CBS analyst and former NFL quarterback Gary Danielson has seen a lot of Georgia football this season, and he has seen the Bulldogs at their best and worst.
Danielson, in a preview of the SEC Championship Game, said Georgia’s offensive line is going to have to show up big for the Bulldogs to pull the upset, and D’Andre Swift will need to be on point.
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LSU (12-0) is a touchdown favorite to beat Georgia (11-1) in the 4 p.m. matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday (TV: CBS).
The Tigers feature Heisman Trophy favorite and SEC single-season passing record holder Joe Burrow, but Danielson explained that another Tigers’ player could steal the show.
“If Joe Burrow isn’t the MVP of the SEC, then I think Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been, that’s really what has given defenses problems,” Danielson said of the LSU tailback. “His match-ups in the passing game have driven defenses crazy this year. They put him all over the field. He beats linebackers and safeties that can’t cover him.
“Right now, everybody who plays LSU points to him as the difference on this team. I’m pretty much agreeing with that. Edwards-Helaire going up against the skilled linebackers for Georgia is a really interesting match-up.”
The UGA offense, Danielson said, is going to have to go with what got them this far.
“I think Georgia is going to have to use the power in which they’ve built this program,” Danielson said in the CBS release. “Their offensive line must be as dominant as the wide receivers are for LSU. That’s how they’ve built the program. And that’s what they have to lean on.”
The Bulldogs’ defensive line also factors heavily.
“On defense, their inside players – people that are not household names like Tyler Clark, Jordan Davis, David Marshall – they have to become playmakers in this game,” Danielson said. “They shoot a lot of gaps. If those guys inside can get Joe Burrow off and a little bit uncomfortable, then they have a chance with the number of skill players they have in the back.”
Swift, coming off a two-fumble performance against Georgia Tech, is the ultimate X-Factor.
“There’s one player that has to have a good game for Georgia, and that’s D’Andre Swift,” Danielson said. “I don’t see how Georgia can stay in this game without the breakaway abilities of Swift. He’s the real deal. I think Swift is the key to the game.
“Jake Fromm is going to show up fine. Their receivers are going to be what they are – they’re not game-breakers yet. D’Andre Swift has to be a difference-maker in this game.”
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