Season's Eve

Image: Eric Heard

This day comes every year. Georgia fans from Macon, Atlanta, Rome, Savannah, and all parts in between make their preparations to drive over the shimmering asphalt of interstates and back roads, traveling on a pilgrimage, going back to a place that holds more than just a football game. It's a place that, this time of year, holds something more precious and rare. It holds hope and opportunity, a clean slate and renewal. This same place holds memories, both glorious and excruciating. Memories of Trippi, Tarkington, Herschel, and Zeier. Memories shared between husband and wife, brother and brother, father and son. A place of calm and refuge, while at the same time a place of crazed frenzy. This place is Sanford Stadium and tomorrow night, it comes alive with 92,000 barking fans who gather to watch a team that has potential to fulfill all of their hopes or dash them until this day returns next year.

I see the game as a battle for offensive tempo. The Pokes want to air it out, breaking downfield fast, taking advantage of Bowman in man-to-man match ups with our young corners. Oklahoma State should want to throw the ball around and it looks like Bryan Evans will have help on Bowman most of the time. Larry Fedora will spread the defense and run a lot of draws and sprint options. Will our defense hold? We're fast enough to shut the outside option game down, but out defensive tackles have to take away the little draw plays with Savage squirting up the middle. The whole key to Georgia's defensive efforts is the defensive line. We need to get controlled pressure on Bobby Reid (containing his lethal feet and forcing throws) and stop inside runs.

Oklahoma State wants a shootout and Georgia shouldn't give them one. The Dawgs need to grind it out on the ground. Control the line of scrimmage and work the clock. I know that our line is young/inexperienced/worrisome. I agree. But so is Okie State's defensive line. There is hope for the running game and it must be effective. I think we'll have mixed results, but will make enough big plays to win. Georgia 34, Oklahoma State 27.
For those of you heading to Athens, one thing to watch for is Oklahoma State's mascot. "Pistol Pete" is a person wearing an awkward plastic amalgam head crafted by duPont and sculpted by Amazon headhunters. He is named after Frank Eaton, a cowboy who learned to shoot things while training to avenge his father's death at the hands of "lawless former Confederates." Look, for the love of God, take that stupid head off. I'm not a fan of human mascots to begin with, but if you are going to have one, either get the whole suit (Col. Reb) or don't give him fake body parts (the Volunteer, Chief Osceola). Tennessee's Johnny Appleseed mascot is goofy, but at least he doesn't wear some giant plastic head that needs a shave. Go get a horse, let Pete ride around on it, and have a shootin' exhibition at the half. Also, people in Texas and, evidently, Oklahoma, have little hand signals for their teams. Okie State's is "guns up" where they point their index fingers up like they are shooting guns in the air. Just try not to cower.

Quinton

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