Georgia football takes on the Oregon Ducks in just a few days as the two teams will meet in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Both squads have offenses full of playmakers hungry and ready to start the new season, but what can the Dawgs’ do to come out victorious?
The Dawgs return starting quarterback Stetson Bennett to run their offense, but the arsenal around him has grown stronger.
Despite losing his top running backs, the second-best receiver to Alabama, and another receiver to the NFL Draft, the Dawgs are healthy and have younger guys ready to fill the void. Georgia is notoriously RBU for a reason, but in 2022, the passing game will feature receivers and tight ends that could show the world that the Dawgs can air it out too.
Georgia was explosive in 2021, but this season could see even more explosive moments.
Brock Bowers is a sophomore looking to pick up right where he left off in Indianapolis. Adonai Mitchell is someone to watch, but in all honesty, that entire offense is a ticking time bomb in such a positive way.
Georgia football needs to do these three things on offense to take down the Oregon Ducks.
Oregon has a great defense, with two of the best defenders in Justin Flowe and Noah Sewell. Those two will be looking to knock Bennett and this offense down a notch, so how can offensive coordinator Todd Monken scheme to beat them?
Georgia should be able to stick to their standard style of offense, where the Dawgs will feature a balanced attack, but what could help is getting more explosive and using those receiving weapons.
However, whoever can run the ball better will be able to control that game clock, so it could come down to who wins the rush battle. This game is interesting because they’ve only played each other one other time — in 1977, Georgia won. Monken has ideas, so it should be one that the Dawgs can conquer.
Here are three things the offense can do to hunt down the Ducks and leave Atlanta 1-0.
Georgia football needs Stetson Bennett to make smart decisions
Bennett did a great job in 2021 with his decision-making, but sometimes it wasn’t the best. If he can pull together a clean game against the Ducks, it will help the Dawgs’ chances of winning.
Bennett doesn’t have to be fancy to win ballgames — he has to play his game. He needs to make those crisp throws we’ve all seen him do and stay accurate. With the weapons around him, Bennett has to focus on getting the ball in their hands.
Oregon’s defense could force an interception or a big play if he tries to do something cute. Bennett also needs to remember that his legs set him apart from the other quarterbacks, so he needs to use those wheels and be smart when that football is in his hands.
Bennett has had another year to grow and improve, so this opening game is his to enjoy as the starter.
Georgia football must utilize its tight ends.
As simple as that sounds, it’s what will work against Oregon’s defense. When you look back at the Ducks’ games against Utah, the biggest thing they struggled with was covering the tight ends.
Oregon struggles against talented tight ends and the Dawgs have the best room in the country.
Utah used three tight end sets a lot and beat Oregon twice. If Georgia uses Bowers, Arik Gilbert and Darnell Washington in a similar way that Utah used its tight ends, Georgia should be able to win this game easily.
"You don't surprise them with talent level. You've gotta out-execute them."@LateKickJosh explains why the defending national champ @GeorgiaFootball Bulldogs should pull away and win comfortably against Oregon. 🐶#LateKick x @Dawgs247 pic.twitter.com/rTgTxDieiV
— 247Sports (@247Sports) August 29, 2022
This situation with Georgia’s tight ends is why I predicted the score 45-14 on my game-by-game predictions because if the Dawgs can get those three studs open, it’s over for the Ducks.
Georgia football must win in the trenches.
The Dawgs need their offensive line to play well on Saturday. While the tight ends will be the primary means of explosiveness, the running backs need to get that push from the big men up front.
If Georgia can protect Bennett and open up the holes for Kendall Milton and Kenny McIntosh, then the Dawgs should win this game.
Georgia is usually unstoppable when those two things happen, so it’s time for that offensive line to prove its worth. I think they will and show that it has also grown a lot this offseason.
Georgia football is currently a 17.5-point favorite over the Ducks, and while that spread may not happen, the Dawgs should be able to win this game and leave Atlanta undefeated.