We begin with the odd, because what better way to explain the dichotomy of the most anticipated game of the college football season.

Blur Ball vs. Crawl Ball. Tempo vs. Methodical.

So while we all celebrate what Tennessee has accomplished — including being ranked No. 1 in the season’s first Playoff poll — and marvel at the point-a-minute production from the nation’s No. 1 offense, a little-known fact is right in the rearview.

Georgia has the No. 2 offense in the nation. And you know what that means: It wouldn’t be a big game in the SEC without yet another double-take of Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett.

We keep questioning, and he keeps producing and winning.

So as we enter another big game this season where Bennett doesn’t remotely resemble — physically or athletically — his counterpart, it’s important to remind everyone that Bennett has thrown for 11 more yards than Tennessee quarterback and Heisman Trophy favorite Hendon Hooker.

And that the slow, plodding Georgia offense has run all of 12 fewer plays this season than a Tennessee offense that at one point this season ran 3 plays in less than 35 seconds.

And — this is not a misprint — Tennessee and Georgia have each punted 18 times.

“Both of those offenses put you in very difficult situations,” an SEC defensive coordinator told me this week. “But Georgia, you watch tape and think, ‘OK, we can do this and that.’ Then you hit the grass, and they’re so efficient and (Bennett) is so smart off-schedule. You die a slow death.”

It has been this way the past 21 games, since Bennett eventually took over in September 2021 for injured starter JT Daniels. None of it makes sense.

Daniels was the more talented player last year and didn’t play. Heck, a majority of the SEC starting quarterbacks were (and currently are) more talented than Bennett — yet there he was, on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, sobbing as the Bulldogs salted away their first national title in 41 years.

He outplayed Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, who will be a top-10 NFL Draft pick in a few months. Just like he outplayed Cade McNamara in the Playoff national semifinal, and Bo Nix in the 2022 season-opener against Oregon, and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler (a one-time projected No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick) and Florida’s Anthony Richardson (another projected top-10 NFL talent).

Bennett outplayed Hooker in this very game last season — threw for 213 and a score, ran for 40 more yards and a score with no turnovers — yet he’s somehow, again, taking a backseat to the Tennessee train.

NFL scouts have a saying that big games are typically decided by the best quarterback. In 21 career starts, Bennett has been outplayed by the opposing quarterback once.

After the loss in last year’s SEC Championship Game, after he threw 2 interceptions and couldn’t match Young’s elevated play, Bennett responded with the best game of his career in the national title game.

“Not just anyone plays quarterback in this league and wins like he does — with or without a great defense,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz told me this summer. “As a coach, a guy playing with something to prove every time he steps on the field is as valuable a thing as you can have on your roster.”

This week will be consumed by the narrative of Tennessee’s surprising season, and its school-record setting offense and how this Vols team is quickly morphing into the LSU’s national championship team of 2019.

The Georgia secondary, which has struggled at times this season, will be dealing with 3 legitimate threats on the outside, and an accurate quarterback playing with a ton of confidence.

Georgia lost its best pass rusher (Nolan Smith) for the season. Georgia’s best interior lineman (Jalen Carter) is still trying to return to game shape after missing much of the season with a knee injury.

Georgia’s cornerbacks have been protected all season by safeties Chris Smith and Malaki Starks, and they’ll now be forced to cover in man when Tennessee spreads the field.

Meanwhile, there is Bennett and the Georgia offense.

A couple of nondescript running backs. No true No. 1 receiver. A couple of elite tight ends who are major matchup problems.

And a 5-11, 190-pound quarterback who doesn’t look the part — but he goes out and plays it every single week.

The question isn’t how will Georgia stop the Tennessee offense. It’s how will Tennessee become the second team in 2 years to figure out how to get Bennett off his big game spot — and stop the Georgia offense?

“When you have a guy who plays with the confidence he plays with, it spills over to everyone,” Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran said. “Nothing fazes him.”

Especially when there’s always something to prove.