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ESPN staff
The defending nationwide champion No. three Georgia Bulldogs host the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers in a marquee matchup that will seemingly have predominant implications on the SEC championship recreation and school soccer Playoff.
primarily based on ESPN Analytics, the winner of this recreation might even have a ninety nine% probability of worthwhile the SEC East.
This has been a lopsided sequence in latest occasions as Georgia enters the showdown using a 5-recreation worthwhile streak — tied for its longest in sequence historic previous — with all 5 wins by better than 20 factors.
Tennessee will look to change that with Heisman Trophy-favourite Hendon Hooker on the helm. Hooker has 21 touchdown passes this season, second to solely Peyton Manning (23) by means of eight video games in program historic previous. Most of them have gone to Jalin Hyatt (14), who’s on tempo to level out into the third receiver in SEC historic previous to catch 20 touchdown passes in a season.
listed right here are the best moments from Tennessee-Georgia:
Updates from Sanford
As anticipated, Georgia receiver Adonai Mitchell will not play in opposition to the Volunteers. Mitchell is simply not in uniform for warmth-ups. Mitchell, a sophomore from Missouri metropolis, Texas, has been sidelined with an ankle damage and hasn’t performed since Georgia’s 33-zero shutout of Samford on Sept. 10. He had 5 catches for sixty nine yards with one rating in a forty nine-three rout of Oregon inside the opener. he is actually one of Georgia’s best deep threats inside the passing recreation, and quarterback Stetson Bennett might have used him in opposition to Tennessee’s shaky secondary. — Mark Schlabach
What should you discover with regard to the Vols?
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said the Vols should be as healthful as they’ve been all season at the second in opposition to Georgia.
Cedric Tillman, who led Tennessee in receiving final season, figures to current a enhance to an already potent receiving corps. He performed restricted snaps final week in opposition to Kentucky, and Heupel said they’d him on a “pitch depend” after lacking the earlier 4 video games.
Heupel said Tillman will in all probability be “in a place to roll” in opposition to the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-three Tillman creates critical matchup factors collectively with his measurement and athleticism, significantly with speedy Jalin Hyatt and his 14 touchdowns on the selection facet.
Tillman has been training full velocity, however the Vols needed to make sure that he was a hundred% earlier than bringing him again for a recreation. Tillman had tightrope surgical procedure to restore a extreme ankle sprain in September. — Chris Low
How about them Dawgs?
there is not any question that Georgia’s protection will miss senior outdoors linebacker Nolan Smith, who led the Bulldogs in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hurries. he is a versatile defender that Georgia moved round rather a lot, and he is actually one of many workforce’s most expert gamers.
however the Bulldogs have been going to wrestle to get strain on Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker regardless. Hooker removes the ball shortly in Tennessee’s quick-paced offense. He has large eye self-discipline and does not make many errors, which is why he has simply one interception this season.
Georgia’s cornerbacks — Kelee Ringo and Kamari Lassiter — are going to should play properly on the perimeter to gradual the Vols down. they will face a monumental problem in attempting to include UT receivers Tillman, Bru McCoy and Hyatt.
Georgia coach Kirby clever said the Bulldogs are going to should regulate to UT’s tempo on the fly and do it properly.
“They obtained a quantity of paces they use they usually can go as quick as anyone inside the nation. They observe it, they preach it, they do a terribly good job researching themselves and figuring out how they will go faster. And our job is to have the power to match that conditioning diploma.” — Schlabach
it is on in Athens
what’s in all probability the largest recreation in Sanford Stadium historic previous continues to be hours away, however 1000’s of followers have flocked to Athens from every path.
Former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning is right here. So is former Georgia defensive again and NFL hall of Famer Champ Bailey. nation music star Luke Bryan arrived for “school GameDay” by way of private jet. PGA Tour golfers Kevin Kisner, a Georgia alum, and previous U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland have been anticipated to reach from Justin Thomas‘ bridal ceremony in Nashville sometime Saturday morning.
The Bulldogs have hosted an fantastic deal of large video games in Sanford Stadium in the course of the previous ninety three years, however maybe none larger than Saturday’s, which is in a place to in all probability resolve the SEC East title and who will play inside the SEC championship recreation. The winner might even have an inside monitor to the school soccer Playoff, whereas the loser will want assist from completely different teams to get into the very best 4.
it is the predominant prime-5 matchup at Sanford Stadium since 1983, when Bo Jackson and No. three Auburn ended No. 4 Georgia’s 23-recreation SEC worthwhile streak with a thirteen-7 victory between the hedges.
“it is an monumental recreation, proper?” Georgia coach Kirby clever said. “There’s nothing a few quantity being in entrance of it. it ought to in all probability be an monumental recreation regardless as a end result of each teams are inside the East.” — Schlabach
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