Key Matchups

1. Georgia's defensive line vs UT's offensive line- Tennessee has not shown the dominant running game this year, which has been their trademark under head coach Phil Fulmer.  Part of the reason is new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson has brought a more balanced attack to Knoxville. But, make no mistake about the potential of their rushing game. The Vols have three potential all-SEC linemen in guard Anthony Parker, center Josh McNeil and right tackle Ramon Foster.  The Vols have struggled on offense all year, but, most of their scoring damage has been done on the ground, as they averaged 4.8 yards-per-carry coming into their matchup with Northern Illinois this weekend. If the Dawgs can stuff the running game, it could be a long day for the Volunteers.

2. Conquer the Penalty Issue- It is no secret that Georgia has struggled with penalties this year. Georgia gave away two first downs  (through their own penalties) on Alabama's first possession last week, which contributed to Alabama gaining the early momentum and running with it.... The SEC East is wide open right now and the Volunteers, (who are 0-2 in the SEC thus far) will be in a "must win" situation when they visit Athens. So, Georgia cannot afford to rack up penalties against the Vols.   This past week, Georgia used it's off week to focus on reducing penalties, brush up on fundamentals and get some weightlifting in.  If the Dawgs are to re-take first place in the SEC East, they must get off to a fresh start against the Vols and play disciplined football for the next several weeks, as they take on the "meat" of their schedule, with LSU, Florida and Auburn coming up.

3. Stafford must stay sharp- Matt Stafford threw his first interception of the year against Alabama. Tennessee has picked off 9 passes and enters the Georgia game as one of the top two teams in the SEC in the interception category. The Vols have one of the top safety tandems in the conference in Eric Berry and Demetrice Morley.  And, cornerback DeAngelo Willingham has 2 picks, while Berry has 3 INT's on the year. Stafford must stay focused against the Vols secondary and continue to lead the #1 passing offense in the SEC.

Dawgs Ready for Wild Ride

With Vanderbilt out to a 5-0 start and beating Auburn, they are currently standing in 1st place in the SEC East.........I believe hell is freezing over......anything is possible!!!! The SEC East is wide-open this year!!! The point is, anybody can be beaten on any given Saturday. The Dawgs face the toughest stretch of their schedule in the coming weeks and the road to a possible SEC Championship will be as difficult as it's ever been. Georgia showed what they are made of coming back in the second half against Bama to outscore them 30-10 in that half. It was too late, as the damage had been done in the disastrous 1st half. The Dawgs must stay focused on the "little things" during the next stretch of games and the off week was just what they needed to do just that. Each game will be huge and the margin off error will be paper thin.  The Dawgs will have plenty of chances to "Finish the Drill" and what a wild ride it promises to be!!!