ATHENS — The wait is almost over for the Georgia football program, as the Bulldogs will play their first game of the 2025 season on Saturday.

It is not the biggest game of the opening weekend, as Georgia faces a Marshall team that has to replace a lot from last season’s team. The Bulldogs are a 39.5-point favorite.

Still, there is plenty of intrigue in how this 2025 Georgia team will look, as it has to replace 13 NFL draft picks from last season’s team.

“I haven’t been so uncertain about a Georgia team entering a season since Kirby Smart’s first year. Last year’s offensive line play wasn’t up to the high standard set by the program in recent seasons, and the strength of it (the interior) has moved on,” Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports wrote. “I have no idea what to expect from Gunner Stockton. The defense is losing key pieces. They’re still this high because they still dominate recruiting, and that talent could allow them to dominate yet again. It could also be a reset season! It’s a fascinating team to watch in 2025.”

The Bulldogs spent much of the offseason speaking about a desire to improve at both stopping the run and running the football. Georgia fell off in those regards last season, which is partially why the 11-3 season felt so disappointing.

Georgia will be breaking in a new full-time starting quarterback, as Gunner Stockton is expected to take over for now Miami Hurricane Carson Beck.

Stockton made his first career start against Notre Dame to end last season. While Smart has not formally named Stockton the starting quarterback, Stockton has emerged as one of the key leaders on this team.

The intangibles Stockton brings to the table should not be discounted, even if he has some skeptics in the national media.

David Cobb of CBS Sports had Stockton rated as the No. 37 overall quarterback in the country to start the season.

If the Bulldogs are to compete for a national championship, they will need Stockton to outperform that ranking.

“If Georgia didn’t truly believe Gunner Stockton is capable of winning a national championship, it could have used its deep pockets to pluck another quarterback from the portal,” Cobb wrote. “Stockton showed some grit while filling in for Carson Beck last postseason. The Bulldogs have also upgraded in the playmaker department, which will help Stockton succeed.”

Much of the discussion to this point has focused on Georgia’s long-term goals for this season. But the opening game against Marshall does create the opportunity for some new faces to make a name for themselves.

One of those who enters the upcoming season with lofty expectations is defensive tackle Elijah Griffin. He was the No. 1-ranked defensive prospect in the 2025 recruiting class.

With Georgia having major question marks about its defensive line, Griffin has an opportunity to start his career with a bang.

“Griffin’s maturity and ability to pick up the defense has also stood out as he vies for snaps along a revamped Georgia defensive line that returns multiple starters from a year ago,” Eli Lederman of ESPN wrote. “Whether or not he starts against Marshall on Saturday, Griffin is expected to play early and often in a significant role within coordinator Glenn Schumann’s defense this fall.”

Georgia’s game against Marshall is set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff, with ESPN broadcasting the game. Georgia enters the season as the No. 5-ranked team in the AP Poll.