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1. This one served its purpose

Anytime you start well and don’t give up a score until the outcome is well-in-hand and win with a score like 45-7, it’s a good feeling. Georgia had the luxury of playing a Marshall team that’d be an underdog anyway, and even more so on Saturday with them being a team in transition. The Bulldogs looked to have an offensive game plan that served the purpose for what it needed, and two early scores proved that point. Defensively, Georgia outmatched the Thundering Herd, and there was not a feeling of taking plays off or not playing halfway from the opening kickoff. In the end, Georgia had the look of a team that was focused on getting a job done before moving on to the next one.

2. The upside of being anonymous

No, this is not to suggest nobody sees it when Georgia plays. But through two games, there is not a lot of national focus on this team other than seeing what the final score was. The benefit of games like this one and Austin Peay next week is that it’s a low-pressure deal. Gunner Stockton can work on things and ease his way into game-time snaps with an offense. Remember – he had the unkind task of a game and a half last year against Texas and Notre Dame.

With this past week and next, Georgia can work on what works and what doesn’t without a slim margin for error – one that’ll for sure arrive in two Saturday’s at Neyland Stadium.

3. On Campus is where the heart is

At this time last year, Georgia opened the season by routing Clemson, but that game was not in Athens or in upstate South Carolina. No, it was in Atlanta. With apologies to those who enjoy the place, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is as sterile as they come. It’s a very nice venue, but it has no college football emotion. The finance dynamics force these neutral-site games, for sure. But look back on Saturday, and being in Athens beat the pants off of past openers at neutral sites. Do you really think we’d of seen an electric atmosphere Saturday had Texas – Ohio State been at Lucas Oil Stadium or at “The Benz?”

Georgia opened its season on campus, where the good Lord intended.

4. Early run-game options a welcome site

There was no early slog of a run game that looked to be stuck in the mud, as things got going nicely on the ground. On the game’s first drive alone, Nate Frazier gained 37 yards before Dwight Phillips, Jr., got into the end zone from 17 yards away.

Seeing multiple backs chip in early – don’t forget about Chauncey Bowens, either, was especially good to see and a good glance at how Mike Bobo plans to rotate guys in and out. Plus, as we saw last year, you can never have too many healthy backs, so getting multiple runners meaningful backs is key in a game like this in which Georgia rushed for 239 yards.

5. Good to see you, tight-end play

On a day when passes were caught by a total of 17 players, it was a big win that two of those to haul in passes were tight ends Oscar Delp and Lawson Luckie. I know that there’s a desire to forget many offensive memories of last year, but one of them was the tight ends being mostly invisible from the passing game, so it was definitely a welcome sign to see Oscar Delp haul in one of his two receptions in the first few drives. In this offensive scheme, especially one where Stockton is going to be apt to extend plays, safety valves in the form of the tight end can be key. This isn’t about making a Brock Bowers comparison, but it is about the importance of a tight end in this offense.

6. Is Stockton the perfect for this offense?

So, you don’t want to heap dirt on the grave of Carson Beck, but you almost got the feeling that Mike Bobo is more within his element with Stockton at the helm. The fact is that Stockton can extend plays. Yes, Todd Monken was the OC then, but Georgia’s offense was more dynamic under Stetson Bennett on a staff that Bobo was part of. And yes, concepts of the game were different then, but remember when Bobo received the Broyles Award? That was with Aaron Murray, another QB who could extend plays better than many.

Stockton is not perfect, but with what we saw Saturday from Stockton’s play with a team-best 73 rushing yards, he may be the best fit for what Georgia’s ideal offense is.

7. Jokes aside, Bama can’t be dismissed

The internet memes have been enjoyable as they usually are when Alabama loses. And let’s not even talk about Finebaum on Monday. It’s a crying shame that some of the OG Finebaum callers such as Tammy, Phyllis, or I-Man are either no longer with us or not as prominent.

Remember, Alabama didn’t look like its former self multiple times last year, but it appeared to treat the Georgia game as its Super Bowl, and their play in that game compared to others showed that. Don’t think for a second it won’t spend a few weeks stewing before a chance to drop Georgia down a notch…again… in Prime Time.

