Dawgs prepare for matchup with Oregon Ducks

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - College football is back and the Bulldogs aren’t wasting time, starting the season with a tough opponent.

Last year it was a top-five matchup in week one when the Dawgs beat Clemson in Charlotte. This year, it’s a matchup against the 11th-ranked Oregon Ducks tomorrow at the Benz.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said he likes to play at the Benz so his players can get comfortable with the field, in the hopes that the team plays in the SEC Championship Game.

How important is the Dawgs’ tussle with the Ducks? Since 1936, only four teams that lost their first game have gone on to play for a national title.

A lot of Georgia’s success depends on quarterback Stetson Bennett. Bennett, nicknamed “the Mailman” since he delivered a national title back in January, isn’t satisfied with one championship. He wants another to silence the doubters.

“I’ve got the ring,” Bennett said. He also discussed how being the undisputed starter changed the way he prepared for the season.

He said, “now there’s no toes to tread on. So, we’re working to figure out how to be the best team that we can be. Hopefully it makes us tighter and more in sync.

Smart said, “we have high expectations for Stetson. We also have high standards for what we expect Stetson to do, leading our offense in terms of going to class and doing the right thing.”

It’s Bennett’s final season, so he’s laying it all on the line.