Georgia Players to Watch Against Tennessee

Three Georgia players to watch in their matchup with Tennessee.

Author:
Jonathan Williams
Nov 4, 2022 1:27 PM EDT

The biggest game of this year's college football season is inching closer by the minute. The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs versus the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers. The Bulldogs still hold strong as an 8-point favorite.

Eyes from all over the country will be tuned in for Saturday's game. Tennessee boasts the hottest offense in the nation while Georgia carries one of the best defenses in college football along with a pretty strong offense.

It will be a battle to see who will go on and win the SEC eastern division and more than likely staple themselves in as one of the final four teams for the college football playoff. With that said, here are some Georgia players to watch this weekend:

Jalen Carter, DT

Georgia is going to need several players to be special on Saturday and Jalen Carter needs to be one of them. While a lot of the damage Tennessee does offensively is typically done through the air, they have run the ball effectively as well. The Bulldogs not only need their defensive line to hold up in the run game, but they have to do it without loading up the box and bringing in extra defenders to help. That starts with a player like Carter being the all-world athlete that he is and creating havoc up front.

Not only will Georgia need Carter in the run game but in the passing game as well. The Volunteer's quarterback Hendon Hooker doesn't miss his targets very often, but when he does, it's typically because defenses were able to win their battles upfront and disrupt his throwing mechanics. Georgia is going to need a big day out of Carter and Georgia's front line.

Georgia's Running Backs

Tennessee may have one of the worst passing defenses in the country but they commit themselves to stopping the run. The Volunteers load the box and do a great job plugging gaps in the run game. Not only will Georgia need to find a way to run the ball successfully, but the Bulldog's stable of running backs is going to have to make some plays.

Because Tennessee loads the box so much, it allows defenders to rush free past the offensive line. That means when Daijaun Edwards or Kenny McIntosh gets the ball, there are going to be moments in this football game where they will have to make a defender miss, in a one-on-one situation, to avoid a tackle for loss. If not, Georgia is going to have a hard time picking up yards on the ground.

Georgia's running backs are also going to be pivotal to the success they have in the passing game. Tennessee is going to be storming the backfield every single down, which means it is crucial that Georgia picks up the blitz and protects Stetson Bennett.

Brock Bowers, TE

With the number of players that Tennessee stacks in the box, it means that for the majority of the football game, they're going to play a single high safety and man coverage. Georgia's receivers are going to have to win their matchups and Brock Bowers is a good place to start. He's arguably the best player on the football field and the Bulldogs are going to need him to make some big plays offensively.

If Georgia wants to expose this Tennessee secondary, as most other teams have, it's going to have to start with guys like Bowers making big plays to capitalize on their opportunities. If Bowers gets going on Saturday, look out, he might be in store for a career day.