Georgia is heading into Saturday’s Week 5 matchup with Vanderbilt carrying a 4-0 record, a 2-0 mark in SEC play and a hefty +166 scoring differential after last week’s 41-13 win over Oklahoma. The Bulldogs are also unbeaten against the spread so far, and VegasInsider lists them as 24.5-point favorites with the over/under set at 50.5.
Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m. ET, and the game will air on SEC Network with Matt Schumacker, Aaron Murray and Taylor Davis on the call. It will also stream on the WatchESPN app.
Georgia’s injury report includes defensive back Tyriq Green (ankle), outside linebacker Amaris Williams (knee) and offensive lineman Marcus Harrison (undisclosed) as out. Wide receiver Isiah Canion (right leg), running back Nate Frazier (ribs) and outside linebacker Chase Linton (ankle) are listed as questionable.
The Bulldogs will also see a familiar name on the other sideline in Jared Curtis, the 5-star quarterback who was once committed to Georgia. It will be Georgia’s first game against him.
Kirby Smart had plenty to say about Vanderbilt and coach Clark Lea, starting with a long view of the job Lea has done.
“Yeah, a lot of respect for (Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea). He’s one of the best voices in our room.
He does a lot for college football. He’s super intelligent, and I enjoy the friendship I have with him and respect the job he does for really all of college football and the SEC, the way he represents us on different things.
Started getting ready for these guys today. They’ve got a great program, a great team.
Arguably should’ve made the playoffs last year with the record they had, teams they beat. He does a tremendous job there.
They’re really a physical football team made in the same mold with a defensive coach as us.”
Smart also praised Curtis’ skill set, saying the quarterback’s athletic ability is better than many realize.
“Tremendous talent. Way better athletically than people give him credit for.
I don’t know if anybody’s tackled him, with one person, tackled him yet. He’s strong.
He’s quick. He’s powerful.
He’s got great arm talent. Everything everybody thought has been true.”
And when the conversation turned to Lea’s defense, Smart pointed to the speed and toughness of the unit.
“Well, athletic. They’ve got twitchy guys.
They’ve always had really good defensive players, in my opinion. They do a good job.
They’re sound fundamentally. They play really hard.
He’s got a defensive staff, but he’s also the head coach that’s a defensive guy and does a good job with them.”
In Other News...
Kirby Smart Seemed To Send A Message In Georgias Vanderbilt Win
Jared Curtis did not suit up in Vanderbilts recent meeting with Georgia after the quarterback, who had flipped his commitment from the Bulldogs to the Commodores last year, was injured. Georgia handled the game the way a team trying to stay in the thick of the national title race needed to, while Vanderbilt came away with its season outlook looking far less secure than the one in Athens.
Afterward, Curtis made his way toward Kirby Smart, setting up a moment that drew attention for what happened as much as what did not. Smarts body language suggested he was not eager to linger, and the interaction felt like the sort of understated sideline scene that can say plenty without anyone having to say much at all. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Left Vanderbilt With Two Concerns Alabama Will Test
Georgia left Nashville with a win and a cleaner record, but not a clean bill of health on the details that usually travel with them into bigger games. The Bulldogs beat Vanderbilt 38-14 to move to 5-0, and Carson Beck turned in another efficient day by completing 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Even so, the outing had the kind of uneven stretches Georgia cannot ignore when the schedule sharpens, especially with the ground game not finding much rhythm.
The defense also had its lapses, most notably on third downs, and Alabama is the sort of opponent that tends to expose those cracks quickly. Georgia did settle in after halftime and looked more like itself down the stretch, but next weekend brings a far sterner test of whether those second-half corrections can carry over. For a team that has mostly handled business through September, the trip to face Alabama now feels less like a checkpoint and more like a revealing exam. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Is Already Pressing Georgia On One Concern Before Alabama
Vanderbilt kept things interesting for a half before Georgia pulled away for a 38-14 win, scoring the final 17 points to close it out. Clark Lea had reasons to point to some progress on the Commodores side, especially in protection and the run game, while Kirby Smart came away talking about the kind of things he likes to see from his own team this time of year: conditioning, execution and the steadier finish that can matter when the schedule tightens.
Smarts focus now turns quickly to Alabama, and it sounds like he is already sharpening one concern before that matchup arrives. Even after a comfortable win, Georgia is still looking to clean up areas that can become costly against a better opponent, and Smart did not hide that there is more work to do before the next test. [Read more 🡒]