Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt spoke to the media after the Vols were defeated by the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens 27-13 on Saturday.
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker spoke to the media after the Vols were defeated by the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens 27-13 on Saturday.
Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel held his postgame press conference after the Vols were defeated by the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens 27-13 on Saturday.
Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel held his postgame press conference after the Vols were defeated by the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens 27-13 on Saturday.
Box Score (XML) | Final Book (PDF) | UT Postgame Notes | UT Postgame Quotes (PDF)
ATHENS, Ga. — No. 1 Tennessee’s eight-game winning streak was snapped Saturday afternoon in Athens, Georgia, as the third-ranked Bulldogs claimed a 27-13 triumph over the Big Orange inside Sanford Stadium.
The Vols (8-1, 4-1 SEC) were limited to a season-low 13 points and 289 total yards against a Georgia unit that entered the weekend leading the Southeastern Conference in scoring defense (10.5) and total defense (262.6). Penalties and negative plays proved costly for the Big Orange, as Tennessee allowed a season-high six sacks and committed nine penalties for 55 yards of lost yardage.
Redshirt senior quarterback Hendon Hooker finished the game completing 23-of-33 passes for 195 yards with one interception, registering his fourth game this season with more than 20 completions. Redshirt senior wide receiver Cedric Tillman pulled in a game-high seven catches for 68 yards, while junior wideouts Jalin Hyatt and Bru McCoy each had six receptions for 63 and 38 yards, respectively.
With no touchdown tosses on Saturday, Hooker’s program record streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass ended at 20 games. Over that stretch, the Tennessee gunslinger passed for 52 touchdowns with three interceptions.
Sophomore running back Jaylen Wright led the Vols on the ground between the hedges, rushing 21 times for a game-high 69 yards and Tennessee’s lone touchdown. It was his 10th career score and sixth of the season as the Durham, North Carolina, native eclipsed 500 rushing yards on the year.
Georgia signal caller Stetson Bennett IV guided the Bulldogs (9-0, 6-0) to victory with three total touchdowns, throwing for 257 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 13-yard rushing score. Redshirt sophomore Ladd McConkey led all receivers with 94 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Tennessee’s defense forced multiple turnovers for the seventh time this season, finishing with two fumble recoveries. Redshirt senior linebacker Juwan Mitchell posted a team-high eight tackles for the second consecutive week, while Jeremy Banks accounted for seven total tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a pass breakup.
The Volunteer defense collected a takeaway on the first drive of the game when redshirt senior defensive end LaTrell Bumphus punched the ball out from Georgia running back Daijun Edwards, recording his first career forced fumble on a six-yard tackle for loss. Starting STAR Tamarion McDonald pounced on the rolling pigskin to secure the turnover inside UGA territory at the 47-yard line.
Tennessee picked up three points off the turnover as redshirt senior placekicker Chase McGrath’s 47-yard try sailed through the uprights and put the Big Orange ahead 3-0 in the early going.
The Bulldogs responded with a quick five-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, sparked by a 52-yard deep ball to wideout Arian Smith—the longest passing play to a UGA wide receiver this season. Bennett capped the series with a 13-yard scramble to the pylon, giving Georgia a 7-3 lead with 8:32 remaining in the first quarter.
After pinning the Vols at their own one-yard line on a booming 75-yard punt and forcing a quick three-and-out, Georgia capitalized on short field position with a 37-yard passing connection from Bennett to McConkey. The wideout broke free on the right side and hauled in a wide-open score to provide a 14-3 cushion for the Bulldogs with 3:32 to go in the opening stanza.
Georgia piled on more points early in the second quarter, using a six-play, 64-yard touchdown drive to go up 21-3 with 14:17 left in the first half. The series was highlighted by running back Kenny McIntosh’s 49-yard grab on a wheel route and punctuated by a five-yard strike to Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, getting both his feet down in the back of the end zone to pull ahead by three scores.
Tennessee entered the red zone on the ensuing drive, but back-to-back false start penalties stalled the Big Orange into settling for a field goal. McGrath knocked through his second attempt of the afternoon, connecting from 36 yards to cut the deficit to 21-6 with 9:36 left in the second quarter.
Georgia added three points as time expired at halftime when Jack Podlesny stepped up and converted a 19-yard field goal, giving the Bulldogs a 24-6 edge as both teams headed into the locker room.
Long possessions for both sides melted nearly 14 minutes off the game clock in the third quarter before Podlesny tacked on three more with a 38-yard field goal, giving UGA a three-touchdown lead with 1:09 left in the third.
