The Georgia Bulldogs open the 2025 college football season against the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Bulldogs are massive 39 and 1/2-point favorites in their season opener.
Kickoff for the Georgia-Marshall game is at Saturday, Aug. 30, at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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Being such a heavy favorite, there are several Georgia players that will have ample of opportunities to show that preseason hype is real.
Who are four Georgia players to watch against Marshall?
QB Ryan Puglisi
With Gunner Stockton as the presumed starter there will be a lot of eyes on how Puglisi performs. Puglisi has had a lot of confidence within the Georgia building and could become the next Georgia starter for next season. Either way, this should be Puglisi’s first game action at UGA.
“He prepares really hard,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said on Puglisi. “He studies, he’s smart, picks things up. He makes mistakes, we’ll say I’ll do, and he learns from them. He generally knows when he messed up, he’s walking off the field in the scrimmage and didn’t change the protection on the play that he knew he should have.”
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WR Noah Thomas
The 6-foot-6, 200-pound senior receiver brings size to Georgia’s wide receiver room. He is a preseason standout.
Over three seasons at Texas A&M, Thomas recorded 73 catches for 984 yards and 15 touchdowns, showing steady improvement each year. His breakout 2024 season featured career highs with 39 receptions, 574 yards, and eight touchdowns. Thomas also has great hands with only four career drops in three seasons. The 2024 Georgia team had a combined of 38 drops.
Thomas has brought the hype into a reality during summer workouts and fall camp. He has been a standout consistently for this offense. Now, on Saturday it will be a good opportunity to see what a difference maker Thomas can be.
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DL Elijah Griffin
On defense, highly-touted defensive lineman Elijah Griffin was another Georgia freshman All-American selection. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive lineman already has drawn comparisons to Georgia great and All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
Being compared to a great player like Jalen Carter means there will be high expectations early. Griffin not only has the talent to starts, but will also look to stamp himself as one of the best young interior lineman in college football.
CB Ellis Robinson IV
Ellis Robinson has been in the headlines as a breakout player for the Bulldogs. Now it seems like it is all coming together for the very talented sophomore cornerback.
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“He’s improved, he’s worked really hard, he competes in practice, he can play physical,” Kirby Smart said about Robinson. “He doesn’t always do it, he needs to do it more consistently. He is not shy or afraid of contact, and he’s got ball skills. He makes plays on the ball a lot, and that’s a big part of being a corner.”
The Georgia cornerback No. 2 position battle will be under a microscope. He is battling junior cornerback Daniel Harris to start opposite All-SEC pick Daylen Everette.
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: 4 Georgia Bulldogs to watch in the season opener
