Vanderbilt vs. Georgia: Complete Game Preview

The Vanderbilt Commodores may be struggling in the post-James Franklin era, but that doesn't mean they'll be any less upset-minded this weekend when they travel to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.  And such a mentality is merited given this game's recent history and the wide-open state of the SEC East.

Last year, Vanderbilt shocked Georgia with a 31-27 victory.  And if there's anything we've learned from this division in 2014, it's that anything—even a repeat upset—is possible.

Here's what you need to know about Saturday's game: 

• Date: Saturday, October 4
• Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
• Place: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia
• TV: SEC Network
• Radio: Georgia Bulldog Radio Network, Vanderbilt Radio Network
• Spread: Georgia (-32.5), per OddsShark.com

Georgia Keys to Victory

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Special Teams

For the most part, special teams play has improved for the Bulldogs in 2014, but the team is still plagued by a degree of inconsistency in this area.  Kicker Marshall Morgan missed crucial field goals against South Carolina in a narrow Georgia defeat a few weeks ago, and kickoff coverage has been particularly uninspiring.

Last year against Vanderbilt, the Bulldogs made more mistakes on special teams than they could overcome—even against a distinctly overmatched opponent.  The makeup of these two teams and the talent disparity tied thereto are still unchanged, which means the Commodores will be once again looking for some magic in the game's third phase.

Georgia doesn't have to make plays in these areas, but the Dawgs cannot afford to give up plays on special teams.

Just Give Him the Ball

In just four games, Todd Gurley has already run for more than 600 yards and six touchdowns.  Those numbers are staggering in and of themselves, but they're amplified by the fact that two of Georgia's four opponents were ranked, two were SEC opponents and all were foes from the FBS level.

In other words, he's not feeding solely off of a cakewalk of a schedule.  To the contrary, he's presenting respectable opponents with an unsolvable riddle each and every week.  How do you stop Todd Gurley?  It's unlikely that Vanderbilt will have an answer.

A strong first half from the Heisman candidate could open the game up, keep the defense fresh and eat some clock.  After that, expect him to rest a bit.  But let him do work early.

Vanderbilt Keys to Victory

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Shock and Awe

After last year's embarrassing defeat, Georgia won't take Vanderbilt lightly.  Accordingly, a near-perfect performance from the Commodores will be a prerequisite for the win.

Vanderbilt needs to win the turnover battle, manage the opposing home crowd effectively and pull out any stops necessary to surprise the Bulldogs.  This may mean dialing up risky trick plays on occasion, using all four downs on offense, overcommitting to stopping the run and taking chances while jumping into passing lanes on defense.

Vanderbilt cannot afford a war of attrition.  The Commodores must come out as the aggressor.

Stop the Run

Though the odds of stopping Gurley are slim, stacking the box—even to a ridiculous extent—may prove a risk worth taking.  To date, the Georgia passing attack has struggled, and Gurley has carried the offense on his back.  If he's negated, even on a few drives, the offense cold stall out.

Vandy should move safeties up close and force Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason to move the ball with long passes.  Losing to that style of attack is perfectly acceptable as it's not expected.

Georgia Players to Watch

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Hutson Mason

At some point, Georgia's going to need more than a ferocious ground attack to win a football game.  When that time comes, Mason, who's throwing for fewer than seven yards per attempt and averaging just over 140 passing yards per game, is going to have to step up.

This most likely isn't that game, but it presents an intriguing underlying storyline.  Will Georgia continue to ground and pound against a seemingly inferior opponent?  Or will the Dawgs try to open up the offense a little bit more and focus on the development of Mason?

It's also worth noting that Malcolm Mitchell could return from injury this week.  Will his presence as a big-play threat entice a more pass-friendly attack?

Damian Swann

The senior cornerback was all over the field against Tennessee and made several critical plays.  A first-quarter sack on a corner blitz stunted an early Tennessee drive and gave Georgia some momentum.  Later, his hustle on punt coverage resulted in the Vols taking over inside their own 1-yard line.  A few moments later, they fumbled in the end zone and Georgia recovered for a touchdown.

Swann, who excelled early in his career, has had more rough patches than many anticipated over the past two seasons.  But as he comes off what was arguably his most complete game since 2012, it will be interesting to see how he progresses.

Vanderbilt Players to Watch

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Ralph Webb

Vanderbilt has used three quarterbacks so far this season, but no clear-cut leader has emerged in the passing game.  In some ways, that's representative of the Commodore offense as a whole.  Vandy is willing to try just about anything, but nothing is consistently working.

Freshman running back Ralph Webb may be the lone exception to that.  Webb ran for more than 100 yards against Massachusetts, but more importantly, he threatened the 100-yard barrier against Ole Miss and South Carolina while averaging more than five yards per carry in each contest.

Webb is Vanderbilt's best option on offense.  Expect him to be relied upon heavily.

Caleb Azubike

An outside pass-rusher capable of lining up at defensive end or outside linebacker, Caleb Azubike is already off to a quick start in 2014 with four sacks.

Azubike is similar to the elite outside linebackers Georgia fans have grown accustomed to, but with less surrounding talent, he's a little bit easier to scheme around.  That being said, four sacks in five games is hard to ignore, and Azubike has been one of the few bright spots for this Vanderbilt team this season.

Colby Cooke

It's not often that a punter is in the "must-watch" category, but Colby Cooke is a unique talent.  His usage rate is high, which is a bit of an indictment of the Vanderbilt offense, but he's one of the better punters in the conference at keeping teams pinned deep.  Already this year he's dropped 11 punts inside the 20-yard line and booted eight kicks in excess of 50 yards.

If Vandy keeps things close for a while, it might be because of the field-position battle.

What They're Saying

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One In, One Out for the Bulldogs

According to Seth Emerson of The Telegraph, Georgia head coach Mark Richt doesn't expect freshman running back Sony Michel back "any time real soon."  Michel suffered a shoulder injury during the Tennessee game.

The good news, however, is that wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell is expected to see his first action since last year's season opener.  Richt said the plan for Mitchell this week was "practice and play."

Vandy's Struggles in the Passing Game

According to VUCommodores.com, running back Ralph Webb and others have taken note of the impact of a poor passing attack.  

"[Kentucky's] defense took notice, they started noticing, lining up nine guys in the box," Webb observed, "so it's going to be hard to run the ball, against anybody. We just have to spread it out and execute plays a little bit better."

Prediction

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Expectations for both of these teams can be dangerous.  Last week, Georgia was heavily favored against Tennessee but barely hung on at home.  Vanderbilt was counted down and out two weeks ago before the game against South Carolina even began, but the Commodores kept things interesting until the fourth quarter.

Accordingly, it's hard to read too much into the 30-plus point line in favor of Georgia this weekend.  That being said, Georgia is a much better team, and the crowd at Sanford Stadium should be of value for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff.

A healthy dose of Todd Gurley and some early pressure on Vanderbilt's quarterback could cause this one to get out of control.

Final Score: Georgia 45, Vanderbilt 14

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.