Vanderbilt @ Georgia preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 7, 2017 ) Georgia 45, Vanderbilt 14

Georgia is undefeated and moved up to No. 2 in the nation ahead of Saturday’s homecoming contest against Vanderbilt, but there still are plenty of questions surrounding how the team is using its two quarterbacks. Returning starter Jake Fromm has taken the majority of snaps while freshman Justin Fields also has made an impact, but coach Kirby Smart emphasized there is no set plan on how much either will play before a particular game begins.

“We don’t know how the game is going to go,” Smart told reporters on Monday. “If you sit here and think that we know exactly when Justin is going to go in or when Jake is going to go in going into the game or the third series of the fourth snap in the second quarter, the game doesn’t work like that.” Everything seems to be working for Georgia, which saw Tennessee make a brief second-half run before pulling away for a 38-12 triumph. Vanderbilt has struggled since nearly upending Notre Dame on the road on Sept. 15, suffering a blowout loss at South Carolina before barely surviving last week against Tennessee State 31-27 as quarterback Kyle Shurmur fired three touchdown passes. “It’s going to be a test for us,” Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason told reporters on Tuesday. “This football team is coming off what I could call a poor performance. A great win, but a poor performance.”


TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: Georgia -26.5

ABOUT VANDERBILT (3-2, 0-1 SEC): Shurmur has passed for 1,231 yards and nine touchdowns while wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb has blossomed into a star, leading the SEC with 45 receptions and six touchdowns while ranking second in receiving yards (480). Running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn rushed for 146 yards last week and has scored five touchdowns in as many games. Several newcomers have made an impact defensively - including inside linebacker Dimitri Moore, who recorded six tackles last week and has a team-high three quarterback hurries this season.

ABOUT GEORGIA (5-0, 3-0): The Bulldogs have scored 38 or more points in every game this season, averaging 43.2, and the offensive attack starts with the quarterbacks. Fromm leads the nation in passing efficiency (166.28) and has thrown for nine touchdowns, while Fields is 15-of-19 for 147 yards on the season and rushed for 45 yards and two scores last week. Safety J.R. Reed (eight tackles last week) and linebacker D’Andre Walker (five, one sack, one forced fumble) lead a defense that is allowing just 13 points per game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Commodores rank 120th nationally in red-zone offense, scoring just 71 percent of the time.

2. Georgia's Elijah Holyfield leads the team with 368 rushing yards, while fellow RB D’Andre Swift has registered 240 and four touchdowns.

3. Vanderbilt is 8-31 all-time at Georgia but posted a stunning 17-16 victory in its last visit in 2016.

PREDICTION: Georgia 42, Vanderbilt 13