Curator & Coach - Week 7

Curator Sam Burnham
Game of the Week:
Georgia @ Alabama

Like the Bernie Sanders meme: “I am coming to you once again to write about Georgia Bulldog Football.”

​For the third week in a row UGA is playing a potential top tier SEC program. But this is the big one. This is the monkey on their backs. A win this week is bigger than just a Saban disciple beating the master for the first time.

The keys to this game will be similar to last week’s. Georgia’s defense, Bama’s legacy, and Stetson Bennett IV.

​Georgia’s defense will be tasked with stopping Mac Jones and an offense that is averaging 45 points a game. Jones has completed 35 of 51 passes for 684 yards with 6 touchdowns and only one interception. He will be counting on RB Najee Harris to keep the Dawgs honest while they try to shut down Jaylen Waddle, John Metchie III, and DeVonta Smith. This offense survived a shootout against lane Kiffin’s flying circus last week. The Dawgs can’t let that happen.

​Don’t think for a second that the Dawgs aren’t up to the task. Georgia is only giving up 248 yards and 8 points a game. They will need to shut down Jones, Harris, and the Tide. The defense needs to give Bennett time and opportunities to deliver. The benefit in this scenario is that Bennett doesn’t realize he’s supposed to be nervous or afraid going into this game. If “The Mailman” goes to work as he has so far, he’s gonna make a boom in Tuscaloosa tomorrow. He has the potential to make a lot of Dawg fans very happy.

Regardless of how this one turns out, there’s a high probability of a rematch in Atlanta at season’s end.

Coach Drew Burnham
​Game of the Week
​Texas A&M @ Mississippi State

​I dug, searched, thought creatively, turned over rocks and looked in all nooks and crannies to try to keep from writing up these 2 again. Outside of UGA and Bama (already claimed in the name of the Curator) there just isn’t much excitement this week.

The Pirates, I mean Bulldogs, have had a tough couple weeks following their impressive opening day showing. LSU has proved since to not be QUITE what they were a season ago, though that offensive performance is still impressive. It showed that despite what we’ve seen from the offense in Starkville, the potential for explosiveness is there and could be summoned at any moment. What’s been the difference between the fully engulfed week 1 and the other 2 outings? Turnovers. Plain and simple. Ball security is of the utmost importance in any system, but is at an added premium any time the goal is to put the ball in the air 50+ times a week. In the last 2 weeks, MSU has had 9 interceptions. I don’t care what your system is, who your coach is, how rejuvenated you feel or who you’re playing...4-5 turnovers will get you beat every day of the week. The potential is still there. This offense is a firework that is trying to be ignited by a lighter in the wind. If they can take care of the ball this one should be a rout.

On the other sideline, you may be saying “Coach, are you ready to take back all those mean things you said about Jimbo now that they beat Florida?” I could go into great pain staking detail about my answer but I believe a simple “nope” will suffice. The facts are the Florida went to sleep with a lead and choked. It happens. In my career I have been the one who falls asleep as well as the one who sneaks in the backdoor and steals a win while the better team snoozes. W’s and L’s are the only things shown on the record, so good for the Aggies, but I still hold strong to my position. Jimbo is overpaid and overhyped, Kellen Mond is ho hum, and A&M is not as good as anyone (including myself) had hoped this year.

I think this one has beat down written all over it. Leech gets the raid kick started this week and despite scoring 30+ the Aggies lose by 3 touchdowns.