LIVE UPDATES: No. 12 Georgia 31, No. 7 Tennessee 17 - FINAL
ATHENS, Ga. — Nine games into its 2024 schedule, Georgia’s played four against top-20 teams. A fifth awaits the Bulldogs on Saturday at Sanford Stadium, and this year, it won’t get any bigger than this. Twelfth-ranked Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) takes on No. 7 Tennessee (8-1, 5-1 SEC) in a near-elimination game for the College Football Playoffs.
“I’m excited for this matchup. Two top teams in the country, getting ready to play. Thank goodness it’s at our place, we get to come home and play. Night game, should be an electric atmosphere, it is every time we play them,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said in his Monday press conference. “They’ve got a tremendous team; Josh [Heupel] has done an unbelievable job with this team. They’re playing at a high level, just got through watching a bunch of their special teams. I always say you can tell the character of a team and how good a team is, how hard they play by their special teams. They play really hard, defense, offense. I think they’re top in the conference, maybe top three, top two, in almost every category on offense and defense. Which, as you know, that was what we faced last week, they were pretty high in both. But this team is playing defense at an extremely high level, and they have an extremely explosive offense, and extremely physical offense. So, it’s a great test.”
“Nico [Iamaleava] is playing really well in terms of athleticism, and he’s got great arm talent. As you sit down and watch games, you start to realize how good this team is, and how well they’ve played. So, they’ve got a tremendous football team, and we’ve got a tremendous football team. And it’s going to be a great opportunity for these two to go play and square off in what’s a pivotal matchup. I mean, it’s going to be a great matchup at night, at our place, and on a national stage. So, it’s what you come to Georgia to play in, and it seems like we have been in a bunch of these type games, especially this year. So, we’ve got to get our team prepared as coaches to play their best game, and they’ve got a great team.”
For more Georgia Football coverage, be sure to check out the DawgsHQ YouTube channel where you can find press conferences, player interviews, podcasts and more! We’ll be live Saturday night after the conclusion of Georgia-Tennessee with our instant reactions, breaking down what we saw from the Bulldogs, win or lose…
Georgia enters having lost its last time out, falling on the road to Ole Miss 28-10 for a second loss of the season. It’s just the second time the Bulldogs have lost multiple regular season games since Smart’s first season on the job in Athens. As for Tennessee, the Volunteers dropped their one game earlier in the year at Arkansas before ripping off four straight wins including one of Alabama.
Both teams are dealing with injuries coming into this one. UGA is without three scholarship running backs including leading rusher Trevor Etienne. The Bulldogs are also banged up on the offensive line. Meanwhile, Tennessee has quarterback Nico Iamaleava having been in concussion protocol throughout the week.
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Georgia and Tennessee have played 53 times in total dating back to 1899 with the Bulldogs holding an advantage of 28-23-2 in the series. UGA won the last time the two teams met 38-10 last season in Knoxville, one of seven straight wins over the Volunteers.
How to Watch, Listen and Stream
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC (Chris Fowler – Play by Play, Kirk Herbstreit – Color Commentator, Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge – Sideline Reporter)
Streaming: WatchESPN/ESPN+ (For more info, click here)
National Radio: Westwood One (Nate Gatter, Derek Rackley) / Local Radio (listed below): Georgia Bulldogs Sports Network (Scott Howard, Eric Zeier and D.J. Shockley) / Satellite Radio: SiriusXM (84)
For local radio information and a full list of Georgia Bulldog Sports Network affiliates, click here.
STREAM | LISTEN | STATS
As always, there’s one more way to keep up with the goings on in this game. In the space below, DawgsHQ will be providing live updates, scores, highlights and news from before and during the game. Just use the refresh button on your browser to see those updates as they roll in.
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FINAL: Georgia 31, Tennessee 17
11/16/2024 10:20:19 PMGeorgia extends its win streak over Tennessee to eight and keeps College Football Playoff hopes alive. After being on the outside looking in this week, that was a statement victory that should move the Bulldogs back in. UGA has UMass next week (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network) and Georgia Tech in its following outing. Just two regular season games remain in 2024…
Dawgs get the stop!
11/16/2024 10:17:36 PMNico Iamaleava is sacked by Jalon Walker. Georgia takes over with 1:19 to go. UGA will be able to kneel down on the clock. Dawgs going to win over Tennessee…
Tennessee timeout… Game on the line
11/16/2024 10:18:36 PMWhat hope Tennessee has left comes down to a 4th & 6.
TOUCHDOWN GEORGIA!
11/16/2024 10:10:19 PMLongest scoring drive of the season for Georgia, and it came at the right time. Nate Frazier punches it in from 2 yards out after Tennessee’s timeout to give UGA a two-score lead. Bulldogs’ touchdown drives tonight: 75 yards, 84 yards, 87 yards, 92 yards.
