5 things to know about Georgia’s opponent: UT Martin
The UT Martin Skyhawks went 7-4 during the 2022 college football season. UT Martin is not expected to put up much of a fight against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs in the season opener.
However, UT Martin has strung together one of the best stretches in program history and is looking to build off winning back-to-back conference championships.
UT Martin plays in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in the Football Championship Subdivision. The OVC plays in the Big South-OVC Football Association, which is comprised on 10 teams. UT Martin is predicted to finish third in the conference.
What are five things that Georgia football fans should know about UT Martin?
UT Martin's 2022 notable games
Sept. 18, 2022: Boise State 30, UT Martin 7
UT Martin kept things competitive for a while at the Boise State Broncos in 2022. The Skyhawks did not face a multi-score deficit until the end of the first half. Boise State pulled away with 10 points in the fourth quarter to secure a victory.
Oct. 22, 2022: Tennessee 65, UT Martin 24
The Tennessee Volunteers scored early and often against UT Martin. The Volunteers raced out to a 52-7 halftime lead in Knoxville, Tennessee.
UT Martin football program finds recent success
UT Martin Skyhawks head coach Jason Simpson has helped turn around the program at UT Martin. The Skyhawks have won consecutive Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) championships in 2021 and 2022 after only having one previous OVC championship in 2006. Simpson has coached at UT Martin since 2006.
UT Martin's best player
Best player: running back Sam Franklin
Franklin is a redshirt sophomore running back. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back finished 2022 with 678 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Franklin earned OVC freshman of the year honors last season and will take on a larger role this fall because the Skyhawks’ 2023 leading rusher, Zak Wallace, transferred to Arkansas State.
Skyhawks' roster turnover
UT Martin returns nine starters from the 2022 season including five all-conference players. However, the Skyhawks lost 14 all-conference players from last season including star running back Zak Wallace.
Where is UT Martin? Who is in the Big South-OVC?
UT Martin is located in Martin, Tennessee. Martin is located in the northwest portion of Tennessee.
The Big South-OVC is comprised of UT Martin, Tennessee Tech, Southeast Missouri State, Gardner Webb, Tennessee State, Bryant, Lindenwood, Eastern Illinois, Charleston Southern, and Robert Morris.
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