8. Defensive focus was rather good

Alongside the 2016 Northwestern State game, one of the most frustrating moments under Kirby Smart was last year’s UMASS game. Yes, Georgia won easily, but giving up massive runs of big yardage over a team that the Bulldogs had no business letting hang with them prompted many to go all Clark Griswold and yell, “where’s the Tylenol?!”

Honestly, one of the best parts of Saturday was that Georgia faced a Marshall team that had been gutted over the off-season by the transfer portal, and the expectation was that Georgia as a defense group would control things, which they did.

A question has been posted about this group about whether or not it could be on the level of the 2022 defense. One building block of being elite is how well you play in not just the big moments, but the little ones as well. The defensive focus on display showed that this group may already be ahead of what we saw from last season.

9. Bring on the OL depth

An upside of warm-up type games is to get younger guys experience, game snaps in case they have to step in later in the year. In case you needed a reminder of that importance, you saw it with Juan Gaston and Micah Morris leaving the game Saturday with injuries.

As usual, we’ll know more later on, hopefully on the status of either one, and if it’s just a slight injury, next week is a great time for respite and let some younger charges get some snaps.

Depth is everything, and Georgia is in a span where it can develop it further.

10. Stress-free Saturdays won’t last

Saturday was a taste of what’s to come without the worry of what’s to come.

That ends next week. No, this isn’t about Austin Peay. It’s about every little thing that looks off-base next week, whether a lack of execution or injury, will bring in thoughts of ‘oh, this is ok now, but it won’t work against XXX…“

By all accounts, this has been a good weekend to ease into things, with Georgia fans able to watch fans in other places stress over how their team looks against stern tests. This two-week start has provided a nice on-ramp for an offense with a new starter under center with new and very proven faces at receiver.

That transition window, however, comes to an end after next Saturday, and the goal next week isn’t just to win – it’s to make a statement against going into a game against a Tennessee team that showed, at least this week, it can put some points up.

Go Dawgs!

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Working on an anime-style comic book has been a cathartic experience for Notre Dame’s star running back.

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Let’s project the NFL’s best — and worst — offenses and defenses. Plus, how do all 32 teams rank overall, and who will make the Super Bowl?

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There’s comes a moment late in any given college football game when the outcome is no longer in doubt, and the coach who’s come out on the losing end finds himself mentally processing what has occurred. What does he tell his team? What does he say in the postgame press conference? What does he tell recruits, and boosters, and that guy who hands him his morning McGriddle at the campus-adjacent McDonald’s?

Our suspicion is that he won’t tell anyone what he was really thinking in that moment when it all slipped away. That moment however is what this feature is all about. The moment of clarity when the game’s result is crystallized. Folks, this is Marshall head coach Tony Gibson in the waning moments of his team’s 45-7 season-opening loss to Georgia:

I ask you: in this moment, what was Tony Gibson thinking?

a) “It could always be worse. I’m havin’ a better day than Kalen DeBoer, that’s for sure.”

b) “Do we have a medical school? I wonder if they could clone Randy Moss or Byron Leftwich. Gotta check on that when we get home.”

c) The kid who made that last tackle for us has been hustling today. Once I learn his name I’m gonna let him know I’ve noticed.”

d) ) “If I see that Stockton kid’s old pickup on my way out of here I’m going to pour Powerade all over it and pray he’s parked on an ant bed.”

As usual, feel free to include your own guesses in the comments.

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You don’t open up the season with a dominating victory against the Marshall Thundering Herd without a solid team effort. Yet even at that, every Saturday in the fall some Bulldogs distinguish themselves with feats of gridiron glory that stand out above the rest. These are your MVDs, the Most Valuable ‘Dawgs from Georgia’s 45-7 week one win over Marshall.

Offense: Gunner Stockton. Best not to overthink this one. Stockton accounted for four touchdowns (two by land and two by air), and racked up 263 yards of total offense despite only playing three quarters before yielding to Ryan Puglisi. There were some well-thrown balls, though also some that a better defense would make him pay for. But overall a solid first home game.

