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It’s just another game. 

“It’s a Week 11 game. It’s no bigger or no less than the last 10 games we’ve had,” the Buffalo Bills quarterback maintained during his mid-week press conference. “I know the media perception, the fan perception and what this game means, but for us, it’s just Week 11 for us.” 

Yeah, right. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming to town as the NFL’s only undefeated team (9-0), and the matchup at Highmark Stadium is the biggest game of the NFL’s season – so huge that CBS will air its “NFL Today” show on location. 

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Maybe, just maybe if the Chiefs stumble, a Buffalo victory could be a tiebreaker edge that would allow it to host the AFC Championship Game. And it’s become such a rivalry. The Bills have had Super Bowl visions for a few years now, but three of their past four seasons have ended with heartbreaking playoff losses to the Chiefs. 

That makes Kansas City, two-time defending Super Bowl champs, a certified demon for Allen & Co. 

Go ahead, tell yourself it’s just another game. 

“It’s something we talk about, not making one game bigger than the next,” Bills tight end Dawson Knox, a sixth-year vet, told reporters. “So, we want to treat each game as the same size. We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, looking forward to the playoff picture or anything like that. But they’re an incredible team. Every year since I’ve been here, we’ve played them. It’s always an awesome challenge. 

‘But our focus is on us,” Knox added. “The most important thing is to just keep everything inside the building, focus on little things out on the practice field, not getting too far ahead of ourselves.” 

You can’t knock the Bills (8-2) for such an approach. Although the Chiefs have ruled the NFL during this Patrick Mahomes Era, Buffalo has been a legitimate contender under coach Sean McDermott and owned the AFC East in recent years. With Tom Brady out of the way, the Bills have won four consecutive division titles. They know a thing or two about good football and the mindset to solidify a standard. 

Shoot, the Bills have won the past three regular-season matchups against the Chiefs, winning each time at Arrowhead Stadium. 

Yet, this is not just some ho-hum Week 11 game for multiple reasons.  

First off, the Bills can end any discussion about Kansas City, winners of 15 consecutive games, possibly pulling off a perfect season. Sure, an undefeated season is a long shot. Yet imagine what it would do for Buffalo’s psyche to be the team that douses water on any thoughts of making such history. 

Did somebody mention psyche? The Bills finally drew the Chiefs for a playoff game in Buffalo, in an AFC divisional-round matchup in January, and proceeded to lose with a second-half meltdown. The other playoff matchups in recent years were staged in Kansas City, where the Bills were 13 seconds from advancing to 2021 AFC title game – until Mahomes engineered a drive that set up a field goal that forced overtime. Nightmare at Arrowhead. 

No, Week 11 or not, the Bills can do themselves a solid with a win. Obviously, a victory on Sunday won’t be the ultimate payback. The chance for that could come in January, in the playoffs, when the Chiefs will be trying to advance for a shot at making history as the NFL’s first three-peat Super Bowl champion. 

Win now, though, and it’s a fresh measuring stick of what’s possible later for a Bills squad that has 17 players who weren’t on the roster for the last playoff game. 

Then again, Knox’s point about making it about the Bills rather than the Chiefs has much substance. While Buffalo has won five consecutive games, just one of its victories this season has come against a team that currently has a winning record. And it took a monumental rally to beat Arizona in the opener. When the Bills faced Baltimore and Houston in back-to-back road games, they were trounced. 

So, now comes the chance to measure themselves against the most quality opponent of them all. 

And with the intense spotlight, there won’t be any issues in getting amped up. 

“But sometimes that can be a negative thing,” Knox said. “If you get too hyped up, too ready to go, you might start having mental errors. So, there’s a lot of poise that needs to be involved and just falling back on our preparation. Not getting too excited too quickly. But it is always a little more fun when it’s a primetime game or a big matchup.” 

Other side of the rivalry 

After four years in Baltimore, Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen is now living on the other side of one of the NFL’s most intense rivalries. And with the Ravens (7-3) coming to Pittsburgh for a matchup on Sunday that will determine first place in the AFC North, he’s adding some fuel to the fire. As if extra juice is needed. 

Queen, lured to Pittsburgh with a three-year, $41 million contract, maintained this week that he felt disrespected that the Ravens let him walk as a free agent. Never mind that Baltimore was rather salary cap-strapped, given the commitments to Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith and Nnamdi Madubuike.

Nonetheless, it’s a spicy subplot for the looming showdown. 

‘I wasn’t wanted back,” Queen told reporters in Pittsburgh this week. “I didn’t get an offer. It was definitely kind of upsetting being there for four years and the bond that you grow with your teammates. For the first few months, you definitely go through those feelings.” 

What might that mean on Sunday? 

‘I will definitely have feelings,” Queen continued. “Anybody in my position would this week.” 

Through nine games, Queen has delivered what was promised to help Pittsburgh (7-2) take the division lead. With 62 tackles, he ranks second on the team to another former Raven, safety DeShaun Elliott (64). He’s also critical to the communication, wearing the green dot as the player with the radio device in his helmet to get the play calls from coordinator Teryl Austin. And, of course, in helping their cause, the Steelers – who have won three in a row and seven of the past eight games in this series – undoubtedly saw an additional perk in taking away a key player from a Ravens defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFL last season. 