GEORGIA 31, TENNESSEE 17 – 2:26 4Q
Dawgs on the door step…
11/16/2024 10:07:47 PMComing out of a timeout, Georgia was called for illegal substitution. The Bulldogs got the yardage back and then some as Carson Beck found Ben Yurosek. Taken down at the 2, Tennessee will call its first timeout with 2:29 to go in the game. Second grab of the drive for Yurosek as he had a 21-yarder earlier.
Georgia looking to close it out…
11/16/2024 10:00:59 PMA huge completion to London Humphreys for a gain of 28 yards kept the Georgia drive alive on 3rd & 2. It was the second 20+ yard play of the drive. Later on, the Bulldogs converted a second third down, this time on a Chauncey Bowens rush. UGA has it at the Tennessee 15 trying to put this one away.
Marathon drive comes to an end…
11/16/2024 09:50:32 PMTennessee converted three third downs and lined up to go for it on a 4th & 5, what would’ve been the 15th play of the series. Offensive lineman Lance Heard is called for a false start though and the Volunteer punt team comes on with 8:47 to go. UGA takes over.
Iamaleava keeps the drive alive…
11/16/2024 09:45:30 PMTwice does Nico Iamaleava keep the Tennessee drive alive. He scrambled for 6 on 3rd & 5 before completing to Miles Kitselman for 12 on 3rd & 8. Pressured on each of those.
END 3Q: Georgia 24, Tennessee 17
11/16/2024 09:43:43 PMGeorgia got the drive started with a 32-yard completion to London Humphreys, but the drive ends in a UGA punt. Bulldog punt is the final play of the third quarter. We head to the fourth…
Georgia gets it back…
11/16/2024 09:33:40 PMTennessee moved the chains on 3rd & 1 with a Dylan Sampson rush, but a hard hit by Jalon Walker on Nico Iamaleava and pressure on the young quarterback allows the Bulldogs to get the ball back.
Carson Beck Cooking…
11/16/2024 09:23:12 PMGeorgia goes 12 plays, 87 yards for the go-ahead touchdown on its first drive of the half, capping it off with a 10-yard rushing touchdown for Carson Beck. The quarterback also had completions of 16, 16 and 14 on the drive, finding Arian Smith for a 40-yarder that got ruled off on a flag. Bulldogs become first team to top 20 points on Tennessee this season.
GEORGIA 24, TENNESSEE 17 – 5:32 3Q
Georgia gets stop to start the half…
11/16/2024 09:03:39 PMMykel Williams returned to the field, and Georgia gets a stop on third down with pressure from Williams and company. Smael Mondon with nice coverage. Bulldogs force the punt in their own territory.
Second half gets started…
11/16/2024 08:57:11 PMGeorgia kicks left to right. Nico Iamaleava keeps for a gain of 9 with Mykel Williams down on the play. He walks off. Looked like he got the wind knocked out of him.
HALF: Georgia 17, Tennessee 17
11/16/2024 08:34:35 PMTennessee takes a knee, and we’re headed to the break the way we started this one, tied up! Stats from the first half…
QB Carson Beck: 15-for-29, 184 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 rushes, 22 yards
TE Oscar Delp: 4 catches, 56 yards, 2 touchdowns
WR Arian Smith: 2 catches, 34 yards
WR Dillon Bell: 2 catches, 12 yards, 1 attempt, 2 yards
TE Ben Yurosek: 2 catches, 9 yards
RB Nate Frazier: 8 attempts, 27 yards, 1 catch, 4 yards
LB Smael Mondon: 6 tackles, 1 sack
DB KJ Bolden: 5 tackles
LB Jalon Walker: 4 tackles
LB Chaz Chambliss: 2 tackles, 2 sacks
Tied before the break…
11/16/2024 08:33:00 PMGeorgia got it to the 13 yard line but a holding penalty and an untimely drop from a drifting Dominic Lovett in the end zone leaves Georgia settling for a field goal. Peyton Woodring makes from 36 yards out.
GEORGIA 17, TENNESSEE 17 – 0:05 2Q
One play later, touchdown Tennessee…
11/16/2024 08:18:20 PMDylan Sampson takes it right up the gut from 27 yards out on the first play out of the two-minute timeout. 21st of the year for him. Vols take the 17-14 lead, but Georgia will get it back with 1:54 to go in the first half.
Two Minute Timeout: Georgia 14, Tennessee 10
11/16/2024 08:14:41 PMVols are driving having moved the chains three times including once on a 4th & 2. They’ve got it facing a 2nd & 3 from the UGA 27 after the break.
Beck to Delp Again!
11/16/2024 08:02:47 PMGeorgia took the penalty yardage on a Tennessee offsides instead of the rush by Bell. On the next play, Carson Beck found Oscar Delp in the back of the end zone for a second time tonight. First two touchdowns of the season for Delp as UGA takes its first lead of the night.
