Bulldog Report: Georgia vs. Tennessee State Preview

Bulldog Report: Georgia vs. Tennessee State Preview

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Bulldog Report: Georgia vs. Tennessee State Preview
Bulldog Report: Georgia vs. Tennessee State Preview
Sep 23, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart at press conference after the game against the UAB Blazers at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Kate Pearson Halyburton, Editor

Let’s preview Georgia vs. Tennessee State. Sure, would we rather be playing a P4 team with a pulse? Yep, absolutely. But let’s not dwell on that too deeply. We have in other posts. The Dawgs are back in Athens, and Kirby Smart is excited, as we found out in his weekly press conference this week. “I’m excited about game week. I know our players are ready to play someone other than each other, so the guys are excited.” Smart said. “I know the fans are excited. I’m excited to see this team go out and play their first game. We have to play somebody else to get better, and that’s the stage we’re in. Our guys have had a really good camp.”

No word on whether the fire in the social media hype video will reflect the actual temperature at Sanford Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Unlike in Los Angeles last Saturday, we should expect Sanford Stadium to be mostly full. Sure, we may have a few sororities and fraternities finishing up their pledge responsibilities or whatever the cool kids were doing, but this game should be full. So, let’s get you ready for the game by previewing the matchup, breaking down the opponent, and digging into a few quotes this week before we make our prediction.

Bulldog Report: Georgia vs. Tennessee State Preview

Opponent: Tennessee State
History: Georgia has never played Tennessee State in football.
Last meeting: N/A
Date and Time: Saturday, September 5th | 3:00 PM EST
Location: Between the Hedges
Television: SECN+
Spread: #GoDawgs – 46.5

What should we know about Tennessee State?

Man, do we miss the days when we opened with Oregon or Clemson. Heck, we would even take Boise State at this point; save those hideous uniforms, though. Georgia’s nonconference slate is weak this year. The Dawgs have Tennessee State and Western Kentucky in the next two weeks before jumping into SEC play and wrapping up with the North Avenue Technical School.
Tennessee State is 0-1 on the season after finishing 2025 2-10. This explains the funky 3:00 pm start and why the game is on The Ocho, SECN+. While the game will likely not be competitive (at least we hope), it may be a good time for fans to build camaraderie with their fellow Dawgs.
Smart shared in his press conference this week that the Tigers’ quarterback will be one to watch for on Saturday. “Their quarterback [Daylin Lee] does a great job. He’s very smooth, hard to tackle, and gets out of trouble. He’s a great, efficient passer. I thought he played with a lot of moxie and confidence the other night.”
Lee put up impressive numbers last year for Winston-Salem State University. He finished 2026 passing for 2,046 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Georgia vs. Tennessee State Soundbites

Here are three quotes from this week’s press conference to help set the narrative and get you ready for the weekend.

On the Georgia Wide Receiver Room

Georgia’s wide receiver reciver room has drawn plenty of questions and ire this offseason. Smart said the expectations for the room are no different from any other position group. “Execution. I don’t know why I would want to see anything different out of them than I see out of the quarterbacks or the defensive backs.” It’s coach speak, but we’ve come to expect nothing less from Smart.

Will any former NFL players find their way onto the Georgia roster?
Unlike whatever is going on in Baton Rouge, Smart didn’t mince his words and made sure everyone knew exactly where he and Georgia stand. “We’re set in what we got.”

On Preparing For the Heat

Maybe you were living under a rock, or maybe you found something else to do like most of LA last Saturday. USC had a sparse crowd last week, to put it nicely, and some claimed it was because of the Southern California heat. It’s going to be in the 90s, and there is a 40% chance of rain on Saturday. While that might scare or take the “Fight On” out of California, Smart assured the media the Dawgs would be ready. “We’ve been in it more than in years past. It’s been one of the hottest camps we’ve measured in terms of practices.”

Smart said and even went so far as to invite the media down on the sidelines. “We practiced in it, and we did get to scrimmage in it. I’ll be interested to see how our players, our fans, and you guys handle it. Y’all can get out of that air conditioning and come out there with us. We’ll see if you can handle a 110 heat index and go up and down the field in 25 pounds of pads on.”

Georgia vs. Tennessee State Prediction

Nobody is accusing Kirby Smart of running up the score. He’s 0-15-1 against the spread at Georgia when favored by 38 or more points. Not great, Bob.
Two national championships and coming into 2026 as the back-to-back defending SEC Champions are what matter most. But for this weekend? Enjoy the tailgate. Take the under and lock it in. Georgia is going to win—they just aren’t breaking any scoreboards doing it.
Prediction:
Georgia 38
Tennessee State 0
Main Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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