Everyone expected Georgia to be better in Kirby Smart’s second year, but SEC Champions and playing in the Rose Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal has exceeded expectations. While the Bulldogs may be ahead of schedule, there’s no reason Smart’s bunch can’t bring their first national championship back to Athens since 1980.
But before they dream of a national title, the Bulldogs first have to get by the Sooners. Here are five reasons Georgia can beat Oklahoma.
1. Dynamic duo: Georgia’s running back depth goes beyond seniors Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. But this game is why both passed on a shot at NFL millions back in April. Both already run with the determination and toughness of runaway rhinoceroses, but I expect that level will be turned up to 108 on a 10-point scale in Pasadena. Nobody’s going to deny the seniors, especially Oklahoma’s sieve-like defense.
2. No resistance: Speaking of Oklahoma’s defense, it’s been abysmal at times in the defense-optional Big 12. Oklahoma’s run defense is only giving up 144 rushing yards per game, but that stat comes with an asterisk when you play in a pass-happy conference. That applies in reverse too as Oklahoma’s secondary has been lit up for for 240 yards per game. There will be plenty of opportunities for the UGA offense to capitalize.
3. Roquan Smith: Georgia’s entire defense has been terrific all season, but its heart and soul is Smith. He’s the unquestioned leader and enforcer for the Bulldogs. Are Oklahoma’s skill players going to want to come across the middle all game if Smith is waiting on them? The arms will get shorter with each hit, and that’s if he’s in coverage. He may be blitzing his way to the Heisman Trophy winner. Good luck to the linemen who have to block the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year.
4. No fear: Georgia hasn’t been in this position since 2012, when the SEC Championship game against Alabama was a de facto semifinal game of the BCS era. That inexperience on a big stage could be a detriment in some areas, but one big advantage is the Bulldogs don’t have any scar tissue from past failures. They have no reason to fear the moment, especially after thoroughly beating Auburn in this year’s SEC Championship. The last time Oklahoma was in this position, it was soundly swatted down by Clemson in the 2015 Orange Bowl. That could provide fuel for the fire, but it can also linger in the back of the mind.
5. Smart’s experience: While he’s got a true freshman QB and other young players suiting up in the biggest games they’ve ever played, Smart has been here before. Sure it was as Alabama’s defensive coordinator and not a head coach, but his two years of going to the playoff with the Tide had to give him a framework for how to handle the hoopla surrounding the game. Having coached in college football’s biggest pressure cooker, Smart won’t be fazed by the moment.