Georgia can get to 9-0 past Tennessee next Saturday if the Dawgs do these things better.
The entire college football world will collide in the Classic City next week when Georgia hosts Tennessee, potentially in a clash of unbeatens.
While Georgia improved to 8-0 with a big rivalry win over Florida in Jacksonville, Tennessee still has to wrangle with another division rival in Kentucky at home on Saturday night. Assuming the Vols prove victorious over the Wildcats, it will be two, top-three teams going at it in what will be the biggest game of the college football season up to this point. It could be a game for the ages.
With a huge test at home next Saturday, here is what Georgia has to do to beat the Vols at home.
Georgia football: 3 things Dawgs must do to take down Tennessee next Saturday
3. If you can establish the run early, don’t be cute and abandon it prematurely
No matter the opponent, the best thing Georgia can do is establish the run early to break the opposition’s will as the game progresses. Up big early, the Dawgs decided to throw it a bunch with Stetson Bennett IV midway through the game and nearly got burned. With Tennessee having one of the best offenses in college football, they cannot score points while Georgia pounds the rock.
2. Eye discipline is going to be absolutely paramount in the defensive backfield
This plays into the first point as well. Tennessee might be able to run the ball well, but the Vols can throw it with the best of them with Heisman Trophy contender Hendon Hooker at quarterback. On a few occasions on Saturday, the defensive backfield got burnt. Whether it was a mental lapse or Anthony Richardson putting his undeniable athleticism on display, that cannot happen vs. the Vols.
1. Giving a team like Tennessee extra possessions off turnovers will end you
You see a trend here, right? The biggest reason why a less talented Florida team nearly made it a game was Georgia could not stop turning the ball over in the third quarter. Ball securities issues can be overcome vs. a lesser opponent like Florida. However, that one extra possession you give to Hooker and Josh Heupel can be the reason why Georgia does not make it back to Atlanta this year.
Overall, this will be a clash of titans in Athens for all the world to see. The winner of this game will emerge as the favorite to win the SEC and potentially win the College Football Playoff. Tennessee has the right head coach, but may be a year or two ahead of schedule. Then again, those are the same sort of things people said about Kirby Smart’s 2017 team, his second season at the helm…
Having the home crowd in their favor will be huge, but it will take an A-game for Georgia to win it.
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