3 burning questions answered as the Tennessee Vols get ready for Georgia in Week 12 SEC matchup
The Tennessee Vols and Georgia Bulldogs will be front and center for the college football world on Saturday night in Athens. With Georgia fighting to get back into the playoff bracket and the Vols fighting not just to stay in it, but to put themselves in the driver's seat to the SEC championship game, the […]
The Tennessee Vols and Georgia Bulldogs will be front and center for the college football world on Saturday night in Athens. With Georgia fighting to get back into the playoff bracket and the Vols fighting not just to stay in it, but to put themselves in the driver's seat to the SEC championship game, the stakes are sky high.
To get a better understanding of where things stand with Georgia, I put forth a series of questions to A to Z Sports Georgia beat writer Kelsey Kramer.
1) What in the world is going on with Georgia’s offensive line? What’s your level of concern there going against this terrific Tennessee defensive line?
Georgia’s offensive line is very banged up. Kirby Smart admitted ahead of this week’s game against the Vols that several of their key offensive linemen have not been able to practice every day together, so that makes it tough for them come game day. That includes starting right guard Tate Ratledge and his backup Micah Morris, who are both battling lower body injuries. Center Jared Wilson has also missed time with a foot injury. And left tackle Earnest Greene has been playing through a nagging shoulder injury. That leaves Georgia’s depth being tested. But no matter who is out there on Saturday, they should be well prepared against the Vols considering they’ve already faced their toughest defensive line opponents.
2) What have been the primary cause(s) of Carson Beck’s struggles recently? Does his WR or OL play take a big part of the blame, or is this mostly on Beck?
It’s easy to point blame at Carson Beck for Georgia’s offensive struggles because he is, after all, the ultimate decision-maker, and his decisions have not been the best at times. But his receivers have dropped 27 balls this season, which ranks Georgia No. 1 in the nation for dropped passes. The offensive line, for the most part, has done its job. They looked their worst against Ole Miss but that’s not how they typically play. Regardless of what the critics are saying, Beck isn’t the main issue and he won’t be getting benched.
3) How does this Georgia defense stack up to the ones in recent years? Where is it strongest and perhaps most vulnerable?
It’s pretty obvious this Georgia defense isn’t as good as the one that once won back-to-back national championships. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. They’re still solid up front and dominant against the run but they struggle against the pass. Their secondary hasn’t won many 50-50 balls this season, but the good news for them is that they might not have to worry about those against a run-heavy Tennessee offense.
Playoff committee just repeated a decision from 2022 that could make things tough for Tennessee Vols against Georgia
The Bulldogs just got some added motivation for Saturday
