Keys to the Game: How Tennessee Defeats Georgia on the Road

Tennessee will travel to Athens, Georgia, on Saturday to square-off against the xx ranked Georgia Bulldogs with kick-off scheduled for 3:30 PM ET. The Bulldogs will present the biggest challenge for Tennessee in this early season, and the Vols will have to excel in several areas of the game if they hope to secure a victory. The VR2 on SI staff has their keys to the game here.

Matt:

Tennessee has to come into this game mentally ready, first and foremost. The Bulldogs are used to playing in these types of games under Kirby Smart, but for Tennessee, this is one of the first under Jeremy Pruitt. If the Vols come out sluggish, they will likely not be able to recover, as the Bulldogs have plenty of steam following a convincing win over Auburn. Elsewhere, Tennessee has to find a push from its defensive line. The Bulldogs are going to come straight at them, and Tennessee has to limit the run while being productive enough to disrupt the pocket for Stetson Bennett. Tennessee should have its secondary at full strength for the first time of the season against Georgia. Shawn Shamburger is expected to be back, while Bryce Thompson should be back into the normal rotation. Tennessee was precautionary with him during Saturday's contest. Offensively, Tennessee is going to have to win the battle in the trenches. The Vols cannot have multiple drives stall for three-and-outs. Georgia will eventually grind you down if that happens. Jake Camarda can flip the field for the Bulldogs, so Tennessee has to be able to get out of the shadow of their on end zone. Jarrett Guarantano needs to continue with his improved decision making sure to protect the football at all costs. Tennessee has the opportunity to stay in this game late and win it if they can answer these questions.

Jake:

Defensive flexibility

Jeremy Pruitt always talks about how each position group on the field is trained to play multiple spots within that group. Linebackers are prepared to play inside and outside. Defensive backs can play corner or safety, and, if Pruitt needs to, he can swap a couple of hybrid players in for the Star and Money spots. The Vols will need to throw in that flexibility (and more looks than the previous two weeks combined) to confuse a Georgia offense that’s looked good through the first two weeks. Granted, having Shawn Shamburger back should make an immediate impact. But flexibility isn’t just about switching positions. It also applies to a “bend but don’t break” mentality that Tennessee will need. The Vols’ defense allowed several big plays against South Carolina and even a couple against Missouri, and we know Stetson Bennett will find his targets in George Pickens and Kearis Jackson. Today, Tennessee has to show plenty of resolve on both sides of the ball, but especially on defense if it needs to dig out of a hole. Otherwise, if Bennett gets into a groove, it could be a long day for the Vols on that side of the football.

Defensive pressure

This key is a short one. Tennessee hasn’t gotten hardly any pressure to the quarterback in its first two weeks of action. That absolutely must change today. Stetson Bennett has already proven what he can do when given ample time. The Vols’ defensive line can’t let that happen, or Georgia can start getting chunk plays early. This pressure also needs to apply for the Bulldogs’ running backs, especially when considering the weather today in Athens. Tennessee’s defensive line has to get in the backfield early and often, or else.

Establish the run, and EARLY

As mentioned, today is supposed to be a rainy, sloppy day in Athens. While that’s good for fans who enjoy smash mouth, traditional football, it also means that Eric Gray and Ty Chandler will need to pace the Vols’ offense for a chance at winning. Georgia’s defense has looked fantastic through the first two weeks. The Bulldogs fly to the football, and Kirby Smart’s defensive line is no joke. But Tennessee will have to rely on its offensive line and running backs through the first two downs on every possession, especially early in each half, or this one will be over early. As erratic as Jarrett Guarantano can be, Jim Chaney can’t ask him to throw even 25 times today, especially in poor conditions. The Vols have to use Chandler and Gray as their primary focus on offense, and to do that, the offensive line will have to get plenty of push.

Play smart and keep emotions in check.

We know today is a big day for Cade Mays. But it could also be a major step for Jeremy Pruitt as a head coach. A win would validate Pruitt’s turnaround for the Vols’ program, and it would launch Tennessee to the top of the SEC East race. Essentially, it would finally put the Vols back where most believe they belong: among the SEC’s elite. For those reasons and more, today’s game will be emotional. It will be intense. But Tennessee has to keep its emotions in check and play intelligent football, as any penalties could prove costly. Granted, emotions are a part of the game. It is football, after all. But if the Vols let those emotions get too high or low early, a single big play from Georgia could put Tennessee out for good.

Dale:

Offensively- establish a run game while also giving JG high percentage pass plays to build confidence and rhythm.

Defensively Tennessee has to slow the stable of GA backs down and get after Bennett as much as possible.

Simple keys, but it is as simple as that for Tennessee this to be able to stay in this game.

Brandon:

Control the Line of Scrimmage

The Vols must control the trenches on both sides of the ball if they want to have a chance to win Between the Hedges. Georgia wants to lean on Zamir White and their running game, especially if there is rain in Athens at kickoff. The Bulldogs are still a team built on being able to physically impose their will on offense, and despite Stetson Bennet's success, everything starts with their ground game. The Tennessee defensive line must hold up against the Bulldog offensive line to keep their talented running backs in check. This puts pressure on Bennett, and in rainy conditions, could lead to turnover opportunities.

On the other side, the Tennessee offensive line is coming off of perhaps their most dominant performance in a decade or more. The Tennessee offensive line looked like the unit that everyone expected against Missouri. The Georgia defense is bigger and more talented than the Tigers, but make no mistake, this Tennessee line is capable of taking over a game against any team in the country when they are on their A-game. Tennessee wants to ride its ground game and create deep shot opportunities off play-action. For that to happen, the Tennessee line has to be outstanding again. It is worth noting that if conditions are sloppy, things may swing to slightly favor the Vols if this group is opening holes for Eric Gray and Ty Chandler in a mud bowl.

Jarrett Guarantano

Thus far this season, Guarantano has been exactly what Tennessee has needed him to be. He has yet to turn the ball over through two SEC games, he keeps the offense on schedule, and he has hit enough long passes to effectively utilize the playmakers Tennessee has at receiver. Guarantano has also missed opportunities at big plays because of poor mechanics or overthrowing receivers. He has left opportunities for big plays on the field, making some mistakes by throwing short passes with too much heat or dangerously missing his receivers high. To his credit, he has followed that up by delivering passes like the go-ahead score at South Carolina that was an absolutely perfect ball. Up or down, so far, Guarantano hasn't made mistakes to hurt Tennessee and has done enough to help them win games. Against Georgia, the fifth-year senior is going to have to do more. There will not be any abundance of opportunities against the Bulldog defense, and Guarantano needs to capitalize on them when they are available. The Vols were able to maul the Gamecocks and Tigers, and though they will rely on the run in Athens if the Vols want to leave with a win, Jarrett Guarantano is going to need to make some big throws. It is worth noting that if there is rain, Guarantano saw significant struggles in his last rainy game when the Vols played Vanderbilt in 2019.