No. 12 Georgia meets No. 7 Tennessee at home on Saturday in a game with massive College Football Playoff implications on the line between the hedges. The Bulldogs fielded their lowest CFP Ranking since 2016 on Tuesday and are projected to finish outside of the expanded 12-team CFP field following a 28-10 loss against No. 11 Ole Miss.
Tennessee is on the inside of the bubble with an 8-1 record and 24-17 win over Alabama. However, the Volunteers have been shaky offensively since SEC play started, ranking 10th in the league in scoring offense during SEC play (24.5 points per game).
The Bulldogs and Volunteers played yearly as members of the SEC East and Georgia has dominated the rivalry in recent years. UGA has won seven straight dating back to the 2017 season. The teams haven’t even played a game closer than two touchdowns over the stretch. However, the last time Tennessee beat Georgia was 2016 — the last time the ‘Dawgs were outside of the top 11 of the CFP Rankings.
Georgia vs. Tennessee: Need to know
QB questions: Heralded Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is questionable heading into the matchup against Georgia after reportedly landing in concussion protocol. The five-star freshman has been solid for Tennessee, throwing for 1,879 yards and 11 touchdowns in nine games. If Iamaleava can’t go, senior Gaston Moore will enter the lineup. He has thrown for 273 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions on 42 career pass attempts.
Back on track: Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has taken a huge step back in his second season as a starter, regressing in completion percentage, passer rating and yards per attempt. In conference play, Beck has 10 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions and became the first SEC player since Matt Corral to throw 12 interceptions in six games. When Beck doesn’t throw an interception, Georgia is 4-0.
Strength on weakness: Beck pointed to Georgia’s struggles running the ball to explain some of the regression on offense after the loss to Ole Miss. The bad news? Tennessee boasts the No. 1 rushing defense nationally in both EPA/rush and defensive success rate. While Josh Heupel is an offensive-minded coach, Tim Banks’ defense has been the real star, ranking top-two in the SEC in essentially every major category. Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will have his hands full.
How to watch Georgia vs. Tennessee live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Sanford Stadium — Athens, Georgia
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Georgia vs. Tennessee prediction, picks
The winner of this game likely punches its tickets to the College Football Playoff. The loser is at serious risk of missing out. While an injury to QB Nico Iamaleava will complicate matters, Tennessee’s defense was always going to be the star of the show in this game. Additionally, Georgia has underperformed ATS by 8.1 points per game in SEC play. The betting line is far too big. Pick: Tennessee +10
Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook. Use BetMGM promo to get in the game with Alabama vs. Missouri and all Week 9 action.
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