Tennessee’s first and only touchdown of the contest came with 4:15 remaining in the game as Wright rushed up the middle for a five-yard score, capping an eight-play, 61-yard series. The drive was kept alive when Hooker found Hyatt over the middle for a 28-yard gain on 4th-and-8 before the TD was punched in on the very next play. McGrath’s PAT made it 27-13 in favor of Georgia, which held for the game’s final score.
The Big Orange returns home Saturday, Nov. 12, for its final home game of the season against the Missouri Tigers. Kickoff is set for noon ET inside Neyland Stadium, with the game televised nationally on CBS or ESPN.
-UT Athletics
By Jimmy Hyams
Hendon Hooker’s Heisman hopes took a hit Saturday at Georgia
But the Tennessee quarterback isn’t out of the picture for player of the year.
And the Vols aren’t out of the conversation for a College Football Playoff spot.
The college football gods threw Hooker and UT a lifeline.
Hooker struggled mightily as Georgia’s defense vexed the Vols 27-13 in Athens, Ga. Hooker was 23 of 33 for a season-low 195 yards with an interception. He was sacked six times, pressured 20 times, misfired on throws and apparently didn’t see the few times receivers were open.
The co-favorite for the Heisman Trophy, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, had a miserable day. Against a weak Northwestern team in inclement weather, Stroud was 10 of 26 passing for 76 yards. He ran six times for 79 yards. He had 155 total yards of offense.
Tennessee’s loss will knock the Vols out of the No. 1 spot in the CFP poll, but the Vols should remain among the top five.
LSU upset No. 6 Alabama 32-31 in overtime, handing the Crimson Tide their second loss and assuring the Nick Saban will miss the four-team playoff.
Notre Dame whipped No. 4 Clemson, virtually dropping the Tigers out of CFP contention.
Tuesday’s CFP rankings will look something like this: 1. Georgia, 2. Ohio State, 3. Michigan, 4. TCU, 5. Tennessee.
There’s a chance UT could rank ahead of TCU, given the Vols’ strength of schedule and quality wins over Alabama and LSU.
Either way, you figure the Ohio State-Michigan loser will fall behind Tennessee.
You also figure TCU, with its porous defense, is subject to being upset.
That, of course, assumes Tennessee takes care of business and wins its next three games against Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.
To ensure Tennessee runs the table, the Vols will have to play better than they did against Georgia.
In short, Georgia was the better team. The more talented Bulldogs dominated the line of scrimmage, holding the Vols to 94 yards on 42 carries (counting 22 sack yards lost). Georgia blitzed UT into submission.
Hooker either didn’t recognize the blitz, held the ball too long or didn’t find a hot receiver for a quick throw. Too often, Hooker tried to scramble his way out of trouble rather than throw the ball away.
And it didn’t appear UT had many hot receivers available to Hooker. A quick out, a quick screen, a quick slant could have done wonders for the offense. But they didn’t appear to be options.
And for the first time this year, UT didn’t have receivers running wide open downfield.
“Definitely, the game plan, they didn’t want us to go deep,’’ said UT receiver Cedric Tillman, who caught seven passes for 68 yards. “They wanted us to throw short routes.
“Obviously, they are a great coached team and they did what they were supposed to do.’’
They didn’t misalign. They didn’t miscommunicate, And they covered the Vols like a wet blanket.
Tennessee, which led the nation in scoring and total offense, never found an offensive rhythm.
The Vols had outscored opponents 96-24 in the first quarter this year, but the Dawgs won the first period 14-3. And UT never seemed to recover from the slow start.
“We didn’t start well in any phase of the game,’’ said Heupel, whose offense was held without a first-half touchdown for the first time as UT’s coach. “A lot of self-inflicted wounds. At the end of the day, I didn’t like the way we started.’’
The start was impacted by a raucous crowd that caused a lot of false starts. The Vols were guilty of eight pre-snap penalties, creating a plethora of third-and-long situations that UT couldn’t covert. The Vols were 2 of 14 on third downs.
During one possession, a third-and-2 turned into a third-and-12 after two illegal procedure penalties. Another third-and-12 turned into a third-and-17 after another pre-snap penalty. In total, UT had 10 third-downs of at least 5 yards and five where UT needed at least 10 yards.
“Offensively, it wasn’t clean all night,’’ Heupel said. “It wasn’t efficient. We couldn’t finish the job. Our staff and players have got to own this one.’’
Heupel was frustrated by the missed third down attempts.
“You’re not going to sustain anything (if you can’t convert on third down) so you’ve got to create some big plays and we didn’t create big plays,’’ Heupel said.
Georgia’s defense, ranked No. 1 in the SEC against scoring and total yards allowed, held UT’s run game in check and harassed Hooker all day.
Perhaps an underrated element of Georgia’s defense is their ability to tackle. You rarely see opponents break tackles against this athletic group.
