Morning, y’all!
You know how on Wednesday I mentioned how many storylines we can sift through heading into Georgia’s showdown at Alabama?
Let’s add one big one to the pile: an impending tropical storm that’s expected to strengthen into a hurricane.
Much bigger implications than the game for the folks who live in the projected path of the hurricane, of course, and hopefully everyone stays safe.
And I wish all those making the trip to the game safe travels as well.
Here’s our latest update on the weather, but be sure to check back at DawgNation.com for updates, as the situation could evolve:
Alabama has declared a state of emergency for 40 of its counties, including Tuscaloosa County where Georgia is scheduled to play Saturday night.
Alabama governor Kay Ivey made the announcement Wednesday, as Tropical Storm Isaias was approaching the Gulf Coast with the expectation it will strengthen into a hurricane.
The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs and No. 6-ranked Crimson Tide are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The University of Alabama issued a statement on Wednesday night that said the game, at the moment, is expected to begin as scheduled, but it will continue to monitor and update the situation.
The “state of emergency” declaration grants authorities accelerated federal funding and special measures to protect the public, bypassing the formal steps often needed for such actions.
Among measures often enacted during hurricane conditions:
- Deploying state highway patrol to manage contraflow utilized to expedite evacuations and enforce road closures.
- Deploying the National Guard to assist law enforcement with its specialized high-clearance vehicles, along with search and rescue operations and added security.
- Activating emergency operations centers to raise both county and state emergency management agencies to maximum readiness, unifying structure among health, transit and law enforcement.
Read Mike Griffith’s full story here.
Smart addresses Isaias hurricane threat, Georgia preparation
Georgia coach Kirby Smart is keeping his focus on the Alabama game — not the weather — as Saturday’s showdown in Tuscaloosa approaches.
Tropical Storm Isaias is heading toward the Gulf Coast, and WALA-Mobile is reporting it is forecast to strengthen to a hurricane on Thursday.
The National Hurricane Center is forecasting the system to turn toward the north on Friday and has projections indicating the path of the storm might reach Tuscaloosa.
“It’s certainly beyond my control, so we as coaches game plan for multiple situations for weather conditions when they’re there,” Smart said. “We had the same prep last week with the threat of those things, so (it) doesn’t change a lot about practice.”
Heavy rains and wind were originally forecast for Georgia’s home game with Vanderbilt last Saturday, but the storms did not come to pass.
Smart said the same staples apply to each practice week.
“You still have good on good, you’ve got to practice for the long term of the season, not just one week,” Smart said. “You can’t really practice conditions, you can’t simulate them, so you’re much better to educate (and) learn from the past of other people that have played in them and prepare your team to play and not make it about that.”
Smart said he will continue to get updates on the projected weather.
“I’m focused on trying to prepare our team, and game plan, and scheme, and all of those things,” Smart said. “I have an update, and they keep me updated with what’s going on (with) meetings, decisions, the way things are leaning and things like that.”
Smart said he does not have any input on decisions that might be made about the scheduling of the game, and he is not aware of any timeline associated with possible changes.
Read Mike’s full story on the impending weather here.
Trivia time
When Georgia beat Alabama in last year’s SEC championship, how many yards did the Crimson Tide rush for?
Woodring’s ‘perfect mindset’ could prove pivotal against Alabama
Peyton Woodring has been quite the security blanket for Georgia since he arrived back in 2023.
The former No. 1 overall kicker prospect from the 2023 class has missed just eight kicks in 71 attempts over four seasons and is off to a perfect start this year, making all four field goal attempts.
Smart said Woodring’s “been a model of consistency,” which shows his growth in Athens.
Woodring came into the program with lofty expectations and stumbled out of the gate, missing three kicks in as many games.
“Struggled a little bit early and kind of had to reassess everything throughout my career, how to handle certain situations,” Woodring said.
He found the groove again and finished the season 21-of-25. Since then, Woodring has been nearly automatic and is on pace to finish as one of the best kickers in Georgia history.
The three-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist in September broke Rodrigo Blankenship’s SEC record of 200 consecutive extra points made, and currently sits at 206 made PATs. He is just 10 makes away from passing Marshall Morgan’s program record set at 215.
Read Hunter DeLauder’s full story here.
Georgia takes Frazier off injury report heading into Bama game
Georgia will be getting a key piece back in its lineup and could be adding another, while Alabama is hopeful one of its key cogs will be on the field.
Tailback Nate Frazier, who suffered a rib injury in the Bulldogs’ win over Arkansas on Sept. 19, is no longer listed on the injury report after seeing spot duty with four snaps against Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Frazier’s return is timely with UGA tailback Chauncey Bowens being added to the initial injury report as “out” for Saturday’s game.
Bowens has 35 carries for 124 yards and a team-high six rushing touchdowns.
Dwight Phillips Jr. is UGA’s second-leading rusher with 160 yards on 20 carries followed by Bo Walker, who has 134 yards on 20 carries.
Frazier has 211 rushing yards on 26 carries and five touchdowns in three games, including the two carries for 9 yards he had against Vanderbilt while Bowens was getting checked out after taking a hit.
Frazier’s return is pivotal as Bowens had been starting in his place.
“The plan was to play (Frazier) if we needed to, and Chauncey was a little banged up,” Smart said after the win over the Commodores. “He ran some; he probably could have continued to play … We knew he would improve every time that he doesn’t have to go out there, (and) he’s getting closer to 100%.”
Frazier was a “game-time decision” before Saturday’s game.
Georgia receiver Isiah Canion, a transfer from Georgia Tech who has been out with a right leg injury since the first quarter of the Arkansas game, is listed as “questionable” to see action against the Tide.
Read Mike’s full story here.
Trivia answer
-3 rushing yards
