Before the Tennessee Vols took on the Georgia Bulldogs in November, fans and analysts thought that UT's defensive line would have its way with UGA's struggling offensive line. 

Instead, the opposite was true. 

Tennessee, which to that point in the season had recorded at least one sack in every game (except against Kent State, a game the Vols won 71-0), totaled zero sacks and just two tackles for loss against the Bulldogs. 

The only other game in 2024 in which the Vols failed to record a sack was in their loss to Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Georgia, meanwhile, only had three games in 2024 where they didn't give up any sacks — wins against Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi State. 

Kentucky and Mississippi State were the two worst teams in the SEC in 2024, going a combined 1-15 in conference play. 

Tennessee, on the other hand, was a playoff team that finished No. 7 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. 

After shutting down Tennessee's defensive line in November, Georgia proceeded to give up two sacks to Georgia Tech, three sacks to Texas (including a strip-sack fumble that ended UGA quarterback Carson Beck's season), and four sacks to Notre Dame. 

The Fighting Irish also pressured Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton on 21 of his 39 drop backs, which obviously isn't a recipe for success in a playoff game.  

So what gives? Why couldn't Tennessee's vaunted defensive line generate any pressure against a Georgia offensive line that struggled in almost every other game it played? 

Well, it might have something to do with a comment that Bulldogs offensive lineman Tate Ratledge made after Georgia's win against Tennessee this season. 

Ratledge suggested that Tennessee was giving away when the defense was planning to bring pressure based on "cues" that Georgia noticed on film

"First off, I'll say watching film, picking up cues on when they're going to do it (stunts/twists)," said Ratledge. "What are they doing when this foot is back every time? I remember actually against them two years ago, when we played them here (Athens), one of their defensive ends, every time he had his outside foot back, they were teeing. So, picking up on stuff like that. And kind of just throughout the game, noticing stuff.

"But initially, it's stopping the penetrator. If you stop the penetrator, you'll have success. And staying square. Punch that penetrator over, get back square, and you have a pretty good chance."

Ratledge also noted during a conversation with Georgia punter Brett Thorson on an episode of Mullets on the Mic that Tennessee's defensive line plays "different than everybody else". 

"Their defensive line plays different than everybody else," said Ratledge a few days after Georgia's win against Tennessee. "You saw it in the team meetings, like how they played, they were just trying to penetrate, it's just different." 

It certainly sounds like Tennessee's defensive line was telegraphing when they were bringing certain pressures, and it was a tell that Georgia was able to pick up on. 

The good news for the Vols is that outside of their loss to Ohio State, Tennessee's defensive line played extremely well all season. So whatever Georgia noticed isn't something that other teams were able to pick up on. Still, it's clearly something the Vols need to address ahead of the 2025 season. Because if Tennessee is going to beat teams like Georgia and Ohio State, they'll have to find a way to get to the quarterback. Zero sacks just isn't going to get it done against elite teams. 

Big 10 coach throws unnecessary shade at Tennessee Vols football

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