Outside of the traditional, season-capping rivalry date with Georgia Tech, Georgia’s non-conference slate appears breezy. Toss in the fact that the Bulldogs are the media’s overwhelming favorite to win the East this year, and conditions appear favorable for another season of double-digit wins under Mark Richt.
A closer look, however, invites a dash of caution to the optimism. Georgia draws Alabama from the West this year, and will play at traditional rival Auburn, the media’s preseason conference favorite. And any Bulldogs fan will tell you scraps with South Carolina and Florida never are going to be easy.
Nonetheless, Georgia enters the season with arguably more talent than any team in the East, if not the entire conference, and expectations are justifiably high.
Here’s a closer look at the Bulldogs’ 2015 schedule.
FAVORABLE MATCHUPS
Early over/under totals from sportsbooks tabbed Georgia for nine wins this season, tied for most in the conference. Finding that many that are sure things isn’t as easy.
The Bulldogs likely will be favored against South Carolina — possibly by a wide margin — but given recent series history, it’s difficult to pencil in an automatic win, even with the Bulldogs’ apparent talent advantage. The situation is similar against rival Florida, who dropped Georgia last year, 38-20, after entering the game as an 11.5-point underdog.
- vs. ULM, Sept. 5
- at Vanderbilt, Sept. 12
- vs. Southern, Sept 26
- vs. Kentucky, Nov. 7
- vs. Georgia Southern, Nov. 21
BIGGEST GAMES
Any time Alabama visits Sanford Stadium, fans circle the game on their calendars, so it’s tough to leave the Tide off this list. But we believe the Bulldogs can accomplish everything they hope for even with a loss to Alabama — as long as they take care of business in these crucial games. As mentioned, South Carolina seems to make a habit of giving Georgia fits. The Gamecocks have won four of the last five in the series, and given the road ahead in October, a 2-0 start in conference play is critical for the Bulldogs. We went with Missouri over Tennessee here, primarily because losing on the road at Neyland is more forgivable, and even though a three-peat is considered unlikely, Missouri is the two-time defending champ in the East. As for the Nov. 14 date at Jordan-Hare, not only is it a renewal of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, it’s also a potential preview of the SEC title game.
- vs. South Carolina, Sept. 19
- vs. Missouri, Oct. 10
- at Auburn, Nov. 14
ROUGH PATCH
The Bulldogs will enter the meat of their SEC schedule with three consecutive weeks of bruising matchups. A physical confrontation with Alabama leading into a road trip to Tennessee could leave Georgia vulnerable against a Missouri team with an experienced quarterback that’s now accustomed to the hostility of an SEC road environment.
- vs. Alabama, Oct. 3
- at Tennessee, Oct. 10
- vs. Missouri, Oct. 17
TOUGHEST TILT
We’re going with Alabama as the choice over Auburn here. That’s partly because the Bulldogs have won by wide margins in each of their last two trips to the Plains, and partly because their last two meetings against the Tide are two most Georgia fans would prefer to forget. Most recently, it was the heartbreak of the 2012 SEC title game. Perhaps even more shattering was the infamous failed blackout game of 2008, in which Alabama led 31-0 at the half and held on for a 41-30 win over the third-ranked Bulldogs. Georgia needs a win here if only to prove it isn’t under Saban’s spell.
SEASON-DEFINING STRETCH
- Oct. 31-Nov. 14
Regardless of what happens in the Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri gauntlet that comes before, Georgia will have a chance to build on momentum or turn its season around. The Bulldogs will get a week off prior to facing the Gators on Halloween in Jacksonville, and after hosting Kentucky, will travel to Auburn to complete their SEC slate. If Georgia can go 3-0 over this stretch, it should be positioned well entering the final two weeks of the regular season.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
