nicksjuzunk
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Tennessee opens up SEC play this week in Athens against the Georgia Bulldogs. Last year when we faced UGA, they looked like one of the top teams in the nation, with impressive wins over Clemson and LSU. They hobbled into the Tennessee game... and hobbled even worse after the game, and the Vols took them within an inch or two of a huge win.
This year, UGA once again looked like a top team against Clemson. Then, strangely, they were beaten by a South Carolina team most had given up for dead after their loss to Texas A&M. Welcome to parity in the SEC.
Now, the three main contenders in the East (UGA, USC, FL) are all sitting with an SEC loss before TN even begins SEC play! These are strange times.
Keys to the game:
1. Gurley: Only half joking, I could probably end the post here. Todd Gurley is averaging a comical 9.8 yards per carry, with 402 yards already this season. He hardly needed to touch the ball against Troy. He is the best player in the nation, and no one is going to stop him... period. The key is for Tennessee's front 7 to stop the big plays, and to limit his effectiveness.
In UGA's first two real games (sorry Troy) he averaged 18 carries per game. If TN could hold him to 5 YPC at 18 carries, you would marry that stat. After Gurley, there is a lot of talent, but some injuries as well. Nick Chubb (broken thumb) and Sony Michel are adding some yardage on their own. Michel is actually averaging more than Gurley per carry, at 10.3. Yeah... that's gonna suck for the next few years.
2. Force the pass: TN makes this a game by forcing UGA out of their strength on the ground. Hutson Mason has been efficient with the ball (71.2%), but he has only thrown for a grand total of 17 yards more than what Gurley has rushed for. That's odd... this is not Airforce or Army we are talking about here. If the TN DL holds up against the run and UGA begins to force the passing game, it will be another plus for the Vols.
3. Slow the pass rush: No need for a lot of details here. The OL has to slow down the UGA pass rush, and Bajakian needs to draw up some quick plays to get the ball out of Worley bird's hand. I look for UGA to use a lot of disguised blitz packages to confuse our young OL, and they need to be sharp to pick it up.
4. High % passes: Opposing quarterbacks have been able to complete some passes this year against UGA. Their pass defense is not the best the world has ever seen, and even the lowly QB for Troy managed to hit 59%. With Von and Smith out for the game, the WR's need to step up, man up, and help Worley out. There are a lot of yards to be found through the air this week if he has an opportunity to throw.
5. Weather the storm: UGA scores early in their games, and getting Sandford stadium rocking in the 1st quarter is something we don't want to see. This is the first taste of SEC football for a lot of our team, and the atmosphere will dwarf what Oklahoma provided. I think Tennessee will be a better conditioned team than the Bulldogs, and if Tennessee can weather the storm and stick around till the 4th quarter, they may swing the momentum at a time with UGA is starting to fade.
Prediction: This has been a weird series for the last decade. Big leads, then momentum shifts, upsets... it's hard to get a bead on this one. On paper, UGA wins. I don't like to go against what the odds are, but something about this game feels like TN is going to be right in the thick of it, even though I also would not be shocked with a 21 point loss. I think we are right there, and who knows...
TN 21
UGA 24
This year, UGA once again looked like a top team against Clemson. Then, strangely, they were beaten by a South Carolina team most had given up for dead after their loss to Texas A&M. Welcome to parity in the SEC.
Now, the three main contenders in the East (UGA, USC, FL) are all sitting with an SEC loss before TN even begins SEC play! These are strange times.
Keys to the game:
1. Gurley: Only half joking, I could probably end the post here. Todd Gurley is averaging a comical 9.8 yards per carry, with 402 yards already this season. He hardly needed to touch the ball against Troy. He is the best player in the nation, and no one is going to stop him... period. The key is for Tennessee's front 7 to stop the big plays, and to limit his effectiveness.
In UGA's first two real games (sorry Troy) he averaged 18 carries per game. If TN could hold him to 5 YPC at 18 carries, you would marry that stat. After Gurley, there is a lot of talent, but some injuries as well. Nick Chubb (broken thumb) and Sony Michel are adding some yardage on their own. Michel is actually averaging more than Gurley per carry, at 10.3. Yeah... that's gonna suck for the next few years.
2. Force the pass: TN makes this a game by forcing UGA out of their strength on the ground. Hutson Mason has been efficient with the ball (71.2%), but he has only thrown for a grand total of 17 yards more than what Gurley has rushed for. That's odd... this is not Airforce or Army we are talking about here. If the TN DL holds up against the run and UGA begins to force the passing game, it will be another plus for the Vols.
3. Slow the pass rush: No need for a lot of details here. The OL has to slow down the UGA pass rush, and Bajakian needs to draw up some quick plays to get the ball out of Worley bird's hand. I look for UGA to use a lot of disguised blitz packages to confuse our young OL, and they need to be sharp to pick it up.
4. High % passes: Opposing quarterbacks have been able to complete some passes this year against UGA. Their pass defense is not the best the world has ever seen, and even the lowly QB for Troy managed to hit 59%. With Von and Smith out for the game, the WR's need to step up, man up, and help Worley out. There are a lot of yards to be found through the air this week if he has an opportunity to throw.
5. Weather the storm: UGA scores early in their games, and getting Sandford stadium rocking in the 1st quarter is something we don't want to see. This is the first taste of SEC football for a lot of our team, and the atmosphere will dwarf what Oklahoma provided. I think Tennessee will be a better conditioned team than the Bulldogs, and if Tennessee can weather the storm and stick around till the 4th quarter, they may swing the momentum at a time with UGA is starting to fade.
Prediction: This has been a weird series for the last decade. Big leads, then momentum shifts, upsets... it's hard to get a bead on this one. On paper, UGA wins. I don't like to go against what the odds are, but something about this game feels like TN is going to be right in the thick of it, even though I also would not be shocked with a 21 point loss. I think we are right there, and who knows...
TN 21
UGA 24
