The Georgia Bulldogs have now won five straight against the Tennessee Volunteers, but the last four have each been close ones. The Bulldogs survived again Saturday, beating the Vols in Athens 35-32 thanks to a strong performance from Todd Gurley and a number of mental mistakes made by their opponents.
Georgia-Tennessee final score: 3 things we learned from the Bulldogs’ victory
It wasn’t always pretty, but Georgia is back to .500 in SEC play thanks to a career-best performance from Todd Gurley.
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Tennessee was able to work the field on short plays early, making up for their own offensive line problems and Georgia's ability to cause pressure in the backfield. The Volunteers took an early 10-0 lead thanks in large part to strong early starts from quarterbackJustin Worley (8/11, 85 yards on the first two drives) and star running back Jalen Hurd (five rushes, 24 yards, one touchdown).
The Volunteers' defense was also able to effectively shut down Georgia's offense early, focusing on Todd Gurley and the Bulldogs' talented backfield and forcing Hutson Mason to make plays through the air. Tennessee forced two interceptions from Georgia's senior quarterback, but three straight touchdowns for the Bulldogs gave the home team a 21-10 lead with around a minute to play in the first half. Worley was able to drive down the field quickly and find Jason Croom in the end zone for the 23-yard score, cutting the Georgia lead to 21-17.
Midway through the third quarter, Worley injured his elbow, forcing Butch Jones to bring in backup Nathan Peterman. Peterman's first drive ended in a fumble on a botched handoff near the Georgia red zone, which left Tennessee fans feeling like this.
With Peterman in the game, Tennessee struggled to respond to Georgia’s defensive pressure. He completed just four of his first nine pass attempts for 20 yards, and was the frequent recipient of big Bulldog hits in the backfield.
After a scoreless third quarter, Georgia was finally able to break free for a more comfortable lead by moving the ball on the ground (how else?). Gurley broke free for a 51-yard score, extending the lead to 28-17 with less than 10 minutes to play
Worley returned for the Volunteers' next drive, immediately leading Tennessee to a touchdown. He completed all three of his passing attempts for 52 yards, including a 31-yard strike to Pig Howard in the end zone. Worley also connected with Daniel Helm on a two-yard lob for the two-point conversion, making it a three-point game.
Tennessee forced a Georgia punt, but the Bulldogs were able to down it within the one-yard line. The Volunteers fumbled another handoff, and this time it proved even more costly. Josh Dawson recovered in the end zone, giving the Bulldogs the 35-25 lead.
Three things we learned
1. Georgia's offense can be contained. Tennessee was able to hold the Bulldogs fairly well at the start of the game, forcing Mason to make deeper throws with an arm and focusing most of their defensive energy on Georgia's backfield. The problem? The Bulldogs' running backs are big as well as talented, and tired out the Volunteer defense early on. If Georgia commits to running the ball with Gurley more, watch out: It was just the eighth time in Gurley's career he had more than 20 carries (h/t Paul Myerberg), and he delivered, finishing with a career-high 208 yards on 28 carries.
2. The Bulldogs are still in the SEC East race. A loss here coupled with their loss to fellow favorites South Carolina would have crippled Georgia’s chances at making the SEC title game. Surviving here allows them a good shot at a seven-game winning streak heading into a crucial mid-November matchup with Auburn.
3. The future is bright for Tennessee. The Volunteers have played an FBS-high 22 true freshmen this season, and more than a few had big roles against the Bulldogs. Hurd had himself a tremendous game, recording the most rushing yards (119) by a Tennessee freshman since Jamal Lewis in 1997. This was a game the Volunteers very well could have won without some jarring mental mistakes, and it seems this could be a scary SEC team once they get some much-needed experience.
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