Sept 9 | Georgia

[ThePiombino]

Tillery plays as close to the same position as Atkins as possible considering different schemes... Atkins is their NT, Tillery is our NG. Georgia runs a 3-4 like we saw at Bama, and we obviously don't. So a lot of this isn't apples-to-apples. Georgia doesn't have a ROVER, etc. but comparing athletes 1-to-1 there's no chance Atkins... a RS senior with no NFL prospects... would be viewed as more talented than Tillery.

Similarly, Nyles Morgan is considered a top 10 ILB prospect for this upcoming draft. Their MIKE is also considered to be roughly that talented when projecting ahead to 2019. So it's disingenuous for anyone to pretend that Morgan "couldn't start" at Georgia when experts think he's equally good as an NFL prospect.

My point is basically that a lot of this crap is sensationalist. There isn't some monumental talent gap. Yeah, Trenton Thompson is a lot better than Bonner but Tillery is better than their NG. Is Daelin Hayes better than their OLB Lorenzo Carter that is projected as a mid-round pick? I don't know, but as an "end" you would certainly put him ahead of their listed DE even though they do different things. Their "SDE" Jonathan Ledbetter is considered a late round pick as a junior... that's better than Jay Hayes, but is it a ton better? The other two players (their JACK and WILL) are so different really than our ROVER and WILL that's hard to compare/contrast. Neither of their players at those positions are considered serious NFL draft prospects though Roquan Smith will probably be drafted in the late rounds per his current projection.

So if you're keeping track... they have one guy (Trenton Thompson) that is definitively better than Bonner. We have one guy (Tillery) that is definitively better than their Nose. Ledbetter is probably marginally better than Jay Hayes. Daelin Hayes = Carter (but you could argue Daelin is better). Nyles = Natrez Patrick (but possibly better).

Sure seems like a wash. Now, their 3-4 front 7 has proven to be more cohesive and effective than ours, and is extremely good as an overall unit. But player-for-player the idea that they're the effing Monstars and we're Toon Squad is very uninformed.

Reps, thanks.

 

[NDRock]

I don't think there is much of a talent gap between the two D's, our guys are just getting over the 2+ year disease that was BVG.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Just the messenger....Paul (my buddy) says 'DawgNation' is where he pulled the info. He says they do this every year to teams outside the SEC. He said go and look on the forum and any team outside of the SEC, the forum always predicts a win.

Paul on the other hand is petrified of this game. He is predicts 38 - 17 Irish.

IMO, the SEC does have a lot of great athletes in their defenses who play with a lot of passion and speed, BUT they all aren't Alabama and they also play a lot of crappy, uncreative offenses and immobile QBs that don't prepare them for the mobile QBs they see in some of the elite teams outside of the South.

Wimbush will be hard for them to deal with, especially if we can get another WR or two rolling.

Stepherson is a big loss, but every team has lost a key contributor or two so you have to deal.

 

[IrishLax]

Bet you didn't search the "dark internet".

Georgia's D all around is better than ND's at the moment. However, each team has to be able to exploit the weakness of each D. Whoever has the most success in this area is going to win. I also wouldn't be surprised to see us play a faster tempo to wear them out so the big boys up front can lay the wood in the second half. Then UoG fans will see we have some legitimate RB's.

Right. Georgia has a defense that is for sure top 25, possibly top 10. You can call them a "Tier 2" defense below the likes of Bama. I'd say best case scenario for ND is to be a "Tier 3" defense... and right now, they're probably "Tier 4." Georgia has a sizable advantage on that side of the ball, but like you said the thing people should be focused on is the matchups.

The strength of Georgia's defense is a veteran, physical, and cohesive front 7. You're not going to push them around. This is very bad for us considering what we want to do is run the ball for chunk plays. You don't beat their kind of defense without a vertical passing game, and our WRs besides EQ are below average and we showcased very little vertical passing game last week.

Conversely, the weakness of the ND defense is safety play and depth/physicality on the DL. What Georgia wants to do is run the ball. Do we really think Nick Coleman is going to get the job done against Nick Cubb in run support? Or that Bonner is going to be impactful? Our best DL player is Daelin Hayes and he's better suited for getting after the passer than run stuffing... and Tranquill is undersized for a 3rd LB.

So you add it all up and it appears that Georgia -- on top of having a better defense -- matches up better with ND. The Achilles' heel of Georgia is that their offense sucked last year with bad QB play... we have to hope that continues. We can beat them if they're one dimensional, but we're going to struggle if they can move it through the air.

