As much dislike that Bama fans have for Tennessee at anything it hurts to say, but the Vols beating Georgia on Saturday helps Bama's playoff chances greatly. A loss on Saturday by the Bulldogs drops them to three losses and more or less eliminates them from the SEC and playoff race. As we know if Georgia does win it will be a plethora of two-loss teams in the conference so it will be very interesting how this game plays out.
With how badly Georgia was beaten last weekend in Oxford it almost seems crazy that at the time of this article they are sitting as a nine and a half point favorite. I know a lot of that has to do with Georgia having their back against the wall as well as the status of Nico Iamaleava being up in the air. I am sure he does play, but if not then Josh Heupel's team is in deep trouble.
The best thing going for the Vols is they have a great defense and may be able to force Carson Beck into a few possible interceptions. Also, the recipe for winning on the road in a hostile environment is a good running game which Tennessee has with Dylan Sampson. He might actually be the best selection for conference player of the year based on play through now.
Realistically it's hard to bet against Kirby considering recent success and this being such a big elimination game. On the other hand the Vols if Nico plays can keep it interesting and put a little scare into both the players and Georgia fan. Honestly, I'd be shocked in Tennessee pulls off this game especially on the road. The good thing for the Crimson Tide of course is even if Georgia rebounds tomorrow they have the tie breaker.
A third loss for the Bulldogs would make a mirky race in the SEC a little more clear, but this should be a fun game either way. By the end of November, I think everyone will agree that this has been the most eventful SEC regular seasons in quite some time.