Saturday's college football preview: Mercer, FVSU, GMC, Georgia, Tech, KSU, GSU, GSU, SEC, ACC, South, nation, and Central Georgia alums
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All on ESPN+ unless noted)
1 p.m.: Snow College at GMC (Jock Jive)
The Badgers are 3-1 and averaging 27.8 points a game, giving up only 67.3 rushing yards. They finished 8-2 last year, including a 41-18 win over the visiting Bulldogs for a 3-2 series lead. GMC is 3-2, outgaining Monroe 227-179 in a 22-16 win last week.
Snow’s Central Georgians: None
GMC’s Central Georgians: 9 DB Caleb Bush, GMC Prep, Fr.; 12 DB Baylen Zielinski, John Milledge, Fr.; 16 DB Kedrek Smith, Vetearns, Fr.; 17 QB Tyler Saunders, GMC Prep, Fr.; 21 DB Austin Denson, Westside, So.; 27 RB Ta’Marion Peters, Putnam County; 33 DB Antonio Reeves Jr., So, Baldwin; 38 TE Da’Corian Stanley, Peach County, Fr.; 39 K Mason Maddox, Peach County, So.; 54 LB Jauquine Hines Jr., Washington County, Fr.; 64 OL Jermon Simmons, Baldwin, Fr.; 69 OL Ajairius Whitehead, Northside, Fr.; 73 OL Jarvis Germany, Mary Persons, So.; 77 OL Antonio Sanders, Hawkinsville, So.; 81 WR Darrell Bland, Putnam County, Fr.; 83 WR Kevin Jones, Southwest, Fr.; 91 DL Brian Dennis, Northeast, Fr.
3:30 p.m.: Georgia at Auburn, CBS
Georgia's steadying forces ready for first road test
By the numbers: How Auburn football’s stats compare to No. 1 Georgia, the rest of the nation
10 years after Auburn’s Prayer at Jordan-Hare, Ricardo Louis remembers ‘superhero’ play
Jackson confident if called upon against Auburn
Column-Auburn-Georgia is a rivalry game, coach. You don’t have to handle it with such care.
Freeze reflects on working with Georgia assistant Tray Scott
Column-All about love before a rivalry game?
Freeze jokes he’ll have a heart attack if Auburn doesn’t run more RPO plays
Georgia’s Central Georgians: 22 DB Javon Bullard, Baldwin; 46 WR George Vining, Tattnall; 65 OL Amarius Mims, Bleckley County
Auburn’s Central Georgians: 32 LB Wesley Steiner, Houston County, Sr.; 85 TE Tyler Fromm, Warner Robins, Sr. Steiner has played in four games, and has six tackles, one for loss . Fromm has played in four games and has one catch for five yards, as well as a solo tackle.
Bowling Green at Georgia Tech, ACC
ACC’s passing TD leader King leads Georgia Tech against MAC’s Bowling Green
Bowling Green’s Central Georgians: None
Georgia Tech’s Central Georgians: 21 RB Daylon Gordon, Dodge County
4 p.m.: VMI at Mercer
It’s already “must-win” mode for Mercer in the Southern Conference race, the 0-1 Bears hosting 1-0/2-2 VMI.
The Bears dropped out of top 25s after losing 38-14 to Furman, but received plenty of votes. VMI knocked off Wofford in its conference opener.
Mercer is 6-3 in the series, winning 55-14 on the road last year, but falling at home 45-7 a year before.
VMI’s Central Georgians: None
Mercer’s Central Georgians: 21 WR Brayden Smith, Tattnall; 23 WR Travion Solomon, Northeast; 54 OL Justin Brett, Washington County; 57 OL Jose Gonzalez, Warner Robins; OL 68 Nate Howard, Mary Persons; 81 WR Scooter Risper, Westside; WR Tucker Mix, Jones County
6 p.m.: Kennesaw State at Charleston Southern
The Owls lead the series 5-2, and have outscored the Bucs 175-73 in the last five meetings, including a 30-20 home win last year.
CSU’s game notes: none
KSU’s Central Georgians: 2 TE Preston Daniels, Washington County; 30 RB Qua Ashley, Dublin; 63 DL Ramontei Dardy, Dublin; 64 OL Trey Butts, Mount de Sales; 78 LS Ronnie Thomas, Houston County
CSU’s Central Georgians: 25 DB Champ Brantley, Mary Persons, Fr.; 42 DB Arthur Lee Brown, Houston County, Fr.; 65 OL Jack Rowland, Veterans, So.; 91 DL Tylon Chambers, Veterans, Jr.
