Georgia Football: Is Arkansas Showdown Now a Must-Win for Bulldogs?

It’s no secret that Georgia needs a win, and they need to a win in conference play.

Saturday, they will have a chance to bounce back after a humiliating loss to South Carolina, when they take on Arkansas at Sanford Stadium at high noon.

The Razorbacks come into the game (as well as this season) to make a splash in the SEC, and they would like nothing other than to defeat the Dawgs on their turf, especially after Georgia defeated Arkansas at Fayetteville last season.

Can the Bulldogs get an important win and stay on track to winning the SEC East, or will Arkansas get the big SEC road win and dash the Bulldogs hopes for a memorable 2010 season?

Here’s a closer look at the matchup.

OFFENSE

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino likes to throw the ball all over the field, and because of that, he needs a quarterback that can fire away. He has the QB in Ryan Mallet who has been picked as a preseason All-SEC player.

Mallett is off to a fast start this season, averaging 351 yards per game and has thrown for six touchdowns. His go-to guy has been Greg Childs who leads the conference with 16 catches for 172 yards.

They are not going to run the ball a ton but watch for Dennis Johnson and Knile Davis to have some significant touches, especially with what happened to Georgia last week when it came to stopping South Carolina’s running game.

After a solid game against Louisiana-Lafayette, the UGA offense struggled mightily against the Gamecocks. Quarterback Aaron Murray did look good in the pocket, though, and made little mistakes.

Running back Washaun Ealey got the majority of carries last week, but that should change because Caleb King returned to practice and should split carries with the sophomore running back.

One thing that is hurting the Dawgs is the loss of A.J. Green due to his suspension. Kris Durham did a nice job stepping up with eight catches for 159 yards in the first two games, but he is no Green, and without the All-American wide receiver, the offense will have to be more effective running the ball this week than last week.

EDGE: Arkansas

DEFENSE

While the Razorback offense has been top-notched under Petrino’s watch, the same can’t be said for the defense. However, they have only given up 10 points in the first games.

But those two teams were Louisiana-Monroe and Tennessee Tech, so this will be their first test of the 2010 season. Watch for safety Ross Rasner who leads the SEC in five tackles for loss.

Georgia is still going through a transition phase with their defense as they are trying to get comfortable with the 3-4 scheme. One thing they will try to address this week is stopping the run because they let South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore gain 182 yards on the ground.

The Dawgs, however, did a good job defending the pass last week, sacking Stephen Garcia five times. Justin Houston had three of those sacks and looks more comfortable in the 3-4 front every time he sets on the field.

EDGE: Georgia

SPECIAL TEAMS

Zach Hocker and Dylan Breeding haven't seen a lot of action when it comes to kicking and punting in the early stages in the season but have been effective in the little action they have seen.

Hocker has made the only field goal he’s attempted, while Breeding has only punted three times and averaged 45 yards per punt.

Joe Adams has been sharp when it comes to punt returns, averaging nearly 15 yards per punt—which is second in the SEC.

Blair Walsh and Drew Butler are two of the best in the nation, and they are picking up where they left off last season. Butler averaged 43 yards per punt last week, with 51 being his longest, and Walsh has been perfect when it comes to field goals.

Brandon Boykin and Branden Smith are dynamic return specialist but have yet to make some noise this season. Expect for them to have a big game Saturday.

EDGE: Georgia

COACHING

What’s interesting about this game is this will be the first time Petrino will be in Georgia for a football game, since he was with the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 and left three games before the season ended to take the Arkansas job.

Regardless, he is a good college football coach and has given hope to an Arkansas fan base looking to take home the SEC West title. If he were to win Saturday, he could lead this team to a successful season.

Georgia head coach Mark Richt is coming off a rare road loss and has to be sure he gets his team mentally ready for what’s at stake if they were to lose.

This week Richt has been criticized because he said his players were too timid against South Carolina, and they play like his personality.

The reality is Richt is a competitor and knows what it takes to win in the SEC. He may not have the national title, but he has won a lot of games and rarely loses two-in-a-row.

EDGE: Georgia

FINAL ANALYSIS

Believe it or not, Arkansas is coming into this game as one of the hottest teams in the conference, winning seven of eight games dating back to last season.

They have a high-powered offense that can score in bunches and are looking to get revenge on Georgia after what happened last season.

Georgia is in a must-win situation. If they lose they are 0-2 in the SEC and can kiss their title hopes goodbye. Expect Aaron Murray to play looser, as they will open the playbook more. And with King back in the mix, the running game should be more effective.

This will not be an easy game for either team, but Georgia’s back is against the wall and they can’t afford to lose another early contest.

FINAL SCORE: UGA 28  Arkansas 25