No. 6 Georgia will look to extend its winning streak over No. 15 Tennessee in a marquee SEC showdown Saturday in Knoxville. The Bulldogs, reigning SEC champions, have cruised through wins over Marshall and Austin Peay, allowing just 13 total points behind a dominant defense.
Tennessee has been equally sharp on both sides of the ball, piling up 117 points in two games. Quarterback Joey Aguilar completed 23 of 31 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 72-17 rout of ETSU, now led by former Michigan starter Cade McNamara. Running backs Star Thomas and DeSean Bishop have both eclipsed 150 rushing yards through two contests.
Georgia has won eight straight in the series dating to Kirby Smart’s second season. Even though the Vols reached the College Football Playoff last year, the Bulldogs handled them 31-17 in October behind 347 passing yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Carson Beck. Beck’s transfer to Miami this offseason changes the dynamic this time around.
Georgia vs. Tennessee: Need to know
Growing pains: Georgia has cruised to a pair of victories against overmatched opponents, but the offense has looked shaky. Despite the lesser competition, the Bulldogs rank No. 11 in the SEC with 5.98 yards per play, and join Florida as the only teams in the bottom half of the league to not play a Power Four opponent yet. Georgia invested heavily in the receiver room over the offseason, but Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch were nonfactors against Austin Peay. Quarterback Gunner Stockton is averaging only 7.2 yards per attempt — a number that must rise against SEC foes.
Winning the trade: When heralded quarterback Nico Iamaleava left Tennessee for UCLA, the Vols took back then-Bruins QB Joey Aguilar. Through two games, Aguilar has been sensational and brought real juice back to the offense. The senior has completed 66% of his passes for 535 yards and five touchdowns. More importantly, he has recorded zero interceptions, after leading the nation with 14 last season.
Historic woes: Tennessee has grown back to major prominence under coach Josh Heupel, but Kirby Smart has had their number. Since beating him in Smart’s first transition season, the Volunteers have averaged a paltry 13.0 points per game against the Bulldogs. Tennessee has only cleared 20 points once against Smart — a 44-21 loss to the Bulldogs in 2020. Heupel will have to generate some points for Tennessee to have any chance.
How to watch Georgia vs. Tennessee live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Neyland Stadium — Knoxville, Tennessee
TV: ABC | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Georgia vs. Tennessee prediction, picks
Georgia has been inconsistent on offense, but the Bulldogs are demolishing their opponents on defense. Kirby Smart has historically done a solid job locking down Josh Heupel’s offense. Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar will have some moments, but will falter during his first appearance on the big stage. Georgia will pull away at the end, but the under also could be a smart play. Pick: Georgia -3.5
SportsLine’s proven computer model has simulated every Week 3 college football game 10,000 times. Visit SportsLine now to see all the picks, all from the model that is 31-19 since the beginning of last season on top-rated money-line and over/under picks.
Read the full article here
