High expectations in Peach State college football this season

Waiting through the college football preseason can be agonizing for fans, especially when your team is expected to be pretty good.

That’s a feeling that is strong throughout the Peach State for fans this season, and there is good reason.

GEORGIA

The Bulldogs were picked to win the SEC East at SEC Media Days during the summer. The Bulldogs have a lot of good pieces to have a good team, starting with the best running back in the nation in Nick Chubb and plenty of depth behind him. In front of that group -- and whoever wins the quarterback battle -- is one of the best offensive lines in the country.

That’s the good, but there are some questions. That biggest one is at quarterback, and there is no clear answer there for the coaching staff. Brice Ramsey, Greyson Lambert and Faton Bauta continue to battle for the starting spot, and it doesn’t sound like any one of them has stepped up to take control.

That’s a huge concern, but if the Bulldogs just get steady play from the quarterback spot (and continue to improve on defense), they have a chance to be good. And playing in a bad SEC East, good could be enough to win the division.

GEORGIA TECH

The Yellow Jackets were picked to win the ACC Coastal at the ACC Football Kickoff, and that looks like a clear and easy choice. That starts with talented quarterback Justin Thomas, who is the perfect fit for Paul Johnson’s offense, but it doesn’t stop there.

While they are searching for some answers at A-back and B-back, the Yellow Jackets have a strong offensive line with four starters back, and they should have a much improved defense after a solid finish last year by that group.

That adds up to the right kind of team to go after a Coastal Division that doesn’t really have another powerhouse.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

The Eagles made a big splash in their first season in FBS play last year, winning the Sun Belt Conference title with an undefeated record in conference play. And they did so with a first year-head coach as Willie Fritz did a terrific job molding his system and what he wanted done with the team he inherited from Jeff Monken.

The Eagles were picked this summer to repeat as Sun Belt champions, and with Kevin Ellison back at quarterback, after a two-game suspension to start the season, the offense should be high-powered once again. The real question comes on the offensive line, where the Eagles have to find four new starters. If they get that unit going, another run to a Sun Belt title looks like a good bet.

MERCER

The Bears finished 1-6 in their first season in the Southern Conference last year, but five of those losses were close, and the Bears have bumped up their scholarship numbers to 53 this year (the FCS limit is 63).

With another year of experience under their belt, the Bears have a chance to make a move in the conference. If they can jump up to the middle of the conference, it would be a big step forward as Bobby Lamb continues a terrific job of building that program.

Contact Daniel Shirley at 744-4227 or dshirley@macon.com

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 5:46 PM.