Defense: It’s a bit of a task to pick a most valuable player from this UGA defense that held the Herd scoreless until the third stringers hit the field, but also didn’t create any turnovers or even a single sack. But from among the many Bulldogs who played consistent if unspectacular defense on the day I’m going with outside linebacker Raylen Wilson. Wilson finished the day with 7 total tackles including 2 for a loss, and also applied some solid pressure on the Marshall QBs.

Special Teams: It was a solid day for the Red and Black special teams. Drew Miller averaged over 48 yards per punt, putting 2 inside the 20. Zachariah Branch had a solid debut returning punts. And Peyton Woodring was predictably flawless in placekicking, hitting all his extra points and his only field goal attempt. But I have to go with sophomore safety KJ Bolden, whose first half blocked punt really put the nail in the Marshall coffin by setting the Dawgs up for the score that made it 21-0.

As always, feel free to include your picks in the comments, and…

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

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Georgia didn’t need to do anything elaborate to take down the Marshall Thundering Herd. And they never set out to. Instead they did the bare basics reasonably well, and it was all Bulldog fans could have dreamed of.

The Bulldog offense churned out 488 yards of offense, which was a welcome development. Even more titillating was the balance of 249 yards through the air and 239 yards on the ground.

Dwight Phillips had a solid day, with 60 yards rushing in only 5 carries. But it was Gunner Stockton who led all Bulldogs with 73 rushing yards on 10 attempts. Stockton became the first Georgia Bulldogs quarterback to run for multiple touchdowns in a game since Stetson Bennett did so in the 2022 national championship game.

While I don’t know that Mike Bobo wants Gunner Stockton to take off as much as he did early in this game, once the meat of the SEC schedule hits it is safe to say that the young quarterback will have put enough on film to keep league coaches up late scheming.

The pass protection was a bit iffy at points as well, with Stockton bailing the offensive line out with his legs in a way that Carson Beck rarely was able to. Some of the issues can be pinned on injuries that took down guards Micah Morris and Juan Gaston, as well as taxkle Ernest Greene. Morris was able to return, and Coach Smart was complimentary of Bo Hughlwy’s relief work for Greene. But Gaston went for an MRI, and may be sidelined for awhile.

Defensively the Bulldogs looked exactly as you’d expect them to against a Marshall squad that wasn’t supposed to offer a tough fight.The Red and Black surrendered only 207 yards of total offense, most of those in the second half once the backups had infiltrated the lineup. Georgia will see much tougher competition than a Marshall squad still trying to settle on a starting quarterback. But for today, they did what was asked of them.

While the Dawgs didn’t create any turnovers they did hold the Herd to 3 of 15 (20%) on third down conversions, a pretty solid stop rate, especially for a unit that had some trouble getting opposing offenses off the field in 2024. And while it wasn’t perfect, the tackling was by and large passable to good. In light of the issues with that most basic of defensive functions last season, and Kirby’s fretting over it in camp, that’s a decent start.

The Classic City Canines now move onto another contest against what should be an overmatched opponent, the Austin Peay Governors. Again, there are limits to what you can learn about your team in these type of tune up games. But today Georgia showed some signs of shaking off a few of the issues that dogged them last season. That’s a great way to start a new year.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

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There are few finer feelings in this world than to be a Georgia Bulldog on a Saturday night after watching the Red and Black take care of business in Sanford Stadium. We’ll be along with all your postgame victory coverage shortly, but this will be the thread for all your non-Bulldog evening college football action.

That includes the tail end of the Alabama/Florida State game that is not going the way Kalen DeBoer drew it up, the top ten Tiger tussle between Clemson and LSU, and whatever other late night fun crops up. Everybody have a great evening, and…

Go ‘Dawg

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The sun is out and it feels almost like football weather in Athens as Georgia prepares to kick it off against Marshall at 3:30. A few injury notes and odds & ends before toe meets leather:

Brett Thorson appears pretty unlikely to be in the lineup with backup Drew Miller stepping into his cleats. Thorson has been kicking in camp but Kirby sounded pretty doubtful this week that the Aussie All-American is fully ready for game action. That being said, he is on the field kicking in warm ups. I expect that’s just routine and Miller will get the start, but who knows?

