Should Georgia Go Undefeated in 2021?
Upon initial examination of the 2021 schedule, Georgia Bulldog fans are eyeing the national championship, and for good reason. Head coach Kirby Smart has worked to build a culture that can stand the trials and tribulations a title season will inevitably bring. The Bulldogs have returners in all key positions, including a few of the best players in the country.
But ultimately the record is decided by who you play and how you play them. While the difference between a New Years Six Bowl and a national title is dependent on the players and coaches, sometimes scheduling breaks can help that. Here is the Bulldog schedule for this season:
- Clemson (9/4) at Charlotte
- UAB (9/11)
- South Carolina (9/18)
- @ Vanderbilt (9/25)
- Arkansas (10/2)
- @Auburn (10/9)
- Kentucky (10/16)
- Florida (10/30) at Jacksonville
- Missouri (11/6)
- @ Tennessee (11/13)
- Charleston Southern (11/20)
- @ Georgia Tech (11/27)
The early and mid-season cupcake opponent is making its return to the Georgia schedule this fall. Games against UAB, Charleston Southern and Georgia Tech appear to be guaranteed wins on this schedule.
Everyone is looking ahead toward the Clemson game. No one knows what this Tigers team should actually look like. The quarterback will be sophomore D.J. Uiagalelei, who flashed signs of brilliance a year ago against Notre Dame but also struggled against Boston College. If we go off the Tigers track record it seems they will rebound post-Trevor Lawrence, but this is a winnable game in which the Dawgs should be favored.
There are a host of teams on the list that won’t be favored heading into the matchup but could possibly give Georgia fits on the right day. Missouri and Arkansas have built strong foundations with two excellent head coaches, Elijah Drinkwitz and Sam Pittman, respectively. While they don’t have the talent or depth that Georgia has, it is possible they could get their guys up enough to put up a fight.
Auburn and South Carolina always put up a hard fight against Georgia, and both programs have shiny new head coaches looking for signature wins in their first season. At least Auburn has a familiarity aspect about them. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has worked with and against Smart for decades.
As for the Florida matchup, Georgia owes the Gators a bit of vengeance. Georgia allowed 38 points in the first half. To put that into perspective, Alabama is the only other program to score 38 points or more against Georgia all year. Florida has lost their quarterback, top three receiving targets, and a host of defensive backs. This game should still decide the Eastern Division, and Georgia is expected to win.
The truth of the matter is that while Georgia plays some good football teams this fall, each of them has question marks and holes. The Bulldogs should be favored in all of their games to start the season, and they have a great chance to run the table.
Any team on the right day can win, but when you look ahead at the forecast for Georgia football, one thing rings true: Perhaps for the first time since 1980 anything less than a national title would truly be a disappointment.
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