So Tennessee suffers its first loss of the season and Hooker plays his worst game of the season.
But hope still remains – thanks to a bizarre day that kept the door open for the Vols in the CFP and for Hooker in the Heisman.
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 11th-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball is set to open its 113th season in program history, taking on in-state foe Tennessee Tech Monday night at 7 p.m. ET inside Thompson-Boling Arena.
Fans can catch Monday’s game on SEC Network+ and online or on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch. Michael Wottreng and VFL Steve Hamer will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp describing the action.
In its lone exhibition game prior to this season, Tennessee defeated No. 2 Gonzaga on Oct. 28 in the Legends of Basketball Classic in Frisco, Texas, 99-80. On a night where the Vols shot 57 percent from the field and had 28 assists on 36 made baskets, graduate transfer Tyreke Key posted a game-high 26 points, while four other Vols scored in double figures.
Monday’s matchup marks the 28th all-time meeting between the Vols and Golden Eagles and third straight season that the programs have faced off. Tennessee holds a 26-1 record in the series against Tennessee Tech.
Up next, the Vols head to the mid-state to take on Colorado inside Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for the final meeting of a three-game series on Sunday. Set to tip-off at 2 p.m. ET, the game will be broadcasted on ESPN and can be streamed online and on any mobile device through WatchESPN.
Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including men’s basketball, are now digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.
Fans will gain admission into Thompson-Boling Arena via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android).
Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!
Printed PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue.
The only authorized sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics events are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue box office where the athletic event is taking place and Ticketmaster.
A complete step-by-step guide on how to best access and use your digital tickets and parking passes, including diagrams and FAQ is available here.
Fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app, which now houses the Coca-Cola GBO Zone. Search “Tennessee Athletics” in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this link to download: utsports.com/app.
THE SERIES
• Tennessee’s leads its all-time series with Tennessee Tech 26-1, dating to 1939. The Vols have won 10 straight in the series since Tech’s lone victory in 1996.
• These programs have met four times during the Barnes era, with the Vols outscoring the Golden Eagles 88.3 ppg to 59.8 ppg (+28.5 ppg).
• The Volunteers are 41-2 all-time against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference, while Rick Barnes is 8-0 vs. OVC opposition.
• In last season’s meeting, the Vols shot 17-of-28 (.607) in the second half, including 4-of-8 (.500) from 3-point range to propel themselves to an 80-69 victory.
• Vols guard Tyreke Key and Tech freshman Grant Strong are both graduates of Clay County High School in Celina, Tennessee.
• Both natives of Durham, North Carolina, Jonas Aidoo (UT) and Jayvis Harvey (TTU) played against each other in high school.
LAST SEASON
• Tennessee made a fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance last season and entered The Big Dance on the heels of winning the SEC Tournament in Tampa.
• For the second time under head coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee was unbeaten at home last season.
• The Vols finished last season with the third-best defensive efficiency in the country after finishing fifth nationally in 2020-21.
• Santiago Vescovi was a first-team All-SEC selection last season while becoming only the second Vol ever to make 100 3-pointers in a single season.
• After leading the Vols in scoring (13.9 ppg) last year and winning SEC Tournament MVP honors, true freshman point guard Kennedy Chandler was selected 38th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and landed with his hometown team, the Memphis Grizzlies.
STORYLINES
• Tennessee tested itself prior to tipping off the regular season with a pair of exhibition matchups against perennial powerhouses Michigan State and Gonzaga.
• The Volunteers used a dominant second half to down No. 2 Gonzaga on Oct. 28 in Frisco, Texas, 99-80. See Page 3 for more.
• Vols senior Josiah-Jordan James is likely to be available for Monday’s opener. He was inactive for both exhibitions while working his way back to full speed following an off-season knee procedure.
• After six years on Rick Barnes‘ staff—the last three as associate head coach—Mike Schwartz in March accepted the head coaching job at East Carolina. Justin Gainey has since been elevated to UT’s associate head coach, and analyst Gregg Polinsky was bumped to a full-time assistant coach role.
ABOUT TENNESSEE TECH
• Tennessee Tech is coming off an 11-21 (7-10 OVC) season in which it finished fifth in the OVC. TTU clinched its first postseason berth since 2017-18 and went on to claim a victory in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
• The Golden Eagles return just five players from last season’s team and welcome in 11 newcomers—two freshmen and nine transfers.
• TTU’s lone action this season came in a 80-69 exhibition win over Cumberland last Thursday.