Backup center Malachi Toliver is doubtful with an ankle injury. Drew Bobo is the clear starter, but if he goes down for any reason the ‘Dawgs could be forced to rely on any number of youngsters and transfers who have cross-trained at center.

Star Joenel Aguero is definitely a go according to Coach Smart despite some rumors that he might be out. Don’t believe anything you read on the Internet, kids. Unless you read it here.

Here’s hoping for a crisp outing in which the ‘Dawgs run the dang ball, take it away from the Herd, and come out healthy with a W.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

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As I sit here on the first Georgia football game day of the 2025 season the odds over at FanDuel tell me that the Red and Black have the second best chance (behind only the Texas Longhorns) to win the College Football Playoff. That same page gives the Dawgs -250 money line odds to simply make the playoff, implying roughly a 71% chance that Kirby & Co. will once again be playing January football with their title hopes in their own hands. And those same sharps also place a roughly 25% probability on the Athenians repeating as SEC Champions. Those are good odds. Most of college football would give its eye teeth for that kind of hope.

But honestly, in the face of all of that distilled objective analysis. I am just concerned about whether or not gunner Stockton can find Colbie Young and not the Marshall secondary. The college football landscape has changed tremendously in just the past half decade. It is a sport which is almost unrecognizable to observers from before the turn of the century. As I watched College Game Day this morning, I was reminded of what coverage of the sport used to look like, what fandom used to look like. It was, as the old saw goes, a simpler time.

But in many ways, the things that made the sport an obsession for me before I could even drive to a game remain true. It is still the most passionate, unpredictable, and generally unhinged spectacle in the sporting world. And we get to share it with each other, with those we love, and friends we haven’t even met yet. As time goes by, I find myself ever more thankful for that. I think Kirby has a fantastic football team this year. There is talent at every level of the defense, the special teams should be among the best in the nation, and if Gunner Stockton and the UGA offense are among the 10-15 best units in the country, this could be a championship formula.

But much stands in the way of Georgia’s third national title this decade. We are a couple of injuries, and perhaps a bad call at the worst time away from merely having a top five football team. As a longtime Bulldog fan, who once saw us poach Marshall‘s coach in hopes of reaching the next level, then watched that coach lose at home to the University of Southern Mississippi, these strike me as first world fan problems.

Last night I was sitting at a high school football game, listening to the band crank up and watching young men out on the field going through warm-ups. That’s when it occurred to me that what matters is really the game. The game has changed, evolved even, but it remains the same. Both at the high school and college level football is still about teamwork, collective and individual perseverance, and hard work. Your favorite player used to drive a beat up Tercel. He now drives a Range Rover. He still needs to be able to hit the check down receiver or shed a block. There’s a certain comfort in that.

As Seth pointed out earlier this week, it’s a random event generator onto which we impose narratives personal and societal. But those narratives are some of the most compelling imaginable, and we get to watch new ones being made every fall.

Georgia may win it all this year. Or they may not. The truth is if you were given the chance to pick any college football team to win it all or take the field you should probably take the field. Because a lot can go wrong on the path to glorBut along the way we’ll experience some joy and some anxiety, we’ll make some memories and write some stories. It’s gonna be quite the time, and we’re glad you’re here for it.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

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It’s game day, ‘Dawgs.

Online Athens has their four bold predictions for the game, which frankly don’t strike me as terribly bold. I agree with each of them. But that could just mean that I’m bold, too.

Olivia Sayer at Dawgs247 has some matchups to watch today, including one I agree is key: can Georgia run the dang ball? If the ‘Dawgs are going to be able to run the ball effectively against SEC competition they should be able to assert their will against the Sun Belt’s Thundering Herd.

You may have missed the news, but it was briefly reported on Thursday afternoon that due to safety issues the Chapel Bell was expected to be out of commission for the Marshall game. But you can’t keep a good bell down.

