What’s to like

Jake Fromm experience -

It’s hard to dislike anything about the roster that Kirby Smart has assembled at Georgia. The Bulldogs have become one of those programs that churns out pro prospects with the elite of the elite, but yet, their roster always commands attention heading into a new season.

Jake Fromm heads things up at quarterback for an offense that should be explosive yet again. First off, there’s continuity along the offensive line. The receiver group has experience and talent with the return of Jeremiah Holloman and Tyler Simmons, plus the addition of Demetris Robertson. The running back tradition will continue as stud D’Andre Swift returns, with promising prospects James Cook and Zamir White to round out the group.

Kirby Smart has proven he has the ability to not only get top talent to campus, but take it to the pinnacle of success. He seems like a coach ready to breakthrough, and he’s got a veteran gunslinger in his holster this season.

What to be concerned about

If there is a concern to pinpoint with the Bulldogs, it’s the loss of impact players on both sides of the ball. Sure, the depth won’t take a major hit, but Lamont Gaillard was the center and the anchor of the offensive line, Mecole Hardeman brought the speed to take the top off the defense, Jonathan Ledbetter was the anchor of the defense and Deandre Baker was the leader of the back seven defensively.

As well, quarterback depth took a hit with the departure of Justin Fields, even if the whole situation just added unneeded tension last fall.

What the HourGlass says

If you’re a Georgia Bulldog fan, get ready to brag. The HourGlass predicts this to be the year UGA caps off an undefeated regular season by beating Bama for the SEC title in Atlanta.

The Bulldogs will then run through the College Football Playoff, where they will defeat defending National Champion Clemson to win their first Championship since 1980.

This team has been right there the last two years, and this year the Bulldogs will close the deal and bring home the title.

HG analytics pick: 12-0, SEC and National Champion.

2018 Analytics Pick 12-0; Actual Record 11-1 (92 percent accuracy)

2017 Analytics Pick 11-1; Actual Record 11-1 (100 percent accuracy)

Two-year analytic percentage on Georgia = 96 percent

Hour Glass National Recruiting Ranking: 1st – inside our Realistic College Football Playoff Championship talent line on our talent index. This means they have a roster worthy of championship status.

National Coaching Rank for Kirby Smart on HG Scale: 4th (Kirby Smart Stamp at 25) – Average coaching value for 2019 set at 5.5.

Returning Georgia quarterback play rated 7th in the country out of 130 teams. Average quarterback stamp nationally for 2019 is 9.5. Georgia has a quarterback metric value of 26.7.

ODE Analytics – NOTE: ODE is our offensive and defensive scoring efficiency ranking for each team. We use a two-year evaluation of each program.

Georgia ranks 2nd in the country in our 2019 ODE evaluation. Offensively they have a ranking of 3rd in the country and defensively 3rd in the country.