• Tennessee Tech’s top incoming transfer is guard Ty Perry, who started 28 games last season at Lafayette and averaged 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
• Two of Tennessee Tech’s four full-time coaches played basketball in the SEC—head coach John Pelphrey at Kentucky (1988-92) and assistant coach Andrew Steele (2008-13) at Alabama. The Golden Eagles’ other two assistant coaches, Alex Fain and Blake Gray, served as student managers at Alabama before moving into full-time roles on the Crimson Tide’s staff.
• Pelphrey also boasts a wealth of coaching experience in the SEC, having served as the head coach at Arkansas (2007-11), as well as an assistant coach at both Florida (1996-2002 & 2011-15) and Alabama (2016-19).
• The 2022-23 season is set to feature a new look for the Ohio Valley Conference, as Austin Peay, Belmont and Murray State depart the league and Lindenwood, Little Rock and Southern Indiana join the OVC ranks.
• Tennessee Tech was originally founded as a private institution in 1909 as the “University of Dixie,” before becoming public as the Tennessee Polytechnic Institute in 1915.
VOLS OVERWHELM #2 ZAGS
• In a neutral-site charity exhibition on Oct. 28, Tennessee overwhelmed preseason No. 2 Gonzaga, 99-80, in Frisco, Texas. And that was without preseason All-SEC wing Josiah-Jordan James, who did not dress.
• Playing in a game setting, in front of fans, for the first time in nearly 20 months, grad transfer Tyreke Key led the way with a game-high 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range.
• Senior big man Uroš Plavšić shot a perfect 6-for-6 with 13 points and finished with a game-high plus/minus of +22. Meanwhile Gonzaga All-American Drew Timme logged a -21.
• After heading into halftime trailing by four points (54-50), Tennessee outscored Gonzaga by 23 points in the second half—holding the Bulldogs to 16 points in the game’s final 13 minutes after they scored 64 points in the opening 27 minutes.
• Tennessee led by as many as 21 points late in the game and out-rebounded the Zags 40-35.
• The Vols shot 57 percent on the night, including 46 percent from 3-point range, and had 28 assists on 36 made field goals.
UROŠ SHINES IN EXHIBITIONS
• 7-1 senior Uroš Plavšić shot 11-for-12 (.917) in Tennessee’s preseason exhibitions vs. Michigan State and Gonzaga.
• In 41:43 of combined action against the Spartans and Bulldogs, Plavšić totaled eight assists with only one turnover.
• The Vols’ starting five man, Plavšić appears to have grown very comfortable with his role and looks to understand exactly what is expected of him on both ends of the court.
VOLUNTEERS RIDING 17-GAME HOME WIN STREAK
• For the fourth time since the venue opened prior to the 1987-88 season, Tennessee posted an undefeated record at Thompson-Boling Arena last season, going 16-0.
• The Vols also won their final home game of the 2020-21 campaign, meaning that Tennessee enters this season riding an active 17-game home win streak (tied for seventh-longest active streak in the country).
• Last season’s perfect record at home included five wins over top-15 teams, including three top-10 opponents—No. 14 Arkansas, No. 13 LSU, No. 6 Arizona, No. 4 Kentucky and No. 3 Auburn. Tennessee was one of only five major-conference programs to post a perfect record at home last season, joining Arizona, Auburn, Kentucky and Texas Tech.
• For each of the last three full-capacity seasons, Tennessee has finished in the top five nationally in average home attendance. The Vols drew an average of 18,202 fans to 16 games at Thompson-Boling Arena last season—fifth-most in the country.
• The Vols have ranked among the top 20 in average home attendance for 17 consecutive years (no attendance rankings were compiled in 2020-21), including 10 seasons ranked in the top five nationally.
• The Vols’ 2022-23 home slate features five games against 2022 NCAA Tournament teams (Kentucky, Texas, Auburn, Alabama and Arkansas).
MEDIA PICKS VOL THIRD IN SEC
• A preseason poll of SEC and national media projected Tennessee to finish third in the SEC race this season, behind Kentucky and Arkansas.
• The Vols went 14-4 in SEC play last season to finish second in the league standings before proceeding to earn the SEC’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid by winning the SEC Tournament in Tampa.
VOLS WELCOME FOUR SCHOLARSHIP FRESHMEN
• Four scholarship freshmen make up Tennessee’s 2022 recruiting class, highlighted by five-star forward and McDonald’s All-American Julian Phillips.
• Guards B.J. Edwards and D.J. Jefferson and forward Tobe Awaka round out the class. While Edwards signed with the Vols in November 2021, Jefferson and Phillips didn’t sign until May, while Awaka officially joined the team in July.
• Phillips, a consensus top-20 prospect in the nation from Blythewood, South Carolina, is the seventh five-star prospect to sign with the Vols during the Rick Barnes era. Phillips graduated from Link Academy in Branson, Missouri—who he helped lead to the championship game at the GEICO National Championships and a No. 3 final ranking in the USA Today Super 25.
