Tennessee football at Georgia: Keys to the game for Vols and Dawgs

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers brings his team onto the field prior to a game against the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

4 of 11

Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images /

8. Georgia’s advantage in the return game

The Georgia Bulldogs have a punt return for a touchdown and a punt blocked that was run back for a touchdown. So they have dominated the return game against their opponents through four games this season.

Tennessee football, meanwhile, has been disastrous in the return game. Marquez Callaway fumbled a punt against the UTEP Miners and then let another one roll too far back. Then Shawn Shamburger fumbled a kickoff return against the Florida Gators last week.

Amidst such a disparity that already exists, a further look at the Tennessee-Georgia series itself shows that special teams always plays a huge role in this game. The Dawgs have a history of returning punts for touchdowns, dating back to the watershed game that made this officially a rivalry in 2001, the hobnail boot game.

So the return game is going to be huge on Saturday. If the Vols are going to have any chance to make this interesting, they have to make sure that the Dawgs don’t blow this game open using their special teams advantage.

A couple of big returns by Georgia and one mistake by the Vols will put this game out of reach early. That’s been the case in the past, and it’ll certainly be the case Saturday with such a talent gap in this game.

Home/Vols Football