5 Reasons Why LSU Lost to Georgia

Matthew Stafford showed up big-time Saturday afternoon in Tiger Stadium, leading the Dogs to a huge 52-38 win against LSU. How did that happen, you say? Here's 5 reasons how:

JARRETT LEE IS BLIND: LSU freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee has an eye affliction: He can't see linebackers. Dude has been picked off in each of the last 4 games by linebackers in the middle of the field. LSU's margin of defeat Saturday was exactly the margin of his two picks that were returned for touchdowns. “I still feel like [Lee's] a quarterback we can win with and I think Hatch is a guy we can win with,” said receiver Demetrius Byrd. Aw, aint that cute.

KNOWSHON MORENO'S RUNNING: The sophomore rushed for 168 yards the hard way: Up the middle. Georgia's offense had seven plays of 20 yards or longer, including Moreno's 47-yard run to set up the Bulldogs' third touchdown and a 68-yard scoring burst that made it 38-17 late in the third quarter. LSU's Charles Scott was valiant for the Tigers but in the end he wasn't a factor since LSU played much of the 2nd half down by 2-3 touchdowns.

UGA'S OFFENSIVE LINE: Say all you want about it being "makeshift" and "hodgepodge." It's dang good, too. Consisting of three freshmen and two sophomores, it held a blitzing LSU defense to only one sack. The Bulldogs have had four different starters at left tackle because of injuries. In fact, Georgia has allowed only one sack in its past three games. It was the difference maker in a game that had to be won upfront.

MATT STAFFORD IS A VETERAN: “He just got right back in the saddle and started throwing strikes, and started throwing some strikes under a little bit of duress,” coach Mark Richt said. He wasn't lying. Stafford (17-of-26 for 2 TDS (plus one one on the ground) made the LSU defense pay for every miscue, every blitz. “Matthew is really maturing. He is standing in there when everything is flying around him and focusing downfield and throwing strikes, and that’s what he’s got to do.”

THE BIG PLAY QUOTA: Georgia started off the game with one, and ended the game with one, big plays. None bigger than Stafford's 48-yard touchdown strike to A.J. Green to give Georgia a 31-17 cushion. Or was it Moreno's 47-yard gain on a simple toss play in the second quarter? Or perhaps it was Moreno's stirring 68-yard touchdown run in the third quarter? Or was it either of substitute middle linebacker Darryl Gamble's 2 interceptions he returned to the house? Or was it ... (get it?)

3 Ways UGA can win, 3 Reasons Why They Won't

This one goes out to Free Man:
The Georgia Bulldawgs are gonna walk into Tiger Stadium tomorrow and be in their most hostile environment yet this season against their 2nd-most formidable opponent (Alabama). Here's 3 ways Georgia can escape with the W:

(1.) BLITZ UP THE MIDDLE: LSU's bread and butter running plays are to send Charles Scott and Kieland Willaims straight up the gut. This has been so effective that Scott led the league in rushing until Florida plugged the center of the field up by sending 8 in the box. LSU has yet to prove it can or even wants to run around the ends, but it'll have to if it wants to get close to 200 yards on the ground.

(2.) ZONE, ZONE, ZONE: LSU's quarterback Jarrett Lee can sling the ball down the field quite well even when not set, but he tends to loft balls across the middle on slant patterns. South Carolina and Florida both got gifts from him that way, and both dropped at least 1 other sure interception. I don't see any reason why that will change against Georgia.

(3.) CRANK DAT SOULJA BOY: UGA got in a zone last season only when it let the music blare in practice and during the games in the locker room. They need a spark, a motivational ploy to raise them to the next level. In Tiger Stadium, they'll need it.


Here are 3 reasons why Georgia won't escape with the W.

(1.) LSU WILL GO DEEP, YOUNG MAN: LSU's receivers Demetrius Byrd and Brandon Lefell are both excellent speedsters. They have an advantage that UGA's freshman sensation A.J. Green doesn't have: experience. They've got to take advantage of it. Byrd can run a fly pattern like nobody's business, get him the ball. If LSU connects on just one of these balls its 7 points.

(2.) MORE KIELAND WILLIAMS: LSU entered the season looking to establish Williams as the go-to back, but that was before Scott got some huge runs in the first couple games this year. Bested on the field, Williams had to sit and watch as Scott got the majority of the carries. But now defenses know the plays that Scott is running, so he's being bottled up. Enter Kieland Willaims again: Last week against South Carolina, it was Williams that broke the back of the Gamecocks churning out more than 40 yards on the last drive to seal the victory.

(3.) PRESSURE ON STAFFORD: Matthew Stafford will carve you like a Thanksgiving turkey if you give him time. Jump out on him early and often. Send a defender from the corner, send one from up the middle. Send them all. If not, you're gonna have a time stopping A.J. Green and Knowshon Moreno, who can break a game open.

There, I've said my piece. Now look for the score: LSU 28 - UGA 24.