(AP) - The conference affiliation is brand new and the tailgaters no doubt will show up much earlier.

Expect the interstate to be clogged even more than usual, too.

A new era has dawned at Missouri, which makes its Southeastern Conference debut on Saturday night against No. 7 Georgia.

There are plenty of firsts ahead, with top-ranked Alabama coming to town in October.

Players know they can't afford to get too fired up for the Bulldogs, but they want to win.

Georgia is coming off a 45-23 opening victory over Buffalo.

Missouri opened the season with a 62-10 rout of lower-division Southeastern Louisiana.

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