Georgia Football Has a Major Hurdle to Overcome in 2020

Georgia has achieved a lot in the first four years under Kirby Smart, but they have yet to get over the major hurdle. They will have another shot at Alabama in 2020.

Saturday, September 19, 2020. On that day, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, two of the most talented college football teams in all of America will meet in a battle that will be highly anticipated, analyzed, and ultimately, highly viewed. When Georgia and Alabama face-off, there won't be a title on the line in Bryant-Denny Stadium. However, one could argue that something even larger is at stake.

For the longest time, Alabama has been the program that aspiring SEC and National champions have had to go through in order to reach the mountain top. With numerous SEC & National titles, and all the playoff and title appearances they've accumulated over their rich history, especially in the Saban Era, the Crimson Tide deserve to be the measuring stick for greatness. 

That was certainly the case for LSU in 2019. Heisman Trophy Winner and National Championship Quarterback Joe Burrow stated his opinion on the significance of beating Alabama quite clearly. When asked what his Heisman moment was at their championship celebration ceremony, Burrow answered, "It’s got to be going into Tuscaloosa, right? It’s got to be. That was a dominant win. The final scoreboard didn’t show it, but that was complete dominance."

Jacob Hester - "What was the team Heisman moment?"

Joe Burrow - "It's gotta be going into Tuscaloosa right?"

And what does the Heisman winner have to say about his assistant coaches and game preparation?

"It's like having the answers to the test when you walk in there." pic.twitter.com/IBTfx53JhR

— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) January 18, 2020

Georgia has been equally as dominant in the SEC East. Rivals Florida and Tennessee have reverted to roles of little brother to Georgia over the past few seasons, after once being frequent stumbling blocks for the Dawgs. Kirby Smart, Jake Fromm, J.R. Reed and company laid claim to the East in a way that has not been done in quite some time over the 2017, 2018, and 2019 campaigns. 

In those seasons, Georgia has beaten Tennessee and Florida by a combined score of 224 to 67. Georgia's only SEC East loss since 2017 came at the hands of South Carolina this past season, in overtime, in a game in which Georgia turned the ball over an uncharacteristic four times.

The sheer dominance speaks for itself. Alabama and Georgia are the current gatekeepers to SEC excellence. However, there is no way around it, much to the chagrin of Dawg fans everywhere, its undeniable Alabama has had the psychological edge that has manifested itself in close victories over the Dawgs in key matchups. The sting of 2nd and 26 and then, just a year later, Jalen Hurts's heroics will linger with the Georgia faithful until the two SEC standard-bearers meet, the clock hits 0:00 in the 4th Quarter and the Dawgs come out on top.

QB, Tua Tagovailoa

Kirby Smart, assistant coaches, and the players that will speak to the media leading into the season will downplay the significance and the emotional and psychological elements of this colossal clash. However, in the depths of their minds and their collective constitution, they know that this is a big one and one that in which Georgia must come out on top in order to rid the stigma of really good, but not great.

I expect a throng of fanatical Bulldogs to descend upon Bryant-Denny Stadium in a manner as no other opposing programs' faithful has before. The loyalty of some Crimson Tide season ticket holders will be tested by the prices Dawg fans will be willing to pay to gain entry to the spectacle that will take place in T-Town. 

Those who don't find entry will tailgate and find a television to hunker down around and watch the coverage that will air at either 3:30 EST on CBS or 7:30 EST on ABC. No matter the circumstances, everyone whose blood runs red and black will be primed and ready to go for this one.

Why though? It's just one game, an early-season game that each team could recover from, and many of the key components of the Georgia and Alabama teams that will be taking the field on that fall evening were either not involved at all or weren't significant contributors the last time these two played. 

The reason is simple. It's an opportunity to secure the next foothold in the climb up the mountain, reach a new level, plant a flag and make a statement that this is now were Georgia is and there no plans of going backward.

Nick Saban and Kirby Smart

September 19th, 2020. All the unbelievable recruiting classes, the overall rise in the level of play and execution, the resurgence and "buy-in" of the Dawg community that has created electric atmospheres and provided for growth in the program, they all point to this date. It's the first of what could be, and likely will be, of two matchups between the Dawgs and Tide in 2020. 

A win in the first would be a massive boost of momentum throughout the rest of the campaign, but more importantly, as LSU found out, it could be the launching point of something special.

New playmakers, new coaches, a new offensive system and even new stellar additions to an already salty defense are all set in place. Now Georgia must capitalize on the moment, go into the territory of the program that has plagued and prolonged their efforts toward their desires for a National Championship and come out victorious.

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