The Bulldogs put on a show for the national TV audience and a packed Sanford Stadium. Additionally, Sanford Stadium debuted fireworks and a super cool light show. It was a chilly night for the Dawgs to get hot and handle the Vols after the disappointment in Oxford.
Kirby Smart emphasized in his postgame press conference just how beaten up the Bulldogs are at this point in the season. Of course, one expects injuries to accumulate as the season progresses. Georgia has been dealing with injured players all season. Dawgs fans should remember that the fact that Georgia can compete successfully against the most formidable teams in the conference with a loaded injury roster is a testament to the consistently outstanding recruiting program that Kirby has installed.
The crowd was loud. Coach Smart and several players had asked for noise, and the team appeared to be juiced by the thunderous response from the Dawgs in the stands. Ask anyone who attended; this was the loudest crowd in Sanford in many moons.
Slow starts are still an issue. Tennessee jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Dawgs finally got started and blew by the Vols, outscoring the visitors 31-7 in the final three quarters.
Carson Beck finished the night 24/40 for 347 yards and two TDs. One of those touchdowns was a keeper, and he picked up a key first down with another scamper. One reason for Beck’s big night was the blocking provided by his offensive line. Beck had zero interceptions – and his receivers unfortunately had four drops.
Tennessee moved the ball all night but needed explosive plays to get Georgia on its heels; they didn’t materialize. Nico Iamaleava passed for 167 yards but no touchdowns.
Georgia’s final possession was a thing of beauty. Starting from the 8-yard line, Georgia drove the field and scored on the 12th play of the drive, grinding six minutes of the clock and putting an exclamation point on the victory.
Although I did not check the crowd carefully for departures as the game wound down, the fan noise level did not waver, even as the Bulldogs added the insurance score.
With two out-of-conference games left to finish the regular season, Georgia still has work to do. Tech is better than they have been in years, and they will be beyond fired up for good old-fashioned hate. UMass is no cupcake. The team will need the juice brought by the fan base two more times.