• Edwards, a graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School, led the Fighting Irish to three state tournament appearances and the 2020 Division II-AA state championship.
• Named 2021 TSSAA Division II-AA Mr. Basketball, Edwards scored 2,240 total points in four seasons as a starter at Catholic—averaging 19.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 52 percent from the field.
• Jefferson hails from Richardson, Texas, but graduated from Minnesota Preparatory Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jefferson averaged 16.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game as a senior and initially signed with Tulsa in November of 2021 but was released and reopened his recruitment following a coaching change following the 2021-22 season.
• He then saw his recruiting stock skyrocket after a standout showing at the Iverson Classic in Memphis in April of 2022.
• Named the 2022 New York Gatorade Player of the Year, Awaka graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx. As a senior in 2021-22, he averaged 19.2 points and 13.9 rebounds per game.
• Awaka also played AAU ball with the New York Lightning program in the EYBL—the same AAU program that current Vol Zakai Zeigler competed for.
-UT Athletics
ATHENS, Ga. – No. 1 Tennessee and No. 3 Georgia will meet in a high-stakes matchup of unbeatens Saturday afternoon inside a sold-out Sanford Stadium in Athens at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
Saturday will mark the first time ever that two top-three ranked teams will square off at Sanford Stadium as the 8-0 Vols hit the road to take on the 8-0 Bulldogs.
This weekend’s monster showdown will feature the nation’s top-ranked scoring offense of Tennessee (49.4 ppg) against the country’s second-ranked scoring defense of Georgia (10.5 ppg).
Saturday’s contest will be televised nationally on CBS as Brad Nessler (PxP), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sideline) will have the call. Kickoff is slated for 3:39 p.m. ET.
Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 64 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 138 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 962), as well as the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.
Bob Kesling (PxP), Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins at 1:30 p.m. ET.
For any Tennessee fans making the trip to Athens, the most up-to-date information on Georgia’s gameday policies can be found at the Georgia Football Gameday Central page.
Beasts of the East
Not only does Saturday’s game have major national implications, but it will also be a showdown of the top teams in the SEC eastern division, with the winner putting themselves in prime position to make it to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game.
Polling, Vols Debut at No. 1 in CFP Rankings
Tennessee was the No. 1 team in the first edition of this year’s College Football Playoff rankings, which were released on Tuesday night. It is the first time that UT has been ranked No. 1 in any poll since finishing the 1998 season ranked No. 1 after winning the national championship. The Vols are one of just seven teams to ever achieve the No. 1 spot in the CFP rankings since they debuted in 2014.
With Georgia entering the game at No. 1 in the AP Poll and the Vols tied for second, Saturday will mark just the third AP No. 1 vs. No. 2 regular season meeting between SEC teams in history. The other two were No. 1 LSU at No. 2 Alabama in 2011 and 2019. The road team (LSU) won both of those prior matchups. It’s also just the second No. 1 vs. No. 2 contest that Tennessee has been involved with in program history. The No. 1 Vols beat No. 2 Florida State, 23-16, to win the national title in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan 4, 1999. UT is seeking its first victory over an AP No. 1 since defeating Auburn, 38-20, on Sept. 28, 1985.
Deadly Duo
The connection between quarterback Hendon Hooker and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has been nearly unstoppable this season as the two have hooked up for 14 touchdowns through the air in just eight games. Hyatt’s 14 receiving touchdowns are a single-season program record, as he surpassed Marcus Nash’s previous record of 13 with two touchdown catches in the Vols’ 44-6 win over Kentucky last week. The South Carolina native has multiple touchdown catches in four straight games, the first Vol to accomplish that feat in program history.
Hooker is having a phenomenal season that has him among the Heisman Trophy favorites. The redshirt senior signal caller has thrown a touchdown pass in a program-record 20 consecutive games and ranks second in the FBS in passing efficiency (191.64). Hooker has accounted for multiple scores (passing or rushing) in 20 of his 21 games as a Vol entering Saturday’s contest.
Our Ball
The Vols’ defense under coordinator Tim Banks has been aggressive and opportunistic all year long, leading the SEC in turnovers forced (16), turnover margin (1.0) and interceptions (nine). For comparison, UT had just 13 takeaways in 13 games last season.
Georgia leads series, 26-23-2
Saturday will mark the 52nd meeting all time between the Vols and Bulldogs with Georgia holding a slight edge in the series. UT will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak to the Dawgs and earn its first win in the series since 2016’s dramatic Hail Mary victory in Athens.
The Bulldogs are led by head coach Kirby Smart, who has guided them to a pair of College Football Playoff appearances (2017 & 2021) and last year’s national title, the program’s first since 1980.