A hearty thank you from us here at Dawg Sports to these hard working Athenians. Damn good ‘Dawgs, every one.

And just in case you aren’t hyped enough, take a look at the first UGA football hype video of the year:

If that doesn’t get your engine running you may need some new plugs.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

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Welcome to the triumphant return of the Friday Tailgate, the virtual spot to pull up a chair, grab a beverage, and cool your heels while we wait for kickoff. Maestro, hit us with some guitar pickin’ suitable for college football picking:

Normally in this space we’ve traditionally played a stimulating game of “Over or Under”, but let’s switch things up for the new season, shall we? There’s a jumbo slate of excellent college football this weekend, and while we don’t know a whole lot about anybody in college football just yet (except Boise State, they may not be so hot this year) that’s no reason to avoid speculating. To that end several of the friendly and helpful staff here at Dawg Sports have agreed to put their reputations as pigskin prognosticators on the line by picking the results of a handful of marquee matchups.

If you refuse to follow my advice, and would like to lay your money down on these games and the rest of the weekend’s action the odds can be found over at FanDuel.

Auburn/Baylor (Auburn -1.5)

HNDawg: There aren’t many seats hotter than Hugh Freeze’s on the Plains heading into 2025.  While I don’t think Auburn will contend for a playoff spot, they should at least be an improved squad this season with new quarterback Jackson Arnold.  An opening day victory over Baylor will provide some false hope to the Auburn faithful.

MaconDawg: There are few things I hate more than picking Auburn to win. And I don’t have a great deal of faith in the Plainsmen once the meat of the SEC schedule hits. But I think Auburn’s got more offensive weapons (principally in the receiving corps) than the Baptist Bears can handle. Auburn 34, Baylor 27.

Squillian: As much as I’d love for Baylor to curb-stomp the Warplainstiglemen into the ground, I don’t see it happening. Auburn – 27, Baylor – 14

Nick: An Auburn loss here would have Hugh Freeze on the hot seat, meaning he would need to consider changing his last name. Wacky things can happen in Waco, but I think Auburn’s talent ultimately gets them the win here, even if it takes some time to gel. The War Eagles and Tigers win a sloppy one. Auburn 24 Baylor 13

GlimmerTwinDawg: Auburn looks incredible in a blowout win. Freeze does use more than 1 QB, but mostly Arnold who throws for 200+ and 2 TDs. This way it will be much more satisfying when we beat them down at Cam Newton’s retirement ceremony in a few weeks. 

Seth: Dave Aranda got off the hot seat and resumes control over the defense on a team that should also have a pretty explosive offense. Auburn is probably starting a gently used Jackson Arnold, though Hugh Freeze is being coy about who’s going to be taking snaps. That’s either coach-speak or an extremely bad sign. I’ll take Baylor, 45-42, in a game that might look like a Big 12 shootout from yesteryear. 

LugnutDawg: Baylor 28, Auburn 10

Ohio State/Texas (Ohio State -1.5)

HNDawg: #1 vs. #3.  Not just their AP Poll rankings, but also where they stand for the oddest fanbase (sandwiched around Tennessee of course… and with Ohio State #1).  The Buckeyes are the favorite at home, but it’s not THAT hard to go into Columbus and beat Ryan Day as an underdog (Hello, 7-5 Michigan).  Texas wins a close one, and the Arch Heisman train chugs along.

MaconDawg: If Arch Manning’s last name were “Donaldson” or “Splinterinmytoe” I don’t think Texas would be ranked #1. That being said, the Longhorns should have a championship level defense and plenty of talent on offense. Texas is back to the extent that “back” means ready to contend for a national title (though they won’t win it all in 2025, you heard it here first). They will win this weekend however and get the hype train going to an unreal level. Longhorns 30, Buckeyes 26.

Squillian: Can I nominate this one for meteor game of the week? Y’know, the one where you want a meteor strike to happen so they both lose… Ohio State – 27, Texas – 31

GlimmerTwinDawg: An OSU team looks invincible as they start fast and keep the pedal down. Texas makes a game of it, Arch looks the part, but the moment was too big for Sark’s Horns. 

