WHERE: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.

WHEN: Saturday, noon ET

RECORDS: Georgia 3-0, Vanderbilt 1-2

TV/RADIO: SEC Network (Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Scott Howard, Eric Zeier, D.J. Shockley); Sirius/XM/Internet (81/81/81)

Georgia: QB JT Daniels (45-61, 438 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT), RB Zamir White (28-159, 1 TD), RB James Cook (24-119, 2 TD; 8 catches, 27 yards, 1 TD), WR Jermaine Burton (8-178-2), TE Brock Bowers (14-203-2), LT Jamaree Salyer, NG Jordan Davis (8 tackles, 1.5 sacks), LB Channing Tindall (17 tackles, 1 sack), DE Travon Walker (10 tackles, 1 sack), LB Adam Anderson (12 tackles, 3 sacks), LB Nolan Smith (12 tackles, 2.5 sacks), LB Nakobe Dean (11 tackles, 2 sacks), S Lewis Cine (17 tackles, 1 INT), P Jake Camarda (11 punts for 47.4 average, 6 fair catches, 8 inside 20). Vanderbilt: QB Ken Seals (63-114-553 yards, 3 TDs), RB Rocko Griffin (28-131, 0 TD), WR Cam Johnson (15-125-2), Chris Pierce (14-181-1), LB Anfernee Orji (27 tackles), CB Jaylen Mahoney (14 tackles).

Second-ranked Georgia prides itself as a team that plays to its standard and doesn't worry about what the other team is doing across the field.

Assuming that is true, the Bulldogs should have no trouble dispatching Vanderbilt Saturday in Nashville.

Nevertheless, there's one area the team would like to get back on track: the running game.

The Bulldogs have long been known as “Running Back U,” but three games into the season, Georgia’s talented backfield has not quite produced in the manner many have come to expect.

"We’ve been hot and cold. We've done a good job getting a 4-5 yard average. We always talk about being efficient in the run game. That's different than what your average run is. It's your ability to cut the sticks in half,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “In one game we were efficient, and in one game we weren't efficient. To me, it's very important that you are efficient in your run game, because it sets up play action. It allows you to manage third downs."

Granted, much of the early-season results can be attributed to the way opponents are defending Georgia, stacking the line of scrimmage and daring the Bulldogs to throw.

Based on the last two weeks, this strategy has not worked too well, as Stetson Bennett and JT Daniels have combined for eight touchdown passes in wins over UAB and South Carolina.

Georgia enters Saturday’s game ninth in the SEC in rushing with an average of 156 yards per game. Although the team is averaging 4.68 yards per rush, explosive plays in the running game have been absent so far, with the longest run from scrimmage a mere 23 yards by James Cook.

The good news is, the Bulldogs have steadily gotten better.

After rushing for 121 yards in the opener against Clemson, Georgia ran for 163 against UAB, then for 184 against South Carolina.

"I thought we had a really good run game plan going into the game. Really you can say every run. The thing we emphasized going into the week was IDs, communication, and pad level,” Smart said. “That improved tremendously. We had two times when we just didn't block the right people or we didn't block somebody. Those cannot happen. Those moments where it's like, 'Oh my God, we didn't even block the guy.' You take those out, and it's really good, but to rush for what we rushed for, and get our hats on the right people.”

Smart hopes that changes Saturday against the Commodores.

Stay focused: Early kickoffs seem to be when the most upsets happen, but that doesn’t figure to be an issue. The Bulldogs have come too far, and there’s too much at stake to take anyone lightly, even the Commodores.

Get the running game going: The Commodore do not figure to put up much of a challenge, but Smart will still want to see his offensive line and backs execute the way that they’re capable.

Stay injury free: The schedule only gets tougher from here, and the Bulldogs need to remain as injury-free as possible. Of course, one can never predict injuries, but in a perfect world, the Bulldogs will be able to play most of their travel roster to lessen the chance that some of their stars get hurt.

TE Darnell Washington (toe): Washington has resumed running, and Smart said this week that the Vandy game has always been the target date. That said, we’re still going to list the sophomore as doubtful. Give him one more week.

DB Tykee Smith (toe): Everything we just said about Washington, the same applies to Smith.

DB Jalen Kimber (shoulder): Kimber underwent Labrum surgery earlier this week. He is out for the year.

OL Tate Ratledge (knee): Suffered a Lisfranc injury and is out for the year.

WR George Pickens (knee): Pickens has started running routes during practice, but there remains no timetable for his return.

LB Rian Davis (quad): Out for the year.

WR Arian Smith (leg contusion): Smith did not play last week but is expected to against the Commodores.

The best news about Saturday's game in Nashville is that it's early. While I know fans love their tailgating, this is going to be one of those times when I'm thrilled for the early start. As a sportswriter, there's not much worse than sitting through a rout, counting the minutes for the game to be over. Nashville is always one of my favorite cities, and I would like a little bit of time to enjoy the sights, perhaps a nightcap at Tootsie's Orchid Bar, or maybe a casual evening at Margaritaville. With kickoff at 11 Central, what are the chances? Pretty good, I'd say. Prediction. Georgia 60, Vanderbilt 3.