Vols Football: Game Ball for Week 5 vs. Georgia

Justin Worley helped keep the Vols competitive against Georgia Saturday, and if not for an injury, he may have helped Tennessee spring the upset. PHOTO: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

For the second straight year, the Vols took the Georgia Bulldogs down to the wire, and for the second straight year, the Dawgs escaped an upset-minded Tennessee team. A fumble in the endzone late in the 4th quarter proved to be a difference-maker, and Georgia sent the Vols home with a disappointing 35-32 loss.

The Vols have now lost 5 straight to Georgia, and 4 of the last 5 have been decided by only one score. This one, however, is even more painful because if not for an injury to this weekend’s All For Tennessee Game Ball recipient, the end result might have been different.

Senior quarterback Justin Worley is once again the recipient of the All For Tennessee Game Ball, edging out freshman running back Jalen Hurd for the honor.

Worley proved once again this Saturday why he’s the unquestioned leader for the Tennessee offense, putting together one of the grittiest efforts of a Tennessee quarterback in the last decade. Worley kept his team in the game in the 1st half after Georgia scored 21 unanswered points by leading a 7-play, 83-yard drive in just 59 seconds that was capped off by a 23-yard TD toss to Jason Croom to pull the Vols within 4 at the half.

In the third quarter, however, Worley’s resolve was tested once again. Worley’s throwing elbow was hit hard by a Georgia defender’s helmet, and he was kept out for nearly a quarter’s worth of playing time. Redshirt sophomore Nathan Peterman filled in for Worley, but he was ineffective as the signal caller, and the Bulldogs tacked on another score to make it 28-17 with 9:31 left in the game.

With a brace on his elbow, Worley entered the game after that drive and immediately led the Vols on a quick-strike 4-play, 52-yard drive that ended with a 31-yard TD reception by Pig Howard. Just like that, the Vols were back in business.

Worley and Hurd had a miscommunication on a hand-off on the Tennessee 1-yard line on the next Vols drive, and Georgia pounced on the ball and scored what looked to be the back-breaking TD with 4:27 left. Worley was not so easily discouraged, however.

The senior QB led his team down the field for a 7-play, 58-yard drive that ended with a TD toss to Marquez North, Worley’s third of the game. The score made it a 3-point game again, but it would turn out to be the last offensive drive of the day for the Vols, as the defense was unable to stop Todd Gurley on 4th down on Georgia’s ensuing possession.

Worley finished the day completing 23 of 35 passes for 264 yards and 3 scores, all while missing nearly a quarter’s worth of time in the second half. Worley has shown immense improvement this season, and it is thanks to him and an improved run game that the Vols were able to nearly pull off their first victory over a ranked team on the road for the first time since 2006.