Nick: Both teams will look a lot different than last year’s matchup in the semifinals. Even if it’s just wishful thinking, Arch struggles to find consistency in his first big start, Caleb Downs seals the game with a late INT, and the ESPN talking heads who have already crowded Manning as the next coming fumble their words trying to explain this one. Ohio State 27 Texas 21

Seth: Ohio State likely regresses a bit on defense this year, relative to Ohio State’s usual quality. But they still have the best player in college football out wide in Jeremiah Smith, and while Julian Sayin isn’t a Manning, he’s still a mega-five-star who’s been here for a year. I’ll take an OSU at home in a close one, 28-24. Whatever happens, I hope you like hearing about Arch Manning on sports media because this one is primed for overreaction. 

LugnutDawg: Texas 35, Ohio State 26.

Alabama/FSU (Alabama -13.5)

HNDawg: Thomas Castellanos talked waaaaaay too much trash before this game.  Now, this isn’t Saban’s Alabama, but they still have an elite roster who don’t take too kindly to that type of trash talk.  Tide Roll big.

Macondawg: Florida State will be better than in 2024. But not that much better. Alabama may be worse in 2025 than last season. But not that much worse. Bama 27, FSU 17.

Squillian: I have a colleague and a quasi-niece who are both FSU alum. And nearly every Bama fan I’ve ever met is insufferable. FSU – 28, Alabama – 24

GlimmerTwinDawg: It isn’t always pretty, but the Tide slowly pull away. This is almost solely due to the ineptitude of the ‘Noles. This tells us absolutely nothing about either team going forward. 

Nick: As much fun as it would be to watch Alabama lose this one, I can’t see it happening. FSU is coming off one of the worst seasons ever, and Alabama still has Alabama-level talent. The Tide picks up steam in the second half and runs away with it.

Seth: The 2023 Georgia Bulldogs ended the season by doing to FSU what Bane did to Batman. The main thing to watch for here is whether or not FSU shows any signs of life after a complete implosion in 2024. Alabama should roll in this one, 45-21, and Ryan Williams (did you know he’s only 18??) will rack up some major yards.  

LugnutDawg: Bama 24, FSU 16

LSU/Clemson (Clemson -4.5)

HNDawg: LSU is 0-5 this decade in season openers, which sounds like a made-up stat.  Brian Kelly is on an even hotter seat than Hugh Freeze.  This won’t ruin LSU’s season, but it will only increase the temp of said seat.

MaconDawg: I think lil’ ole Clemson is going to be pretty good this season, especially defensively. But for my money Nussmeier is probably the best quarterback in the SEC. This one feels like a game where somebody’s defense or special teams scores to make the difference. I think it will be the Tigers playing at home, not the ones playing on the road. Clemson 31, LSU 28.

Squillian: The tiger battle….in Death Valley. At night. If I didn’t have season tickets (and the tickets to this game weren’t INSANE)…I’d consider attending this one – it’ll be one for the ages. But….since a lot of my money went to Clemson with my boy, I gotta go with the tigers. Clemson – 41, LSU – 35

GlimmerTwinDawg: Two words: Brian Kelly. Just like the USC opener last year, LSU plays good but just can’t get out of their own way. The Orange stay in front and Klubnik becomes the Heisman front-runner. 

Nick: Apparently LSU made a deal with the devil in 2019, and the price was that they would never be allowed to win a Week 1 game ever again. The bayou Tigers are 0-5 in openers since then, against some less-than-stellar competition. Both “star” QBs play well in Death Valley, but Clemson wins because it can’t be LSU. Clemson 34 LSU 28

Seth: Brian Kelly and Dabo Swinney meet in a battle of the two men I’d least like to have dinner with. I’m not quite sold that Clemson is back to its mid-2010s form, but returning an experienced starter in Cade Klubnik gives them a huge advantage over most national title aspirants. That edge may be negated here, however, as LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier is also getting preseason Heisman buzz. Still, Kelly hasn’t won a season opener, and I don’t think he’ll start now. 31-24 Clemson.

