Georgia Bulldogs Football: 10 Things You Need To Know About Colorado

The vitriol and debate over the safety of coach Mark Richt's job will continue, but it's time to move on to talking about the game that's up next on the schedule—Colorado.

As promised, this weekly snap shot into each of the Georgia Bulldogs' opponents will remain a staple of this blog until the season is over which, for some, it already seems to be.

Either way, the Lady has not yet decided to give up on a season that, with four games in the books, isn't even half done yet. There is still plenty to be proved and salvaged for coach Richt and his beleaguered staff and the journey towards redemption begins in Boulder.

The last time these two teams met, it was a barn-burner, that took some last minute heroics for Georgia to seal the win. Here's hoping that this week the outcome is the same, but the score a little less close. The Buffaloes will enter the game confident and rested, whereas Georgia will play it's fourth game in a row—could that become a factor?

A.J. Green will finally make his season debut in Boulder and his presence will, hopefully, provide the spark Georgia is looking for to get things moving in the right direction. In the meantime, here's a little bit about the team they will be facing this weekend.

1. They have a very good run defense.

Currently, the Buffaloes are allowing a paltry 2.91 yards per rushing attempt (h/t cfbstats.com). They were blown out by the California Golden Bears in week two, but still managed to hold the Bears talented running back, Shane Vereen (currently ranked No. 22 in the nation in total rushing yards) to a modest 3.69 yards per carry (he averages 5.61 ypg)—his lowest output, of the season, to date.

2.  Their offensive line is a work in progress, but it shouldn't be disregarded as ineffective.

After the 52-7 thrashing at California, Tyler Hansen made a promise to play better the rest of the way and his offensive line has been more than ready step up their game in response.

Against Cal, the offensive line was ineffective and, nearly, non-existant as Hansen was sacked six times in the loss. However, by the following week against Hawaii, they seemed more focused and better prepared to do what they needed to protect their young quarterback.

There is plenty of size, strength, and leadership in this unit and, given the issues Georgia has faced in getting to the quarterback this season, this could end up being a very important battle to watch come Saturday.

3. Tyler Hansen isn't going to be shy about running on third downs.

Hansen has already made it clear that where third-and-short (1-3 yards) is concerned, he is not going to be hesitant to run for the first down—if need be. He is willing to do "whatever it takes" to sustain the drive.

Last week, the mobility of Chris Relf presented a slight problem for the Bulldogs so they need to be leary of Hansen's ability to move the chains with his feet.

4. They are coming off a bye week. 

The last game the Buffaloes played was against the Hawaii Warriors—a 31-13 win. They have been prepping for this game for two weeks, working on "Georgia stuff" to prepare for the physical nature that SEC play brings to the table.

Coach Dan Hawkins, who has faced Georgia before (as the head coach of Boise State in 2005), is unsure if the bye week was a good idea or not, saying, "There's pros and cons. We finished on a good note (Saturday). Maybe you just like to keep playing."

It would serve Georgia well to take advantage of any rust that the lay-off may have caused. 

5. They've established a nice 1-2 punch with Rodney Stewart and Brian Lockridge. 

The running game really took off against Hawaii, and the Buffaloes now have two capable backs who are more than willing to run the ball. Rodney Stewart is always dangerous (when healthy) and Brian Lockridge is one of the fastest players on Colorado's roster.

6. Beware of B.J. Beatty. 

The senior linebacker has been a monster this season, already recording 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss through the Buffs first three games. He is one of the stronger pieces of a very talented front seven— Forrest West is another. 

At 6'1", 260 lbs,  West is slowly emerging at the defensive end position and may finally be coming into his own now that he's 100 percent recovered from MCL surgery. 

Both will be around the ball, a lot, and bear watching. 

7. There is talent in the secondary. 

As a unit, the secondary has not impressed much this season. They rank near the bottom—statistically—of most every passing category (passing defense, passing efficiency, interceptions, etc.), however that does not mean there aren't players who are capable of making plays if given the opportunity. Both Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown are veteran leaders back there and they can defend the pass as well as any corners in the nation. 

8. Dan Hawkins is a man with something to prove this season. 

This could be the last hurrah for Hawkins at Colorado. He knows it and so does his team. Every win is a statement that he is not going to be ready to hand in his resignation anytime soon, and a win over Georgia would definitely go a long way towards extending the good will.

9. The Buffaloes are 2-9 versus the SEC—all-time.

Georgia last faced Colorado in 2006, and the Buffaloes gave the Bulldogs all they could handle. If it weren't for some last minute heroics by former Georgia quarterback, Joe Cox, that game would easily have gone the Buff's way. The personnel has changed but the location might be a big advantage.

The Bulldogs have had some issues with conditioning this season and have looked tired in the fourth quarter, giving up the big plays, and allowing teams to score. If the high-altitude of Folsom Stadium becomes a factor late in the game, and the Bulldogs haven't capitalized on their scoring opportunities, things could get tight.

10. They turn the ball over a good bit. 

 

So far this season, the Buffaloes have four interceptions and four fumbles and they are ranked No. 100 in the nation in turnover margin (-1).