Brantley has 10 tackles in three games, and Brown has six, plus an interception. Chambers has five tackles in four games.
7 p.m.: Fort Valley State at Allen
Wildcats hit the road on winning streak
FVSU’s Central Georgians: 5 LB Tim Alderman, Peach County, Jr.; 10 WR Jaren Lawson, Westside, Grad; 10 DE Cedric Hillsman, Jr., Peach County, Jr.; 15 WR Jonathan Williams, Perry, Jr.; 22 DB Justin Harris, Peach County, Jr.; 25 DB Landon Austin, Macon County, So.; 28 LB Cameron Johnson, Perry, Sr.; 53 DL Josh Burney, Jones County, Jr.; 63 OL Rodrick Smith, Northeast, So.; 82 TE De'Andre King, Warner Robins, So.; 84 TE Alex Henton, Peach County, Jr.; 87 TE Manny Thompson, Warner Robins, So.; 90 DT DJ Wilson, Veterans, So.; 91 DL Quentel Jones, Peach County, Fr.; 99 DL Caleb Thomas, Houston County, Sr.; RB T.J. Miles, Northeast, Fr.
Allen Central Georgians: LB 34 Kayleb Pierce, Northside, So.
Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern, NFL
Coastal Carolina’s Central Georgians: None
Georgia Southern’s Central Georgians: 1 WR Jaylon Barden, Westside; 21 WR Marcus Sanders, Macon County; 35 LB Nigel Manns, Peach County; 57 OL Chandler Strong, Houston County; 64 OL Caelan Williams, Trinity Christian; 79 OL Weston Wallace, Gatewood; 86 WR Graeme Williams, Jasper County
8 p.m.: Troy at Georgia State
Troy’s Central Georgians: 18 QB Gunnar Watson, Taylor County, Sr.
Watson is 31st in FBS in passing yads, 66th in total offense, and is now third on Troy’s all-time passing yardage list, third in completions, fifth in passing touchdowns, seventh in completion percentage, and has thrown for 682 yards in his last two games
Georgia State’s Central Georgians: 4 DB D-Icey Hopkins, Northeast; 14 DB Cam Marshall, Perry
Around the Southeast (SEC/ACC)
No. 12 Alabama seeks 16th consecutive win over Mississippi State, which wants out of SEC basement
‘They don’t have a weakness’: Mississippi State’s Zach Arnett talks Alabama football’s defense
No. 17 Duke is taking another big stage with Saturday night’s visit from No. 11 Notre Dame
No. 13 LSU visits 20th-ranked Ole Miss in SEC West matchup
No. 21 Tennessee seeks revenge against South Carolina and neither team wants 2 SEC losses
No. 22 Florida looks to halt recent slide against unbeaten Kentucky in SEC East Division showdown
No. 23 Missouri Tigers finally open SEC play visiting skidding Vanderbilt
Unbeaten Syracuse has chance to get off to 5-0 start in hosting slumping ACC rival Clemson
Arkansas away from home again for neutral site game against Texas A&M at home of the Cowboys
Virginia visits Boston College in matchup of struggling ACC teams
Pitt travels to Virginia Tech with both programs searching for positives amid 1-3 starts
Around the South (SEC/ACC states)
UCF looks to bounce back in first Big 12 home game vs. Baylor
Tulane's Fritz, UAB's Dilfer have strikingly different career paths
Around the nation
College football picks: ‘Hoops’ schools No. 17 Duke, No. 24 Kansas, Kentucky try to stay unbeaten
No. 24 Kansas and No. 3 Texas square off in a battle of Big 12 unbeatens
No. 6 Penn State is rolling as it heads to Northwestern. Its coach would like to see more big plays
No. 7 Washington and red-hot QB Penix hoping to avoid letdown on the road against Arizona
Sanders and the Buffaloes are looking for a rebound when No. 8 USC visits
No. 9 Oregon visits Stanford in search of its 1st 5-0 start since 2013
No. 25 Fresno St. takes a 13-game winning streak into matchup against struggling Nevada
TCU takes 10-game Big 12 regular-season winning streak into visit from West Virginia
Gophers seek to rebound from late collapse in homecoming game vs. Ragin’ Cajuns
Maryland aims for its first 5-0 start since 2001 when the Terrapins host a struggling Indiana team