John David Mercer, USA TODAY SPORTS
The Georgia Bulldogs came up just five yards short of playing for the national title last season, falling to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game. Georgia returns a number of standout players from last season’s team, and the Bulldogs hope to take the next step in their progression in 2013.
Georgia faces a brutal early schedule, which has been cause for concern among the Bulldog faithful as they hope to win the SEC this season. Georgia opens against the Clemson Tigers in Death Valley, a game that will be tough for sure. However, Georgia may have gotten a bit of motivation over the weekend when Clemson speedster Sammy Watkins made a few comments about the season opener on August 31.
“If we come out and beat Georgia, not just beat them, but beat the mess out of them, like we should, I don’t see no problems getting started in the right direction,” Watkins said.
That’s a pretty bold statement to make, and it may quietly provide Georgia with some motivation heading into the opener. Be sure that Georgia senior quarterback Aaron Murray will let his teammates know what Watkins has said. And head coach Mark Richt could very well use Watkins’ statement as the single bit of bulletin-board material needed to get the ‘Dogs through Fall camp and into contest number one.
While it’s entirely too early to know what might happen that last weekend in August, Watkins probably would have been wise to keep his thoughts to himself, rather than fire up a team who might have been vulnerable. After all, Georgia faces the South Carolina Gamecocks in week two of the 2013 season, and Georgia could have been looking past Clemson in the opener, especially considering the fact that South Carolina pounded UGA (35-7) last season.
However, Richt will not have to worry about that now. There is no doubt that his team will be focused on Clemson in the opener. And the Tigers have Watkins to thank for that.
