Everything you need to know about Georgia vs. Western Kentucky

ATHENS — Georgia didn’t throw the ball downfield often against Tennessee State, but that figures to change against Western Kentucky.

The Hilltoppers like to force the action on offense, as they were the ninth-fastest team in the nation with only 23 seconds per snap last Saturday.

UGA coach Kirby Smart, 118-21 (.849) has heard the old axiom that teams make their greatest improvement between their first and second games, but he says that will be up to his team to decide if it holds up on Saturday.

“Everybody talks about your greatest improvement from Game One to Game Two,” Smart said. “I don’t think that’s necessarily true unless you make it true. You have to learn lessons from that.”

Indeed, and Smart revealed the saying around the football building this week is, “You don’t have to be sick to get better.”

It’s not too different than one Smart used years ago, when he said, “If it ain’t broke, find a way to make it better.”

Western Kentucky will try to do the same after suffering a statistically perplexing 49-14 loss at Nevada that saw the Hilltoppers get more first downs (23-2) than the Wolf Pack and control the time of possession (32:33 to 27:27) while not turning over the ball.

Things to know for Saturday’s Western Kentucky-Georgia Game

When: 12:45 p.m.

Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga.

Rankings and records: Georgia (1-0), No. 2 in AP Top 25 Poll. Georgia, No. 7 in Sagarin computer rankings; Western Kentucky (0-1) No. 144 (of 266) in Sagarin computer rankings.

TV/radio: SEC Network; Georgia Bulldogs Sports Network radio; Sirius XM 175 or 228.

Weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 92, chance of late afternoon showers or thunderstorms (60 percent)

Series: Georgia leads 1-0, won 48-12 to open 2006 season.

Last meeting: Matthew Stafford made his UGA debut in the fourth quarter and was 3-of-5 passing for 40 yards and a TD and one carry for 19 yards in relief of starter Joe Tereshinski (7 of 17, 90 yards). Thomas Brown had 10 carries for 26 yards and a TD and three catches for 20 yards.

Last outing: Georgia beat FCS-level Tennessee State 63-3. Gunner Stockton was 15-of-16 passing for 202 yards and 3 TDs before coming out midway through the second quarter with a 35-0 lead. Nate Frazier had four carries for 72 yards and 3 TDs. Western Kentucky lost 49-14 at Nevada. QB Rodney Tisdale Jr. was 24-of-40 passing for 203 yards and was sacked three times.

Betting line: Georgia is a 40.5-point favorite.

Georgia notes to know

1. The Bulldogs are the only team in the top 8 of the AP Top 25 not to receive a first-place vote (of the 69 pollsters). UGA moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 on the AP Top 25 ballot this week.

2. Georgia will wear an all-white uniform for the first time in school history and is 4-0 in alternate uniform in Smart’s head coaching era.

3. Stockton figures to get more work against Western Kentucky and has the following career highs: 26 completions; 4 TD passes; 37 pass attempts; 304 passing yards; 1 interception. Stockton is on pace to set the school’s career completion percentage record, currently completing 70.31% of his passes, ahead of Carson Beck’s 68.04% rate and Stetson Bennett’s 65.11%.

4. Kicker Peyton Woodring is on pace to set the school record for field goal accuracy, currently at 88.06%, ahead of Rodrigo Blankenship’s 82.47% rate. Woodring is nine points from moving ahead of Jack Podlesny for fourth on the all-time scoring list, and three from passing Podlesny for fourth in the most PATs made category, and five from passing Blair Walsh on that same list.