UGA starts title defense with showdown vs. Oregon
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January flashback: Coach Kirby Smart celebrates. Photo: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty
It's title defense time for the Georgia Bulldogs. Expect Atlanta to be a sea of red and black and green and yellow Saturday.
What's happening: The Dawgs open their season with a clash against the Oregon Ducks.
- UGA won't be between the hedges though. They'll be just down the road at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Kickoff is at 3:30pm.
The big picture: This marks the first time since the 1981 season that Georgia has had a national title to defend.
- After winning it all in 1980, UGA went a painstaking 41 years before sitting atop the throne of the college football world.
Catch up fast: UGA avenged their 2017-18 championship loss to Alabama by beating the Crimson Tide 33-18 in a dominating performance to win the CFP title.
Yes, but: Since then, they've lost 15 players to the NFL, setting a record for most players taken in a single draft.
- Those included key defensive players Travon Walker (picked first overall), Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean.
- They also lost some talent on the offensive end in receiver George Pickens and running backs James Cook and Zamir White.
Of note: Their 2022 signing class should help lessen the blow. Four of their five star recruits are on the defensive side of the ball.
What's next: Not saying this season will be easy, but the scheduling gods smiled on UGA.
- UGA is currently only set to face two teams who are ranked in the AP's preseason poll — Oregon at no. 11 and Kentucky at no. 20.
- Matchups against Samford and Kent State are cake walks.
- That leaves the Georgia/Florida game and a visit from Auburn as the only other times we could see UGA sweat a little.
What we're watching: Will Georgia end its season playing in the same place it started: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, site of the SEC championship.
- Even with its national victory, UGA hasn't won the SEC title since 2017.
- They've appeared in the game six times since 2011, losing five. (Three to Alabama and two to LSU)
Ross' thought bubble: Yea, yea I get it. All the hype surrounding the Dawgs and their dominating season last year. Kirby Smart got his bag with a 10 year, $112.5 million deal.
- But this season will belong to The Ohio State University.
- Go Bucks! OH!