KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Georgia coach Kirby Smart noticed too many people whistling past his team’s grave.

In other words, he felt as if certain outside forces didn’t see the No. 6 Bulldogs as a serious contender as the 2025 season opened, despite their recent back-to-back national titles. Those doubts were dispelled with a 44-41 overtime victory against No. 15 Tennessee on Saturday.

“I think we know who we are,” Smart said. “There’s a lot of outside whistling by the graveyard. A little bit of acting like one thing when we feel like our team has a certain identity. We’re not going to go down without a fight.”

Those ‘naysayers’ Smart referred to almost proved right when Tennessee took a 21-7 lead in the first quarter through quarterback Joey Aguilar, who made a no-miss 14-of-14 passing display in the initial minutes.

Tennessee extended the scoreboard to 38-30 in the fourth quarter via a 48-yard field goal by Max Gilbert, yet an ensuing potential game-winning field goal failed, keeping Georgia’s hopes alive.

In overtime, Georgia quickly scored with a 21-yard run from Nate Frazier on their first play, leading to Josh McCray busting through for the game-winning touchdown.

As Smart noted, the team has had to refocus on their physical gameplay styles to achieve such victories.

“That’s who we are,” Smart reiterated. “If we’re going to be good this year, we’re going to have to run the ball. We’re not going to drop back 35 or 40 times a game with Gunner Stockton and be a dropback pass team.”

To further solidify Georgia’s position, Stockton made vital connections with names like Colbie Young during critical moments, showcasing his potential as a leading quarterback.

It remains clear that if Georgia can keep focusing on their strengths while improving upon weaknesses, they may remain a powerful force in college football.