(Photo by Dave Martin/Getty Images)

Game day is only three days away! I can honestly say that I am just as excited this year as I was last year.

Strange? Maybe so.

The Dawgs enter this season as the preseason No. 13 pick, just slightly below last year's ranking (humor intended). There is a different kind of excitement in the air as this season approaches. Some of that could be contributed to a new quarterback leading the offense onto the field. Maybe it's the new group of running backs ready to carry the load. A little of both I would suspect.

But it also comes from a great season opening match-up.

No Charleston Southern here. No Troy nor Georgia Southern. This year the Dawgs take to the road to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The Cowboys are ready for this rematch with the Dawgs. If you read the comments from the Oklahoma State fans on B/R or any other vent across the nation, you may very well wonder why the Dawgs are even going to board the plane.

This group of fans seems to know little about Mark Richt and his Georgia Bulldogs. All they seem to know is this...Matt Stafford is gone, and oh yes, one more thing, Knowshon Moreno is gone as well. Game over—OSU wins.

I have read statements implying that no one in the nation respects Georgia because they are "not a big time program." Georgia has no tradition, and outside of the SEC, Georgia is not a factor in the college football world.

Now, I do understand that most of this is coming from OSU fans who know little of Georgia football or tradition. I know Michigan State respects the Dawgs. So does Boise State, Hawaii, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU, etc.

Nevertheless, the misconceptions abound.

So I have decided to set the record straight. In the process of doing so I will predict the outcome of Saturday's contest. I will try to enlighten our friends from the West, and when the game ends, hopefully we can all shake hands and enjoy the rest of the season.

But I am still debating on whether or not we can shake hands...I wouldn't want a brawl to ensue.

So here are my Five Misconceptions about the Georgia Bulldogs heading into this Saturday's game against the Cowboys.

1) Without Matthew Stafford, Georgia has no quarterback.

Just a few short years ago Georgia recruited a QB and WR combination out of Charlotte, NC. Mohammed Massaquoi, of course, was that receiver, and he has now come and gone.

That highly touted QB was 6'1" Joe Cox. As a starter in high school, Joe Cox was an amazing 31-0. Joe has sat and watched for the past three years as Matthew Stafford led the Dawgs, but now he waits no more.

Most Dawg fans remember well what happened in the Colorado game in 2006. Cox would come off the bench and lead Georgia to a win in the second half. That game is a good indication of what Dawg fans should expect this season.

Cox is viewed as a leader by everyone on the team. He will command their attention, and he will lead by example. While he certainly does not possess the arm that Stafford has, most think he will be more accurate. Having AJ Green to throw to will also make life easier.

When all is said and done on Saturday, I think many fans outside of those in the Dawg Nation will realize that Georgia will be just fine with Joe Cox at the helm.

2) Georgia will have no running game now that Knowshon has left.

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