Georgia’s 2026 season opener was the kind of game that can hide a lot under the final score. The Bulldogs rolled past Tennessee State Between the Hedges at Sanford Stadium, and the day came with plenty to like, a few rough edges, and one stat that jumped off the page: 85 yards in penalties.
Even so, Gunner Stockton was crisp before calling it a day early. He completed 93.75% of his throws and guided Georgia to touchdowns on all five possessions he handled. Afterward, Stockton pointed to the depth around him.
“I think that we have a bunch of guys that can play winning football,” Stockton told Dawg Post. "We have a lot of depth, and that's a plus for a team. When you have that, it's a great thing.”
Nate Frazier made the most of limited work and did it in a hurry. The running back needed only four carries to pile up 72 yards and three touchdowns, scoring from 48, 14 and three yards out.
His final trip to the end zone finished a six-play, 65-yard march and pushed Georgia ahead 42-3. It also matched his career high for touchdowns, set against UMass in 2024.
“He just hit some big holes, and he did a nice job being explosive through them,” UGA coach Kirby Smart said of Frazier. “He worked really hard this off-season to earn that.”
Stockton was just as quick to highlight what Frazier brought to the field.
“He's going to run the ball hard no matter what,” Stockton said. “He’s a great running back, and he's a great teammate. Just to see the joy that everybody has and just to see him have success is awesome.”
The cleaner parts of the afternoon were balanced by some mess. Georgia’s 85 penalty yards were its most since the Bulldogs were flagged for the same total in a 31-13 win over Auburn in 2024. One of those infractions came when two Georgia players were on the field wearing the same number.
“We had a guy go down, and we had to put a sub in,” Smart said. “And when you put a sub in, you can't put a sub in with the same number as the snapper, so it's common sense.”
There was also a special teams mistake on a field goal try, one that cost Georgia another chance to add to the margin. Smart said the issue came on the hold.
“Looked like we dropped it,” Smart said of the hold on the field goal. “I didn't think it was a bad snap. I thought we just dropped it.”
The weather was no small part of the setting, either. Kickoff temperature was listed at 101 degrees, making it the hottest game on record for Georgia by nearly nine degrees. The previous high came in a 63-17 win over Murray State in 2019.
Still, Smart said the Bulldogs handled it.
“I didn't feel like the heat impacted us,” Smart said of his team. “I thought they beat the heat.”
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Opener Now Comes With An Unexpected Arion Carter Twist
Arion Carters season has taken on a different kind of spotlight, and it will arrive early for Georgia Tech. The Tennessee linebacker, who missed part of the 2026 college football season after accepting a flight from his agent, had his suspension cut from three games to one after an appeal, and he has since put a charitable twist on his return by pledging $427 to cancer research for every tackle he records this year.
For the Yellow Jackets, that means the Sept. 12 opener against Tennessee carries an unexpected layer beyond the usual nonconference intrigue. Carters donation drive begins that day, turning each stop he makes into something with a broader purpose, and giving Georgia Tech an early look at a defender whose season will be followed for reasons that extend well beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
What Georgia Tech Just Learned From Colorados Defensive Breakout
Colorados front made a strong opening statement against Georgia Tech, and a lot of it came from a name the Yellow Jackets likely knew only in passing. Lamont Lester Jr., a transfer from Monmouth, was the anchor of the Buffaloes defensive line in Week 1, finishing with three sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and five total tackles while helping power a disruptive effort that set the tone for the game.
The recognition followed quickly, with Lester earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors and Colorados defensive line being graded as the best in Week 1 by Pro Football Focus. The unit also picked up Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week honors, a reminder for Georgia Tech that the matchup offered an early look at a front capable of changing games before opponents can settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado May Be Uncovering A Backfield Option Georgia Tech Fans Know Well
Colorado is expected to use its upcoming game against Weber State to give running back Richard Young a bigger share of the workload, a sign that the former Alabama transfer is starting to work his way into the picture. Young flashed some promise in limited action last week, and after missing much of the summer with an injury, he is still in the process of learning the system and getting more comfortable.
For Georgia Tech fans, the name may ring a bell for a different reason, but the broader takeaway is the same: Colorado could be uncovering another useful piece in a backfield that already mixes power, speed and hybrid skill sets. If Young keeps trending up, the Buffaloes would add another layer to an offense that already has enough variety to keep defenses guessing, even if the full shape of his role is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]