Baltimore brings a former Steeler to the party who is worth noting – even though Steelers coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the presence of wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who tied for the team high last season with five TD receptions. 

Johnson, traded by Pittsburgh to Carolina last spring, was recently obtained by the Ravens in another trade. Asked this week for his take on Johnson, Tomlin sent a certain type of message. 

“To be honest, I haven’t thought a lot about him,” Tomlin said bluntly, apparently unconcerned about providing bulletin board juice for Baltimore’s fourth receiver.  “They’ve got more significant pieces with larger roles that have occupied my attention at this point in the week.” 

Ouch. Let the rivalry resume.

Mafia move 

With an extraordinary sample size measured by the fact that he logged starts at quarterback for nine teams during a 17-year NFL journey, believe Ryan Fitzpatrick when he contends that he had no better connection with fans than during his four-year stint with the Buffalo Bills that began in 2009. 

So, naturally, Fitzpatrick, now an emerging analyst for Amazon’s Thursday Night Football show, seemed like a card-carrying member of the Bills Mafia when he offered to match the $12,000 fine slapped on Spencer Brown for coming to the aid of Josh Allen, pledging to donate that amount to the charity of the Buffalo guard’s choosing. Pretty cool, Fitz.  

The Bills Mafia has a reputation for supporting charities of players – including those on opposing teams – to make a statement while raising cash when situations warrant. 

Brown was fined for engaging with Nick Cross after the Colts defensive back went extra-curricular after the Bills quarterback finished off a short touchdown run last week. 

Fitzpatrick’s tweet (and pledge) included some reasoning for Brown. 

“Thanks for providing an example of what a lineman should be,” Fitzpatrick posted on X. 

Charity benefits. Statement made. And another type of FitzMagic. 

Quick slants 

– Hindsight is clearly Kliff Kingsbury. The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday and replaced him with Thomas Brown, fallout from the mess that has engulfed rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. This move came a week after the Raiders dumped their OC, Luke Getsy, who held the job last year in Chicago. The connection? The Bears and Raiders both considered hiring Kingsbury but rejected him. Bad moves. And in the Raiders’ case, the breaking point came down to Kingsbury wanting a three-year contract that was a year longer than offered. Kingsbury has merely gone on to ignite an emerging Commanders offense while pushing the buttons for star quarterback Jayden Daniels, the frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. 

– Falcons safety Justin Simmons remains tight with some of his former Broncos teammates, so much so that he’s still part of a group chat. Yet business is business. Simmons makes his return to Denver this weekend, where the competition against former teammates will be a lot more intense than it was on the practice field during his eight seasons with the Broncos. Sensing as much, Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton told reporters of his message to Simmons: “I jokingly told him, ‘Hey, bro, if you see me coming across the middle, just remember we’re friends.’ “ 

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This time one year ago, Georgia was chasing history, aiming to become the first FBS football team to win three consecutive national championships since Minnesota in the mid-1930s.

Now, the Bulldogs are fighting for their College Football Playoff life.

Coming off a gutting 28-10 loss last Saturday at Ole Miss, coach Kirby Smart and his No. 10 Georgia team will aim to rebound in what should be one of their most challenging games of the season: a home matchup Saturday against No. 4 Tennessee at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

While the Vols and quarterback Nico Iamaleava are in a relatively strong position to make the newly expanded 12-team playoff with an 8-1 record, the Bulldogs are looking to avoid their third loss of the season, a setback that would put their postseason hopes in serious peril.

To earn a much-needed victory, they’ll have to slow down one of the most explosive offenses in college football, one that averages 37.6 points per game. Tennessee figures to have Iamaleava, who spent much of the week in concussion protocol, but was removed from the SEC’s weekly availability report, signaling that he’s able to play. Georgia, meanwhile, is dealing with injuries of its own, with running back Trevor Etienne listed as out on the availability report as he nurses a rib injury.

The Vols will look to snap what has been an underwhelming recent history against the Bulldogs. Georgia has won seven consecutive games in the series, including a 38-10 beatdown last season at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Following along here for the live score, updates, highlights and more as Tennessee football travels down to Georgia to take on the Bulldogs:

Tennessee vs Georgia score updates

This section will be updated when the game begins.

Tennessee football vs Georgia live updates

Fourth quarter: Georgia 24, Tennessee 17

Lengthy Tennessee drive ends with a punt

A 12-play drive doesn’t often end without points, or even a field-goal attempt, but it just did for Tennessee, which goes 36 yards in 12 plays, but it ends with a punt. The Vols had a fourth-and-5 at the Georgia 41-yard line and were going for it, but an offensive lineman flinched and Tennessee was flagged for a false start.

Georgia will take over at its own 8-yard line with 8:47 left and a chance to bleed some valuable clock.

End of third quarter: Georgia 24, Tennessee 17

Georgia punts

The Bulldogs’ offensive hot streak ends. Georgia gets it down to the Tennessee 43-yard line, but isn’t able to advance any farther and has to punt, with Tennessee taking over at its own 18-yard line to open the fourth quarter.

Georgia had scored on four consecutive drives.

