The No. 1 ranked Georgia football team takes on Ball State on Saturday, Sept. 9. Below you can find live updates, injury news and practice updates for the Week 2 game.

Georgia opened the season with a 48-7 win over UT-Martin. Ball State is coming off a 44-14 loss to Kentucky.

Georgia football-Ball State: Live updates, practice reports for Week 2

11:45 a.m. ET, Sept. 4 update: Georgia coach Kirby Smart and multiple Georgia players will speak with reporters today.

  • “I would say for us as a defensive group as rhythm, we want to have three-and-outs and takeaways.” -- Kamari Lassiter on finding a rhythm on defense.
  • “Coming out of the black jersey, it felt like being let out of a burden.” -- Lassiter on seeing the field again.
  • “I think we were fast and physical. We have a lot of things we can build off of.” -- Lassiter on the play of the other Georgia cornerbacks.
  • “His attention to detail and his willingness to buy into whatever coach is telling us to do.” -- Lassiter on Daylen Everette.
  • “I remember how nervous I was in my first game. Really just go out there and have fun.” -- Lassiter on what he says to the younger players.
  • “It’s just really like a next-play mentality. Just keep moving forward.” --Lassiter on the touchdown given up by AJ Harris.
  • “I wouldn’t say there’s a big difference. Coach Smart puts us in a hostile environment every day in practice. Coach Smart gets us prepared like every game is the biggest game of the year.” -- Lassiter on the difference between playing a team like say Oklahoma on the road and Ball State at home.
  • “I feel like I had the easiest part. Just running to green grass.” -- Mekhi Mews on his touchdown on Saturday.
  • “Ladd has helped me a lot. Just reading plays. He’s a smart guy.” -- Mews on who helps him.
  • “Scout team really opened my eyes into how good the athletes are here. They move at a different speed than the guys in high school.” -- Mews on his welcome to Georgia moment.
  • “I feel like I did okay. There were things I missed and I know I have the opportunity to correct those moving forward.” -- Mews on how he did as a punt and kick returner.
  • Mews says he played running back this past week.
  • “The MAC has done an incredible job creating some good football teams. This afternoon we’ll jump into Ball State.” -- Kirby Smart on playing Ball State.
  • “Less on them and more on us. UT-Martin did a good job changing things up. Probably hurt us more than our offensive line not playing well. I thought they pass protected well. We didn’t run the ball well in the first half.” -- Smart on the offensive line.
  • “A lot. There are so many things we can get better. They say the jump from game 1 to game 2 to is the biggest that you can make. Offensively, the ability to convert third down and run the ball.” -- Smart
  • “Power runner. Good back. How ironic it is you’re playing against him again in the same conference.” -- Smart on Ball State’s defense.
  • “Rhythm for me is 3-and-out, 3-and-out, 3-and-out. That’s not realistic. Defining rhythm for a defense is not really easy. Rhythm to me is havoc related. We didn’t hit our havoc goal the other day but it’s hard to do that when they get ball out in 2.1 seconds.”
  • “I have high expectations in myself.” -- Mykel Williams
  • “Really we just have to play our game. Stick to our stuff and be successful.”
  • Williams says he does not believe the defensive line played up to his talent.
  • “He’s a great player and going to be real impactful for us this year.” -- Mykel Williams on freshmanJordan Hall

11 a.m. ET, Sept. 4: Georgia is coming off a 48-7 Week 1 win over UT-Martin. While the final score shows a dominant win, the Bulldogs were far from perfect to start the season. GEorgia only led 17-0 at halftime.

Quarterback Carson Beck made his first career start, completing 21 of his 31 pass attempts for 294 yards. He threw for a touchdown and ran for one as well. Beck also did not turn the ball over in the win.

After the game, Beck admitted there were some nerves as he was making his first start since he was a high school senior in 2019. Beck began to settle in during the second quarter and ultimately pushed Georgia’s lead out to 31-0 before his night ended in the third quarter.

“I was very proud of Carson in his first start. I thought he had great composure. Really that was the epitome of every scrimmage he had,” Smart said. “He threw the ball away when he had to, he hit spots when he had to, he made good decisions, he didn’t put us at risk, he made good checks. He did some really good things, and I’m proud of him. We’ve got to get some more help around him with weapons, get some guys healthy, but I’m proud of what he did.”

Defensively, Georgia held UT-Martin in check. The Skyhawks are an FCS foe it should be noted and Georgia will face stiffer competition over the course of the season.

Georgia did see some of its banged-up players return to action. Kamari Lassiter got the start at cornerback after dealing with a foot injury. Smael Mondon was also able to see the field as he is dealing with a foot injury. Running back Kendall Milton led the team in rushing despite dealing with an ongoing hamstring injury.

Georgia was without wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, with the latter dealing with a team suspension and the former having a back injury. Smart was hopeful both would return to the field sooner rather than later.

Georgia football-Ball State injury report

Ladd McConkey, back

Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, team discipline

Jackson Meeks, foot

De’Nylon Morrissette, groin

Kendall Milton, hamstring

Daijun Edwards, knee

EJ Lightsey, undisclosed

Lawson Luckie, ankle

Raylen Wilson, knee

Branson Robinson, knee

Georgia football-Ball State Game time for Week 2

Georgia football and Ball State will start at 12 p.m. ET.

Georgia football-Ball State TV Channel for Week 2 game

The Georgia football-Ball State game will air on the SEC Network.