Week 1 is officially here. Only three days left for the big games! Amid the high fan energy, a CBS Sports analyst dropped the updated JP Poll Tuesday night. And while the top of the power rankings stood constant, Texas and Ohio State holding firm, the talk of the town is Georgia. Or more accurately, why the analyst isn’t fully buying into Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs’ hype this fall. 

Josh Pate didn’t mince words during an appearance with Kay Adams from Up and Adams Show. In the video posted on Instagram on August 26, the analyst gave a befitting response to his host’s “Why aren’t you picking Georgia?” question. While the SEC is usually an automatic 10-win conveyor belt, he thinks Georgia will be a nine-win team. “Watched them last year and they could not run the b— to their standard,” he said. “They were in the 100s in every vital rushing statistic. Okay relative to the Georgia standard. They were well off the pace… I don’t know that they’ve got a quarterback that can take over games.” So what’s the soundbite that will echo in Athens? 

Josh Pate’s insisting that the Bulldogs’ offensive line and QB play will determine everything. But he also wants his flowers in case he is proven wrong. “I want all the credit in December,” he added. “But if there’s blame, I want this to be on the record, not the part where I don’t pick them. I want the part where I said why is no one else picking them to be the soundbite that gets played when the Black and Red confetti rains down.” For Kirby Smart and co., this is the sort of media roasting that makes off-season hype feel like a slow burn until you prove everyone wrong on the field.

Before Georgia takes the field, let’s talk numbers. Texas and Ohio State remain the top two in the JP Poll, with Arch Manning and Julian Sayin ready to lead their teams into a Top-2 showdown that could set the tone for the season. Penn State climbed one spot to No. 3, thanks to returning talent like Drew Allar and a bruising backfield with Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Georgia, meanwhile, sits at No. 4, down a notch from the preseason release. The Bulldogs have plenty of returning pieces, but the uncertainty at QB and along the offensive line is enough for analysts like Josh Pate to pump the brakes. The JP Poll reflects a mix of respect and skepticism about this team that’s capable of dominance, yet viewed with question marks. All that talk, though, won’t matter once the football is snapped on Saturday. 

Can Gunner Stockton keep up as Georgia’s starter?

The new era under center in Athens officially begins when Georgia hosts Marshall. Redshirt junior Gunner Stockton, after filling in admirably last season, steps in as the starter. His track record? Georgia high school passing yards (13,652) and touchdowns (177) records, and a freshman campaign that ended with an SEC Championship Game win over Texas. “We’re really excited about the season,” he said. “I’m excited for this new year with the SEC schedule. It’s no joke. I’m glad there’s a bunch of home games. Can’t wait for the first one against Marshall.” 

Marshall, meanwhile, comes in riding the high of its first 10-win season in nearly a decade, though they’ve lost key pieces to the transfer portal. First-year coach Tony Gibson isn’t flinching. “We have 72 new players. We have 54 out of the portal and 18 from high school,” he said. “Our goal is we’re going to establish a run game on offense. I want a physical football team.” Syracuse transfer Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is projected to lead the Herd at QB, hoping to make his mark against a Bulldogs defense that, last season, routinely buried opponents behind the line. Kirby Smart knows this game is about more than headlines.

“Marshall’s got a tremendous history of a lot of good football players, a lot of good teams,” he said. “So our guys are excited to go play. We always say the game’s about us, and it’ll always be about how we play. We’ve got to go play our best, so that’s the next step for us.” For Georgia, it’s a chance to answer critics like Josh Pate while proving the SEC is still the league to beat.