ATHENS, Ga. — Tennessee loses its first game of the season against Georgia in Athens, 27-13.
The top ranked Vols got off to a quick start against third ranked Georgia.
Georgia got the ball first... Vols forced a fumble when defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus knocked the ball loose and STAR Tamarion McDonald received it. The Vols turned that into a 47-yard field goal from kicker Chase McGrath for a 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs marched down the field on their next drive. UGA scored a touchdown when quarterback Stetson Bennett ran it in for a 13-yard touchdown to give Georgia a 7-3 lead.
The Vols punted on their next offensive possession and then forced Georgia to do the same. Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson kicked it away and it went 75 yards, pining Tennessee inside their one-yard line.
The Vols ended up punting from the one-yard line, which gave the Bulldogs great field position on their next drive from Tennessee's 37-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Bennett found wide receiver Ladd McConkey wide-open for a 37-yard touchdown, which extended the lead to 14-3.
Tennessee's offense once again couldn't score. Georgia took over and scored another touchdown. Bennett found 49 yards to running back Kenny McIntosh during the drive. He capped it off with a passing touchdown to wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint from five yards out to make it 21-3.
Tennessee got some momentum in the second quarter, driving down the field. False start penalties hindered UT in drives through the first half as the crowd noise at Sanford Stadium was raucous. It affected this drives drive, the Vols settled for a 30-yard McGrath field goal, cutting the lead to 21-6.
The Vols would drive on their next offensive possession, but the drive ended when Hooker threw an interception in the endzone targeting wide receiver Cedric Tillman.
Georgia got the ball back and turned that into a field goal going into halftime for a 24-6 lead.
It was the first time in Vols' head coach Josh Heupel time at UT that Tennessee didn't score a touchdown in the first half.
Georgia extended their lead with about a minute left in the third quarter with a field goal, going up 27-6.
On Tennessee's drive, the Bulldogs forced a fumble as running back Jaylen Wright coughed up the ball as the rain began pouring down in Athens.
The Vols scored their first touchdown of the game with 3:!4 left in the fourth quarter when running back Jaylen Wright ran it in from five yards out. That followed a play where Hooker found wide receiver Jalin Hyatt for 28 yards on fourth down with 10 yards to move the chains. UT cut the lead to 27-13.
They would get the ball back with the same score after a three and out but would come up short on a fourth down on the drive.
Georgia went on to win 27-13 after draining out the clock. The Vols came into this game atop the nation in scoring at 49.4 poitns per game.
The Bulldogs had six sacks on the game and held the Vols to 289 total yards on offense. The Vols came into this game topping the nation with 553 yards per game.
Tennessee will lose their No. 1 ranking in the College Football Playoff rankings following this loss when the new rankings come out on Tuesday.
UT can only claim the SEC title and make the SEC Championship game if Georgia loses two of their final two SEC games and Tennessee wins their final three games of the regular season.
The Vols play their final home game next, squaring off against Missouri inside Neyland Stadium at noon on Nov. 12.
