Murray State @ Georgia preview

Third-ranked Georgia did not play its sharpest football in a season-opening victory at Vanderbilt, and that might spell bad news for FCS-school Murray State, the opposition in the Bulldogs' home opener Saturday. Georgia scored touchdowns on its first three possessions in last week’s 30-6 triumph and did get 149 yards rushing from junior D’Andre Swift, but mustered only three field goals afterward and committed 10 penalties for 117 yards.

“We’ve still got a long way to go,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters afterward, but did focus on the overall result in adding, “I’m proud of our guys. We don’t take it lightly when you go on the road in a SEC opener and you open up with a couple of touchdowns.” The Georgia defense played steadily throughout the opener, allowing just 225 yards of total offense while the Bulldogs rushed for 325 yards and averaged 8.1 yards per carry. The Bulldogs now open a three-game homestand with games against Murray State and Arkansas State preceding a Sept. 21 showdown with No. 8 Notre Dame. The Racers cruised to a 59-20 victory over NAIA-school Pikeville at home on Aug. 29 in their season opener, as sophomore quarterback Preston Rice passed for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: No Line

ABOUT MURRAY STATE (1-0): Rice completed 20-of-31 passes in his Racers debut, finding redshirt freshman receiver Jacob Bell for a touchdown en route to building a 31-3 advantage. Rice also threw a 9-yard touchdown to senior receiver Brion Sanchious, who started 21 games for Murray State’s basketball team last season and played off the bench in the Racers first-round upset of Marquette in the NCAA tournament. Sophomore running back Jared McCray rushed for two scores, finishing with six carries for 76 yards.

ABOUT GEORGIA (1-0): Junior quarterback Jake Fromm did not have a big game numbers-wise as the Bulldogs focused on the rushing attack, passing for just 156 yards but completing 15-of-23 attempts with a touchdown. Three Bulldogs finished with 50-plus rushing yards, including senior Brian Herrien’s 65 yards and a touchdown, and 52 yards on five carries from redshirt freshman Zamir White. Junior defensive back Mark Webb and junior linebacker Monty Rice led the defense with seven tackles each, and as a unit Georgia limited Vanderbilt to 17 first downs (four coming on penalties).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Bulldogs senior K Rodrigo Blankenship finished 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts, including a 50-yarder, earning SEC special teams player of the week.

2. Georgia junior OT Andrew Thomas won SEC offensive lineman of the week, and as a group the offensive line did not give up a sack.

3. Georgia redshirt freshman WR Kearis Jackson broke his hand against Vanderbilt and will miss the next three to four weeks.

PREDICTION: Georgia 59, Murray State 3