Defending National Champions! The Bulldogs haven’t been able to say that since 1981, and how did they open that season? Georgia dominated and defeated Tennessee 44-0, then in game two, defeated a team from out west. They handled California by a score of 27-13.

The Dawgs will face Oregon for just the second time in school history (Georgia won 27-16 in the 1977 season opener). This is the sixth time that Georgia will face a team from the Pac-12 (Pac-8 or Pac-10) in a season opener. Georgia defeated Oregon State in 1971 and 1974, California in 1976, Oregon in 1977, and UCLA in 1983. All five of the mentioned games were played in Athens.

Georgia is 98-27-3 all-time in season openers, including 6-0 under Kirby Smart. Two of those wins came against ranked teams (North Carolina in 2016 and Clemson 2021). This will also be the fifth time in seven season openers that Smart has started the season at a neutral site or on the road. Which Georgia head coaches have the best record in season openers? Here are all of them since 1939.

Some other interesting season opener stats:

- In Georgia’s first ever season opener (1892), it defeated Mercer 50-0 and the game was played on January 30th

- The first time Georgia played a season opener in September was in 1911. It defeated Alabama Presbyterian 51-0.

- W.A. Cunningham coached Georgia from 1910 to 1919 (Georgia did not play in 1917 and 1918). In his eight season openers, his teams outscored their opponents by an incredible margin of 487 to 0 combined.

- Robert Edwards' first game as a running back was the 1995 season opener against South Carolina (he played his first two seasons as a cornerback). Edwards rushed for four touchdowns and caught another.

- D.J. Shockley had his first career start against Boise State in the 2005 season opener (he was a backup for three seasons). Shockley threw five touchdown passes and ran for one in that contest.

- Todd Gurley scored a total of seven rushing touchdowns and two kickoff returns for scores in his three season openers.

One more note on the 1995 season opener against the Gamecocks. A defensive back from Bainbridge, Georgia was making his collegiate debut. That player was Kirby Smart. He ended up with six tackles in the game, including three for sacks.

As a head coach, Smart has outscored Dawg opponents 186 to 53 in the six season openers combined.

Those were the season opener highs and lows for Georgia as a team since 2016, but what about individually? Check out these offensive leaders under Smart.

The 32 rushes by Nick Chubb in the 2016 season opener were not only the most in a single opener under Smart; they was the most by any player under Smart in any game. In fact, no other player had more than 26. The 222 yards are the ninth most in school history.

The seven players with one touchdown apiece in season openers since 2016 are Isaiah McKenzie, Javon Wims, Riley Ridley, Mecole Hardman, Demetris Robertson, George Pickens, and John FitzPatrick.

A lot of talk in recent months about this season's team has focused on the offensive line. Entering 2022, a total of six Bulldogs have starting experience on the O-Line, including three with double-digit starts.

Georgia's sack leader of 2021 returns as does Georgia's second-leading interception leader. Other defensive Dawgs are back. Check out these dominating defenders.

Georgia has two career interceptions against Oregon's Bo Nix, but neither are on this season's squad (Mark Webb, Jr. and Nakobe Dean).

In both 2020 and 2021, Georgia’s first score of the season and last score of the season were courtesy of the defense. In 2020, Georgia got on the scoreboard with the two-point safety. In 2021, Georgia did it with dramatic pick sixes.

Do you remember who scored the first touchdowns in each of the first seasons under Smart?

Many Georgia players have a good chance of passing former Bulldogs or reaching milestones. Here is last week's article with all the possibilities.

Georgia will be facing a familiar foe on Saturday as former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is the Ducks’ head coach. In 1977, Georgia faced another first-time head coach the last time they faced Oregon. That time it was Rich Brooks. Brooks would end up coaching the Ducks to over 200 games and eventually would face the Bulldogs quite often as Kentucky’s head coach.