Still, as I wrote after the Mizzou game, there are pockets of Bulldog Nation that won't believe this 7-0 Georgia team really is elite until they see the 3-3 Gators vanquished convincingly in Jacksonville, Fla. Nobody doubts that the Dawgs have the better team, but fans are gun-shy, due to Georgia teams getting tripped up by inferior Florida squads too many times in the past, even in SEC championship seasons.
Wally Lucas believes "this team is special," and has what it takes to beat the Gators and run the table to the national championship. But, he said, getting past Florida is the key.
Other fans can't help looking past Florida, but they do so with hesitation. As Allen Gaines put it: " Although I'd like to say that UGA and Alabama will meeting on Dec 2, I feel it's best to wait and see. There are still five teams to deal with, and now that Georgia has moved up to No. 3, their sights are set on gunning down the Dawgs. I do have faith that Georgia will be SEC East champs, but it's a one-game-at-a-time approach."
Defensively, the secondary's pass coverage has been spotty, and the front's lack of consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks lately has been disappointing. Missing some key starters up front undoubtedly has had something to do with it, but Smart said that affecting the opposing QB was something they focused on in practice this past week. "We're not disrupting the quarterback enough," he said.
As for the offense, you still can slow Georgia's running game early on by crowding the box, as Mizzou did, but the constant rotation of talented tailbacks wears down opponents as the game goes on. Nick Chubb particularly grinds down a defensive front. If he were still playing in the fourth quarter (which he rarely is), he'd have even gaudier numbers.
The steady improvement by the offense this year has been a pleasant surprise. As fan Keith Gray said, " I was calling for Chaney's termination last year; but he might be the most improved" part of Georgia's offense.
Overall, UGA fans appear to be upbeat, judging from the mail I got this week. As Travis Hill said, " I think our team is in the right hands, finally. … Kirby has a vision … and this is just the beginning."
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