Georgia has established itself as the class of college football after going 42-2 over the past three seasons with two national championships. After missing the 2023 College Football Playoff, however, the Bulldogs have a fresh dose of motivation. If the way UGA asserted itself in a 63-3 Orange Bowl victory over Florida State was any indication, the ‘Dawgs are going to be relentless in their pursuit of a return to the top of the sport.
The only program to beat Georgia over the past three seasons is Alabama, which bid farewell to legendary coach Nick Saban this offseason. Michigan, which took the national championship mantle from Georgia in January, is also going through a coaching change. As a result, the door has been flung wide open again for ninth-year coach Kirby Smart to take his alma mater back to the summit.
That journey will pass an important reference point Saturday during the annual G-Day spring game. While Smart is unlikely to show much of the playbook or let any state secrets out of the bag, the scrimmage will nonetheless be the most insightful look yet at what Georgia will be in 2024.
With the Bulldogs set to put themselves on display to conclude the spring practice session, let’s dive in a little deeper. Here are some spring game storylines, as well as information on how to watch the Bulldogs’ 2024 debut.
How to watch 2024 Georgia spring game live
Date: Saturday, April 13 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Sanford Stadium — Athens, Georgia
Live Stream: SEC Network+
2024 Georgia spring game storylines
1. Which playmakers step up? Departed tight end Brock Bowers and receiver Ladd McConkey are potential first-round draft picks after playing huge roles over the past three seasons. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, UGA’s third-leading receiver last season, is gone, too. G-Day will offer a glimpse into which players are primed to fill the production void. Receivers Arian Smith, Dominic Lovett and Dillon Bell are among the receivers to watch, but tight end Oscar Delp is also a serious breakout candidate. After playing second fiddle to Bowers, Delp figures to be on the receiving end of significantly more targets in 2024 after catching 24 passes in 2023.
2. Critical reps for reserves: A year ago, Georgia opened with Tennessee-Martin, Ball State, South Carolina and UAB. All four contests were home games, and none of the opponents went on to reach a bowl game (Tennessee-Martin isn’t even an Football Bowl Subdivision program). The easy beginning allowed Georgia to get in-game reps for backup quarterbacks Gunner Stockton and Brock Vandagriff, along with many other reserves. This time around, the opening isn’t so soft. The Bulldogs open against Clemson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. After a patsy game with Tennessee Tech in Week 2, their next two games are at Kentucky and at Alabama. The next time Georgia is playing football with fans in the stands will be against a power-conference team, and only one of its first four games is at home this season. That makes spring game reps all the more important for the inexperienced players who may be called upon to help the Bulldogs win a critical game in Week 1.
3. Young secondary stars: Among the losses in Georgia’s secondary were cornerback Kamari Lassiter, safety Javon Bullard and safety Tykee Smith. While there is plenty of returning talent waiting in the wings to fill their shoes, a couple of newcomers from the nation’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class have also arrived on the scene with much fanfare. Ellis Robinson IV was the No. 2 overall player and top cornerback in the Class of 2024, per 247Sports. KJ Bolden is also on campus after ranking as the No. 1 safety in the class. It may not be their time to shine just yet, but G-Day offers them an early chance to show what they can do. Alabama got major contributions from a freshman safety last season in Caleb Downs. Perhaps Georgia can do the same this season in its secondary.
