Is Georgia Quarterback Matthew Stafford Receiving Too Much Hype?

"Houston, we have a problem."

This quote may be in the back of the mind of Texas native Matthew Stafford.

Stafford is coming into 2008 as the leader of the Georgia Bulldogs, the No. 1 team in the country.  I'm sure that must be pressure for any athlete, but I believe Stafford has got the weight of the Peach State on his shoulders.

The Georgia faithful have extremely high expectations.  That's nothing out of the ordinary, but the hype of Bulldog Nation has definitely reached its peak.

The Bulldogs are No. 1 starting the 2008 season for the first time in school history.

The Bulldogs ended the 2007 season as arguably the hottest team in the nation. 

Hawaii played the Bulldogs on Jan. 1 and realized that Southeastern teams from the mainland are no joke.  Georgia crushed the Warriors 41-10, earning them a BCS bowl victory and a lot of momentum heading into spring.

2007 also featured the emergence of Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno.  Moreno, now a sophomore, rushed for over 1,300 yards as a freshman and is considered the best running back in college football.

Stafford had his best year as a Bulldog in 2007.  He led his team to a BCS bowl and won 11 games for Georgia.  He is expected to have a breakout year in 2008.

It was no surprise that Georgia would be No. 1 entering 2008—at least not to Bulldog fans.

But matters recently got worse for the Georgia QB.

Along with the hype that the junior from Dallas has to manage, he has to adjust to a devastating injury. 

Not to himself, but to Trinton Sturdivant.

If you don't know who Sturdivant is, he can be best described as the player that Stafford trusts the most.  Sturdivant was Georgia's starting left tackle and Stafford's backside protector.

Sturdivant tore his ACL and is out for the season.

So less than a month before the season starts, Stafford has to get on a completely different trust level with his new blindside bodyguard.

A quarterback who can't trust his backside tackle is in a Whitney Houston/Bobby Brown-type relationship—in other words, not good.

To make things worse, Sep. 6 and Sep. 13 could each be a rude awakening for Stafford.  The Bulldogs play their first two real games (I'm hoping the front five for UGA can stop the defensive ends of Georgia Southern and Central Michigan).

First, the Dogs travel to Columbia to play South Carolina.  The Gamecocks, who defeated Georgia in 2007, have one of the best defenses in the SEC.  Linebacker Jasper Brinkley, 6'4", 265, is the leader of that defense and a force to be reckoned with.

I think it's safe to say that Stafford may be a little uncomfortable coming into this contest.  I'm sure the thought of losing Sturdivant will be in the back of his mind at the beginning of the game.  This may slightly affect the Bulldog passing attack.

Gamecock fans will probably be listed as mentally ill because of the hectic screaming and yelling that will take place, which is another factor sure to increase Stafford's discomfort level.  This is a huge test for Stafford and the Dogs.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?