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Wiedmer: Vols and their coach both grew up against Dawgs

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones shouts to players during a timeout in their SEC football game against Georgia at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-31.
Tennessee head coach Butch Jones shouts to players during a timeout in their SEC football game against Georgia at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-31. Tennessee head coach Butch Jones shouts to players during a timeout in their SEC football game against Georgia at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-31.

By Mark Wiedmer 5 min read

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* Wiedmer: Vols and their coach both grew up against Dawgs * Tennessee rallies to stun Georgia, 38-31 * Tennessee holds off 19th-ranked Georgia, 38-31 * Michel, Davis take blame for defeat * Chubb injury disheartening for Bulldogs * Tennessee racks up record yardage on Pruitt’s defense * Dobbs leads Vols in ‘very, very gritty’ performance * Daniel’s late punt helps protect Vols’ big win

KNOXVILLE – With the Pride of the Southland Band playing the “Tennessee Waltz” as it hadn’t played it inside Neyland Stadium in close to a decade, so many Big Orange fans savoring this 38-31 win over Georgia as if it made their beloved Volunteers 6-0 instead of 3-3, the greatest architects of this victory – Messrs. Joshua Dobbs, Alvin Kamara and Jalen Hurd – propped themselves on the brick wall below the band, all smiles and laughs and, just maybe, relief.

“Big character win, and we definitely needed it,” said Kamara, who caught two of Dobbs’ three touchdown tosses Saturday evening against the No. 19 Bulldogs. “But there’s another big game against Alabama after the bye week. We only think about the next game.”

The Big Orange Nation will think about this game for years to come. Especially after the games that had come recently before it. When you’ve blown leads of at least 13 points in all three of your 2015 losses, the ability to win one from 21 points down can’t be overstated.

Third-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones can say all he wants that “this is not about me,” but this was all about his ability to deliver a signature win against a ranked opponent with the natives growing restless.