Georgia @ Tennessee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2014 ) Tennessee 32, Georgia 35

Two blown fourth-quarter leads and a rotten second half have derailed Tennessee’s hopes of winning the SEC East, and the Volunteers now host to a Georgia squad that cannot afford another loss if it hopes to reach the conference title game. The 16th-ranked Bulldogs were embarrassed in last week’s showdown game with Alabama, falling at home 38-10 in a rout that cast plenty of doubt on whether Georgia is a legitimate national power.

The Bulldogs need to win out in order to jump back into the playoff conversation, and still have standout running back Nick Chubb – who has rushed for 100 yards in 13 consecutive games. But quarterback Greyson Lambert was rattled repeatedly by the Crimson Tide, and Georgia’s defense was overwhelmed by 24 first-half points. The Volunteers brought high hopes of contending for the East title into 2015 but blew last-quarter leads to Oklahoma and Florida, then saw a 14-point advantage evaporate last week against Arkansas. Joshua Dobbs is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation, but the junior only rushed seven times last week.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Georgia -3

ABOUT GEORGIA (4-1, 2-1 SEC): As good as Lambert was in the two games leading up to last week, he was just as bad against the Crimson Tide: 10-of-24 passing for 86 yards and an interception. The Bulldogs committed four turnovers (a blocked punt and a Brice Ramsey interception resulting in touchdowns) and never got on track offensively, Chubb gaining 83 of his 146 yards on a touchdown run late in the third quarter after the outcome was decided. The Bulldogs’ secondary has allowed three pass completions of 44 or more yards after not allowing one longer than 38 yards in 2014.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (2-3, 0-2 SEC): The Volunteers have been outgained 356-141 in the fourth quarter of their past three games, and only mustered four yards rushing in the second half against Arkansas. Dobbs passed for a season-high 232 yards last week but rushed for just seven yards, one week after totaling 136 yards on the ground in a loss at Florida. Evan Barry is second in the nation in kickoff return average (40.6) and has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including a 96-yard score to open the game last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara is averaging 6.5 yards per carry, is second on the team in receptions (10) and has returned a punt for a touchdown; another punt return for a score last week was nullified by a penalty.

2. The Bulldogs are last in the SEC and 121st in FBS in third-down conversion percentage (29.2 percent), going 3-for-17 last week.

3. Saturday's winner will move ahead in the all-time series (21-21-2); Georgia has won the past five meetings, including three-point victories each of the past two seasons.

PREDICTION: Georgia 24, Tennessee 17