Georgia (4-1) at Tennessee (2-2) 3:30 PM ET CBS
Why to Watch: The Florida loss to Auburn now opens things back up in the SEC East race, giving Tennessee new life, while giving Georgia more help as it tries to overcome the early loss to South Carolina. It's not a stretch to call this Tennessee's last stand, at least as far as the Phil Fulmer era, with early season blowout losses to Cal and Florida showing just how far the program is right now from being a top contender. If the Vols can get by with a win, things get relatively easier, missing LSU from the West, getting the two big names from the East out of the way, and having a nice four-game home stand starting in late October with the potential to go on a nice run. However, Tennessee is seen as a battered team with no defense, while Georgia is the younger, rising program with the potential to be special over the next few years. This game will go a long way to either changing perceptions, or cementing them.
Why Georgia Might Win: Tennessee's defense has gone bye-bye. Struggling equally against the pass and the run, the Bulldogs can pick and choose how they want to move the ball. Most importantly for QB Matthew Stafford and his mediocre receiving corps, Tennessee isn't generating anything on the line. Stafford will have ten days to throw, and it'll all trickle down from there. However ...
Why Tennessee Might Win: It's not like Georgia is an offensive juggernaut. The Bulldog passing game is occasionally efficient, but it's hardly consistent, and it's hardly California or Florida as far as explosiveness, last week's game against Ole Miss aside. The Bulldog secondary has hardly been tested, with Alabama's John Parker Wilson the toughest quarterback it's had to deal with, and he almost came through clutch late in the overtime loss. Tennessee might be having problems defensively, but the offense is moving the ball thanks to the SEC's number one passing offense, led by a great year from ...
Who to Watch: Erik Ainge. With all his top targets off to the NFL, Ainge was supposed to regress a bit back to his sophomore form. It was the receivers who made him look good last year, or so said the conventional wisdom. All Ainge has done is throw for 10 touchdown with just two interceptions, and is coming off a marvelous 334-yard, four touchdown day against Arkansas State. He's had to press a little more with the defense not providing enough overall help, and the running game being merely average, but he's still not making mistakes. If Tennessee is going to beat Georgia, Ainge has to explode.
What Will Happen: This has been a strange series, with the road team winning over the last four years, and with the way Georgia has performed over the years on the road under Mark Richt, make it five in a row. Tennessee simply isn't doing enough on defense right now.
CFN Prediction: Georgia 30 ... Tennessee 21 ... Line: Tennessee -2
Must See Rating: (5 Paris on Letterman - 1 Singing Bee) ... 4