There are countless questions Georgia needs to answer this weekend when they travel to Tennessee for their SEC opener. Can Georgia’s defense continue to dominate against good competition? How will Gunner Stockton react to playing in his first road environment? Will Georgia make it nine straight wins against the Volunteers?
These are some of the most important questions entering Saturday’s game, but the simplest question of all ironically is the one that matters most. Is Georgia a contender this season or are they just pretenders?
Is Georgia a contender or pretender?
Any team with a pulse can beat Marshall and Austin Peay, so regardless of how great Georgia looked in those games it wouldn't have mattered. Looking elite against two subpar teams wouldn't have proven Georgia was a contender, but this weekend the Bulldogs can prove that they are.
So what does Georgia need to do to show they are contenders in the SEC and on the national scale as well?
Simply beating Tennessee would show that this team is a contender in the SEC and has a great shot to make the College Football Playoff. But if they want to show they are one of the best teams in the country right now then they need to win by a comfortable margin. Georgia has beaten Tennessee eight straight years by at least 14 points, so if they keep that streak of dominance alive then the Bulldogs certainly are one of the best teams in the country.
A loss against Tennessee however wouldn't guarantee they are pretenders though. If Tennessee blows them out then they most certainly are pretenders, but a close loss wouldn't mean the season is over by any means.
Nobody at Georgia wants a close loss though, moral victories aren't good enough at a program like UGA. This game is a must win for the Bulldogs because a loss will make it very difficult to accomplish all of their goals this season, and no one will want to see Georgia labeled a pretender if they lose either.