Third time's the charm - Tennessee takes Georgia re-redux

[tsweezy]

Brandon Savage sits in a dark room, illuminated by the projector screen showing Oklahoma's game and practice film. At a glance it looks like every other QB meeting room in the country. You look closer though and you can see a little something different in him. The eyes dart a little faster, the jaw clenches a little more, the body leans a little more forward. After a season of covering Vol football I haven't quite seen him this focused. You can tell he wants it. What's so special about this game though? The Vols already have a playoff spot locked up and beat Oklahoma by more than 30 just 2 weeks ago. To answer that, you need to go back in time.

 

The year is 2022. Brandon Savage is an 18 year old true freshman. Just 6 months removed from winning the Elite 11 and getting his 5th star, he along with RB Aldrick Ynoa are 10-2 and heading to Atlanta. The game is a rematch against arch-rival Alabama who they beat 27-12 earlier in the year. Savage hadn't yet taken the reins of the team as a quiet game manager while Ynoa was the team captain and alpha leader. Frankly he was a little more concerned with his upcoming Calculus final, assuming a repeat win was in the bag.

28-45

Tennessee walked off the field, heads hung low. Savage had a fine performance, 26/37 for 375 and 2 TD. Unfortunately he also had 2 really ill timed interceptions that spurred Alabama's offense to a dominating performance behind 237 yards from RB Chris Williams. Tennessee wound up falling in the playoff semifinals while Bama won the national championship. 

 

The year is 2023. Brandon Savage is a 19 year old Heisman frontrunner. Leading the team to a 12-0 start he's grasped the scheme and concepts and been dominating teams left and right. By this point he'd gathered a bit of arrogance and assumed he'd treat Moncrief just like every other opponent.

20-40

Worst performance of the year. 22/46 for only 301 yards and worst of all, 3 INTs as Moncrief handily won the QB duel. This one stung, it would have been Tennessee first undefeated season since 1998 and put a bow on a Heisman year and #1 ranking for the postseason. Ultimately, Savage did still scrape out a Heisman and the team made the playoff semifinals once again so it didn't sting too much.

 

Now it's 2024. Brandon Savage is once again a Heisman frontrunner with over 6000 passing yards and an unheard of 54:2 TD:INT ratio. He's played 44 games and won 38 of them. But still, not a single banner or championship to his name. Some distant whispers have suggested he might go pro after this season, in which case this is his last chance to leave a lasting legacy (he denies any interest in declaring early saying he promised his mother he'd get his degree). Some fans get restless though. Of those 6 losses, 4 of them have come in the 4 games he's played in the state of Georgia. Is he cursed? Is there something in the water down there? Nerves? The yips? Coach Tsweezy has called it simple bad luck and weird timings, but in the back of your mind you wonder if it's getting into Savage's mind similarly. When you look at it on paper this *should* be the easiest opportunity. Just 2 weeks ago he put up the best line of his career (27/33, 600 yards, 7 TD, 0 INT) against this defense. Even doing half as well should be enough right?

 

He's done making assumptions. This week he's leaving nothing to chance. I've heard from the team tutors that this is the first week they've had him skip his sessions in favor of more film room time. Redshirting QB #JOC says "at this point, I bet Savage could call OU's defense better than their DC could, it's not even going to be close". His backup Mark Koch says "I don't care man, if he dumps points on them again great, I get another chance to prove myself for my next team" (Unsurprisingly nobody was hanging out with Koch when I talked to him). With a good performance here he could propel himself to a repeat Heisman, a playoff bye, and FINALLY, a championship banner. 

 

Below we've compiled some pre-game reactions from fans, pundits, and coaches around the conference. 

Fans

• @VolFanatic95: "This is it, folks! Savage is going to torch Oklahoma like a bonfire on Rocky Top! SEC trophy, here we come! #GoVols #SavageTime #UnfinishedBusiness"
• @OrangeAndProud: "Savage is a man on a mission! He's put in the work and shown he's ready to take down Oklahoma AGAIN. SEC title is ours! #SECChampionship #Believe"
• @RockyTopRising: "Can't lie, I'm sweating bullets here, but Savage has been a beast all season! Time to break the curse and claim that crown. LET'S GO VOLS! #GBO #SavageSeason"
• @UGACurse: "Y'all really think Savage is gonna win in Georgia? LOL, get ready for another meltdown. #GeorgiaCurse #ChokeJob"
• @SoonerSmackTalk: "Savage might as well book his therapy session now. Oklahoma's defense is going to haunt his dreams. #SoonerStrong #SavageWho"
• @MemeyMcMemeFace: "Can't wait to see Tennessee fumble another championship. SEC trophy is allergic to Knoxville! #SameOldVols #ComedyGold"

Pundits

• John Riley, ESPN Analyst: "Brandon Savage is dialed in like never before. This kid's got the fire, and Tennessee looks poised to finally snag that SEC title. The stars are aligning in Knoxville!"
• Cynthia Marshal, College Football Weekly: "Savage's redemption arc is one for the ages. He's been haunted by Georgia, but this year feels different. Will he finally silence the doubters and lift that trophy?"
• Mike Hardy, SportsNet: "Oklahoma, brace yourselves. Tennessee obliterated them two weeks ago, and with Savage in top form, we might witness another historic blowout. The Vols are hungry and ready to feast!"
• Robbie Mills, The Zone: "Let’s be real, Tennessee is cursed. Savage could be the lovechild of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, and he'd still choke in Georgia. #VolsAreToast #CallingItNow"

Coaches

• Coach Tsweezy, Tennessee Head Coach: "Brandon's been on another level this season. His focus and drive are unmatched. We're going into this game with one goal: bring that SEC trophy home."
• Coach Miles, Alabama Head Coach: "Tennessee's had some bad luck in Georgia, but Savage is a generational talent. Watching him try to overcome those ghosts will be fascinating."
• Anonymous SEC coach: "If Tennessee wins, I'll eat my hat. And my shoes. And maybe my shirt. #VolsWillFold #SavageCursed"

Players

• Mark Koch, Tennessee Backup QB: "Can't wait to get out of here. Savage can have his Heisman, but we all know Tennessee is cursed. Enjoy the L, can't spell Vols without it."
• Omarius Beasley, Oklahoma Defensive End: "Savage? More like Average. We're about to expose Tennessee for the frauds they are.