On Saturday night, Georgia faced Tennessee at Sanford Stadium, a team known for its Orange “T” emblem on their helmets.

This was the second consecutive visit to Athens for Tennessee, who arrived with a higher ranking in the College Football Playoff (CFP) than Georgia, but once again left defeated.

The final score was 31-17, with Georgia managing to keep Tennessee scoreless during the second half.

“We aren’t up against the College Football Playoff committee,” Kirby Smart, the head coach of Georgia, stated during an appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay. “The challenge is with Tennessee. Our focus is on what lies directly ahead of us, and everything else will fall into place.”

It’s expected that Georgia will surpass Tennessee in the CFP rankings come Tuesday night, moving from the position of being the last team not in the playoffs (ranked No. 12) to securing a spot within the 12-team playoff bracket.

The Bulldogs are likely to be playoff contenders if they end the regular season with a record of 10-2, as they prepare to play UMass next Saturday, followed by Georgia Tech on November 29.

Georgia’s ranking fell nine spots after a loss to Ole Miss (28-10), partly due to committee chair Warde Manuel’s comments regarding their offense’s inconsistency.

If the 13-member selection committee was paying attention to this game, they witnessed a Georgia offense outperforming any team against Tennessee this season with a total of 453 yards.

The previous high against Tennessee was 19 points by Arkansas during a 19-14 victory.

“I really don’t understand what their criteria are,” Smart remarked in the postgame press conference, reiterating his point made during an ABC interview on the field. “It would be beneficial if they could clarify their standards. I wish they would observe our opponents in person rather than just rely on televised broadcasts, as you miss crucial details that way.”

He continued, “They’ll likely analyze this week in light of facing one of the nation’s top defenses and still managing 453 yards, which could have been even more. Each week tells its own story, and we aim to present ourselves as a consistently excellent team rather than one that’s affected by external opinions from a distant room. As coaches, we focus on improving. I respect their judgement and opinions, but they may not fully grasp the dynamics of our league.”

It is important to note that the committee includes coaches, such as Gary Pinkel, a former SEC coach who led Missouri from 2012 to 2015. Other committee members include Chris Ault (former Nevada coach), Jim Grobe (former Wake Forest coach), and Mike Riley (former Oregon State and Nebraska coach).

Among the athletic directors in the committee are Arkansas’ Hunter Yurachek and Virginia’s Carla Williams, who previously served as a senior athletic administrator at Georgia until 2017.

Georgia’s victories against CFP-ranked teams like No. 3 Texas, No. 7 Tennessee, and No. 20 Clemson present a strong case that might be difficult for other competitors to match.

In the SEC, there is also 9-1 Texas and five teams sitting at 8-2: Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. It’s possible that two of these teams may find themselves left out of the playoffs.

When asked about his own team’s place in the playoff race, Tennessee’s coach Josh Heupel said, “I really have no clue, honestly. All I can say is that this league represents college football at its finest, and sometimes road teams face unexpected challenges.”

Georgia’s quarterback Carson Beck, who had faced scrutiny for his 12 interceptions this season, had a stellar performance against the Volunteers, throwing for 347 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 of 40 attempts, without any interceptions.

Beck addressed the team on Monday after a meeting, sharing that several players had contacted Coach Smart to emphasize the importance of the Tennessee game.

In his remarks, Beck mentioned, “As long as we want this journey to continue, we must secure victories. We are in a tight spot, and that’s just the reality. Let’s play hard and enjoy it.”

Walker added, “Losing is not an option for us here at Georgia. We prioritize winning, and we were fortunate to seize that opportunity tonight.”

When asked about navigating the challenges of the SEC and holding a 6-2 record in the league, Smart noted that there’s a perception that Georgia is expected to win every game.

“How you respond to losses speaks volumes about your character,” he remarked. “These young men are learning resilience and preparing for future challenges in life from their experiences with us. The scrutiny they face in this sport is unparalleled, and I’m proud of how they united and performed this week.”