There were some who questioned whether Georgia’s defense was up to the task against the nation’s No. 1 offense, Tennessee, on Saturday.

Some people. Certainly not me, though. That, I can assure you. But some people.

OK, I can sense there will be skepticism among readers. Yes, I wondered whether Georgia’s pass rush, or lack thereof, would be impotent against a quarterback who was established as a prime contender for the Heisman Trophy.

Sure, I suggested that maybe Georgia’s statistical prowess in overall scoring and yards might be skewed slightly as a result of some lower-tier programs. Yes, I brought up the possibility that the Vols’ up-tempo offense might put the Bulldogs on their heels in college football’s latest “Game of the Century.”

OK, look. I’ll just say it. I didn’t have a ton of faith in Georgia’s ability to stymie the Vols. I had seen enough Tennessee football to believe that Hendon Hooker and Co. was far too effective to get slowed by the Bulldogs. If Georgia was to win, it was going to happen by outscoring the Vols.

Instead, Georgia’s defense just sent a shockwave to all observers on Saturday.

That offense that no team could solve? Yeah, they just found the solution.

Hooker failed to throw a touchdown pass and had fewer than 200 yards for the first time this season. His previous low yardage total was 221 in a season-opening blowout against Ball State in which he didn’t play the full game. He had thrown at least 2 touchdowns in every contest, including 5 against Alabama.

Against Georgia, though: 23 completions on 33 attempts for 195 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Georgia’s pass rush, questioned all season, earned much of the attention. The Bulldogs came into Saturday’s game with 10 sacks, a total among the nation’s worst. Against a Tennessee offense that had allowed just 13 all year, the Bulldogs notched 7. It was by far their best game of the season, with the numbers not even beginning to tell the story about the impact the rush had on Hooker in the pocket throughout the game.

Taking a look across the board statistically, Georgia outperformed in every category:

  • Passing yards
    • Tennessee average: 353 yards a game
    • Georgia allowed 195
  • Rushing yards
    • Tennessee average: 200 yards a game
    • Georgia allowed 94
  • Total yards
    • Tennessee average: 553 yards a game
    • Georgia allowed 289
  • Total points
    • Tennessee average: 49.4 points a game
    • Georgia allowed 13

Anyone not convinced the Georgia defense is prepared to defend its national title for the rest of the season is probably not watching closely enough.

Anonymous coaches considered the Georgia front as average. Its secondary, according to one, was “below average.” Maybe it was just Georgia’s defense performing at the level it should when it plays a team it considers a threat.

Whatever the case, the Bulldogs showed up and showed out.

Tennessee isn’t out of the national conversation with Saturday’s loss, and its performance at Sanford Stadium does not rule out the possibility of a postseason push.

But what Georgia just did?

The Bulldogs appear every bit as good as was suggested after their Week 1 domination of Oregon. Maybe better.

If they perform at a comparable level for the rest of the season, there might be more trophy-raising in Athens before too long.