Georgia dominates, spoils Vols' perfect season with 27-13 loss
ATHENS, Ga. – Tennessee has made its living by putting opposing teams in uncomfortable positions early.
Georgia reversed those roles on Saturday.
Crippled by a slow start where the No. 1 Vols' offense and quarterback Hendon Hooker looked completely out of their element from their first possession, the No. 3 Bulldogs jumped out to a three-score lead by the early second quarter and Tennessee never recovered in a 27-13 decision at a rambunctious Sanford Stadium.
The loss blemished Tennessee's previous perfect record just four days after the Vols (8-1, 4-1 SEC) were ranked No. 1 in the first College Football Playoff Top 25 of the 2022 season. It also moved the team's losing streak to Georgia to six games.
In an uncharacteristic performance, Hooker finished just 23-of-33 passing for 195 yards and was sacked seven times while the offense committed several pre-snap penalties. He also threw just his second interception of the season to wipe out a promising drive inside the Bulldogs' 40-yard line in the second quarter.
His top target, Jalin Hyatt, who entered the game with 45 receptions for 907 yards and 14 touchdowns, caught six passes on eight targets – one of which was on a Hooker overthrow where Hyatt had a step on the secondary in the first quarter.
For Georgia (9-0, 6-0 SEC), which now has the inside track to the SEC championship game in Atlanta, showed few weaknesses on both sides of the ball.
The defense limited Tennessee to a season-low 289 yards while the Bulldogs' offense, paced by quarterback Stetson Bennett, totaled nearly 400 yards.
Bennett was 17-for-25 for 257 yards and put the Vols in a first-quarter hole, scoring on a 13-yard run and hitting Ladd McConkey for a 37-yard touchdown in the first 15 minutes.
Less than a minute into the second quarter, Bennett connected with Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint in the back of the end zone to up Georgia's lead to 21-3.
For the first time in head coach Josh Heupel's Tennessee tenure, the Vols were unable to tally a touchdown in the first half. Both of Tennessee's scores were from Chase McGrath field goals of 47 yards and 36 yards, respectively.
Tennessee didn't create many opportunities for itself. Even the few times that it did, mistakes or key plays from Georgia took them away.
Hooker's interception came a play after he converted on fourth down with Tennessee trailing 21-6. His throw to the end zone to try and grab some momentum was snagged away by Kelee Ringo.
Even when the Vols' defense dialed up a first quarter stop down 7-3, Georgia punter Brett Thorson boomed a 75-yard punt to the goal line, which led to a Tennessee three-and-out.
After stopping Tennessee on its opening drive of the third quarter, Georgia used a 15-play, 67-yard drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock and ended in a Jack Podlesny field goal.
The Vols drove to the Bulldogs' 25 midway through the fourth quarter, but aided by a couple of sacks, Georgia forced a turnover on downs that all but ended any chance Tennessee had of clawing its way back into the game – even with Jaylen Wright's five-yard touchdown rush with less than five minutes left in regulation.
Tennessee plays at Neyland Stadium for the final time this season next Saturday against Missouri at 12 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
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