Sixth-ranked Georgia managed to defeat No. 15 Tennessee 44-41 in overtime before a sellout crowd in Knoxville, improving to 3-0 in Kirby Smart’s SEC campaign and earning a dramatic conference-opening victory.
The thrilling contest has become one of the most memorable chapters in the Georgia Bulldogs Football Vs Tennessee Volunteers Football Match Player Stats, as Georgia recorded another hard-fought overtime win while showcasing its resilience against a ranked SEC rival.
Georgia scored first with an 80-yard drive that culminated in Josh McCray’s four-yard touchdown run on its opening drive for Tennessee.
Tennessee then responded with its own 75-yard drive in 14 plays that culminated with Aguilar running in from four yards out for their score. Georgia countered by driving 75 yards in 14 plays capped off with Josh McCray scoring on a one-yard plunge on their next possession.
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Gunner Stockton | Quarterback (QB) |
| Nate Frazier | Running Back (RB) |
| Cash Jones | Running Back (RB) |
| Colbie Young | Wide Receiver (WR) |
| Dillon Bell | Wide Receiver (WR) |
| Zachariah Branch | Wide Receiver (WR) |
| Lawson Luckie | Tight End (TE) |
| Daniel Calhoun | Offensive Tackle (OT) |
| Micah Morris | Offensive Guard (OG) |
| Drew Bobo | Center (C) |
| Monroe Freeling | Offensive Tackle (OT) |
| Daylen Everette | Cornerback (CB) |
| KJ Bolden | Safety (S) |
| Joenel Aguero | Safety (S) |
| CJ Allen | Linebacker (LB) |
| Raylen Wilson | Linebacker (LB) |
| Christen Miller | Defensive Tackle (DT) |
| Jordan Hall | Defensive Lineman (DL) |
| Gabe Harris Jr. | Edge Rusher |
| Peyton Woodring | Kicker |
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Joey Aguilar | Quarterback (QB) |
| Star Thomas | Running Back (RB) |
| DeSean Bishop | Running Back (RB) |
| Chris Brazzell II | Wide Receiver (WR) |
| Mike Matthews | Wide Receiver (WR) |
| Braylon Staley | Wide Receiver (WR) |
| Ethan Davis | Tight End (TE) |
| Max Anderson | Offensive Tackle (OT) |
| Brian Grant | Offensive Guard (OG) |
| Bennett Warren | Center (C) |
| Lance Heard | Offensive Tackle (OT) |
| Arion Carter | Linebacker (LB) |
| Jeremiah Telander | Linebacker (LB) |
| Jermod McCoy | Cornerback (CB) |
| Boo Carter | Defensive Back (DB) |
| Joshua Josephs | Edge Rusher |
| Bryson Eason | Defensive Tackle (DT) |
| Dominic Bailey | Defensive Lineman (DL) |
| Tyre West | Defensive Lineman (DL) |
| Max Gilbert | Kicker |
| Date | Venue | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep. 13, 2025 | Knoxville | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 44-41 (OT) Tennessee |
| Nov. 16, 2024 | Athens | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 31-17 Tennessee |
| Nov. 18, 2023 | Knoxville | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 38-10 Tennessee |
| Nov. 5, 2022 | Athens | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 27-13 Tennessee |
| Nov. 13, 2021 | Knoxville | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 41-17 Tennessee |
| Oct. 10, 2020 | Athens | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 44-21 Tennessee |
| Oct. 5, 2019 | Knoxville | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 43-14 Tennessee |
| Sep. 29, 2018 | Athens | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 38-12 Tennessee |
| Sep. 30, 2017 | Knoxville | Georgia Bulldogs | Georgia 41-0 Tennessee |
| Oct. 1, 2016 | Athens | Tennessee Volunteers | Tennessee 34-31 Georgia |
| Team | Wins | Losses | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Bulldogs | 9 | 1 | 90% |
| Tennessee Volunteers | 1 | 9 | 10% |
Sacks
KNOXVILLE – Sixth-ranked Georgia overcame three deficits to defeat No. 15 Tennessee 44-41 in overtime on Saturday. Nate Frazier’s 21-yard run on Georgia’s opening play of extra period set up Josh McCray’s one-yard plunge for a touchdown; Georgia was victorious 11-7 under Kirby Smart when playing overtime games ranked or otherwise since 2013.
Georgia gained an early 10-0 advantage, but Tennessee quickly recovered with two Peyton Woodring field goal and touchdown connections from Aguilar to Brazzell late in the second quarter. Tennessee briefly regained control with Max Gilbert’s 42-yard field goal but Georgia tied the game via McCray’s 24-yard touchdown catch.
Tennessee attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, but Georgia took advantage of an incorrect fake punt attempt and recovered their own fumble for an easy win. While this loss shouldn’t harm Tennessee too severely, it will reduce their chances of making the playoffs next season.
Forced fumbles
Kirby Smart undoubtedly gained valuable lessons during Saturday’s match-up between Georgia and Tennessee, especially about its pass coverage. Georgia cornerbacks were frequently unable to prevent big plays by Chris Brazzell and Braylon Staley; not an encouraging sign for an SEC East contender like Georgia.
