The marquee matchup of the 2022 college football regular season is indicated within this Tennessee vs. Georgia prediction. Originally billed as a No. 1 vs. No. 2 seed matchup when the AP Top 25 polls were released, the Tennessee Volunteers actually landed as the No. 1-ranked team on the initial College Football Playoff rankings while Georgia fell to No. 3. Regardless, this game does not lack any luster due to the change in rankings.
Tennessee vs. Georgia Betting Preview
- Spread
Georgia (-8.5) - Moneyline
Georgia (-285); Tennessee (+240) - Over/Under
65 points - Game time
3:30 p.m. ET - Location
Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA - Predicted weather at kickoff
76 degrees, cloudy, 6-8 mph winds - How to watch
fuboTV, CBS
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
FanDuel gives you $60,000 to make your ideal lineup and also offers a $10 bonus for your $1 entry in this Tennessee vs. Georgia pick. Cash in where you can to add value.
- QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee ($10,100)
- QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia ($9,300)
- RB Kenny McIntosh, Georgia ($7,800)
- RB Jabari Small, Tennessee ($7,000)
- RB Daijun Edwards, Georgia ($6,800)
- RB Kendall Milton, Georgia ($5,300)
- RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee ($5,100)
- WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee ($8,800)
- WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia ($6,300)
- WR Adonai Mitchell, Georgia ($6,000)
- WR Cedric Tillman, Tennesee ($5,800)
- WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Georgia ($5,700)
- WR Bru McCoy, Tennessee ($5,700)
- WR Dillon Bell, Georgia ($5,500)
- WR Kearis Jackson, Georgia ($5,300)
- WR Dominick Blaylock, Georgia ($5,200)
- TE Brock Bowers, Georgia ($8,100)
- TE Darnell Washington, Georgia ($5,300)
- TE Princeton Fant, Tennessee ($5,100)
- TE Arik Gilbert, Georgia ($4,300)
In such a unique and high-profile matchup, the DFS lineup options for this game will be much scrutinized. And it will be plentiful in terms of entries across the landscape.
Finding any advantage is key in a matchup of this magnitude.
As great as Hendon Hooker has been this season, he hasn’t faced a defense quite like the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia has allowed just five touchdowns through the air and two on the ground. It’s a historic pace for the Georgia defense that is perhaps even better than last year’s unit which was historically good.
With that in mind, there are other options for your multi-game DFS lineup than Hooker against what is his toughest test to date.
MORE: Top 10 Quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft
One matchup to keep an eye on, however, is the return of Cedric Tillman for his price. All reports indicate he will suit up and be a game-time decision. With that in mind, his value cannot be understated in this matchup as he is certainly one of the top receivers in all of college football when healthy.
Considering the tear that Jalin Hyatt has been on, Hyatt will likely draw Kelee Ringo in coverage and Tillman should see a potentially favorable matchup. Stash Tillman if you can as a low-budget, low-risk player if he suits up.
Other than Tillman, Brock Bowers is the only potential play from the Georgia offensive lineup as he makes their offense go around. Tennessee’s defense matched up very well against Kentucky last week but Georgia’s sock-you-in-the-mouth brand of football is quite different than Kentucky.
Bowers should be expected to carry the weight of the touches in the passing game and is always a reliable option to come up big in big games.
Prediction for Tennessee vs. Georgia
As many of the statistics and analytics show, the Georgia Bulldogs are the better team as a whole. However, it cannot be stated just how good this Tennessee offense is.
Tennessee currently ranks top five nationally in:
- Yards per game (553.0; 1st)
- Offensive touchdowns (52; 1st)
- Yards per pass attempt (11.26; 1st)
- Pass yards per game (353.4; 2nd)
- Yards per play (7.4; 3rd)
- Rushing touchdowns (26; 3rd)
- Redzone rushing touchdown percentage (59.1%; 4th)
- Allowed tackles for loss (18; 5th)
They’re a remarkably consistent and potent offense.
The only trouble is, Georgia’s offense somehow ranks in the top of the majority of those categories as well:
- Yards per game (530.1; 2nd)
- Offensive touchdowns (41; 7th)
- Yards per pass attempt (8.75; 13th)
- Pass yards per game (328.1; 8th)
- Yards per play (7.24; 4th)
- Rushing touchdowns (28; 1st)
- Redzone rushing touchdown percentage (51.1%; 15th)
- Allowed tackles for loss (21; 7th)
And making matters even more convincing for the Bulldogs is the fact that their defense is considered as the best in the nation. They limit passing attacks better than any SEC defense in yards per play and yards per game.
Georgia’s defense is littered with next-level prospects and future NFL stars. But as much as they pass the proverbial eye test, they really haven’t passed their midterms yet.
The opposing offenses they’ve stopped aren’t quite world-beaters. Considering Oregon was breaking in everything new and they look like a fraction of the unit they trotted out to open the season against Georgia, you can throw away that performance.
The Bulldogs FBS opponents and their offensive yards per game ranking are eye-opening:
- South Carolina (99th)
- Kent State (39th)
- Missouri (87th)
- Auburn (74th)
- Vanderbilt (108th)
- Florida (46th)
And you surely wouldn’t be surprised to know that Kent State scored the most points on Georgia’s defense this season and it wasn’t all in garbage time.
The thinking here is that Georgia’s defense really hasn’t been tested in 2022. And they surely haven’t been tested in the way Tennessee runs their offense.
The Vols run offensive plays at a higher rate of speed than any other team in the country. The high-flying offense under Josh Heupel exploits weaknesses and finds ways to scheme against personnel better than anyone has this season.
His flood principles have given every defense trouble this year as it mitigates the impact of a single pass defender. Therefore, expect the zones against Kelee Ringo to be flooded. And expect Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman to find themselves open for at least three big plays against Georgia.
If those big plays turn into touchdowns, the Vols are able to escape from between the hedges with a victory. A major upset victory.
Hendon Hooker will have to play the game of his life and limit all mistakes. He’ll also have to toe the line between dual-threat quarterback and pocket passer who breaks contain while maintaining vision downfield as his speed and athleticism is a gift and a curse in this one.
With as many future NFLers that there are on the Georgia defense, expect this to be a show for fans of all levels of football. Hooker gets the job done and gets his second Heisman-worthy moment of the year, two more than any other player.
Vols win. The under hits.
Prediction: Tennessee 34, Georgia 28
