Aug. 30, Clemson at Georgia, 5:30 p.m.
Remember 2005? Remember how D.J. Shockley, who waited four seasons for David Greene to vacate the quarterback position, stunned 18th-ranked Boise State with five touchdown passes — and one touchdown run — in the much-awaited season opener? Remember where that game was played? (In Athens.) Remember when it kicked off? (Er, 5:30.) Things probably won’t go quite so swimmingly for Hutson Mason, the longstanding understudy to Aaron Murray now ensconced as the No. 1 quarterback. For one thing, Clemson has to travel only 90 minutes, not across country. For another, there were no Boise State defenders on the order of Vic Beasley. But Georgia will be primed for this rematch of last year’s narrow opening-game loss.
Bulldogs win.
Sept. 13, Georgia at South Carolina, 3:30 p.m.
Surprising to me if not to Steve Spurrier, the assemblage at SEC Media Days picked the Gamecocks first in the SEC East. (Mark Richt demurred, saying: “I’d have us first.”) This game has lost its status as the vehicle for claiming divisional superiority — the Georgia-Carolina winner hasn’t finished first in the East since 2010 — but that’s not to suggest it doesn’t matter. The loser will be playing catch-up ball, praying that the winner slips not once but twice. Expect Georgia to be more competitive than it was in its past two trips to Williams-Brice Stadium, both of which yielded emphatic losses. Do not expect the Evil Genius to be unprepared.
Bulldogs lose.
Sept. 20, Troy at Georgia, noon
It will be a major shock if this game isn’t close for a half. Whatever the result in Williams-Brice Stadium, the Bulldogs will be fighting a major hangover effect a week later, and the noon start won’t help. (Many Georgia fans fretted over last season’s home game against Missouri because of the early kickoff. Sure enough, Mizzou led 28-10 at the half.) Troy is without quarterback Corey Robinson, who passed for 3,000 yards in four consecutive seasons, but the Trojans always move the ball. They’re less good at stopping the other guy. They were beaten by Mississippi State and Ole Miss by an aggregate 113-28 last season.
Bulldogs win.
Sept. 27, Tennessee at Georgia, TBA
The Volunteers have been in a weird place since Philip Fulmer was shown the door. They’re on their fourth head coach since 2008, having tried both Monte Kiffin’s son and Vince Dooley’s son. Given time, Butch Jones just might succeed. He appears to be recruiting well, and his first Tennessee team was unlucky to lose to Georgia in overtime last season. The Vols should have lost a game by this point — they play Oklahoma in Norman on Sept. 13 — but they’ll have an off-week to recalibrate for their SEC opener. Were this game being staged in Knoxville, this would be seen as an upset opportunity. But it’s not, and it won’t be.
Bulldogs win.
Oct. 4, Vanderbilt at Georgia, TBA
With James Franklin gone to Penn State and sparring partner Todd Grantham earning millions at Louisville, will a series that turned unexpectedly nasty — I mean, who gets excited about Vandy? — resume its sedate ways? Franklin finally broke through against Georgia in Nashville last season in a game that essentially ended the Bulldogs’ chances of repeated as East champs, but Derek Mason now coaches the Commodores, and this game is between the hedges. When last Vanderbilt played in Sanford Stadium, it sustained a 48-3 drubbing in what stands as one of Georgia’s most comprehensive performances under Richt.
Bulldogs win.
Oct. 11, Georgia at Missouri, TBA
For a defending division champ, Mizzou isn’t getting much love. It was picked to finish fourth — behind Florida, which just went 4-8 — at SEC Media Days, and it’s true that the Tigers lost a lot. Quarterback James Franklin, running back Henry Josey, receivers Dorial Green-Beckham and L’Damian Washington, defenders Michael Sam and Kony Ealey — they’re all gone. But Maty Mauk, who steadied the Tigers in the fourth quarter of last season’s victory in Athens, could be better than Franklin was, and this game is in the other Columbia, which is a tough trip.
Bulldogs lose.
Oct. 18, Georgia at Arkansas (Little Rock), TBA
Richt has worked at Georgia since 2001, but he has never taken a team to Little Rock. This would appear to be a propitious moment. The Razorbacks are coming off a 3-9 season (0-8 in the SEC) and were picked a distant last in the West by the SEC media. The hire of Bret Bielema, always a curious choice, is another bad year from being branded a flat-out howler. What worked in the brawny Big Ten might not translate to the SEC, which by reputation — and, let’s face it, in reality — is a better, faster conference. On this day in Little Rock, the Hogs will play a better, faster team.
Bulldogs win.
Nov. 1, Georgia vs. Florida (Jacksonville), TBA
My default position on the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party was: I’ll believe Georgia will beat Florida only when I see Georgia beat Florida. But now Georgia has beaten Florida three years running, and here’s my reassessment: I’ll believe Will Muschamp’s team will beat Mark Richt’s team only when I see it. I don’t expect to see it this fall. The Gators are on their third offensive coordinator in Muschamp’s four seasons — Kurt Roper, imported from Duke, is the latest — and to date, Florida has ranked 105th, 103rd and 87th in total offense. Muschamp figures to be coaching for his job by this point, but desperation won’t carry the day.
Bulldogs win.
Nov. 8, Georgia at Kentucky, TBA
Bad news, Georgia travelers. The horses won’t be running at Keeneland the day the Bulldogs play in Lexington, thus negating the possibility of a racing/football daily double. Otherwise, this trip should be a breeze. The Wildcats were 2-10 (0-8 in league play) in Mark Stoops’ first season as head coach, and the only thing that stops us from branding him the SEC East version of Bret Bielema is that he’s still rather popular and that Kentucky fans, at least in this sport, have realistic expectations. They will not expect the Big Blue to beat Georgia. They will be proved correct.
Bulldogs win.
Nov. 15, Auburn at Georgia, TBA
How many times have you seen the Prayer at Jordan-Hare? A hundred? A thousand? The week of this game, ESPN and the SEC Network will make sure you see it no fewer than 10 zillion times, and Georgia fans will cringe at the thought of Tray Matthews, who was positioned to intercept Nick Marshall’s fateful fling, now being on scholarship at Auburn. For those fans, the game itself shouldn’t be cringe-worthy. The Bulldogs were unlucky not to beat a good Auburn team last season, and the Tigers won’t be quite as good this time. Look for another stirring entry in the Deep South’s oldest rivalry. Look for a different outcome this time.
Bulldogs win.
Nov. 22, Charleston Southern at Georgia, TBA
The Buccaneers aren’t a bad program. They went 10-3 last season (5-3 in the Big South) and nearly made the FCS playoffs. But all we need to know about this game is that Charleston Southern lost 43-10 to Colorado, which went 1-8 in the Pac-12. In its past six games against Big Five programs, the Buccaneers have been outscored 312-51.
Bulldogs win.
Nov. 29, Georgia Tech at Georgia, TBA
For the Yellow Jackets, last year’s meeting at Bobby Dodd Stadium bore the undercurrent of, “If not now, when?” The Bulldogs had lost Aaron Murray to a torn ACL. They saw their hopes of playing in the SEC Championship game dashed at Auburn. They fell behind 20-0 two days after Thanksgiving. And, behind a steadying Mason and an onrushing Todd Gurley, they won in double overtime. Georgia under Richt is 12-1 against Tech, and the exception — the 45-42 loss in 2008, Paul Johnson’s first season — has been rendered a lonely outlier. Last season’s game might have been the Jackets’ best chance for the foreseeable future, and they couldn’t seize it.
Bulldogs win.
