Tennessee vs. Georgia Prediction: Can Volunteers Keep It Close?
Tennessee vs. Georgia Prediction: Can Volunteers Keep It Close?
Spread: Georgia -20
Total: 56
Game Time: November 13, 3:30 p.m. ET
Where to Watch: CBS
Tennessee vs. Georgia Prediction
The Georgia Bulldogs will look to keep their incredible run of dominance on defense going here on Saturday against the Tennessee Volunteers.
Georgia is putting together a season for the ages on the defensive side of the football. The Bulldogs have surrendered 13 points or less in all nine games they've played and only a single offensive touchdown in the last two games combined against Missouri and Florida. Georgia has a great run defense allowing just 81.3 yards per game on the ground at 2.6 yards per carry, and through the air, they are only giving up 151 passing yards per game. It's hard to find any weaknesses with this defense that will send several players to the NFL from it.
The one caveat to all of this is that Georgia hasn't faced a ton of explosive and faster-paced offenses this season. They've played Missouri, Florida, Kentucky, Auburn, Arkansas, and Clemson, which have been their most challenging games. Still, the commonality with all of those teams offensively is that they are either one-dimensional or a below-average offense, not to mention none of them play with the type of extreme tempo that Tennessee does. So the Volunteers will bring about a different style of offense and that Vols offense has been clicking since Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker took over at the Quarterback position.
Tennessee has averaged 41 points per game against Kentucky, Alabama, and Ole Miss, and they've been able to run and throw the football with success. This will be a much more difficult task for the Vols against this staunch Bulldogs defense, but it wouldn't surprise me, especially with this game being a home game for Tennessee to see them find the end zone at least once or twice in this game. They will be playing extremely fast, increasing the number of possessions and opportunities for them to try and penetrate this elite Georgia defense. Georgia allowed an offensive touchdown to Florida and Auburn while yielding two offensive touchdowns to Kentucky, so I believe Tennessee's offense is dynamic and potent enough to find the end zone here as well.
On the other side of the football, Georgia's offense doesn't get the attention or credit it deserves because it gets overshadowed by their fantastic defense. Still, the Bulldogs have plenty of explosiveness in them on offense. The Bulldogs have gotten solid Quarterback play from Stetson Bennett in the absence of JT Daniels. They have a pair of great Running Backs in Zamir White and James Cook, who have combined for 902 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Since the season's opening game against Clemson, where the offense sputtered, the Georgia Bulldogs have been putting up points and finishing drives ever since as they've put up 30+ points in eight straight games.
Tennessee does not have a great defense at all, and they've been even worse against the better teams on their schedule. The Vols stop unit has allowed 42 points against Kentucky, 52 points against Alabama, 31 points against Ole Miss, 38 points against Florida, and 41 points against Pittsburgh.
I think it's very likely that Georgia will get at least 35 points in this game and possibly into the 40's against a Tennessee defense that has surrendered an absolutely dreadful 565 total yards per game and 5.8 yards per play in their last three games in SEC play.
I'm going to back Georgia here, who has been outstanding as road favorites under head coach Kirby Smart as the Bulldogs are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 road games and 20-6 ATS in their previous 26 games as a road favorite, and I think they will have a massive game offensively against a bad Vols defense while their defense takes care of the rest. I'm also betting the Over in this game, and yes, Georgia games have gone Under the total in five straight games. Still, none of those opponents have the quick-strike offensive ability nor played at the extremely fast pace that Tennessee does, and I believe the Vols on their home field can find the end zone here against this Bulldogs defense, at least once or twice to help push this game over the total.