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Georgia vs. Western Kentucky Preview

Georgia handled its business against Tennessee State, which is about all you can ask for in a first game like that. Now the schedule moves on to something that should at least offer a bit more insight.

Georgia, ranked No. 3, welcomes Western Kentucky to Sanford Stadium for a 12:45 PM kickoff on Saturday. This comes just before the Bulldogs head to Arkansas for the SEC opener. Western Kentucky has put together some solid seasons in recent years, but after a 49-14 loss at Nevada to start their season, the Hilltoppers do not look like the most intimidating opponent to roll into Athens.

So the real question this Saturday is not whether Georgia will win, but what the Bulldogs can actually take away from this game before the schedule starts to get a lot tougher.

There was no shortage of positives in Georgia’s opener. The Bulldogs piled up 660 yards in a 63-3 win over Tennessee State, finding the end zone on their first five drives. Gunner Stockton was about as efficient as you could ask for, completing 15 of 16 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns before getting the rest of the day off. The ball got spread around, too, with nine different receivers catching passes and plenty of players from deeper down the roster getting involved.

Western Kentucky should at least put up more of a fight, but Nevada made it clear there are some issues to exploit. The Hilltoppers gave up 323 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, allowing 7.7 yards per carry. That is the sort of stat that probably has Georgia’s running backs and offensive line paying close attention, especially after Nate Frazier managed 72 yards and three touchdowns on just four carries last week.

WKU does have a couple of offensive pieces worth watching. Quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. completed 24 of 40 passes for 203 yards at Nevada, while running back Ajay Allen rushed for 102 yards and scored both Hilltopper touchdowns. Allen’s production gives Georgia’s front seven a better measuring stick than it saw in the opener, even if the overall matchup remains heavily tilted toward the Bulldogs.

There is also a fair amount of uncertainty around Western Kentucky. Tyson Helton’s team came into the year with 65 new faces, including 41 transfers, and they are now on their seventh offensive coordinator in as many seasons. That much turnover was always going to take some time to sort out, and the opener made it clear that the process is still ongoing.

For Georgia, the focus this Saturday should be on cleaning up mistakes, getting the running game going, and taking another extended look at the roster before the games start to leave less room for error. The Tennessee State game reminded everyone what Georgia looks like when everything is clicking. Western Kentucky gives the Bulldogs one more chance to make sure those good habits stick before the schedule starts to really count more.

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