Georgia vs. Tennessee preview, prediction: Who wins, and why?

It isn’t usually we get a “Recreation of the Century” within the common season, however the Week 10 faculty soccer slate may give us simply that as Georgia and Tennessee sq. off in a battle of 1 vs. 2 groups on Saturday.

Every thing seems to be on the road for each groups. The winner stays undefeated and with a crucial head-to-head tie-breaker within the SEC East title chase and a digital lock on a berth within the convention championship recreation.

And from there, it will appear, a line on making the Faculty Soccer Playoff.

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The loser will get the alternative: falling to an outdoor place, having no margin for error the remainder of the best way, and hoping for some confusion on the prime of the rankings with a view to contend for one of many closing playoff positions.

This is what it’s essential to learn about Saturday’s matchup.

Georgia vs. Tennessee preview, prediction

Find out how to watch

When: Sat., Nov. 5

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. CT

TV: CBS community

Stream: fuboTV (Begin your free trial)

Odds, level unfold, betting traces

Recreation traces are courtesy of SI Sportsbook

Level unfold: Georgia comes into the sport because the 8.5 level favourite to defeat Tennessee, in line with the traces at SI Sportsbook.

Over/underneath: The e book set the O/U at 66 factors for the matchup.

Moneyline: Tennessee +220, Georgia -333

FPI prediction: Soccer Energy Index offers Georgia the 74.9 p.c likelihood to defeat Tennessee, which in flip has the 25.1 p.c shot to beat the Bulldogs, in line with the pc which simulates groups’ seasons 20,000 occasions to foretell outcomes.

Georgia vs. Tennessee picks, predictions: Week 10 faculty soccer odds, unfold, traces

Georgia vs. Tennessee: What it’s essential to know

1. UT cannot cease the move, or can they? Wanting on the uncooked numbers, you’d assume that Tennessee was one of many worst move defenses in faculty soccer. On the books, it is simply 127th nationally by permitting 300.8 passing yards per recreation. However take a deeper look and the Vols are a extra respectable fiftieth permitting 6.9 passing yards per try and is a a lot better twenty eighth surrendering simply 11.1 yards per completion. On a per move foundation, Tennessee is fairly first rate when the ball is within the air, and simply shut down Will Levis, holding the UK passer to underneath 100 yards, no TDs, and three picks. Stifle Georgia’s intermediate air recreation early, restrict beneficial properties after the catch, and subdue the gang, and this will get fascinating.

2. No Nolan. As a lot as being affected by any participant on the sphere, this recreation may partly come right down to who is not on it. On this case, it is Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith, who’s out for the season after tearing his pectoral muscle. Georgia has 10 sacks on the season, and three of them belonged to Smith. Not having that presence within the rotation will solely additional hamper the staff’s potential to stress the pocket and include Hendon Hooker, one thing that wasn’t straightforward to begin with. There isn’t any option to exchange him, however Georgia has choices: senior Robert Beal, who led the staff in sacks in 2021, will step in as starter, and sophomore Chaz Chambliss will get extra snaps after an excellent displaying within the Florida recreation that included a sack. Jalen Carter is among the nation’s premier inside move rushers, and his enter can be key to disrupting the Vols’ offensive rhythm.

3. Hooker vs. Georgia’s secondary. It is no secret that Hendon Hooker is one in every of faculty soccer’s premier passers, the environment friendly engine behind Massive Orange rating No. 1 in whole offense. And no receiver is having a greater season than Jalin Hyatt, who leads the nation with 14 landing catches. The Vols’ ability threats, which embrace Bru McCoy and star Cedric Tillman, again from an ankle damage, going in opposition to Georgia’s Chris Smith, Malaki Starks, and Kelee Ringo within the again seven ought to decide which means the sport goes. Georgia has been poised within the secondary this season, however watch particularly how Smith begins out: he is the reigning SEC Defensive Participant of the Week and has made quite a lot of huge performs within the Bulldogs’ greatest video games with physicality and tempo.

Quick Details

— Tennessee is the one staff with 5-plus wins over AP prime 25 groups on the time of the sport

— Georgia permits 10.5 factors per recreation, 2nd greatest nationally

— UT is plus-8 in turnover margin, 1st in SEC

— Georgia is 62-4 when main at halftime underneath Kirby Sensible and 11-10 when trailing

— Vols’ Jalin Hyatt is 1st nationally with 9 catches of 40-plus yards

— Georgia is No. 2 in whole offense (530.1) and Tennessee is No. 1 (553.0)

— Vols’ Hendon Hooker has thrown a TD move in 20 straight video games, 1st nationally

— Georgia is 2-9 underneath Sensible when permitting 30 or extra factors

— Hooker is 1st nationally with 10.7 yards per move try and he is seventh nationally and 1st in SEC with 334.5 yards per recreation

— Georgia is 46 of 47 within the pink zone, 1st nationally, with 33 TDs and 13 FGs

— Tennessee is permitting 92.9 speeding yards per recreation, ninth greatest in nation

— Georgia has allowed opponents to transform 32 of 111 on third down (29%), tenth nationally

— 35 of UT’s 63 scoring drives (55.6%) are underneath 2 minutes

— Bulldogs common 7.2 performs per TD drive and 21 of their 41 landing drives (51.2%) have been 6, 7, 8, or 9 performs

— Vols are 1st nationally with 13.95 factors within the first quarter

— Georgia is 3-8 underneath Sensible permitting 400 yards or extra to opponents

Who wins, and why?

Tennessee will transfer the ball, there isn’t any query about that. However as vital to its success as its uncooked expertise and pace on the ability positions is the tempo with which this staff performs.

Over half of the Vols’ scoring drives this season are underneath two minutes of recreation time and the staff ranks a hundred and twenty fifth nationally working performs each 20.8 seconds and 127th nationally in time of possession, holding the ball for 26 minutes, 4 seconds.

In a recreation so evenly drawn at most positions, the important thing to victory for Georgia could possibly be its potential to only preserve Hendon Hooker and the Vols off the sphere. As a result of once they’re on it, they’re most likely going to attain a landing: UT ranks 2nd nationally behind Ohio State at 0.627 factors per play.

In contrast to final season, the power of Georgia’s protection is its secondary, a unit that communicates effectively, is dominant in zone protection, is ready to match the Vols’ tempo, and diagnoses receiver patterns off the road higher than any unit that Tennessee has lined up in opposition to to date.

Combining Georgia’s physicality on the line with its knowledgeable move protection and the flexibility to gradual the sport down offensively (UGA is 4th nationally on third down, Tennessee is thirty second) and keep possession, the house staff may simply have the sting. Simply.

Faculty Soccer HQ Prediction: Georgia 39, Tennessee 38

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