NO. 3 GEORGIA VS. AUSTIN PEAY
3:30 p.m. Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia ESPN/102.3 FM
THE MATCHUP
Austin Peay ranked sixth in the Football Championship Subdivision last season in rushing offense by averaging 258.8 yards per game, with former Brentwood Academy standout quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall rushing for 453 yards and averaging 4.8 yards per carry in addition to his 1,148 passing yards. The Governors will be challenging a Georgia defense that expects to be stout up front but is looking to replace Butkus Award-winning inside linebacker Roquan Smith and the outside linebacker tandem of Davin Bellamy and Lorenzo Carter. “They have a lot of elements of the option,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Their quarterback does a great job, and they are effective with perimeter runs and inside runs. They have a plethora of offensive sets in motions, and they do a very good job offensively of trying to keep you off balance. I’m not saying they’re going to come in and dominate and be able to run the ball every down on us, but I think what they can do is get explosive plays, because they affect you on the perimeter. If you don’t play the option right, which is not something that we practice against every day, it can become a problem for you.”
ONE TO WATCH
Although Georgia sophomore Jake Fromm is the proven starter at quarterback after guiding the Bulldogs to their first Southeastern Conference title in 12 seasons, the home fans also will be eager to see five-star freshman Justin Fields, the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the 2018 signing class. Smart has not announced how he plans to use the quarterbacks, but don’t be surprised if Fields gets in Justin Fields the game during the first half and maybe even late in the first quarter. Fields has a strong arm and is a better runner than Fromm, and Smart has been open about finding ways to maximize his talents. “He’s done a good job in this camp of being able to move on and make the decisions you’ve got to make at quarterback to make winning decisions,” Smart said. “That’s why we’re very confident in Justin and what he’s been able to do. I’m very pleased with where he’s at.”
IN THE END
The Bulldogs had a magical run last season that exceeded all expectations, and they can move on from the heartbreaking manner of the way things ended with their national championship game loss to Alabama in Atlanta. The Bulldogs have opened against Clemson, Louisiana-Monroe, North Carolina and Appalachian State in the past four seasons, so this will mark the first time these Georgia players have started the schedule against an FCS opponent. “It’s nothing different for us,” Bulldogs senior center Lamont Gaillard said. “We focus on ourselves whether we play a North Carolina, an App State or an Austin Peay.” This will be a day to remember for Austin Peay coach Will Healy — a Chattanooga native whose father played in Sanford Stadium as a Georgia Tech running back — but the final score won’t be friendly.