While Georgia was running roughshod on Marshall in its Week 1 home opener, Alabama had a day to forget in Tallahassee. There are now two teams in the upper echelon of the SEC hierarchy that have suffered a major loss in the non-conference already. Texas struggled offensively all day vs. Ohio State, while Alabama could not get out of its own way vs. Thomas Castellanos and Florida State.
Although Georgia does get both the Crimson Tide and the Longhorns Between the Hedges this season, as well as what could be a very good Ole Miss Rebels team, now is not the time for the Dawgs to overlook a sneaky-good competitor in the early part of their season schedule. It was not exactly pretty, but Tennessee looked like an incredibly tough out in their high-scoring affair vs. Syracuse.
The Vols were breaking in a new starting quarterback as well in former UCLA and Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar. Although the Orange tried their best to make it a game, the Tim Banks defense of Tennessee looks to be legit once again. Georgia has had the Volunteers' number in recent years, but this season's matchup will be at Neyland. Is Gunner Stockton going to be ready for Rocky Top?
Georgia will be a road favorite over the Volunteers this season, but that date is only two weeks out.
Georgia cannot overlook Tennessee while Alabama looks out of sorts
Yes, Florida State may have been an utterly atrocious team a season ago, but the Seminoles won the ACC in undefeated fashion only two years ago. Georgia may have destroyed them beyond recognition in the ensuing Orange Bowl, but with the help of Castellanos, Gus Malzahn and Tony White, maybe the Seminoles will have a season for the ages this year? That was an impressive victory.
As far as what this means for Georgia, Kirby Smart needs to have his team playing within itself, one play at a time. Austin Peay is up next Saturday, but almost every game after that will be against a Power Four opponent. There is cupcake week vs. Charlotte before Georgia Tech in Atlanta to finish the regular season... Right now, Georgia is feeling itself, while Alabama is down, but so is Tennessee.
The biggest advantage Georgia has had over its regional rival is that Josh Heupel's offense has rarely been able to hold its own vs. Smart's secondary. It is a downside to running an Air Raid offshoot. The receiving corps has a hard time creating separation vs. one defensive back after another who refuses to give them any space to operate in. For now, Georgia would be foolish to overlook Tennessee at all.
Alabama may play with a crashing sense of urgency in a month, but the Vols are on the docket first.