Georgia Football: Bulldogs trying to avoid repeat dud in Sugar Bowl

The Georgia football team laid an egg against Texas in the 2018 Sugar Bowl. Here’s what the Bulldogs must do to avoid a repeat against another Texas team in 2019.

Georgia football will be playing in the Sugar Bowl for the second consecutive year after another disappointing loss in the SEC Championship Game. Just like last year, the opponent hails from the state of Texas, and just like last year, the Bulldogs will be without a few key players.

Top wide receiver Lawrence Cager still isn’t healthy, featured running back D’Andre Swift is banged up, and senior tailback Brian Herrien will not play in the game for undisclosed reasons. It’s not known whether or not James Cook will suit up after being arrested on two misdemeanor charges on December 14.

The offensive line is also going to be an issue with Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson sitting this one out to make sure they are ready for the NFL Draft in April, and Ben Cleveland being ruled academically ineligible to play in the game, per DawgNation.com.

The good news for Georgia is that stud freshman receiver George Pickens should be able to go all four quarters barring any team-related rules violations or incidents which seem to have plagued him in the last few weeks of the season.

With the holes in an already anemic offense, Georgia will need all the firepower it can get. The only team to beat Baylor this year (twice) is Oklahoma who has the No. 6 scoring offense in the country.

Georgia does have the more dominant defense with the No. 8 in scoring defense in the nation, but as seen in the SEC Championship Game, a great defense is only effective if the offense can move the ball and give defensive players some rest between series.

The Bulldogs need to find a way to move the ball with key players on the offense out. D’Marcus Hayes and Jamaree Salyer are likely to start at the tackle spots, with Zamir White probably starting in place of Swift.

One of the key matchups for Georgia in the 2020 Sugar Bowl is their now-depleted offensive line vs Baylor’s defensive line.

According to Football Outsiders, this is how Georgia’s offensive line is ranked.

• No. 20 Line Yards
• No. 3 Standard Downs Line Yards
• No. 116 Passing Downs Line Yards
• No. 18 Opportunity Rate
• No. 38 Power Success Rate
• No. 22 Stuff Rate
• No. 6 Sack Rate
• No. 13 Standard Downs Sack Rate
• No. 14 Passing Downs Sack Rate

According to Football Outsiders, this is how Baylor’s defensive line is ranked.

• No. 28 Line Yards
• No. 11 Standard Downs Line Yards
• No. 97 Passing Downs Line Yards
• No. 53 Opportunity Rate
• No. 91 Power Success Rate
• No. 16 Stuff Rate
• No. 20 Sack Rate
• No. 17 Standard Downs Sack Rate
• No. 25 Passing Downs Sack Rate

That looks like a pretty good matchup, but remember, Georgia will be without its starting tackles and a guard for this game. Baylor’s defensive line could have the advantage here. Especially with a kid like James Lynch who had 12.5 sacks this season. Baylor comes in at No. 8 in the country in sacks with 43, giving Jake Fromm and the coaching staff something to really be concerned about.

One thing that is differs this year is how quiet all the Georgia players have been on social media. It seems they may have learned from last year that bragging and boasting on Twitter and then laying an egg in the game is a bad look.

Will there be another let down in the Sugar Bowl this year or will Georgia bring its A-game and go out on a high note? Tune into ESPN at 8:45 January 1st, 2020 to find out.