Three Answers From UGA - Kent State

You know how sometimes you think you have a good idea of what’s going on? Saturday flew right in the face of that. In terms of wins, no win under Kirby Smart has felt worse since the Nicholls State near-debacle. On the bright side, if this team needed teachable moments, it has them now.

Will the defense pitch a shutout?

In a word, no it did not. This defense did the worst thing you can do against an outmatched opponent - let them break a few big plays early and make them think they have a puncher’s chance. Kent State did that and it believed that it could hang with Georgia, and the fact that the Dawgs needed a drive in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach showed that.

Will Georgia cover the spread?

In short, not it did not. Saturday was a reminder of why I don’t put money on point spreads.

Will Carson Beck use this as a warmup?

Also, no. Honestly, given how this team has played against lesser teams does bring concern. The only team on the schedule on paper that worries is Tennessee - but if Georgia flops around like it did Saturday, Auburn, Kentucky or Florida could spell trouble, that’s for sure - not to mention next week in Columbia, Mo. which hinging on the weather, could be dicey at night.

In truth, this game is totally different if Georgia executes early on and does not turn it over.

Under Mark Richt, his teams were derided for sloppy starts at noon kickoffs, and with the expectations and standards in place for this team, it should not escape that criticism, either.