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Will Georgia or Tennessee set the tone in the SEC?

Week 3 of college football has an explosive schedule, and it all centers around Tennessee hosting Georgia. As teams across the country enter conference play, this matchup will set the tone for the SEC in 2025.

For Georgia, they’re looking to repeat as SEC champions and to also re-establish themselves as the best program in the country. Their hopes rest on the shoulders of junior quarterback Gunner Stockton, who has been off to a frustrating start.

While Stockton hasn’t been a mess, Georgia fans are worried about their signal caller’s lack of aggressiveness. Despite having a gunslinger mentality, Stockton has been confusingly timid. Last game, it took 26 completions to total 227 yards against Austin Peay because of an unwillingness to throw past the sticks. Our Travis May pointed out that it sounds like head coach Kirby Smart is also disappointed in the issues with the passing attack.

“It’s clear that Kirby Smart is already growing tired of the Gunner Stockton ‘deep passing game’ questions. However, it’s hard to avoid the fact that it might be a massive issue. Gunner is going to be the sole focus in Georgia’s game against Tennessee. We’ll see if he steps up and executes beyond just dinking and dunking. If not, Georgia likely loses the game and current backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi might need to start warming up his arm.” —Travis May

For the Vols, they couldn’t be more excited about their new quarterback, Joey Aguilar, who’s been anything but apprehensive. There were fears the former Appalachian State and UCLA QB would be turnover-prone due to his risk-taker archetype. Shockingly, Aguilar has yet to throw a pick this season.

The performance by Aguilar has Volunteer fans buzzing about the difference between him and Nico Iamaleava, who infamously left in the spring. In an unprecedented and unexpected swap, Tennessee appears to have won the trade. In a piece from our Craig Smith, Aguilar’s dad publicly declared this to be the case.

“‘We don’t have any problems with Nico. If anything, it’s thank you. Joey is in a great spot. That’s what I would say, thank you. He did what he decided to do. Everything that happened, happened. I think it’s clear who won the trade. Look at the fans and the stats. Everything happens for a reason. We’re not at Tennessee without Nico making the decisions he made.’” —Craig Smith

Georgia and Tennessee will both need massive performances from their new quarterbacks in this game to win. Whichever signal caller plays the best will get the momentum necessary to lead his team to a memorable season.

Can Notre Dame secure a much-needed home victory?

Marcus Freeman must win this Saturday against Texas A&M, and there should be no debate.

Following their Week 1 loss to Miami, Notre Dame now has limited opportunities to bolster its resume for the College Football Playoff. It’s doubtful the playoff committee will look favorably at the wins on the rest of their schedule with a loss at home. Despite the high-pressure situation, this game is still winnable.

The loss to the Hurricanes, followed by a bye week, gave Notre Dame an unexpected advantage to identify and correct its issues. If they effectively workshop those mistakes, this game against Texas A&M could serve as a catalyst for a dominant year.

For Notre Dame, there is one daunting problem that could hurt them in this game. The Aggies have two shifty wide receivers in Mario Craver and KC Concepcion, who have been incredible through two games. Our Ryan Roberts highlighted their ridiculous production thus far.

“Though it is just two games at the end of the day, the duo of Concepcion and Craver has managed to haul in 23 receptions for 381 yards and six touchdowns. While UTSA and Utah State are not the most daunting schedule to begin the season, the Aggie pass catchers have looked exactly what folks around College Station have hoped for, fast and dangerous in space.” —Ryan Roberts

Effectively handling the explosive pass game that quarterback Marcel Reed orchestrates would be an indicator that the team is ready to make a run in 2025. In Week 1, we witnessed a speedy Miami freshman, Malachi Toney, expose unknown issues with Notre Dame’s secondary. The Aggies have two very similar style playmakers, and how the Fighting Irish counter them makes or breaks the game.

Teams that effectively adjust after a loss are the ones worthy of making championship runs. Last season, we witnessed this after the devastating loss to Northern Illinois. Notre Dame stormed through their schedule to defy everyone’s expectations.

Freeman finally broke through last year in big games with playoff victories over Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State. This game ultimately should be the next big win on his growing resume.

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