GEORGIA 14, TENNESSEE 10 – 6:36 2Q
Georgia on the goal line… Dillon Bell injury
11/16/2024 08:00:49 PMArian Smith got Georgia into a goal-to-go situation with an 11-yard completion on 3rd & 6. Dillon Bell gets the Bulldogs down to the goal line with a rush, but he’s down on the field and limping off with the training staff.
Shaky ball security for the Bulldogs
11/16/2024 07:57:14 PMGeorgia’s driving, but the Bulldogs have gotten lucky. On a pop pass to Dillon Bell, he can’t quite bring it in. Was ruled a fumble originally but overturned eventually. Then, on the next play, Arian Smith fumbled at the end of a 23-yard gain. He falls on it, but the Bulldogs are playing with fire.
Bulldogs maintain momentum…
11/16/2024 07:49:17 PMGeorgia gave up a third down conversion on a Dylan Sampson run, but on the next, a false start and a pass breakup by Malaki Starks allows UGA to get off the field. Sampson – who drives this Tennessee offense – has been impressive averaging 4.2 yards a carry. When Georgia’s been able to get into passing situations though, the Bulldogs have understandably been better defensively.
Touchdown Georgia!
11/16/2024 07:41:06 PMAfter a tough incompletion downfield to Lawson Luckie, Carson Beck took matters into his own hands with a 14-yard scramble. Then, two plays later, he delivered a perfectly placed ball to Oscar Delp in the end zone, just over two Tennessee defenders.
TENNESSEE 10, GEORGIA 7 – 13:30 2Q
END 1Q: Tennessee 10, Georgia 0
11/16/2024 07:33:39 PMCarson Beck missed on a throw to Dillon Bell just a tad bit late and behind his target, but on a 3rd & 8 opportunity with Tennessee jumping offsides, Beck takes advantage. He finds Dominic Lovett downfield for a 38 yard gain to the Tennessee 38 on the final play of the first quarter.
Career-long kick is good…
11/16/2024 07:29:44 PMGeorgia’s defense did its job to get off the field in three plays, but freshman kicker Max Gilbert makes from 52, a new career-long for him, to give Tennessee a double-digit lead.
TENNESSEE 10, GEORGIA 0 – 0:43 1Q
Brett Thorson saves a touchdown…
11/16/2024 07:27:11 PMGeorgia goes three-and-out in its own territory. Second of the day, and it just about turned into a Tennessee touchdown as Boo Carter was brought down by the punter at the UGA 37.
Pressure helps Georgia get off the field…
11/16/2024 07:19:23 PMTennessee picked up a pair of first downs on third down, converting on each of its five third downs. A sack of Nico Iamaleava by Chaz Chambliss and pressure on the next play by Chambliss once again gets Georgia off the field though. Bulldogs take over at their own 6 following the Volunteer punt.
Different strategy, same result…
11/16/2024 07:10:17 PMGeorgia’s first drive saw the Bulldogs try and push the ball downfield. On the UGA’s second drive, Carson Beck and company tried to get the screen game going. They picked up a first down to Dillon Bell on 3rd & 4, but three straight incompletions after that bring on Brett Thorson another time for a punt.
Tennessee takes early lead…
11/16/2024 07:04:05 PMTennessee took its first drive the distance, going 78 yards in 12 plays and 3:47 capped off by Miles Kitselman’s 1-yard plunge into the end zone. He also had a pair of catches for 21 yards on the drive while Dylan Sampson played a big part as well with four carries and 18 yards.
TENNESSEE 7, GEORGIA 0 – 10:09 1Q
Georgia goes three-and-out…
11/16/2024 06:52:01 PMFirst drive ends quickly for Georgia as the Bulldogs take a pair of shots downfield. Arian Smith just about had it on the first play. Third down pass to Dillon Bell falls incomplete.
Captains and Coin Toss
11/16/2024 06:46:41 PMCaptains for Georgia: Dominic Lovett, CJ Allen, Tate Ratledge, Chaz Chambliss / Tennessee wins the toss and defers. Georgia will begin with it going left to right on your screen.
Observations from Warmups…
11/16/2024 06:09:48 PM– Earnest Greene wasn’t with the first-team offensive line. In his place at left tackle, Monroe Freeling. Greene was also not announced as a starter on the videoboard.
– Four running backs going through warmups. Cash Jones, Nate Frazier, Chauncey Bowens, Dwight Phillips.
– Not Dressed Out: Justyn Rhett, Kris Jones, Trevor Etienne, Roderick Robinson, Branson Robinson, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Marcus Harrison.
No Crowd Complaints Tonight!
11/16/2024 06:09:00 PMInjury Report
11/16/2024 05:17:45 PMGame day availability is out and three players were listed as questionable. Usually that’s categorized as game-time decision but today’s report 90 minutes before kickoff is different (for whatever reason). Anthony Evans, Micah Morris and Cash Jones all worth watching pregame to see what their status for tonight is.
