B&S SEC Game of the Week: The Vols march to Athens in search of a statement win
Tennessee is 2-0 and feeling confident, but can they walk into Athens, get a statement win and announce their arrival back into the SEC elite? No.
By: Bossman Slim
Once upon a time, Tennessee and Georgia perennially contended for the SEC East title. Think 1998, when #4 Tennessee and walked into Athens with QB Tee Martin to take on the #7 Dawgs. Or ‘99, when #10 UGA lost in Neyland Stadium to #6 Tennessee. For years, these two SEC bluebloods had SEC East skins on the line when they lined the boys up on Saturday.
“Nostalgia and the college football experience” ANTH 307, William M. Bass Forensic Anthropology Building, University of Tennessee - Knoxville.
Then Tennessee fell on hard times. The Vols have not had a 10-win season since 2007 and have had five head coaches since then, if you include Phil Fulmer’s last tumultuous year. In that same timespan, Georgia has had eight 10+ win seasons and gone 9-3 against the Vols. Most of the victories have been lopsided, including the 41-0 annihilation at Rocky Top in 2017.
Fear not, Vols fans, this blog is not meant to trash you. The Butch Jones trash was taken out after the wheels came off in 2017.
Courtesy: Tom Butler, Butler & Bailey Market
The University of Tennessee asks that you please recycle, preferably to Alabama.
With Jeremy Pruitt named head coach three years ago in glaringly similar fashion to the last kid picked in an elementary school dodgeball game, you would think that he would not be leading the Vols back to prominence. But brick by brick, offensive lineman by Cade Mays, Pruitt is building a winner in Knoxville.
Jarrett Gaurantano, the Vols starting QB who has faced questions about his consistency and “it” factor has stepped up to the plate this season. Through two games, Gaurantano has taken care of the football (0 INTs) and led Tennessee on a “big balls” drive against South Carolina to put the Gamecocks on the ropes. On that drive he made two great throws to receivers, capping it off with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Josh Palmer. He’s also shown a nose for the endzone on the ground, tallying three rushing touchdowns on the year. While his stats don’t jump off the page and there is still much room for improvement, he does rank 5th in the SEC in total QBR and is the obvious leader of this team. Guarantano’s play throughout the rest of the year will largely determine how far the Vols can go.
He does have help though, in the form of a stout offensive line that is one of the better lines in the conference, along with a two-headed monster at running back in Ty Chandler and Eric Gray. One key to this week’s game for the Tennessee offense: convert on third down. The Vols are an abysmal 7/25 on third down (28% efficiency) and are having difficulty sustaining drives if they don’t get ahead of the sticks. They have are 4/5 on 4th down which has helped - but don’t expect many 4th down conversions this week.
But this is 2020 Georgia football. And that defense will turn your strengths into weaknesses, and amplify the weaknesses you already have (just ask Gus Malzahn). Tennessee strength? Great offensive line, good running backs. Georgia defense? Through two games, Georgia is allowing just 58 yards rushing to opponents, for just 2.3 yards per carry. What about the Vols weakness? Getting behind the sticks and converting on 3rd down. Georgia will press their thumb in that scab and make it a gaping wound. Opponents have converted just 31% of their third downs against the Dawgs, AND they force fumbles. They have yet to recover one, but have forced three on third down this year.
Photo: Michael Woods, AP
We’ve gotten this far and have still yet to mention Stetson “Tombstone” Bennett or his revolver of weapons. Here at B&S, we wrote this guy off, even after his second half heroics against Arkansas. JT Daniels was the former wonderkid recruit who was finally cleared and could come in and save the day for the Dawgs. Nope. Bennett has stepped up in a big way, putting down a 94.4 QBR, good for 2nd in the country behind Matt Corral, conductor of the Lane Train offense. And like Guarantano, he as displayed sound decision making, throwing no interceptions on the year. For all the praise I’ve heaped on Tennessee’s O-line, the boys in red and black can block too. They’ve paved the way for Zamir White and James Cook to average 161.5 yards rushing per game and given Bennett time to throw to arguably the best receiver in the country, George Pickens.
The biggest Achilles heel for Georgia through two weeks: penalties. If the Dawgs can clean up the yellow laundry on the field, they will be right there in the hunt for a natty in 2020.
In this one, the Georgia defense is just too darn good, forcing Tennessee behind the chains, swarming all over the field and forcing a turnover or two to make it advantage Dawgs. Tennessee will gain some yards on the ground, but it won’t be enough. Stetson Bennett will continue to protect the ball and do what needs to be done to notch another W. Jeremy Pruitt has the Vols on the right trajectory - but it doesn’t feel like ‘98. They just don’t have the horses to compete with the Dawgs yet.
#3 Georgia 31
#14 Tennessee 16