By Donny Karr (@donnykarr, @1788Sports)

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. EST

Where: Sanford Stadium

TV: SEC Network

At this point in the 2016 season, Georgia was 4-2 and was still recovering from the crushing loss at home to Tennessee on a Hail Mary miracle. Fast forward to today, and Georgia is on warpath, dismantling teams with greater efficiency as the season continues.

The Dawgs are favored by 31 points in their upcoming matchup against Mizzou. Missouri comes in giving up an SEC-worst 40-point average against opponents while allowing 459 yards per game. Kirby Smart told reporters this week that the Tigers are a much better team than their record indicates.

As the Dawgs enter the playoff discussion, some questions remain as to how formidable Georgia is on both sides of the ball.

Here are a few things to watch for on Saturday that will tell us how good this Georgia team really is:

Ability to Limit Big Gains

Smart has described Mizzou’s offense as “explosive” in press conferences this week. The Tigers have shown flashes of big-play ability, but have struggled in connecting the dots between an effective running and passing game.

Missouri signal caller Drew Lock gave the Dawgs fits in a thrilling matchup last year. This year’s defensive unit is an entirely different animal as Smart and Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker have implemented a vicious defensive strategy that has molded one of the best defenses in the country.

Lock completed 4 big pass plays for nearly 50 yards or more last week against Kentucky. The Tigers might be able to throw for some big gains downfield early in the game, but the Georgia defense has shown ability to quickly adjust and shut down opponent’s passing attacks.

The Tigers rely heavily on their quick-strike passing game, and Georgia will have to get ample pressure upfront to force some bad throws and snag a few picks. The Dawgs have not faced a fast-paced, hurry-up offense so far this year, and Saturday’s game will show whether or not this defense can keep up.

Fromm Passes More

Georgia has garnered a reputation for hammering the ball down the throat of opposing defenses. Expect that to be the case on Saturday, but the Mizzou defense is having issues with pass coverage this year.

Depending on how many defenders the Tigers load up in the box, Jake Fromm might have some wide-open receivers to throw the ball to with simple, play-action passes. If this turns out to be the case, we could finally see the freshman quarterback put on a show through the air.

It should be clear by now that Fromm is the leader of Georgia’s offense going forward, so don’t be surprised if Smart begins using the freshman’s arm more in the second half of the season.

Pressure Upfront

Lock had all day to throw the ball against Kentucky as Missouri’s offensive line provided great pass protection. The Tiger quarterback bombed the ball downfield for huge gains, but Georgia will have to create mayhem in the Mizzou backfield if they want to prevent big plays through the air.

Much of Missouri’s success last week was due to their line being able to effectively block on both run and pass plays. Georgia’s ability to blow up run blocking schemes is key to forcing the Tigers into 3rd and long situations.

Expect to see the grass stains accumulate on Drew Lock’s uniform during Saturday’s game as the Bulldog linebacking core will break through pass protection with relative ease.

Dawg Nation Makes a Difference

After playing on the road in their previous 2 games, Georgia is eager to get back between the hedges. Excitement among Dawg fans is growing each week as Georgia looks to be one of the top teams in the nation.

Expect Sanford Stadium to be rocking on Saturday night around kickoff time. The electric atmosphere Smart has brought to Georgia will help make playing in Athens a nightmare for this Missouri team.

We expect Mizzou to put up a few points early. The Tigers may post a touchdown through the air, and possibly get into field goal range on a few other completions, but Georgia will start to control the game clock in the second half and impose its will upon the Tigers.

Final Prediction:

Georgia – 42

Missouri – 13