Rookie To Start For Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia coach Mark Richt said Monday that he will start freshman Matthew Stafford at quarterback in Saturday's home game against Mississippi State.

Stafford will be making his third start. He also started against Alabama-Birmingham and Colorado when senior Joe Tereshinski was out with a sprained ankle.

Tereshinski, who began the season as the starter, has started in the Bulldogs' back-to-back losses to Tennessee and Vanderbilt. Georgia (5-2 overall, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) fell out of the Top 25 with the losses.

In Saturday's 24-22 loss to Vanderbilt, Tereshinski was 11-for-17 passing for 151 yards, including a 23-yard scoring pass to Martrez Milner.

Richt said Tereshinski was disappointed when he learned from Richt and quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo that he would not start Saturday.

Tereshinski and the rest of the senior class will serve as game captains for the game.

Stafford was 9-of-13 for 86 yards, including a drop by Milner that cost Georgia a possible touchdown. Overall, Stafford has completed 47 of 93 passes for 582 yards with four interceptions and one touchdown. He has not thrown a touchdown pass since the first game of the season against Western Kentucky.