What They're Saying About Georgia: Athlon Sports

It’s preview magazine season, and Athlon Sports’ edition for 2023 has hit the shelves. Georgia star tight end Brock Bowers is front and center on the cover, and the love for the Bulldogs can be felt with each flip of the page.

Athlon lists Georgia No. 1 in its preseason top 25. They start by saying, “There’s a new king – or should we say top dawg? – in college football,” and carry on with the praise by saying, “College football’s path to the title runs through Athens.”

Is it a bit hyperbolic? Probably. There’s still plenty of other talented teams out there like Alabama and Ohio State, but the Bulldogs own back-to-back championship trophies so the hardware speaks for itself.

On its All-American teams, Bowers is a first team selection, as are linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson and safety Malaki Starks. Mykel Williams makes the second team-defense while Sedrick Van Pran and Javon Bullard hold down spots on the third team for Georgia.

Furthermore, Georgia’s units rank highly too. Broken down by conference, Georgia’s worst landing spot is eighth – quarterback – while running back rans third. Then, everything else (wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, defensive back) is No. 1. The lower ranking for quarterback makes sense with the Bulldogs having to replace two-time National Championship Game starter Stetson Bennett, and the running back room isn’t the deepest. However, having five position groups rank first including the entirety of the defense is a good sign of things to come this fall in Athens.

NOTE: Georgia’s third-ranked SEC running backs come in at No. 7 nationally while the receivers at No. 4. Offensive line, defensive line, linebacker and defensive back all rank at the top.

Names to Know

Brock Bowers (Heisman Watch) – “The winner of last season’s Mackey Award might be the biggest mismatch in the country, but history is not on his side. No tight end has won the Heisman since 1949.”

Carson Beck (QB Battles) – “The path to a third consecutive national championship starts with the quarterback competition to replace Stetson Bennett IV. The Bulldogs have three candidates vying for the job, with Carson Beck (26-of-35 for 310 yards and four TDs in 2022) the front-runner after working as the backup to Bennett. However, the offense has a new play-caller (Mike Bobo), which could shake up the competition. Former five-star prospect Brock Vandagriff has received snaps in five games over the past two seasons, and freshman Gunner Stockton is primed to push for the job after a redshirt year.”

Mykel Williams (Breakout Players) – “Williams is one of the headliners for Georgia’s next wave of defensive stars. As a true freshman last season, Williams registered 28 tackles (6.5 for loss) and wreaked havoc on opposing offensive lines with 4.5 sacks. His emergence will help ease the loss of Jalen Carter.”

Dominic Lovett (Top Transfers) – “Lovett – a second-team All-SEC performer in ’22 – arrives in Athens after catching 56 passes for 846 yards at Missouri last season.”

Toughest Test

Georgia got its toughest test of the regular season last year from an unexpected opponent. Missouri gave the Bulldogs trouble on the road, requiring a fourth quarter comeback to escape Columbia still unbeaten. However, if you were to ask just about anyone, the biggest game of the season for Georgia came in November against Tennessee.

The Volunteers entered Sanford Stadium undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the new College Football Playoff poll. They left the Classic City wet and with a loss in the rain being manhandled by the Bulldogs.

Once again, Georgia-Tennessee is expected to be the biggest game of the season for Kirby Smart and company. Athlon has it at No. 9 on its list of “Best Games” saying, “Georgia made a statement last season when it suffocated the Vols in a 27-13 win, taking back the nation’s No. 1 ranking in the process. But this time, it will be the Bulldogs who have to face a rowdy crowd in Knoxville in a game that may well be winner-take-all in the SEC East. Both teams have to replace their starting quarterbacks, but their shouldn’t be any growing pains evident by this point.”