I think ND will need at least 4 TDs to win this game. Coming into the season... before seeing their play in the middle portion of the game against App State... I thought Georgia would probably struggle to get multiple TDs. Now I think it's going to be hard to hold them under 30.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Right. Georgia has a defense that is for sure top 25, possibly top 10. You can call them a "Tier 2" defense below the likes of Bama. I'd say best case scenario for ND is to be a "Tier 3" defense... and right now, they're probably "Tier 4." Georgia has a sizable advantage on that side of the ball, but like you said the thing people should be focused on is the matchups.

The strength of Georgia's defense is a veteran, physical, and cohesive front 7. You're not going to push them around. This is very bad for us considering what we want to do is run the ball for chunk plays. You don't beat their kind of defense without a vertical passing game, and our WRs besides EQ are below average and we showcased very little vertical passing game last week.

Conversely, the weakness of the ND defense is safety play and depth/physicality on the DL. What Georgia wants to do is run the ball. Do we really think Nick Coleman is going to get the job done against Nick Cubb in run support? Or that Bonner is going to be impactful? Our best DL player is Daelin Hayes and he's better suited for getting after the passer than run stuffing... and Tranquill is undersized for a 3rd LB.

So you add it all up and it appears that Georgia -- on top of having a better defense -- matches up better with ND. The Achilles' heel of Georgia is that their offense sucked last year with bad QB play... we have to hope that continues. We can beat them if they're one dimensional, but we're going to struggle if they can move it through the air.

I think ND will need at least 4 TDs to win this game. Coming into the season... before seeing their play in the middle portion of the game against App State... I thought Georgia would probably struggle to get multiple TDs. Now I think it's going to be hard to hold them under 30.

This is exactly how I see it. Even a terrible BVG defense was able to stop a pure 1-dimensional LSU offense with NFL talent on it. But UGA will run a lot of play action.

We need to be creative in our running game.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Did you read what I bolded? I'm not sure how you want me to respond here.

I read every word and it was not targeting, and definitely not headhunting. I still have issue with the call.

What about Durham? Was that targeting, per the rules? How about THJr last year vs. Texas? I think targeting is called in a very slipshod fashion. I don't think the hard rules are applied equally and I bet I could find, (if I had time), 5+ hits just like that one that didn't get flagged.

I don't know how our least athletically gifted safety has the ability to pinpoint where his helmet collides on contact but I suppose it #justhappens

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Right. Georgia has a defense that is for sure top 25, possibly top 10. You can call them a "Tier 2" defense below the likes of Bama. I'd say best case scenario for ND is to be a "Tier 3" defense... and right now, they're probably "Tier 4." Georgia has a sizable advantage on that side of the ball, but like you said the thing people should be focused on is the matchups.

The strength of Georgia's defense is a veteran, physical, and cohesive front 7. You're not going to push them around. This is very bad for us considering what we want to do is run the ball for chunk plays. You don't beat their kind of defense without a vertical passing game, and our WRs besides EQ are below average and we showcased very little vertical passing game last week.

Conversely, the weakness of the ND defense is safety play and depth/physicality on the DL. What Georgia wants to do is run the ball. Do we really think Nick Coleman is going to get the job done against Nick Cubb in run support? Or that Bonner is going to be impactful? Our best DL player is Daelin Hayes and he's better suited for getting after the passer than run stuffing... and Tranquill is undersized for a 3rd LB.

So you add it all up and it appears that Georgia -- on top of having a better defense -- matches up better with ND. The Achilles' heel of Georgia is that their offense sucked last year with bad QB play... we have to hope that continues. We can beat them if they're one dimensional, but we're going to struggle if they can move it through the air.

I think ND will need at least 4 TDs to win this game. Coming into the season... before seeing their play in the middle portion of the game against App State... I thought Georgia would probably struggle to get multiple TDs. Now I think it's going to be hard to hold them under 30.

Wimbush better learn to go through his progressions in this game and we need our WR/TEs to catch every damn ball. And our OL need to prove who they are. Show everyone they can push around the best of em.

 

[greyhammer90]

Did you read what I bolded? I'm not sure how you want me to respond here.

I would like to know how, under the letter of the rule which I posted earlier, which you treated as authoritative in your own post beforehand, the player Nicco hit was defenseless.

 

[condoms SUCk]

Just got word that me and my buddy got 2 South Club passes. This weekend can't get here fast enough!!!!!

 

[T Town Tommy]

Right. Georgia has a defense that is for sure top 25, possibly top 10. You can call them a "Tier 2" defense below the likes of Bama. I'd say best case scenario for ND is to be a "Tier 3" defense... and right now, they're probably "Tier 4." Georgia has a sizable advantage on that side of the ball, but like you said the thing people should be focused on is the matchups.

The strength of Georgia's defense is a veteran, physical, and cohesive front 7. You're not going to push them around. This is very bad for us considering what we want to do is run the ball for chunk plays. You don't beat their kind of defense without a vertical passing game, and our WRs besides EQ are below average and we showcased very little vertical passing game last week.

