Legge's Thoughts: College Football Should Fear Kirby Smart and these Georgia Bulldogs
DON’T MISS OUT: Get our insider newsletter today!
ATLANTA - I’ve seen Kirby Smart‘s Georgia Bulldogs lay the smack down on a bunch of teams over the last few years - this was about as bad as we’ve seen.
Georgia has 121 wins over ranked teams since 1941. This is the biggest margin of history in that time against a ranked foe. Stetson Bennett and the Georgia offense’s 49 points tied for the fourth-most points the Dawgs have scored in history against a ranked team (56, 1996 Auburn; 52, 2008 LSU; 54, 2007 Oklahoma).
In ten matchups against ranked teams, Todd Monken’s offense has failed to score at least 30 points only twice.
“Absolutely amazing! Monken is magic” one record-setting former Bulldog texted me.
Meanwhile, Saturday was the seventh time a Kirby defense has held a ranked foe to ten points or fewer. What we saw Saturday is a new Georgia. The powerful defense we’ve come to get used to wasn’t there, and yet the Dawgs permitted only three points.
But the offense used a surgeon’s precision to throw for 439 yards - third most in the last ten years at Georgia (2013 North Texas, 2013 App State).
Celebrate Georgia's 2021 NATIONAL TITLE
Check out DAWGSTRUCTION NOW!
That’s not Aaron Murray back there - it is Stetson Bennett, who has serve notice that he’s ready to be the reason this team gets back to the CFP. Folks didn’t appreciate Murray until he left Sanford Stadium on crutches.
They should understand what they have right now with Bennett. He is on a trajectory to be first Georgia player invited to New York City for the Heisman in decades - yeah, I said it. He’s also going to get drafted.
The guy is a poor man’s Johnny Manziel - except without the train wrecks and with a national title. And this team can win another one if what we saw today is an indication of things to come. Georgia looked dangerous.
Georgia looked like it should be feared.
Maybe Oregon goes 7-5 in 2022. I don’t care. This game wasn’t about Oregon. If the 49-3 score wasn’t indicative of that perhaps the loudest cheer of the game for the Ducks was. When did Oregon fans cheer the loudest? When the Ducks forced Georgia’s only punt of the day late in the fourth quarter.
Hey, at least the trip to “Hotlanta”, which included a visit the Aquarium, was fun.
(Who calls it Hotlanta? Those people are not to be trusted. They are the same ones that think the second T in Atlanta is to be pronounced. It is not - you are welcome.)
A year ago, Clemson couldn’t score against Georgia. The Dawgs should have won that game something like 20-3. This year Georgia couldn’t stop scoring and won 49-3.
As we discussed earlier this month at length, Georgia’s offensive line looks… well like it could give Bennett time - and how. No quarterback needs four seconds to perform. Forgetting that Bennett is probably the best escape artist at that position, that’s too much time.
His legs are as lethal a weapon as we’ve seen at Georgia since they’ve had Gs on the side of their helmets.
Nolan Smith is out here screaming at his teammates as they went into the locker room at the half that the score was “0-0”.
I would like to confirm to Nolan, and the rest of the world, that while he was screaming - I was on the way to my fourth Chick-fil-a sandwich of the day. I feel your judgement.
That’s a you problem.
Speaking of problems - the Pac 12 isn’t looking so hot, and its only the first weekend of the season! I thought Utah would beat Florida. Failing to secure points inside the five-yard line twice is one way to lose a game. That’s the method the Utes went with.
Kudos to the Gators for gutting out a tough win. We will see if Kentucky or Florida is serious this weekend. Them Kitties visit the Swamp to challenge the Gators. The game is probably a toss up. I will be monitoring, judging and overeating during the festivities.
You think Alabama fans watched the Georgia game with one eye, both or with their hands covering their eyes?
“They’s a one-hit wonder Pawl; they was supposed to be a one-hit wonder Pawl; they can’t do it again Pawl; they can’t - can they Pawl?”
Bama looked good Saturday. Bama should look good against Texas, or they are not the best team in the country.
Notre Dame gave it the old college try before doing what they do in big games - getting tired and eventually losing. The Irish need a little more depth, but they looked good enough to me to cause more problems in the near future.
Hard to know if Ohio State will benefit from that fight or not. It appeared the Buckeye’s defense has improved. It also appears Ohio State might not break the scoreboard each weekend.
BUT PRE-SEASON NARRATIVES!
Texas A&M looked underwhelming. Carolina and State should have been happy to survive in-state fights with smaller schools. This is one reason Georgia Tech doesn’t schedule Georgia State - and it is a good reason.
Speaking of Geoff not Jeff and the Jackets, it is going to be very curious to see what is in store for America on Monday night. Those slide rulers are’t going to slide rule themselves(?).
Clemson really should dominate - that’s certainly what I expect. But Georgia laid a big marker down Saturday. Alabama did what they do as well. We saw the knife fight that was Ohio State-Notre Dame. What will Clemson do? Are they in the same league as that group or not?
Texas A&M is not - just to clarify.
Michigan won 51-7. USC won 66-14.
But let’s not skip out on Arkansas’ 31-24 win over Cincinnati. That’s a very, very good win for the Hogs. They’ve got Shane’s fine-feathered footballers on the way next weekend at home. Have the Coots yet figured out their mascot, or has this become an Auburn-level situation?
You know what’s better than one chicken? Four chicken sandwiches - stuffed in my gullet… don’t forget those brownies over there, either.
Vanderbilt is 2-0, so there’s that as well. In other news that is irrelevant, Rutgers beat Boston College.
All that said… Georgia’s win coupled with wins from the Hogs and Gators put the SEC square atop the sport once more. How is the SEC this much better than everyone this often?
The Pac 12 had a tough week on the road, but it was our friends in the ACC that appear to be puling up the rear.
State and Carolina goofed around and nearly lost to App State and East Carolina. Virginia Tech actually did lose to Old Dominion. No word on when Clemson travels to Coastal, but we will update you when we get the word on that.
How does one get a tractor on the beach?