Georgia features one of the best and most balanced offenses in the country, ranking sixth nationally in scoring (41.8 ppg), eighth in passing yards per game (328.1) and 22nd in rushing yards per game (202.0). Senior quarterback Stetson Bennett ranks 14th in the FBS and second in the SEC in passing yards per game (293.6) and has tossed nine touchdown passes compared to just three interceptions. Bennett is also a capable runner with five rushing touchdowns this season.
Tight ends Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington provide Bennett with two massive targets in the passing game. The dynamic duo have combined for 879 receiving yards and three touchdowns while ranking first and third on the team in receiving yards, respectively. Redshirt sophomore Ladd McConkey is the Bulldogs leading wideout with 33 catches for 413 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior running back Daijun Edwards leads the team in rushing with 440 yards and seven touchdowns on 71 carries (6.2 avg) while senior back Kenny McIntosh has been a factor on the ground and through the air, racking up 597 yards from scrimmage with seven scores this season.
UGA once again boasts one of the nation’s top defenses, leading the SEC and ranking second in the FBS in scoring defense, allowing just 10.5 points per game. The Dawgs also lead the conference and are fourth nationally in total defense, surrendering a paltry 262.5 yards per contest. Sophomore linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson leads the team with 40 total tackles to go along with 13 quarterback hurries, five tackles for loss and two sacks. Defensive backs Christopher Smith and Malaki Starks both have a pair of interceptions to their name while Kelee Ringo is considered one of the nation’s top corners.
-UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two days out from a top-3 road matchup, Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel took the podium Thursday morning to address the media one last time before the No. 1 Vols clash with the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs Saturday afternoon inside Sanford Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS).
Heupel expects a raucous atmosphere between the hedges in what numerous media outlets are dubbing the Game of the Year. ESPN’s College GameDay will be on site in Athens—previewing the Vols for the third time this season after two appearances in Knoxville earlier this fall—and the game will be nationally televised on CBS.
“Anticipate it being a great environment, big football game,” Heupel said. “Obviously, they have been highly successful, and their fanbase is excited for this one. Ours is, too. It will be a great environment, so anticipate crowd noise being a part of the football game, for sure.”
Scoring at a clip higher than any offense in the country averaging 49.4 points per game and 1.86 points per minute, Tennessee’s up-tempo scheme will be put to the test against a Georgia defense that leads the SEC and ranks second nationally in scoring defense (10.5). Heupel spoke to handling the environment the Vols will be placed in Saturday and emphasized the importance of communication and execution against such a stout defensive unit.
“At the end of the day, there have been times since we have gotten here that we have handled being on the road extremely well,” Heupel said. “There are other times where we have not handled it. A lot of that is on us. The communication and playing smart football will be important on Saturday, but anticipate us handling it well.”
With all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the game, the Vols remain focused on the task at hand—preparing and practicing with the ultimate goal of going 1-0 each week, as they have throughout the entire fall.
“The outside noise and the fact that this is a big game, everybody knows that right?” Heupel said. “But the reality is as a competitor, you’re so entrenched in preparation, or you should be, that the week kind of unfolds in a normal routine for you. Our guys are confident, and they’ve prepared in a really good way. I don’t feel like they’ve changed their habits in any way that’s going to hurt us during the course of the football game because we’re not prepared.”
Thursday’s press conference transcript can be viewed below.
On how the team has prepared so far this week…
“The week has been really good; guys have been focused [and] urgent in the way that they have entered the building, their meetings, out on the practice field, too. So, I like what we have done up until now; the lead-up to kickoff will be important as we finish our preparation.”
On Tennessee’s tempo impacting the effect of a road environment…
“We will find out on game day. At the end of the day, there have been times since we have gotten here that we have handled being on the road extremely well. There are other times where we have not handled it. A lot of that is us. The communication and playing smart football will be important on Saturday, but anticipate us handling it well.”
On how Georgia’s atmosphere will compare to others they have played in…
“Anticipate it being a great environment, big football game. Obviously, they have been highly successful, and their fanbase is excited for this one. Ours is, too. It will be a great environment, so anticipate crowd noise being a part of the football game, for sure.”
On if he has reflected on being the No. 1 team in the country since Tuesday’…
“[I] did not. I just have been game-planning; for us, we moved right back into it as soon as I was done with the show. I am absolutely proud of what we have done up until this point, from the time we have gotten here until now. There are a lot of things that we can continue to get better at. The reality is, that is the first show, first rankings, everybody remembers what you do in November. The only one that matters is the last one. The reason we have gotten to the point where this is a big football game is because we have handled things the right way, coaches and players alike. Preparation, practice, and understanding the type of football team. This is a really good football team, and they have been winning for a while. Great opportunity for us.”
