ESPN staff
The defending national champion No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs host the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers in a matchup that will likely have major implications for the SEC championship game and the College Football Playoff. According to ESPN Analytics, the winner of this game will also have a 99% chance of winning the SEC East. 2 Related This has been a one-sided series in recent years, as Georgia enters the contest riding a five-game winning streak — tied for the longest in series history — with all five wins by more than 20 points. Tennessee will look to change that with Heisman Trophy favorite Hendon Hooker at the helm. Hooker has 21 touchdown passes this season, second only to Peyton Manning (23) through eight games in program history. Most of those have gone to Jalin Hyatt (14), who is on pace to become the third receiver in SEC history to catch 20 touchdown passes in a season. Here are the highlights from Tennessee-Georgia:
Celebrity observations
Cleveland Browns running back and Georgia alum Nick Chubb and other stars are in the building to watch the Bulldogs battle the Vols. Some #DGD at Sanford #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/MOWzUS5O2H — Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 5, 2022
Updates from Sanford
As expected, Georgia wide receiver Adonai Mitchell will not play against the Volunteers. He is not in a warm-up uniform. Mitchell, a sophomore from Missouri City, Texas, has been sidelined with an ankle injury and hasn’t played since Georgia’s 33-0 rout of Samford on Sept. 10. He had five catches for 69 yards and a score in a 49-3 rout of Oregon in the opener. He’s one of Georgia’s best deep threats, and quarterback Stetson Bennett could have used him against Tennessee’s shaky secondary. — Mark Schlabach
What you need to know about the Vols?
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said the Vols need to be as healthy as they have been all season. Cedric Tillman, who led Tennessee in receiving last season, looks to add a boost to an already strong receiving corps. He played limited snaps last week against Kentucky, and Heupel said they had him on a “field meter” after missing the previous four games. Heupel said Tillman will be “ready to roll” against the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-3 Tillman poses serious problems with his size and athleticism, especially with the speedy Jalin Hyatt and his 14 touchdowns on the other side. Tillman practiced at full speed, but the Vols wanted to make sure he was 100 percent before bringing him back for a game. Tillman had stretch cord surgery to repair a sprained ankle in September. — Chris Lowe
How about those Dawgs?
There’s no doubt that Georgia’s defense will miss senior outside linebacker Nolan Smith, who led the Bulldogs in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hurries. He is a versatile defender who Georgia has moved around a lot and is one of the most experienced players on the team. But the Bulldogs would struggle to pressure Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker regardless. Hooker gets rid of the ball quickly in Tennessee’s rushing attack. He has tremendous eye discipline and doesn’t make many mistakes, which is why he only has one interception this season. Georgia’s corners — Kelee Ringo and Kamari Lassiter — will have to play well on the perimeter to slow down the Vols. They will face a monumental challenge in trying to contain UT receivers Tillman, Bru McCoy and Hyatt. Georgia coach Kirby Smart said the Bulldogs will have to adjust to UT’s pace on the fly and do so well. “They have multiple tempos that they use and they can go as fast as anybody in the country. They practice it, they preach it, they do a really good job of researching themselves and figuring out how they can go faster. And our job is to be able to match with this level of preparation.” — Schlabach
Is in Athens
What may be the biggest game in Sanford Stadium history is still hours away, but thousands of fans have flocked to Athens from every direction. Former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning is here. So is former Georgia defensive back and NFL Hall of Famer Champ Bailey. Country music star Luke Bryan arrived for “College GameDay” on a private jet. PGA Tour golfers Kevin Kisner, a Georgia graduate, and former US Open champion Gary Woodland were expected to arrive from Justin Thomas’ wedding in Nashville sometime Saturday morning. The Bulldogs have hosted many big games at Sanford Stadium over the past 93 years, but perhaps none bigger than Saturday’s, which will likely decide the SEC East title and who plays in the SEC championship game. The winner will also have an inside track to the College Football Playoff, while the loser will need help from other teams to get into the top four. It’s the first top-five game at Sanford Stadium since 1983, when Bo Jackson and No. 3 Auburn ended No. 4 Georgia’s 23-game SEC winning streak with a 13-7 win between the fences. “It’s a big game, right?” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “There’s nothing about a number in front of him. It would be a big game regardless because both teams are in the East.” — Schlabach