Tennessee punts again

Just as the Georgia offense appears to have found its stride, the Tennessee offense is struggling to regain its mojo. The Vols have punted on four of their past six full drives, only one of which has gone for more than 34 yards.

Bulldogs take over at their own 19-yard line with a few minutes left in the quarter.

Carson Beck rushing TD puts Georgia ahead

A back-and-forth game between two of the SEC’s best teams continues to be just that into the third quarter.

On a third-and-7, Carson Beck is flushed out of the pocket, but finds an opening and darts into the end zone himself to put Georgia up 24-17. The Bulldogs’ touchdown has snapped a streak of 10 consecutive games for Tennessee in which it held opponents under 19 points.

The touchdown finished off a 12-play, 87-yard drive. Georgia has scored on four consecutive possessions.

Tennessee opts not to go for fourth down, punts

The Vols made their way up the field to open up the second half, but saw their drive stall in Georgia territory. It initially appeared as though Tennessee was going to go for a fourth-and-6 from the Georgia 36-yard line, but Josh Heupel’s team takes a delay of game penalty and punts. The Bulldogs will take over at their 13.

Halftime: Tennessee 17, Georgia 17

Some halftime stats, with Georgia and Tennessee tied at 17:

Total yards: Georgia 239, Tennessee 189
Passing yards: Georgia 184, Tennessee 93
Rushing yards: Tennessee 96, Georgia 55
First downs: Tennessee 12, Georgia 12
Yards per play: Georgia 5.8, Tennessee 4.6
Yards per carry: Georgia 4.6, Tennessee 4.4
Third downs: Tennessee 6-10, Georgia 4-8
Sacks: Georgia 3, Tennessee 0
Penalties: Georgia 4-35, Tennessee 4-33

And some individual numbers:

Tennessee

Nico Iamaleava: 12-19, 93 yards
Dylan Sampson: 11 carries, 68 yards, 1 touchdown
Squirrel White: 4 catches, 23 yards

Georgia

Carson Beck: 15-29, 184 yards, 2 touchdowns
Nate Frazier: 8 carries, 27 yards
Oscar Delp: 4 catches, 56 yards, 2 touchdowns

Peyton Woodring FG gets Georgia even with Tennessee

Georgia goes 57 yards in 12 plays and 1:49, with Peyton Woodring putting a bow on the drive with a 36-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Bulldogs and Vols are going to go into halftime tied at 17.

James Pearce Jr returns for Tennessee

Only a couple of plays after injuring his shoulder, James Pearce Jr. is back on the field for Tennessee as the Vols look to hold off a potential Georgia scoring drive just before halftime.

James Pearce Jr injured, leaves field for Tennessee

As Georgia approaches midfield just before halftime, Tennessee has lost, if even temporarily, its top defensive player. Defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. stayed down on the turf after a play finished and headed back to the Vols’ sideline, where he was having his left shoulder looked at by team medical personnel.

In another injury update, Dillon Bell has gone back to Georgia’s locker room. A return appears unlikely for the Bulldogs wide receiver.

Dylan Sampson rushing TD helps Tennessee regain lead

Just when it appeared as though the game was potentially slipping away from Tennessee, the Vols respond in a big way.

Trailing by four, Tennessee goes 75 yards in 10 plays. Dylan Sampson caps it off with a 24-yard rushing touchdown right up in the middle, virtually untouched.

It came two plays after Sampson got the Vols a first down with a 3-yard run on a fourth-and-2 from the Georgia 37-yard line. Just under two minutes remaining in the half.

Oscar Delp’s second TD catch puts Georgia ahead

After a sluggish start, the Georgia offense is rolling. Each of the Bulldogs’ past two drives have ended in the end zone, with its most recent possession going 84 yards in 10 plays. It’s finished off by yet another Carson Beck pass to Oscar Delp, this one for four yards.

The Bulldogs are on top 14-10 with 6:36 left in the first half.

On its first three drives, Georgia had 22 yards on 13 plays, an average of 1.7 yards per play. On its past two drives, it has 159 yards on 17 plays, an average of 9.4 yards per plat.

Dillon Bell injured, leaves game for Georgia

Bulldogs wide receiver Dillon Bell is in the medical tent after a 5-yard rush that nearly got his team in the end zone for the go-ahead score. After being tackled near the pylon, Bell got up and tried walking on his own power, but hobbled and eventually went back down to the turf before being tended to by team medical personnel.

Tennessee forced to punt

Georgia is able to build on the positive momentum of its touchdown drive, forcing a Tennessee punt on the ensuing possession. The key play came on a third-and-8, with Malaki Starks coming in to break up what would have been a first-down throw from Nico Iamaleava to Squirrel White.

Bulldogs take over at their own 16-yard line with 11 minutes left in the second quarter.

Georgia responds with Oscar Delp 19-yard TD catch

Georgia gets some much-needed points, with its first sustained drive of the day. The Bulldogs respond to the Tennessee field goal with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that’s finished off by a 19-yard Oscar Delp touchdown on a beautiful pass down the middle from Carson Beck.

Beck looked much more comfortable and loose on that drive, which was keyed by a 38-yard completion to Dominic Lovett that got the Bulldogs into Tennessee territory. Beck threw for 57 yards on that possession and added a 14-yard scramble that got Georgia on the edge of the red zone.

