Final from Atlanta: Tennessee 42 Georgia Tech 41 in 2 OT

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell‏ @Michael_Carvell

Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech, Week 1: Game time, TV, how to watch online

• Time: 8 p.m. ET

• Date: Monday, Sept. 4

• Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

• Line: Tennessee by 4

ESPN is televising the game

Rece Davis will handle play-by-play duties, and Kirk Herbstreit will provide analysis with Maria Taylor reporting from the sideline.

What you need to know about Tennessee football vs. Georgia Tech

• The tie between the schools is Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Dodd, who was a standout QB from Tennessee (1928-30) who went on to coach Georgia Tech (1945-1966). Dodd is one of only four individuals to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as a player and a coach.

• These teams were once SEC rivals before the Yellow Jackets left the conference following the 1963 season. The Vols won the most recent meeting, in 1987, by a 29-15 count in Neyland Stadium.

• Both teams will feature a quarterback making his first career start — but neither has disclosed who its starter will be.

• The Yellow Jackets enter this season on a four-game win streak after closing the 2016 season with wins over No. 14 Virginia Tech, Virginia, Georgia and Kentucky.

• Georgia Tech's 16 plays from scrimmage of 50-plus yards in 2016 ranked tied for No. 8 in the nation and was tied for fourth among Power 5 conference schools.

• The Vols have to replace their leading passer, rusher and receiver from a season ago, along with their sack leader from 2016.

• The Vols did not have any offensive or defensive players voted first-team All-SEC entering this season and were picked to finish third in the SEC East Division.

• Georgia Tech's roster features two players from Knoxville —

Tennessee has two from Atlanta

[jbcarol]

Jesse Simonton‏ @JesseReSimonton

Georgia Tech's flexbone offense has been talked about plenty, but what can the Vols expect to see from its defense?

For weeks, we've heard tons of talk about the difficulty defending Georgia Tech's triple-option offense, but what about the Yellow Jackets' defense?

Tennessee will break in a new starting quarterback and a green group of playmakers against Ted Roof's unit on Monday night (8 p.m., ESPN), so what should the No. 25 Vols expect to see?

"A very sound (defense)," Tennessee offensive coordinator Larry Scott said. "You can tell they're a veteran bunch on defense. There's not many times you see a guy out of a gap he should be in or a coverage bust. When I think about them, they play well together and are very sound."

Tech's defense was the definition of average in 2016. The Yellow Jackets ranked No. 59 in total defense, No. 68 in yards per play and No. 39 in scoring defense. They return their entire secondary and starting middle linebacker, but must replace four key members of their front-seven.

Ultimately, Tech won nine games last season because Roof's passive, quarters zone blitzing scheme limited opponents' explosive plays. Despite an overall middling unit, Tech ranked No. 4 nationally in opponent long scrimmage plays, allowing just 17 snaps over 30 yards.

The Yellow Jackets were still shredded by Clemson (450), Duke (559) and North Carolina (636), but they went 3-0 against the SEC in large part due to standout defensive performances.

To whit: Vanderbilt scored just seven points and averaged a meager 2.8 yards per carry. Georgia only had a 139 passing yards and two turnovers, while Kentucky was also stymied in the air with just three passing plays over 11 yards.

Scott said Tech's secondary will challenge Tennessee's young wide receiver corps, forcing the Vols to win off the line.

"They'll press your outside receivers and play some 1-on-1 with them. I think for the most part it's just the idea that they force you into a system to make sure you execute, kind of a bend-but-don't-break mentality," he explained.

"They're going to play their defense and rely on you to make a mistake and turn the ball over."

Facing Tech's clock-chewing offense, possessions are at a premium against the Yellow Jackets. They won their final four games of last season by winning (or tying) the turnover margin each time.

With lots of unknowns entering the opener, Tennessee is likely to rely on John Kelly and its ground game to combat Georgia Tech's strengths in the secondary.

As Butch Jones said Friday, "The quarterback doesn't have to win the game for you, but he can't lose the game. It's all about decision-making processes and taking care of the football, managing the offense and making the right throws and the right progressions. Georgia Tech is a blitz-oriented football team and they do a very good job with it."

[jbcarol]

ESPN Stats & Info‏Verified account @ESPNStatsInfo

Tennessee vs Georgia Tech, 8 ET on ESPN

1st meeting since 1987. Georgia Tech hasn't beaten a ranked Tennessee team since 1966

[jbcarol]

SEC Country Vols‏Verified account @SECCountryVols

5 keys for Tennessee football vs Georgia Tech http://sec.news/2wBxzOM   #VFL

Vols had minimal offseason off-field issues, but adversity struck this fall at offensive tackle and linebacker.

Tennessee left tackle Drew Richmond made some bad off-field decisions and got himself suspended for the opening game by breaking team rules. At the start of fall camp, junior right tackle Chance Hall underwent season-ending knee surgery.

The linebacker position was cloudy entering fall camp and grew worse when Darrin Kirkland Jr. suffered a torn meniscus that required season-ending knee surgery, and then Austin Smith injured his knee last Friday and is expected to miss at least four weeks.

So why was Coach Butch Jones still walking around the team's downtown Atlanta hotel smiling and confident on Sunday night?

Preparation.

The Vols were prepared to play seven or eight linebackers before Kirkland's injury, and Jones said from the beginning of fall camp that competitive depth was the priority.

There are no guarantees the backup offensive tackle (Marcus Tatum) or backup linebackers (Evan Berry, Dillon Bates) will be ready...

[WorfHog]

Go GT! Beat Butch Jones and the Tennessee Overrated's

[Pudgepork]

I listened to a Butch Jones interview.   I hope I never have to suffer through another one.

[hoglady]

I normally root for the SEC.
But I just dislike Jones and I really like Paul Johnson.
I tried but can't do it.
Go Tech!!!

[tophawg19]

overall talent favors Tenn. But their new QB doesn't look good yet

[PorkRinds]

Tenner sucks.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

GT is pretty good.  well balanced

[RazorChuck]

Well that was disappointing.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

GT just couldn't hang on.  If they keep improving over the season, GT will be tough to beat. 

[OS2 (SW) Razor Back]

Horrible Play call when GT went for two.

[ronmahony]

Man I do like watching G.T's offense, that was a work of art, until the end.

[hoglady]

Fumbles and missed FG's - cost you games every time.

Tenner offense looked much better in the second half.
But that GT QB is a gamer. Loved watching him play.

[jbcarol]

 Wes Rucker‏ @wesrucker247 11h11 hours ago

Another massive injury blow for #Vols. Jauan Jennings has a significant wrist injury and will be out a long time: http://bit.ly/2x81O32



Wes Rucker‏ @wesrucker247 11h11 hours ago

Being one of the #Vols' best players remains the most dangerous job in football.