Paul Finebaum, Greg McElroy dissect concerns for Georgia in matchup vs. Tennessee
Paul Finebaum and Greg McElroy broke down Georgia’s breakdown in Week 11 against Ole Miss, as the Bulldogs went from sure fire College Football Playoff team to a team that’s living on the edge of the Playoff discussion.
Kirby Smart’s team was listless in a 28-10 loss in Oxford and fell to 7-2, and now that the Bulldogs are a 2-loss team there is no margin for error going forward. And Georgia won’t exactly be easing into its new reality, as it welcomes Tennessee to Athens for a primetime showdown on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
“I think Tennessee is going to beat Georgia. Flat out, I think they’re going to beat them right now,” said McElroy in his discussion with fellow ESPN analyst Finebaum during Finebaum’s weekly Monday morning appearance on the McElroy & Cubelic In The Morning show. “If I had to pick it today, that’s who I’m picking. But I know (Georgia’s) a dangerous team with their back against the wall, and I know Kirby Smart’s going to have their antennas up.”
Finebaum questioned whether anyone should have confidence in Georgia right now, aside from the Bulldogs’ victory at Texas last month.
“I don’t know how to overcome what you just got through saying (about Georgia’s offensive line issues). Because it’s not like they’re playing a pedestrian defense in Tennessee,” said Finebaum. “We know what Tennessee is, and clearly the study of the Ole Miss game will not be missed in Knoxville. The game plan is already being put together.”
Right now, Finebaum believes Georgia is hanging by a thread.
“I think hope is about all you can say,” said Finebaum. “You can come up with every adjective to describe Kirby Smart’s greatness, and he is great. And, you know, does Carson Beck become Jalen Milroe overnight? I don’t think he can.”
I don’t see how anyone could objectively pick UGA over UTjr, after that kind of performance…. but I said the same thing heading into the UTx game… only feel worse this time… There is something wrong with the mental toughness of this team. Everyone is regressing, every position group.
Georgia will win because they always come out strong with their backs against the wall. Look at the Texas game.
There is no way for Georgia to lose. They have too much talent and their coach is too good.
I agree, why would anyone have Ugay over UT in this one…
Is UT the Longhorns or the Volunqueers?
Because Ugay has way more talent, Sanford is small and therefore louder and Kirby is such a great coach and all.
There is no way I would put money on UGa right now–in any competitive game. I am even nervous about the Tech game. This UGa team has no focus, no cohesion, no discipline, and no identity. How have Beck, Starks, and several others gotten worse over the past 2 years?