Vols are up 10-7 with 13:30 left in the first half.

End of first quarter: Tennessee 10, Georgia 0

Tennessee extends lead with 52-yard field goal

Boo Carter’s excellent return immediately put Tennessee in scoring position — so much so that the Vols mustered only three yards and still came away with points.

Max Gilbert boots a 52-yard field goal right down the middle, with enough distance to have likely been good from 60 yards. That’s a career long for the freshman from Memphis.

Vols are up 10-0 with about one minute left in the first quarter.

Georgia goes three-and-out, punts

Three drives have resulted in three punts so far for Georgia, which goes three-and-out yet again. Carson Beck is struggling, completing only two of his first eight passes for 12 yards. There were already questions about what had been a constipated Bulldogs offense. Tonight isn’t easing those at all, at least through nearly a full quarter.

Worse yet for Georgia, Tennessee’s Boo Carter returns the ensuing punt 26 yards to the Georgia 37-yard line.

Tennessee punts for the first time

Looking to extend their lead, the Vols are stopped, with a 6-yard sack of Nico Iamaleava setting up a third-and-12 that Tennessee failed to convert. Tennessee punts for the first time and gets a beauty out of it, a 53-yard boomer that pins Georgia down at its own 6-yard line with 4:30 left in the first quarter.

Georgia punts again

The Bulldogs manage to get a first down this time around, but they’re forced to punt yet again after Dominic Lovett drops a screen from Carson Beck on third-and-10. Georgia has just 16 yards on its first two drives.

A 43-yard punt gives Tennessee the ball at its own 18-yard line.

Miles Kitselman’s first career TD run gives Tennessee lead over Georgia

Tennessee wasted little time showing off the potency of its offense, going 78 yards in 12 plays on its first drive of the night. The Vols cap it off in style, too, with tight end Miles Kitselman lining up as a fullback on third-and-goal from the Georgia 1-yard line, getting the carry and diving over the lines for a touchdown.

Kitselman was Tennessee’s leading receiver that possession, too, with two catches for 21 yards. It’s the first career rushing touchdown for the Alabama transfer.

Two failed deep passes force Georgia to punt

Georgia received the opening kickoff, but isn’t able to mount any kind of sustained drive, going three and out. Carson Beck threw deep balls on first and third down, but was unable to connect on either. The first one was particularly painful, as he appeared to link up with Arian Smith at the Tennessee 31-yard line for a first down, but Smith wasn’t able to hang on.

Bulldogs punt and the Vols take over at their 22.

Pregame

Nico Iamaleava warming up for Tennessee

While his absence on the SEC availability report signaled that he was almost certainly playing against Georgia, Nico Iamaleava has removed any remaining doubt, with the Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback warming up for the Vols.

Georgia football injury updates

The final SEC availability report before kickoff features no changes for Tennessee, but several for Georgia. The Bulldogs will be without linebacker Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, who was previously listed as questionable, as well as running backs Trevor Etienne, Roderick Robinson II and Brandon Robinson.

However, wide receiver Anthony Evans III, running back Cash Jones and offensive lineman Micah Morris, all of whom were previously deemed questionable, are no longer on the injury report and ostensibly available for Georgia.

Tennessee uniforms vs Georgia

While playing away from Neyland Stadium, Tennessee will go with its traditional road uniform — white helmets, white jerseys and white pants.

‘College GameDay’ crew makes Tennessee-Georgia picks

With ‘College GameDay’ broadcasting from Athens, Georgia on Saturday, the show’s panel made predictions for the game that brought everyone there.

Each of the show’s analysts — excluding Kirk Herbstreit, who is calling the game for ABC and thus abstained from making a prediction — went with the Bulldogs.

Desmond Howard: Georgia
Nick Saban: Georgia
Pat McAfee: Georgia
Cody Rhodes: Georgia
Lee Corso: Georgia
Kirk Herbstreit: N/A

Tennessee vs Georgia time today

Date: Saturday, November 16
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Sanford Stadium (Athens, Georgia)

What channel is Tennessee vs Georgia game on today?

TV channel: ABC
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
Radio: SiriusXM Channel 84

The game between the Vols and Bulldogs will air on ABC. Chris Fowler (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be on the call while Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge serve as sideline reporters.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, ESPN+ and Fubo, the last of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Watch Tennessee vs. Georgia football live with Fubo (free trial)

Tennessee vs Georgia history

Series record: Georgia leads 28-23-2
Tennessee’s last win: 2016 (Tennessee 34, Georgia 31)
Georgia’s last win: 2023 (Georgia 38, Tennessee 10)

Tennessee vs Georgia predictions

There are no certainties in this game. Will Nico Iamaleava play well after being cleared from concussion protocol? Will Carson Beck stop turning the ball over? Can Georgia be the first team to score 20 on Tennessee’s defense? Can the Vols overcome their road woes and an unfriendly raucous crowd? It’s been a crazy college football season. Let’s add this game to the list of eye-opening outcomes.’

Tennessee’s offense is looking better lately, but the Vols haven’t played a road game since Arkansas in early October. Georgia was a house of horrors in 2022 for Tennessee and its CFP hopes. It will be that again.’

If Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out because of injury, don’t hold me to this prediction. Iamaleava didn’t play in the second half of UT’s 33-14 victory over Mississippi State because of an ‘upper-body’ injury. However, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said after the game and again Monday that he expected Iamaleava to be in ‘great shape for Saturday.’ As anyone who follows college football knows, if a coach tells you something about injuries, you can bank on it. Or bet on it.

‘Georgia needs this game in a big way and that should produce a fiery squad who should play more loose than tight at home. Tennessee’s defense is one of the best in the nation, but this is not one of Heupel’s top offenses. Tennessee is 1-1 in true road games including a loss at Arkansas. Bulldogs ride home crowd to win.’

Tennessee vs Georgia betting odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, Nov. 16

Spread: Georgia (-9.5)
Over/under: 46.5 points
Moneyline: Georgia -350 | Tennessee +275

Tennessee vs Georgia injury updates

Tennessee

DB Jourdan Thomas: Out
LB Keenan Pili: Out
LB Edwin Spillman: Out
RB DeSean Bishop: Out
OL Vysen Lang: Out

Georgia

RB Roderick Robinson II: Out
RB Trevor Etienne: Out
RB Brandon Robinson: Out
LB Joseph Jonah-Ajonye: Out

Tennessee vs Georgia weather update

According to the forecast from The Weather Channel, there will be a few passing clouds Saturday night in Athens, Georgia, with a low of 41 degrees and light winds.

Tennessee football schedule 2024

Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. Chattanooga (W, 69-3)
Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. No. 23 NC State (W, 51-10)
Saturday, Sept. 14: vs. Kent State (W, 71-0)
Saturday, Sept. 21: at No. 13 Oklahoma* (W, 25-15)
Saturday, Sept. 28: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 5: at Arkansas* (L, 19-14)
Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. Florida* (W, 23-17, OT)
Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. No. 7 Alabama* (W, 24-17)
Saturday, Oct. 26: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. Kentucky* (W, 28-18)
Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Mississippi State* (W, 33-14)
Saturday, Nov. 16: at No. 10 Georgia*
Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. UTEP
Saturday, Nov. 30: at Vanderbilt*
Record: 8-1, 5-1 SEC

* Denotes SEC game

Georgia football schedule 2024

Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. No. 14 Clemson (W, 34-3) 
Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Tennessee Tech (W, 48-3) 
Saturday, Sept. 14: at Kentucky * (W, 13-12) 
Saturday, Sept. 21: BYE 
Saturday, Sept. 28: at No. 4 Alabama * (L, 41-34) 
Saturday, Oct. 5: vs. Auburn * (W, 31-13)
Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. Mississippi State * (W, 41-31) 
Saturday, Oct. 19: at No. 1 Texas * (W, 30-15)
Saturday, Oct. 26: BYE 
Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. Florida * (W, 34-20)
Saturday, Nov. 9: at No. 12 Ole Miss * (L, 28-10)
Saturday, Nov. 16: vs. No. 4 Tennessee*
Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. UMass
Friday, Nov. 29: vs. Georgia Tech

* Denotes SEC game

Tennessee football news

Nico Iamaleava injury update: Is Tennessee football QB playing vs Georgia?
We simulated Tennessee football vs. Georgia 100 times. The result: Not good for Vols fans
Tennessee has momentum vs Georgia and other SEC football predictions | Adams

Georgia football news

What Georgia football’s depleted running back group looks like for Tennessee
Georgia football vs. Tennessee: Score prediction, scouting report
Georgia-Tennessee ‘College GameDay’ predictions: Who picked Bulldogs, Vols?

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Stipe Miocic will challenge Jon Jones for the heavyweight championship at UFC 309 this Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Miocic returns to the octagon with a 20-4 record, having lost his last fight, in a title defense against Francis Ngannou, by knockout in 2021. Miocic is looking to earn his third heavyweight title but will have to overcome Jones.

Jones returns to the octagon after winning the vacant title in his heavyweight debut in March 2023. He has a 27-1 record and has won his last five fights.

The card will also feature Michael Chandler taking on Charles Oliveira and Viviane Araujo taking on Karine Silva. David Onama will take on Roberto Romero in a lightweight fight on the preliminary card after Onama’s featherweight fight with Lucas Almeida was canceled.

Here’s what you need to know about UFC 309:

Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva (Women’s Flyweight): Results, Analysis

Fighters walking to the octagon.

Mauricio Ruffy beats James Llontop (Catchweight): Results, Analysis

Round 1: After spending some time feeling each other out in the early minutes of the fight, Ruffy landed various strikes on Llontop in the final seconds of the round.

Round 2: Ruffy drops Llontop with a look-away left-handed punch with 3:30 left in the round. Ruffy took a few more shots while Llontop was on the ground. Llontop displayed a level of toughness getting back to his feet and bringing the fight to Ruffy. Ruffy returned with another right-handed shot that drew blood from Llontop’s face. Llontop’s left eye is clearly swollen.

Round 3: Ruffy had landed more shots to the head through two and a half rounds but Llontop had landed more shots to the body and legs. Llontop continued to push throughout the third round to keep it competitive. Both fighters acknowledge each other after the fight before Ruffy goes over toward Donald Trump and Elon Musk for a quick conversation. Ruffy wins by unanimous decision.

