Tennessee Josh Heupel Hendon Hooker

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It’s often said that history is the best teacher, and that certainly applies for Georgia and Tennessee this week.

The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs look to learn from mistakes made by Alabama’s defense in the Vols’ 52-49 win over the Tide. The No. 2-ranked Vols will be reflecting on last year’s 41-17 loss to Georgia.

RECAP: How Georgia beat Tennessee 41-17 in Knoxville to cap unbeaten SEC season

The teams meet at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday (TV: CBS) in Athens.

“From a scheme standpoint, they play a lot of similar things,” Hooker said during his press conference on Monday in the UT football building. “They communicate the same way. So, expecting to get certain looks from one school to the other is normal.”

The Bulldogs recorded six sacks in the teams’ meeting last season in Knoxville as well as intercepting Hooker and recording nine tackles-for-loss.

“Their personnel is really good, and they are this year too,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said of the Georgia defense.

“They’re athletic, they can run on all three levels, they’re physical on all three levels, they don’t have any busts so they make you earn it,” he said.

“You’re going to have to win one-on-ones. That’s out on the perimeter. That’s on the offensive line in the trenches. You have to be able to sustain drives.”

This year’s Georgia team will be missing five of the first-round NFL picks off last year’s team, along with Butkus Award-winner Nakobe Dean.

These reloaded Bulldogs, however, rank second in the nation in scoring defense and fourth in the country in total defense.

Hooker said he knows to expect the best from Georgia even with new personnel.

“It all comes down to guys that are out there being coachable, (and) as you can see, they have some great coaches behind them, and they play extremely hard,” Hooker said. “That’s something that you can’t teach. The effort and attitude and toughness that they bring to the game is immaculate, and that’s what SEC football is about.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart referred to Tennessee’s offense as the “Perfect Storm” when asked how to prepare for Heupel’s fast-paced spread attack.

“You know, (Hooker) is one step ahead of where he was when you think of the reps and the games he’s played since the games last year,” Smart said on Monday. “He’s just as elusive, he’s got probably the same arm talent. Those two don’t improve. It’s his decision-making and his processing. And the guys around him are playing better, too.

" I mean, they’re playing much better across the offensive line, they’re running the ball, they got explosive playmakers that are playing better. So they’ve improved around him and he’s improved.”

The Vols lead the nation in scoring offense and total offense and are coming off a 44-6 demolition of previously-No. 17-ranked Kentucky.

Smart and his staff have watched that film closely, but it’s a safe bet staff have been assigned to comb through Tennessee’s 52-49 win over Alabama on Oct. 15.

“Watching the Alabama game, Kirby is going to learn what not to do,” said Jeremy Pruitt, who coached alongside Smart for six years and recruited most of the starters on the Vols’ current roster.

“He does not want to copy that game plan by no means, letting one of the fastest guys in the country run down on top of the safeties and rushing three guys.”

Hooker was 21-of-30 passing for 385 yards and five touchdowns against the Tide, rushing for another 56 yards on 14 carries.

Receiver Jalin Hyatt, meanwhile, caught 6 passes for 207 yards and 5 touchdowns as Alabama neglected to double-cover him.

Heupel, however, has taken note that Jalen Carter, arguably the most elite interior defensive lineman in the nation, has returned to the Georgia lineup.

“He’s athletic and disruptive, great on third downs rushing the passer,” Heupel said. “He’s explosive, dynamic and changes the way the game is played.

“If you watch the video when he’s healthy, that’s on normal downs, too. With the versatility from him, he can be a problem.”

No doubt, some names and faces have changed on both the Tennessee and Georgia rosters, but the philosophies of Heupel and Smart have not.