Sep 27, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Marquez North (8) catches a touchdown pass against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Tennessee 35-32. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Tennessee vs. Georgia series has produced a lot of memorable wins for both teams. Here are five memorable wins for the Volunteers over the Bulldogs.
Like Florida, the Georgia Bulldogs became and annual rivalry when the divisions in the SEC were formed in 1992. But for the first eight games, the series did not matter.
Then came the turn of the decade, and once 2000 came along and Mark Richt arrived in 2001, the game started to matter a lot more.
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Georgia nearly ruined a national title run for Tennessee by beating them in 2001, but the Vols got back to No. 2 and managed to blow it with a loss to LSU.
The Dawgs did decide the SEC East with a victory over them in 2003 and 2005, and Tennessee did the same thing by beating Georgia in 2004 and 2007.
Like all Tennessee rivalries, the tension has fallen off since 2010, when the Vols began to fall off the map.
But over the last three games, Tennessee has come very close to pulling out the victory, so it’s not like the Bulldogs can overlook the Vols.
What we do know is that there was a period in the early 2000s with David Greene in which Georgia was able to generate as much hatred from the Vols as Florida was, even more, and the bitterness showed when the Dawgs stomped on Tennessee’s midfield T after a 2001 victory and then Jason Allen planted a flag in the middle of the Georgia G in 2004.
The exploding hatred has created a lot of memorable games for both teams, and now with the series tied at 21 and the first meeting dating back to 1899, there is going to be a lot on the line Saturday.
But first, let’s take a look at the five most memorable victories the Vols have had over the Dawgs in the history of the 44-game series.
Next: #5: Tennessee Wins 51-33 in 2006