2008 record: 10-3, 6-2 (2nd in SEC East)
2008 bowl: Beat Michigan State 24-12 in Capital One
2008 final AP/coaches' ranking: 13/10
Coach: Mark Richt (82-22, 9th year)
Offensive coordinator: Mike Bobo (3rd year)
Defensive coordinator: Willie Martinez (5th year)
Returning offensive starters: 7
Returning defensive starters: 8
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Sanford Stadium (grass; 92,746)
Last league title: 2005
2009 schedule: [view]
2009 roster: [view]
2008 statistics: [view]

Offensive: The Bulldogs must move on without their two franchise performers — quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno — but with a program at Georgia’s level, there are always promising replacements. Senior quarterback Joe Cox may not be flashy, but he’s efficient, and Georgia has made a nice living with those type of leaders. Sophomore running back Caleb King gets first call in the backfield, although Georgia has enough depth to employ a running back-by-committee approach. The Bulldogs’ best overall player might be sophomore wide receiver A.J. Green, a potential All-American who hauled in 56 catches for 963 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman. There are no worries along the offensive line, where junior left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, out with a knee injury that caused him to miss the 2008 season, returns to join a veteran group.

Defensive: A rebuilding job is at hand for embattled coordinator Willie Martinez — and much of it is psychological after the scars of 2008. The Bulldogs feel good about their interior line with the return of senior Jeff Owens, who suffered a season-ending injury in the opener, and senior Geno Atkins, who is seeking a transformation to his dominating 2007 form. Undersized junior Rennie Curran, who coaches describe as a “tackling machine,’’ is the linebacker leader, but he needs more support. In the secondary, junior strong safety Reshad Jones returns after a brief flirtation with the NFL draft, but the player to watch might be sophomore cornerback Brandon Boykin, whose athleticism and leaping ability add a spectacular dimension.

Specialists: Sophomore place-kicker Blair Walsh, a celebrated recruit one season ago, was 15 of 23 in field-goal attempts. But he missed four times inside 40 yards and the Bulldogs want to see more consistency. Sophomore Drew Butler is the new punter.

Coaching: Mark Richt has brought consistency and stability to Georgia’s program. The staff recruits exceptionally well. Georgia fans would like to see more consistent results against rival Florida, but the Bulldogs haven’t been in the SEC’s upper echelon this regularly since the days of Vince Dooley.

Heisman Hopefuls: The Bulldogs don’t have anyone who will realistically contend for Heisman honors.

Game of the year Oct. 31 vs. Florida at Jacksonville, Fla. The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party keeps providing a hangover for the Bulldogs. Mark Richt is 2-6 against the Gators and won’t be favored to improve that mark. If Georgia can pull the upset, it might be the biggest win of Richt’s career.

Overview: Georgia was ranked No. 1 last season, but crashed to earth with a trio of frightful defensive performances (surrendering 40-plus points against Alabama, Florida and Georgia Tech). It’s back to the drawing board — especially without Stafford and Moreno, now toiling in the NFL — but there won’t be much drop-off behind center with Cox’s talent. The Bulldogs will be placed in more of an underdog role. Perhaps they will handle that better.

Next up: No. 20 Florida State

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