College football is set for an epic end-of-season showdown.
The Tennessee Volunteers and Georgia Bulldogs meet in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) “Game of the Week” on Saturday night (Nov. 22) in Athens, Georgia. This highly anticipated matchup carries significant weight in the race for the SEC Championship and College Football Playoff (CFP), as both teams are vying for a shot at postseason glory under the expanded 12-team playoff system.
Tennessee (8-1, 5-1 SEC; No. 7 CFP) enters Sanford Stadium with momentum, while Georgia (7-2, 5-2; No. 12 CFP) finds itself fighting for survival after a turbulent season. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the two powerhouses face off.
Georgia, a perennial national title contender under head coach Kirby Smart, now faces an uphill battle to make the playoffs. After a disappointing 28-10 loss to Ole Miss, the Bulldogs are in unfamiliar territory—outside the playoff bracket with a slim chance of making it back in. Georgia’s last home game was more than a month ago, but they return to Athens with a 28-game home winning streak and one last shot at redemption.
“Thank goodness it’s at our place,” Smart said in a press conference on November 11. “We get to come home and play.”
For Tennessee, the stakes are equally high. A win against Georgia would be a historic step for the Volunteers, who are aiming for their first College Football Playoff appearance. Head coach Josh Heupel has emphasized the importance of consistent performance.
“In these games, you have to do ordinary things at a really high level consistently,” Heupel said this week in a press conference on November 11. “For us, that means you have to prepare at an elite level.”
A victory for Tennessee would mark its first win “Between the Hedges” since 2016, when they clinched a dramatic 34-31 victory on a last-second Hail Mary. The Volunteers, who have lost seven straight to Georgia by an average of 26.4 points, are well aware of the Bulldogs’ dominance in recent years. But Tennessee has also proved itself against tough competition this season, including a 24-17 win over Alabama.
One of the game’s biggest uncertainties centers around Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who suffered a potential concussion in the Volunteers’ recent win over Mississippi State. As of now, Heupel has expressed optimism about his quarterback’s availability, though Iamaleava remains listed as questionable. Should he be unable to play, Tennessee would turn to fifth-year senior Gaston Moore, a considerable step down in experience and ability. Iamaleava has been crucial to Tennessee’s recent success, completing 65% of his passes for 1,879 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just four interceptions in the past month.
Georgia has its own challenges at the quarterback position. Senior Carson Beck, once considered a Heisman contender, has struggled mightily, throwing more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (10) over the last six games. In last week’s loss to Ole Miss, Beck was sacked five times, exposing weaknesses in Georgia’s offensive line. Beck’s struggles have cast a shadow over a team that once had high hopes for a national title run, and the Bulldogs need their quarterback to regain his form if they hope to avoid a third loss.
Senior Nasheen Gibbs, a manager of the Williston Varsity Football team, thinks Carson Beck is the most inconsistent quarterback in college football.
“Considering how he has been playing, he might be the worse Georgia quarterback they have had since Kirby [Smart] became head coach, I don’t understand why he is projected to go in the first round,” Nasheen said.
On the defensive side, Tennessee presents a formidable challenge. The Volunteers are ranked fifth nationally in points allowed, holding opponents to an average of just 12.6 points per game. They’ve yet to give up more than 20 points in a single game and lead the SEC in pass efficiency defense.
“They play hard, and they have bought into the culture,” Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks said in the same conference. “We talk about being tough and playing for each other and with great respect for the game. I just think we’ve got a great group.”
Junior Dean Ruksnaitis, captain of the Williston Varsity Football team, believes Tennessee’s defense is one of the best in the SEC, especially after their impressive performance against Alabama’s star quarterback, Heisman candidate Jalen Milroe.
“I watched them compete against Alabama, and they’re the only team I’ve seen able to neutralize Milroe’s rushing game,” Ruksnaitis said.
Tennessee held Milroe to just 11 rushing yards on 14 attempts, a standout stat given his usual impact on the ground. Along with limiting his mobility, the Volunteers’ defense forced two interceptions in their 24-17 victory, showcasing their ability to dominate even the top offensive threats in college football.
This game will feature Tennessee’s star running back, Dylan Sampson, who has emerged as a crucial component of the Volunteers’ offense. Sampson currently leads the SEC with 1,129 rushing yards and has a school-record 20 rushing touchdowns this season. His ability to ignite the Volunteers’ offense has been a game-changer, and his presence will be critical in Tennessee’s quest to break Georgia’s defensive stronghold.
“When he gets hot, the whole team rises up,” running backs coach De’Rail Sims said in the same press conference. “He’s a spark plug for the whole entire unit on offense.”
The Georgia-Tennessee rivalry has a storied history dating back to 1899, but it wasn’t until 1992, when the SEC expanded and formed divisions, that the two teams began meeting annually. Tennessee enjoyed a dominant stretch in the 1990s, winning nine straight from 1989 to 1999. However, Georgia turned the tide in the 2000s, with both teams trading wins in close contests. Since Kirby Smart took over as head coach in 2016, Georgia has reestablished control, currently riding a seven-game winning streak over the Volunteers. Tennessee’s most recent victory, in 2016, was decided by a last-second Hail Mary, and since then, Georgia has had the upper hand.
As both teams prepare for Saturday’s game, the atmosphere in Athens is electric. The winner will keep their championship dreams alive, while the loser will likely see their hopes dashed. The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff has given teams like Tennessee a greater chance to compete for a national title, and this high-stakes game epitomizes the excitement of the new format.
Georgia will rely on home-field advantage and their record-breaking winning streak at Sanford Stadium, while Tennessee looks to rewrite the history books with a statement win. As the Bulldogs and Volunteers face off in what is essentially an elimination game, fans can expect a fierce battle under the lights in Athens.
Senior Peter Mahon, an avid college football fan, is rooting for Georgia to win against Tennessee, believing it would make the playoff race more exciting. “Last year marked the first time since 2020 that Georgia missed the playoffs,” Mahon said.
“They have an incredibly strong roster and, with the stakes so high, I think they’re hungrier than ever for the win. The coaching and experience this team has is why I believe they’ll come out on top.”
