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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > September > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCan Bulldogs see clear to finish line?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens — It’s one thing for Knowshon Moreno to do what he did on Saturday at Sanford Stadium, and that was sprint by, through and over (literally, by the way) those on Central Michigan’s overwhelmed defense. It’s another if Georgia’s 21st century Herschel does much of the same the rest of the way.
And Moreno will. Courtesy of his charismatic ways at running back, he is a given for the Bulldogs. The same goes for Matthew Stafford and his increasingly potent play at quarterback.
Other Georgia players will have their impressive moments. Wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi will continue his coming-out party as a dandy wide receiver. All of those swift, big or both folks on the Bulldogs’ defense will hear their names early someday on the first day of an NFL draft.
But here’s the big question: Can those players become efficient as a team from this point through the end of the regular season in November, through that SEC championship game in December, and even through the BCS finale in Miami?
We ask because now comes the real season for Georgia. Ever hear of some guy named Steve Spurrier? His Gamecocks are next for the Bulldogs, but South Carolina reeked earlier this week during an upset loss to Vanderbilt. Even so, Spurrier teams have a tendency to perk up whenever they hear barking drawing near.
So, it’s like this: No matter what the average Bulldog tells you, Georgia’s No. 2-ranked players spent their latest outing with part of their mind on Central Michigan and the other part on their upcoming trip to Columbia.
“Hopefully, I think our team is mature enough not to do that,” said Asher Allen, Georgia’s stellar cornerback and efficient punt returner. “You can’t win three games before you win two. You gotta make sure you close out this team. Obviously that’s something we strive to do as a team, and that is just to have people worry about this game. If you don’t, then here comes Central Michigan beating you.”
Uh, doubtful. There wasn’t much need for Georgia to fret over a Mid-American Conference powerhouse that has a well-deserved reputation as a powder puff against BCS foes. Just last year, the Chippewas lost by 45 points to Arkansas and 56 points to Clemson. This time, Georgia followed its 45-21 crushing of Georgia Southern to start the season with a 56-17 bashing of Central Michigan, and the appreciative crowd saw a splendid warm-up act for the Bulldogs with the nasty part of their schedule ahead.
After South Carolina, Georgia plays at Arizona State. Then Alabama and Tennessee come to town. To save time, let’s just say it doesn’t get prettier for the Bulldogs after that. As a result, it was imperative for them to use the Central Michigan game to perfect the things they’ll have to do to keep their national championship dreams alive the rest of the scary way.
Things such as big plays, and the Bulldogs had plenty against the Chippewas. You had Demarcus Dobbs forgetting that he is just a couple of cheeseburgers away from 300 pounds to huff and puff his way 78 yards for a touchdown after an interception. You had Moreno’s 52-yard run to the end zone, and you later had his breath-taking leap over Central Michigan’s 5-10 Vince Agnew for an extra five yards to what became a 29-yard run. You also had Massaquoi’s catch and run of 54 yards for a score.
Now you have South Carolina, Arizona State, Alabama and the rest trying to stop all of that barking.
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