I apologize for updating so late, but we finally made it into Knoxville, Tenn. for the night. The plan is to catch some Z's until about 8 in the morning, then we're back on the road for 4 more hours, straight into Athens, Ga. for the game.
There's one more update that I promised in dealing with tomorrow's game... plus I've uploaded a couple random photos from the Baymont Inn we're staying at. This place is Volunteer country, so we saw some people, particularly at the hotel, excited about tomorrow's home opener against UAB.
But anyway.... on to the questions. Not going to lie, these are made-up questions, but PLEASE e-mail bmanzullo@cm-life.com with some of your own questions heading into each game, and depending on their validity, I'll do my best to answer them. You can even send general questions and I'll take some time in the blog to answer them (maybe I can start a Mailbag feature of sorts. Send those questions in!)
.
.
1. Considering the large spread, what kind of result from Saturday's game would you deem acceptable?
Obviously, the team is going to try to win, and everyone involved with CMU football will tell you they're in Athens to win the game. That's the attitude they need to have. But as for us, we're realists. This is the toughest team CMU has faced in years. The spread is just below 24 - I think any result where the spread is less than that is an acceptable spread. Remember, Georgia is a national championship contender, and we have to expect they'll play like that. If the Chippewas can play a close game into the second half, that's an easy success. The nation will take notice if Central plays Georgia down to the wire, and if Dan LeFevour has anything to do with that (which he would have to in a close game), he's going to get even more attention.
2. What is the key for CMU to stop Georgia's offense?
The Chippewas literally have to play perfect football. They can NOT take a play off or blow an assignment. Quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno are big-time players and will make you pay in the blink of an eye if you're not focused, and they will get their points. It starts in the trenches - DEs Frank Zombo and Sam Williams have to find a way to get to Stafford and make him throw the ball quickly. He's not quite a running quarterback, so that's one less dimension to worry about. As for Moreno, I know the run defense was spectacular last week, but Moreno's one of the best in the nation and will break a few big runs in this game. If CMU can play damage control, especially when Georgia's able to march in CMU territory, that'll give the offense plenty of chances to stay in the game.
3. What is the key for CMU to drive on Georgias defense?
See #2. Central cannot afford dropped passes, turnovers or broken assignments on offense. Wideouts Bryan Anderson and Antonio Brown are capable of getting open on any secondary when given the time, so the key again lies in the trenches and whether the offensive line can keep Dan LeFevour protected. It's not going to be easy whatsoever - remember last year's Sugar Bowl? Even Colt Brennan and Hawaii, one of the country's premiere offenses, couldn't get anything going. Running backs Ontario Sneed and Justin Hoskins have to build off last week's performance and give Central the running game it needs. But when given protection from the offensive line, this team is capable of scoring on any defense, even Georgia.
4. CMU lost to an unranked Clemson team 70-14 last season. Why should we expect something different here?
There are many reasons. If you remember, Clemson entered its game with CMU (which, by the way, was Homecoming for them) with two consecutive tough losses and a bye week. The Tigers had two weeks to prepare for Central and a huge chip on their shoulders. They were a ranked team at one point and really had the makings of a Top 10 program. Watching the Chippewas score a touchdown on their opening drive and intercept a Cullen Harper pass on their first possession was a wake-up call of sorts.
Now, as for the Georgia game, the Bulldogs do enter with a chip on their shoulders, coming off a week in which they blew out Georgia Southern but managed to lose their top ranking anyway. It'll be interesting to see if that plays any part in Saturday's game. But CMU enters the game with two days of extra rest (Thursday game) and Georgia has a huge game next week against South Carolina.
5. How would a win at Sanford Stadium compare to other great wins in CMU history?
It would be the biggest in program history, no question about it. Back-to-back wins over the Spartans in the early 90's was huge, too, but neither MSU team was as good as this Georgia team and the parity between the MAC and the BCS conferences is greater now. A win could single-handedly catapult Central into the AP Top 25, a goal coach Butch Jones has had since coming to Central. Problem is, like I said earlier, the Chippewas absolutely have to play near-perfect football to accomplish that. Part of why Clemson won so handily was the big play; CMU can't afford to throw interceptions, give up the deep passes or fall flat on special teams. The team has to give Georgia a kick in the teeth and show it can play with the big boys, something it really hasn't proved yet. Saturday is an excellent opportunity.
The Trip
I only got one picture from the drive because of the weather. It was raining since mid-Ohio, but there was a break in the rain in downtown Cincinnati, so I got a shot from the car. Nothing spectacular, but it was one of the first shots I got with my new lens, a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8. It's a very nice lens!
The rest are from Baymont Inn in Knoxville, Tenn. Notice the Tenessee "T" on the door, and the person in the third picture is my dad. The last picture I put up because of the rug of Neyland Stadium on the wall.
Please keep posted on this blog, though... Here's what you can expect Saturday:
- PRE-GAME UPDATES: Photos around the University of Georgia campus (if I have time beforehand), photos of Sanford Stadium prior to the start of the game, and pregame notes and game-time injury updates.
- MID-GAME UPDATES: http://www.cm-life.com/ will have real-time updates whenever a team scores and at the end of each quarter. PLUS, Chip Shots Weblog will feature halftime notes and hopefully photos from the 1st half!
- POST-GAME UPDATES: Expect a quick recap on cm-life.com following the game, plus extra news and notes right here on the blog! I'll try to post photos, too, and whatever other good stuff I can provide.
I will see you all from the game!
No comments:
Post a Comment