Georgia didn’t just get a clean start from a true freshman on Saturday. It may have gotten a glimpse of the pass-rusher it badly needs.
PJ Dean finished his first college game with two tackles and 1.5 sacks against Tennessee State, a line that would be easy to skim past if you stopped at the opponent. But Georgia’s edge situation gave that debut a lot more weight than a typical Week 1 flash from a newcomer.
The Bulldogs came into the season with real questions about who was going to consistently pressure the quarterback. Auburn transfer Amaris Williams was already gone, and Chase Linton, one of the breakout candidates, didn’t dress in Week 1 because of a lower-leg injury. Kirby Smart said in his press conference that Georgia hopes to get Linton back.
That left the door open for somebody young to make an immediate statement, and Dean walked through it. Georgia’s defensive line, especially the edge group, was the biggest concern on a 2026 roster that already knew it needed answers there. The preseason depth chart had Quintavius Johnson ahead of Linton and Dean at OLB, but Smart had been talking up Dean well before kickoff.
During camp, Smart said Dean was “starting to scratch the surface” after injuries slowed him in the spring.
On Saturday, Dean backed that up in a hurry. Before the game, he apparently told KJ Bolden that he was going to get a sack. Then he went out and finished with 1.5 of them.
“The coaches have been really pushing him,” Bolden said after the game. “You can tell the coaches have been wanting him to step up and do big things for us, and I feel like he did a great job today.”
Jordan Hall also came away impressed by what he saw from the freshman.
“He’s got pass rush ability,” Hall said. “He’s exactly what you saw today.
He’s a high-effort motor guy. He’s young.
He’s smart. He’s playing early.
Especially in the Georgia defense. Playing early is always a good sign.
"Just him doing what he’s been doing. Rushing the passer great.
Playing the run. Setting edges.
Being athletic. God blessed him right, so he’s just going to do what he’s got to do.”
For Georgia, that kind of debut matters because the Bulldogs need Dean to mature quickly. Linton’s injury makes that even more important. If Dean keeps producing like this, Georgia won’t have to hurry Linton back into the rotation.
And that matters more for the stretch of SEC games ahead than for a matchup like Western Kentucky. If Dean can keep causing problems the way he did against Tennessee State, Georgia may have found a freshman who can help steady the edge right away.
In Other News...
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The reaction has already spilled onto social media, where some Georgia fans have pushed back on the idea of charging a minimum monthly payment just to watch a video that used to be shared openly. It is a small piece of content in the grand scheme of a season, but it also reflects how quickly the business of college football keeps creeping into the everyday fan experience, even for something as routine as a hype video. [Read more 🡒]
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For Georgia and the rest of the SEC, the next step matters because expulsion would require a two-thirds vote from league presidents, with that meeting expected soon. Even before any vote, the complaint has turned a coaching-side issue into a conference governance test, and the silence from LSU is now part of the broader argument hanging over one of college football's most powerful leagues. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Is Already Raving About One Georgia Freshman Receiver
Craig Dandridge wasted little time making an impression in his first college game for Georgia, popping up in multiple spots during the Bulldogs season opener against Tennessee State. The freshman wide receiver finished with two catches for 36 yards and also handled a 30-yard punt return, a small but noteworthy glimpse of the versatility that has already made him stand out in the receiver room.
Kirby Smart has been quick to notice more than just the box-score production. The Georgia coach praised Dandridges intelligence, versatility and quickness, even while noting the freshman had missed part of camp. With other receivers also contributing in the opener, Dandridges debut did not have to carry the entire passing game, but it did offer an early sign that he may have a larger role ahead. [Read more 🡒]