Three Things Tennessee Must Do To Beat Georgia

Credit: University of Tennessee Athletics

By Tucker Harlin

#7 Tennessee (8-1, 5-1) takes on #12 Georgia (7-2, 5-2) in Sanford Stadium Saturday in heavyweight SEC bout. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET and the game airs on ABC.

These are three things I believe Tennessee needs to do in order to pull off its first victory at Georgia in eight years.

SETTLE INTO SANFORD

This key goes back to the loss to the Bulldogs in 2022. Pre-snap penalties plagued the Vols as the rain poured between the hedges in a game they needed to win.

I watched a similar incident unfold in Gainesville last season. Everything about Tennessee’s season in 2023 was alright until the second quarter in the swamp, similar to the second quarter between the hedges in 2022.

We haven’t seen that kind of a meltdown for an entire quarter yet this season, but Tennessee can’t afford it now.

FORCE BECK TO MAKE MISTAKES

Carson Beck is the most turnover happy quarterback in the SEC right now.

Outside of a 31-13 victory against Auburn, Beck has turned the ball over in a minimum of two instances this season. Some of it’s on Beck, but the offensive line hasn’t been helpful either.

The playmakers also aren’t existent on offense, both at receiver and running back. The defensive front has to find a way to get after Beck and make his life miserable.

PRESS THE KICKING GAME. HERE IS WHERE THE BREAKS ARE MADE.

I’m diving into the General’s Maxims with this one.

Tennessee appeared to find a capable punt returner in Boo Carter last week. Depending on who plays at quarterback, the Vols may need all the help in the returns as they can get.

Great punting has also given both of these teams wins over the other in the last decade. Trevor Daniel’s punt in 2015 is the greatest I’ve seen in person, and Georgia stuck one inside the 1 in the disastrous second quarter.

And of course, we can’t forget about Max Gilbert. The hope for Tennessee is that it doesn’t come down to a game winning field goal, but it very well could.