On3’s Pete Nakos had some good news for Tennessee and some bad news for Georgia ahead of their all-important, College Football Playoff-spot-deciding game at Sanford Stadium: star Vols QB Nico Iamaleava is clear from his concussion protocol and all set to play on Saturday. 

Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart’s biggest concern ahead of the Vols showdown was curbing their blitzing offense. “They’re fast,” Smart said on the Pat McAfee Show on November 15. “They have huge splits. And everybody knows that.”

Now that Iamaleava is back on the map, Tennessee’s “fast” offense is bolstered even more, making limiting them a tough, tough job for Georgia.

Iamaleava’s stellar record as the Vols starting QB includes throwing for 1,879 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions while leading Tennessee to an 8-1 record. Until now, Tennessee’s offense might be Smart’s biggest concern, but now they’ll also have to strategize to hold back Iamaleava.

Bulldogs head football coach Kirby Smart on how he will plan his Georgia defense

The Bulldogs head coach has had his fair share of facing tough offenses, but he explains why Tennessee’s offense this season is particularly challenging for them, especially since their own QB situation is under severe criticism.

“It’s tough because you have to change your defense to play against them,” Smart said on the Pat McAfee Show. “There’s plays and defenses we haven’t called all year that we [will] against them because they’re very different [fast]. So you get to watch other people play against them and you’re trying to get ideas of how you want to play against them.

“But they go so fast that they limit what you can do. You’ve got to try to beat them back to the ball, get lined up, out-execute them, and this year they have been different.”

Smart and Co. need this win in their pocket to get back as the top 12 seeds in the College Football Playoff Rankings and finish their season there to be a part of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.