ATHENS - Game week has finally arrived for Georgia, and the Bulldogs will open things Saturday at 3 p.m. ET when they host Tennessee State.
After spending much of the past month battling itself in preseason practices, Georgia is ready to line up against someone else. The Bulldogs pushed through two hard scrimmages in search of answers, and Kirby Smart said the team saw encouraging signs on both sides of the ball.
“I thought there was really some positives on both sides of the ball,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said following the team’s second scrimmage. “Offense continues to be effective and efficient in the red area.
Run game in terms of putting dents in the defense and being physical was really good. Defensively, I think, there was some good.
Some turnovers in there, some sacks and created some havoc, which is important. But all in all, I thought both sides of the ball continued to get better.”
The defense should still be the calling card, with Georgia built around standouts at every level. Elijah Griffin, Chris Cole and KJ Bolden all have the kind of talent that could put them in All-American territory by season’s end.
The big lingering question is the pass rush. Georgia managed only 20.0 sacks last season, and the Bulldogs know that simply hurrying quarterbacks is not enough. They need to finish plays.
That concern makes the front especially interesting as the season opens. The group took a hit just before kickoff when Xzavier McLeod stepped away from football, leaving Georgia with a gap to fill after he started six games last season. Someone has to seize that opportunity.
At defensive tackle, Griffin is listed at the top, with Jordan Hall and Josh Horton next in line. Behind them are Nasir Johnson, Carter Luckie and Preston Carey. Smart also made clear that freshman Valdin Sone has earned a real role, and the coach has spoken highly of the Swedish defensive lineman since the end of fall camp.
The Bulldogs have also shifted Isaiah Gibson to the defensive line, while Dean has been moved out to outside linebacker. Smart has praised Dean’s ability to help the team this season, too.
At nose tackle, Jordan Hall is joined by Nnamdi Ogboko and Josh Horton, with Sone also in the mix.
Defensive end brings Gabe Harris to the top of the chart, followed by Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and JJ Hanne. Justin Greene, Isaiah Gibson and AJ Lonon are also listed in the room.
Linebacker remains one of Georgia’s deepest spots. At Mac, Justin Williams is the starter, with AJ Kruah and Nick Abrams behind him. At Money, Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole lead the way, with Zayden Walker next and Elijah Littlejohn and Terrence Penick further down the depth chart.
Cole may wind up moving all over the defense. Georgia has plenty of flexibility there, and his talent gives Smart options.
The Bulldogs are also loaded at the top of the linebacker room, with Wilson, Williams, Cole and Walker all former 5-star recruits. Georgia also brought in three linebacker recruits in the 2026 class.
The secondary has its own storylines. At right cornerback, Ellis Robinson is listed first, with Braylon Conley next.
Justice Fitzpatrick and Jordan Smith round out that spot. On the left side, Demello Jones is first, with Gentry Williams behind him, followed by Jontae Gilbert and Caden Harris.
Georgia used the transfer portal to help with depth at corner, bringing in Williams and Conley. Fitzpatrick was one of the program’s biggest recruiting wins, but the freshman is not expected to play much this fall after rehabbing a knee injury suffered at the end of his high school career.
At free safety, Bolden is the clear headliner. He enters the season as a Preseason All-American and was never in danger of losing his spot. Zion Branch is next, with Tyriq Green also listed there.
Strong safety could be one of the more interesting battles. Kyron Jones had one of the strongest camps of any Bulldog and opens the year as the favorite to start opposite Bolden. Rasean Dinkins and Ja’Marley Riddle follow, with Todd Robinson and Blake Stewart also in the group.
Star is listed with Khalil Barnes first, then Dinkins and Zech Fort. Barnes looks ready to make an immediate impact and could move around the secondary, while Green is a name to watch for the future even if getting on the field proves difficult.
Special teams includes Peyton Woodring at kicker, with Harran Zureikat behind him. Drew Miller is the punter, and Wade Register is listed as the backup.
Will Snellings handles long snapping, with Colton Dermer behind him. Sacovie White-Helton is first at punt return, while Craig Dandridge is next.
At kick return, Talyn Taylor and White-Helton are listed, along with Chauncey Bowens and Phillips.
In Other News...
Jayden Wade Just Ended A Georgia QB Rumor Fans Kept Watching
Jayden Wade has taken one of the more persistent recruiting questions off the board for Georgia. The five-star quarterback commit in the Bulldogs 2028 class said he will stay in his original class instead of moving up to 2027, choosing a longer runway for development before he gets to college.
For Georgia, that keeps the future quarterback picture a little cleaner after already landing a pledge in the 2027 cycle. It also removes a layer of uncertainty around how quickly Wade might arrive, letting the Bulldogs keep building their roster plan with a bit more stability at the games most important position. [Read more 🡒]
Dillon Bells Feel-Good Vikings Win Just Turned Into NFL Uncertainty
Dillon Bells path from Georgia to the NFL took another sharp turn this week, and it was a stunning one. After an encouraging preseason that included seven catches for 59 yards, the undrafted rookie wide receiver appeared to have done enough to earn a spot on the Minnesota Vikings final 53-man roster, a milestone that looked like a real payoff for his work throughout camp.
Instead, Bell was released less than 24 hours after the roster was announced, leaving his immediate future suddenly in doubt. The move stood out even in a time of constant NFL churn, especially with Minnesota choosing to carry four quarterbacks on the final roster, a wrinkle that made Bells brief stay all the more surprising for a player who had just seemed to secure his opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Sent An Early Message Georgia Fans Will Notice
Kirby Smart opened his first game-week press conference of the season by leaning into the kinds of traits Georgia fans have come to expect from his program: toughness, leadership and a strong level of conditioning. It was the sort of early-season tone-setting that usually matters more for what it signals than for what it says, especially around a program where the standard is built long before the games start.
The broader conversation around the SEC is already circling beyond the practice field, with league schools reviewing policies tied to players returning to college after NFL participation and Lane Kiffin publicly backing the players side of that debate. For Georgia, the timing adds another layer to a week that has also featured strong starts from the womens soccer and volleyball teams, giving the athletic department plenty of momentum as football begins its own next chapter. [Read more 🡒]