ATHENS, Ga. — The No. 3-ranked Georgia football team kicked off its season Saturday afternoon with a runaway 63-3 win over Tennessee State at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs got off to a fast start thanks to a 48-yard touchdown run by Nate Frazier on the third play of the game, and they rolled from there.
The temperature was around 100 degrees at kickoff, and Georgia’s start was just as hot. At the end of the opening quarter, the Bulldogs (1-0) had a 28-0 lead while the Tigers (0-2) had zero yards of total offense. It was 35-3 at halftime, by which point Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton and several other starters were already done for the day. The Bulldogs finished with 660 yards of offense, to just 109 for Tennessee State, and seven different Georgia players scored touchdowns.
Stockton led the offense for five drives before hitting the bench, and Georgia scored touchdowns on all five. He finished the game 15 of 16 passing for 202 yards and three touchdowns, with completions to nine different receivers. Frazier scored touchdowns on his first two carries of the season and finished a light day with 72 yards and three scores on just four carries.
The game was the first-ever meeting between Georgia and Tennessee State, an FCS program that plays in the Ohio Valley Conference, and it was a one-sided affair from the start. Georgia (1-0) got the ball first and wasted little time getting into the end zone.
A screen pass from Stockton to wideout Talyn Taylor on first down went for seven yards, an end-around run by receiver Landon Roldan gained four yards, and then Frazier, on his first carry, took a handoff on the right side and sprinted 48 yards for a 7-0 lead.
After the Georgia defense got a quick three-and-out, with linebacker Raylen Wilson getting an 8-yard tackle for loss on second down, the Bulldogs were quickly back on the attack. A 25-yard catch and run by running back Chauncey Bowens moved the ball inside the Tiger 20-yard line, and Frazier later scored on a 14-yard rush to make it 14-0 with 10:08 left in the first quarter.
Georgia’s offense took over at its 37 after another Tiger punt, and Stockton hit Isiah Canion for 15 yards on first down. Taylor ran for 31 on the next play, and then Stockton found tight end Elyiss Williams open on the right side for a 17-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
The Bulldogs made it 28-0 with 2:08 left in the opening quarter when Stockton and Taylor connected on another screen pass on second down at the Tiger 11. Taylor easily ran through some light traffic and into the end zone for the first touchdown of the redshirt sophomore’s career.
On Tennessee State’s next drive, linebackers Chris Cole and PJ Dean sacked quarterback Daylin Lee for a loss of 13 yards on third down. It was the final play of an opening quarter in which the Bulldogs out-gained the Tigers 228-0.
Stockton was still in the game to start the second quarter and still finding his targets. On Georgia’s next drive, he hit Williams for a 19-yard gain; he later hit Craig Dandridge Jr. for 20, and on second down at the Tiger 14, he found tight end Jaden Reddell open down the middle for a touchdown and a 35-0 lead with 10:33 to play in the half.
Tennessee State got on the scoreboard late in the first half, cutting the Bulldog lead to 35-3 on Preston Hurless’ 37-yard field goal. At the break, Georgia had a 358-41 advantage in total offense and a 17-5 advantage in first downs. Georgia’s defense also produced five tackles for loss in the first two quarters.
Backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi led the Bulldogs on their first scoring drive of the second half. He had completions to Canion, Reddell and Sacovie White-Helton, Reddell also ran for a 29-yard gain, and Frazier scored on a 3-yard run to make it 42-3 with 10:56 left in the third.
Puglisi threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kaiden Prothro with 5:01 left in the third, pushing the lead to 49-3. It was the second career touchdown pass for Puglisi, a sophomore, and the first career touchdown for the freshman Prothro. Puglisi gave way to third-string QB Ryan Montgomery late in the third quarter; Puglisi finished 7 of 13 passing for 109 yards and a touchdown. Montgomery fired a strike to wide receiver Jeremy Bell for a 54-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, making it 56-3. It was the first career TD pass for Montgomery and the first TD catch for Bell.
Freshman running back Jae Lamar scored his first career touchdown with 8:57 left in the game, sprinting into the end zone for an 11-yard score to make it 63-3. Georgia’s defense finished the game with seven tackles for loss and three sacks. Freshman linebacker PJ Dean had 1.5 sacks in his collegiate debut.
The Bulldogs are back on Dooley Field next Saturday for a game against Western Kentucky. In 2006, Georgia beat the Hilltoppers 48-12 in their only previous meeting.
POST-GAME NOTES
*Winning The Opener: With today’s 63-3 win, third-ranked Georgia (1-0) improved to 103-27-3 in season openers including having won 13 straight. Under Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs are 11-0 in season openers and improve to 57-5 at home. The 63 points and 60-point margin of victory are the biggest in a season opener in the Smart era. The previous best in an opener under Smart came in a 49-3 win over #11 Oregon in 2022.
*Offensive Summary: Georgia compiled 63 points on the day, tallying 660 yards of offense (272-rushing, 388-passing) on 60 plays.
*The Bulldogs opened the first half with 358 yards of total offense (156-rushing, 202-passing) on 32 plays and led 35-3.
