Opponent Q&A - Auburn @ Georgia

Before you settle in for Auburn and Georgia tonight, get some answers from Dawg Sports on questions that you may have about the Bulldogs!

Going by the eye test, Georgia’s not quite the team that they were last year, but they’re still in the Playoff picture in mid-November. What were the big issues coming into the season and how have they been addressed?

Coming into this season Georgia needed to replace the eight starters they lost on defense from that 2017 SEC Championship team. So far the results have been uneven, but generally promising. The ‘Dawgs stand fourth in the league in scoring defense and third in total defense.

While true freshman corner Tyson Campbell and the young linebacking corps have been exposed at times, they’re playing faster and with more confidence. While they are likely still headed for the wood chipper against Alabama in the conference title game, they’ll return as many as eighteen of the twenty-two players on the two deep in 2019, something to which UGA fans are truly looking forward.

The running game is clearly hitting full stride. How’s it different with Holyfield and Swift compared to last year’s attack with Chubb and Michel?

While Chubb and Michel were certainly higher profile players, the results with Holyfield and Swift carrying the load have actually been similar. Swift is coming off his best game of the season, a 16 carry, 156 yard effort against Kentucky. Holyfield leads the team in rushing with 674 yards.

Holyfield has been the more consistent back, but that’s largely due to Swift dealing with nagging injuries for the first half of the season. However with Swift now healthy, look for him to take over the game-breaking role Michel filled in 2017.

By your estimation, how much will we see Justin Fields on Saturday? And what will he do to be dismissed by Georgia before transferring to Auburn to become our next great quarterback?

Sorry guys. When Fields transfers Kirby is going to limit his options to the University of Anchorage and Idaho Western. You’re going to have to get your misdemeanoring QBs from Miami now.

But in answer to the first question, I’d count on 4-8 snaps, which is about a quarter of what many UGA fans would prefer.

Georgia’s run defense hasn’t been great this year, but the pass defense has been on point. Auburn’s run game has been pretty poor, so if the Tigers are going to put up enough points to win on Saturday, how do they have to attack Georgia?

If I were calling plays for the Tigers I would pick on the young Bulldog defensive backs, especially Campbell. He’s been a little vulnerable at times. Georgia has also been a little below average when dealing with high tempo attacks, in part because of injury-induced depth issues on the defensive line. In summary, run into the middle quick, fast, and in a hurry, then play action Campbell out of position deep.

Describe the adrenaline rush barking at strangers gives you.

You gotta try it. It’s like the first time you heard the Beatles every single time. But not on LSU fans. It’s at most the third or fourth weirdest thing that happens to any given Tiger fan on any given game day, basically a waste of energy.

When are you going to get a real highway instead of the hellscape that is 316?

I can’t think of any good reason to get on 316. That place is full of Auburn fans. If I were you I’d stick to Highway 78 or take the backroads. Atlanta traffic is for those who haven’t learned where all the good unnamed roads are.

What happens on Saturday and how badly do you think you’ll beat Auburn?

I think we’ll know what we’re dealing with by the midpoint of the second quarter. If it’s a 10-7 or 14-10 game Auburn’s got a shot. But if Georgia gets up significantly early, it could get away from the Fightin’ Guses in a hurry. My uneducated guess: UGA 34, Auburn 24.

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Thanks again to Dawg Sports for these insightful answers, War Eagle!