There’s a new man in charge in Athens. Kirby Smart takes over after Mark Richt and Georgia decided to part ways after 15 years. Smart makes his way to Georgia off a 10-year apprenticeship under Nick Saban. In eight of those years he served as Alabama’s defensive coordinator, making a name for himself as one of the most head coach-ready coordinators in football.
Georgia Bulldogs Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Bulldogs Over 8.5 Wins -110
Bulldogs Under 8.5 Wins -110
2015 GEORGIA BULLDOGS SEASON REVIEW
The Bulldogs entered 2015 as the preseason favorite to win the SEC East, but lost three conference games to finish one game behind Florida in the standings. Losing at home by 28 to Alabama was bad, and Tennessee’s 38-31 win rocked Athens. But the lowest moment, which eventually cost Richt his job and eliminated the Bulldogs in the East, came in a 27-3 loss to Florida, which was an embarrassment in so many ways.
Greyson Lambert looked like the perfect fit at quarterback after setting an NCAA completion percentage record by connecting on 24 of 25 passes in a rout of South Carolina. At that time the SEC East was Georgia’s to lose. But the struggles at quarterback were the problem, with the efficiency and midrange plays not there.
Still, a 10-3 record would be considered a success for most schools. That wasn’t the case for the Bulldogs, who failed to win the division for a third straight year. They rolled to a 4-1 start, but the season took a turn at Tennessee. Star running back Nick Chubb blew out a knee on the game’s first play and the psyche of the team and how the offense operated completely changed.
WHAT CHANGED
The Bulldogs are one of many teams in the SEC replacing their quarterback in 2016, and they have a new coach for the first time in 15 years to boot. Smart comes over from Alabama to try and get Georgia over the hump in the SEC East after years of close calls. He takes over a program that has plenty to work with.
It almost feels like Georgia is getting overlooked in the SEC East this year. Tennessee has been the talk of the division and Florida is the defending champs. It doesn’t help that the Bulldogs lost to both teams last year. They return 14 starters, including Heisman hopeful Chubb, and appear to be one of the top contenders in the East. Smart was brought in for the purpose of winning a national title.
2016 GEORGIA BULLDOGS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Sep. 3: vs. North Carolina
Sep. 10: vs. Nicholls State
Sep. 17: at Missouri
Sep. 24: at Mississippi
Oct. 1: vs. Tennessee
Oct. 8: at South Carolina
Oct. 15: vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 29: vs. Florida
Nov. 5: at Kentucky
Nov. 12: vs. Auburn
Nov. 19: vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Nov. 26: vs. Georgia Tech
2016 GEORGIA BULLDOGS SEASON PREVIEW
Quarterback is the big question on everyone's mind in Athens entering the season, and it appears as if freshman stud Jacob Eason will take on that starting role at some point this year. It’s no secret that the position was a mess last season with Lambert and Brice Ramsey – and for one pitiful loss to Florida, Faton Bauta – failing to move the offense. Plenty of Georgia fans would like to see Eason grab the job, but leaning on a freshman quarterback is risky.
The schedule sets up about as well for a new coach and new quarterback as you could hope. The opener is against a North Carolina team that probably overachieved in 2015 and the Dawgs skip the big boys from the West in crossover play. If Georgia can sneak out a win at Ole Miss, hold off Tennessee at home and take care of Florida, they have a shot at running the table.
That’s more of the dream scenario. Chances are they will lose a couple games and end up right about where they were in 2015. Winning in the SEC is not easy. Especially when you have a new head coach and freshman signal caller. Luckily the oddsmakers have their win total at just 8.5, a mark they will have no problem eclipsing.
College Football Odds: Georgia Bulldogs Over 8.5 Wins
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