ATHENS, Ga. (WATE) -- While the Vols showed some promise in the beginning of their battle against Georgia, the team fell short, giving the Bulldogs a 31-17 win.
Tennessee jumped out to their fastest start of SEC play against the Bulldogs, logging 10 points by the end of the first quarter. It's the most points they accumulated in the first 15 minutes of play since their non-conference slate.
Tight end Miles Kitselman was Tennessee's go-to guy in the first drive of the game. The senior was targeted twice, cashing in on 9-yard and 12-yard receptions, and then logged his first ever rushing yard as he leaped into pay dirt for a Tennessee touchdown.
The Vols lead 7-0 with 10:09 left in the first quarter. Max Gilbert tacked on three more after a solid return from Boo Carter put the Vols in field goal range despite falling to convert a first down. Gilbert struck from 52-yards out to put Tennessee up 10-0.
Georgia struggled in their first three drives of the game, collecting only one first down during that time. However as the first quarter flipped to the second, Georgia found some momentum, Carson Beck finding Oscar Delp 19-yards away in the end zone to send some points to the board.
Tennessee still was in front, but Georgia was knocking at the door.
The Bulldogs broke through that door with 6:36 left in the first half when Delp recorded his second touchdown of the night off a 4-yard Beck pass.
That gave Georgia their first lead of the night, 14-10.
Tennessee's second quarter woes were shattered by a 27-yard up the gut sprint from Dylan Sampson into the end zone. The touchdown put the Vols back in front, 17-14.
With less than two minutes remaining, Georgia manages to get back down the field but the Vols defense limits them to just a field goal. 36-yards from Peyton Woodring tied it back up at 17 with seconds until the half.
Beck broke it with a 10-yard rush for the Bulldogs' third touchdown of the night. Tennessee left the middle wide open for Georgia to take a 24-17 lead.
On the return, the Bulldogs held Tennessee off, then found another touchdown with Nate Frazier running two yards to bring the score up to 17-31 with 2:26 left in the game.
The Vols got the ball back at their own 25 yard line, but after several incomplete passes, Nico Iamaleava fumbled the ball, which was promply picked up by Georgia with 1:18 on the clock. The Bulldogs held onto the ball for the remainder of the game, taking home the win 17-31.
UP NEXT: The Vols are slated to take on UTEP in Knoxville on November 23 at 1 p.m.