The 2026 Georgia season is about to get rolling, and the Bulldogs open with a familiar kind of early-test setup: a home game, a tune-up opponent, and a chance to shake off the offseason rust for real.
No. 3 Georgia (0-0, 0-0 SEC) kicks things off Saturday against Tennessee State (0-1, 0-0 OVC) at 3 p.m.
ET on SEC Network+. It’s the first game for the Bulldogs, while the Tigers already have a result on the board after falling to Jackson State 26-24 in Week 0.
Kirby Smart said Monday the group is ready to move from camp mode into game mode.
"Guys are excited. I know the fans are excited.
I'm excited for this team to go out and play their first game," Kirby Smart said on Monday. "We've got to play somebody else to get better.
That's the stage we're in. We had a really good camp.
We had 20-21 practices. We're in a really good spot to get better.
We worked hard Friday, Saturday. Players had Sunday off.
We're getting to work on Tennessee State today, and they played a really tight exciting ball game, had a tough loss, played really well against Jackson State. We'll prepare for these guys today."
With the season now only days away, the Dawgs247 staff took on the bigger exercise: game-by-game predictions for all 12 of Georgia’s regular-season matchups. Each of the four staff members laid out how they think the Bulldogs’ schedule will unfold, down to the final score.
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 🡒]