Georgia football opens as monster Week 1 favorites

The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs are massive favorites, as expected, for their 2026 college football season opener against the Tennessee State Tigers. Georgia is back-to-back SEC champions and has made consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. The Dawgs went 12-2 in 2025 and return starting quarte

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What is the story about?

The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs are massive favorites, as expected, for their 2026 college football season opener against the Tennessee State Tigers.

Georgia is back-to-back SEC champions and has made consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. The Dawgs went 12-2 in 2025 and return starting quarterback Gunner Stockton

, running back Nate Frazier, center Drew Bobo, safety Ellis Robinson and more elite players.

Georgia hosts a Tennessee State team that opens the season against Jackson State on Aug. 29. Tennessee State is coming off a dreadful 2025 season where the Tigers went 2-10 and failed to score more than 24 points in a game all season. Tennessee State plays at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.

With the significant talent

gap, it makes sense why Georgia is opening as 45 1/2-point favorites, per FanDuel. Despite the massive line, the Bulldogs typically have not been racking up points against inferior opponents in recent years.

Other teams favored by 45 or more points in Week 1 include Tennessee, BYU, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Missouri and Minnesota. The Georgia-Tennessee State game will be televised on SEC Network+ at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 5.