Donald Trump arrives to watch UFC 309 main card

The president-elect made a grand entrance following the conclusion of the preliminary fights at Madison Square Garden. Trump walked in alongside UFC CEO Dana White, Kid Rock and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Robert Kennedy Jr. and Jelly Roll were also among the notable names in attendance for the event.

Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman cancelled late

Anders had reportedly fallen ill and had to bow out of his fight with Weidman in the hours leading up to the event on Saturday. It remains unclear if the fight will be rescheduled for a later date.

UFC 309 PRELIM RESULTS

Marcus McGhee does enough against Jonathan Martinez (Bantamweight)

Both fights continued to feel each other out during the first two rounds. Martinez managed to land leg kicks to limit McGhee’s movement late in the second round. Martinez never took advantage of the hobbled fighter as time expired in the third. McGhee did enough in the early rounds to earn the unanimous decision victory.

Jim Miller submits Damon Jackson (Lightweight)

Miller earned his 27th UFC victory with a guillotine in the first round. He is the all-time winner in UFC history with the most victories. Andrei Arlovski and Donald Cerrone are second all-time with 23 UFC victories.

David Onama beats Roberto Romero (Lightweight)

Romero rocks Onama, dropping him to the ground and attempting to put him in a chokehold. Both men manage to get back on their feet in the first round. Onama landed a couple of shots to Romero that got a reaction from the crowd before time expired. Despite a late attempt by Onama to end the fight in the final seconds of the third round, the fight goes the distance. Onama wins by unanimous decision.

Marcin Tybura defeats Jhonata Diniz (Heavyweight)

Diniz had the early advantage against Tybura in the first round but things turned around in the second round. Tybura landed a series of elbow strikes to bloody Diniz’s face as time expired in the period. Diniz was wobbly getting back to the corner and after advice from the doctors on sight, referee Herb Dean called the fight.

UFC 309 main card: time, streaming for Saturday

Date: Saturday, Nov. 16
Time: Main card: 10 p.m. ET; prelims start at 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN+ with an additional PPV fee
Location: Madison Square Garden (New York)

Watch UFC 309 and more MMA with an ESPN+ subscription

UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic start time

Prelims: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
Main card: 10 p.m. ET /7 p.m. PT (PPV on ESPN+)

UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic fight card

Main Card

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic (Heavyweight)
Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler (Lightweight)
Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig (Middleweight)
Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva (Women’s Flyweight)
Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop (Catchweight)

Prelims

Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee (Bantamweight)
Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders (Middleweight)
Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson (Lightweight)
David Onama vs. Roberto Romero (Lightweight)
Marcin Tybura vs. Jhonata Diniz (Heavyweight)

Early Prelims

Mickey Gall vs. Ramiz Brahimaj (Welterweight)
Bassil Hafez vs. Oban Elliott (Welterweight)
Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura (Women Flyweight)

UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic odds

All odds are for moneyline bets (as of Saturday afternoon unless noted otherwise), according to BetMGM.

Main Card

Jon Jones (-650) vs. Stipe Miocic (+475)
Charles Oliveira (-275) vs. Michael Chandler (+210)
Bo Nickal (-1400) vs. Paul Craig (+800)
Viviane Araujo (+240) vs. Karine Silva (-300)
Mauricio Ruffy (-1000) vs. James Llontop (+625)

Prelims

Jonathan Martinez (+115) vs. Marcus McGhee (-140)
Chris Weidman (-105) vs. Eryk Anders (-115)
Jim Miller (+135) vs. Damon Jackson (-165)
David Onama (-1400) vs. Roberto Romero (+800)
Marcin Tybura (-115) vs. Jhonata Diniz (-105)

Early Prelims

Mickey Gall (-185) vs. Ramiz Brahimaj (+150)
Bassil Hafez (+240) vs. Oban Elliott (-300)
Veronica Hardy (-150) vs. Eduarda Moura (+125) — as of Friday

UFC 309 live stream

The prelims will be available for live stream on ESPN+. The pay-per-view main event can be purchased and streamed through ESPN+.

UFC 309 price

The UFC 309 pay-per-view can be purchased through ESPN+ (which requires a subscription) for $79.99.

UFC 309 location

The event will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York. MSG is a historic venue with a capacity of 19,500 and has hosted events in the past, including UFC 205: Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor.

UFC 309 predictions

Sporting News: Miocic could upset Jones

Daniel Yanofsky writes, ‘Miocic can cause a massive upset with one big punch. However, is his timing the same as it was in 2021? The fight going the distance seems unlikely, and Jones winning via TKO is a fair outcome. Will either retire, win or lose?’

MMAnews: Miocic’s inconsistency could be the difference

Ryan Jarrell writes: ‘I would love to pick Miocic to beat Jones and reclaim the heavyweight throne. But I just don’t see it happening at this point in his career. The former champ is much older now and hasn’t been fighting consistently at all.’

ClutchPoints: Jones will have to make proper adjustments to win

Dominik Zawartko writes ‘Ultimately, the difference for Jon Jones will be his striking and wrestling pedigree to lean on. His chin is much more solid at 240 pounds and he’ll make the proper adjustments if Stipe begins to tag him. We like Jones to win this fight, but the total over is more intriguing as we see a methodical fight from both men.’

