Georgia fans may have to swallow hard and pull for Tennessee this week.
That’s the kind of sentence that doesn’t sit right in Athens, but the setup makes it worth considering. The biggest SEC game on the board pits No.
1 Texas against No. 14 Tennessee, and with both teams unbeaten, the result could ripple straight into the top of the AP Poll.
For Georgia, that means there’s a very real path to the No. 1 spot.
Georgia is 3-0 after three lopsided wins to open the season and currently sits at No. 2 in the country. The Bulldogs’ long-term goal is obvious: finish the year on top. But there’s no downside to getting there sooner if the door opens.
Right now, Texas is the only thing blocking that move. The Longhorns climbed past Georgia in the rankings after beating then-No.
1 Ohio State two weeks ago, and they earned it. Georgia still hasn’t faced a quality opponent, while Texas already has a marquee win on its résumé.
But if Texas stumbles, Georgia would likely slide into the top spot.
That’s where Tennessee comes in.
The Volunteers have plenty of firepower to make this interesting, and Vegas is giving Texas a real fight. The Longhorns are favored by 4.5 points, which means an upset is firmly in the range of possibility. Georgia still has to take care of Oklahoma this weekend to fully cash in if Texas loses, but a Tennessee win would create the opening the Bulldogs need.
Of course, cheering for Tennessee is never simple for Georgia fans. These two programs have spent years banging heads every season, and even though they won’t meet this year for the first time since 1991, the bad blood hasn’t gone anywhere. Tennessee may not be a traditional rival, but it can feel like one.
Georgia’s current nine-game winning streak over the Volunteers has only added to the irritation. Tennessee fans kept talking like they were Georgia’s equal anyway, and Kirby Smart kept reminding them they had work to do.
So yes, pulling for Tennessee this week comes with a little pain attached. But if there’s ever a time to set that aside, this is it.
Texas still has a brutal road ahead, too. After this game, the Longhorns’ final eight matchups include six teams that are currently ranked. Even if they survive Knoxville, there will be plenty more chances for Texas to slip.
Georgia can only control what it does from here. Keep winning, and the rest may take care of itself. But if Tennessee can knock off Texas, the Bulldogs could be sitting at No. 1 by this time next week.
In Other News...
Georgia Gets An O-Line Boost Just In Time For Oklahoma
Georgias offensive line is getting a welcome bit of good news at just the right time, with Drew Bobo expected to be back on the field without the protective club on his left hand for the first time since the injury he sustained in fall camp. Kirby Smart has already pointed to Bobos toughness and stamina, and the update matters for a front that has needed bodies and reliability as the Bulldogs prepare for Oklahoma.
Bobo has talked about his own growth as a player and the standard he tries to bring every week, even while dealing with injuries. For Georgia, his return to something closer to full strength adds another layer of stability up front, and it comes at a moment when the Bulldogs can use every available piece as the schedule tightens and the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias First SEC Clash With Oklahoma Carries One Intriguing Twist
No. 2 Georgia gets a fresh SEC test this weekend when Oklahoma comes to Athens for the first regular-season meeting between the programs, and the matchup arrives with the Bulldogs still unbeaten while the Sooners have slipped out of the AP Top 25. Kirby Smart and Brent Venables both spent the lead-up talking through where their teams have been strong and where they still need work, a familiar tone for a game that carries plenty of curiosity even before kickoff.
One wrinkle could shape the way Oklahoma approaches the trip. Defensive tackle David Stone was hurt in practice with a knee injury, and his status remains uncertain, which adds another layer to a defense that will already be dealing with Georgias physical style at home. For the Bulldogs, it is another chance to stack a quality win against a new SEC opponent, but the Sooners are coming in with enough front-line talent and coaching familiarity to make this one more interesting than a simple rankings check. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Just Lost A Georgia Series Fans Really Wanted
A future Georgia-Clemson series that had been circled for years is no longer on the calendar, as the two programs mutually agreed to cancel the home-and-home set for 2029, 2030, 2032 and 2033. For Bulldogs fans, it is another reminder of how much the sports scheduling landscape has shifted, with heavyweight non-conference games becoming harder to lock in and even harder to keep intact as college football continues to reshape itself.
Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney both sounded resigned to the decision, pointing to the way scheduling demands and playoff changes have altered the math for programs at the top of the sport. The matchup had carried obvious appeal because of the recent history between the schools, and Georgias future non-conference slate now looks different without it, even if the Bulldogs still have plenty of big-game opportunities ahead. [Read more 🡒]