Honestly, if you turned off the TV at the end of the first quarter during the Georgia vs Tennessee matchup on November 16, 2024, I wouldn't even blame you. Tennessee was absolutely humming. They had a 10-0 lead, Sanford Stadium felt a little too quiet, and the "Beck is a bust" rumors were swirling like crazy. But the final Georgia vs Tennessee score of 31-17 tells a completely different story. It was a classic "tale of two halves" situation that basically saved Georgia's playoff life while leaving the Vols wondering where the wheels fell off.
The Bulldogs didn't just win; they strangled the game. After falling behind early, Georgia went on a 31-7 run. It wasn't just about talent. It was about a quarterback who had been getting dragged in the media finally deciding he’d had enough. Carson Beck, who had a bit of a rough patch with interceptions leading up to this, played his cleanest game in weeks. He went 25-of-40 for 347 yards and two scores. No picks. That was the magic number. Zero.
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Breaking Down the Scoring: How the Momentum Shifted
Let’s look at how we actually got to that 31-17 finish. Tennessee came out swinging with a Miles Kitselman 1-yard plunge and a massive 52-yard field goal from Max Gilbert. For a minute, it looked like the Vols' defense—which hadn’t allowed more than 19 points to anyone all season—was going to suffocate the Dawgs.
Then, things got weird. Or, well, they got "Georgia-like."
The Turning Points
- The Oscar Delp Show: Carson Beck found tight end Oscar Delp for two touchdowns in the second quarter. These weren't just "gimme" throws. They were tight-window, high-stakes passes that tied the game up and settled the Athens crowd.
- The 17-17 Halftime Reset: Dylan Sampson (who is an absolute beast, by the way, finishing with 101 yards) scored on a 27-yard run to put Tennessee back up, but Georgia managed a field goal right before the buzzer. Going into the locker room tied was a massive psychological win for Kirby Smart’s crew.
- Beck’s Legs: People forget Beck can move. His 10-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter was the first time Georgia took the lead. They never looked back.
The 2025 Rematch: When the Rivalry Went Into Overtime
If you think the 2024 game was stressful, the 2025 edition in Knoxville was a heart-attack-inducing thriller. This time, the Georgia vs Tennessee score ended at 44-41 in favor of the Bulldogs, but it took a wild overtime period to get there.
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Neyland Stadium is probably the loudest place on Earth when the Vols are up, and they were definitely up. Tennessee held a 38-30 lead late in the fourth quarter. It felt over. But Gunner Stockton, stepping in as the new leader of the offense, found London Humphreys for a 28-yard TD on 4th-and-6 with just over two minutes left. A successful two-point conversion to Zachariah Branch sent the game to the extra period.
In overtime, Tennessee had to settle for a field goal after a disciplined Georgia defense held firm. Then, the Dawgs did what they do best: they ran the ball. Nate Frazier and Josh McCray hammered the Vols' front until McCray punched it in from the one-yard line. Just like that, Georgia walked out of Knoxville with their ninth straight win in the series.
Why Georgia Keeps Winning This Matchup
You've gotta look at the stats to understand the dominance here. Georgia has won nine straight games against Tennessee. That ties the all-time record set by the Vols back in the 90s. But look at the margins. Until that 2025 overtime nail-biter, Georgia had won every single game in this streak by at least 14 points.
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Defensive Suffocation
Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava is a special talent, but Georgia has a way of making elite quarterbacks look human. In the 2024 game, he was held to just 167 yards through the air. No touchdowns. When you can’t throw the ball vertically against Kirby Smart, you’re basically playing with one hand tied behind your back.
The Trench Warfare
The most underrated part of the Georgia vs Tennessee score in 2025 was the offensive line. Georgia had four guys playing their first-ever road SEC game on that line. Zero false starts. In Neyland. That’s insane coaching. They controlled the clock for over 50 minutes of game time. You can’t score if you don't have the ball, and Tennessee spent most of that afternoon watching the clock bleed out.
Actionable Takeaways for the Next Matchup
If you're betting on or just watching the next time these two meet, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the First Quarter: Tennessee usually starts fast. If Georgia is within 7 points at the half, history says the Bulldogs will likely pull away in the fourth quarter due to better depth and conditioning.
- The Interception Metric: In the 2024 game, the lack of turnovers was the deciding factor. If a Georgia QB stays "clean," they are almost impossible to beat because their defense doesn't give up short fields.
- Home Field Advantage: While Georgia has won in Knoxville recently, the point spread significantly narrows. The 2025 OT game proved that the "checkerboard" crowd adds about a touchdown of value to the Vols.
- Tight End Usage: Georgia loves using tight ends like Delp and Luckie to exploit Tennessee's linebackers. Look for those seam routes early in the game to see if Tennessee has adjusted their coverage.
The rivalry is officially back to being one of the most competitive in the SEC, even if the win streak suggests otherwise. The gap is closing, but for now, the scoreboard still leans heavily toward the "G."