Magazines lower expectations for UGA football

If the college football preseason magazines are correct, this will be another tough year for Georgia fans.

The four major publications -- Athlon Sports, Lindy's, Phil Steele's and Sporting News -- picked the Bulldogs' nemesis, Florida, to win its second consecutive national championship and third in four seasons.

The Gators are led by senior quarterback Tim Tebow and junior nose tackle Lawrence Marsh of Augusta.

Georgia, 82-22 under ninth-year coach Mark Richt, has lower expectations this season after being tabbed preseason No. 1 by Lindy's and Sporting News in 2008. The Bulldogs are the top local team, according to the magazines -- as high as No. 13 by Phil Steele's and as low as No. 17 by Lindy's .

Georgia Tech, which went 9-4 in Paul Johnson's first year, including a win over Georgia, is receiving mixed reviews. Sporting News ranks the Yellow Jackets at No. 11, while Phil Steele's has the Ramblin' Wreck at No. 28.

Clemson, which went 7-6 with coach Dabo Swinney taking over midway through last season, is ranked No. 25 by Phil Steele's . In the same publication, the Tigers are expected to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division.

Here's a sampling of what else the magazines expect in 2009:

UNDER THE RADAR?: With the departures of quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back Knowshon Moreno and wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia has plummeted in the preseason rankings. But Phil Steele's has the Bulldogs as a surprise national title contender -- like they were in 2005, when D.J. Shockley took over at quarterback his senior season.

Georgia returns its entire offensive line, including left tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who missed 2008 with a knee injury. Senior Joe Cox replaced Stafford, and sophomores Caleb King and Richard Samuel are likely to duke it out for Moreno's spot.

The Bulldogs return three of four starters on the defensive line, including tackle Jeff Owens, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game last year.

Sophomore wide receiver A.J. Green, an All-Southeastern Conference first team selection last season, is the featured Georgia player on three of the magazines.

HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDER: Lindy's gives Georgia Tech an "A-" grade. The Yellow Jackets return 18 starters, including ACC Player of the Year Jonathan Dwyer, a junior running back. Under Johnson's high-powered, triple-option attack, Dwyer gained 1,395 yards.

Georgia Tech will be tested by an early three-game stretch against Clemson (Sept. 10, home), Miami (Sept. 17, away) and North Carolina (Sept. 26, home). If the Yellow Jackets can survive that, an Oct. 17 home game against Virginia Tech could determine the ACC Coastal Division.

THE DABO EFFECT: With the losses of quarterback Cullen Harper, running back James Davis and wide receiver Aaron Kelly, Swinney will have his hands full. But Clemson has plenty of experience in the trenches, as all five offensive linemen and three defensive linemen return. Phil Steele's believes the Tigers will make their first trip to the ACC title game.

YEAR OF THE GAMECOCK?: Not exactly. South Carolina is predicted to finish fourth (Lindy's, Phil Steele's ) or fifth (Athlon Sports ) in the SEC East. The Gamecocks' fortunes are expected to rest on the shoulders of sophomore quarterback Stephen Garcia. But he'll need help from an inexperienced group -- South Carolina returns 11 starters (five offense, six defense).

AND THE HEISMAN GOES TO... A quarterback. The top three front-runners are Florida's Tebow, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Texas' Colt McCoy. Tebow -- the top pick by Phil Steele's -- won the Heisman in 2007; Bradford won it in 2008, when McCoy finished runner-up. A quarterback has won the award eight of the past nine seasons.

Tebow and Bradford are bidding to become the second person to win two Heismans, joining Ohio State running back Archie Griffin (1974-75).

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.