As Georgia gets set for its 2026 season opener against Tennessee State, the biggest concern isn’t the opponent. It’s what the Bulldogs need to clean up on their own side of the ball, and what the calendar and weather might do to them before the season really gets rolling.
Tennessee State brings some history and some pride, but the matchup on paper is hard to miss. The Tigers finished in the bottom 10% of most offensive categories in FCS last season, and their 251 yards of total offense per game ranked 125th out of 126 teams in FCS in 2025. They did show a little more life in Week 0 this season, piling up 354 yards with 265 through the air against Jackson State, but that still didn’t exactly change the bigger picture.
The program is not a giant one, though it does have a proud list of alumni that includes Wilma Rudolph, Richard Dent, Anthony Mason and Oprah Winfrey’s NIL Collective. And while Tennessee State has a history, it doesn’t have much success to lean on against SEC teams. The Tigers are 0-4 all time against SEC opponents, with losses to Mike Leach’s 2021 Bizzaro Bulldogs and three defeats to Vanderbilt, though those Commodores teams were coached by Bobby Johnson and Derek Mason, not the current Clark Lea/Diego Pavia version.
The more pressing questions are about Georgia. The run game needs more juice, especially in terms of explosiveness.
The Bulldogs averaged 4.4 yards per carry in 2025, which was efficient enough, but the late-season dip stood out: 79 rushing yards against Auburn and fewer than 4 yards a carry over the final two games. That came with a quarterback who could run and led the team in rushing touchdowns, which only sharpens the concern.
Big plays on the ground were hard to come by, too. Georgia had only three rushing plays of more than 30 yards last season, and only two of its four longest runs ended in the end zone.
There’s also the pass rush and the finish. Getting into the backfield matters, but it has to turn into something more than pressure for pressure’s sake.
Too often last season, Georgia’s front got penetration only to lose contain or miss the tackle that would have turned the play into a loss. Kirby Smart pointed to the strong run-stopping work of recent defensive lines, but he also said they’ve been missing the “twitch, athleticism, and energy needed to make us better pass rushers”.
Then there’s the weather. The forecast calls for highs in the 90s with feels-like temperatures in the triple digits, and Georgia is staring at seven straight weeks of games, including Oklahoma at home and road trips to Fayetteville and Bryant-Denny before the first off-week.
That’s a lot to ask already. Add heat cramps and players overheating, and the opener becomes less about style points and more about surviving in good shape for what comes next.
In Other News...
Georgia Has A New Reason To Be Furious With LSU
A Louisiana judges injunction has added another layer to the eligibility fight surrounding college football, and Georgia has every reason to watch it closely. The ruling lets certain players, including DaeQuan Wright, return to the sport despite NCAA concerns, after LSU used an eligibility loophole to bring in a player who had previously been under contract with the Cleveland Browns.
For Georgia, the issue goes beyond one roster move. Kirby Smart has already voiced concerns about how fair the ruling is, and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has pushed back as well, putting the league squarely in the middle of the dispute. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also weighed in on social media in support of the SEC and the University of Georgia, underscoring how much this decision has resonated beyond Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Opener Could Hinge On One Early Problem They Must Avoid
Georgias opener figures to be shaped by the same basic traits that have driven Kirby Smarts best teams: clean football, early rhythm and a defense that keeps opponents from settling in. The Bulldogs have leaned on a strong turnover margin, fast starts, third-down stops and efficient, quick-hitting offense to control games before they can turn into uncomfortable slugfests. Even special teams matters here, because one mistake in that phase can undo a lot of the discipline Georgia usually tries to build into a game plan.
There is also some natural pressure on the offense to find its footing early after offseason turnover at receiver, which makes the opening script even more important. If Georgia can avoid the kind of early lapse that shifts momentum, it can play from ahead and keep the game on its terms. If it does not, the margin for error gets thinner in a hurry, especially against an opponent waiting for any sign of hesitation or frustration. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart At 50 Still Sounds Like Georgias Championship Standard
Kirby Smart heads into his eleventh season at Georgia still sounding like a coach driven more by the next standard than the last celebration. At 50, he has already built a program defined by championships and relentless expectations, but his attention remains on the same basics that got the Bulldogs here in the first place: winning, coaching, and finding players who fit the culture he wants around him.
Smart has long made it clear that recruiting is about more than talent, and respect remains a trait he keeps coming back to when he talks about the kind of roster Georgia needs. He draws ideas from across the sports world and different philosophies, but the through line is unchanged, he is still pushing to bring glory to his alma mater while coaching with the same urgency that defined him long before the trophies arrived. [Read more 🡒]