LIVE Updates: Georgia 33 - Samford 0 -- FINAL

ATHENS, Ga. — It’s Saturday in the Classic City where No. 2 ranked Georgia will play host to FCS opponent Samford. It’s the Bulldogs’ first game inside Sanford Stadium since winning the 2021 National Championship.

It won’t be the first time the Bulldogs have been back here. Five days after winning the big prize back in January, UGA held a “Celebration Saturday” after a champions’ parade. It was well-attended to say the least.

Georgia is coming off a 49-3 beatdown of Oregon, ranked No. 11 at the time and now sitting at No. 24 in the USAToday coaches poll. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 28-3 halftime lead before coasting to victory in the second half. They scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions and started the game nine of nine on third down.

Stetson Bennett IV put on a show, completing 25-31 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns in just three quarters of action. The Georgia defense also forced a pair of first-half turnovers, allowing the offense to pull away.

Samford earned a double-digit victory in its first game of the season. It took down Kennesaw State by a score of 27-17.

There’s a great deal of history between the head coaches of these two programs. Samford’s Chris Hatcher gave Kirby Smart his on-field coaching start back in 2001 at Valdosta State. Smart spent that season as the defensive backs coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator the following season.

UGA also played host to Samford in game three of the 2017 season. Hatcher was the head coach then, too, and Georgia walked away with a 49-14 win.

“You know, his charisma,” Smart said earlier this week when he was asked what he learned while working for Hatcher. “He’s always been one of the best recruiters in terms of his relationships with high school coaches. He was incredible, his disposition with the team, was always confident. And just believed that we could win every game. And he embodied that. He embraced that. His players loved playing for him because of the energy he exudes with the players.”

Georgia co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp was the defensive coordinator for Hatcher and VSU when Smart was hired as defensive backs coach. It was Muschamp’s move to LSU, where he coordinated the defense under Nick Saban, that opened the door for Smart to get his first coordinator gig.

Saturday’s game is set for 4 p.m. ET. It’ll be televised by The SEC Network with Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Alyssa Lang on the call. But there are other ways to keep up with the action. Below, DawgsHQ provides links for you to stream the game, listen in, and keep up with the live stats.

STREAM | LISTEN | STATS

DawgsHQ is offering you one more way to consume updates on the game. In the space below, we’ll be providing a look at the scores, highlights, and other newsworthy happenings from before and during the game. Use the refresh button on your browser to scroll down and see it all.

4th Quarter (Smart and Hatcher agree to shorten the final quarter to 12 minutes)

FIELD GOAL (11:11): Podlesny hits his fourth field goal of the day. This one is from 25 yards out after another Georgia drive stalls inside the 10-yard line. UGA leads 33-0.

3rd Quarter

The third quarter ends without either team scoring. UGA missed a 54-yard field goal and punted for the first time in the game. The period ended with the Bulldogs driving. They have it 1st and goal from the nine-yard line to begin the final quarter.

2nd Quarter

TOUCHDOWN (0:55): Georgia capitalizes on the short field with its third touchdown drive of the day. Bennett finds Kearis Jackson and Brock Bowers for chunk plays and Kenny McIntosh walks into the end zone from a yard out. Podlesny’s PAT gives UGA a 30-0 lead.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS (3:49): Samford goes for it on 4th and 1 from its own 44-yard line but the Bulldogs hold. Sophomore STAR Javon Bullard jumps the route and almost picks the pass off but it falls incomplete.

FIELD GOAL (5:05): A holding penalty puts the brakes on a fifth UGA drive to reach the red zone. Xavier Truss was flagged for holding on 1st and 10 from the 11-yard line and the Bulldogs are unable to gain a new set of downs. They get it down to the Samford nine-yard line but can’t convert on third down. Podlesny comes in and hits a 26-yard field goal to put Georgia up 23-0.

TOUCHDOWN (8:48): Georgia goes on another 71-yard march and it is capped off by the first catch of true freshman Dillon Bell’s career. Bennett hit him for a three-yard touchdown and Podlesny’s PAT put the Bulldogs up 20-0.

1st Quarter

TOUCHDOWN (0:22): Georgia marches it 71 yards on seven plays with Bennett running it in on the keeper from three yards out. Bennett also hit Ladd McConkey for a 37-yard gain on the drive. Podlesny’s PAT extends the UGA lead to 13-0.

INJURY UPDATE: Sophomore wideout AD Mitchell is “out for now” with a left ankle injury. He sustained the injury on UGA’s first offensive play. Per DawgsHQ’s Jack Mathison, Mitchell has gone to the locker room.

FIELD GOAL (5:34): The Bulldogs are forced to settle for another short field goal after Stetson Bennett IV misses a pair of touchdown opportunities with high throws. Jack Podlesny comes on and kicks a 25-yard field goal to give Georgia a 6-0.

FUMBLE (6:59): Samford quarterback Michael Heirs gets away from the rush on 3rd and 9 and is hit by Dan Jackson on the scramble. The hit jars the ball loose and it is recovered by Xavian Sorey at the Samford 41-yard line.

FIELD GOAL (7:51): The Georgia defense forced a three and out to start the game and the offense put together a 12-play, 47-yard drive that stalled at the Samford four-yard line. Jack Podlesny came on and hit a 21-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

Pregame…

• Georgia has released its second depth chart of the 2022 season. There are no major changes from game one.
• Redshirt freshman cornerback Nyland Green is not on the field for pregame warmup. Smart told reporters earlier this week that Green is dealing with a hamstring injury and that he struggled during Tuesday’s practice.
• UGA’s offensive line during pregame warmup is the same as it was to start the Oregon game. The group, from left to right, is made up of Broderick Jones, Xavier Truss, Sedrick Van Pran, Tate Ratledge, and Warren McClendon. Amarius Mims got some first-team reps at right tackle during group work.
• With Green out, true freshman cornerback Julian Humphrey was getting the second-team reps at cornerback opposite of Daylen Everette.
• Samford won the toss and took the football to start the game. True freshman safety Malaki Starks got the start at safety. So did true freshman defensive end Mykel Williams.