The Georgia Bulldogs will head to Nashville, Tennessee, to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in the opening conference game for the SEC on Saturday, August 31st, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. (The game was moved from SEC Network.)

The game will take place at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt Stadium is home to the Commodores.

The Bulldogs enter the season at number three in the AP Top 25. Vanderbilt enters the season unranked and did not receive any votes in the AP Top 25.

A team always wants to win its first game, but for Vanderbilt, this game is so much more than just an opening game. A win would not only get Vanderbilt out to a hot start at 1-0, it would also boost the confidence of a young but talented Vanderbilt team. A win for Georgia would get the sour taste of a Sugar Bowl defeat out of their mouths, and most importantly, a win in the SEC East.

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt football TV Channel

The Georgia-Vanderbilt game will air on ESPN. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT, 7:30 p.m. ET.

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt football players to Watch

Jake Fromm has led the Bulldogs to back-to-back double-digit win seasons. If Georgia wants to make a run to the College Football Playoff, Fromm will have to continue to lead this team like we know he can. Fromm won’t have the weapons at receiver that he had last year, so that will be something to look out for. He is currently projected anywhere from the first to third quarterback to be taken in this years upcoming NFL draft and is a preseason second team All-SEC selection.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn took over the workload of Commodore great Ralph Webb, and Vaughn hasn’t missed a beat. Vaughn was a second team All-SEC player last year and will look to build off of that. The Commodores will also rely on Vaughn more, now that Kyle Shurmur is gone.

De’Andre Swift waited his turn behind Georgia greats like Sony Michel and Nick Chubb two years ago, and was a thousand yard rusher this past season. He will look to be the main back now that Elijah Holyfield is gone. Swift was also a second team All-SEC player last year. This might be the best running back matchup we see all season.

Kalija Lipscomb is the number one option at receiver for Vanderbilt. He was a second team All-SEC player last year and will look to improve in his senior season. Lipscomb is a great route runner with amazing footwork and nice hands.

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt football Vegas Odds

The current spread for Vanderbilt-Georgia is 22.5 in favor of Georgia. The line has continually moved up in recent days from where the line opened at 19.5.

The over/under remains at 57.5.

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt football predictions

From the SDS week 1 predictions:

Michael: Typically, I would never take this many points in a season-opening conference game on the road. However, this game won’t be taking place in a road environment for the Bulldogs — this will be more of a road atmosphere for the Commodores based on the buzz surrounding the game. The spread is large but so is the gap between these two rosters, and that’s with Vanderbilt having maybe the best running back and tight end in the league. Vanderbilt’s line of scrimmage will be tested in this matchup and I don’t like the Dores to hold up for long. Despite having largely a new set of receivers surrounding him, I like Jake Fromm to continue the momentum he had to end last season.

Georgia 45 Vanderbilt 13

Chris: I hope this line isn’t a trap because I feel like it’s free money. The only thing longer in Nashville than the bathroom line at Tootsies is the night in store for the Commodores.

Georgia 38 Vanderbilt 14

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt football history

Georgia and Vanderbilt have played every year since 1968, with Georgia leading the all time series with 57 wins compared to Vanderbilt’s 20.

Overall the teams have met 79 times on the gridiron. The last Vanderbilt win came in 2016, which snapped a ten year winless streak against the Bulldogs. Last year, Georgia won easily, by a score of 41-13.

The largest margin of victory in the series happened in 1901, when Vanderbilt beat Georgia 47-0.

The longest win streak in the series is 11 straight wins by Georgia from 1974-1984.

Georgia Bulldogs 2018 Season Review

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs secured their second straight double-digit win season after going 11-3 in 2018. The Bulldogs had key wins against Florida and Kentucky, but lost against LSU in the regular season, and blew a fourth quarter lead in the SEC Championship to Alabama to end their playoff hopes. The Bulldogs would go on to the Sugar Bowl and lose to Big 12 runner-up Texas, 28-21.

Georgia was fourth in the SEC in total offense and fourth in the SEC in total defense.

Jake Fromm returns for his junior season in Athens and looks to build off of another great 2018 campaign. Everyone is asking the same question though, can he lead Georgia to a National Title. There’s no question that Georgia has the talent to win, but they have come up just short in both years. This year, this Georgia team will go as far as Jake Fromm will take them.

Kirby Smart Opening Game History

This season will be Kirby Smart’s fourth year as a head coach and his fourth year at Georgia. Let’s take a look at Smart’s opening game record as a head coach:

-2016: Georgia win over North Carolina
-2017: Georgia win over Appalachian State
-2018: Georgia win over Austin Peay

Vanderbilt Commodores 2018 Season Review

In 2018 Derek Mason led the Commodores to their second bowl birth in three years. The 2018 season included key wins against Arkansas, Ole Miss and Tennessee. The Commodores dropped close games against Notre Dame, Florida, Missouri and Kentucky. They earned a bowl bid to the Texas Bowl, but ended up losing to Baylor, 38-45.

Vanderbilt was 11th in the SEC in total offense and 12th in the SEC in total defense.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn will be the focal point of the Commodore offense. He finished with a thousand yard season and he earned a second team All-SEC spot. If Vanderbilt is going to make another bowl game this season, Vaughn will certainly have a lot to do with it.

Derek Mason Opening Game History

This will be Derek Mason’s sixth year as a head coach and his sixth year at Vanderbilt. Here is how Vanderbilt has done in opening games with Derek Mason as their head coach:

-2014: Vanderbilt loss against Temple
-2015: Vanderbilt loss against Western Kentucky
-2016: Vanderbilt loss against South Carolina
-2017: Vanderbilt win over Middle Tennessee State
-2018: Vanderbilt win over Middle Tennessee State