Georgia vs. Tennessee: Postgame Notes

No. 3 Georgia beats No. 1 Tennessee 27-13 Bulldogs Topple CFP No. 1 Team:

Georgia moves its record to 9-0 (6-0 SEC) with a 27-13 victory over #1 Tennessee (8-1, 4-1 SEC).
Georgia improves to 3-5 all-time against the No. 1 ranked team in school history. The other wins over No. 1 teams came against Florida (28-3 in Jacksonville) in 1985 and Alabama (33-18) for the 2022 CFP National Championship.
Tonight marked the highest ranked matchup in the history of Sanford Stadium that opened in 1929 with No. 3 Georgia beating No. 1 UT (CFP rankings).
The Bulldogs now have won 24 straight regular season games including their last 17 SEC games in that span.
Georgia now leads the UT series 27-23-2. They have won six in a row, all by double digits.
Head coach Kirby Smart is now 6-1 against UT and 75-15 overall.
With today's win, Georgia is now 4-1 as the No. 3 CFP team in the land. On Selection Day in 2017, Georgia made the CFP and went 1-1, outlasting No. 2 Oklahoma in 2OT in the Rose Bowl and falling in OT to No. 4 Alabama for the national title. Last year, Georgia again was No. 3 on Selection Day and then beat No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the CFP Semifinal/Capital One Orange Bowl, then No. 1 Alabama 33-18 for the 2022 CFP national title.

Defensive Honors The Standard:

Georgia came in ranked 2nd nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 10.5 points a game while UT came in leading the nation in scoring (49.4 ppg). The Bulldogs built a 24-6 halftime lead and ultimately won 27-13.
The 13 points was the lowest scored by the Vols under coach Josh Heupel.
The Vols finished with 289 yards of total offense on 75 plays. They came in with a nation-leading average of 553 ypg.
The Bulldogs have not allowed a TD in the first quarter this year, just three field goals. For only the second time in the Heupel era, UT was held without a TD in the 1st quarter, They didn't get a TD until 4:15 left in the game that made it 27-13 after the extra point..
Freshman Malaki Starks, had a team-best and career-high 10 tackles while Kelee Ringo and Javon Bullard had seven apiece.
Coming in today, Georgia had 10 sacks on the year and posted a season-high six. UT had allowed only 13 on the year.
Jamon Dumas-Johnson (3rd of year), Jalen Carter (1st), Warren Brinson (1st) and Trezmen Marshall (1st of season/career), Javon Bullard (1st two of season/career) each collected sacks today.
Georgia has posted 19 scoreless quarters this season, UT was just 2-of-14 (14%) on 3rd down attempts but 3-for-5 on 4th down..

Offense Review:

Georgia came in averaging 41.8 ppg and 530.1 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs won 27-13 and finished with 387 yards on 62 plays. At halftime, the Bulldogs led 24-6 with 306 yards of offense on 37 plays.
Senior QB Stetson Bennett (17-for-25, 257 yards, 2 TDs plus 1 rushing TD). He had a big first half, completing 15-of-21 passes for 226 yards and 2 TDs plus ran for a 13-yard TD on a 3rd and 10. It was his sixth rushing score this year and 10th of his career. Bennett connected for a 37-yard TD to Ladd McConkey (5 for 94 yards, 1 TD) for a 14-3 edge.
Senior Kenny McIntosh had 10 rushes for 52 yards plus he had two catches for 57 yards including a career-long 49-yarder.
Redshirt sophomore Arian Smith had a 52-yard catch. His only other catch this season was a 7-yarder against Missouri (Oct. 1). Today marked just his fifth game this season due to injury.
Junior Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (3 rec., 20 yards, 1 TD) caught a five-yard TD to make it 21-3 with 14:17 left in the first half. It was his first this year and 2nd overall, the other covering 32 yards when he broke his leg against Florida in 2020.

Red Zone Update:

Georgia went 4-for-4 in the Red Zone with 2 TDs and two field goals. Coming in today, the Bulldogs led the nation in Red Zone offense, scoring 98 percent of the time and now are (50-for-51 with 35 TDs and 15 FGs).
UT went 2-for-3 in the Red Zone (36-yard FG, Downs, TD) as the Bulldogs came in ranked 2nd nationally in Red Zone Defense, limiting opponents to scoring just 64% of the time.

Special Teams Summary:

Freshman P Brett Thorson's first effort when a career-best 75 yards and was downed at the one. It was his 12th out of 19 this year to be placed inside the 20. The 75-yarder tied for the 10th longest and longest since Drew Butler's 75-yarder against Okla. Sate in 2009. UT wound up punting from the one after running three plays for a total of no yards. Georgia would field the punt/fair catch at the UT 37. It led to a 37-yard TD catch on the first play from Bennett to Ladd McConkey for a 14-3 edge.
He punted four times for a 50.3-yard avg. and placed one inside the 20.
Senior PK Jack Podlesny tallied nine points, going 2-for-2 in FGs (19 &, 38 yards) and 3-for-3 in PATs. He handled kickoffs too.

Points Off Turnovers:

Georgia is Even in Turnover Margin on the year while UT is an SEC-best +8. Today, the Bulldogs lost two fumbles and picked off UT QB Hendon Hooker, who had just his 2nd INT of the year, and recovered a fumble.
Georgia had a fumble (Daijun Edwards) on its opening possession and was recovered by UT at the UGA48. It led to a field goal.
Opponents now have scored 29 points off 11 Bulldog miscues. The Bulldogs have scored 41 points off 11 turnovers.
In the 2nd quarter with 4:52 left, Kelee Ringo notched his first INT of the year (in the endzone) and third of his career. It led to a FG.
In the 3rd quarter, Georgia Jalen Carter forced a fumble at the UGA and it was recovered by redshirt freshman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins at the UT 37 and then fumbled it back (Branson Robinson) on the very next play. UT would turn it over on downs.

For Starters, Captains & Coin Toss:

Senior Kenny McIntosh (RB), senior Chris Smith (S), redshirt sophomore Sedrick Van Pran (C) and sophomore Jamon Dumas-Johnson (LB) were the captains. UT won the toss and elected to defer the ball until the 2nd half. RS-sophomore Devin Willock made his first career start, getting the nod at LG over Xavier Truss (toe) who had started the past eight.

Honoring The Greats:

Georgia wore a special uniform patch honoring the legendary Bulldog coach and athletic director Vince Dooley who passed away last Friday, Oct. 28 at the age of 90. Also for the second Saturday in a row, Georgia had helmet decals to honor one of the greatest athletes ever in Bulldog Charley Trippi, who passed way on Oct. 19 at the age of 100. Also, unique markings were present on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium, a moment of silence was observed and a special video was played.

Up Next:

Georgia (9-0, 6-0 SEC) plays at Miss. State on Nov. 12 at 7 pm ET (ESPN). MSU (5-3 2-3 SEC) is facing Auburn in Starkville at 7 pm on ESPN2.