Tennessee vs. Georgia: Score and Twitter Reaction

The Tennessee Volunteers traveled to Athens and gave the No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs all they could handle on Saturday in an SEC showdown that resulted in a 35-32 victory for the home team.

The Bulldogs may have notched the win, but Tennessee made them earn every single yard from the onset of the contest.

Volunteers quarterback Justin Worley got things going early for the visiting team, completing four of his first five passes to drive his offense 43 yards into field-goal range. Aaron Medley capped off the nine-play drive with a 46-yard kick to put Tennessee up 3-0.

Worley was back at it soon after, as the Volunteers defense thwarted the early efforts of Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason and forced a punt. The Tennessee signal-caller completed big passes to Ethan Wolf and Johnathan Johnson to move deep into Georgia territory, and running back Jalen Hurd finished off the nine-play, 72-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge.

All of a sudden, Tennessee found itself up 10-0. SportsCenter tweeted the early score:

The Bulldogs wouldn't be denied for long, though. After Georgia's defense forced a three-and-out, Isaiah McKenzie returned a Matt Darr punt 29 yards to the Tennessee 32. That return sparked the Bulldogs offense, as Todd Gurley began the drive with a 16-yard run and Mason finished it off with a three-yard scoring scamper.

ESPN College Football tweeted the result of the drive:

The second quarter started with Mason throwing an interception, leading Georgia to wisely lean on its running game on the ensuing drive. That turned out to be a brilliant idea, as Gurley and Nick Chubb pounded the Tennessee defense, combining to carry seven times in that drive alone. Gurley's one-yard touchdown leap gave Georgia its first lead of the day.

Eye on College Football noted just how close the running back's scoring plunge was:

After another Tennessee punt, the Bulldogs offense picked right up where it left off. Sony Michel entered the mix at running back and Mason relied on several short, high-percentage passes to move the ball down the field. A screen pass from Mason to Chubb capped off the drive, as the running back burned the defense for a 20-yard score.

Rivals.com noted how high the freshman was ranked heading to Georgia:

With the Bulldogs up 21-10, the Volunteers needed to answer before the half, and Hurd answered the call. He rushed for 18 and 19 yards to kick off the drive. One 18-yard reception later, the running back put his offense in position to strike. A picture-perfect 23-yard pass from Worley to Jason Croom in the corner of the end zone got the Volunteers within four at the break.

Wes Rucker of 247Sports was certainly impressed:

The start of the third quarter began in ominous fashion for the Bulldogs, as Mason tossed his second interception of the day. However, Georgia's defense held strong and forced a punt on Tennessee's ensuing drive.

Tennessee appeared ready to take the lead midway through the quarter, driving down to Georgia's 21-yard line; however, a fumble by Marlin Lane saw the Volunteers' drive come to a swift halt. The result was a quarter that produced zero points.

That would all change in the game's final 15 minutes.

After a few early punts, Gurley showed up in a big way for the Bulldogs. He was steady throughout the game, but appeared to only get stronger as the game went on. A five-play drive—featuring four Gurley runs—was finished with a blazing 51-yard touchdown scamper by the Heisman Trophy contender.

SportsCenter tweeted its reaction to the run:

Not to be outdone, Worley came through in a big way for Tennessee on the ensuing drive. He tossed a 31-yard strike to Pig Howard for a touchdown, and followed that up with a scrambling, two-point conversion, via a floating pass to Daniel Helm.

Rivals.com enthusiastically tweeted about the game's late drama:

The Volunteers forced a punt on Georgia's next drive; however, a brilliant kick from Collin Barber was downed at the 1-yard line. This led to disaster for Tennessee.

Hurd was given the handoff from his own end zone, but he lost control of the ball and saw Georgia recover for a score.

ESPN College Football noted Hurd's great game, but that fumble sure hurt:

The Volunteers gained possession down by 10, and Worley continued his impressive play immediately. Big completions to Wolf and Croom allowed the offense to march deep inside Georgia territory, and facing a 3rd-and-goal, Worley found Marquez North in the back of the end zone for another touchdown.

Former NFL veteran Donte Stallworth tweeted his impression on the Tennessee quarterback:

Suddenly, the Volunteers had new life, trailing by three points with two minutes remaining.

After a failed onside kick, Georgia attempted to keep the ball on the ground and kill the clock. The team was able to do just that with Gurley in the backfield. He carried six consecutive times, earned two first downs and finished off the Volunteers.

The running back finished with a career-best 208 rushing yards against Tennessee, via Seth Emerson of The Macon Telegraph:

Despite losing the game, Tennessee proved it can hang with the best the SEC has to offer. Worley appears to be the real deal under center, and the emergence of Hurd at the running back position was a breath of fresh air for the Volunteers.

Head coach Butch Jones was curt when asked about his team's close call on Saturday, via Volquest Staff:

Tennessee's remaining schedule isn't easy, with Ole Miss, Alabama and South Carolina comprising three ranked teams looming in the future. However, this is a young Volunteers team that certainly appears to have a very bright future ahead.

Georgia's win secures its position near the top of the nation's standings for another week. This team has bounced back nicely since a devastating loss to South Carolina, and Gurley continues to look like this year's Heisman favorite.

Head coach Mark Richt spoke of his excitement regarding the team's offense going forward, via Logan Booker of BulldawgIllustrated.com:

Although, the coach did note the team must make several corrections going forward, according to Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald:

While only one ranked team remains on the Bulldogs' schedule—No. 5 Auburn—Georgia doesn't have it easy, as road games against Missouri and Arkansas could prove to be tricky. However, after the Bulldogs' performance on Saturday, this team looks to have what it takes to win out from here.