LugnutDawg: LSU 31, Clemson 10.

Notre Dame/Miami (Notre Dame -2.5)

HNDawg: The winner will think they are winning it all.  The loser will be in complete meltdown mode.  I have faith in only one thing in this game: Mario Cristobal doing something actively detrimental.

MaconDawg: There seems to be a lot of excitement about Carson Beck in Miami. The thing that I’ve heard surprisingly little about is the fact that a little less than nine months ago Beck was standing on the sideline unable to lift his arm, and shortly thereafter had a relatively complex surgery on that arm. That comes with some question marks for me regarding his sharpness and the Miami offense’s level of preparation, especially against a Notre Dame defense that plays disciplined football and doesn’t give throwers a lot of big gaps. Notre Dame 34, Miami 20.

Squillian: They’re not in South Bend, so no touchdown Jesus, and there don’t appear to be any (actual) hurricanes on the horizon. Give me Notre Dame – 35, Miama – 14

GlimmerTwinDawg: Carson Beck goes off, but is under pressure quite a bit. Miami can’t tackle, and ND runs all over them and gets the win late. 

Nick: Carson Beck felt bad about not being able to play Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl last season, so he transferred to Miami to get the opportunity. The last time these two met in Hard Rock, the place was rocking, and the Irish had no luck. That’s not the case this time, as Beck plays well in his return from injury, but the Irish run game is too much for The U to handle. Notre Dame 27 Miami 24

Seth: I’m quite puzzled that anyone feels good about Miami this year since, though I wish him well, I can’t help but think Carson Beck is going to be a downgrade from Cam Ward. Still, Notre Dame lost a lot after last year, and they didn’t name CJ Carr the starter at QB until this week. Anyway, I don’t know how anyone could trust Mario Cristobal in a big game, so I’ll say 24-14 Irish. 

LugnutDawg: Notre Dame 13, Miami 9.

Georgia/Marshall (Georgia -38.5)

HNDawg: No one believes in Gunner Stockton or Georgia, and they are wrong.  Georgia wins, but the gameplan will be be vanilla to not show much ahead of September showdowns against Tennessee and Alabama.  Stockton is efficient, Frazier tops 100 yards, and Noah Thomas snags his first of many TDs.  Dawgs on top.

MaconDawg: Kirby wants two things out of this game: effort and execution. I think he’ll get enough of both for Georgia to win easily, but I also expect we’ll be seeing some reserves by the end of the third. Marshall has 62 transfers on their 85 man roster under a new staff and there’s just no way that comes together well by week one. Georgia 41, Marshall 17.

Squillian: Home opener. I understand why it isn’t a night game, but boy, there’s nothing like Sanford at night. I think Marshall will surprise us (not in a good way), but in the end, the boys git ‘er done. Georgia – 49, Marshall – 21

GlimmerTwinDawg: UGA scores first and starts a rout early, but a lethargic 2Q with some penalties keeps the score down. We use at least 5 running backs, 9 receivers catch a ball including 3 TEs, and Puglisi throws a couple of passes. 43-10 Bulldogs. 

Nick: By far the biggest game of the week, we finally get a chance to see the Dawgs in action. All eyes will be on Gunner and how he controls the offense with the new weapons we brought in. The receivers cannot possibly be worse than last season (I hope), and neither can the offensive line (I hope). The Dawgs hit some explosive plays early before Kirby goes into “burn out the clock mode” while the defense stays steady as always. Georgia 38 Marshall 10

Seth: Marshall has a new coach and 74 new starters after a mass exodus so severe they had to decline their bowl invitation last year. If this one is in any doubt by the second quarter, it may be a rough transition to the Stockton era. I’ll be watching the o-line closely and hoping to see third-stringers on both sides of the ball in the second half. I think Georgia covers the extremely large spread, 52-10.

LugnutDawg: Georgia 35, Marshall 7.

We’d love to get your picks in the comments, along with any other miscellaneous thoughts you’ve got regarding the upcoming season, or life its own self. This is a tailgate after all, so feel free to