The University of Georgia Bulldogs have a lot to worry about right now, dropping out of the Top 10 for the first time in years after a disastrous showing against Ole Miss last Saturday. Despite all this, Vegas has – as of this writing – the ‘Dawgs as 9 point favorites.
The truth is, the Bulldogs have built a solid record of “must win” wins under Head Coach Kirby Smart, and Volunteers Head Coach Josh Heupel knows Sanford Stadium is a hard place for any team to win. Despite the numbers, this is still Georgia’s game to lose. Here’s some things to consider as the week goes on.
The Volunteers Have Plenty of Injuries
Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee’s excellent QB, suffered a leg injury against Mississippi State last week, and is listed as “questionable” to start Saturday. That, in and of itself, might not seem like much, as Iamaleava doesn’t have nearly the passing yardage of many other SEC quarterbacks, and he’s more than 600 yards behind UGAs Carson Beck.
The bigger worry is Dylan Sampson, Tennessee’s go-to running back, with over 1,100 yards on the ground this year. He’s also questionable with a leg injury. Those two could conspire to make it very hard for the Voolunteers to come into Georgia’s house and leave with a very critical victory.
Nobody likes to admit two players can make or break a team’s ability to win a game, and certainly Nick Saban’s Alabama teams proved this time and again for nearly two decades, but the Volunteers are really a “new” team in terms of the depth of their offense. If Tennessee takes the field Saturday without Iamaleava and Sampson, it could give Georgia a huge advantage.
Kirby Smart Still Has To Deal With The Problem of Carson Beck
Despite the injuries to the Volunteers, it’s still important to remember, Georgia is having a lot of trouble generating consistent offense. Quarterback Carson Beck didn’t make any friends at home when he was caught laughing and smiling towards the end of the whipping Ole Miss put down on the Bulldogs last Saturday, and he’s still tied for the most interceptions in the FBS this year, with 12.
It’s become obvious to Head Coach Kirby Smart Beck is not Stetson Bennett, and if Beck can’t lead from the huddle, it could have repercussions throughout the game, on both sides of the ball. Still, Smart continues to defend his choice for the ‘Dawgs. When asked about starting another one of his quarterbacks against UT, he had this to say.
“Absolutely not. We’ve got the quarterback we’ve got who is completely competent, capable and understanding of our system that gives us the best chance to win.”
He was quoted in another press conference today as saying, “I think they’re (Tennessee) top in the conference, maybe top three, top two, in almost every category on offense and defense, which, as you know, that was what we faced last week. They were pretty high in both. But this team is playing defense at an extremely high level, and they have an extremely explosive offense and extremely physical offense.”
Whatever happens, it really is make or break football for both team. Tennessee needs to win to solidify their place in the SEC as a serious contender for the first time in nearly a decade, and the Bulldogs have no choice but to win to keep any hope of a playoff opportunity alive.
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