Well, the Vols handled the Mississippi State Bulldogs and sent the homecoming crowd home happy but somewhat worried. The Vols didn’t quite meet the expectations of the 23 1/2 point line but the really troubling issue for Vol fans were the injuries.
Heading the list was QB1 Nico Iamaleava who never returned to the field after the first half. Add to that starting wide receiver Don’te Thornton Jr. going down with an injury and missing much of the second half. Other Vols. including running back Dylan Sampson, were nicked up during the game but those injuries appeared to be less serious. If you take Coach Josh Heupel’s Monday press conference comments at face value, both Iamaleava and Thornton will be ready to go Saturday. But with a somewhat coy look, he directed everyone to see the Wednesday injury report for more information.
Having been to many games in Athens through the years via a house divided marriage, I can confidently say the Vols will need everyone available this week between the hedges. It will be a full house with most of the orange clad fans sitting three decks high in the night sky. The last time the Vols visited, the big screen displayed an ever present decibel meter encouraging the home fans to get louder. I fully expect that tactic will be employed against the Vols again Saturday night. It worked pretty well in 2022, as the Vols had several false start and procedure penalties that really put them behind the chains in a game they had more than enough trouble picking up first downs with normal down & distance.
As SEC fans have observed, Kirby Smart does a really good job getting his team ready to play big games. It’s been a little tougher for Smart this season as UGA definitely struggled in losses to Bama & Ole Miss. But, just look at Texas for a very good example of how he can fire his team up when their backs are against the wall. And unfortunately for the Vols, UGA’s back is clearly against the wall this week after their loss to Ole Miss this past Saturday.
However, Tennessee has a team that can win in Athens for the first time since Smart’s first season in 2016. It won’t be easy but there are some decent match ups for Tennessee in this game. UGA’s offensive line has not played at a consistently high level this season. Tennessee’s defensive line should be able to give the UGA offense problems both in stopping the run and getting pressure on the QB. On the other side of the ball, UGA’s secondary has struggled this season. The question with the match up between the Vols passing game and UGA’s secondary is will the Tennessee offensive line be able to protect Nico. If they can, look for Tennessee to move the chains with the passing game and make some explosive plays with the long ball. Tennessee’s run game against UGA’s defensive front is closer to a draw, consequently the Vols ability to pass effectively in this match up will be critical.
It doesn’t need to be said that the outcome of this game has huge implications for the SEC championship and the College Football Playoffs. Whoever wins this game will be in the drivers seat for both. The loser won’t necessarily be out of either but it will be exponentially tougher. Tennessee has won memorable games in Athens before. The Vols are past due to win another in this SEC rivalry.
