Georgia-Tennessee observations, including Stetson’s jets and Pickens’ antics
This had the makings of a trap game for Georgia.
Georgia had plenty of self-inflicted wounds. It seemed out of rhythm at times. Tennessee had an early-season surge and a sense of grit that could lead to a potential upset inside Sanford Stadium. After all, a showdown with top-dog Alabama for a chance at revenge is a short week away.
The game felt strange. Georgia trailed at halftime and didn’t look like itself. All of a sudden, Georgia put its foot down. Tennessee couldn’t find an answer and lost all control of keeping the game competitive.
The Bulldogs (3-0) waltzed their way to a 44-21 win in a game that seemed a lot closer than the final score indicated. A scoop-and-score by linebacker Monty Rice was the final nail in the Volunteers’ proverbial coffin.
The second half has been Georgia’s time to shine, too — the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 62-6 throughout the final 30 minutes of 2020’s first three games.
Georgia, unscathed through its first few contests, is atop the SEC East with its showdown looming against the Crimson Tide on Oct. 17 (8 p.m., CBS). Before then, here are seven observations from the win over rival Tennessee.
Defense leads the Bulldogs to pull away
If “havoc” is the team’s word of the day, Georgia’s defense hasn’t fallen short of answering that call. The unit forced two second-half turnovers — a forced fumble by Azeez Ojulari and interception by Eric Stokes — and shut down the Volunteers’ offense. Aside from the two explosive touchdown passes from Palmer, Tennessee couldn’t find much traction.
Georgia’s run defense remains stout, despite Tennessee having a duo of strong running backs in Ty Chandler in Eric Gray. The Bulldogs’ defensive front, led by defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, forced the Volunteers to have a one-dimensional attack. Tennessee averaged 0.6 yards per carry and 15 total rushing yards. Entering the game, Georgia ranked third in rushing defense at 58 yards allowed per game, behind North Carolina and Pittsburgh.
Tennessee had 71 total yards in the second half, a majority of which came with the game out of reach.
Hot Pod: Jack Podlesny settles in
Georgia’s replacement for place-kicker has been seamless. Jack Podlesny, a walk-on from Glynn Academy, might be forming a legend status of his own. He hit three field goals for the Bulldogs as its offense stalled, including a career-long of 51 yards. Podlesny’s other conversions were from 34 and 47 yards, and the sophomore had multiple touchbacks on kickoffs.
‘Stet’ led by his jets: Stetson Bennett earns it on the ground
From the second snap, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett saw his struggles as a botched snap rolled into the end zone and resulted in a Tennessee touchdown. Overall, for Bennett, his performance was inconsistent. He had a few pass attempts in double coverage, and was bailed out by pass interference penalties on more than one occasion. When Bennett found a rhythm in the passing game, running back Kenny McIntosh became an emerging target with 36 yards.
A share of Bennett’s success came in the run game. He had a 10-yard scramble on third down, then offensive coordinator Todd Monken followed it with a quarterback draw. Bennett responded with an 8-yard touchdown on the designed run. Georgia might’ve discovered another element in Bennett’s game after he didn’t feature much mobility against Arkansas and Auburn.
Peach County, stand up: Kearis Jackson shines
Bennett has his favorite offensive target. It’s the local kid, Kearis Jackson, who is shining in his first full-season opportunity at Georgia. Jackson is known as a leader of the team, but injuries have been a setback for the slot weapon since arriving on campus. He missed significant time with a wrist injury last season, but is erupting when healthy.
Jackson hauled in four catches for 91 yards. Bennett found Jackson for a 21-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. On the following drive, Jackson had a 33-yard grab which set up a touchdown to put the game out of reach. Jackson’s big day followed a career-high 147 yards against Auburn.
Georgia’s search for an offensive answer continues
After the 21-point win over Auburn, Smart didn’t quite beam with joy over Georgia’s offense. He said it wasn’t as good as it seemed, but also not as poorly as it looked two weeks ago at Arkansas. That has proven true, but it also feels like a curve. A strong performance against the Tigers is followed by a lull against Tennessee.
Georgia scored twice in the early moments with a White touchdown run and Bennett’s scramble for a score. Suddenly, the Bulldogs went heavy to its run game. Their drives began to stall, the third quarter got ugly with plenty of punts and only a handful of yards. Podlesny became the savior with three field goals, and Georgia’s defense allowed for a narrow lead to stay intact.
Once Georgia returned to the passing game, it led to more production as a touchdown reception by Kearis Jackson made it a two-score game. The Bulldogs were pushed back with a few penalties, too, which stymied the chance at much consistency.
George Pickens’ antics strike again
Georgia’s star receiver George Pickens said he had changed his behaviors entering the 2020 season. He realized the importance of playing for the team, Pickens said. A unique moment in the second quarter said otherwise. Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano was tackled on a 3-yard scramble, then Pickens squirted water on Guarantano on the sideline.
A penalty followed. The drive ended in a 27-yard touchdown pass to Palmer. The two lone offensive scores by the Volunteers came as a result of a Georgia unforced blunder. It is not Pickens’ first experience that led to his teammates calling for the sophomore to be more mature. He engaged in a fight with Georgia Tech cornerback Tre Swilling last November.
The dreadful yard
Three feet kept turning Georgia away throughout the first half Saturday. It proved costly for the Bulldogs on multiple occasions. Georgia lined up quickly for a 4th-and-1 quarterback sneak, but quarterback Stetson Bennett was stopped short. On the following play, Tennessee executed a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Josh Palmer. Prior to that drive, the Volunteers had punts on three-consecutive drives.
The scenario bit the Bulldogs during the waning seconds, too. Tennessee capped off a goal-line stand when Georgia decided to attempt a 4th-and-goal on the 1-yard line. One second remained on the clock, and running back Zamir White couldn’t punch it in — despite defensive linemen Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis playing in the jumbo package. Georgia’s drive ended without points and the Volunteers took a 4-point lead into the intermission.
“You have to score when you’re inside a yard,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said on the CBS broadcast.
This story was originally published October 10, 2020 at 7:33 PM.