“Josh Heupel Gets Candid on Georgia Struggles: ‘We Haven’t Been on the Right Side of the Scoreboard’ as Bulldogs Dominate Vols by 20-Point Average”

There comes a moment in every college football program’s rise when the truth can’t be sugarcoated, when potential and promise must make way for honest reflection. For Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, that moment came as he addressed his team’s inability to beat the Georgia Bulldogs—a team that has become the immovable object to the Vols’ relentless ambition. In a statement that reflected both humility and accountability, Heupel said what many Vols fans have been thinking for the past few years: “Yeah, we haven’t been able to be on the right side of the scoreboard in that game. That’s players and coaches, together, ultimately being a little bit better.” The reality is in the numbers, and the numbers are not kind. Since Heupel took over in Knoxville, Georgia has outscored Tennessee by an average of 20 points. It’s not just that the Vols haven’t beaten the Bulldogs—it’s that they haven’t really come close.

To understand the magnitude of this struggle, it’s important to frame what Georgia represents in today’s college football landscape. Under head coach Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have evolved into the sport’s premier power, stacking five-star talent and developing NFL-ready rosters year after year. They are not just winning games; they are suffocating opponents with a blend of physicality, discipline, and top-end skill. And when the Vols meet the Dawgs on the field, the gap between the two programs becomes painfully evident. Heupel, who has revived the Tennessee program with an aggressive offensive approach and a rejuvenated energy, has taken the Vols to places they hadn’t been in over a decade—including a top-five ranking in 2022. But even in that dream season, Georgia stood tall, imposing its will on the Volunteers in a 27-13 defeat that felt far more lopsided than the score indicated.

The average margin of defeat across Heupel’s games against Georgia tells a story of frustration. In three matchups, Georgia has flexed its superiority at every level—from the trenches to the secondary, from game-planning to in-game adjustments. Tennessee has scored a combined 33 points in those three games, while Georgia has piled up 93. For an offense known for its explosiveness and tempo, being stifled to such a degree is both humbling and eye-opening. And yet, Heupel hasn’t shied away from the challenge. His comments weren’t finger-pointing or excuse-making. They were the words of a coach who knows exactly how far his team must go to compete at the highest level. “It’s players and coaches together,” he said, emphasizing unity. That kind of self-awareness is what separates pretenders from true program builders. It’s one thing to acknowledge the scoreboard; it’s another to take ownership of it.

The Vols have made substantial progress since Heupel’s arrival. After the chaos of the Jeremy Pruitt era and the cloud of NCAA investigations, Heupel brought calm, clarity, and consistency. In 2022, Tennessee beat Alabama for the first time in 16 years, won 11 games for the first time since 2001, and reasserted itself as a national brand. But Georgia remains the final boss, the one that must be beaten if Tennessee wants to win the SEC East—especially before divisions are scrapped in the new 16-team SEC format. The SEC has always been about measuring sticks, and right now, Georgia is the gold standard. Recruiting rankings back that up. On National Signing Day, Georgia consistently finishes in the top three, often competing only with Alabama and Ohio State for supremacy. Tennessee, meanwhile, has improved its recruiting but still finds itself battling in that second tier. That discrepancy in talent depth shows up most starkly when the two teams face off. While Heupel’s scheme can create opportunities, football games—especially in the SEC—are often decided in the trenches. And that’s where Georgia continues to outclass Tennessee.

But closing the gap isn’t just about acquiring talent—it’s about developing it, retaining it, and preparing it for the moment. Georgia plays with a poise that suggests they expect to win. Tennessee, at times, plays like it hopes it can. That psychological edge, born of winning culture, is something Heupel and his staff are working hard to instill in Knoxville. There’s also a matter of timing. Georgia has had nearly a decade under Kirby Smart to build its empire. Heupel is entering just his fourth season with the Vols. Program-building is a marathon, not a sprint. Still, the margin of defeat—a full 20-point average—is a stat that can’t be ignored. It’s one thing to lose a close, hard-fought battle. It’s another to be consistently overwhelmed. And for Vols fans who believe their program should be among the SEC’s elite, beating Georgia—or at least competing with them—is the clearest sign of progress.

One of the key elements in Heupel’s philosophy has been offensive tempo. Tennessee led the nation in scoring and total offense in 2022, often overwhelming opponents with lightning-fast drives and vertical passing. But Georgia has consistently countered that approach with physical press coverage, a deep rotation on the defensive line, and savvy linebackers who don’t get fooled by window dressing. If Heupel is to solve the Georgia puzzle, it may require evolving beyond what’s worked against lesser opponents. Scheme is only part of the solution. Personnel, discipline, and situational mastery are equally vital. And perhaps more than anything, it requires belief—not just from players and coaches, but from the entire Tennessee ecosystem. From Neyland Stadium to the practice fields to the recruiting trail, beating Georgia has to become an obsession, not just a goal.

That kind of mentality is what turned Alabama into a dynasty, what fueled Clemson’s rise, and what now defines Georgia. Heupel’s acknowledgment of the scoreboard isn’t an admission of defeat—it’s a declaration of intention. You can’t fix a problem you won’t admit exists. And for too long, Tennessee fans have watched their program fall short in these defining matchups while coaches talked around the issues. Heupel isn’t doing that. He’s confronting them. The next step is turning words into results. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, the path to national relevance is wider than ever. Tennessee no longer needs to win the SEC to make the playoff, but beating Georgia—or at least proving it can—is crucial for long-term credibility. Recruits watch those games. So do analysts, poll voters, and fans.

Heupel’s 2025 squad will enter a pivotal season. The Vols return a talented quarterback in Nico Iamaleava, whose ceiling may very well define the next chapter of the program. The offensive line is reloading, and the defense has made strides under coordinator Tim Banks. But beating Georgia will require more than potential. It will demand execution, grit, and a little bit of swagger. Tennessee hasn’t been on the right side of the scoreboard, as Heupel put it, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be. Programs don’t stay down forever. And Tennessee has the infrastructure, the fan base, and now, the coach to rise again. If Georgia is the measuring stick, then every weight lifted in the offseason, every drill in fall camp, and every snap in the early season must be geared toward that one goal.

Because ultimately, being a little bit better—as Heupel said—isn’t just about Xs and Os. It’s about mindset. It’s about closing the gap one play at a time, one inch at a time. And if Tennessee is to climb that final mountain, they must first believe they can. Heupel’s honesty is a good start. The next step is rewriting the scoreboard.