Tennessee football had multiple golden opportunities to end its losing streak against Georgia and earn an early season statement win. But a handful of late game mistakes cost the Vols dearly as Georgia earned a 44-38 overtime victory.
Here’s five quick takeaways on the instant classic.
Tennessee’s Offense Comes Out On Fire
Despite its serious offensive struggles in recent seasons against Georgia, Tennessee had scored a first drive touchdown in each of the last four meetings against Georgia. That streak continued with the Vols going 75 yards on eight plays capped off by a Joey Aguilar four-yard touchdown run.
But unlike the last four games, Tennessee’s offense stayed hot throughout the rest of the first quarter as the Vols built a first half lead.
Tennessee answered a Georgia touchdown with a quick strike score as Aguilar connected with Chris Brazzell for a 73-yard touchdown. The Vols then made it three touchdowns in three drives when Aguilar found Brazzell again for 14 yards to cap off a 12-play, 83-yard touchdown drive.
The strong offensive start gave Tennessee a 21-7 lead just 13 minutes into the game. Tennessee’s 21 points was more than they’d scored in a single game against Georgia in the last four years. Aguilar’s 213 first-half passing yards were 43 more than the Vols threw for a season ago.
Georgia Leans On Screen Game, Attacks Ty Redmond
A season ago, Georgia’s passing attack gave Tennessee fits by throwing the football over the middle consistently. This season, the Bulldogs had two consistent staples in their passing game. Georgia threw an abundance of receiver screens and attacked freshman corner Ty Redmond.
It started on the Bulldogs first play from scrimmage when Gunner Stockton dropped a beautiful deep ball into the arms of Colbie Young who beat Redmond deep for a 45-yard gain. The early success led to a sustained strategy, Georgia consistently attacked the true freshman corner and had success doing it.
Redmond gave up a number of receptions and also had a bad pass interference on a ball that had little chance of being caught on a second quarter third down play.
It wasn’t shocking to see Georgia avoid Colton Hood and to attack Redmond in coverage. Georgia leaning on the receiver screen was maybe even more predictable. The Bulldogs did it consistently in their first two games and did it again.
Georgia made Tennessee’s defensive backs make plays in space. Zachariah Brance broke one for a 37-yard touchdown on third down in the first half. The receiver screen proved to be a consistent source of yards for Georgia’s offense.
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Disastrous Start To The Second
Georgia received the opening kick of the second half trailing 21-17 and promptly put together a big boy football drive. The Bulldogs marched 75 yards on 14 plays, running the first 7:41 of the first half off the clock. The backbreaker? Georgia ran the ball on 13 of the 14 plays.
Tennessee’s lack of defensive tackle depth was jarring as Georgia consistently got a push and stayed ahead of the sticks before punching it in from one-yard out on third-and-goal.
Georgia had scored 17 straight points when Tennessee’s offense retook the field, having not crossed midfield since the first quarter.
The Vols desperately needed some sort of offensive response to at least give their defense a breather. Sam Pendleton held on the first play of the drive and Tennessee went three-and-out, forcing its defense back on the field in a tough spot. Credit the Vols’ defense for answering the ball in the spot, but it was still a brutal start to the second half for Tennessee.
Tennessee’s Passing Game Creates Chunk Plays In Big Spots
The Vols’ offense had failed to cross midfield in their previous five drives when they took over trailing 27-21 late in the third quarter. A third down completion seemed to give the offense the spark it was missing but it was against Brazzell who made the stellar play that changed the game.
Aguilar threw a jump ball down the right sideline and Brazzell bodied the Georgia defensive back to haul in a 54-yard touchdown pass that gave Tennessee the lead.
The Vols offense got the ball back trailing 30-28 after a Georgia field goal. That’s when Tennessee put together its best drive of the game. Aguilar found Brazzell for 15 yards to get things going. Star Thomas broke a 27-yard run. Then with Georgia’s defense on its heels, Josh Heupel schemed up Braylon Staley wide open for a 32-yard go-ahead touchdown.
Tennessee has been unable to create chunk plays in its past losses against Georgia. They flipped the games with big ones in the second half.
And Agonizing End To Regulation
Tennessee led by eight with Georgia facing fourth-and-seven at the Tennessee 28-yard line. The Vols were a stop from all but putting the game away. Instead Gunner Stockton dropped a dime to Landon Humphries for a touchdown. Then Mike Bobo out schemed Tim Banks and Tennessee and got an easy two-point conversion for Zachariah Branch.
But the Vols’ offense had a fantastic response, marching into field goal range and setting Max Gilbert up for a 43-yard game winning field goal. Gilbert pushed it wide right and Georgia sent the game to overtime.
The Bulldogs won it in the first overtime but it was Tennessee’s failures to end regulation that down its chances to win.
