Top 5 matchups for Week 12 of the 2024 college football season
1. No. 7 Tennessee at No. 12 Georgia – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Georgia and Tennessee have a storied rivalry dating back to 1899 and Saturday night鈥檚 matchup will be another intriguing contest. Most of the series鈥� 53 matchups have come as the programs have played annually in the SEC over the last three decades. The Bulldogs have 28 victories against the Volunteers thanks to a recent stretch where they have won seven in a row and 12 out of 14 games overall.
Georgia is a 10-point favorite to earn its eighth consecutive win over the Vols, but Tennessee enters the matchup as the higher-ranked team and is playing good football right now under Josh Heupel. The 8-1 Volunteers have lost just one game all season, a road defeat at Arkansas, and have responded with three straight home victories over Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi State. Tennessee has the No. 8 total offense in the country and a top-10 rushing attack behind junior halfback Dylan Sampson. He could be needed more than ever in Athens with starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava鈥檚 status uncertain due to injury.
Tennessee鈥檚 defense has been even more impressive, ranking fifth in the country as it has given up just 271.6 yards per game and only 4.2 yards per play. That could create a challenge for a middle-of-the-road Georgia offense that has been inconsistent behind Carson Beck who has thrown 17 touchdowns this season, but also 12 interceptions. The Bulldogs scored just 10 points in last week鈥檚 loss to Ole Miss, their second defeat of the season after losing to Alabama in September. Georgia鈥檚 13th-ranked defense will need to hang tough as whichever team wins this game likely secures a College Football Playoff berth.
