Tennessee Football: Do Richt's Dawgs Need A Win More Than Dooley's Vols?

The Tennessee Volunteers (2-3, 0-2 SEC) and Head Coach Derek Dooley travel to Athens this Saturday in the 40th-ever meeting against embattled coach Mark Richt's struggling Georgia Bulldogs (1-4, 0-3 SEC).

It's a contest that has both programs desperately seeking their first SEC win in the 2010 campaign.  Something has to give.  The question is, which team needs this win the most?

In the 110-year history of a series that dates back to 1899, Tennessee and Georgia have never entered this game with both teams sporting losing records— until now.  Tennessee is coming off a heart-breaking loss at Baton Rouge, while Georgia returns home from Colorado, riding a four-game losing streak, their longest skid since 1990.

Tennessee leads the all-time series with a mark of 21-16-2, with the Bulldogs holding a 6-4 edge in the last 10 meetings. The Vols won last year's meeting 45-19 in Knoxville.

Richt was hired as head coach of the Bulldogs prior to the 2001 season by legendary-former head coach of Georgia, Vince Dooley, who was athletic director at the time.  In an ironic twist, Dooley's son, Derek, now head coach of the Vols, is in position to all but finish what his father started ten years ago.  A loss at home to the Vols, who are a 13-point underdog, would probably be more than Richt could withstand.

All Richt has done in his first nine full seasons at Georgia is average 10 wins and less than three losses per season, including bowl game appearances in every season.  Georgia has gone 7-2 in those 9 bowl games. 

So, what's the problem?   

Richt is off to a brutal 1-4 start in 2010 on the heels of his worst season in 2009 as the Dawgs finished up at 8-5.  Add it all up and Georgia has a record of 9-9 in their last 18 games. 

In a sports society where fans now demand championship performances on a yearly basis, or else.  Richt is just the next guy seemingly in line to be kicked off the latest reality show that is called "So You Wanna Be a College Football Coach?" 

You see, someone must pay the price for the less-than-perfect performances demanded by high-profile donors, with egos that rival Simon Cowell, who ultimately control the coach's fate.  This is at every school, not just Georgia.  Fair or not, right or wrong, to quote Les Miles, "Just another day in the SEC."

Tennessee is obviously in rebuild-mode with first-year coach Derek Dooley.  The Vols have shown they are willing to fight to the end but youth and inexperience has cost them at least one win.  Nonetheless, Coach Dooley, in a homecoming of sorts, needs a win about as badly as anyone. 

After last weeks stunner at LSU, the remainder of the season may very well hinge on this week's performance.  How many times can a coach inspire his young troops without coming away with a quality win?  And yes, a win over an SEC East rival Georgia Bulldog team would be a quality win, at least for Dooley and the Vols.

In Monday's weekly press luncheon Coach Richt said this, "I would think it's going to be a highly-emotional game, a highly-charged game with two teams really fighting like mad for the ability to show people that we can play football.  It ought to be a good one.  Tennessee-Georgia, enough said I guess."

When asked about Vince Dooley who will not be at the game, Richt added, "Coach (Vince) Dooley absolutely loves the University of Georgia.  There is no doubt about that.  It's such a big part of his life, but I think he loves Derek more, which he should."

Neither team is in position to compete for the SEC Championship in 2010 but this game is huge for both teams and their coaches. 

Dooley is fighting for that first SEC win and respect in the conference in his return to Athens.

Richt is fighting to prove to his detractors that he deserves to remain in Athens.  Even with a win, it still might not be enough to save his job.

One thing is for sure, one team will leave Sanford Stadium on Saturday afternoon with a little bit of relief and the other will just feel the heat turned up another notch.

Win or lose, right or wrong, it's just another day in the SEC.