No. 7 Tennessee has classified Nico Iamaleava as questionable on its first two injury reports this week, but it is more likely than not that the Vols will have their star quarterback available against No. 12 Georgia on Saturday in Athens.
While no one has confirmed to CBS Sports that he will 100% be available, sources have shared continued optimism that Iamaleava will play against the No. 12 Bulldogs. Iamaleava, who entered concussion protocol after leaving Tennessee’s game against Mississippi State last week, has progressed throughout the week, a good sign for the Vols in a game that has serious SEC Championship and College Football Playoff implications.
If the former five-star Iamaleava isn’t available, the 8-1 and seventh-ranked Vols would rely on backup Gaston Moore. Currently, it would be a surprise if anyone other than Iamaleava starts at quarterback.
Iamaleava is averaging 8.5 yards per attempt, good for No. 19 nationally, but overall Tennessee’s offense has not been as explosive as usual under Josh Heupel. The Vols are No. 38 nationally in yards per play.
College Football Playoff selection committee chair Warde Manuel said Tuesday night that Iamaleava’s injury “had nothing to do” with the committee’s decision to hold Tennessee steady at No. 7 this week.
Iamaleava’s status remains clearer than that of his top wide receiver, Dont’e Thornton. Thornton, who leads the Vols with 505 receiving yards, was also listed as questionable Wednesday and Thursday. A source said Thursday night that Thornton’s status remains uncertain.
Georgia enters the matchup as a 9.5-point favorite. the Bulldogs have won 28 straight home games, the longest active FBS streak and in fact Georgia’s longest in program history. Per CBS Sports research, Georgia does not even have any players on its roster who were active during its last home loss (2019 to South Carolina).
The Volunteers have won just once in their last eight trips to Georgia, and that victory, which came in 2016, was quite literally a miracle. Josh Dobbs lofted a last-second Hail Mary pass that found the hands of receiver Jauan Jennings, lifting Tennessee to a 34-31 win. Since then, the Volunteers have lost their last seven games against Georgia by at least 14 points each. The Bulldogs won in Knoxville last season, 38-10.
There’s a reason analysts are hyping Saturday night’s showdown as a must-win for each. Seven SEC teams could finish the regular season 10-2: Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M. Only two SEC games remain matching any of those 7 teams: Tennessee at Georgia in Week 12 and Texas at Texas A&M in Week 14.
