Georgia football vs. Arkansas preview: Bulldogs face first SEC road test

ATHENS — Georgia’s first two games answered plenty of questions about how talented the Bulldogs might be.

They revealed almost nothing about how this team will respond when things go wrong.

There hasn’t been much adversity to measure. Georgia scored touchdowns on its first five possessions against Tennessee State and its first seven against Western Kentucky. The No. 2 Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 133-23, amassed 1,153 yards and spent most of both second halves emptying the bench.

Saturday should feel different.

Georgia opens Southeastern Conference play at Arkansas, where a rebuilt Razorbacks team and a restless crowd will try to turn the Bulldogs’ first road game into something considerably less comfortable.

“Humility is always a week away,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “There are no bad environments in the SEC. There are only raucous environments in the SEC.”

Kickoff is scheduled for noon at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

Georgia is 2-0 after beating Tennessee State 63-3 and Western Kentucky 70-20. Arkansas is 1-1 under first-year coach Ryan Silverfield and is coming off a 43-10 loss at No. 17 Utah.

The numbers suggest a mismatch. Georgia averages 66.5 points and 576.5 yards per game while allowing just 167 yards. Arkansas averages 20.5 points and 360 yards.

Smart knows those numbers can be misleading.

The Razorbacks are still putting together a roster with numerous newcomers, including several who followed Silverfield from Memphis. Georgia has two games of Arkansas film to study, but Smart said the Bulldogs’ greater concern is correcting their own mistakes.

“You spend too much time worrying about their team, and you won’t have a good team,” Smart said. “I’m a lot more worried about what we do than what they do.”

That includes cleaning up 15 penalties for 151 yards through two games. Those mistakes have been largely harmless during a pair of blowouts. They could become drive-killers — or crowd-starters — in an SEC road game.

Georgia has won its first conference road game in each of Smart’s first 10 seasons, including a 37-10 victory at Arkansas in 2020. Last season, the Bulldogs needed overtime to escape Tennessee with a 44-41 win.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton’s experience in that game — and in another difficult road victory at Auburn — gives Georgia some reassurance.

Asked how valuable Stockton’s SEC road experience will be Saturday, Smart needed only five words.

“It’s more valuable than not.”

Stockton has been nearly flawless this season, completing 28 of 32 passes for 436 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception. He tied a school record with five touchdown passes against Western Kentucky, all before halftime.

His next challenge is maintaining that efficiency when communication becomes more difficult and a mistake might actually matter.

“You have to as a coach anticipate adversity,” Smart said. “I don’t know when it’s coming, and I have no control over when it’s coming. … To not anticipate it would be failure.”

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jackson gives the Razorbacks a chance to create some of it.

Jackson has the arm strength to push the ball downfield and the mobility to extend plays when protection breaks down. Arkansas averages 255.5 passing yards per game, although its offense struggled to finish drives at Utah.

“Very accurate passer,” Smart said. “He throws a great ball. Anticipates timing of throws. He’s got a really strong, live arm. … He’s got size that makes him hard to tackle, but he eludes and scrambles and makes some plays.”

Georgia’s defense has allowed just 60 rushing yards and 107 passing yards per game, but the starting unit hasn’t been forced to play deep into a competitive game.

“Great effort when you play four series or five series,” Smart said. “I think it’s still to be seen.”

Freshman safety and return specialist Tyriq Green’s availability is uncertain. Green returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown against Western Kentucky and also scored after recovering a fumble in the end zone.

Saturday begins a nine-game SEC grind for the two-time defending conference champions. Oklahoma visits Athens next week, followed later by road trips to Alabama and Ole Miss.

Before any of that, Georgia must leave the comfort of Sanford Stadium and discover what happens when an opponent — and 76,000 people in the stands — pushes back.

“You’ll learn a lot about them if they have adversity,” Smart said. “Maybe we get in one of those hornet-nest games and you have to fight your way out of it.

“It just depends on how the game goes.”