Kent State (1-2) at No. Georgia (3-0), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN+)
Line: Georgia by 44 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Georgia leads 1-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Not much. Georgia is looking for another dominant performance to solidify its hold on the No. 1 ranking. Kent State hopes to keep things respectable, having already lost road games against No. 18 Washington and No. 6 Oklahoma by an average of 27 1/2 points.
KEY MATCHUP
Georgia TE Brock Bowers vs. Kent State’s linebacking corps. Bowers is one of the game’s most dynamic offensive players: a tight end with a receiver’s speed and moves. He is coming off a brilliant showing in a blowout win over South Carolina, torching the Gamecocks for 126 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. The Golden Flashes will have their hands full trying to defend Bowers.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kent State RB Marquez Cooper. A 1,205-yard rusher a year ago, he led the Golden Flashes with 88 yards and two scores in last week’s 63-10 victory over Long Island. Cooper powered a 358-yard effort on the ground, and Kent State will need another big rushing effort to have any chance of keepings things close against the Bulldogs.
Georgia S Malaki Starks. The freshman has two interceptions in his first three college games. He immediately made an impact with a spectacular, twisting pick in the season-opening rout of Oregon. He intercepted another against South Carolina, followed by a return of 42 yards.
FACTS & FIGURES
The only other time these teams met was the 1998 season opener in Athens, when Georgia coach Kirby Smart was a player for the Bulldogs. The home team romped to a 56-3 victory. … The Bulldogs have outscored their first three opponents by a combined 130-10, surrendering just one touchdown. … Kent State has rushed for more than 300 yards five times in the last two seasons. … Georgia has won 13 straight games and 29 of the last 30 at Sanford Stadium. The only home loss since Smart’s first season in 2016 was a double-overtime setback to South Carolina on Oct. 12, 2019. … Stetson Bennett is 17-3 as Georgia’s starting quarterback.
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