Staff Predictions: Can Tennessee Beat Georgia in SEC East Clash?

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 and extend their winning streak to nine games.  The VR2 on SI staff has their predictions here.

Matt:

My first key to the game for Tennessee was mental preparation. I do believe Jeremy Pruitt will have the Tennessee team ready to play, which should allow them to be in this game late in the second half. At this point, I believe Tennessee's defensive line is my biggest concern. This group has to find an answer, and they haven't shown that to me just yet. They flashed at times against Missouri, but Georgia is a different animal. This does not mean that Tennessee's defensive line cannot and will not exceed expectations against Georgia. Right now, I have not seen enough across the board to pick the Vols in this highly anticipated road game. Georgia wins a game that goes much longer than many Georgia faithful expect. I do not expect this one to be a high scoring affair on either side. 21-16 Bulldogs.

Dale:

Tennessee comes into this game with a boatload of confidence. The Vols appear to be ready to take the next step, unfortunately, I do not think it is today. While Tennessee has several key pieces that should allow them to make this a competitive game, Georgia's depth presents too much of a problem for Tennessee, in what should be a hard-hitting battle. Georgia 37-24.

Jake:

I think Tennessee will stay with the Bulldogs through the first three quarters. But in the fourth, Georgia’s defense will make stops when it needs to, and Stetson Bennett IV will add another score for good measure late. Georgia wins 42-28

Brandon:

I have wrestled with this prediction all night and morning. I've also checked several forecasts and it is expected to rain through the entire game. That gives Tennessee an advantage. Stetson Bennet has looked impressive since coming in to start the second half at Arkansas for Georgia. His passing has been critical for the Bulldogs' success. Heavy rain won't eliminate a passing game, but it will impact it. Both teams will lean heavily on their ground games, and of all the units on the field Saturday, it is the Tennessee offensive line that is most capable of taking a game over. This feels like a rainy, muddy, smash mouth, old school affair, and that plays to Tennessee, especially with the weather helping to ground some of Georgia's aerial attack. 24-23 Tennessee.