Georgia defeated Mississippi State on Saturday to move to 5-1. The win probably left many Bulldog fans feeling hollow. It just wasn’t the lackluster effort on the field. Instead, it was a culmination of events that led to Georgia’s bad week.
Sometimes, a week can feel like a month. It’s been that way in Athens. A week ago, Georgia bounced back after a loss to Alabama to knock off Auburn on Homecoming. It was good and bad. It was hot and cold, but at the end of the day, Georgia won for the eighth straight time in the deep South’s oldest rivalry. The 2024 Bulldogs have yet to look like the juggernaut the media and the preseason polls thought they were.
Slow starts have plagued the team. The defense has shown to be vulnerable to giving up big chunk plays to the opposing team. When asked about his depth after last week’s game, Smart admitted that this team differs from previous years. “We’re not like we used to be.” The honest assessment could have allowed Georgia fans to reset expectations about what a “good season” may look like this year. Smart may not have realized just how different his 2024 Georgia team is. It’s not just about the play on the field or the team and their off-field antics. Smart is also a contributing factor to Georgia’s bad week.
Georgia’s Bad Week
Why So Quiet?
Smart kicked off Georgia’s bad week by calling out the fans for their (lack) of performance against Auburn. After the game, he was critical of the atmosphere at Sanford Stadium and demanded more from Dawg Nation. “To be honest, I’m probably disappointed in our fans for the first time,” Smart said. “I thought there was a lack of really affecting the game crowd-noise wise, passion and energy.” That is tough for a proud Georgia crowd to hear, but Smart didn’t stop there. “We need it to be tough on other teams to play here, but it’s not,” Smart said. “It’s not the same as it’s been in the past; it’s got to be energetic.”
It’s not a good look for the head coach. Georgia fans adore Smart and defend the team to no end. Maybe there are reasons, though, why the fans lack juice in 2024. First is the schedule; Georgia has key road games in Tuscaloosa, Austin, and Oxford this year. Auburn is a good rival, but they have lacked bite under Hugh Freeze. The only other game with a notable opponent is an early November game against Tennessee. One would have to bet if one or both neutral site games against Clemson and Flordia come between the hedges, the crowd would respond in kind.
Finally, it’s the team. Georgia has struggled to get going in 2024. As we’ve discussed a few times, the Bulldogs are missing that wow or x-factor on offense or defense. This has resulted in slow and sluggish starts that may lead to a lack of enthusiasm from the fans. The Sanford Stadium faithful have repeatedly shown to be elite, but they lack a reason to show it so far in 2024.
Trouble with the Law (AGAIN)
Georgia’s trouble with the law continued this week when Wide Receiver Colbie Young was arrested at 4:18 a.m. on Tuesday. Young has been suspended indefinitely from the team following his arrest early Tuesday morning on misdemeanor charges of battery and assault on an unborn child.
According to an Athens-Clarke County Police report, a 20-year-old woman, identified as the ex-girlfriend of an individual named Young, visited his apartment to discuss their relationship. The conversation heated when she discovered Young was on the phone with another woman. The woman alleges that Young grabbed her arm and forcefully removed her from his room, using derogatory language. Later, she claims he physically assaulted her by squeezing her torso and abdomen. The police report confirmed visible bruises, and the woman was taken to the hospital for treatment.
A Stinker Against Mississippi State
Georgia came into Saturday night’s game a 33.5-point favorite. We are not sure what Vegas is seeing, but that number seemed too rich, given their performance this season. The Bulldogs won the game 41-31. The postgame analysis can be best described as forgettable. Georgia fans kept waiting for the Bulldogs to get their act together, put it all together in a game, and just go off on another team. The Bulldogs jumped to a 27-10 halftime lead on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, they were outscored 21 to 14 in the second half and could never put away their pesky Bulldog counterparts.
Georgia’s injuries along the offensive line continue to be a concern. On the night, Georgia had just 146 yards rushing, a number severely skewed by one 52-yard run by Anthony Evans III in the second half. Trevor Etienne had just 35 yards on 11 carries, and Nate Frazier had 43 yards on 10 carries. Carson Beck instead threw 48 times, completing 36 passes for 459 yards and three touchdowns. Two more interceptions by Beck add to his troubling trend of being prone to turnovers in recent weeks. Unfortunately for Georgia, the game and the team’s performance weren’t the worst thing that happened Saturday afternoon.
Kirby’s Shove
Before speculating, let’s start by watching the video below courtesy of On3.
Kirby Smart shoves Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren while arguing with official.
(via @SECNetwork)https://t.co/3JH351c7HR pic.twitter.com/zHYpnyClCg
— On3 (@On3sports) October 12, 2024
Smart is passionate. He needs his own “get back” coach. He probably also would not respond well to being told to “calm down” on the sideline. Smart appears to shove Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren late in Saturday’s game. Despite an official being right next to him, no flag was thrown. Common sense tells you that coaches are not to put their hands on players. Smart was asked about the interaction. Instead of owning the incident, Smart deflected.
“I was trying to get (Glenn) Schumann’s attention. We were trying to change personnel. I think it’s the play they came over to our sideline and was trying to get Schumann’s attention. But, no, I don’t really remember it.” Whether intentional or not, it would not be surprising for Greg Sankey and the league office to take some form of corrective action against Smart.
Georgia travels to Austin next Saturday night to take on the undefeated Texas Longhorns. It will be Must-See TV for the SEC and college football. A fine and/or suspension would be appropriate. Accountability has been missing from Georgia’s program over the last two seasons. Sankey could be the one to put an end to not only Georgia’s bad week but also set them on a path to bounce back.
