Athens is already buzzing in anticipation of No. 8 Alabama rolling into town to take on No. 3 Georgia on Saturday night. And if the game wasn’t big enough already, earlier in the week ESPN announced that their traveling football show College GameDay would air from Athens and Georgia head coach Mark Richt announced a “blackout.” His team will wear black jerseys, and fans are encouraged to wear black.
Also, it will be the first game in which the Bulldogs fans will get to show their appreciation for longtime radio play-by-play announcer Larry Munson, who announced his retirement this past Monday after 42 years of calling Bulldog football. Then, later in the week, the unthinkable happened. No. 1 USC lost 27-21 at Oregon State on Thursday, meaning Georgia should move back into the nation’s top two with a win over Alabama.
GAME OVERVIEW
The atmosphere surrounding the 7:45 p.m. kickoff is already intense, but on the field, Georgia will face its biggest challenge this year to date. The Nick Saban-coached Crimson Tide is built on power. Their offensive line averages 306 pounds per starter and their starting defensive line averages 309 pounds person. Alabama puts that size to good use, as they rush for over 236 yards per game, good enough for 14th in the nation in rushing offense, while they are eighth in rushing defense, allowing just 55 yards per game. However, the Crimson Tide offense will have to operate against a Georgia defense that is third nationally against the run. “Our main focus is stopping the run and we’ve been doing a pretty good job this year,” said Bulldog defensive end Justin Houston. “We’re looking forward to continuing doing the same thing.”
In order to stop Alabama’s running game, Georgia will have to deal with that Tide offensive line. Left tackle Andre Smith is a future high NFL Draft choice, center Antoine Caldwell could have left for the NFL a year ago, and guards Marlon Davis and Mike Johnson are returning starters. “They’ll probably be the best offensive line we’ll play all year,” said Bulldog linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. “But I know they’ll be the best up to date.”
The anchor of their line is the 6-foot-5, 340-pound Smith. Look for Alabama to run behind him in critical situations. Houston and the rest of Georgia’s defensive ends will have their hands full. “He’s a great player,” Houston said. “I just got to do what my coaches taught me […] and hope for the best.”
The Crimson Tide also brings a nice stable of running backs into the game, any of which is capable of having a big night. Glenn Coffee (8.6), Mark Ingram (6.1) and Roy Upchurch (7.0) all are averaging over 6 yards per carry this season. They’ve played so well that last year’s leading rusher, Terry Grant, has struggled to get carries. “All of them run hard,” Ellerbe said. “It’s going to be a challenge, but we look forward to challenges.”
When Alabama decides to pass the ball, freshman wide receiver Julio Jones will be a likely target for steady senior quarterback John Parker Wilson. Jones, who was rated higher by most recruiting services than Georgia’s fabulous freshman receiver A.J. Green, leads Alabama with 132 receiving yards this year and three touchdowns. Richt sees Jones and Green as similar talents. “They’re both big-time players, guys that can be difference makers for their teams,” Richt said. “They’re going to make big plays and usually the big plays make the difference in our games.”
For Georgia, quarterback Matthew Stafford will look to find Green on some of those big plays, but the Bulldogs will also hope to have success running the ball against the Tide’s defense. Terrence Cody, a 6-foot-5, 360-pound nose guard, anchors the Alabama defensive line and is a catalyst for their entire defense. “I never played against somebody that size,” said Bulldog offensive lineman Chris Davis. “Nobody has really been able to block him so far. He’s a good player, he’s strong, physical and [starting center Ben Jones] is going to have his hands full.”
Not only is the Tide defensive line is heavy, they are also tall, with ends Brandon Deaderick and Bobby Greenwood standing 6-4 and 6-5 respectively. “They’re physically probably the biggest line we will see this year,” Davis said. “Their stature is huge.”
Midway through the practice week, Richt said Georgia will likely start the offensive line of Vince Vance, Davis, Jones, Clint Boling and Justin Anderson that started against Arizona State.
Running behind that line will be tailback Knowshon Moreno. Moreno is 13th nationally at 113 rushing yards per game and has nine touchdowns in four games this year. Fullback Shaun Chapas, who will lead Moreno into the teeth of the Alabama defense, also has a big test in front of him. Tide linebackers Rolando McClain (6-4, 255) and Brandon Fanney (6-4, 257) are physically imposing and are able to stymie opposing teams’ rushing attacks. Chapas figures to lock horns with middle ‘backer McClain several times. “He’s a big dude. He looks great on film,” Chapas said. “He’s big, strong [and] fast. He’s a real good player.”
Despite their enormous size, Alabama’s most dangerous player on the field on Saturday night might just be their smallest. Cornerback/return specialist Javier Arenas is a valuable special-teams weapon for the Crimson Tide. He is averaging over 26 yards per kickoff return, over 18 yards per punt return and has returned a punt and interception each for a touchdown this season. His special-teams work has caught Richt and the Georgia coaching staff’s attention. “I don’t want to give away the game plan. […] anything I say might give them a hint on what we plan to do,” Richt said. “So I’m not going to say anything other than he’s really good.”
BIG IMPLICATIONS
There will be a lot on the line come Saturday night. A contest that at the outset of the season seemed like a classic letdown game for the Bulldogs, now is one of Georgia’s biggest of the entire year. The Bulldogs will move up in the rankings with a win and quite possibly get some consideration for reclaiming the No. 1 spot with a spectacular showing. Wearing black and playing in front of what has the potential to be one of the rowdiest Sanford Stadium crowds of all time, Georgia’s full attention will be on beating Alabama. The Bulldog defense will have to try and contain a dominant Tide rushing attack, but at the same time limit the long gains and third-down conversions of the Alabama passing game. Georgia’s offense should fare well as long as it can run the ball with any consistency. Big plays will be available in the passing game and the Bulldogs should be able to convert on their share. Alabama will be the biggest and best team Georgia has faced this year, but they do not appear to be as well-rounded as the Dawgs. With so many reasons to play well and so much to gain with a victory, Georgia should prevail in a hard-fought battle.
Butler can be reached at jbutler@scoreatl.com.
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