On Doneiko Slaughter’s development throughout the year…
“I just think he has constantly continued to push himself, and the early part of this season, for sure had great confidence in him. Sometimes, every opportunity that he wanted or that we had planned on does not always come around, just the way the games unfold. [He is] someone that inside of our building, our coaching staff has great trust in. He is physical, he is mature, he prepares. His best football is still out in front of him, which is exciting. [I am] anticipating him playing well in this one too.”
On the importance of in-game chemistry with his assistant coaches…
“The communication, being able to adjust quickly within a drive or certainly after a drive and at halftime, it is a huge part of putting our kids in hopefully the best position to be successful. The amount of time we have spent together allows us to draw back on past experiences and learning opportunities as we continue to grow and develop what we are doing.”
On Wesley Walker’s development…
“As someone who was not here for spring ball that started in June with us, June and July getting in shape and getting used to the habits that we have inside of this building, and then learning a defense. Able to draw, certainly. Guys that have played college football, the verbiage might be different, there might be subtle tweaks in some of the coverages, but they have some experience to draw on that helps them in the learning process. (Wesley) has continued to heighten his understanding of what we are doing. He does have versatility. When we recruited him, we felt like he would have that type of versatility. It’s important, just as the season goes on (and) guys get dinged up, being able to play guys in different spots. I am excited about the way he is playing here really all year long, but certainly the last three or four weeks, too.”
On any changes to the game plan because of Georgia OLB Nolan Smith’s absence…
“They do not just have one guy that can get after the quarterback. They are deep, and they have guys that can affect the quarterback. It is next-man-up for them, and for us, it does not really change a majority of what we are doing.”
On Jaylen Wright’s progress and ball security…
“Confidence, which stems from understanding. Practice habits, doing little things at a really high level every day. He was proud, excited. We recognized him in the building (for) his ball security last week, and some of the unique body positions that he got into that are tough to do that in. He is still a young football player. He is a year and a half into his college career. He is going to continue to get better at everything that a running back needs to do, but he is certainly playing with a great amount of confidence right now.”
On having faced Kirby Smart at previous stops and the intricacies that involves…
“Everywhere you’re at, the personnel is different, so your schemes are subtly different. Everybody continues to evolve in what they’re able to do. The personnel that they have gives them a great amount of flexibility. I say that just because it’s tough to find mismatches against them. They’re deep. From pressures to coverage rotations, all of those things, it’s all a part of how the game unfolds.”
On treating this game like any other game and drawing from his past experience…
“I haven’t really talked about my playing experiences this week with this football team. What I have talked about, the outside noise and the fact that this is a big game, everybody knows that right? But the reality is as a competitor, you’re so entrenched in preparation, or you should be, that the week kind of unfolds in a normal routine for you. Our guys are confident, and they’ve prepared in a really good way. I don’t feel like they’ve changed their habits in any way that’s going to hurt us during the course of the football game because we’re not prepared. I think handling the emotion in the early stages of the football game is important in any big ball game. You have to play extremely smart and settle into the football game early. I think that’s important.”
-UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two days out from a top-3 road matchup, Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel took the podium Thursday morning to address the media one last time before the No. 1 Vols clash with the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs Saturday afternoon inside Sanford Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS).
Heupel expects a raucous atmosphere between the hedges in what numerous media outlets are dubbing the Game of the Year. ESPN’s College GameDay will be on site in Athens—previewing the Vols for the third time this season after two appearances in Knoxville earlier this fall—and the game will be nationally televised on CBS.
“Anticipate it being a great environment, big football game,” Heupel said. “Obviously, they have been highly successful, and their fanbase is excited for this one. Ours is, too. It will be a great environment, so anticipate crowd noise being a part of the football game, for sure.”
Scoring at a clip higher than any offense in the country averaging 49.4 points per game and 1.86 points per minute, Tennessee’s up-tempo scheme will be put to the test against a Georgia defense that leads the SEC and ranks second nationally in scoring defense (10.5). Heupel spoke to handling the environment the Vols will be placed in Saturday and emphasized the importance of communication and execution against such a stout defensive unit.
“At the end of the day, there have been times since we have gotten here that we have handled being on the road extremely well,” Heupel said. “There are other times where we have not handled it. A lot of that is on us. The communication and playing smart football will be important on Saturday, but anticipate us handling it well.”
With all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the game, the Vols remain focused on the task at hand—preparing and practicing with the ultimate goal of going 1-0 each week, as they have throughout the entire fall.
