They have a chance, but a repeat of last year is possible, too.
UGA's defense is basically as good as it was last year, based on the numbers.
The Dawgs' offense isn't, however. The numbers are similar to last year, but they've passed more this year, but less efficiently. And they don't have a James Cook at RB this year, either.
The problem with UM vs UGA last year was that they were similar teams and one was easily more talented.
They're less similar this year. That could favor UM, but we wouldn't really know until they play.
Not sure the Georgia defense is basically as good as it was last year - considering it lost 5 guys to the 1st round plus Nakobe Dean and Channing Tindall and then has lost Nolan Smith for the year this year. That's 8 key players on that 2021 defense gone from their defense in 2022. Like, it's still obviously very good, maybe even still the best in America, but at the same time it's just not quite the same.
I want to say Georgia through the regular season (12 games) last year was giving up like 6.8 PPG- which is literally insane and was light years ahead of every defense in the nation last year. I think in 2022 they're around 11-12 PPG, which is in the same ballpark as Michigan and Illinois defenses this year. Like, it's still a really good defense, but it's not quite
that 2021 defense.
Michigan imo got upgraded at QB- JJ is just much better talent/player than Cade, upgraded at RB- Corum and Edwards are a better more talented duo than Haskins and Corum, upgraded at WR- they got Ronnie Bell who is the best of a bunch of mediocre WRs back who missed all of 2021, and they upgraded at OL- their two guards were first year starters in 2021 and are better players in 2022 plus they got maybe the best center in the country to transfer in Olu Oluwatimi- and he's just a
much better player than their walk-on 5th year center Andrew Vastardis.
On defense they got better in the secondary with frosh CB Will Johnson and Mike Sainistril switching to nickel, they're roughly same at linebacker, they definitely got better and deeper at defensive tackle, and while they lost two elite EDGE players in Hutchinson & Ojabo they have more depth there in the rotation and Mike Morris is a pretty damn good player.
I'd still pick Georgia, but it'd probably be a much better and closer game this time around. Georgia probably took a little step back from where they were last year and Michigan took a little step forward- which you'd think would make it a more even game and not such a blowout.
