Two teams coming off impressive season opening victories square off Saturday afternoon on Dooley Field in Sanford Stadium as the Georgia Bulldogs host the Governors of Austin Peay.
Austin Peay, located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and a member of the United Athletic Conference, went on the road and defeated Middle Tennessee State 34-14 in Murfreesboro. The Governors opened strong, outscoring the Blue Raiders 14-0 in the first quarter. Leading 24-14 after three periods, APSU put the game away in the final 15 minutes, outscoring MTSU 10-0 in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Chris Parson completed 11-of- 20 passes for 142 yards and a pair of scores.
Georgia scored on its first two possessions in a season-opening 45-7 victory over Marshall in Athens. The victory marked a 32nd consecutive victory Between the Hedges for Kirby Smart’s powerhouse program, a new Southeastern Conference record. The Bulldogs displayed a balanced offense against the Thundering Herd, running for 239 yards and throwing for 249. Making his first start at Sanford Stadium, and the second of his career, redshirt junior quarterback Gunner Stockton accounted for four touchdowns, two on the ground and 249 through the air. Stockton was the Bulldogs’ leading ground gainer with 73 yards on 10 carries. His top receiving target was Zachariah Branch, who pulled in three catches for 95 yards, highlighted by a 47-yard scoring catch and run delivered by Stockton.
The Bulldogs’ defense was dominant, allowing only seven first downs to Marshall, shutting the Thundering Herd out for the first three quarters, while amassing a 45-0 lead. Branch’s brother Zion Branch led the Bulldogs with seven tackles from his safety position.
On special teams, KJ Bolden blocked a punt, which set up the Bulldogs third touchdown, while All-SEC kicker Peyton Woodring was outstanding, and redshirt freshman Drew Miller (subbing for injured All-American Brett Thorson) averaged 48 yards on six punts.
Under the watch of head coach Kirby Smart, Georgia improved to 10-0 in season openers. The Bulldogs are also 10-0 in game No. 2s in Smart’s incredible time at the helm of his alma mater.
This will be the second meeting between the Bulldogs and the Governors. Georgia opened the 2018 campaign with a 45-0 victory over Austin Peay at Sanford Stadium.
The Bulldogs are a heavy favorite going into Saturday’s game, but Smart and his team always preach playing to a standard. While Georgia has been amongst college football’s elite, the Governors have also been winning at a high level of late, headlined by conference titles in 2022 and 2023.
Following Saturday’s contest, the Bulldogs head to Knoxville to play Tennessee in the first of eight straight Southeastern Conference games.