“Georgia is Primed” Finebaum Says About 2021
Paul Finebaum, the ESPN and SEC Network radio and tv host, has consistently been complimentary of the Georgia Bulldogs when speaking about them heading into 2021.
Just as recent as last week, Finebaum said that he was “not buying Clemson,” saying the Bulldogs will overcome the significant challenge posed by Clemson in week one.
To continue pounding the Georgia drum this week, Finebaum went on Sportscenter Monday and was again speaking highly of the Bulldogs coming off an 8-2 year, which ended in a comeback win over the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The talk show host had this to say of the Bulldogs:
“I think Georgia is primed. I think this is the best Georgia team that Kirby Smart has had. He had a really good one his second year [2017].”
This most recent quote from Finebaum is in the aftermath of the weekend’s big news regarding the status of Georgia’s newly acquired wide receiver Arik Gilbert. Smart confirmed days worth of speculation in his Saturday presser when he said Gilbert is out with “personal issues.”
Gilbert is one of three high-profile transfers from over the offseason that many hope will have an immediate impact on the field for Georgia in 2021. Gilbert comes to Athens as a sophomore following a promising freshman season at LSU as a tight end where Gilbert racked up 35 receptions, 368 yards, and two touchdowns.
Georgia hoped that the addition of Gilbert would offset the loss of star receiver George Pickens. Pickens tore his ACL at the beginning of spring practice in March and is expected to miss significant time this season.
Despite those two losses so far, it is arguable that Georgia returns one of its most talented rosters of the Kirby Smart era. The question marks at quarterback are non-existent with the return of JT Daniels; the backfield as a whole returns every starter. The only questions that may remain are upfront at the offensive line and who will Georgia be able to look to consistently at the X-receiver position?
Other than those two questions, Georgia seems to be on par for where it was heading roster-wise into the 2017 season that saw both Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and Isaiah Wynn return for senior seasons to lead the offense. While defensively, Roquan Smith, Lorenzo Carter, and Dalvin Bellamy all left money on the table in the NFL for another run in Athens.
Obviously, the 2017 team will go down as one of the most talented teams to never win a championship despite the plethora of NFL talent that filled out that roster.
Finebaum would finish off his statement predicting a Georgia win in the season opener.
“Let’s say they get past Clemson — and I would predict they’re going to. They have a couple of other games that matter. They have Florida, of course, and then they have the likely Alabama game. I think they can get to the playoff, even by losing to Clemson. But of course, that’s not going to happen.”
Georgia most certainly has a lot of things going their way on paper as of right now but questions surrounding the offensive line and the secondary will need to be answered early on in the season if the Bulldogs hope to live up to the high expectations being cast upon them not only by Finebaum but the fanbase as a whole is hoping for a title run.
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