BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Two of the SECās winningest programs will square off this season for the first time since Alabama stopped short a last-minute drive by Georgia to hang on and win the 2012 SEC Championship.
Despite their storied histories, the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs have met on the gridiron only 15 times in the past 42 years, including just five times since 2002. This year the two square off during the regular season for the first time since the Tide won, 41-30, in Athens in 2008.
Georgia and Alabama are the preseason picks to win their respective divisions, so Alabamaās Week 5 game in Athens, Georgia, could be a preview of the SEC title game matchup.
Game 5
Georgia
Date: Oct. 3
Time: TBA
Location: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia (92,746)
TV: TBA
Coach: Mark Richt (136-48 overall in 14 years at Georgia, 15th season)
2014 record: 4-8, 3-5 SEC (tied for 7th) Series history: Alabama leads, 37-25-4; Alabama won 32-28 in 2012
2014 rankings/game (national/SEC)
Scoring offense ā 41.3 (8th/1st)
Total offense ā 457.8 (30th/4th)
Scoring defense ā 20.7 (16th/5th)
Total defense ā 337.2 (17th/6th)
Returning starters: 16 (7 on offense, 6 on defense, 3 special teams)
Returning leaders
OFFENSE
Passing: QB Brice Ramsey, So. ā 24-of-39 passing (61.5 percent), 333 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.
Rushing: RB Nick Chubb, So. ā 219 carries, 1,547 yards (7.06 average), 14 touchdowns.
Receiving: WR Malcolm Mitchell, Sr. ā 31 catches, 248 yards (8.0 average), 3 touchdowns; TE Jeb Blazevich, So. ā 18 catches, 269 yards (14.9 average), 2 touchdowns.
DEFENSE
Tackles: LB Jordan Jenkins, Sr. ā 70; LB Leonard Floyd, Jr. ā 55.
Tackles for loss: Jenkins, Sr. ā 9Ā½ ; Floyd ā 8Ā½.
Sacks: Floyd ā 6; Jenkins ā 5.
Interceptions: DB Quincy Mauger, Jr. ā 4; DB Dominick Sanders, So. ā 3.
3 things to know about Georgia
Chubb factor: There was no growth period with Nick Chubb, who immediately broke onto the scene last season to finish second in the SEC in rushing with 1,547 yards as a true freshman. Filling in when former No. 1 tailback Todd Gurley was suspended for four games midway through last season and then tore his ACL in his first game back against Auburn. During that time, Chubb finished the 2014 season with 8 straight 100-yard rushing games, including a pair of 200-yard games (with a season-high 266 yards against Louisville). With the team breaking in a new starting quarterback, the offense will likely go through Chubb early and often, potentially setting up a running back showdown with Alabamaās Derrick Henry when they meet in Week 5.
No moā Bobo: While players came and went, Mike Bobo remained a constant, guiding Georgiaās pro-style offense for the past seven seasons as offensive coordinator. Prior to that he was quarterback coach for six seasons. But now heās moved on as a first-time head coach at Colorado State, where he takes over for new Florida head coach Jim McElwain. In Boboās place as Bulldogsā offensive coordinator is Brian Schottenheimer, who comes to the collegiate ranks after 14 years in the NFL, carrying on the pro-style approach that has worked so well for Georgia under head coach Mark Richt. How well the offense transitions under Schottenheimer could mean all the difference if Georgia is able to return to the SEC title game for the first time since 2012.
Pruitt part 2: Itās Year 2 of the Jeremy Pruitt era and Georgiaās defense looks to continue itās upward progress following a successful first season. Last year, after Pruitt took over for Todd Grantham, the Bulldogsā defense improved by an average of more than a touchdown per game, limited opponents to 11 fewer touchdowns and was nearly 500 total yards better than in 2013. While there is always turnover, Georgia returns its entire secondary and both outside linebackers to give what was a weakness in 2014 ā pass defense ā into a potential strength, in Year 2 under Pruitt, whose pass defense led the ACC in 2012-13 as FSUās defensive coordinator.
