Leeding off: Dogs already know, don't get caught in hype

Welcome to the football edition of Leeding off -- finally!

The high school season got fully underway last Friday, and now we can jump into college football.

It seems like every year the summer seems to drag longer and longer, as we wait for a collegiate gridiron reward -- but now, at long last, we get it tonight (or least the closest we can hope for. I don't know that North Carolina State vs. South Carolina will fulfill the appetite, but it will certainly will act as a pleasant appetizer.)

The real meat will be served on Saturday, in the form of a Big 12-SEC showdown and then a battle between top 10 teams in the Georgia Dome.

And since everyone else in the nation has weighed in with their opinion on Georgia and Oklahoma State, you just know I have to do it too.

Frankly, I have bounced back and forth on my opinion of this game ever since the end of last season. Each team has legitimate claims as to why it will win, which should make for an exciting contest, but also makes it nearly impossible to predict.

Yet the national media, which is leaning toward the Cowboys, has made a mistake in falling for style over substance. It happens every year -- just ask the Bulldogs.

Last season, Georgia was a media darling thanks to two insanely-talented skill players. And so many voted the Dogs number one because of No. 7 (Matthew Stafford) and No. 24 (Knowshon Moreno). What they failed to look at was a defensive line that was talented, yet paper-thin and an offensive line that was in similar shape.

Coaches on all levels will tell you that football is won on the line of scrimmage. Last season, Georgia was lacking in this department -- and it cost them, especially in an early-season embarrassment against a much more powerful Alabama.

So now we have the example of Oklahoma State -- a program with all the flash and offensive firepower any team could want.

Cowboys quarterback Zac Robinson, wide receiver Dez Bryant, and running back Kendall Hunter represent the most accomplished trio of skill players Georgia could face all season. And after the disappointment of last year's three-loss season, and the graduation of Stafford and Moreno, the national media believe that the Dogs will be overwhelmed in Stillwater, Okla.

And, frankly, that could still happen.

A more likely scenario, however, is a hard-fought battle, that Georgia will edge -- thanks to experience and depth along the offensive and defensive lines. Georgia is finally healthy, after dealing with numerous knocks and season-ending injuries in 2008, and a defensive front that features three outstanding tackles and an improved group of ends should be able to pressure Oklahoma State into enough offensive mistakes to prove the difference.

The Bulldogs will also lean on their offensive line, looking to grind the clock, run the ball and keep the Cowboys offense on the sideline. And while everyone is waiting to see how Joe Cox will fare, Georgia's new starting quarterback may not even be the most important player on the Bulldogs offense come Saturday.

That's not to say that Cox won't be tested; Oklahoma State's defense will surely do its best to put the game onto Cox's shoulders. But after watching several years a Big 12 football, I will be very surprised if the Cowboys defense has the ability to dictate play.

Final score: Georgia 31 - Oklahoma State 28

Of course I could be wrong, but, frankly, I don't even care. I'm just glad this season is here.