Adam Greene
UGA Sports Communications

When classes began the morning of Aug. 25, there was a different energy in the air around the University of Georgia. Campus was packed with students weaving in and out of lecture halls, buses flashed “Beat Marshall” around every corner, and hash marks were being painted on the field inside Sanford Stadium. That can only mean one thing — football is back.

The fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs open their season on Saturday against the Thundering Herd, in search of the program’s fifth national championship and third in five years. Led by coach Kirby Smart, Georgia enters the fall loaded with talent and once again a favorite to make a run at the College Football Playoff.

The Bulldogs are no strangers to having a target on their backs, and as reigning SEC champions, 2025 will be no different. Since the end of last season, Georgia has added a mix of transfers and freshmen, each eager to carve out a role on one of the nation’s premier rosters.

Among the newcomers, defensive lineman Elijah Griffin, offensive tackle Juan Gaston, and defensive end Isaiah Gibson headline the freshman class. On the transfer front, highly touted wide receiver Zachariah Branch arrives from USC, while Army transfer Elo Modozie bolsters the edge-rushing group.

As for expectations, Smart’s message is consistent. “We don’t make it much more complicated than ‘do your job,'” he said. “That’s for a freshman or a transfer that comes in. Don’t try to do too much — do what’s asked of you. Impact somebody in a positive way every day.”

Georgia’s first chance to showcase its roster comes against Marshall, who will step onto Dooley Field to open the Bulldogs’ schedule. Smart insists the opponent doesn’t change how Georgia prepares. “We don’t change what we do based on who we play,” he said. “We try to do a good job preparing, just as the teams we play do.”

One veteran stepping into a leadership role this season is junior tight end Lawson Luckie, who has earned praise from both coaches and teammates. “[Coach Smart] expects a lot from us,” Luckie said. “He needs you to meet his expectations, and if you don’t, he’s going to confront [you] and demand it.”

Smart echoed the sentiment, crediting Luckie’s growth. “He’s grown in confidence. He’s been around good players and seen them lead that room,” Smart said. “He’s not afraid to confront and demand guys, and he’s not afraid to speak up. I’m really proud of Lawson’s growth and who he’s becoming as a man.”

Every member of the Bulldogs points to one defining quality of the program—demanding excellence. For Luckie, that mindset comes from former teammate and current NFL star Brock Bowers.

“Brock was so unbelievably competitive that he affected everyone else,” Luckie explained. “One of my biggest takeaways from him is that it didn’t matter the drill, the period, whether it was two minutes to win the game—the kid refused to lose.”

Sophomore inside linebacker Chris Cole has a similar story. He credits recently drafted linebacker Jalon Walker as someone who “taught [him] how to give effort every single day.”

Cole laughed about not even knowing how to pass rush when he first arrived at Georgia, but Walker’s influence accelerated his growth. Now, Cole and the defense are eager to debut their new look on Saturday. “We’re super excited to show everyone what we’ve been working on all offseason,” Cole said.

After months of lining up against each other in practice, Cole and Luckie now have the chance to play alongside one another against an opponent. Luckie had nothing but praise for his teammate. “He’s just a dude that brings an insane amount of energy. It’s sideline to sideline — he’s everywhere,” Luckie said. “He runs so hard — his hat is always on fire.”

Both players carry the sting of last season’s ending in the quarterfinals of the Playoff, when Georgia fell to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl back in January. That loss has fueled their offseason, and Smart acknowledged that only adversity reveals a team’s true identity. “You don’t know what you have until you hit a lot of adversity,” he said. “As of right now, I’ve seen hunger. That’s what you seek the most — I hope that continues to pronounce itself.”

With game week underway, that hunger is palpable. Cole admitted there’s a noticeable shift in the locker room. “It’s definitely a different vibe because it’s game week,” he said. “We have a great connection and we’re preparing to do our best on Saturday.”

Luckie agreed, though his outlook was steadier. “It’s nothing we haven’t seen,” he said. The Bulldogs will “stay calm, stay true to ourselves—trust myself, the guys around me, and the preparation.”

After a long offseason, nothing compares to taking the field in front of 90,000-plus fans. The energy in Athens is different, and Sanford Stadium is ready for action. The Bulldogs are prepared for the challenge ahead, and one of college football’s greatest traditions is set to begin once again.

Football is back—and for Athens, it’s like it never left.