Off-season fun: College Football Teams with Best Shot to Go Undefeated in 2017

[ASUGoose]

I personally am not aware of how good UGA's secondary is but I'm assuming they have as much talent as any school in the country based on how well they recruit year in and year out. That Clemson game was so disheartening to watch us have zero chance of completing a forward pass longer than 5 yards against that first team defense. That secondary was arguably top 3 in country and our WR corp at the time just wasn't good enough to get anywhere near open. Take a step forward to UT game, and they didn't nearly have the same talent as Clemson in secondary but yet still kept us relatively conservative in the passing game. Bottom line is we need our WR's to step up big time in order to have any remote chance of keeping this close with the dawgs. This isn't going to be a game where we can expect to score under 20 points and keep it close. Compared to UT's performance, UGA will have better weapons on offense, along with a true gunslinger at QB to which if there are any deficiencies in the App defense, it is against a strong passing attack. They will score even against an arguably "better on paper" App defensive unit from a year ago.

Year in and year out I keep hearing that "this is the fastest App team ever" but yet we can't keep these defenses honest to set up our run game. I'm hopeful this is the year that changes where we can expect to reach new heights.

GO 'NEERS!

[NewApp]

I personally am not aware of how good UGA's secondary is but I'm assuming they have as much talent as any school in the country based on how well they recruit year in and year out. That Clemson game was so disheartening to watch us have zero chance of completing a forward pass longer than 5 yards against that first team defense. That secondary was arguably top 3 in country and our WR corp at the time just wasn't good enough to get anywhere near open. Take a step forward to UT game, and they didn't nearly have the same talent as Clemson in secondary but yet still kept us relatively conservative in the passing game. Bottom line is we need our WR's to step up big time in order to have any remote chance of keeping this close with the dawgs. This isn't going to be a game where we can expect to score under 20 points and keep it close. Compared to UT's performance, UGA will have better weapons on offense, along with a true gunslinger at QB to which if there are any deficiencies in the App defense, it is against a strong passing attack. They will score even against an arguably "better on paper" App defensive unit from a year ago.

Year in and year out I keep hearing that "this is the fastest App team ever" but yet we can't keep these defenses honest to set up our run game. I'm hopeful this is the year that changes where we can expect to reach new heights.

GO 'NEERS!

Good post.

[AtlAppMan]

IF we beat UGA, that would likely mean we are pretty darn good. That would likely mean we probably could win our remaining games as that would be the best opponent on our schedule. That by no means assures that we will win as we could lose focus, encounter injuries, etc. that could cause us to lose one or more games during the remainder of the season. I don't see how one can conclude that if we use everything in our arsenal to win the UGA game then it somehow make us weaker and more likely to lose a later game on our schedule. That makes no sense to me either.

Another point is that in the UT game last year, we intentionally game planned NOT to go deep. It was obvious we used an effective run game and short game to slow the game down and it was effective. That does not mean it is the appropriate game plan for UGA as they are a different type of team. Therefore, don't assume that we didn't go down field because their defenders jammed our receivers.

On Lamb's ability to throw the long ball, I remember in years past (not so much last year) Lamb connecting with Meadors and others on numerous deep balls. I have seen him do it if we have the will and the WRs and rest of team are doing their jobs effectively.

[TheMoody1]

Completely off topic, but I wonder what the chances are that the UGA game will be moved to Thursday night.

[bcoach]

I'd rather lose to Georgia by 4 TD's than to bomb out on our conference schedule. Hopefully we have 12 more (including a bowl game) important ones.

Beat Georgia or go 0-8 in the Sun Belt...seems like an unrealistic set of choices.

If this App team is good enough to beat the Dawgs in Athens...we could run the tables on our Belt schedule even if we gave out our playbook.

By bomb out, I did not in any way imply we would go 0 fer. and You're putting words in my mouth. Bombing out could mean as little as not placing in the top half of the conference. Remember the success of this team rests in part on the shoulders of Taylor Lamb. He has to stay healthy and listen to the coaching staff and not what he might hear from fans on message boards about how he doesn't have an arm for the long balls.

Do we have any reason to believe that Lamb has ever not listened to the coaches, or that he has ever paid any attention to comments on this, or any other board?

If Taylor ever paid any attention to what is said on this board he would not be smart enough to get into APP.

[NewApp]

I'd rather lose to Georgia by 4 TD's than to bomb out on our conference schedule. Hopefully we have 12 more (including a bowl game) important ones.

Beat Georgia or go 0-8 in the Sun Belt...seems like an unrealistic set of choices.

If this App team is good enough to beat the Dawgs in Athens...we could run the tables on our Belt schedule even if we gave out our playbook.

By bomb out, I did not in any way imply we would go 0 fer. and You're putting words in my mouth. Bombing out could mean as little as not placing in the top half of the conference. Remember the success of this team rests in part on the shoulders of Taylor Lamb. He has to stay healthy and listen to the coaching staff and not what he might hear from fans on message boards about how he doesn't have an arm for the long balls.

Do we have any reason to believe that Lamb has ever not listened to the coaches, or that he has ever paid any attention to comments on this, or any other board?

If Taylor ever paid any attention to what is said on this board he would not be smart enough to get into APP.

Truer words have never been spoken, bcoach. There are many, many, members of this board who know far more about football than me, but I have confidence in our coaching staff's knowledge and savvy.

[NewApp]

Completely off topic, but I wonder what the chances are that the UGA game will be moved to Thursday night.

A significant amount. Who knows how much, but it is certainly a real possibility.

[appmaj]

Completely off topic, but I wonder what the chances are that the UGA game will be moved to Thursday night.

Asked DG this directly at Yosef Club tour. He did not think it was likely due to the planned Arkansas game on the SEC Network.

[SayYesToTheRock]

Bombing out could mean as little as not placing in the top half of the conference.

By your logic then, Jerry Moore should have limited the playbook against Michigan, because beating Michigan didn't help us win the SoCon or National Championship.

[proasu89]

Completely off topic, but I wonder what the chances are that the UGA game will be moved to Thursday night.

Changing the topic is probably the best thing to happen to this thread.

[AppDawg]

Completely off topic, but I wonder what the chances are that the UGA game will be moved to Thursday night.

Asked DG this directly at Yosef Club tour. He did not think it was likely due to the planned Arkansas game on the SEC Network.

Thanks! I had missed the Arkansas game Announcement.

[NewApp]

Completely off topic, but I wonder what the chances are that the UGA game will be moved to Thursday night.

Asked DG this directly at Yosef Club tour. He did not think it was likely due to the planned Arkansas game on the SEC Network.

Great news!! As for me, I would rather not be on TV than to play on a Thursday night.