Decatur DailyāContinue reading...
Despite their storied histories, the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs have met on the gridiron only 15 times in the past 42 years, including just five times since 2002. This year the two square off during the regular season for the first time since the Tide won, 41-30, in Athens in 2008.
Georgia and Alabama are the preseason picks to win their respective divisions, so Alabamaās Week 5 game in Athens, Georgia, could be a preview of the SEC title game matchup.
Game 5
Georgia
Date: Oct. 3
Time: TBA
Location: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia (92,746)
TV: TBA
Coach: Mark Richt (136-48 overall in 14 years at Georgia, 15th season)
2014 record: 4-8, 3-5 SEC (tied for 7th) Series history: Alabama leads, 37-25-4; Alabama won 32-28 in 2012
2014 rankings/game (national/SEC)
Scoring offense ā 41.3 (8th/1st)
Total offense ā 457.8 (30th/4th)
Scoring defense ā 20.7 (16th/5th)
Total defense ā 337.2 (17th/6th)
Returning starters: 16 (7 on offense, 6 on defense, 3 special teams)
Returning leaders
OFFENSE
Passing: QB Brice Ramsey, So. ā 24-of-39 passing (61.5 percent), 333 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.
Rushing: RB Nick Chubb, So. ā 219 carries, 1,547 yards (7.06 average), 14 touchdowns.
Receiving: WR Malcolm Mitchell, Sr. ā 31 catches, 248 yards (8.0 average), 3 touchdowns; TE Jeb Blazevich, So. ā 18 catches, 269 yards (14.9 average), 2 touchdowns.
DEFENSE
Tackles: LB Jordan Jenkins, Sr. ā 70; LB Leonard Floyd, Jr. ā 55.
Tackles for loss: Jenkins, Sr. ā 9Ā½ ; Floyd ā 8Ā½.
Sacks: Floyd ā 6; Jenkins ā 5.
Interceptions: DB Quincy Mauger, Jr. ā 4; DB Dominick Sanders, So. ā 3.
3 things to know about Georgia
Chubb factor: There was no growth period with Nick Chubb, who immediately broke onto the scene last season to finish second in the SEC in rushing with 1,547 yards as a true freshman. Filling in when former No. 1 tailback Todd Gurley was suspended for four games midway through last season and then tore his ACL in his first game back against Auburn. During that time, Chubb finished the 2014 season with 8 straight 100-yard rushing games, including a pair of 200-yard games (with a season-high 266 yards against Louisville). With the team breaking in a new starting quarterback, the offense will likely go through Chubb early and often, potentially setting up a running back showdown with Alabamaās Derrick Henry when they meet in Week 5.
No moā Bobo: While players came and went, Mike Bobo remained a constant, guiding Georgiaās pro-style offense for the past seven seasons as offensive coordinator. Prior to that he was quarterback coach for six seasons. But now heās moved on as a first-time head coach at Colorado State, where he takes over for new Florida head coach Jim McElwain. In Boboās place as Bulldogsā offensive coordinator is Brian Schottenheimer, who comes to the collegiate ranks after 14 years in the NFL, carrying on the pro-style approach that has worked so well for Georgia under head coach Mark Richt. How well the offense transitions under Schottenheimer could mean all the difference if Georgia is able to return to the SEC title game for the first time since 2012.
Pruitt part 2: Itās Year 2 of the Jeremy Pruitt era and Georgiaās defense looks to continue itās upward progress following a successful first season. Last year, after Pruitt took over for Todd Grantham, the Bulldogsā defense improved by an average of more than a touchdown per game, limited opponents to 11 fewer touchdowns and was nearly 500 total yards better than in 2013. While there is always turnover, Georgia returns its entire secondary and both outside linebackers to give what was a weakness in 2014 ā pass defense ā into a potential strength, in Year 2 under Pruitt, whose pass defense led the ACC in 2012-13 as FSUās defensive coordinator.
Decatur DailyāContinue reading...
