Tennessee football: Highlights from Vols’ 44-21 loss at Georgia

Here are notable moments from the Tennessee football Volunteers loss to the Bulldogs.

A 44-21 blowout loss to the Georgia Bulldogs makes it seem like there weren’t moments to celebrate for Tennessee football. Given the Vols lost the turnover battle, the total yardage battle and the penalties battle, it looks like there’s even less to celebrate.

However, Rocky Top had lots of key moments to take 21-17 lead into first half. A couple of major defensive plays and impressive offensive touchdowns were part of that, and it gave Vol fans a tease early on.

Let’s take a look at the video highlights from Tennessee football’s loss. These plays will help track how the Vols got an early lead and took one into halftime but also how they managed to lose it pretty quickly.

Bad snap leads to Vols touchdown

On Georgia’s first drive of the game, a bad snap went over Stetson Bennett’s head. He ran back to try to recover it, but the UT defenders were right there, and Kivon Bennett recovered the ball in the end zone to give the Vols a 7-0 lead.

Zamir White one-yard touchdown run ties it up

A targeting penalty on Deandre Johnson allowed Georgia to stay on the field in its third drive of the game. The Dawgs took that momentum and cashed in with a touchdown run by Zamir White to make it 7-7 in the first quarter.

Stetson Bennett eight-yard touchdown run caps off 95-yard drive

A key pass interference penalty on 3rd and 13 and a 10-yard run by Stetson Bennett on 3rd and 7 kept the Georgia Bulldogs on the field on this drive that went into the second quarter. Bennett capped it off with a touchdown run to put the Dawgs up 14-7.

Jarrett Guarantano 36-yard touchdown pass ties it at 14

On the previous drive, Kirby Smart went for it on 4th and 1. Tennessee football’s defense stopped Stetson Bennett on a quarterback sneak. Jim Chaney took a shot with Jarrett Guarantano on the very next play, and he found Josh Palmer for a leaping touchdown.

Second Jarrett Guarantano touchdown pass gives Vols the lead

After tying it up, the Vols let the Georgia Bulldogs drive down and take a 17-14 lead with a field goal. Jarrett Guarantano went right back to work, moving UT down the field. Immediately after Brandon Johnson held on for a 12-yard catch in which his helmet was knocked off, Guarantano found Josh Palmer again, this time for a 27-yard touchdown pass, to retake the lead.

Goal-line stop retains Vols lead going into half

Trailing 21-17, Kirby Smart went for it on 4th and goal from the one-yard line with a second left. UT had already stopped a Georgia run on 3rd and goal. The Vols did it again, going into halftime up 21-17.

Fumble by Jarrett Guarantano sparks Georgia run

Up 21-17 and getting the ball back to open the second half, Jeremy Pruitt’s team had plenty of reason for momentum. However, Jarrett Guarantano was strip-sacked for his first turnover of the year. That led to a Georgia field goal.

Stetson Bennett 21-yard touchdown to Kearis Jackson breaks it open

Georgia got a field goal off that Jarrett Guarantano fumble, then they got another field goal to take the lead after a Guarantano interception. The teams then traded punts. When the Dawgs got the ball late in the third, they drove down the field again, and a busted coverage allowed Stetson Bennett to find Kearis Jackson for a touchdown pass that gave the Dawgs a two-score lead.

Jalen Carter catches one-yard touchdown pass

Georgia was able to break it open after getting another stop and moving down the field. After being stopped on 2nd and goal from the one-yard line, Stetson Bennett found defensive lineman Jalen Carter on a play-action pass for a touchdown to go up 37-21 on 3rd and 1.

After that touchdown reception by Carter, Guarantano had another fumbled that was returned for a touchdown to put Georgia up 44-21, but the damage was already done. UGA won this game in the third quarter.

Despite the ways Tennessee football had blown this game, there was lots of early hope. The Vols had some positive moments, even if they were much more about mistakes the Georgia Bulldogs made, and that’s one encouraging sign for Jeremy Pruitt’s program.