Georgia’s first real spotlight game of the season comes next weekend, but the kickoff won’t exactly match the moment.
After rolling through its first three opponents and taking care of Arkansas on the road Saturday, Georgia turns to Oklahoma for a home date in Athens on Saturday, Sept. 26. It’s the Bulldogs’ third home game of the year and their first SEC home matchup, and it also shapes up as the biggest home game on the schedule so far.
Still, the SEC landed on a 3:30 p.m. EST kickoff, a slot that feels a little underwhelming for a matchup that could have carried a lot more juice at night.
A noon start would have been a hard sell, so Georgia at least avoided that, but this still feels like a missed chance for what could be the Bulldogs’ first and maybe only night-game-type atmosphere of the season. The league also slotted South Carolina at Alabama into one of the two night windows ahead of Georgia-Oklahoma, even though that game doesn’t figure to be nearly as competitive.
The game will air on ESPN, giving Georgia its first appearance on that network this season. The Bulldogs’ first two games were not on national television, and their Week 3 win over Arkansas finally put them on ABC. Fans can also watch the Oklahoma game on the ESPN app and Fubo TV.
Oddsmakers are expecting Georgia to keep rolling. DraftKings Sportsbook has the Bulldogs favored by 14 points, with the over-under set at 47.5.
That number would have sounded bigger before the season, but Georgia has opened 3-0 and covered the spread in all three games. Oklahoma, meanwhile, is 2-1 after a disappointing loss at Michigan and a tight 14-6 win over New Mexico this week.
Georgia doesn’t need style points. Winning is the only thing that matters. But if the Bulldogs keep their spread streak alive, they’ll be 4-0 against the number heading into the heart of the season.
In Other News...
Razorback Stadium Had A Wild Pregame Visitor Before Arkansas Faced Georgia
Before Georgia and Arkansas kicked off at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the most memorable sight in Fayetteville was not on the depth charts but on the field itself. A skunk was spotted wandering around the stadium pregame, an odd little detour to a matchup that already carried plenty of attention because of where the teams stood heading in.
Georgia entered the day as a heavy favorite, listed by 24.5 points, with the game set for ABC and the usual backdrop of recent form and the series history between the programs. Even before the opening whistle, though, the scene had already produced the kind of college football moment that feels almost tailor-made for a Saturday in the SEC. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Suddenly Has A Nate Frazier Concern It Didnt Want
Georgias backfield took a hit Saturday when starting running back Nate Frazier went down with a lower leg injury during the game against Arkansas and had to leave the field limping. He briefly reappeared on the sideline moving well enough to sprint, which at least offered a moment of relief, but the picture changed later when he was seen walking with a noticeable limp before heading to the locker room.
The concern only grew when transfer wide receiver Isiah Canion also left with an injury in the first half and did not return. For a Georgia team trying to keep its offense on track, the timing of both setbacks is less than ideal, and Kirby Smart is expected to have more to say once the game is over and the full extent of the injuries becomes clearer. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia's Arkansas Win Came With One Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Georgia handled Arkansas 45-17 with a performance that looked a lot like the Bulldogs at their most efficient, leaning on the ground game and letting Gunner Stockton settle in as both a runner and passer. Stockton rushed for 97 yards, threw for 147 more and a touchdown, while Chauncey Bowens powered the offense with three scores. Georgias defense did its part too, piling up multiple sacks and keeping Arkansas from finding much rhythm.
The one uneasy note came late enough to linger afterward: wide receiver Isiah Canion left the game with a leg injury. For a team that already looks balanced and sturdy in the box score, any injury to the receiving corps is worth watching closely, especially as Georgia tries to keep building momentum behind a run-first attack that worked so well Saturday. [Read more 🡒]