Game week is finally here for the Georgia Bulldogs, as they open the season against UT-Martin on Saturday.

While there is expected to be little drama in terms of the week 1 game, the Bulldogs figure to be one of the more talked about teams throughout the 2023 season.

The Bulldogs will be aiming to win their third straight national championship, something not done since Minnesota accomplished the feat in the 1930′s. Because of the fact that Georgia has won back-to-back national championships and is attempting an unprecedented feat in modern college football, ESPN’s David Hale has the Bulldogs in a tier of their own entering this season.

“Fresh off back-to-back national titles for the Bulldogs, and the depth chart still includes Kendall Milton and Mykel Williams and Nazir Stackhouse and Javon Bullard and Malaki Starks and Tate Ratledge and Brock Bowers (No. 2 in ESPN’s top 100 players list),” Hale wrote. “Seriously, how is Bowers only a junior? It’s really not fair.”

Hale’s biggest question mark comes at the quarterback position, as Carson Beck will make his first career start on Saturday. Beck will take over for Stetson Bennett, who guided Georgia to back-to-back titles while also being a Heisman Trophy finalist.

But Georgia isn’t the only elite program with questions at the quarterback position. Alabama and Ohio State will also be breaking in new starters. Yet of those three programs, it’s Georgia and Beck that seem to have the most optimism entering the 2023 season.

Stewart Mandel of The Athletic made the case for Beck.

“He looked great in the Dawgs’ spring game,” Mandel wrote. “The offense picked up where it left off against TCU. It’s also encouraging that he ran away with the job; much like Drew Allar at Penn State, there was never much doubt which quarterback would take the first snaps of the season. And most importantly: He’s got Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey and Missouri transfer Dominic Lovett to throw to, and four preseason All-SEC linemen blocking for him.

“It’s pretty much the ideal scenario for a first-time starting quarterback.”

As head coach Kirby Smart pointed out this week, Beck isn’t your typical first-year starter as he is in his fourth season at Georgia. He is the only blue-chip quarterback from the 2020 recruiting cycle that has not either started a game or transferred.

Beck has gotten significant reps in practice and the belief at Georgia is that it will carry over into the season.

It helps that Beck has some very talented players around him. Not just in the pass-catching game but also among the offensive line. Georgia brings back three starters from last season’s team.

But it’s actually one of the more inexperienced offensive linemen that has generated some NFL draft buzz. Amarius Mims will be Georgia’s full-time starting right tackle this season. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. expects Mims to have a short stay at right tackle for Georgia, as he could possibly be a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Kiper has Mims rated as the No. 25 overall player on his big board.

“He’s raw, of course, but I like his footwork. He blew defenders off the ball in the run game, and I was surprised how solid he was in pass protection with such limited experience,” Kiper wrote. “Remember: Broderick Jones was a first-year starter last season, too, and he ended up as the No. 14 overall pick.”

Mims made his first career start against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff and held the spot once again in the national championship game against TCU.

Mims and Beck will get a chance to make their first Sanford Stadium starts on Saturday against UT-Martin. The game is set for a 6 p.m. ET start.