ATHENS — Football features an element of “On Any Given Sunday” each time two teams take the field, but there’s a reason Georgia is a two-touchdown favorite over Texas A&M.
“They are possibly the hardest team to play in the SEC,” ESPN analyst and former LSU All-American defensive lineman Marcus Spears said Friday.
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“Because they play such a nasty, snot-nosed, knock you out (defense, and) Jake Fromm is good enough to beat you from the pocket.”
The No. 4-ranked Bulldogs put their College Football Playoff hopes on the line at 3:39 p.m. on Saturday when their game kicks off against the No. 24-ranked Aggies at Sanford Stadium (TV: CBS).
Former SEC quarterback legend Tim Tebow was asked the formula for a Texas A&M upset on a day where rain is expected to fall throughout much of the game.
“I think the formula is to be able to, offensively, put yourself in third-and-shorts, you can’t have field goals, got to have touchdowns when you get down there,” Tebow said.
“Find a way, and it’s hard with Jake, but find a way to get a turnover or two and get yourself in short (field) situations. I don’t think they beat Georgia playing Georgia’s game, and they are very similar styles. I don’t think they win that.
“Something unique has to come to the table, and it could be Kellen (Mond) with his legs, or big plays from the receiving corps.”
Spears was in agreement, particularly about the importance of Mond being able to get loose running the football from the quarterback position.
“The first thing with Kellen is you have to try to keep him in the pocket and make him beat you from there, he really gets going when he rips off a long one on you with his legs, It makes everything easier for him,” Spears said. “Georgia has to be really careful with A&M…. this is not some cakewalk.
As for the upset formula, Spears went back to Mond, the first second-year starting QB the Bulldogs have faced as a starter in SEC competition this season.
“I think obviously Kellen has to play out of his mind and improvise and make special plays out of plays that possibly are broken, and then possess the football,” Spears said. “But they are physical team, they have the athletes on the outside as we all know, it’s not a miracle if A&M beats Georgia or LSU.
“Georgia is the better team, just like LSU will be next week, but you better not go in there thinking that.”
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