Georgia football: Top five matchups against Tennessee

#2 – 2016 – No. 11 Tennessee 34 — No. 25 Georgia 31

Sorry Georgia fans, I know we don’t like to remember this one because I remember this October afternoon like it was yesterday.

Georgia entered the game at 3-1, coming off a brutal loss to Ole Miss the week before. Tennessee came in 4-0, fresh off of a big win against Florida. The Vols certainly came into this one with all the momentum.

Georgia controlled the first half of the game with Sony Michel and Jacob Eason both scoring on short rushing plays. Rodrigo Blankenship added a 27 yard field goal. The only Tennessee score came with :12 seconds left in the half with Josh Dobbs rushing the ball in from 4 yards out.

Both teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter with Jalen Hurd catching a 19 yard pass from Dobbs and Isaac Nauta catching a pass from Eason and taking it 50 yards to the house.

The fourth quarter was all Tennessee until the waning moments of the game. Alvin Kamara scored early in the fourth quarter to bring the Vols to within 3. Then Corey Vereen fell on an Eason fumble in the end zone to give them their first lead of the game with less than 3 minutes remaining.

After another Eason turnover, the Dawgs defense stood up and put the ball back in the offenses hands with less than a minute remaining. Eason connected with Riley Ridley for a 47 yard strike with only :10 seconds remaining. I lost my mind and almost knocked over 4 people around me with high fives.

Then we saw the flag. It was an excessive celebration penalty, which meant the score still stood but we would have to back up 15 yards for the kickoff. Still, :10 seconds left couldn’t be enough time left, right? Wrong!

Tennessee had a decent return on top of the 15 yard penalty and were set up inside Georgia territory with only :04 seconds remaining. We all knew what was coming. Coach Smart even put Lorenzo Carter in the end zone to combat what we all knew was coming.

Then it happened. Josh Dobbs hit Jauan Jennings on a 43 yard Hail Mary to win the game. I sat there, in silence, wondering if what I just saw had really happened.

I watched the replay on the big board and yes, it happened. It was a brutal end to an amazing game. We all sat and watched trying to not believe it and yet it was true. Despite a loss it’s the second best game between Georgia and Tennessee since 2000.

I’m sure you can guess the top one, but there is only one that tops the intensity of the 2016 game, but it results in a win.