Georgia Football: Burning Questions Ahead of the Bulldogs' Bowl

We are only a few days away from the Georgia Bulldogs taking on the Louisville Cardinals in the Belk Bowl, and it has the makings to be one of the more compelling bowl games not being played on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.

There has been a lot of news with both teams, but the Bulldogs have been in the spotlight more because of the coaching changes they have made recently. Also, the Bulldogs will be without a key defensive player that was expected to rush Louisville’s quarterback—whoever that may be.

It’s not the bowl game the Bulldogs wanted to play in, but they have a chance to finish the season strong and go into the 2015 season with some good momentum.

So here’s a look at five burning questions ahead of the Bulldogs' bowl game.

Can John Lilly Call Plays Like Mike Bobo?

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With Mike Bobo taking the head coaching job at Colorado State, the Bulldogs will need a coach to call the plays in the Belk Bowl. Head coach Mark Richt made the choice to go with John Lilly, who is the tight ends coach.

Lilly is taking over an offense that scored over 41 points per game, which was No. 1 in the SEC. So the pressure is on Lilly to make an impression on the players, the coaches and especially the fans because they have been critical of Bobo since being named the offensive coordinator seven years ago—despite having one of the better offenses in the country.

Lilly has been on the coaching staff since 2008, so he’s one of the coaches that knows the playbook well. If he does have a great showing at the Belk Bowl, he could be the new offensive coordinator for 2015 and beyond.

Can Lorenzo Carter Make an Impact Once Again?

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Leonard Floyd will miss the Belk Bowl because of an injured shoulder. This means Lorenzo Carter will have one more chance to make an impression like he did earlier in the season.

Carter was able to grab the attention of Bulldog nation earlier this season when he notched two sacks in the Kentucky game. He ended the regular season with 3.5 sacks and 33 tackles.

Floyd will be ready to go for the 2015 season, but a great showing by Carter in the Belk Bowl could start a competition for starting outside linebacker next season. Floyd is the team’s best pass-rusher, but Carter has earned more playing time with his production this season.

It’s clear the outside linebacker position will not be a weakness next season.

Will Hutson Mason End His Career on a High Note?

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If there is one player that wants to go out and have a strong performance in the Belk Bowl, it would have to be quarterback Hutson Mason.

Even though he has had a very solid season, most fans will remember him for throwing an interception against Georgia Tech in overtime, which led to a loss.

With this being Mason’s last game in his college career, he will have a chance to redeem himself by leading the Bulldogs to a win against Louisville.

Mason has shown that he can throw with accuracy, and he made good decisions in the pocket all year, but one mistake against a rival will be a lasting memory for fans. That’s something he will have to shake.

The problem is he is facing a Louisville team that is the No. 2-ranked defense in the ACC.

Can Nick Chubb Run over a Stingy Louisville Defense?

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Speaking of Louisville’s defense, it is one of the better units when it comes to stopping the run. The Cardinals only average 93 rushing yards allowed per game and have only surrendered nine rushing touchdowns.

So can running back Nick Chubb run over this defense like he did with the rest of the SEC?

One of the keys for the Cardinals when it comes to stopping the run is defensive linemen Lorenzo Mauldin and Sheldon Rankins. Both players have 25 tackles for loss combined.

However, Chubb is a guy that has speed, vision and toughness. He’s a guy that can get hit hard, but he will continue to run and will score if defenses are not careful.

The biggest thing Louisville has going for them is the fact that defensive coordinator Todd Grantham held the same position for the Bulldogs last season. He has a general idea of how the Bulldogs like to run the ball.

Will the Bulldogs Be Motivated to Play in the Belk Bowl?

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The Belk Bowl is a game that was not on the Bulldogs' agenda at the start of the season, but a chance to win 10 games is definitely something to play for.

So will the Bulldogs be motivated to play this game knowing they had a chance to play for the SEC title and potentially a spot in the College Football Playoff?

Getting players motivated has never been an issue for Richt. In fact, he has compiled an 8-5 bowl record during his career in Athens.

But when it comes to the recent bowl history, the Bulldogs have not fared well as they have lost three of the last four bowl games.

With the Bulldogs facing Louisville for the first time, there is some added motivation for them to play well. The fact that they have a chance to beat head coach Bobby Petrino and Grantham at the same time should give them a good reason to end the 2014 season on a very strong note.