Bye week topics of discussion

Some golf. CFB games with no stress. Maybe a nap.

• How much can Schu’s defense mature in the second stanza of the season?

• Why aren’t a couple QB’s from Georgia getting more Heisman attention? Is there anyone in CFB more important to their team than Haynes King and Gunner Stockton?

• Can Ohio State lose?  

• Who’s the next coach to get paid to kick rocks? In the SEC specifically, is it Hugh Freeze or Brian Kelly?

• And looking ahead to an off season topic I plan to think long and hard on…since CFB is now officially a business, why don’t we pour more money into officiating? I mean, excuse me Al Ford, but Jasper was down almost 26 years ago!

What did I miss?

My answers:

• I think some but not dramatically. TBH, as Jon and Davin Bellamy pointed out a couple weeks ago, a lot of this answer depends on the coaches adjusting to not having 5 and 4 stars throughout the 3 deep.

• Those guys are ballers. Also, the Heisman has been irrelevant since 1980 when George Rogers won it over Herschel. Despite the fact that Herschel was the clear star in the Dawgs’ win over the Gamecocks that season.

• Regular season, no. Post-season, maybe also no. But that is why you play the games.

• Honestly, it might be Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell. But in the SEC I’d take LSU’s impatience with Kelly over lazy ass Auburn.

• ???no idea???

No "quit" in this team's DNA

Between last season and this season, I guess I've gotten used to experiencing close games where Georgia is going to either make a play and win. Or not.

Let's face it. The '21 and '22 seasons were an indulgent time to be Georgia fans. We were putting teams away early because we were stacked with 4 and 5 stars on the three deep.

Lately, that's just not the case. But having those back to back National Championships...I just breathe easier in close ones like Saturday against Ole Miss.

Of course it helps when we pull it out. But it's also nice to reflect back on so many plays that we made that slowly tilted the game in our favor.

26 of 31 for 289 yds, 59 yds rushing, 5 total TDs

The first one that comes to mind is the 4th and 1 play with a minute left in the third. We had crossed midfield and just had to go for it. McCray off right tackle with Ole Miss defenders in our backfield. He kept his legs churning and found a way to advance the chains.

Every tipped/blocked pass in those three 4th quarter stands. Bell and Branch turning easy 8 yard gains into 15+ yard gains and moving the chains, which in turn equaled burning more clock. Gunner, a perfect 12 for 12 in the second half!

This team just doesn't have any quit in their DNA. So while games can be stressful, they can be more enjoyable to reflect back on.

When we win. And that's what we did against Ole Miss. Made the plays to win it!

Other weekend observations:

• Billy....Gonzales will be the head coach opposite Smart in this year's WLOCP. Napier got his last sloppy win Saturday. The ax followed on Sunday.
• Vandy! Wow. They're a complete team that are fun to watch. It's hard to comprehend a 6 win Commodore team in mid-October.
• Missouri goes to Nashville for a huge game against the Commodores Saturday. (Say that repeatedly until your brain can wrap itself around it.)
• So what's our most difficult test remaining in the regular season? Will the gators be rejuvenated? Does Texas have it's shit together by the time they visit Sanford? Right now, my money is on Georgia Tech.
• The week after Tech, does Georgia return to the Benz for the SECCG? Half way through the regular season, the SEC has seven one loss or better teams - A&M, Bama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Oklahoma.