Last week, Georgia was supposed to walk into Knoxville, smack Tennessee right in the mouth, and walk out with a victory.
Apparently Lane Kiffin and the Vols didn’t get the memo.
The game looked like it would be a close finish, when Georgia trailed by five in the third quarter. But 21 unanswered points later, the Vols were celebrating a 45-19 victory.
This matchup was a complete role reversal. Georgia was supposed to be a legitamite SEC power and Tennessee was supposed to be a rebuilding team.The Vols completely shut down Georgia’s offense and the Bulldogs defense made Jonathan Crompton look like Peyton Manning. The Eric Berry-led Tennessee defense held Georgia to zero offensive touchdowns and never let the Bulldogs reach the red-zone.
But was this blowout just a fluke? Simply put, no. As much as fans were ready to give up on the Vols, this team still has life. There is no doubt the Volunteers have a championship level defense and the best defensive player in the country. Many fans and experts say that Tennessee can’t win with Crompton at quarterback. (I have even said this.) Though Crompton is likely one of the worst quarterbacks in the conference, he showed against Georgia that he is capable of stepping up in a big game.
In Tennessee’s three losses they were beaten by a combined total of only 18. The Vols had a chance in each of those games and are only a few plays from having a winning record. This Tennessee squad still needs work before they will be a contender for an SEC title. But right now they are capable of being competitive with anyone in the SEC.
Many Vols fans were ready to give up on the team and their new coach. But the win against Georgia has revived the fans in Knoxville and taken some pressure off of Kiffin. And for at least one week, Jonathan Crompton won’t have to worry about death threats from his own fans.
Tennessee gets a bye this Saturday and the timing couldn’t be better. The Vols have an extra week to prepare for #2 Alabama. This will give Kiffin the time to develop a gameplan and to make sure his players are ready for this big away game.
