ESPN CFB expert has ‘big question’ for Georgia football

ESPN college football expert and former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy has a big question for Georgia football entering the 2024 college football season. McElroy highlighted his top concerns for Georgia on his podcast, “Always College Football with Greg McElroy.”

“The big question is will they be able to step up and play as well at the line of

scrimmage this upcoming year? As they did in 2022 and 2023, because that was ultimately their downfall there in the biggest game of the season last year,” said McElroy. The former Alabama quarterback has expressed a lot of confidence in Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and the UGA offense, but he has doubts about the Georgia defense and if it is championship-caliber.

“When I watched the SEC Championship game last year, I don’t remember a time in five, six, seven years where I saw Georgia getting mowed off the football,” said McElroy of the Georgia defense against Alabama. “I mean just absolutely mowed off the football. I mean defensive lineman six, seven yards down field with an offensive lineman engaged.” McElroy adds, “They also were not great on the edges.”

Georgia’s rushing defense finished the 2023 college football season ranked as the No. 18 run defense in the country. The Bulldogs allowed 13 rushing touchdowns and 113.6 rushing yards per game, which is not up to Georgia’s lofty defensive standard in the Kirby Smart era.