Defending national champion Georgia is 8-0. But the Bulldogs aren't No. 1 in the college football playoff rankings. Another 8-0 team is. That team is Tennessee.

The oddsmaker and marketplace would disagree making the Bulldogs more than a touchdown favorite at home against the Volunteers. I agree with the linesmaker. Tennessee certainly can match Georgia offensively. The difference is defense and home field.

The Volunteers rank 82nd in total defense. Georgia had one of the all-time great defenses last season and it's very strong this season. The Bulldogs rank No. 2 in scoring defense holding foes to 10.5 points and are fourth in total defense.

Home field means a lot here. Tennessee only has played two road games and it needed overtime to beat Pittsburgh in one of them.
Georgia is used to marquee matchups. The stage is not too big for the Bulldogs. The Volunteers lack that big-time exposure.

The two teams have one common opponent, Florida. Georgia rolled past the Gators in its last game, 42-20, out-gaining Florida by 184 yards. Tennessee defeated Florida by just five points, 38-33. The Gators out-gained the Volunteers.

Georgia has beaten Tennessee in each of the previous five seasons, all in blow-out fashion. The Bulldogs' average winning margin during these past five games is 28.6 points.

I get that Tennessee is much better this season. But the gap isn't cut enough where the Volunteers can hang inside a touchdown on the road against the Bulldogs.