*Georgia built a 28-0 edge in the 1st quarter, scoring TDs on its first four possessions with the drives covering 59, 54, 63 and 52 yards. It was the most points in a quarter by the Bulldogs since scoring 35 in the 2nd quarter of the 2023 Orange Bowl win over #5 FSU 63-3. To start the 2nd quarter, Georgia’s fifth possession ended with another TD, going 82 yards in seven plays for a 35-0 lead.
*In just one quarter and a half of playing time, fifth-year QB Gunner Stockton finished 15-for-16 for 202 yards and 3 TDs (261.7 QB Rating), directing TD drives on the first five possessions of the contest. He had a 17-yard TD pass to sophomore TE Elyiss Williams, an 11-yard TD pass to sophomore Talyn Taylor and a 14-yarder to junior Jaden Reddell.
*Junior QB Ryan Puglisi (7-for-13, 109 yards, 1 TD) entered the game with 9:10 left in the 2nd quarter and Georgia up 35-0. Also, he started the 2nd half. He directed a pair of TD drives including capping one with a 16-yard TD pass to freshman TE Kaiden Prothro.
*Sophomore QB Ryan Montgomery saw action later in the 2nd half and led a five-play, 79-yard TD drive in 2:12 that culminated in a 54-yard TD pass to Jeremy Bell.
*Sophomore QB Hezekiah Millender entered the game with 12:44 left in the contest and led a 59-yard TD drive.
*The Running Game: Georgia compiled 272 rushing yards on 27 attempts for a 10.1 average.
*Junior Nate Frazier led the group with 72 yards on just four carries with three resulting in TDs.
*Frazier scampered 48 yards for a TD on his first carry of the season. It capped a three-play, 59-yard drive in 1:20 for a 7-0 lead.
*Frazier’s second carry was a 14-yard TD, capping a five-play, 54-yard drive in 2:07 for a 14-0 edge.
*Frazier’s fourth carry was a 3-yard TD to finish a six-play, 65-yard drive in 2:45 for a 42-3 edge in the 3rd quarter. This third TD today matched his career high after having three against UMASS in 2024. Freshman Jae Lamar had his first career TD, an 11-yarder.
*Receiving Leaders: Georgia had 15 players combine for 25 catches and five TDs. Junior Sacovie White-Helton had three catches for 34 yards.
*Sophomore Talyn Taylor notched his first career TD, an 11-yard reception in the 1st quarter and finished the game with three catches for 28 yards plus one rush for 31 yards.
*Junior TE Jaden Redell enjoyed a career day with 2 catches for 38 yards including his first TD plus a career-long 29-yard rush.
*Tight end Elyiss Williams and freshman WR Craig Dandridge Jr. each had two catches for 36 yards with Williams having a TD.
*Freshman TE Kaiden Prothro and junior Jeremy Bell each had one catch, and it went for a TD.
*Defensive Review: TSU scored three points and finished with 109 yards of offense (10-rush, 99-pass) on 58 plays.
*In the 1st half, TSU was held to three points, tallying 40 yards of total offense (-16 rush, 56-pass) on 28 plays.
*In the first quarter, TSU had a net zero yards of offense after gaining 21 passing and minus 21 rushing. TSU’s final offensive play of the first quarter resulted in a sack of minus 13 yards by Chris Cole and freshman PJ Dean.
*TSU managed a 37-yard field goal in the 2nd quarter as it went 55 yards in 14 plays over a span of 5:29 to make it 35-3.
*Leading Tacklers: Seven Bulldogs had three tackles apiece to lead the team. Freshman OLB PJ Dean notched 1.5 sacks while junior Chris Cole was credited with 0.5 sacks and was among the group with three tackles.
*Special Teams Summary: Senior PK Peyton Woodring tallied eight points (8 PATs) plus took care of most of the kickoffs.
*Junior Drew Miller handled the punting with just one for 65 yards. Freshman Harran Zureikat handled the final two kickoffs, both touchbacks plus made the final PAT.
*In the return game, junior Sacove White-Helton had four punt returns for 59 yards including a career-long 35-yarder. He had one kickoff return for 18 yards while freshman Tyriq Green had 1 KOR for 25 yards. Freshman Craig Dandridge Jr., had one punt return for 30 yards.
*Captains, Coin Toss And For Starters It’s Hot: Georgia’s captains were Drew Bobo, Chris Cole, Jordan Hall and Peyton Woodring.
*TSU won the toss and elected to defer the football until the 2nd half.
*Temperature at kickoff was 101 with a heat index of 110 which are Sanford Stadium records.
*Getting The Start: Zykie Helton (RG) became the latest true freshman to start a season opener. During the Kirby Smart era that began in 2016, there now have been 14 true freshmen to start an opener, and in this span, the other OL were Andrew Thomas, ’17 at RT, Juan Gaston ’25 at RG. Sophomores Talyn Taylor (WR), Elijah Griffin (DL) and junior Demello Jones (CB) made their first career starts.
*Bulldog Salute: An array of Georgia national championships teams from 2000-2001 were recognized pregame including then national coach of the year honorees Jack Bauerle (swimming & diving), Chris Haack (men’s golf) and Jeff Wallace (women’s tennis), all who were in attendance. Also, UGA football lettermen from six different decades were honored at halftime.
*Up Next: No. 3 Georgia (1-0) plays host to Western Kentucky Saturday, Sept. 12 at 12:45 p.m. (SECN). WKU plays at Nevada tonight.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Coming soon.