NWADG College Football

27 NWA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 9.20.2020 FIBER INTERNET // TV // PHONE OZARKSGO.NET // 479.684.4900 get gigabit get fast Run with the fast crowd and get the fastest internet in the region! GAME 1 GEORGIA DATE Sept. 26 PLACE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville 2019 RECORD 12-2, 7-1 SEC COACH Kirby Smart (44-12 in four seasons at Georgia) RETURNING STARTERS 4 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB TJ Daniels, RB Zamir White, S Richard LaCounte, LB Monty Rice. 2020 SCHEDULE Sept. 26 ........................................at Arkansas Oct. 3 .................................................. Auburn Oct. 10 ............................................Tennessee Oct. 17 .......................................... at Alabama Oct. 24 ..........................................at Kentucky Nov. 7 ................ vs Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.) Nov. 14 .......................................... at Missouri Nov. 21 ................................. Mississippi State Nov. 28 .................................at South Carolina Dec. 5 .............................................. Vanderbilt OUTLOOK A transfer quarterback figures to start for the Bulldogs when they open the season at Arkansas. Just not the transfer expected. Jamie Newman, a senior graduate transfer from Wake Forest projected to be the Georgia starter, decided to opt out of this season midway through training camp. That leaves JT Daniels, a sophomore transfer from Southern California, as the likely starter. Newman's opting out was a surprise, but it doesn't figure to adversely affect Georgia too much. The Bulldogs are loaded with talent – Coach Kirby Smart learned about recruiting from Nick Saban as Alabama's defensive coordinator – and they look ready to go after a fourth consecutive SEC East title. GAME 2 MISSISSIPPI STATE DATE Oct. 3 PLACE Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Miss. 2019 RECORD 6-7, 3-5 SEC COACH Mike Leach (First season at Mississippi State, 139-90 overall in 18 seasons) RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS RB Kylin Hill, QB K.J. Costello, LB Erroll Thompson, DT Nathan Pickering 2020 SCHEDULE Sept. 26 at LSU Oct. 3 ............................................... Arkansas Oct. 10 ..........................................at Kentucky Oct. 17 .......................................... Texas A&M Oct. 31 .......................................... at Alabama Nov. 7 .............................................. Vanderbilt Nov. 14 ................................................ Auburn Nov. 21 ............................................at Georgia Nov. 28 .......................................... at Ole Miss Dec. 5 ................................................ Missouri OUTLOOK New Mississippi State Coach Mike Leach is known for his Air Raid attack, and K.J. Costello – a graduate transfer – passed for 6,151 and 48 touchdowns at Stanford the previous three seasons. But the Bulldogs figure to do plenty of running with Kylin Hill after he rushed for 1,350 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Mississippi State should be able to have good balance on offense and put up points, but stopping opponents figures to be a problem with the Bulldogs losing a lot of talent on defense the last two seasons. At the least, Mississippi State should be fun and interesting to watch in Leach's first season. 2020 ARKANSAS OPPONENT CAPSULES BY BOB HOLT AP Photo/Kelly Donoho Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill (8) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Mississippi State won 28-13. See OPPONENT, Page 28

• Cover