The Tennessee Volunteers did not get the news that the team had hoped ahead of the Vols’ SEC showdown versus the Georgia Bulldogs. Tennessee will once again be without two key starters in one of the team’s biggest tests of the college football season in Week 3.
The Vols will be without a pair of starting cornerbacks as Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson are both expected to remain sidelined against the Dawgs, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
We’re heading to Knoxville for an SEC showdown between Georgia and Tennessee 🔥
“Sources: Tennessee will again be without its two starting corners Georgia this week, as both Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson are not expected back,” Thamel detailed in a September 8, 2025, message on X. “McCoy is still recovering from his ACL tear in January, and Gibson (undisclosed) is out for an extended period of time.”
Here’s what you need to know about the Georgia-Tennessee game.
College Football Odds Week 3: Georgia Is a 4.5-Point Favorite vs. Tennessee
Tennessee is a dangerous home underdog against Georgia in Week 3. The Bulldogs are a 4.5-point favorite against the Vols, per FanDuel.
They have the best road winning percentage IN THE COUNTRY.
Will the Dawgs take down Tennessee in Neyland?
Georgia is still a bit of a mystery with opening games against Marshall and Austin Peay. Tennessee enters the SEC contest a little more tested after a dominant 45-26 victory over Syracuse in Week 1. The Vols offense is also humming after dropping 72 points on East Tennessee State in Week 2.
Georgia HC Kirby Smart on Tennessee’s Crowd: ‘We’ll Find Out’
After opening the season with two home games against inferior opponents, Georgia is preparing for a major challenge as the team heads to Neyland Stadium. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart admitted it is a big jump playing their first SEC game on the road against a top-15 team.
“We’ll find out, that’s for sure,” Smart said on preparing to play at Neyland Stadium, per A to Z Sports. “You know what I mean? It’s a different demeanor when you go on the road in the SEC, especially when you have not been on the road. Study the stats on that. You ain’t been on the road, and your first road game is in the SEC. We had that a couple years ago at Auburn.
“It’s always an adventure. We’ve been preparing for that, knowing that all along it’s going to be different when you go up there. You’ve got to be prepared for it. You’ve got to have confidence in your plan. You’ve got to go execute as a unit. It’s not you against 100,000. It’s you against 11-11.”
Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar on Georgia: ‘Just Excited for the Week of Preparation’
It is early in the season but one of the major standouts for Tennessee has been transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar. The Vols quarterback is “super excited” to be tested against Georgia.
“I’m super excited,” Aguilar said, per Go Vols 247Sports. “That’s another team on the schedule that we have to go and play, so just excited for the week of preparation, and just going out there and trusting my guys and just playing how we play.”
The SEC showdown is arguably the marquee game of Week 3 and one of the first contests which could greatly shape the conference race as well as the College Football Playoff picture.
Tennessee Dealt Unfortunate News Days Before Georgia Game