Georgia faces a final exam caliber opponent before its even mid-terms. A super frosh setting records, a QB seemingly unlocked, a hostile stadium, and the prime time lights of ABC. All after a disheartening performance last time out. What, me worry?
If you’re a Georgia fan, you understand how to Munson. If you’re a Georgia fan of a certain age, you listened to the great man himself, and summarily lived and died with his descriptions of Georgia football live play. So not only do you understand how to Munson, you are ingrained to do it. This is your safe space, folks. If there’s ever a week and a place to Munson, this is it. Because it’s Alabama week.
Normally I would begin with a few things that give me hope. Optimism. Some cracks in our upcoming opponents armor Georgia might exploit. Particular arrows in the quiver that the Bulldogs should use in quest of a victory. But this is Alabama. The only team to defeat Georgia since 2021. The only active quarterback to have beaten us in that same timespan. Winner of 4 of the last 5 matchups, and 8 of the last 9. The deniers of SEC Championships. Let’s face it, Alabama has had Georgia’s number (with a very notable exception).
So forgive me, because of those reasons and that I was weaned at the nipple of Larry Munson’s scratch. Here’s what does worry me about Saturday’s contest against the Crimson Tide:
1. “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?” That quote may be Biblical in origin, but it has been applied by a true Georgian, and I humbly license it here.
Alabama has only given up 6 sacks this season: 1 against Western Kentucky, 3 against South Florida, and 2 against Wisconsin. But even including that, Bama signal caller Jalen Milroe is still racking up over 50 yards rushing a contest. He has multiple rushes gaining over 20 yards, including a 40 yarder. As Alabama crosses midfield, they tend to call his number more for the designed runs, and he does not mind scrambling when his receivers are covered. If we can’t contain Brock Vandagriff (admittedly a good runner, but, c’mon…), how can we expect to contain Jalen Milroe?
And he leads the team in rushing TDs – 6 so far. But that is only complementing his passing. In the season opener vs. Western Kentucky, he only attempted 9 throws. But 7 of them were caught and went for 200 yards and 3 scores. South Florida was tougher for him (until the 2H at least) but he still passed for 2 TDs and over 7 yards an attempt. Then at Camp Randall 2 weeks ago, 3 of the 12 completions were for touchdowns. He has rushed for 2 scores and passed for 2 scores in each game this season. Something tells me he likes the newly installed Kalen DeBoer offense. He’s most gifted with the deep vertical ball, but has definitely developed the intermediate throws in the last 10 months.
2. The explosive play from the Tide. It could be a Milroe scramble, or it could be a critical long 4th down incompletion conversion. In 2012, it was a methodical dose of Derrick Henry for medium gashes. But the last few contests, the Glenn Schumann defense has mostly held up other than the back-breaker play that changes the momentum.
If I’m not mistaken, Georgia has held the lead in each game against Alabama other than possibly the 2020 regular season tilt. And has held the lead late in most of them. But a single explosive play – the special players making a special play at a special time – has been the difference and swung the football gods in the favor of the toilet paper-laundry detergent denizens.
Macondawg already gave you the retinal-detaching numbers Tide Wunderkind receiver Ryan Williams is putting up. And he won’t turn 18 years old until after next February. They’ve got 3 other players with multiple receptions also averaging over 15 yards per catch. Our secondary is going to be tested – and I’m afraid Dylan Everette will be targeted specifically yet again.
3. I’ve scoured the stats, crunched numbers left and right, made comparisons that @DawgStats would likely be proud of. An argument can be made in either direction for these early season calculations and projections. But for me, in the true spirit of Larry Munson, this comes down to a single thing: It’s Ala-freakin’-bama.
Georgia has had it’s share of foils over the years – Spurrier in Jacksonville, every-other-year Auburn inexplicables, Georgia Tech foibles, fighting Volunteers on their ACL-tearing turf. But in the last 9 years under Kirby Smart, no team has been able to withstand his particular brand of recruiting, preparation, and execution. All have surrendered under this onslaught. Since 2020, Georgia is 51-1 against all teams… not named Alabama.
But there it is. Alabama. And beating us mostly in the great State of Georgia. Now, that particular team was formerly led and tutored by simply the greatest coach in the history of college football. He now plies his talents next to Pat McAfee so he shouldn’t be a problem this time around. Except he recruited the vast majority of the players who will suit up in the home locker room, and he didn’t make many mistakes on that front. The fan base is still just as rabid, possibly delusional, usually annoying, however substantiated by results. And the current head coach has done nothing but win everywhere he’s been. Can we really expect a different temperament, a different vibe, a change in the Tide?
I’m worried. I don’t have a great feeling. This is the bugaboo, the fly in the Kirby Smart ointment. Maybe I lean too heavily on Munsoning. But this is a loaded roster we’re facing, with a loaded Bryant-Denny stadium of fanatics, coached by an extremely successful X-and-O guy, and the pressure in my opinion is squarely on us.
Call me crazy, just don’t call me late for dinner. Sound off in the comments below what worries you about the Bulldogs of Georgia versus the Crimson Tide of Alabama. And as always…
GO ‘DAWGS!!!