Amidst the heartbreak and the devastation of Tennessee football’s 44-41 overtime loss against Georgia, there are real reasons for serious optimism about Josh Heupel’s fifth team in Knoxville.
Tennessee’s offense looked good in lopsided wins over Syracuse and ETSU to begin the season. The matchup with Georgia was a completely different test. And Tennessee’s offense didn’t just pass the test but they aced it.
The numbers are jarring compared to past matchups against Georgia. Tennessee’s previous scoring-high in the Josh Heupel era against Georgia was 17 points. Tennessee more than doubled it with 41 points and 38 points in regulation. Nico Iamaleava and Joe Milton combined to throw for 314 yards against Georgia the last two years. Joey Aguilar threw for 371 yards Saturday.
In discussing Tennessee’s past failures against Georgia, Josh Heupel has often discussed the need to win one-on-ones. Chris Brazzell won the one-on-ones Tennessee hasn’t in the past, going up and getting deep balls for 73 and 54 yard touchdowns.
Brazzell looks like the latest Tennessee receiver to make a second-year jump in Heupel’s system. His six catches for 177 yards an three touchdowns would be remembered as a legendary performance if Tennessee pulled out the win. Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews, who needs to be more consistent catching the football, should only get better as the year develops.
“I thought Chris had a great ball game,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said postgame. “Wide receivers in general played really hard and made plays. Protected well throughout a majority of the football game. There were a lot of really good games. Just needed a little bit more.”
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Tennessee’s offensive adjustments in the offseason also seem to be paying dividends. The Vols are leaning on the wide splits less and are running more diverse route trees. Heupel schemed up open receivers down the field against Georgia, something he’s been unable to do in the past. Braylon Staley’s 32-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter was a thing of beauty.
Of course, Aguilar was the one distributing the football and while he didn’t look great throughout the night it was an impressive showing. Failure didn’t seem to shake his confidence. He also understands what Tennessee’s last two quarterbacks never did— an under thrown deep ball is far better than an over thrown deep ball.
With the game on the line in the final two minutes, Tennessee leaned on its ground game and moved the football into scoring range to set up the potential game-winning field goal that sailed wide right.
The Vols have defensive issues to figure out and getting healthier would go a long way on that side of the ball. But Tennessee’s offense looks more like it did in 2021 and 2022 then it did the previous two seasons.
Tennessee’s path to the College Football Playoff is undoubtedly slimmer after a SEC opening loss. But the Vols have juice on the offensive side for the first time in three years. That should make for an exciting fall at the very least.
