National Championship winner of the previous two years, Georgia, begins its 132nd season of football as they take on UT Martin at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium, Athens. Georgia vs. UT Martin this season will mark the first time both teams will take on each other.
Tonight’s game against UT Martin marks the first time since 2018 that the Bulldogs will begin their season in Athens. This will also be the first game at Stanford Stadium to be played at night since 2021, when Georgia defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 40-13.
When & How to Watch:
Date: Saturday, September 2
Time: 6:00 pm ET
Venue: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium, Athens (92,746)
Live Online: ESPN+ / SECN+ / FuboTV
UT-Martin vs. Georgia football preview
After the previously scheduled matchup at Oklahoma was canceled, Georgia is set to host four straight games to begin the campaign. The last time the Bulldogs played this number of consecutive games in Stanford Stadium was 19 years ago when they topped Marshall, LSU, and Vanderbilt before losing to Tennessee.
Tonight, Georgia will face this non-conference opponent for the first time in program history. Bulldogs have faced other such opponents, UAB twice, winning both encounters, including a 56-7 dominant win in 2021.
Coming to this game, Georgia is 29-1 in their last 30 games, including consecutive national championships. Bulldogs under Kirby Smart are 81-15, with national champions in the previous two years, and now enter the season ranked no. 1 nationally in both polls.
Moreover, Georgia begins the season with a 17-game winning streak, tied for the school record. The Bulldogs won the same number of consecutive games from 1945-47.
To add, Georgia has won 27 consecutive regular starting games dating back to a 31-24 home victory over Mississippi State on November 21, 2020, two shy of breaking the school record of 28 consecutive wins (1981-83).
Another school record this Georgia roster is eyeing to break is the most extended home winning streak of 24 games, set in 1980-83. Meanwhile, the current Bulldogs squad has won 18 straight games at home, dating back to a 21-0 win against Kentucky on October 19, 2019.
From this season, the Bulldogs will feature a new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Mike Bobo, after Todd Monken left for a similar job with the Baltimore Ravens. However, Mike, a native of Thomasville, isn’t any stranger to Georgia. He played quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1994-97 and had a 14-year stint with Georgia from 2001-14 under then-QB coach Mark Richt (QB coach and then OC).
In 2022 Season:
During the 2022 season, Georgia held seven teams to a season-low in points, including No. 1 Tennessee (13), No. 11 Oregon (3), and No. 3 TCU (7) in the National Championship games. Overall, Georgia allowed teams to convert on third downs only 27 percent of the time, second best nationally.
Roster – Players to Watch:
Last season, Georgia averaged 41.1 points per game, the fifth highest in the nation. This season, the Bulldogs return nine players with starting experience on the offensive line, including Junior C Sedrick Van Pran and junior TE Brock Bowers, winner of All-American and John Mackey Award. He led the catching, receiving yards, and touchdowns in the last two years.
After Heisman Trophy finalist Stetson Bennett left for the Los Angeles Rams, Junior QB Carson Beck has well-earned the starting place after playing behind the former.
On the defensive line, the Bulldogs return 12 players with starting experience from a roster that allowed only 14.3 points per game. Nazir Stackhouse, Zion Logue, and Tramel Walthour, a trio having 34 starts between them last year, will look to fill the void left by NFL first-round pick and All-American Jalen Carter.
Moreover, two leading tacklers from last season, Smael Mondon and Jamon Dumas-Johnson, also return to add stability in the middle of the defense.
On the outside, Georgia aims to replace captain and NFL first-round pick Nolan Smith and veteran Robert Beal, Jr. with Chaz Chambliss and rising sophomore Jalon Walker.
Georgia – Injury Report:
Coming to the game, the following players may not be featured against UT Martin tonight.
* RB Daijun Edwards: Questionable
* LB Smael Mondon: Questionable
* CB Kamari Lassiter: Questionable
* RB Kendall Milton: Probable
* WR Ladd McConkey: Probable
* RB Branson Robinson: Out
UT Martin:
The University of Tennessee at Martin football team is set to make its season debut in a matter of hours as they travel to two-time defending Football Bowl Subdivision National Champion Georgia.
Skyhawks are coming from a 7-4 season in which they went 5-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference last year. They enter the season following consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships, where they won 11 of their previous 12 games.
Mentioning that UT Martin has been picked to finish third in the inaugural Big South-OVC Football Association Preseason Poll. The Skyhawks received 85 points and one first-place vote from the association’s head coaches.
This season marks the 94th football season and 32nd as a Division I program for Skyhawks. UT Martin is 40-51-2 in season openers in the program’s history.
Record Against FBS Opponents:
Moreover, the game against Georgia Bulldogs marks the 13th Southeast Conference opponent for the Skyhawks. Since 2008, they’ve played against Auburn (2008), Tennessee (2010 and 2022), Mississippi State (2011 and 2014), Kentucky (2014 and 2019), Arkansas (2015), Ole Miss (2015 and 2017), Missouri (2018) and Florida (2019). Overall, the Skyhawks have played 27 games against FBS opponents but registered only one victory against Memphis in 2012.
Roster:
Coming to the season, UT Martin returns six all-conference performances from the previous season, including pre-season FCS All-Americans in the defensive end, Daylan Dotson as offensive tackle Gavin Olson, and DJ Nelson as tight end.
UT Martin – Players to Watch:
Following are the UT Martin players to watch during the matchup tonight:
* RB Sam Franklin: 85 attempts for 676 yards | eight touchdowns in 2022.
* DE Daylan Dotson: 48 tackles | 14.5 tackles for loss | 9.5 sacks in 2022.
* WR DeVonte Tanksley: 63 receptions for 653 yards | a touchdown in 2022.
