Sam Pittman is returning to Sanford Stadium, and with him will be the No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks.

Before the season, this was supposed to be a gimme for Georgia. No one thought that the Razorbacks would be 4-0 and ranked 8th in the country at this point.

On Georgia’s side of the field, this is the start of a month that will define the course of their season. The Dawgs have passed every test thus far with flying colors, but that’s been against a schedule that’s included UAB, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. The victory against Clemson, a top 5 team preseason, looks less impressive with the Tigers now at 2-2 and out of the College Football Playoff discussion.

Still, few teams have looked as impressive as the Dawgs in the early going, but that could unravel if they can’t handle business at home against the Razorbacks.

Here are 3 predictions I have for what will be an appealing top-10 matchup between the hedges:

1. Georgia holds another opponent to fewer than 150 yards rushing

Arkansas has been running the ball at a strong clip this season; they’re 2nd in the conference with 261.0 yards per game. That’s a testament to the offensive line play of the Razorbacks under Pittman — and it helps to have a mobile quarterback like KJ Jefferson, too.

That said, against a Georgia defense that’s allowed just 69.5 rushing yards a game this season, they’ll face their biggest challenge. And I think it’s a battle that goes the way of the Bulldogs.

The last team to record greater than 150 rushing yards against the Dawgs was Kentucky in 2019, and that’s only because it only threw the ball 16 times in a slop fest of a game in Athens. That’s a streak of 21 games in a row that a Georgia opponent has failed to crack the 150-yard mark on the ground.

There’s no reason to think that this time will be any different: The Dawgs’ defensive front led by Jordan Davis is just too good and nothing like the Razorbacks have seen this season.

2. Tykee Smith announces his presence with a flourish

The debut of Tykee Smith is a potential gamechanger for the Georgia defense. As if they needed one already.

He’ll camp out at the “Star” role that’s been occupied by Latavious Brini thus far. But he won’t just have a role in the secondary as he should be used in run blitz packages as well. As a sophomore at West Virginia, he made 8.0 tackles for a loss. He also has a sack to his credit from his freshman campaign in 2019.

Again, it’s not as if the defense needed any more help. But even though the former 1st-team All-Big 12 pick could be a little hobbled in his first game back from injury, he’ll be out to prove why Kirby Smart grabbed him from the transfer portal during the offseason.

3. The Razorbacks lead after 3 quarters, but the Bulldogs turn the tables in the 4th

Do I think the Dawgs are elite? Absolutely. Do I think that they’ll blow out the Razorbacks? Probably not.

As I mentioned, this will be a loose Arkansas team ready to pounce on any mistake Georgia makes to silence what should be a relatively loud Sanford Stadium crowd despite the noon start time. And, as a result, it’ll take a lead into the 4th quarter to put Georgia’s backs against the wall.

At the end of the day, though, Georgia has more talent and will benefit from a loud group of fans in attendance. They’ll survive a scare, and their biggest bout of adversity yet, to improve to 5-0 and get an important October off to a good start.