Tennessee football is no longer undefeated. The Volunteers fell 27-13 to the Georgia Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium in a game that was never very close. The Bulldogs suffocated Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker, WR Jalin Hyatt, and the rest of the Vols. Georgia football, in fact, allowed only one Tennessee touchdown late in the fourth quarter. We'll go through why Tennessee's defeat against Georgia will cost them in the College Football Playoff rankings.

There is no doubt that Georgia football is the country's No. 1 squad. This program has systematically crushed opponents all season. We wouldn't be surprised if all these lead to another trip to the SEC title game. Take note that formerly unbeaten Clemson also suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday, falling 35-14 to Notre Dame in a game in which the Irish dominated all phases. The losses of Tennessee and Clemson all but guarantee that Georgia sits atop the next College Football Playoff rankings.

Many unanswered questions lie behind Georgia in the top 25. Of course, this includes Tennessee football. The Volunteers sink in the SEC East, but they are not out of the College Football Playoff race — at least not yet. Let's take a look at why Tennessee's defeat to Georgia lost them a spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Last Tuesday, the CFP selection committee practically issued a challenge to the Georgia Bulldogs. They rated Tennessee football first in its initial top 25 rankings of the season. It sounded reasonable at the time. Georgia, however, turned it into a joke this past weekend.

The incumbent national champions, perhaps heavily motivated by the perceived danger posed by these newly competitive Volunteers, reminded everyone in college football why they're still the best. The double-digit Bulldogs win was proof that the road to both the SEC title and the national championship still has to go through Georgia.

Their win over the Vols was a blowout masquerading as a decent win. Tennessee just did not look well-prepared for what hit them. Georgia's quality and toughness were just too much. And that was in addition to the ear-splitting cacophony released by the Sanford Stadium crowd. What an atmosphere, eh?

“As a program you’ve got to understand what you got yourself into, terms of the atmosphere and emotion,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel actually remarked after the game.

Except for two fumbles by backup running backs, Georgia football practically did everything right in their masterful win over Tennessee. QB Stetson Bennett completed 17-of-25 passes for 257 yards, two touchdowns, and no INTs.

“I’d say experience is very helpful,” said Bennett post-game. “It’s the unknown of big games, right? You don’t know what freaks you out, but something does. And now we have played on the big stages.”

Georgia outrushed Tennessee, 130-94, and the trio of Ladd McConkey, Kenny McIntosh, and Arian Smith each had 50+ yards on the catch. The Bulldogs pass rush was also scary as heck, sacking Hendon Hooker six times. Meanwhile, the Vols did not sack Bennett even once.

This win demonstrated Georgia's balanced roster. It also exposed how incomplete Tennessee still was. Yes, the Vols have improved a lot. However, they were still left wanting against a true nationally elite unit. To wit, Bennett's three downfield passes to wide receivers exposed the defense, and Georgia was also able to run the ball efficiently in the first half. The Bulldogs just swiftly gained control and thwarted the usually potent Vols offense.

Despite being rated third in the first College Football Playoff rankings revealed last Tuesday, Georgia was ranked first in last week's AP Top 25 with 30 first-place votes, compared to 18 for Tennessee and 15 for Ohio State. Tennessee being ranked first in the inaugural College Football Playoff Rankings allowed Saturday's matchup to be billed as a collision of the top two teams in the nation. However, after the Dawgs controlled practically the entire game in a two-touchdown triumph, voters should have their first-place votes figured out.

We'll find out soon how much the two-touchdown loss hurts the Vols in the College Football Playoff rankings. We expect them to fall to maybe No. 5, while the Bulldogs rise to No. 1. Tennessee will still be in the thick of things for the College Football Playoff, but they cannot afford another loss moving forward.

For Tennessee fans, the immaculate run was fun while it lasted. It delivered a new storyline entering November. However, this loss to Georgia meant that the top of college football was not shifting. Everything still really goes through Georgia. Meanwhile, the Vols need to step up their game if they are hoping for a rematch with the champs down the road.