Rapid report card: Georgia at Tennessee

If you told me Georgia would finish with nearly 500 yards of total offense, I would've said the Bulldogs win the game. If you told me Georgia would win the third-down and fourth-down battles, I would've said the Bulldogs would win the game. If you told me Georgia would win the rushing battle, I would've said the Bulldogs would win the game. If you told me Georgia tied or better the turnover battle, I would've said the Bulldogs would win the game — which it's been able to in every game it at least tied the turnover battle since the 2018 SEC Championship game against Alabama.

And someway, somehow, it happened. I still don't really know how, and you can probably sense by the start of this section that I didn't see it happening even with moments left in the game.

There was a lot to like about what Georgia did offensively. At times, Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo schemed up some great offensive chances. The grown-man football Georgia played on the first possession of the second half was the type of drive that should've established Georgia's dominance to close out that game. Stockton threw for 300 yards and hit five different receivers on passing plays that went 20-plus yards.

The game-tying touchdown drive — ending with a could've-been-epic toss from Stockton to London Humphreys — has a chance to hold a place in Georgia lore.

I think I'll give Bobo a pass for the two conservative third-quarter possessions after taking the lead, but only because of the final outcome. But hey, 44 points when you need it? I think a lot of people will sign up for that version of Bobo and Stockton.

I'm not sure you can explain this one away. Maybe it's a bury-the-film type of game for the Georgia defense. But, man, was this one ugly early. And, man, was this one ugly late.

Tennessee hadn't scored 14-plus points against Georgia in the Josh Heupel era. It did so through three possessions in the first quarter. Joey Aguilar went 14-of-14 for 213 yards passing in the first quarter. All three drives went for touchdowns, and it wouldn't have been possible with some defensive blunders and penalties by Ellis Robinson and Daniel Harris.

Sure, the Bulldogs woke up in the second and third quarters, but it was the ease with which Tennessee put together its go-ahead touchdown drive after Georgia took its only lead of the game.

Georgia allowed 496 yards of total offense and 371 of it came through the air. Tennessee hasn't been known for big-play explosive allowance in these games. Chris Brazell changed that narrative with 6 catches for 177 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 56-yard and 72-yard score.

It's a shame, really, because KJ Bolden and Joenel Aguero forcing interceptions should've been enough for Georgia to comfortably win that game with the way the offense played.

If there's one area Georgia rarely loses games, it's in special teams.

That stayed status quo here.

This is a scheduled sentence in most special teams sections of this article: Peyton Woodring is better at his job than anybody who was in Neyland Stadium on Saturday and, probably, anyone reading this. Woodring is as reliable as any Georgia kicker who has come before him. He hit a 20-yard field goal and 24-yard field goal when Georgia drives stalled inside the 10. But it was the 48-yard splitting the uprights that showcased Woodring's distance and accuracy. He's a special kicker.

Thorson also appears back to his true form. Thorson punted three times. Two of them went for 50-plus and two of them were downed inside the 20.

Add a creative little punt return action with Sacovie White and Zachariah Branch back deep to pick up 12 yards on a punt return.

Special teams decided this game, but that's only because not everybody is as nails as Peyton Woodring.

This, per usual, will probably be the most controversial grade, no matter which way I would've spun it.

Why?

Well, Georgia couldn't make a stop through the first quarter, unable to get anything going on the defensive side of the ball. Clearly, Heupel has a game-scripting advantage over Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann after five-straight years with first-possession touchdowns. That's not something you should let happen in a crazy road environment.

Then, down 14 early and looking helpless, Georgia rattled off 20 points in a row. Defensive stops, turnovers, stress-free offensive possessions. Georgia clearly found something to take over full momentum in this football game.

But wait, there's more.

After taking a lead, Georgia got conservative offensively and put together two three-and-outs followed by an offensive possession that resulted in points, but stalled to a field goal.

Ultimately, that stretch of time gave Tennessee the window of opportunity to make it interesting in the fourth quarter — and that's exactly what Tennessee did, and then some. Think there will be a lot of 20-20 hindsighting from the Georgia coaching staff after some major secondary lapses and too-conservative play-calling after taking the only brief lead of the game.

But for the third time in this article: some way, somehow. Smart teams never die.

Click here to read article