The scene at Neyland Stadium on Saturday was nothing short of heartbreak. Tennessee had Georgia right where it wanted — tied at 38 with just seconds left in regulation. All that stood between the Volunteers and their first win over the Bulldogs since 2016 was a 43-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Max Gilbert.
But a costly false start penalty pushed the attempt back three yards, and Gilbert missed wide right. Neyland Stadium fell silent as Georgia survived to force overtime.
Head coach Josh Heupel didn’t shy away from addressing the moment after the 44-41 loss. He emphasized his support for Gilbert, even in the face of crushing disappointment. “When you’re a specialist, you don’t get as many reps in a game, and sometimes you come up short,” Heupel said. “That’s the life of being a kicker. We all have great trust in him.”
Tennessee loses in a heartbreaker to Georgia on Saturday
Gilbert did respond in overtime, drilling a 42-yarder to give Tennessee a temporary 41-38 lead. But Georgia answered with a game-winning touchdown just three plays later, extending Tennessee’s losing streak against its SEC rival to nine.
The missed opportunity will linger for Vols fans. Tennessee had two timeouts and seven seconds left when the false start penalty was called, sparking questions about whether Heupel should have tried to move the ball closer for Gilbert. Instead, the Vols went straight for the kick. “We were going to move it more to the upright,” Heupel explained. “Where we were at, yard line, did not want to have any lost yardage so with everything that transpired, that’s why we kicked it when we did.”
Tennessee’s effort still showed how far the program has come. Quarterback Joey Aguilar, making his first SEC start, threw for 371 yards and five total touchdowns. Wideout Chris Brazzell had a career night with three scores, while the Vols’ offense looked explosive against a Georgia defense that has dominated this series for nearly a decade.
Ultimately, Tennessee let opportunities slip away. They built a 21-7 lead early, then an eight-point lead late, but couldn’t hold either. Georgia’s resilience and Tennessee’s mental mistakes proved costly.
For Gilbert, the night will serve as both a lesson and a test of character. Heupel’s words made it clear that the sophomore still has the staff’s full confidence. Whether fans extend the same patience may depend on how quickly Gilbert bounces back in future pressure moments.