Conversely, the weakness of the ND defense is safety play and depth/physicality on the DL. What Georgia wants to do is run the ball. Do we really think Nick Coleman is going to get the job done against Nick Cubb in run support? Or that Bonner is going to be impactful? Our best DL player is Daelin Hayes and he's better suited for getting after the passer than run stuffing... and Tranquill is undersized for a 3rd LB.

So you add it all up and it appears that Georgia -- on top of having a better defense -- matches up better with ND. The Achilles' heel of Georgia is that their offense sucked last year with bad QB play... we have to hope that continues. We can beat them if they're one dimensional, but we're going to struggle if they can move it through the air.
I think ND will need at least 4 TDs to win this game. Coming into the season... before seeing their play in the middle portion of the game against App State... I thought Georgia would probably struggle to get multiple TDs. Now I think it's going to be hard to hold them under 30.

I think the key to the game for the Irish. And the Irish have to do it without having to stack the box too much. If Ga can run and move the chains, the game gets much tougher for the Irish. Win the battle up front and get off the field on third down and the Irish can come out victors.

 

[D-BOE34]

Irish win by 17

 

[NorthDakota]

Irish by 10 I'm thinking. Play fast, play mean. Get it done.

 

[Rocket89]

I dont believe for one second that it'll be 30K. I'm sure there will be a lot of them though. It'll look bad as well since red stands out in a crowd.

I agree, if only because every few years we always do this to ourselves and predict an opponent will swarm the stadium seemingly increasing the total each time. Battered fan syndrome from Nebraska 2000.

We'll see pics posted on Twitter 90 minutes before kickoff when there's little Irish fans in the building but the southeast corner and some other spots are dominated by Georgia red. Then we'll inflate the final total of Georgia fans by 60%.

There will be a lot but 30,000 is a huge number to hit.

Just to play devil's advocate though...

*Our fans, given our history, largely suck at cheering.
*The ticket prices are absurd.
*More Georgia fans makes the atmosphere better, IMO.
*Can't be too mad for UGA fans thinking this is a bucket list trip.
*It'll be nice to stick it a bunch of Georgia fans if we win.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Sept 9 | Georgia

No bearing on anything, but I had to look at UGA's past record against P5 non-conference opponents (including bowls):

2016: 2-1 (UNC, TCU GT)
2015: 2-0 (GT, PSU)
2014: 2-1 (CLEM, GT, LOU)
2013: 1-2 (CLEM, GT, NEB)
2012: 2-0 (GT, NEB)
2011: 1-1 (GT, MSU)
2010: 1-1 (COL, GT)
2009: 3-1 (OkST, ASU, GT, TAMU)
2008: 2-1 (ASU, GT, MSU)

I was hoping to see a trend, but only noticed they were pretty much:

.667 against GT (who cares)
.500 against B10 (I like that)

The rest is a crapshoot. The only thing that stuck out is they crushed Clemson opening weekend in 2014, and Clemson went on to a 10-3 season.

Conclusion: I just wasted 15 minutes of my life to find out I still have no idea what will happen Saturday


*Edit: found one useful tidbit: they were 1-3 in true road games during that stretch not counting GT (W=ASU, L=COL, OK ST, CLEM)

 

[pkt77242]

You are always wrong about this. Look at the rest of the targeting calls. How was the RB defenseless? He had the ball and cut back into our safety who was flowing full steam ahead.

Also, you must believe the hit on Durham was targeting, yes? It was helmet to helmet while he was in the act of making the catch, aka - defenseless.

Targeting isn't just for hits on defenseless players. Any hit with the crown of the helmet can be targeting.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/9/2/16218244/targeting-rule-ncaa-rulebook-helmet-crown-head-to-head-defenseless

Or even better: Bold is added by me.

Football referees will now stop games to immediately review when players are penalized and face ejection for targeting defenseless opponents above the shoulders or using the crown of the helmet to contact an opponent. This new review process will only impact games that have instant replay capability.

A new process implemented for targeting fouls review | NCAA.org - The Official Site of the NCAA

 

[pkt77242]

I would like to know how, under the letter of the rule which I posted earlier, which you treated as authoritative in your own post beforehand, the player Nicco hit was defenseless.

He doesn't have to be defenseless anymore. Leading with the crown of your helmet is now targeting. See my previous post.

Here is another one.