No team could score on its initial drive, and an important play was needed to spark scoring. Tennessee capitalized on an error by the Bulldogs special teams’ fake punt on fourth down at 50-yard line which resulted in an unexpected turnover and gave Joshua Josephs enough space in which to sack Gunner Stockton in the end zone for a safety.
As each team exchanged field goals in the first half, Tennessee gradually edged ahead. A seven-play, 75-yard drive from Tennessee ended in Joey Aguilar throwing 14-yard touchdown pass to Brazzell – their third scoring connection of the game – before moving ahead 28-27 in third quarter via another Aguilar to Brazzell strike and recovering Corey Thomas’ fumble at Georgia 33 yard line for another Tennessee defensive play that was recovered. Peyton Woodring added his 48 yard field goal before Georgia countered with two point conversion run by Zachariah Branch who converted for Georgia two points.
With the game tied at 38-38 in overtime and Tennessee driving to Georgia’s 25 yard line in an attempt to beat Georgia for the second time this year, UT looked poised for victory until Max Gilbert’s 43-yard field goal attempt failed wide right and forced overtime.
Nate Frazier finally gave Georgia what they longed for when Josh McCray scored on a 1-yard touchdown to win overtime and secure their ninth consecutive victory against Tennessee, plus kept their perfect home record intact. It marked Georgia’s ninth win overall against Tennessee since 2011 (also making them undefeated at home).
Punt returns
The Bulldogs and Volunteers will meet for their inaugural SEC game of 2019 on ABC with Chris Fowler (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) calling all the action, Holly Rowe as sideline reporter, and Laura Rutledge serving as sideline reporter. In addition, streaming options through ESPN+ and Fubo TV are also available for this contest.
After an initially slow start, Georgia is starting to find their groove on offense. They were able to advance the ball on three of four drives during their initial series but couldn’t find an end zone as Carson Beck’s passes weren’t finding open receivers; leading them into frustration and leading them down an unlikely path towards scoring points.
An intercepted punt gives Tennessee control at their 22-yard line, but they fail to capitalize. After some plays have passed, Georgia will punt.
Georgia moves ahead 24-17 following a 12-play, 87-yard drive capped off by Peyton Woodring field goal; they trail 27-21 heading into halftime.
The Vols made some progress on their second drive of the second half, but were unable to gain ground due to double teams and stunting plays from their 47-yard line that forced a punt.
After receiving a short punt from Utah, the Bulldogs took over at their own 37-yard line but were unable to move the ball downfield. A fourth-and-7 pass from Gunner Stockton to London Humphreys fell incomplete; and Zachariah Branch failed in his 2-point conversion attempt – leaving no other choice than trying a Hail Mary attempt on their final play of regulation.
Tennessee was saved from complete collapse on Sunday thanks to Tennessee safety James Pearce Jr. He was injured on an offensive play and fell to the turf before trying to stand back up, but couldn’t manage.
After returning back to sideline for treatment he is considered questionable for further play; wide receiver Dillon Bell is also in the medical tent but appears unlikely to return given that he was hurt on 5-yard rush attempt near pylon near tackled near end zone.
Kickoff returns
Georgia’s kickoff return units struggled during the first half, returning only two punts for 28 yards between senior Zachariah Branch and junior Sacovie White-Helton; both players were held by Tennessee’s coverage units but struggled to contain Georgia’s deep ball threat in the air.
On Tennessee’s initial possession, they covered 75 yards in eight plays and scored on Joey Aguilar’s four-yard run for a touchdown. Georgia responded with its own 75-yard drive that encompassed 14 plays en route to Gunner Stockton catching a 6-yard touchdown catch; Georgia trailed 21-17 at the end of the first quarter.
Peyton Woodring scored a 20-yard field goal for Tennessee during the second quarter, but Georgia quickly responded with an 11-play drive capped off by Josh McCray’s 1-yard run to take their first lead of the game at 27-21 with 1:45 remaining in the third quarter.
Tennessee attempted a late comeback in the fourth quarter, but Max Gilbert’s 43-yard field goal attempt sailed wide of its mark with three seconds remaining, forcing overtime. Georgia drove down to Tennessee’s 25-yard line before McCray plunged into the end zone for the win.
Tennessee has dropped nine consecutive games against Georgia since Kirby Smart became head coach of the Bulldogs, with its last victory coming on a dramatic last-second Hail Mary in 2016. The rivalry has largely been controlled by Georgia during the Smart era, especially in Knoxville, where the Volunteers have struggled to secure a regular-season win.
In the latest meeting, which is highlighted in Georgia Bulldogs Football Vs Tennessee Volunteers Football Match Player Stats, the Bulldogs escaped Neyland Stadium with a thrilling 44-41 overtime victory in front of a crowd of 101,915.
Tennessee’s powerful rushing attack kept the game close, but Max Gilbert’s late field goal only forced overtime before Georgia responded with the game-winning touchdown. The contest marked the first overtime game in the history of the Georgia-Tennessee football rivalry, adding another memorable chapter to one of the SEC’s most competitive matchups.
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