ATHENS — Georgia dominated the first half of its historical showdown with Tennessee on Saturday, up 24-6.
The AP and Coaches’ Poll No. 1-ranked Bulldogs out-gained the CFP’s No. 1-ranked Vols 306-139, with Stetson Bennett 15-of-21 passing for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said he anticipated the Vols being able to handle the noise generated by the Georgia Sanford Stadium crowd, but that turned out not to be the case.
RELATED: Former Vols QB predicts ‘tea and crumpet’ Georgia crowd won’t make a difference
Tennessee was whistled for five motion penalties, including two in a row that turned a third-and-2 at the UGA 9-yard line into a third-and-12 that led to a field goal.
“We have to do the little things right, a bunch of self-inflicted wounds,” Heupel said, referring to the motion penalties. “We have to be more precise and have better communication.”
CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel said it’s not over yet.
“It’s not over by any stretch of the imagination,” Neuheisel said, “with the high-octane offense of Tennessee.
“Hendon Hooker is 24, just relax, get this offense going. The third-down conversion thing has to get fixed for Tennessee.”
The Vols were 1-of-7 on third-down conversions, held to 139 total yards in the first half, well off their nation-leading 553 yards-per-game average.
Hooker was 12-of-16 passing for 88 yards with an interception in the first half and rushed 5 times for 8 yards.
“We have to reset and go play one play at a time,” Heupel said. “There’s 30 minutes of more football.”
