ESPN identifies best, worst case scenarios for Georgia in 2023

We know what the best case scenario for Georgia looks like in 2023, but what does the worst possible scenario look like? And what key developments on the team will decide whether the Dawgs hit their ceiling for a third year in a row… or finally come up short?

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach has the answers, and broke down what best-case and worst-case situations would look like for Kirby Smart’s club. Obviously, a national title is a goal, but personnel-wise, Schlabach details why Georgia can feel confident they’re destined for greatness once again.

Plus, he also has a prediction for which position on the field will struggle if Georgia does ultimately fail to hit their expectations. So below, you can find Mark Schlabach’s comments on why Georgia could win it all… or stub their toe and miss the College Football Playoff altogether.

Best Case

The best case scenario is that Carson Beck shines in what is still a talent-bloated offense, especially with weapons like Brock Bowers, Kendall Milton and Ladd McConkey at TE, RB and WR. Specifically at wideout, Schlabach believes Beck “will benefit from having what might be the deepest receiver corps in school history.”

That unit includes McConkey, who had 762 receiving yards last year; plus Dominic Lovett, Mizzou’s leading pass catcher in ’22 at 846 yards; and Rara Thomas, who was Mississippi State’s top dog with 626 yards las season. It’s a heck of a group for a new QB.

Plus, the other selling point on another Georgia appearance in the CFP: an easy schedule by contender’s standards. SEC slates are never easy, but they don’t come much better lined up than Georgia’s, especially after some non-conference schedule shuffling.

“Georgia’s non-conference schedule is especially soft after the SEC ordered the Bulldogs to cancel a home-and-home series against Oklahoma, which is joining the conference next year,” writes Schlabach. Instead of Oklahoma, the Bulldogs had to scramble and find a new opponent, which is tough since most power conference programs schedule out-of-conference games half-a-dozen years or more in advance.

They eventually inked Ball State to a game, and the Cardinals round out a non-conference slate with UT Martin, UAB and lowly Georgia Tech, who’s averaged 3.5 wins per year in their last four seasons. That’s partially why Schlabach predicts UGA “will be heavy favorites in every game it plays” this coming season.

Worst Case

“Two losses?” asks Schlabach, explaining: “For the schedule reasons stated above, it’s difficult to imagine the Bulldogs losing twice in the regular season.”

Who on the Bulldog schedule is even capable of toppling them? Certainly not those non-conference foes. It’s hard to imagine Vanderbilt, Missouri or Auburn have a real shot. Meanwhile, the Dawgs beat Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida all by double digits each of the last two years and have smashed rival South Carolina by margins of 27, 29 and 41 points in their last three meetings.

Who knows, though. Maybe Carolina or Kentucky finally break through with their veteran quarterback play, or maybe Tennessee extracts revenge in Neyland after Georgia ended their SEC title hopes last year. Ole Miss comes to Athens, but they have a great offensive line and running game and could limit possessions to make things tight in that November contest.

For any of those upsets to occur, Schlabach believes the Georgia offense has to sputter. “If we’re talking lowest floor, then Beck would have to struggle in his first season as a starter and Georgia’s running game would have to be less productive,” he writes.