When Georgia plays an FCS school for a season opener many fans anticipate the game being "relaxed", or uneventful. However, Kirby Smart and company do not think that way at the University of Georgia.
Georgia's week one game against Tennessee State has a large spread, but all that means for the Bulldogs is that they can get some new starters broken into a game atmosphere and push them to be their best.
No matter the opponent, week one matchups are very telling of who will shine throughout the season. Stars such as Brock Bowers in his freshman debut against Clemson in 2021 showcased their ability at the start of the season, and now there are three Bulldogs that are ready for their breakout game against Tennessee State.
1. WR Sacovie White-Helton
While the talk of Athens is going towards former five-star redshirt freshman Talyn Taylor, people are somewhat forgetting about Sacovie White-Helton. Though he only had eight catches in 2025, he is slated to fill the role of slot receiver left behind by Zachariah Branch who broke the school record in receptions in a single season last year.
White-Helton's quickness and ability to go after the football will make him a valuable asset for Gunner Stockton as a security blanket or hitting soft spots in zone coverage downfield towards the middle of the field.
2. LB Zayden Walker
Although limited in snaps his true freshman season last year, Zayden Walker still came away with two sacks on the season. The former five-star recruit had a sack in two very crucial games on Georgia's season, one against Alabama in the SEC Championship game and another against Texas.
Walker has already been generating some buzz this offseason due to his athletic ability at linebacker and could see himself getting a significantly increased number of snaps in 2026. Walker can easily be compared to Jalon Walker, a guy with a large frame and a quick jump off the edge at the line of scrimmage.
Tennessee State will likely try and run the ball and throw quick passes to offset the immediate pass rush, so it will be important to see how Walker handles outside run stretches coming in his direction or getting off blocks on wide receiver screens.
3. TE/WR Kaiden Prothro
For a restless Mike Bobo wanting Gunner Stockton to take more risks and push the ball downfield, Kaiden Prothro could be a really fun player to watch
Bobo has started experimenting this offseason by switching tight end Kaiden Prothro's position to wide receiver. With a huge 6'6" frame and freakish athletic ability, this could be exactly what Stockton needs to feel more comfortable pushing the ball downfield.
Last year, Stockton felt most comfortable throwing the ball downfield to taller guys like Oscar Delp or Colbie Young. In a game like this one against Tennessee State, Bobo could use it as a way to call more plays designed for Prothro to see how well this experiment will actually work.
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