As No. 1 Georgia prepares for its home opener, the only real drama will be seeing which of the young backups have the best performances in a game where the starters are expecting to spend most of the second half on the bench.
The Bulldogs started their 2024 campaign by recording their 40th consecutive regular-season win in a 34-3 thumping of No. 25 Clemson in Atlanta. Now, they return home between the hedges to welcome FCS Tennessee Tech in a game that finds the top team in the country as heavy favorites.
For Georgia, a team that picked up even more first-place votes in the AP Top 25 poll and was the unanimous No. 1 in the updated CBS Sports 134, this game is going to be about giving opportunities to younger players and allowing the coaching staff to get even more evaluation when it comes to depth. With two national title runs in the last three years, coach Kirby Smart knows that competitive depth is key to maintaining a high level of play throughout what is going to be an even longer season with the expanded College Football Playoff.
Of course, there is a chance that Tennessee Tech makes Georgia sweat a little bit more than most expect. After all, that's why they play the games.
How to watch Georgia vs. Tennessee Tech live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7 | Time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Sanford Stadium -- Athens, Georgia
TV: ESPN+ | Live stream: ESPN+
Georgia vs. Tennessee Tech: Need to know
Georgia defense dealing with some injuries: This week's practice has been most notable for the updates on several key Georgia players, of which there are varying degrees of expectation regarding their participation against Tennessee Tech. Joenel Aguero, a projected starter in the defensive backfield, was a late scratch from the lineup in the win against Clemson because of a soft tissue injury, but it sounds like he's back to full go in practice and could make his 2024 debut on Saturday. Defensive lineman Warren Brinson is less certain to be in the lineup because of an ankle injury, and star edge rusher Mykel Williams seems unlikely to play as he continues to deal with an ankle sprain suffered in the win against the Tigers.
Tennessee Tech was feisty against Middle Tennessee: Tennessee Tech stormed back from a 21-5 halftime deficit behind the efforts of backup quarterback Jordyn Potts, who entered the game because starter Dylan Laible was injured in the first quarter. Potts led three second-half touchdown drives and threw two touchdown passes in the final minutes, giving Tennessee Tech a 25-24 lead with just 1:06 remaining. Unfortunately, the Golden Eagles could not complete the upset, giving up a 30-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left to bring a disappointing finish to an impressive comeback effort.
Georgia offense has a chance for a hot start: Carson Beck and the Bulldogs offense got off to a slow start against Clemson, leading just 6-0 at halftime behind a pair of field goals. Some of that is a credit to the Tigers defense, which is extremely talented, but after pouring on four touchdowns in the second half, the attention will turn to how Georgia's starters can carry that momentum into the first half of Saturday's game against Tennessee Tech. With a game plan that likely includes establishing a big lead early, Georgia could come out with some aggressiveness that highlights their talent advantage in the matchup.
Georgia vs. Tennessee Tech prediction, picks
Tennessee Tech might have poured it out last week in a winnable game that did not end until 1:18 a.m. local time because of weather delays. Asking that same group to bounce right back for a challenge like facing Georgia in Athens is going to be tough when it comes to setting expectations for a 100% performance. Georgia gets to pick its number here, and I think the ultimate goal will be for a quick game with no injuries. Pick: Under 62.5
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