Canine Carnage! #3 Georgia Bulldogs Confront The Arkansas State Red Wolves
Meeting national title contenders on their home turf is nothing new for Arkansas State.
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Auburn in 2010. Oregon in 2012. Alabama in 2017. The Red Wolves are no strangers to scheduling away games against title contenders – and Heisman contenders. Cam Newton collected his first win as a Tiger against Arkansas State, and so did Marcus Mariota as a Duck. Yep, the Red Wolves have certain seen their share of greatness in these games.
But not on the A-State sideline. Auburn crushed Arkansas State 52-26. Oregon spoiled Gus Malzahn’s head coaching debut with a 57-34 drumming. And last year, Alabama smooshed Arkansas State 57-7.
Holding the Bulldogs under 50 might be a victory in and of itself.
Georgia runs you over
The Bulldogs have the good fortune of featuring two AP 2019 Preseason All-Americans on the roster – offensive lineman Andrew Thomas (1st team) and running back D’Andre Swift (2nd team, and aptly named). Add a couple all SEC second-team selections, Solomon Kindley and Isaiah Wilson, and you have the ingredients to an explosive running attack. After two games, the Georgia ground crew has put up 7 TDs and nearly 600 yards.
True, the Arkansas State defense neutralized the UNLV Rebels’ rush well enough, but the Red Wolves gave up three ground TDs to SMU in the season opener. Forrest Merrill and William Bradley-King have been outstanding on the line so far, but the Red Wolves linebackers will be busy.
Jake Fromm can beat you, too
Preseason All SEC 2nd Team quarterback Jake Fromm may as well build a nice patio and host a dinner party behind that offensive line. Opposing defenses have recorded all of one sack on Georgia signal callers. However, Fromm hasn’t padded his stats against the likes of Vanderbilt and Murray State, where he’s combined for only 322 yards and a couple TD passes, which are numbers Red Wolves QB Logan Bonner averages per game. I think I see Coach Smart’s strategy, though: Make the meat do the work.
Still, you got to believe that Fromm, who threw from 2,745 yards and 30 TDs last season, is merely waiting for the right opportunity to feed his receivers. Maybe Saturday?
Wearing Pink for Wendy
Coach Blake Anderson’s wife Wendy passed away a week before the season opener, after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Anderson took a leave of absence, returning in dramatic fashion to coach the Red Wolves to victory over UNLV.
The lines of competition and rivalry blur at these moments. To honor the Andersons, Georgia is graciously offering this touching tribute:
Very classy move, Georgia. Bravo.
The Red Wolves are a little banged up
Running back Marcel Murray was just warming up against UNLV when he sustained an ankle injury at the end for the first half. He’s listed as day-to-day, but I wouldn’t be shocked if bruising back-up Ryan Graham (who posted a 100-yard game against the Rebels), gets the bulk on Saturday.
Also a mystery, wide receiver Dahu Green, who his nursing a knee injury and has yet to see the field. We’ve predicted Green’s debut in Week 1 and Week 2. We’re withholding predictions until we see #4 on the gridiron.
“We need to play a perfect game.”
That’s a quote from Anderson, when asked what it would take to beat Georgia. Duh! But the UNLV game gives us some confidence that, perhaps, a perfect game is within grasp. The Red Wolves were uncharacteristically disciplined against the Rebels in Week 2, accruing only 30 penalty yards.
That’s crucial. Giving up five yards on a false start, or extending Georgia’s drives with a dumb unsportsmanlike penalty won’t help on Saturday.
Also helping? Blake Grupe’s perfect kicking: 3/3 on field goals and 4/4 on XPs against UNLV. What was once a source of handwringing has become one of the offenses’ most reliable weapons.
Final Analysis
Thursday morning, I was listening to Sirius XM ESPNU First Team discuss the Top 25 slate heading into the weekend. When the analysis arrived to Georgia, Greg McElroy declared, “I don’t see this game being competitive.”
I don’t blame Greg for arriving to that conclusion. But I disagree. Logan Bonner has put up some swell numbers two games into the season (606 yards, 6 TDs, one pick), but he has yet to hit his stride – he tends to overthrow long passes and sometimes he should tuck the ball and run. This is a learning curve Bonner will iron flat.
On the other side of the ball, you can see the confidence rising. The UNLV offensive line isn’t comparable to Georgia’s, true, but the Red Wolves defensive front looked hungry last Saturday. Furthermore, the secondary collected another pick, and seemed to adjust after playing so softly against SMU.
I won’t predict a victory. But with all do respect to Mr. Elroy, I will predict a competition.
Arkansas State Red Wolves @ Georgia Bulldogs, Saturday, 11:AM PM on ESPN2, the #1 ESPN network in our hearts
A former notary public, Jeremy Harper is a professional writer and Chief Instigator for Storm the Castle Creative. He spends much of his free time staring blankly into space.
