Georgia football vs. Tennessee State preview, prediction

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

College football is back, and Week 1 has started as the Georgia Bulldogs will take on the Tennessee State Tigers at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, September 5 at 3 p.m. ET.

Georgia is going into the contest 3rd in the AP Top 25, after a 12-2 2025 campaign that ended in a Sugar Bowl loss to Mississippi. But the Bulldogs still have key players returning. Some of the impact players for the Bulldogs are quarterback Gunner Stockton, offensive lineman Drew Bobo, and safety K.J Bolden.

Stockton is entering his 5th year, and so is Bobo. Stockton and Bobo are leaders of the offense, and Stockton will need to be on point to get the unit in their first game of the season. Bolden is a key factor in the secondary, being named an AP Preseason All-American. Bolden's versatility works well for their defense, and it'll be needed on Saturday. A key to victory for Georgia is to lean on the run game to create opportunities for the pass.

The Tigers are a Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) school, currently ranked sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference. Some of the impact players for Tennessee State are quarterback Daylin Lee, who threw for 265 yards and a touchdown in their loss against Jackson State last week.

"Their quarterback does a great job," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said on Daylin Lee. "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."

Also, linebacker Sammy Taylor led the team with 51 tackles in 2025. The Tigers will need to throw the ball efficiently and make the most of their offensive possessions to make things interesting for a half.

Score prediction: Georgia 42, Tennessee State 10

Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Threads for more Georgia football coverage!

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia football vs. Tennessee State preview, prediction

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos