Georgia Captains: #3 Roquan Smith, #27 Nick Chubb and #77 Isaiah Wynn
Tennessee is wearing their Smokey Grey uniforms today against Georgia. Since Butch Jones brought the Smokey Grey uniforms back in 2013, the Vols are 3-2 wearing Smokey Grey. The Vols wore the Smokey Grey uniforms with orange lettering twice last year, beating Florida at home and defeating Nebraska in the Music City Bowl. It will be the third straight home game Tennessee has used the Smokey Grey uniforms against Georgia. The Vols won in 2015 and lost in 2013.
Georgia wins the toss and defers. Tennessee will receive the opening kickoff.
HALFTIME–Georgia 24 Tennessee 0
*Stellar Defense: In the first half, the Vols were held to no points and 65 yards of total offense, and the Bulldogs forced three turnovers and turned them into 10 points. Coming in today, the Vols were averaging 30.2 points a game. Georgia blanked #17 Miss. State in the second half in Athens last Saturday as the visitors managed 147 yards of total offense. Georgia’s leading tackler at the half today was junior LB Roquan Smith with eight stops. After not having an interception through the first three games, Georgia now has four in the past two games. Today, sophomore DB Tyrique McGhee notched the first INT of his career, and it came on the first play from scrimmage while junior J.R. Reed got his first as a Bulldog.
*Red Zone Efficiency: In the first half, Georgia went 4-for-4 Inside the Red Zone to remain perfect on the year, scoring three TDs and one field goal. Georgia is now 17-for-17 including 13 TDs and that leads the SEC.
*First Half For Fromm: Freshman QB Jake Fromm led Georgia to a 24-0 lead, going 5-for-12 for 62 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT plus had a nine-yard TD scamper and a four-yarder for his first two career rushing TDs. Fromm’s TD pass today covered 12 yards to senior Javon Wims on a 3rd-and-5 for a 10-0 advantage in the first quarter. Last week in the 31-3 win over #17 Miss. State, Fromm enjoyed an impressive first half, going 8-for-8 with 160 yards and 1 TD.
*Points Off Turnovers: Georgia got 10 points off three turnovers while Tennessee scored no points off one turnover. The first turnover forced came from Georgia sophomore DB Tyrique McGee as he notched his first career interception, and it came on the first play of the game. It gave the Bulldogs the ball at the UT 27. It led to a 38-yard field goal by Rodridgo Blankenship. Bulldog QB Jake Fromm threw an interception at the UGA 27. It led to a UT fumble, which was recovered by senior Lorenzo Carter at the Bulldog 29. The Bulldogs eventually punted. In the second quarter, junior J.R. Reed got an interception after Deandre Baker broke up the pass and returned it 34 yards to the UT 26. It led to a touchdown and a 24-0 advantage. For the year, Georgia has scored 27 points off eight turnovers while opponents have scored 17 points off seven Bulldog miscues. Both teams entered today’s contest -1 in turnover margin.
*Rushing Attack: Georgia tallied 118 rushing yards at the half highlighted by senior Nick Chubb with 75 yards on 11 carries while the Vols also registered a pair of sacks.
*Blankenship Booming It Again.: Sophomore PK Rodrigo Blankenship gave Georgia a 3-0 lead with a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter as he is now 5-for-6 this year in field goal attempts. Also, he entered the game with a streak of 14 consecutive touchbacks on kickoffs dating back to his final one at #24 Notre Dame this season in week two. The streak ended at 18 as he had four touchbacks before the Vols returned his fifth kickoff of the afternoon for 21 yards.
*For Starters: Sophomore wideout Riley Ridley made his first career start. Senior Dyshon Sims got the start at right guard (6th of his career) after Solomon Kindley injured an ankle in the second half of last week’s win over #17 Miss. State. Kindley had started the last two games at RG. Today, Kindley came in on the third series of the game.
*Injury Report: Graduate LB Reggie Carter was injured in the first quarter and did not return. Junior DT Trenton Thompson left the game in the second quarter with a right knee injury and did not return.
