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Georgia vs Tennessee: An early look at SEC opening matchup

Jeremy Johnsonby: Jeremy Johnson09/08/25JeremyO_Johnson
Georgia
Georgia running back Nate Frazier (3) during Georgia’s game against Tennessee on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)

Georgia is set to enter SEC play this weekend. The Bulldogs will travel to Knoxville to face the 2-0 Volunteers on Saturday night.

Georgia enters the game ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll. Tennessee is ranked No. 15 in the AP Poll. ESPN’s College Gameday has tabbed the matchup between the Bulldogs and Volunteers as the game of the week nationally.

Georgia has earned wins over Marshall (45-7) and Austin Peay (28-6) in the first two weeks of the 2025 season.

Tennessee beat Syracuse (45-26) in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Volunteers earned a win over East Tennessee State on Saturday (72-17).

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is ready to see how his team responds to its first SEC road test.

“We’ll find out, that’s for sure,” Smart told reporters after the game on Saturday night. “It’s a different demeanor when you go on the road in the SEC, especially when you have not been on the road. Study the stats on that. You ain’t been on the road and your first road game’s in the SEC. We had that a couple of years ago at Auburn. It’s always an adventure. We’ve been preparing for that, knowing that all along it’s going to be different when you go up there. You’ve got to be prepared for it. You’ve got to have confidence in your plan and you’ve got to go execute as a unit. It’s not you against 100,000. It’s you against 11-11.”

Recent History

The Volunteers and Georgia both will have different quarterbacks than they had in their matchup in Athens in 2024, while both are starting elsewhere. Georgia is now led by Gunner Stockton on offense. Former starter Carson Beck is now the starting quarterback at Miami. Tennessee has been led by Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar after Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA.

Georgia bested Tennessee 31-17 in 2024 in Athens. Georgia leads the all-time series. The Bulldogs are 29-23-2 against Tennessee. Georgia has won the last eight matchups.

The Game File

  • When: 3:30 p.m.
  • TV: ABC
  • Where: Neyland Stadium
  • Spread: Georgia (+7)

Key Players

Georgia: Jr. QB Gunner Stockton, Jr. WR Zachariah Branch, Soph. RB Nate Frazier, Jr. LB CJ Allen, Jr. Raylen Wilson, Soph. Safety KJ Bolden, Sr. CB Daylen Everette, Jr. DL Christen Miller.

Tennessee: Sr. QB Joey Aguilar, Sr. RB Star Thomas, Soph. Desmond Bishop, Jr. WR Chris Brazzel, Soph. WR Mike Matthews, Jr. LB Arion Carter, Sr. CB Jalen McMurray, Sr. EDGE Joshua Josephs.

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