Georgia football went into another challenging road environment and took on the quickest Tennessee team in recent memory, but held on to beat the Volunteers 41-17 and improve to 10-0 on the season.
This game is No. 7 on the list because, for the first time since 1982, the Dawgs went 10-0 and, for the first time in program history, went undefeated against SEC opponents.
We ranked the Tennessee game over the Auburn game because Georgia had to prepare for a fast-paced offense with an efficient quarterback. Hendon Hooker finished the season with the highest quarterback rating in the SEC.
Tennessee refused to bow down — Georgia had to keep the throttle down all night, even up by three scores.
Georgia had a handful of players with the flu, but we won’t use that as an excuse. Instead, we will give the Vols some credit because they were the first team to challenge Georgia since Clemson.
However, this game was important because it was another test the Dawgs had to pass.
Starting quarterback Stetson Bennett had to work his tail off to get this win. He went 17-of-29 for 213 yards and one touchdown. Bennett’s ability to escape the pocket and get first downs with his legs was tremendous in this game, proving why he continued to be the starting quarterback.
While Bennett contributed, James Cook and the running backs wore down Tennessee’s defense and killed the clock. Cook toted the rock 10 times for 104 yards and two scores, averaging 10.4 yards a touch. He paced the Dawgs, who tallied 274 rushing yards against Tennessee.
Georgia’s defense did a great job putting pressure on Hooker and the other quarterbacks, as they finished with six sacks and 27 pressures.
It was another team win for the Dawgs, but they had to fight longer than normal for the victory.