UGA Football: Postgame Notes – Georgia vs. UT-Martin
*Season Opener: With today’s 48-7 victory, No. 1 Georgia has won 10 straight season openers including all eight under Kirby Smart.
Today marked Georgia’s first season opener at home since 2018 against Austin Peay (Bulldogs won 45-0). Since then, the Bulldogs kicked off a season with wins at Vanderbilt, Arkansas, versus #3 Clemson in Charlotte and last year against #11 Oregon in Atlanta. Also, today marked the official game debut of UGA XI or “Boom” who was introduced to the Bulldog Nation at the spring G-Day game this past April.
*Defense Blanks Skyhawks For Three Quarters:Top-ranked Georgia blanked the Skyhawks until 6:39 left in the contest when they scored a TD on a nine-yard completion to Trevonte Rucker from Kinkead Dent to finish a 12 play, 75-yard drive that made it 38-7. UT Martin finished with 260 yards of offense on 63 plays. In the first half UT Martin was held to 89 yards on 24 plays.
Tonight, Georgia’s leading tacklers were sophomore safety Malaki Starks with eight and senior star Tykee Smith with six including a TFL. Sophomore DE Mykel Williams had a sack. Williams led the team last year with 4.5 sacks. Freshman Kyron Jones registered a pick-six, covering 26 yards to make it 48-7. It marked the 28th score on either defense or special teams in the Kirby Smart era. It was the first Bulldog pick-six since Kelee Ringo’s 79-yarder to help clinch the CFP national championship against top-ranked Alabama on Jan. 10, 2022.
