The Morning After (No Pill Required)...

The Tennessee Volunteers lost to the Georgia Bulldogs this weekend, marking the third straight time Tennessee has fallen to Georgia.  As a fan, it was one of the more exciting games I have seen from the Volunteers in quite sometime.   The game saw the Vols fall behind big early, make a comeback, fall behind again, and finally come up just short when the final whistle blew.   The game was a high scoring affair which saw Georgia put up 51 points, the most the Bulldogs have ever scored in the history of the Tennessee/Georgia series.

GAME MVP

For the second week in a row, my game MVP goes to running back Rajion Neal.  Neal carried the ball 23 times for 104 yards and one touchdown.  Neal also had 5 receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown.  Over the past two weeks, Rajion has proved he is an every down SEC back.  When the game was on the line in the 4th quarter, the Tennessee coaches called on Neal repeatedly to move the chains.  Tennessee coaches stayed committed to the run, and Rajion Neal proved he could get the job done.

NEEDS IMROVEMENT

The biggest area of concern coming out of the Georgia game was the defense.  The Tennessee defense gave up 560 totals yards to the Georgia offense.  The Vols gave up too many big plays, as three of Georgia's touchdowns went for 50 or more yards.  Shoddy tackling, players being out of position, and a lack of overall speed all contributed to the Vol's shortcomings on the defensive side of the ball Saturday.  While the defense did force three turnovers in the first half, it was their inability to stop Georgia consistently which ultimately led to the team's downfall.

WANT TO SEE MORE

Something we saw Saturday that has been lacking in recent years from Tennessee was an ability to fight back and show some resiliency.  Tennessee played for 60 minutes against Georgia, and had multiple chances in the 4th quarter on the road against the #5 team in the country.  Last year, we saw Tennessee play well for a half and then completely fall apart over the course of the final 30 minutes.  But Saturday, we saw Tennessee fall behind big early, rally, and turn an ugly start into quite a memorable game.  Quarterback Tyler Bray showed guts on the road.  Yes, he turned the ball over 3 times in the final 8 minutes, but never backed down, and showed he was up for the challenge.  This experience will go a long way in helping him down the road when faced in a crucial late game situation again.      

Quick Note from WoP...

As much as today's loss stings, I think any reasonable Vol fan can see this team is taking steps in the right direction.  The Vols were in the game late against the fifth best team in the country on the road, and had multiple chances to tie the game in the final minutes.  We are almost there guys.  While we absolutely made our fair share of mistakes today, Derek Dooley has this team playing together and believing in one another.  We are so close to being where we need to be.  The Vols have the bye week coming up, and it will be the perfect opportunity for the Tennessee coaches to correct what needs to be fixed heading to Starkville.  I couldn't be more proud of the effort, fight, and guts displayed by the Big Orange tonight.  Good days are ahead.

Cheers and Beers!!

UT vs. UGA Game Summary...

Wow! What a game. I have barely had a chance to catch my breath and compose my thoughts, but here goes nothing. The game could not have started any worse for the Vols. Georgia scored on their opening possession of the game and appeared as though they were never going to look back. Early in the second quarter, Georgia freshman Todd Gurley scampered 51 yards for a touchdown and the game almost seemed as if it was out of reach. The Bulldogs were up 27-10, and Tennessee looked completely lost on both sides of the ball. But then a funny thing happened. For the first time in a long time, and maybe the first time in the Derek Dooley era, the Vols proved to themselves, their coaches, and the fans that they belonged on the field with the best of the best in the SEC. Three consecutive touchdowns by A.J. Johnson, Zach Rogers, and Rajion Neal gave the Vols their first lead of the game, 30-27. It looked as though Tennessee would go to halftime with a 3 point lead, but a poor coaching decision on the pooch kick gave Georgia good field position and a chance to score at the end of the half. With 4 seconds left in the second quarter, Marshall Morgan connected on a 50 yard field goal attempt to tie the game at 30. After such a horrific start to the game, the Vols had new life entering the second half.



Tied at 30, the Vols received the ball first in the second half. They were unable to move the ball effectively and gave the ball back to a very hungry and potent Georgia offense. On their first two possesions of the second half, Georgia managed to find the end zone, both times seeing quarterback Aaron Murray connect with wide receiver Michael Bennett. The final 4 minutes of the third quarter saw the Vols and Dogs swap a pair of touchdowns. Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson took a reverse and ran it 46 yards for a score. This was Patterson's second rushing touchdown of the season for the Vols. But just as Tennessee seemed to gain a little bit of their second quarter momentum back on their side, Georgia's Keith Marshall burned the Vols for 72 yards and his second touchdwon of the game. Tennessee's Derrick Brodus missed a short field goal to pull the Vols within 11, and the teams entered the final quarter with Georgia leading 51-37.



