ATHENS — Azeez Ojulari might not have received any preseason All-SEC recognition, but the Georgia redshirt sophomore outside linebacker showed up where it mattered most on Saturday.
Ojulari set the tone in the second half with a strip-sack on Tennessee’s first possession, setting up a field goal that provided the Bulldogs (3-0) the momentum they needed to dominate the second half in a 44-21 victory over Tennessee (2-1).
The No. 14-ranked Vols entered the day as the only SEC team without a turnover through the first two weeks of action, but Ojulari’s brilliant play opened the flood gates.
On the very next series, Eric Stokes stepped in front of a Guarantano pass to set up the go-ahead score, a 51-yard Jack Podlesny field goal that made it 23-21, and the Bulldogs never looked back.
Ojulari had five tackles, two forced fumbles and two sacks for Georgia, a one-man wrecking crew working against celebrated UT tackle Wanya Morris, a former Grayson 5-star prospect.
It’s the second year in a row Ojulari terrorized the Vols.
Before last year’s game, a 43-14 Tennessee win at Neyland Stadium, Ojulari became the first-ever freshman to be named a game captain on a Kirby Smart Georgia team.
Ojulari made the most of it with two sacks against the Vols and 10 QB hurries.
In addition to his pass rush skills, Ojulari helped anchor a defensive line that shut down a Tennessee run game that entered the afternoon second in the league in rushing, averaging 180 yards on the ground.
The Vols had minus-1 yards rushing on 27 carries.
Georgia’s four straight wins in the series correlate with holding Tennessee’s run game in check.
The Vols had 62 yards rushing in 2017, 66 yards rushing in 2018 and 70 yards rushing in 2019.