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Tennessee football at Georgia: 10 keys to the game

By Caleb Calhoun

Oct 3, 2020; Athens, Georgia, USA; A general view of the stadium prior to the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2020; Athens, Georgia, USA; A general view of the stadium prior to the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) leaps over players to convert a 4th down during a SEC conference football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Missouri Tigers held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, October 3, 2020.Kns Ut Football Missouri Bp
Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (2) leaps over players to convert a 4th down during a SEC conference football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Missouri Tigers held at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, October 3, 2020.Kns Ut Football Missouri Bp /

7. Success on short-yardage plays

This ties into the third and fourth down conversions we just brought up. In a game that will come down to play in the trenches, winning the line of scrimmage on short-yardage plays will be everything. Such success by both teams over the first two weeks of the season is why they are where they are to begin with.

Last week, Tennessee football only once failed to get a first down if they brought up a situation in which they needed three yards or less to get it. That fail came on a 3rd and 1 in which a series of mistakes, sparked by a Cade Mays false start, messed everything up. Otherwise, they would have been perfect.

Now, they didn’t get a first down on every play they needed two yards or less, but they relied on gaining just enough each time. For instance, in the red zone, Jim Chaney one time called back to back quarterback sneaks, and Jarrett Guarantano got the touchdown on 4th and goal from the one-yard line. All four successful fourth down conversions were sneaks on 4th and 1.

Georgia, on the other hand has really only failed on such short-yardage situations (and we count a fail as not getting a first down) when it decided, inexplicably, to pass the ball. Only once have the Vols and Bulldogs each failed in these instances while running the ball. The one who struggles in these instances on Saturday, however, will have a huge issue throughout the game.

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