Tennessee moved the ball efficiently to start the final frame. And with just under 9 minutes to play, Tennessee tail back Rajion Neal ran 9 yards right up the gut to pull the Vols within a single touchdown of the Bulldogs. Now, Tennessee just needed a stop to get the ball back to their offense. The Vols not only got another opportunity, but ended up getting three more chances to tie the game in the final 7 minutes of the game. But this one was just not to be. Tyler Bray turned the ball over 3 times in the final minutes of the game to seal the fate of the Volunteers. Two interceptions, and a costly fumble deep in Georgia territory were too much to overcome, as the Vols fell to Georgia 51-44 inside Sanford Stadium. The Vols fell to 3-2(0-2) on the season, as the #5 Georgia Bulldogs moved to 5-0(2-0). The Vols are off next week, as they will begin to prepare for a road trip to Starkville, Mississippi.

 

More to come...

unbelievable...

THANK YOU

It is not even 10 am central time and I have amassed a record number of hits! This could not be possible without your support. Keep checking back in, and after the game I will have my post game analysis up!

GBO!

Big Orange vs. Dawgs...

The Tennessee Volunteers travel south this weekend to face their familiar SEC East foe, the Georgia Bulldogs.  Head Coach Derek Dooley is 0-2 against his father's former school, while Georgia's Mark Richt boasts a 7-4 record against the Volunteers since taking over the Bulldog's program in 2001.  Last year's game in Knoxville was a sloppy, low scoring game eventually won by Georgia, 20-12. 

Since Mark Richt's arrival in Athens, the Tennessee vs. Georgia series has been one of many upsets. In 2001, the unranked Bulldogs rolled into Knoxville, and beat the #6 Volunteers in the final seconds of what has become known as the "hobnail boot" game.  In 2004, the Volunteers went to Athens one week after being pummled at home by the Auburn Tigers, and stunned the #3 Bulldogs 19-14.  Then in 2006, after trailing on the road 24-7 to the #9 Bulldogs, the #14 Volunteers came storming back in one of the most remarkable second half comebacks I have ever seen, winning the game 51-33.  A year later, the unranked Volunteers whipped the #12 Bulldogs in Knoxville by a score of 35-14.  I don't know what it is, or why it happens, but starnge occurences always seem to happen when these two schools square off against each other.  Here's hoping the 2012 version will be no different.

Derek Dooley's Volunteers enter the game coming off an unemotional outing against the Akron Zips.  The Vols won the game, but looked lackadaisical doing so.  The game was very much in doubt until the final quarter, when the Vols finally pulled away.  While the Vols were struggling at home against Akron, the Georgia Bulldogs were playing host to the Vanderbilt Commodores.  The game was never in doubt, as the Bulldogs cruised to an easy 48-3 victory inside Sanford Stadium.  Entering the game with the #9 ranked offense in terms of points per game, the Bulldogs offense will be a tough matchup for the Vols defense.  Not only can Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray throw the ball all over the yard, but he is also known for his mobility and his ability to scramble when the defense begins to collapse onto him.  Look for Tennessee Defensive Coordinator Sal Sunseri to try and simplify things a little this week, putting his defenders in better position to make plays against Georgia's offense.  Offensively, I look for Tyler Bray to have a big game for Tennessee.  Bray was sick last week against Akron, and still managed to throw for over 400 yards and 4 touchdowns.  I expect him to spread the ball around to his many different receivers, and have a huge game through the air.  Look for the Volunteer coaches to get offensive playmaker Cordarrelle Patterson more touches this week as well.  Good things happen when the ball is in his hands, and I expect Offensive Coordinator Jim Chaney to draw up a few more plays specifically designed for Patterson this week.

The big question for Tennessee heading to Athens this week will be whether or not the Vols can put together an entire game against a big time opponent.  We saw the Vols come close two weeks ago at home against Florida.  The Vols played nearly three flawless quarters against the Gators, before collapsing as quickly as a house of cards.  When the breaks begin to go in Georgia's favor, will Tyler Bray be able to keep his composure and lead his team?  We are about 17 hours away from finding out.  And in a series which has seen its fair share of upsets in recent years, I am predicting we see another one tomorrow "in between the hedges".

W_o_P Says:

 

Big ORANGE 31-27