Each week, two alligatorSports columnists will debate the biggest looming matchup in college football. Today, Adam Pincus and Joe Morgan preview No. 6 LSU’s showdown against No. 9 Georgia in Athens, Ga., on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
Adam: This is a game between two of the Southeastern Conference’s best teams. LSU, a much healthier version of Florida, visits Georgia, which has the best offense in the SEC not led by Johnny Football.
It’ll be an upset of sorts for LSU with Georgia favored by three points. The over-under is 61.5 points. I expect 20 Les Miles grass-tastes, two Zach Mettenberger touchdowns and a dominating performance from LSU’s running backs led by sophomore Jeremy Hill and his 117 yards per game. Plus, I’m a huge fan of Cajun food. What do they even eat in Georgia? I thought Georgians were always busy choking in big games. Peach State native Joe Morgan should be able to answer this.
Joe: Well, Pincus, Miami guys like you are never around to see those chokes. Or the rallies. Y’all can’t be bothered to stay until the end. Just ask Ray Allen. In this battle of Clemson’s SEC victims, Georgia will defeat LSU on Saturday “Between the Hedges.” Why? Because of what you said — the Bulldogs have the best offense in the SEC not quarterbacked by Johnny Manziel. Look no further than Georgia’s own signal-caller Aaron Murray. He ranks fourth nationally with a 201.78 passer rating, fifth with 346.7 passing yards per game and sixth with a 72 percent completion rate. Even an elite defense like LSU will struggle to slow down a quarterback this experienced and this precise, especially on his home turf. And if this one devolves into a shootout, I fully expect Murray to outgun Mettenberger.
Adam: This should be a heck of a ballgame. College GameDay will emanate from the site of an LSU game for the 11th straight season. I wouldn’t mind making a pit stop in Athens before heading to Lexington, Ky., for the barn burner that will be No. 20 Florida against Kentucky.
Stat of the week for these two teams: LSU is 50-0 under Les Miles in his eight years at the school when holding opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards while LSU eclipses the century mark on the ground. Mettenberger will continue his efficient season in which he ranks second in the SEC in passing efficiency. Georgia happens to be first, but LSU doesn’t have to beat the ‘Dawgs through the air. Mettenberger just has to be in the same ballpark as Murray when it’s over. The key will be running the football.
In accordance with the corny college football tradition of wearing the same color shirts, Mark Richt called for a “redout” at Sanford Stadium on Saturday. C’mon Richt. How stupid can you guys be? Red just draws more attention to yourself. The LSU defensive line, led by Anthony Johnson, doesn’t need any extra help.
Joe: Pincus, only someone as bullheaded as you would be distracted by a bunch of red. I know. What a toro-bull joke, right? If you want to talk about the running game, I’d like to introduce you to a man named Todd Gurley. Gurley is a workhorse who thrives between the tackles and also boasts good speed. He leads the SEC with 125.7 rushing yards on 21 carries per game. When Murray isn’t throwing the ball, LSU defenders will be throwing themselves at Gurley’s heels as he races down the field. And if Gurley isn’t enough to float your boat, UGA also has speedsters Keith Marshall and J.J. Green to carry the ball out of the backfield. With Murray throwing and the Bulldogs’ solid stable of running backs, a Tigers defense that lost seven starters from last year’s unit will face its first true test in one of the most hostile road environments in college football. Miles will be snacking on his fingernails long before moving on to the grass at Sanford Stadium.
Adam: This will test the young Tigers with their 14 true freshmen getting playing time. That’s third in the SEC. LSU will be up to the task. After a week in which college football took a Saturday off, this top-10 matchup will be a must watch. Both squads boast a complete team and could be meeting come December in Atlanta. My colleague Joe Morgan thinks Gurley and Co. will run the Tigers back to the Bayou. I’m going with LSU in this baptism by fire for the sixth-ranked team in the country. Need I also mention Aaron Murray’s 5-11 record against top-25 teams? It may be unfair to the former Plant quarterback, but there’s a reason these Bulldogs can’t win the big game.
Joe: Granted, Murray and Richt have struggled in big games against ranked opponents. That was a huge hurdle for them coming into 2013 and losing at Clemson opening weekend did not help. But Saturday marks one hell of an opportunity. Georgia’s explosive offense faces a talented but young defense trying to get its feet wet in front of a crowd starved for another SEC championship. Meanwhile, a young Bulldogs defense in search of consistent playmakers has the chance to do some growing up by winning a statement game against a talented but stoppable Tigers offense. LSU will put up a great fight beginning at 3:30 p.m. on CBS, but at the end of the day, the Bulldogs will have the Tigers crying, “Uncle Verne!”
Follow Adam Pincus on Twitter @adamDpincus. Follow Joe Morgan on Twitter @joe_morgan.
Georgia tailback Todd Gurley (3) makes an 8-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Aaron Murray in front of South Carolina defender Ahmad Christian (4) in Georgia's 41-30 win against South Carolina in Athens, Ga., on Sept. 7.