“The outside noise and the fact that this is a big game, everybody knows that right?” Heupel said. “But the reality is as a competitor, you’re so entrenched in preparation, or you should be, that the week kind of unfolds in a normal routine for you. Our guys are confident, and they’ve prepared in a really good way. I don’t feel like they’ve changed their habits in any way that’s going to hurt us during the course of the football game because we’re not prepared.”
Thursday’s press conference transcript can be viewed below.
On how the team has prepared so far this week…
“The week has been really good; guys have been focused [and] urgent in the way that they have entered the building, their meetings, out on the practice field, too. So, I like what we have done up until now; the lead-up to kickoff will be important as we finish our preparation.”
On Tennessee’s tempo impacting the effect of a road environment…
“We will find out on game day. At the end of the day, there have been times since we have gotten here that we have handled being on the road extremely well. There are other times where we have not handled it. A lot of that is us. The communication and playing smart football will be important on Saturday, but anticipate us handling it well.”
On how Georgia’s atmosphere will compare to others they have played in…
“Anticipate it being a great environment, big football game. Obviously, they have been highly successful, and their fanbase is excited for this one. Ours is, too. It will be a great environment, so anticipate crowd noise being a part of the football game, for sure.”
On if he has reflected on being the No. 1 team in the country since Tuesday’…
“[I] did not. I just have been game-planning; for us, we moved right back into it as soon as I was done with the show. I am absolutely proud of what we have done up until this point, from the time we have gotten here until now. There are a lot of things that we can continue to get better at. The reality is, that is the first show, first rankings, everybody remembers what you do in November. The only one that matters is the last one. The reason we have gotten to the point where this is a big football game is because we have handled things the right way, coaches and players alike. Preparation, practice, and understanding the type of football team. This is a really good football team, and they have been winning for a while. Great opportunity for us.”
On Doneiko Slaughter’s development throughout the year…
“I just think he has constantly continued to push himself, and the early part of this season, for sure had great confidence in him. Sometimes, every opportunity that he wanted or that we had planned on does not always come around, just the way the games unfold. [He is] someone that inside of our building, our coaching staff has great trust in. He is physical, he is mature, he prepares. His best football is still out in front of him, which is exciting. [I am] anticipating him playing well in this one too.”
On the importance of in-game chemistry with his assistant coaches…
“The communication, being able to adjust quickly within a drive or certainly after a drive and at halftime, it is a huge part of putting our kids in hopefully the best position to be successful. The amount of time we have spent together allows us to draw back on past experiences and learning opportunities as we continue to grow and develop what we are doing.”
On Wesley Walker’s development…
“As someone who was not here for spring ball that started in June with us, June and July getting in shape and getting used to the habits that we have inside of this building, and then learning a defense. Able to draw, certainly. Guys that have played college football, the verbiage might be different, there might be subtle tweaks in some of the coverages, but they have some experience to draw on that helps them in the learning process. (Wesley) has continued to heighten his understanding of what we are doing. He does have versatility. When we recruited him, we felt like he would have that type of versatility. It’s important, just as the season goes on (and) guys get dinged up, being able to play guys in different spots. I am excited about the way he is playing here really all year long, but certainly the last three or four weeks, too.”
On any changes to the game plan because of Georgia OLB Nolan Smith’s absence…
“They do not just have one guy that can get after the quarterback. They are deep, and they have guys that can affect the quarterback. It is next-man-up for them, and for us, it does not really change a majority of what we are doing.”
On Jaylen Wright’s progress and ball security…
“Confidence, which stems from understanding. Practice habits, doing little things at a really high level every day. He was proud, excited. We recognized him in the building (for) his ball security last week, and some of the unique body positions that he got into that are tough to do that in. He is still a young football player. He is a year and a half into his college career. He is going to continue to get better at everything that a running back needs to do, but he is certainly playing with a great amount of confidence right now.”
On having faced Kirby Smart at previous stops and the intricacies that involves…
“Everywhere you’re at, the personnel is different, so your schemes are subtly different. Everybody continues to evolve in what they’re able to do. The personnel that they have gives them a great amount of flexibility. I say that just because it’s tough to find mismatches against them. They’re deep. From pressures to coverage rotations, all of those things, it’s all a part of how the game unfolds.”
On treating this game like any other game and drawing from his past experience…
“I haven’t really talked about my playing experiences this week with this football team. What I have talked about, the outside noise and the fact that this is a big game, everybody knows that right? But the reality is as a competitor, you’re so entrenched in preparation, or you should be, that the week kind of unfolds in a normal routine for you. Our guys are confident, and they’ve prepared in a really good way. I don’t feel like they’ve changed their habits in any way that’s going to hurt us during the course of the football game because we’re not prepared. I think handling the emotion in the early stages of the football game is important in any big ball game. You have to play extremely smart and settle into the football game early. I think that’s important.”
-UT Athletics
