Tennessee football: Five reasons Vols could upset Georgia

5. Vols have a more effective rushing attack.

With similar situations at quarterback and both teams having elite secondaries, Kirby Smart and Jeremy Pruitt both want to ground and pound. This game is likely to come down to who can establish the run in many ways. When you look at the way the season has transpired so far, that appears to favor Tennessee football.

Right now, the Vols are second in the SEC in rushing with 365 total yards, and the Georgia Bulldogs are third with 323 yards. Both are behind the Kentucky Wildcats. UT, though, is averaging nearly four and a half yards a carry as a team, while the Dawgs are averaging just over three and a half yards a carry. Rocky Top also has six rushing touchdowns to UGA’s three.

In terms of individual stats, the Vols have the leading rusher in the SEC in Ty Chandler. While Georgia’s Zamir White comes in third, Eric Gray of Rocky Top comes in eighth. No other Georgia player is in the top 10. Simply put, with Cade Mays now in orange, the Vols are loaded up front and can establish a run game like no other.

Georgia, meanwhile, is still having to replace three offensive linemen from last year, including both tackles, who went in the NFL Draft. As a result, the rushing attack should definitely favor the Vols. Now, to be fair, Rocky Top hasn’t faced a defense like the Auburn Tigers, but all elements suggest the run game favors Big Orange Country.