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5 predictions for Georgia in 2015

Brad Crawford

By Brad Crawford

Published:

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Georgia hasn’t won the SEC Championship Game since 2005.

That could change this season.

Overcoming one of the country’s toughest schedules will be a tremendous challenge, but the Bulldogs have the talent to do so with a new co-Heisman favorite in the backfield, three NFL-ready outside linebackers and one of the SEC’s strongest units up front.

Glancing at the crystal ball, here are five guesses at how the Bulldogs’ season will unfold in 2015:

5 predictions for Georgia in 2015

5. Lorenzo Carter, not Leonard Floyd or Jordan Jenkins, will be UGA’s best LB

Jenkins gets the media days invite and Floyd the preseason buzz, but it’s Carter who will lead this defense in sacks and stops behind the line of scrimmage by an outside linebacker this season. Much like Jadeveon Clowney’s role as a linebacker hybrid for the Houston Texans, Carter brings a similar skill set from an athleticism standpoint as an athlete with extreme burst and playmaking ability. During the second half of last season as a freshman, Carter blossomed into one of the SEC’s best players at the position and wound up finishing third on the team in sacks and second in quarterback hurries. Expect more of the same and then some with an increased role for Jeremy Pruitt as a sophomore.

4. Isaiah McKenzie will emerge as SEC’s next offensive star

The Human Joystick. It’s no longer an urban legend around Athens. Georgia’s sophomore speedster carried the nickname long before he arrived between the hedges, but last season’s terrific campaign on special teams (SEC-leading three touchdowns) brought his name to the forefront. On a team entering August with questions at receiver, the Bulldogs’ toughest player to tackle in the open field will emerge as one of Georgia’s go-to players in the slot. He’s a jet sweep assassin, too.

3. Offensive line will prove to be one of college football’s best

It goes without saying that Georgia needs a standout year from its wall of blockers if the Bulldogs’ elite running back group, a first-year coordinator and a new starter at quarterback intend on building on last year’s success offensively. Led by dominant tackles John Theus, Kolton Houston and Outland Trophy contender Greg Pyke at guard, Georgia has the veteran strength needed to win the weekly line of scrimmage battle this fall. The Bulldogs gave up the second-fewest sacks in the Eastern Division last season and could improve upon that number in 2015 since Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta are adept at avoiding a pass rush.

2. Nick Chubb will tie Garrison Hearst’s single-season rushing TD record

Nineteen touchdowns on the ground in a single season is more than Herschel Walker ever scored during three brilliant individual campaigns and would be quite a feat for Chubb considering the Bulldogs’ backfield depth. Brian Schottenheimer’s offense will center around one of the nation’s best sophomores and in the red zone, Georgia’s primary rushing choice is a no-brainer. If Chubb stays healthy and has a couple multi-touchdown outings, a record-setting 20 scores is obtainable. He’ll keep Hearst sweating, but 19’s the magic number this fall.

1. Bulldogs will finish 7-1 in the SEC, reach Atlanta

Finish 6-0 against Eastern rivals and split the cross-divisional games and Georgia wins the East. Doesn’t sound too difficult, right? It’s quite a challenge on the contrary considering the Bulldogs’ pair outside their own division comes against Alabama and Auburn, preseason faves teams who will likely be ranked inside the Top 5 at the time of the game — the toughest cross-divisional slate in the country. Not only would Georgia have a leg up on the rest of the division from a a head-to-head tiebreaker sense, but a regular-season loss to the Tigers or Crimson Tide wouldn’t look all that bad to the Playoff committee come selection time.

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