'Depth wins out' due to timing of Georgia vs Tennessee matchup in 2023

The SEC East will likely be on the line when Georgia travels to play Tennessee in Neyland Stadium on Nov. 18 this year. And because the matchup is so late in the season, the advantage seemingly lies with the deeper, supremely talented Bulldogs.

That’s what SEC Network host Peter Burns thinks, at least. Were the game earlier in the year, he might feel a bit better about the Volunteers chances, but he told On3’s Andy Staples that Week 12 matchup plays into Georgia’s hands.

“I’d much rather, if I was Tennessee, have that game in Week 3 or 4 because of, by the time you’re in Week 10, 11, Staples, the depth just wins out. The depth, you just see, it is ‘We’re going to bring wave upon wave upon wave of four and five star guys that Tennessee still can’t do’ because of what, you know, the issues they got with Pruitt and really how they had to overhaul this whole damn roster,” Burns said.

Staples concurred, also in part because of how Georgia will line up against the Tennessee offense. The Bulldogs will sit back and let Tennessee hit completions underneath and try to tackle ball carriers immediately, limiting runs after the catch or big plays down the field.

It’s something the Bulldogs already tried and test a year ago to great success, solidly beating Tennessee, 27-13. Burns thinks that awakening could be helpful for Tennessee, learning that they’re still a ways away from truly hanging with the Georgia’s of the world.

But the talent gap hasn’t closed enough in the last year for it to matter in 2023.

“I thought that was such an interesting part last year where Georgia was like, ‘We’re going to punch you right in the face right off the bat off the line of scrimmage. And if you beat us, brother, best of luck to you. You’re awesome. But nobody’s beating us today.’ And I think that was the mentality and that was a wakeup call for Josh Heupel’s entire roster of like, ‘Oh, we’re good, but we’re not there good,'” Burns said.

No matter what, though, Burns and Staples will be locked in for what could be a deciding matchup in the SEC East and in the College Football Playoff race.

“If it gets a little cool as well, we get a little weather blowing in, like that place would be — I get goosebumps thinking about it. So, even if it’s a one-loss, even if Tennessee has already lost that one game and this could be the tiebreaker — I’m still pouring out a little liquor that this is the last year for east and west divisions because I’m fascinated about these conversations,” Burns said.