ATHENS — Saturday’s game was supposed to be a battle for the SEC East champion. Georgia and Tennessee were picked to finish first and second in the division this year, and when the schedule was drawn up, the dream scenario for some would have these two teams playing their best football heading into this pivotal November matchup.

That has not happened. Georgia held up its end of the bargain, as the Bulldogs once again have the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings. Tennessee meanwhile is coming off a 36-7 loss to Missouri. It was the third loss of the season for the Volunteers, a step back from where the program was a season ago.

When these two teams met in 2022, it was the Volunteers who had the No. 1 ranking in the sport. Tennessee went into Athens that day and had its dream season ruined, as the Volunteers were punked 27-13. The final score did not reflect how dominant Georgia was.

The Volunteers will now have a chance to return the favor. If they’re able to do so, it could say a lot about where these two programs are headed.

Of course, we could also see a repeat of last season.

“It’s a big game every year we play Tennessee,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “They’re a good program, we’re a good program and the two are going to match up. As far as our focus on it, our players respect the hell out of Tennessee. They know how hard it is to play them. We had to play them up there two years ago, and it’s tough. It’s a tough prep. We’ll be focused.”

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