We don't want to overlook the upcoming showdown for the Tennessee Volunteers against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, but it's fair to say that plenty of people are counting down the days for the matchup with Georgia. That's going to be a fun battle in Athens.
Leading up to things, though, it doesn't look like many people are giving Josh Heupel and Co. much of a chance to leave the stadium with a win. The opening line has arrived for this showdown and the Bulldogs are favored by 8.5 points. Yes, we know Georgia has dominated this rivalry of late, but 8.5 points? It seems way too high from the experts in Las Vegas.
Georgia has opened as 8.5-point favorites over the Tennessee Vols
Things have been far from perfect for UGA this season. While they remain one of the top teams in the country, they barely beat a struggling Florida side last week in Jacksonville. This season, Carson Beck has played himself out of the first-round NFL Draft conversation.
Leading up to the campaign, some analysts had Beck as a potential No. 1 overall pick. Now, not so much. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks has his unit rocking, as they're surely looking among the best in the land. He's going to scheme up some plans to try and make life rough for Beck.
Meanwhile on offense, Dylan Sampson is continuing to play at a high level, posting 142 yards and two touchdowns against Kentucky. Freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava is getting better with each week. He'll need to be at his best if the Vols want to post an upset win over the Bulldogs.
Countless Georgia fans are already feeling pretty confident about this one, but something tells us this contest is going to be much closer than people anticipate. The Vols will focus on Mississippi State for this weekend, but then they'll waste no time to start prepping for Georgia. This matchup could prove to be one of the best games of the year.