Tennessee vs Georgia preview
The Tennessee Volunteers come off an open week to travel to Athens to compete against a dangerous Georgia team.
The Tennessee Volunteers come off an open week to travel to Athens to compete against a dangerous Georgia team.
The Vols face the No. 12 Bulldogs Saturday, the first Southeastern Conference game for Tennessee, and an important one for both.
In an SEC East that appears to be wide open, the Vols need to be extra prepared for this Georgia team. The Bulldogs are 0-1 in conference play, and falling to 0-2 could prove costly in this race for the East championship.
On the plus side, if the Vols open up SEC play with a victory over Georgia, this could give them the confidence they need to challenge for the SEC title. The task will not be easy however.
The Bulldogs bring in arguably the best running back in college football with Todd Gurley, who comes in with 41 carries, 402 yards, and four touchdowns. The Vols bring in the 26th ranked defense in the country. They need to force quarterback Hutson Mason to throw the ball more than his season high, 26 times. He has yet to throw an interception this season, which means Tennessee will need to bring pressure if they hope to affect his throws. If the Vols load up the box, and limit Gurley, then this has the makings to be a key road win in this young season.
On the offensive side of things, tight end Ethan Wolf is 100 percent, and will add to this receiving core that is poised to bust. The Bulldogs come in ranked 16th in total defense allowing 214 yards through the air, and nearly 104 yards on the ground. South Carolina proved that this defense is not as strong as it seems by hanging 38 points on them. Marquez North and the rest of the receiving crew need to be prepared, because the ball will be coming their way.
This game in Athens will be another challenge for this young football team, but look for these young Vols to come off of the Oklahoma game looking much more experienced.
Edited by Will Lomas
