Hello fans, time for another addition of the Sports Teaser. The dog days of summer are behind us (but not the heat) and here we roll into September
with a whole lot going on. This is the time of the year that most of us gear up for and revel in for the next five months or so. One word: FOOTBALL. Yes
it’s time for college and pro football to resume and we all hope our teams will have that special season and end up as NCAA or Super Bowl champions.
Everybody’s pretty much in first place right now, so let’s kick it off!
It should be another great season of college football and most of the familiar faces in the recent past are expected to vie for the national championship.
Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Michigan are mentioned the most, and rightfully so. Of course, there will be some surprises
throughout the season but I would expect to see the 4 teams that make the playoff to come from this group … not really going out on a limb I know.
Georgia has a really strong team coming back and a schedule that is not tremendously difficult that includes Notre Dame, South Carolina and Texas A&M
at home, but Tennessee and Auburn on the road. And don’t forget Florida in Jacksonville, never easy. The offensive line is huge, the depth at running back
is great and the defense will be nasty. The only “weak” spot on the UGA team might be at wide receiver where several players left for the NFL and one
was dismissed from the program over the summer. There are some stud freshmen that will play and some rising current players that will step up and
make impacts I am sure. Although Georgia can and might go undefeated, there always seems to be a game where they slip up, don’t show up, or let a
lesser team off the hook. For that reason I see a 12-1 regular season, a rematch with Bama in the SEC Championship, and this year a win and on to the
playoffs. Clemson, Oklahoma and Alabama will round out the playoffs with Georgia winning it all. It’s time in Athens. Go Dogs!
The NFL kicks off this month and hopefully we will have another great season. Our local teams (Atlanta and Jacksonville) are hoping to rebound and
get back to the playoffs after a year off with less than a stellar year in 2018. Many believe that the Falcons have a better shot at doing so, but I think both
will see the postseason this year. The NFC South is always a brutal division which I think the Saints will win again, but the Falcons get in as a wild card.
The AFC South would favor the Colts and Texans, but I do think the Jaguars with new QB Nick Foles and an improved offense will battle with those two
for the division title or, more likely, a wild card spot. I don’t see either team doing much more than making the playoffs, but having pretty good seasons.
So, for a Super Bowl 54 prediction let’s take the Chargers to beat the Vikings. Why not?
September also brings us some meaningful baseball around these parts, as the Braves are in the middle of a pennant race in the NL East with the
Nationals and Phillies. They made a splash at the trade deadline, acquiring 3 new relievers for a beleaguered bullpen and have a 6 game lead as of this
writing. The Braves ARE good and they should make the playoffs, hopefully by holding on and winning the division. Looking forward, I think they are good
enough to put up a better fight versus the Dodgers, if they get that far, than last year. If they don’t make it to the World Series this year, don’t fret. This
young team isn’t going anywhere anytime soon!
Football is back! I am happy! See y’all in October!
TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | SEPT 2019 39
SPORTS TEASER By George Hassell