1. Targeting and Making Forcible Contact With the Crown of the Helmet: "No player shall target and make forcible contact against an opponent with the crown [top] of his helmet. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting." All indicators must have forcible contact and include, but aren't limited to, a player launching himself by leaving his feet; a crouch followed by a upward and forward thrust; leading with the helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack at the head or neck area; lowering the head before attacking with the crown of the helmet.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-targeting-penalties-ejections-may-see-sizable-reductions/

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Georgia struggled last year when teams went tempo I think we go tempo wemigjt give up 30 points but I think we can score 30 or more

 

[NDRock]

No bearing on anything, but I had to look at UGA's past record against P5 non-conference opponents (including bowls):

2016: 2-1 (UNC, TCU GT)
2015: 2-0 (GT, PSU)
2014: 2-1 (CLEM, GT, LOU)
2013: 1-2 (CLEM, GT, NEB)
2012: 2-0 (GT, NEB)
2011: 1-1 (GT, MSU)
2010: 1-1 (COL, GT)
2009: 3-1 (OkST, ASU, GT, TAMU)
2008: 2-1 (ASU, GT, MSU)

I was hoping to see a trend, but only noticed they were pretty much:

.667 against GT (who cares)
.500 against B10 (I like that)

The rest is a crapshoot. The only thing that stuck out is they crushed Clemson opening weekend in 2014, and Clemson went on to a 10-3 season.

Conclusion: I just wasted 15 minutes of my life to find out I still have no idea what will happen Saturday


*Edit: found one useful tidbit: they were 1-3 in true road games during that stretch not counting GT (W=ASU, L=COL, OK ST, CLEM)

Georgia just doesn't win a lot of big games. Thats why Richt was fired.

 

[Buster Bluth]

I really don't get the optimism of ND winning by double digits. This game is a toss up IMO.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I really don't get the optimism of ND winning by double digits. This game is a toss up IMO.

I think it's less than a toss up personally. The only thought that keeps popping in my head is:

Replace Lacy with Chubb, and Spond with Tranquill.

 

[dwshade]

I think it's less than a toss up personally. The only thought that keeps popping in my head is:

Replace Lacy with Chubb, and Spond with Tranquill.

Problem is Chubb doesn't have the rest of that Bama team with him and Tranquill is far better than Spond. Best RB on the field Saturday will be Josh Adams.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I think it's less than a toss up personally. The only thought that keeps popping in my head is:

Replace Lacy with Chubb, and Spond with Tranquill.

Don't buy into the SEC propaganda. Jawja's offense isn't remotely close to what Saban fielded against us in the NCG, particularly at OL and QB. The Dawgs haven't been much better than us in recent years, and they don't have much (if any) of a talent advantage either.

We might lose, but I'd bet good money that loss, if it happens, won't look anything like the inevitable outcome of the game against 'Bama.

 

[irishog77]

What does phork say ND will do?

His predictions are the only ones that matter on IE.

(Please be for ND to win )

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Don't buy into the SEC propaganda. Jawja's offense isn't remotely close to what Saban fielded against us in the NCG, particularly at OL and QB. The Dawgs haven't been much better than us in recent years, and they don't have much (if any) of a talent advantage either.

We might lose, but I'd bet good money that loss, if it happens, won't look anything like the inevitable outcome of the game against 'Bama.

Thanks for the pep talk. I feel better now:

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Thanks for the pep talk. I feel better now:

I ain't blowing sunshine. Still scarred from last season. But I do feel confident asserting that the Dawgs aren't remotely close in quality to the '12 Crimson Tide, and I doubt we'll embarrass ourselves this Saturday. Beyond that, you're on your own.

 

[stlnd01]

I sold a pair of tickets - bought through the alumni lottery (which is less of a "lottery" now than it used to be) - at face value to a Georgia alum former co-worker of my wife (who helped her get a job once) who's taking his dad. Sue me.

Like others have said this is a bucket list game for those folks. Just like Texas a couple of years ago. For me, it'd be a good time, but would require a plane ticket, rental car, hotel and childcare for the weekend. That adds up.

Agree it's not cool to sell tickets at profit to opposing school fans. Especially if you're just buying them in the first place to re-sell (or out of some stupid sense of spite). But that's the market for games like this. And you know how many times I've been stuck trying to sell a pair trying to sell to ND fans gloating about how they "never" pay face value? It's happened a lot more times than I've made money on tickets over the years.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Shots fired (and clearly many shots taken before filming):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f7e3cI1wQRI

 

[stlnd01]

Shots fired (and clearly many shots taken before filming):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f7e3cI1wQRI

Jesus. That was stupid.

 

[NDRock]

I think it's less than a toss up personally. The only thought that keeps popping in my head is:

Replace Lacy with Chubb, and Spond with Tranquill.

Dude, it's Georgia. They are consistently the most overrated program. Nowhere near Bama.

Ranking The Most Overrated College Football Programs of Last Decade | The Big Lead

 

[ND NYC]

Shots fired (and clearly many shots taken before filming):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f7e3cI1wQRI

dude's an ignorant redneck-don't bother giving him any views it will only encourage more anti-Catholic anti-ND rhetoric.