1. Who will play quarterback for Georgia and for how long?

About all that is known about the Georgia quarterback situation is that Joe Tereshinski is the starter and Joe Cox is his backup. Beyond that, it’s all a mystery. Based on what head coach Mark Richt said at practice earlier this week, he isn’t even completely sure. Two QBs should play and a third is likely. Richt said he would make subs based on feel, but might enter the game with a slight plan. As for the third quarterback, Richt left open the possibility of playing freshman Matthew Stafford over sophomore Blake Barnes. Stafford would lose his eligibility for a redshirt if he plays.

2. Will the game be close?

Richt said that you can’t underestimate a Division I-AA team and must prepare like it’s any other game. Still, with the differing levels of talent between Georgia and Western Kentucky, there is no reason the game should be close. Auburn beat the Hilltoppers 37-14 last season with starting QB Brandon Cox on the bench. Western Kentucky didn’t score until the fourth quarter. By the fourth quarter Saturday, Georgia should have plenty of backups on the field.

3. What position battles will continue Saturday and beyond?

Sophomores Mohamed Massaquoi and Kenneth Harris are Georgia’s starting receivers. But behind those two, everything is wide open. Richt said Mario Raley, Kris Durham, Demiko Goodman, Mikey Henderson and A.J. Bryant (the five remaining receivers listed on the depth chart) are fighting for playing time. Beyond receiver, Richt has said all fall that position battles – including quarterback – are ongoing, and even if a player remains a starter, the backup can earn more playing time.

4. Will Georgia’s offensive line hold up?

An offensive line consists of five players. Factoring in injures and suspensions, Georgia has only six players that it plans to use on the line in the game. Redshirt sophomore Seth Watts is the only backup likely to play. Freshman Kevin Perez is also listed on the depth chart, but don’t expect him to see the field. Tackle Daniel Inman, the Bulldogs’ best lineman, and Ian Smith are both suspended, and Zeb McKinzey has missed much of fall practice with a shoulder injury.

5. What is a Hilltopper and why is Western Kentucky’s mascot Big Red (and what is Big Red)?

Little information is available on what exactly a Hilltopper is. According to the school’s Web site, “The evolution of the nickname ‘Hilltoppers’ is obvious to those who have seen the Western Kentucky campus. – Since the summit of ‘the Hill’ rises 232 feet above nearby Barren River and the comparatively level plain that surrounds it, it was only natural that the athletes who represented the institution should come to be known as the ‘Hilltoppers.’” Still, it doesn’t explain specifically what a Hilltopper is, but what can you do.

According to graphic renderings, Big Red is a red blob of something that carries around a red towel. The school’s Web site has no information on Big Red but does explain the towel tradition. E.A. Diddle, Western Kentucky’s longtime men’s basketball coach (who also coached football, women’s basketball and baseball at various times), held a red towel for the 1,062 basketball games he coached, and it became a symbol of the school’s sports programs.