The Tennessee defense surrounds Todd Kelly Jr. as he comes up with an interception against Florida. Kelly and his teammates are expecting to be challenged by Georgia this Saturday in Athens.KNOXVILLE – It’s happened before, only now the tables are turned for Tennessee and Georgia.
In 2004, the Bulldogs solidified a No. 3 ranking in early October with a 45-16 destruction of 13th-ranked defending national champion LSU hours before the Volunteers, two weeks removed from a thrilling home win against Florida, were waxed by eventual Southeastern Conference champion Auburn.
Neither of those results mattered the following week in Athens, when Tennessee pulled a 19-14 upset.
Twelve years later Tennessee is coming down from the high of a win against the Gators to face Georgia after the Bulldogs no-showed in a 45-14 rout at Ole Miss.
“I expect them to come out swinging,” Vols defensive end Derek Barnett said. “I think we’re going to get their best shot. Every time we play an SEC team, we’re going to get their best shot. It’s not a guaranteed ‘W.’ We’ve got to come out and do the things we’ve been doing and start faster.”