Tucker’s Georgia Record Prediction
Credit: Tony Walsh/UGAAA
RECORD PREDICTION: 12-0
The word “dynasty” is often thrown around to describe the dominant stretches of a team in a sport over the course of decades.
Some recent examples of dynasties are the New England Patriots in the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick years, Nick Saban’s Alabama for the majority of his tenure, and the Golden State Warriors and Kansas City Chiefs in the last decade.
Kirby Smart has an opportunity to solidify his Georgia program in that list. He already won consecutive national titles in 2021 and 2022, and it’s hard to imagine there won’t be more with his biggest obstacle retiring from coaching.
The Bulldogs open the season against Clemson in Atlanta. It’s beginning to feel like Clemson in is its dying stages of national relevance, and its often sluggish offense under Cade Klubnik should not be a challenge for Kirby Smart’s defense.
After a freebie against Tennessee Tech, the Bulldogs head north to play Kentucky in Lexington. Smart hasn’t lost up there, but none of his wins at Kroger Field are exactly “dominant.” Still, Georgia holds a 14-game win streak over Wildcats, and that shouldn’t change this year.
The trip to Alabama at the end of September is one of the most important games in the college football universe. A win over the Crimson Tide represents an official shift in power at the top of the ladder. I like Georgia here as it will be out for revenge after what happened last December.
The next two opponents have been dreadful in Sanford Stadium. 2005 was the last time Auburn won in Athens, and it’s simply not in shape to do it this season. Mississippi State didn’t play Georgia annually in the three plus decades of divisions, but it still hasn’t won there since 1956.
The road test at Texas could be the hardest game on schedule for the Bulldogs. Kirby Smart has a way with motivation, and you better believe he hasn’t forgotten what happened in the Sugar Bowl at the conclusion of the 2018 season.
The last SEC regular season loss Georgia suffered was to Florida. That was in 2020, and the Gators have been losing by an average defeat of 24 points to the Bulldogs since. Hard to imagine this one isn’t another fiasco for Florida.
The game at Ole Miss and against Tennessee are different versions of the same game for the Bulldogs. Both have what it takes to find their way into a College Football Playoff, but both will be overmatched by the talent Georgia has.
UMass is a win, and Georgia Tech shouldn’t pose a threat as the Yellow Jackets haven’t won Clean Old-Fashioned Hate since 2016.
Even if it drops a game against Texas or Alabama, Georgia will be hard to keep out of the SEC championship game and even harder to keep out of an expanded College Football Playoff.
