Georgia vs Tennessee Preview: What the Stats Say About the Matchup

Georgia will play its third straight ranked matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers this weekend, and it is one of the few ranked games of the weekend. The Bulldogs earned another major victory over the Ole Miss Rebels, while The Volunteers are coming off of a tough loss against Missouri. This game doesn't have as much hype built around it as many thought it would prior to the season, considering Georgia has already clinched a spot in the SEC Championship game, but a massive win streak is on the line for the Bulldogs.

As we look ahead to the matchup, let's first start with some of the more basic numbers. Georgia is averaging 40.6 points per game which ranks sixth in the country, and Tennessee is averaging 32, which places them at 36th. Defensively Georgia is allowing an average of 15.6 points per game which is also sixth, and Tennessee is allowing 20.2, pinning them at 30th.

With this game being played on the road, it's important to know how Georgia has played away from Sanford Stadium this season and how Tennessee has played in its own environment. On the road this season, Georgia is averaging 35.7 points per game and 486 yards of total offense. At home, Tennessee is averaging 39 points per game and 424 yards of total offense.

While Tennessee is given a slight advantage to start with considering how rowdy Neyland Stadium can get on Saturdays, it hasn't exactly resulted in better play for them. The Volunteers rank 130th in penalties in home games this season as they are averaging nine penalties per home game for an average of 78.2 yards. Georgia on the other hand is averaging just three penalties per game on the road and has been one of the more disciplined teams in the country all season.

Both teams have been able to find success on third down this season. Georgia ranks first for third down conversion rate as they have been successful 56 percent of the time and Tennessee has culminated a 45 percent success rate. As for how Georgia's defense can be successful in getting the Volunteers off of the field, it will start with forcing Joe Milton to throw the football.

On third down this season:

Carson Beck: 44/69 (63.8%), 575 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INT, 31 1st downs converted
Joe Milton: 40/73 (54.8%), 457 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INT, 25 1st downs converted

Another interesting note about Beck that fans might want to keep in the back of their mind is how impactful the Georgia quarterback has been in the third quarter this season. Beck has the most passing yards in the country during the 3rd quarter this season with 1,046. He has thrown for six touchdowns in the 3rd quarter and is completing 73 percent of his passes.

It is also important to note that this is not the same Tennessee offense that Georgia faced a year ago. The Volunteers have found most of their offensive success on the ground this season as they are averaging the ninth most rushing yards in the country with 213 yards per game. Georgia's defense on the other hand is allowing an average of 107 rushing yards per game and has held five different opponents under 100 total rushing yards this season.

This game won't play a role in deciding how the eastern division shakes out, but with a college football playoff spot on the line for Georgia, it is important for them to take care of business and walk out of Neyland with a win on Saturday. The Bulldogs have been running hot as of late, and they will look to keep the momentum rolling on Saturday.

Other Georgia News:

Join the Community:

Follow Brooks Austin on Twitter: @BrooksAustinBA

Subscribe to our YouTube Page HERE.

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at @DawgsDailyFN