing at all like 2003 to me. In 2003, this team was clearly hitting on all cylinders at this point and I knew they'd give UGA all they could handle and more. This year's crew is a different story, but luckily the 2005 UGA isn't as good as the 2003 version, either. It'll be a war, no question. I hope we win but I felt more confident about the Alabama game, for one.
I think there is more pressure to win this time. 2 years ago, we were clearly the better team at that time in the season. I'm not so sure this time. Georgia has been very underrated all year. In addition, the national media is salivating at the prospect of LSU losing. The ESPN boys can't wait to tell the world how overrated LSU was and that Auburn really should have been in Atlanta. Rose bowl aspirations aside, LSU needs to win this game in impressive fasion so sportswriters can no longer deny LSU the respect our team deserves.
The biggest difference between this 2005 Georgia SEC CG team and the 2003 Georgia SEC CG team is the injury list. In 2003, the Georgia injury list for the SEC CG looked like it came right off the Gettysburg battlefield. The game in Baton Rouge was much more indicative of the two teams matching up. In 2005, only Tony Taylor will be out. This will be a much closer ballgame because both teams will be fairly healthy.
Do you really think, out of the healthy players that you have starting, that there are significant upgrades at most positions over the 2003/4 teams? Where's Pollack? Greene? Gibson? Brown? Thurman? Davis?
All you have to do is look at the Georgia recruiting classes that Richt has quietly brought in over the past 4 years. Tennessee and Florida have gotten all the hype, but the indexes point towards Georgia as having the most talent in the SEC East. * I picked Georgia to win the SEC East all along. The Georgia defense: Greg Blue took over for Davis, and was just awarded a Coaches All-American designation. (Giles got the same) Will Thompson was able to get a sixth year medical redshirt. He was a starter on the 2002 SEC Championship team. Quentin Moses rotated with Pollock last year anyway. Golston and Anderson at NG and DT were both starters last year. Jennings and Minter at CB were both starters last year. Tra Battle took over Blue's spot, but has been rotating in the system for the last two years. Jackson, Miller and Verdun are all very solid LBs and all played against LSU last year. (Taylor is out, but was out last year with an ACL anyway) Georgia probably won't blitz much. The Georgia offense: The entire OL is the same that played LSU in 2004. The running backs are the same, with the addition of Lumpkin who had and ACL in 2004. Shockley took over for Greene, but is doing well. Runs a 4.5 Milner and Pope are both back at TE. Both run a 4.5 Southerland at FB is a step up. Runs a 4.5 The WR group is the biggest difference. MoMass and McClendon are doing well. MoMass is a true freshman. Bailey, Harris and Bryant don't always hang onto the ball but are all very fast. (sound familiar?) Brandon Coutu is a solid FG kicker capable of 50+ yards. (longest 58) Kelso is one of the best punters in the nation.
The most stressful game for me in recent memory was the SECCG v. Tennessee in '01. That was our first glimpse of big time football in quite a while, and I was a belligerent wreck that game.
Both LSU and UGA have lost players from the 2003 teams. Both have had great recruiting classes Both have good to great coaches. It will be a close game that we will win by 10
