Who Are the Announcers for Marshall vs Georgia Week 1 College Football Game

With less than a week until their first game, the countdown to the 2025 college football season for Georgia Bulldogs is in its final days. As gameday nears, the names of those who will be broadcasting Georgia’s first game have been made public. In Athens, the anticipation is immense, mirroring the August heat, as Kirby Smart’s team is expected to make a strong playoff push. Marshall’s game at Sanford Stadium in Week 1 is a rare event, unseen for over twenty years, and fans are keen to watch the preseason favorites begin their season.

Calling the action for ESPN will be a trio familiar with Saturdays. Mike Monaco takes the microphone for play-by-play duties, setting the stage with his energetic voice. Kirk Morrison, the former NFL linebacker who brings sharp insight and a defender’s eye to every snap will join him in the booth. On the sidelines, Dawn Davenport rounds out the crew, offering the kind of observations and updates that bring fans even closer to the game. Together, they’ll have a front-row seat to Georgia’s latest season opener, one loaded with expectation and storylines.

This will mark the first meeting between UGA and Marshall since 2004, a game remembered less for fireworks and more for grit. Back then, Georgia survived with a 13-3 home win, but the gap between the programs has only widened since. The Georgia Bulldogs enter Saturday as nearly 40-point favorites, underscoring just how far the SEC powerhouse has risen under Smart’s leadership.

The stakes for Georgia, however, extend beyond simply beating the Thundering Herd. The Dawgs are aiming for their third national championship in five seasons, a run that would put them squarely in dynasty territory. That pursuit will require flawless execution throughout a regular season that’s anything but forgiving. Alabama, Texas, and Ole Miss all loom on the schedule, meaning Smart’s squad has little margin for error if they want to stay on course for the playoff.

Adding to the intrigue is Georgia’s consistency in season openers under Kirby Smart. Since taking over in Athens, the Dawgs haven’t dropped a Week 1 game. In fact, they’ve built an intimidating fortress at home, riding a streak of more than 30 straight wins inside Sanford Stadium. Fans don’t just expect victory on Saturday—they expect dominance, and the program’s culture has embraced those lofty standards. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 30th, with ESPN bringing every snap to living rooms nationwide.

Vegas expects a Bulldog beatdown: Georgia vs. Marshall odds

As one would assume, Georgia is a massive favorite against Marshall heading into Week 1. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Bulldogs are a 39.5-point favorite for their season opener, a line that basically screams, “How big will the blowout be?” The over-under for the matchup is set at 55.5 points, which gives fans a fun little guessing game—will Georgia’s offense cover most of that themselves, or will Marshall find a way to chip in?

This isn’t just another cupcake opener with no history, though. Georgia and Marshall have met exactly once before, all the way back in 2004 in Athens. That contest didn’t play out the way most expected, as the Bulldogs escaped with just a 13-3 victory. It was more grind-it-out than highlight-reel worthy and certainly far from the kind of dominance Kirby Smart’s teams have become known for in the modern era.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the storyline isn’t whether Georgia will win—it’s how much they’ll win by.