Getty Image
The Georgia Bulldogs have been criticized this offseason for their upcoming schedule. That slate, in many fans’ eyes, won’t provide much of a challenge as the program sets its sights on a third consecutive national title.
Kirby Smart had a three-word response for those critics at SEC Media Days. He knows it won’t be as easy as folks are proclaiming to get through his SEC season unscathed.
Now, UGA will undoubtedly be favored in each of its regular season matchups in 2023. Part of that is competition. Another part is the fact that they’ve fielded the best team in college football the last two years.
Most don’t expect the Bulldogs to drop off despite losing starting signal caller Stetson Bennett.
When looking at the schedule, it certainly favors Georgia. The team plays five of its first six games in Sanford Stadium, and its only true road games will be at Auburn, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech.
Of that group, only Tennessee figures to be a legitimate threat though they enter the year with a new starting quarterback. The Bulldogs also play Florida in Jacksonville, a rivalry they’ve owned over the last six seasons.
At home, they’ll play South Carolina, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Missouri from the SEC as they avoid both Alabama and LSU in the West.
Their most difficult out-of-conference game was canceled with Oklahoma moving to the conference in 2025, so instead of playing the Sooners, the Bulldogs will face Ball State.
UAB and UT-Martin round out a schedule that sees just two opponents that finished in last year’s AP top 25.
On paper, Georgia should run through the schedule relatively easily, but Kirby Smart’s not taking the bait. He remembers a close call against Missouri last season, a team that won just six games.
The Tigers controlled that contest throughout, leading 22-12 in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs stormed back for two late scores to escape CoMo with a win.
Georgia was also in a battle with Kentucky late in the year, winning that game 16-6. Smart knows it only takes one week of complacency to result in an upset.
So, when asked about the perceived “cupcake” schedule on Tuesday, Smart simply said, “Come play it.”
Georgia’s Kirby Smart asked about the perception the Bulldogs have a cupcake schedule this year: “Come play it.”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 18, 2023
Coach Smart is doing whatever he can to keep the Bulldogs motivated in the coming year. We’ll see if the Bulldogs record another undefeated regular season in 2023.