Facing continued losing streak to Georgia, Tennessee fans still focused on Alabama

Two weeks into the 2025 college football season, and the Tennessee Volunteers fanbase is really starting to feel itself. ESPN's College GameDay pick Knoxville as their pregame location ahead of their first SEC game of the season vs. No. 6 Georgia. Tennessee has been a popular pick of late to potentially stun the Dawgs, but the Vols have not beaten them in the better part of a decade now...

Regardless, the Vols' utter disdain for their biggest rival in the Alabama Crimson Tide was on full display in the hours leading up to kickoff. While Tennessee has had its issues with Georgia for the last several years, the Volunteers have been able to beat the Crimson Tide a few times recently. Along with their annual game vs. Florida, these are the three games Volunteers fans care the most about.

Of course, none of this is going to matter should Georgia do what it does and hand Tennessee an L...

Tennessee Vols fans seem to be focused more on Alabama than Georgia

It is abundantly clear over on X how much Vol Nation does not care about Alabama while facing UGA.

This is understandable. While Vanderbilt is in-state, Tennessee views Alabama as its biggest rival. They play in The Third Saturday in October annually. It was a cross-divisional rivalry when the SEC was first split in half in 1992 with the additions of Arkansas and South Carolina. When the SEC goes to a 3-6 format beginning next season, that rivalry will be maintained without little debate or anything.

As for the Georgia rivalry, it could go away, but it has been an easy early-season win for the Dawgs...

Why has Georgia dominated its annual rivalry with Tennessee of late

There are many factors contributing to Georgia winning the last games of this annual rivalry series. It goes back to coaching above all else. Ever since Kirby Smart has taken over in Athens, he is 8-1 in this game. His only loss was in his first year as a head coach at home on a Hail Mary pass dubbed Dobbs Nail Boot. In the years since this game, it has never been particularly close for the Volunteers.

From a talent standpoint, Georgia has often had the upper hand over Tennessee. While Josh Heupel has brought the Tennessee program back to respectability, his Air Raid offense has had a miserable time vs. Smart's savvy defensive backfield. In time, maybe the Vols will knock the Dawgs off again? It could happen today. However, an unfocused Tennessee team will lose to a motivated Georgia squad.

Overall, Tennessee's rise and Alabama's demise really have nothing to do with Georgia. In fact, the Dawgs have had as hard of a time with Alabama as Tennessee has had with them in recent years. Outside of the 2021 National Championship Game up in Indianapolis, it has been a whole bunch of L's for the Dawgs vs. Alabama. That could change in two weeks, but it all starts with beating Tennessee.

Tennessee fans may feel a certain way about Alabama, but they need to start beating Georgia first.

More Georgia Bulldogs football news and analysis: