It's a yearly war dance for Georgia football fans during the Kirby Smart era. The team loses a ton of talent to the NFL, loses a ton of talent in the transfer portal, has to ask young players to fill big shoes in a hurry, and it has almost always worked out.
2024 was supposed to be a step forward from last year's disappointing loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. After the utter destruction of FSU in the Orange Bowl, it seemed the Bulldogs were primed to make another national title run.
Things haven't exactly gone as planned. Georgia now sits at 7-2 on the season, with losses to Alabama and Ole Miss. They're almost certain to miss the SEC Championship Game for only the second time since 2017, and their playoff hopes are slowly dwindling away.
How are we seeing such polarizing performances from what looks to be a talented Georgia team?
The faces of Georgia football have been dizzying to keep up with. Is this the Georgia team that has looked to be one of the best in the nation, or is it the team who has looked less than ordinary most weeks?
Against Clemson and Texas, the Georgia defense looked like a piece of iron, unbreakable and destructive to the opponent. The offense played that age-old Bulldog game of chopping wood. Pounding at the opposing defense until they were too weak to stand.
Against Kentucky, the defense again looked solid and imposing, while the offense simply did enough to not lose the game. When Auburn came to Sanford Stadium, it was a mixed bag. The 31-13 win by Georgia was not indicative of how unprepared the Bulldogs looked.
The defense was porous against Mississippi State and even gave up 116 rushing yards to FCS cupcake Tennessee Tech. The offense has yet to put together an entire game this season.
Following the bye week after crushing Texas, Georgia barely escaped the reeling Florida Gators in the Cocktail Party.
Carson Beck looked like a true freshman for an entire half and one game-ending play against Alabama, but more resembled the polished leader we are used to seeing against Auburn. Following the Week 11 loss to Ole Miss, Beck now officially one of the lowest touchdown-to-interception ratios of all starting Power 4 quarterbacks, with 17 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.
In short...who are these guys? Will the real Dawgs please stand up?
The College Football Playoff committee has to be of two minds when trying to rank Georgia, the team who woodshedded then-No. 1 Texas, but was sent to grab the switch for their own whipping against No. 13 Ole Miss.
The team who dominated one of the ACC's best (Clemson), or who looked far too beatable against one of the SEC's worst (Mississippi State).
Is Carson Beck the guy all the scouts thought he was in August, and is simply struggling because his supporting cast is letting him down (Georgia unofficially has 29 dropped passes this year) or was he only made to look so solid in 2023 by virtue of teammates like Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey?
Kirby Smart has three games remaining to reveal the identity of his 2024 team. Home games against Tennessee, UMass, and Georgia Tech will be the Scooby Doo unmasking for everyone to see. Three straight wins, and there's hope that Georgia is indeed still a national force.
But one more loss will confirm the fears many Georgia fans have had for weeks. The Bulldogs just aren't as good as anyone thought.