Tennessee State vs. Georgia Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 1

The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs open the 2026 season at home against an FCS opponent, the Tennessee State Tigers, on Saturday.

Georgia is set as a massive favorite in this game, and it’s coming off a strong 2025 season where it made the College Football Playoff and beat Alabama before losing to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.

The Bulldogs have been a dominant defensive team under head coach Kirby Smart, and they bring back quarterback Gunner Stockton, who finished seventh in the Heisman voting in his junior season.

Tennessee won just two games in the 2025 season (0-8 in conference play) and it is going to struggle to generate any offense against this Georgia team. Last season, George won three games by 25 or more points against non-Power Four opponents.

Here’s a look at the odds, a player to watch and my prediction for this Week 1 clash.

Tennessee State vs. Georgia Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Tennessee State +46.5 (-115)
Georgia -46.5 (-105)

Moneyline

Tennessee State: N/A
Georgia: N/A

Total

56.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Tennessee State vs. Georgia How to Watch

Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: 3:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Sanford Stadium
How to Watch (TV): SECN+
Tennessee State record: 0-1
Georgia record: 0-0

Tennessee State vs. Georgia Key Player to Watch

Gunner Stockton, Quarterback, Georgia

A fringe Heisman candidate this season, Gunner Stockton is coming off a solid 2025 season where he showcased his ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs.

Stockton ran for 462 yards and 10 scores for the Bulldogs while completing 69.7 percent of his passes for 2,894 yards, 24 scores and just five picks. He’s thrown just seven interceptions in 23 games in his Georgia career, and the Bulldogs have to like that there is continuity at the quarterback position once again as they attempt to win the SEC.

Stockton likely won’t have to throw the ball a ton in this matchup, but after finishing seventh in the Heisman voting last season, he’s a player to watch in 2026.

Tennessee State vs. Georgia Prediction and Pick

Georgia played three games against non-Power Four teams in the 2025 season:

45-7 win over Marshall
28-6 win over Austin Peay
35-3 win over Charlotte

It allowed a combined 16 points against those opponents, and it fell short of the total for this Week 1 game in all of them.

Now, it takes on an FCS team in Tennessee State that is going to struggle on offense in this matchup.

Georgia’s defense has been one of the best in the country every single year in the Kirby Smart era, and the Bulldogs did most of their damage on the ground (seventh in EPA/Rush) last year, which could end up chewing a lot of clock in this game.

There’s a chance that Georgia scores enough points to push this game over the total, but I’m betting on this defense shutting down the Tigers on Saturday afternoon.

Pick: UNDER 56.5 (-115 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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