No. 3 Georgia big favorite in home opener against Murray St
Murray State (1-0) at No. 3 Georgia (1-0), Saturday at 4 p.m. EDT (ESPN2).
Line: Georgia by 48 1/2.
Series record: Georgia leads 1-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Not much. Georgia is eager to get plenty of players into the game, especially those who didn’t make the trip to Vanderbilt for the opener last weekend. Murray State will collect a hefty payday and get to play in one of the college football’s most storied venues, but this game shouldn’t have much impact on the Racers‘ goals this season.
KEY MATCHUP
Murray State QB Preston Rice vs. Georgia’s defense. Rice went 20 of 31 for 170 yards and two touchdowns in his debut as the starting quarterback, leading the Racers to a 59-20 victory over Pikeville in their season opener. But this will be quite a jump for the third-year sophomore, facing a Georgia defense that didn’t give up a touchdown in a 30-6 victory over Southeastern Conference foe Vandy.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Murray State: LB Edmond McGhee. Five tackles, including two for losses, and a forced fumble in the opener.
Georgia: RB D’Andre Swift. While it could be a short day for the Bulldogs’ top rusher, Swift will be looking to build on a 152-yard performance in Week 1. He averaged more than 9 yards per carry against the Commodores.
FACTS & FIGURES
The only previous meeting between the teams was in 1945, about three weeks after the end of World War II. The Bulldogs romped to a 49-0 victory on the way to a 9-2 season. … The field at Sanford Stadium will formally be named in honor of former Georgia coach Vince Dooley in a ceremony before the game. … Georgia has plenty of depth at running back in addition to Swift. Senior Brian Herrien got his first career start at Vandy, rushing for 65 yards and a TD. Bulldog fans were most excited by the debut of top prospect Zamir White, who missed the 2018 season with a knee injury. He had five carries for 51 yards, though his performance was marred by a fumble. … Murray State coach Mitch Stewart played quarterback at Valdosta State, including the 2001 season when Georgia coach Kirby Smart was the school’s defensive coordinator.
