Between the Hedges: Georgia vs. Tennessee

What Should You Know About Tenessee?

Tennessee is good this year. While there are serious questions about the “health” of quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who left last week’s game with a reported concussion, the Vols will challenge Georgia. First, the Vols defense is stout and has been problematic for opposing offenses. This is especially concerning for Georgia given their problems with health along the offensive line and the group’s average performance this year.

Second, is that event with Iamaleava status up in the air, running back Dylan Sampson has done a nice job of carrying the Vols offense for the season. Smart gushed about how Tennesee’s scheme and Samson’s style make him difficult to corral. “He is an elite runner. The runs they run are sometimes nontraditional. They run some runs that other people don’t run because of the space in the box. He’s very patient. He hits small creases.” The junior is averaging 125.4 yards a game and has 20 touchdowns on the season. Georgia’s run game has been porous at times this season. The key to beating the Vols will be trying to neutralize these two big advantages.

Who Should You Watch for on Georgia’s Offense?

The backfield for Georgia took another hit when the injury report came out this week. Roderick Robinson II and Branson Robinson were both already out, but Georgia got tougher news when it was announced that Trevor Etienne would also miss the game. Running back Cash Jones is also listed as questionable. That leaves Nate Frazier as Georiga’s only healthy back going into a game where they have really struggled to establish themselves as a rushing team. The load will then continue to fall on the right arm of Carson Beck to throw Georgia to victory.

Who Should You Watch for on Georgia’s Defense?

Well, this was more a question for Georgia. How does the defense prepare for the possibility that Iamaleava might not play? Smart shared this week that it is more than preparing for a “guy” and instead about preparing for how the Vol’s offense might look philosophically. First, he shared how Tennessee’s light schedule to start the year provided him with some tape on backup Gaston Moore. “They had those games early in the year where they beat teams so bad, you know, that Gaston had to play up quite a bit. Then we obviously have the game that he played in. That kind of happened in the Florida game because I didn’t know a lot about the kid that came in in the Florida game.”

Smart also shared how in watching the field there was more to Iamaleava than his big arm. “And Nico’s such a high-level athlete and some of the runs he’s made, I knew the kid was a great thrower, but I didn’t know he was this kind of athlete. And hitting the speeds, he’s hitting GPS-wise. And they made a run on Alabama that was really elite. So, just recognizing his skill set is a lot and trying to prepare for kind of two guys, you know, because philosophically I don’t know how they’ll approach it with the other quarterback.”

Who wins Georgia vs. Tennessee?

The time for talking is over. If Georgia is going to make something of 2024, it has to be on Saturday night. The message is clear: Own what you have.

Georgia 27
Tennessee 17