Georgia football: The only takeaway you need from the Tenn matchup

By now, most Georgia football fans have read about the Dawgs’ big win over Tennessee and how it was a dominating performance. We agree, but instead of our usual 3-5 takeaways this week, there was only one thing to take away from this top-3 showdown — Georgia has the best defense in the entire country.

The dominant performance shows the work this coaching staff has put in the last seven years. So much recruiting and development have created one of the nastiest defenses in college football.

To do what the Dawgs did on Saturday was incredible and a statement. Georgia’s offense was a big piece of it, but to hold Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker to 195 yards through the air and 17 yards on the ground is a massive win.

Georgia football saw its defense send the biggest message against the Vols.

The Dawgs held Tennesse’s entire offense to 94 yards on the ground and 195 through the air for a total of 289 yards and 3.9 yards a play. Only Pitt held the Vols to fewer rushing yards at 91, but they still gave up two scores. LSU held Hooker to the fewest passing yards until Georgia at 239 yards and two scores. The Dawgs didn’t give up a passing touchdown and gave up one rushing one.

Georgia finished with eight tackles for loss, six sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles, and 28 quarterback hurries. Before last night, Hooker had only gotten pressured six total times in eight games. What Georgia did was truly something the Vols hadn’t seen all season, and it was a statement.

The Dawgs were aggressive in routes, and while they did have a few defensive holdings and pass interference calls, most of them were really questionable. Georgia prevented tempo for most of the game, which was a key. However, the biggest thing was limiting missed tackles, and man, did the Dawgs do that. Georgia tackled so well against the Vols and didn’t allow much wiggle room.

Malaki Starks led the way with 10 total tackles, including six solo ones. Right behind him was Kelee Ringo with seven tackles and an interception. That pick-six came at such a crucial moment for the defense, leaving it up to Ringo to fight through the adversity and come down with one of the game’s biggest plays.

Javon Bullard had seven solo tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and three quarterback hurries. He was phenomenal. This guy had the best game of his career, and Georgia needed that out of him. Kamari Lassiter was the fourth-highest tackler at five.

Usually, having the top four tacklers as defensive is not good, but against a team like Tennessee, it was great. It meant that Georgia’s front seven could pressure, and they could trust the back end of the defense to avoid disaster, and they did.

That front seven, though, was nasty. Jalen Carter forced that fumble in the endzone that should have been a safety — no, we will not let that go. Zion Logue made plays. Nazir Stackhouse was a force when he was in the game. Mykel Williams led the team with five quarterback pressures. Warren Brinson recorded a sack for the Dawgs.

It was a collective effort that came at the right moment. Georgia needed this defense to have a game like this because it shows even though they’re young, they’re also deadly. The Dawgs sent a message that this unit may have lost eight last year to the NFL draft, but they are still just as elite. This game against Tennessee was a defining moment for them and one of the turning points for this unit.