By Brody Rupert
The Tennessee Volunteers are setting off on their first road trip of the young football season, heading about 200 miles south to Georgia Tech.
This will be a much bigger test than the Furman Paladins.
Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (0-1)
The Yellowjackets started their season 0-1 after a heartbreaking loss to the Colorado Buffaloes, where former Volunteer Boo Carter blocked a game-winning field goal attempt. They will look to get back into the win column with No. 18 Tennessee coming to town.
Georgia Tech’s offense looked sluggish in its first game of the season, amassing only 288 yards and scoring only two field goals on that side of the ball. Quarterback Alberto Mendoza was consistent and efficient with the football in his hands; however, the running game was stagnant.
Starting running back Justice Haynes averaged less than four yards per carry while running the ball 19 times for 64 yards with a long of only 11. They may be able to do better going against a Vols defense that allowed 178 yards; however, the majority of that came in garbage time.
The defense was a tale of two stories, allowing only 124 yards through the air and two touchdowns. However, the run defense was nowhere near as sharp, giving up 183 yards combined to six different ball carriers.
The defense struggled to generate pressure, recording only one sack on the day. Generating pressure on the Tennessee quarterback will be one of the few ways to stop the offense.
Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key spoke positively about quarterback Faizon Brandon, highlighting his poise and ball-carrying ability. Key pointed to Brandon’s leadership and noted that the Volunteer coaching staff will put him in a position to succeed.
Key also complimented defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, praising his “fundamentally sound scheme” and “fundamentally sound players.” Key acknowledged that it will be a challenging matchup against a team that is tough to score on.
Key knows this will be a physical game, and his team’s only way to compete with the Volunteers is to match their physicality and pace of play.
No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers (1-0)
The Vols enter this game 1-0 after blowing out Furman at home, but playing a Power Four team is much different than facing an FCS opponent.
Tennessee should be able to thrive in the running game: Desean Bishop and Javin Gordon seem to be splitting carries, recording 14 and 10 carries, respectively, for 144 combined yards. Facing a team that could not stop the run in Week 1 should mean the Vols focus on a run-heavy strategy in Week 2.
This doesn’t mean the team will abandon the passing game. Brandon was efficient in his debut, connecting on 13 of his 17 attempts for 226 yards and three scores. He seemed a little shaky to start the day, with several throws looking low and inaccurate, but he settled in nicely.
His comfort level grew as he gained control of the pocket. He scrambled when he felt pressure, which led to two of his five total touchdowns. His arm got going after halftime, when he threw deep-ball touchdowns to Mike Matthews on back-to-back drives.
Knowles and his defense have an opportunity to take over this game. They allowed only two scoring drives in Week 1, both off short fields following Tennessee turnovers. Going against a struggling Yellowjackets offense could allow the defense to dominate.
The pressure from the Vols’ defense was suffocating in the opener, as they logged six sacks, including three from transfer Xavier Gilliam. Georgia Tech’s offensive line is coming off an average performance after allowing three sacks, but stepping up from Colorado to Tennessee presents a major change of pace.
The Volunteers must take care of the football. Week 1 featured two fumbles—one by Bishop on a carry and another on a fumbled snap by backup quarterback George MacIntyre. Turnovers like that shift momentum quickly and put the defense on a short field.