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After having just one home game out of its first four contests, the No. 5/4 Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 SEC) play their second straight Between The Hedges Saturday. Up next, MSU (1-4, 0-2 SEC) visits for the first time since 2020 and just the 16th overall time in Athens.

Georgia owns a 20-6 advantage over MSU including 12-3 in Athens and 12-1 at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium. In 2020, Georgia posted a 31-24 win over MSU to extend its winning streak in the series to four.

The teams first clashed in 1914 in Athens when MSU registered a 9-0 shutout. Georgia has won 13 of the past 14 meetings. MSU’s last victory in the series came in 2010 by a score of 24-10 in Athens. Meanwhile, Georgia is 3-0 against MSU under Kirby Smart.

MSU, under the direction of first-year coach Jeff Lebby, enjoyed an open date last Saturday. MSU began the season wih a 56-7 win over Eastern Kentucky. Since then, they’ve dropped games at Arizona State (30-23), to Toledo (41-17), Florida (45-28) and at No. 1 Texas (35-13).

Georgia is averaging 32.0 points per game (ppg) and allowing 14.4 ppg. MSU is averaging 27.4 ppg while it allows 31.6 ppg.

During the Florida game, MSU’s starting quarterback Blake Shapen, a transfer from Baylor, injured his shoulder and now is out for the year. True freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. made his first career start against the Longhorns. He was 12-for-23 for 144 yards and had a 12-yard rushing TD for his first career score. The 13 points allowed by Texas was a season-high. MSU blocked a punt to give it two for the year.

Georgia checks in this week 13th nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing just 14.4 points per game (ppg). Through the first three games of the season, the Bulldogs were the only FBS team that did not allow a TD as opponents combined for six field goals. In the opener, Georgia limited then 14th-ranked Clemson to one field goal, Tenn. Tech kicked one on the final play of the game and UK made four (two from 50+ yards). Then, fourth-ranked Alabama built a 30-7 halftime lead on the visiting Bulldogs and hung on for a 41-34 win. Georgia bounced back this past Saturday with a 31-13 home win over Auburn, allowing one touchdown while the Tigers two trips inside the red zone resulted in field goals.

Going into the road game with the Crimson Tide, the Bulldogs were one of just three teams in FBS that did not have a turnover on the season. Then, the Bulldogs had four in the loss. Georgia did not have a turnover against Auburn to remain at even in Turnover Margin this season. Georgia’s opponent this week, Mississippi State, is even in Turnover Margin as well.

The Bulldogs opened the 2024 season ranked No. 1 in the AP and US LBM Coaches poll for the third time in school history (2008, 2023). Georgia dropped to No. 2 in the AP poll after its 13-12 road win over Kentucky on Sept. 14 and remained there for another week before falling to No. 4 Alabama on Sept 28. In this week’s AP poll, the Bulldogs remain at No. 5 for the second straight week. Georgia was No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches poll until its first loss when it dropped to No. 5. This week, Georgia moved up one spot to No. 4. Texas is now in the top spot in both polls and will face rival No. 18/16 Oklahoma Saturday in Dallas before Georgia heads to Austin on Oct. 19.

The Bulldogs have the longest active streak of being ranked in the AP top 10 (56 straight polls). Georgia’s 2024 schedule features nationally ranked road games with Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss plus Clemson at a neutral site (Atlanta) while Tennessee visits Athens.

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