Georgia football-Vanderbilt: TV Channel, game time, odds (August 30, 2019)

The Georgia Bulldogs open the 2019 season on Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Georgia football team will be taking on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, Tenn.

Georgia went 11-3 last season, including a 41-13 victory over Vanderbilt. This will be the first game of the season for both teams.

The Bulldogs return a number of key contributors from the 2018 team that saw them win the SEC East. Quarterback Jake Fromm is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the country after throwing for 30 touchdowns compared to just 6 interceptions.

Vanderbilt has not yet named a starting quarterback for the game against Georgia, but he will have a number of weapons to use. Vanderbilt returns running back Ke’shawn Vaughn, tight end Jared Pinkney and wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb all return for the Commodores.

Georgia football-Vanderbilt game time

The Georgia football-Vanderbilt game time is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

Georgia football-Vanderbilt TV Channel

The TV Channel for the Georgia football-Vanderbilt game is on ESPN. Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic will be calling the game.

Georgia football-Vanderbilt odds

Georgia football is a 22-point favorite against Vanderbilt, according to Oddshark. The over/under for the game is 58 points. The Bulldogs went 5-2 against the spread in their final seven games of the 2018 season.

How to stream Georgia football-Vanderbilt online

The Georgia football-Vanderbilt game can be streamed online on WatchESPN. if you have a subscription. Click here for more details.

Georgia football-Vanderbilt preview, players to know

This will be the first game of the season for Georgia and Vanderbilt. Both of these teams lost their bowl games last season, as Georgia lost to Texas in the Sugar Bowl, while Vanderbilt lost to Baylor in the Texas Bowl.

Georgia should have one of the top offenses in the country in 2019, thanks to Fromm, running back D’Andre Swift and perhaps the best offensive lines in the country. Georgia only has to replace center Lamont Gaillard from the 2018 offensive line, which helped Georgia lead the SEC in rushing. Sophomore Trey Hill is expected to be the starting center for the Bulldogs this year.

The one worry on offense is at wide receiver, as Georgia must replace its top five receiving leaders from a season ago. The starting wide receivers are expected to be Tyler Simmons, Demetris Robertson and Matt Landers. Tight end Charlie Woerner is also expected to have a bigger season.

On the defensive side of the ball, Georgia must replace its top pass rusher in D’Andre Walker as well as cornerback Deandre Baker. In addition to being a first-round pick for the New York Giants Baker was the 2018 Jim Thorpe Award Winner, which goes to the nation’s best defensive back.

The Bulldogs did bring in the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class for the 2019 cycle. The Bulldogs are expected to get contributions from 5-star freshmen such as outside linebacker Nolan Smith, inside linebacker Nakobe Dean and wide receiver George Pickens.

Vanderbilt must find a new quarterback, as Kyle Shurmur exhausted his eligibility after the 2018 season. The Commodores brought in graduate transfer Riley Neal from Ball State to compete with junior Deuce Wallace. Whoever the starter ends up being will have the luxury of handing the ball to one of the countries top running backs in Vaughn. He is the SEC’s leading returning rusher, as he compiled 1,244 yards on only 157 carries last season.

The Commodores also tout the SEC’s top tight end in Pickney. Last season he caught 50 passes for 774 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Vanderbilt must answer a lot of questions defensively, as Vanderbilt ranked 13th in total defense and last in sacks among SEC teams a season ago. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt’s head coach, has a strong defensive reputation.

What Kirby Smart, Jake Fromm said about Georgia football-Vanderbilt game

They have some really elite players returning offensively. When you look at what they’ve got coming back, the tight end that leads the country in returning receptions; a back that has as many or more 10-yard carries as D’Andre Swift and is also the SEC leading returner in yards. They have a receiver — Kalija Lipscomb — that seems like he has been playing there forever. Every time we have had to play them, I thought he was a very good wideout. So, they have a really good player at every level. You look at what they have been able to do defensively. Derek prides himself on being able to stop the run and control the run. You look at last year’s game — and I don’t think a lot of people really realized how close a ball game that was, especially early. They held us to our lowest rushing total in the first half of the season. They outrushed us 90-something to 50-something in the first half and did a really good job doing so by creating a lot of issues for the run game. I have a lot of respect for the way their players play and the program he runs. We are looking forward to opening up in Nashville.” — Kirby Smart on Vanderbilt

Jake Fromm on the challenges of opening the season with a conference opponent…

“It is going to be tough. Anytime you play a game here in the SEC it is going to be a tough, physical game. We are just trying to get our bodies and minds ready to go play a tough opponent.”

Jake Fromm on if, now that it is game week, it feels weird opening with an SEC opponent on the road…

“It is a little bit different. You don’t have the normal feel of practicing, going to the stadium and playing in front of a home crowd. It is what it is, this is what we signed up for and we are going to go there and play our best game.”

Jake Fromm on the advantages of opening with a conference opponent…

“You set the tone early. That is what we want to do as a team. We want to get tested early and be able to set the tone early as a team.”

Jake Fromm on how this year’s training camp has been different for him personally…

“More experience. To be able to go through all the different scenarios we have during camp, to understand the grind of it, to understand how to take care of my body is a big one. Learning how to take care of my arm has been a big one to be able to sustain throughout camp. It really has been a good opportunity for me to be able to reach out and help the younger guys, too.”