Georgia's season opener against Tennessee State will go down as the hottest game ever played in Athens. Temperature at kickoff were 97 degrees Fahrenheit with temperatures in direct sunlight on the field and in the stands reaching 120 degrees.
This could have put a damper on the first game of the season, but Georgia isn't letting the heat slow them down. The fans still packed Sanford Stadium and the Bulldogs on the field started as good as they realistically could. Georgia's offense scored touchdowns on their first five possessions with all five scoring drives taking no more than seven plays. The defense also played nearly perfect as they forced three and outs the first five times they took the field.
Tennessee State is an FCS opponent so it would've been concerning if Georgia didn't dominate, but UGA deserves credit for playing as well as they have instead of playing with their food.
Georgia needs to watch out for cramping as game progresses
Cramping could become a serious problem for Georgia as the game progresses. The heat won't let up much until the end of the game, so the coaching staff and trainers need to be careful as they monitor how each player reacts to this heat.
The good news for Georgia is that they are up big. Kirby Smart will be able to pull his starters in an effort to keep them healthy and prevent injuries and cramping during a game that is already won. This then will allow their backups to get more playing time than they likely will in any other game which will help their development as their careers progress.
Hydration will be key throughout the rest of the game and for the next few days as their bodies recover. The Bulldogs will hopefully get by without any key injuries because the longer they can go with a small injury report the better.
After Georgia secures their victory against Tennessee State they will prepare for another easy game against Western Kentucky next week. After that SEC play will begin and Georgia will need to be as healthy as they can possibly be as they embark on their quest to win the conference for the third year in a row.
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