No. 3 Georgia enters the game having won its season opener a week ago at Vanderbilt, but after dominating early on the way to a 21-0 lead, the Bulldogs looked tepid for most of the rest of the way.
After the 8:01 mark in the second quarter, the Bulldogs and Commodores combined to score 15 points, on five field goals, with UGA holding a 9-6 margin.
Running back D’Andre Swift rushed for 147 yards, the largest portion of the Bulldogs’ 323 total rushing yards. Quarterback Jake Fromm completed 15 of 23 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Demetris Robertson was UGA’s leading receiver, with three catches. Fromm connected with Lawrence Cager for the longest pass play, a 38-yard reception.
Georgia held Vandy to 225 yards, 3.6 per play. Also, one key ingredient in the tepid play was the 115 yards in penalties assessed against Georgia.
Here is some important information regarding how to follow the action Saturday:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7
Before the game: "Bulldogs Game Day" airs from 10-11 a.m. on WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News. Channel 2 sports director Zach Klein and Heather Catlin host the show each Saturday.
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Sanford Stadium, Athens
Television: ESPN2 will televise the game. Beth Mowins will handle play-by-play. Anthony Becht is the analyst and Rocky Boiman is the sideline reporter.
Local radio: The game will be broadcast on the Georgia Bulldogs Sports Network, heard in metro Atlanta on WSB radio (750 AM/95.5 FM). Scott Howard is handling play-by-play. Eric Zeier is the analyst, and Chuck Dowdle is the sideline reporter.
Satellite radio: You can listen on Sirius XM Radio Channel 78/191.
Online: GTV on georgiadogs.com.
» MORE: How to watch all 76 FBS games
5 things you may want to know:
> Georgia has won seven consecutive home openers, defeating (in order) Buffalo, South Carolina, Clemson, Louisiana-Monroe, Nicholls State, Appalachian State and Austin Peay. Georgia’s most recent loss in a home opener came in 2011 against South Carolina.
> This game will be Georgia’s second against Murray State. The first came in 1945, when the Bulldogs won 49-0 in Athens.
> UGA is 3-0 in home openers in Kirby Smart’s tenure. In the first, the Bulldogs escaped with a 26-24 victory against Nicholls in 2016.
> Murray State coach Mitch Stewart played at Valdosta State from 2001-05. He was a quarterback for the Blazers. An item of note about his first season was that Valdosta State’s defensive coordinator was Kirby Smart.
> In Murray State’s season opener, a 59-20 victory against Pikeville, the Racers gained 465 yards of offense and allowed 245. The Racers rushed for 249 yards.
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