After kicking off the 2015 college football season with a bang, the Tennessee Volunteers (2-3, 0-2) have been on a downward spiral since then. They have lost three of their last four games and are ranked as the third-worst team in the SEC East. A win this coming Saturday against the visiting Georgia Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1) is going to be much-needed if the Vols wish to go far this year. Can they pull through this time around?
Read on below for a preview of this promising game. And if you’re craving also for some exciting baseball action, click here for our complete breakdown of the AL Wild Card match between the Astros and Yankees.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Georgia Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers Preview
Where: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
When: Saturday, October 10, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Georgia Bulldogs (-3) at Tennessee Volunteers (+3) – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs have been imposing their will against their opponents throughout the first four weeks of the season. As a result, they have gone 4-0 and 3-0 at home in that stretch. But last Saturday, they were sent back down to earth by the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tides, who bullied their way towards a lopsided 38-10 triumph and handed them their first loss.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Alabama wasted no time in crushing their SEC rivals as it immediately jumped ahead 24-3 at halftime and never looked back. Their quarterback Jake Coker ran the offense to perfection, finishing the game 11-of-16 for 190 yards with a touchdown and was also the second-leading rusher with 28 yards on six carries.
Furthermore, the Bulldogs’ own starting quarterback in Greyson Lambert, who had completed 33-of-35 passes in his previous two games, was kept in check all game long. He was limited to 10-of-24 for 86 yards and an interception on his final throw.
Fortunately though, Georgia will have good chance to redeem themselves from this setback when they head on over to Knoxville for their Week 6 showdown this coming Saturday with the Tennessee Volunteers, who are looking to end a two-game skid.
The key to victory for the Bulldog’s will depend on how well they can dissect the Vols’ unstable front seven that’s allowing 4.45 yards per carry through across five games this year, the fourth-most in the SEC.
Expect second-year running back, Nick Chubb, to continue leading the ground attack for this team. Chubb extended his streak of 100-yard games to 13 in a row despite the loss to Alabama by rumbling for 146 yards on 20 carries along with an 83-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.
Also, the Bulldogs’ front seven will have their work cut out for them against a Vols’ rushing game that is the third-best (225.0 yards per contest) in their conference.
Georgia is 7-3 SU and 4-5-1 ATS in its past 10 road games.
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Betting on the Tennessee Volunteers
The losing woes continue for the Tennessee Volunteers as they suffered their second-consecutive defeat against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, 24-20. They couldn’t execute the necessary plays and stops down the stretch, while at the same time were overwhelmed by the combination of Alex Collins and Rawleigh Williams, who combined for 254 yards on 41 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
This setback was undoubtedly another tough one to digest for the Vols, who have lost three of their last four games and have failed to protect two-touchdown advantages in each of those downfalls. They’ll have another shot in putting an end to this slide when they play host to the visiting No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs for their Week 6 clash this coming Sunday.
That being said, the Vols will have to be extra creative in this matchup by not just solely relying on their formidable ground game which averages 4.65 yards per carry this season, the third-most in the league. They’ll need to gain some yards through the air as well and hope to provide a tough time for the Bulldogs’ secondary defense.
Look to the pair of RB Jalen Hurd and TE Ethan Wolf to lead a balanced attack for Tennessee. Hurd served as the lone bright spot opposite the Razorbacks, rushing for 90 yards on 19 carries. Wolf, meanwhile, only hauled in a single reception for 31 yards but is averaging a team-best 13.1 yards per catch with a pair of TDs on the year.
The Vols’ defense, however, will certainly be in a lot of pressure especially versus Georgia’s rushing game that ranks second-overall in the SEC.
Tennessee is 5-5 SU and 6-4 ATS in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Volunteers win a close one at home, 28-24.
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