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic: Tale of the Tape

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Defense has not won any kind of championship for No. 3 Texas this season, but it lifted the Longhorns one step closer to the SEC title game during a hard-fought 20-10 win over Arkansas.

And a Texas offense that struggled against a maligned Razorbacks defense needed all the help it could get.

An Arkansas offense that entered the game ranked second in the SEC with 483.2 yards per game didn’t score until 3:39 left in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Ja’Quindon Jackson. That run cut the Texas lead to 13-7 and finally awoke Razorbacks fans, who had slumbered their way through most of a game that kicked off at 11 a.m.

The fans were fully awake after the home defense forced a three-and-out following Jackson’s touchdown and trimmed the lead to 13-10 on a 44-yard field goal from Matthew Shipley.

But Texas responded with its best drive of the game to push the lead back to double digits. The Longhorns marched 75 yards in eight plays, with scoring machine Matthew Golden snagging a 1-yard dart from quarterback Quinn Ewers in the corner of the end zone. Golden’s second touchdown catch of the game gave him a team-high eight touchdown receptions for the season.

Texas led by cornerback Jahdae Barron (seven tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception) held Arkansas to 231 yards of offense and forced two turnovers. The Longhorns managed just 315 yards, but they’ll enter next week’s home game against Kentucky in, at worst, a tie for first place in the SEC.

Texas, Tennessee and Texas A&M entered Saturday as the only one-loss teams in conference play, and the Longhorns control their own destiny since the Aggies are still on their schedule. Texas was also seeded second and ranked third in the newest College Football Playoff projections this week.

Both Tennessee and Texas A&M play Saturday night against Georgia and New Mexico State, respectively.

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Earlier this week, Topps, a trading card company, released a baseball card of Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes.

And whoever comes into possession of that card has a chance to exchange it for a haul of goodies courtesy of the Pirates.

Though it is nowhere near the trade deadline, the Pirates want to wheel and deal so they can display the card for the fans at PNC Park.

Here is some of what the Pirates are offering: Seats behind home plate at PNC Park for the next 30 years, an exclusive meet-and-greet with Skenes and two autographed Skenes jerseys, and a chance to host a softball game at the ballpark.

Even Skenes’ girlfriend, LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, got in on the action, saying the winner would get a chance to sit with her in a suite.

All things Pirates: Latest Pittsburgh Pirates news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Skenes, a finalist for National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award, went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts this season.

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One of the surprises in Week 10 of the NFL season was the two-win Jacksonville Jaguars playing the NFC playoff-contending Minnesota Vikings close at home. Though the Vikings won 12-7, the Jaguars still had one of their best performances thanks to the defense forcing multiple turnovers for the first time this season.

They needed to do so to keep the Jaguars in contention because starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence missed the game with an injured left shoulder. Lawrence suffered a severe AC joint sprain against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. Fellow 2021 NFL draft first-round pick Mac Jones started in his place and completed 14 of 22 passes for 111 yards and two interceptions.

Jacksonville had its fewest points and yards of the season with Lawrence out. Here’s the latest on his status for this week:

Is Trevor Lawrence playing this week?

No. The Jaguars ruled him out of the lineup after he missed all three practices this week. The team ruled Lawrence and running back Tank Bigsby out of the lineup this week against the NFC-leading Detroit Lions.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

When will Trevor Lawrence return?

Though the injury is to his non-throwing shoulder, Lawrence could miss the rest of the season. The Jaguars are currently 2-8 and in the running for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

They are far from playoff contention and face the Lions before their bye in Week 12. Jacksonville has just one game against a winning team after their bye — Week 13 at home against Houston — but likely won’t rush their franchise quarterback to return in a season that most likely won’t end in a playoff appearance.

Trevor Lawrence injuries

Week 10 was just the second time Lawrence has missed an NFL game in his four-year career. He’s played through multiple injuries, including a sprained shoulder, knee injury, and ankle sprain last season.

Trevor Lawrence stats

In nine games this season, Lawrence has gone 168-for-274 passing (61.3%) for 2,004 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Jaguars QB depth chart

The Jaguars turned to Jones last week and will again in Week 11. Here’s how the depth chart looks as a whole at the position:

Mac Jones
C.J. Beathard

The team does not have a quarterback signed to the practice squad.

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One of the biggest matchups of the Week 11 slate of NFL games comes in the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks return from their bye with a road game against the San Francisco 49ers in a matchup with playoff implications.

Seattle lost five of its last six games before the bye, most recently a 26-20 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle had 424 yards on offense – second-most in a game this season – in the loss, despite missing top wide receiver DK Metcalf.

The Seahawks wideout hasn’t played since Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons due to a knee injury but could be back again this week. Here’s the latest on his status for Week 11 against the 49ers:

When will DK Metcalf return?

Metcalf is back in the lineup this week against the 49ers after fully participating in practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

When was DK Metcalf injured?

Metcalf was injured late in the third quarter of the Seahawks’ Week 7 win against the Falcons. He was hit by Falcons safety Justin Simmons while making a sideline catch and eventually walked off the field under his own power.

