Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt knows the Georgia Bulldogs very well. During the last 2 seasons of Mark Richt’s tenure in Athens, Pruitt was hired as the Dawgs’ defensive coordinator after his lone season at Florida State in 2013 ended with the Seminoles winning a national championship.

The Volunteers have gotten off to a strong start in Pruitt’s 3rd season in charge, claiming wins over South Carolina and Missouri. But their first true test of the year comes on Saturday at No. 3 Georgia. Win that game, and the Vols will have shaken up an SEC East division that has seen the Bulldogs end up on top over the last 3 seasons.

SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic feels the Volunteers defense will be up to the challenge and isn’t confident that Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett IV will be able to make the adjustments he needs to make against Pruitt’s group to help his team win.

“I don’t feel great about a guy who can’t go out there and just make plays to beat you against, who I consider to be the best in-game mind in college football, in Jeremy Pruitt,” Cubelic said on The Swain Event podcast on Thursday, according to RockyTopInsider.com. “And I’m not referencing the entire team, I’m just referencing the defense.”

When compared to defenses at programs like Alabama, Cubelic admits the Volunteers aren’t loaded with multiple NFL-ready players. But, he said, it’s how Pruitt has been able to work with the players he has been given that deserves accolades.

“What he’s done with what he’s had, and what he is essentially telling those guys what is coming next, and who he puts in position to make plays — I think he’s the best in-game defensive mind in college football,” he said.