Georgia returns home on Saturday to take on FCS opponent Samford after pulling out an emotional win over Notre Dame last week. Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm will make his second consecutive start.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Georgia will have to avoid relishing last week's 20-19 win at then-No. 24 Notre Dame that attracted an impressive showing on the road by its fans. Georgia coaches and players may have fielded more questions about this week about the Notre Dame game than this week's visit from Samford. Georgia freshman QB Jake Fromm will make his first home start. Samford, from the Southern Conference, has little on the line, though coach Chris Hatcher could make a big statement for his program while facing Kirby Smart, his former assistant at Valdosta State.
KEY MATCHUP
Samford WR Kelvin McKnight against Georgia secondary. McKnight caught 13 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 49-41 win over West Alabama. Georgia's defense ranks 53rd in the nation, allowing 179 yards passing per game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Samford: QB Devlin Hodges, the 2016 Southern Conference offensive player of the year, completed 30-of-47 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown against West Alabama. The junior already has passed for almost 7,000 yards in his career.
Georgia: Senior RB Nick Chubb is the most established star on the Bulldogs' offense, but he may have difficulty earning a clear-cut lead role. He has only 28 carries for 159 yards and one touchdown in two game, sharing time with senior Sony Michel, and freshman D'Andre Swift.
FACT & FIGURES
Samford is 2-76-3 against current members of the Southeastern Conference. ... Samford is No. 17 in the FCS coaches' poll. ... Samford, based in Birmingham, Alabama, has 38 players from the state of Georgia — more than the 36 from Alabama. ... Sonny Smart, Kirby Smart's father, was a center at Samford from 1968-70. ... Hatcher was Valdosta State's coach when he gave Kirby Smart his first start as defensive backs coach in 2000. Smart was named defensive coordinator in 2001. ... Georgia backup offensive lineman Sage Hardin announced this week he is giving up football for medical reasons. He played in one game in 2016.