He was later carted to the locker room and diagnosed with a Grade 1 MCL sprain. He was considered ‘week to week’ and hasn’t had any playing time in the three weeks since.

This is the most time Metcalf has missed in his NFL career. He had missed just one game over his previous five seasons: Week 7 against Arizona last season.

DK Metcalf stats

In seven games, Metcalf has 35 catches for 568 yards and three touchdowns on 61 targets. He had a stretch of three consecutive 100-yard games from Week 2 through Week 4.

Seahawks WR depth chart

While Metcalf was out, other wide receivers stepped up in his place. Here’s how the rest of the depth chart looks:

Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tyler Lockett
Jake Bobo
Dareke Young
Cody White
Laviska Shenault Jr.

The Seahawks also have wide receiver Miles Boykin on the practice squad.

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Deion Sanders and his Colorado football team have received widespread praise for their accomplishments during the 2024 season, with an 8-2 record and an inside track at the Big 12 championship game following a 49-24 victory Saturday against Utah at Folsom Field in Boulder.

Among those spreading kind words is arguably the most famous living athlete in American sports.

Following the No. 20 Buffaloes’ triumph over the Utes, which was their seventh win in their past eight games, NBA superstar LeBron James shouted out Sanders and Colorado on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

“I don’t hear non (sic) of those @CUBuffsFootball @DeionSanders HATERS being up front and loud!” James wrote in his post. “They’re in hiding now. Coach Prime said “We Coming”. Well it’s “We Here” now. Love what’s going on there in Boulder.”

The Buffs were the subject of persistent criticism for much of Sanders’ first season in 2023, between Sanders’ unconventional and cutthroat roster-building philosophy that purged basically the entire squad he inherited and the breathless national exposure the team received after a surprising 3-0 start.

After going 4-8 in 2023 and losing eight of its final nine games, Colorado was picked to finish 11th in the 16-team Big 12 heading into its first season in the conference. Instead, the program is off to its best 10-game start since 2016 and is among the top 20 teams in the country in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and the College Football Playoff rankings.

James isn’t a total stranger to the Buffs’ football program. He was rumored to attend Colorado’s home game last season against USC, though he ultimately didn’t make it to Folsom Field.

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Former undisputed boxing champion Mike Tyson says he has ‘no regrets’ about participating in Friday’s blockbuster fight against Jake Paul.

‘This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night,’ Tyson posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday.

Tyson, 58, was defeated by Paul, 27, via unanimous decision on Friday in an eight-round bout that went the distance at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Tyson looked every bit his age in the ring and only landed 18 of 97 thrown punches, while Paul landed 78 of 278 thrown punches. Following the loss, only the seventh of his dominant boxing career, Tyson was hesitant to say whether that marked his last fight.

On Saturday, however, Tyson appeared to hint at his retirement from boxing, writing that he has ‘no regrets to get in (the) ring one last time.’

The boxing match between Paul and Tyson was originally scheduled for July, but Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up during a cross-country flight from Miami to Los Angeles in late May, leading to his hospitalization and the postponement of the fight to mid-November.

‘I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won,’ Tyson wrote. ‘To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you.’

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ARLINGTON, Texas – The fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul did more than depress people clinging to the image of The Baddest Man on the Planet in his prime.

It presented the uncommon experience of watching a boxing match in a building designed for football.

A moment that helped underscore that challenge is when spectators sitting in the upper deck at AT&T Stadium booed the video display boards.

A graphic reading “PAUL vs. TYSON” had covered up the video feed from an action-packed fight in the boxing ring set up at midfield.

Booooo! Boooo!

The target of the boos also was a savior.

Those two center-hung video display boards are 160 feet wide, 72 feet tall and proved essential for anyone in the upper decks. Unlike football, the boxing matches were confined inside a 20 by 20 foot ring. And the approximate distance between the boxing ring and the upper deck is approximately one million miles.

Among the spectators: Albert Barth, 49, who said he drove three hours from his home in Lawton, OK, just for the experience. A few times, Barth quickly looked away from the display boards when they showed a nasty gash over the eye of boxer Amanda Serrano. Thanks to the display boards, the gash appeared about the size of a six-story building.

In the same area of the upper deck, a reporter flinched twice when Serrano threw punches that appeared to be flying out of the display boards. (I can disclose the reporter works for USA TODAY Sports.)

But none of this seemed to disturb Sheila Borrero, who when asked about the experience of watching boxing in a football stadium exclaimed, “It’s lit!’’

Indeed, between fights, the edge of the boxing ring was lit red with white lettering. None of which could be read without use of the Hubble Telescope.

Borrero, 30, had flown in from her home in Lowell, Mass., without a telescope. But she did have a friend, Javier Veliz, who flew in from Queens, N.Y.

“Of course I want to be down in front,’’ Borrero said, “but I’m not paying $1,000.’’

Of course, ringside seats on Friday were listed for $50,000.

And the pretty video display boards, they did not make Tyson look any younger or faster during a dispiriting loss to Jake Paul.

Dallas Cowboys fans might attest that AT&T Stadium is a great place even to watch a bad football game. And the same can be said about watching bad boxing.

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