Georgia to use rare underdog role as motivation against LSU

Georgia redshirt freshman outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari said the Bulldogs will be motivated by being 7-point underdogs to LSU this week. / Georgia photo by Tony Walsh
Georgia redshirt freshman outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari said the Bulldogs will be motivated by being 7-point underdogs to LSU this week. / Georgia photo by Tony Walsh

ATHENS, Ga. - It took the Georgia Bulldogs until December to finally become underdogs in the 2019 college football season.

LSU is a 7-point favorite against Georgia for Saturday afternoon's Southeastern Conference championship game inside Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This is the first time the Bulldogs have been underdogs since last December's SEC title game against Alabama, when the Crimson Tide were 11-point favorites and needed a fourth-quarter rally for a 35-28 win.

"You could say that's motivation for us," Bulldogs redshirt freshman outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari said. "We've got to come in and compete no matter what, but it's win or go home, basically. We've got to come in and play our best, and you could say that will serve as a little more motivation for us, for sure."

LSU enters Saturday with a 12-0 record and a No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press poll, while Georgia is 11-1 and ranked No. 4. The Bulldogs suffered a 20-17 double-overtime upset loss to South Carolina on Oct. 12, and they have four quality wins by a touchdown or less over Notre Dame, Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M.

"Ever since the year started, I feel like people have been counting Georgia out," Bulldogs senior defensive tackle Michael Barnett said. "So this is like, 'What's new?' People have been saying all year that we weren't going to win, even when we were playing well and were favored, and then people started hopping on the train.

"It's really about focusing on us and doing what we need to execute."

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