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The College Football Playoff committee is really excited about the big game between Tennessee and Georgia. Tennessee is ranked number 6, and Georgia is number 11. But there’s a problem: one of Tennessee’s star players might not be able to play because he got hurt. His name is Nico Iamaleava, and he’s in something called “concussion protocol,” which means doctors are checking if his head injury is serious.
Nico Iamaleava’s status for the game remains uncertain.
Tennessee has only lost one game this season, and it was against Arkansas, who might not even make it to a bowl game. The team is doing well overall, but their quarterback, Iamaleava, had to leave the last game against Mississippi State because of a head injury. This could be a big deal for their next match against Georgia.
Iamaleava, a freshman, has been diagnosed with a concussion. The Volunteers are still figuring out if he can play in the upcoming game against Georgia. Before getting injured, he was having a good season with 1,879 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Georgia, meanwhile, has a tough path ahead. They probably won’t win the SEC title this year but are still hoping to make it into the playoffs. To do that, they’ll need to win all their remaining games.
If Georgia wins against Tennessee without Iamaleava playing, it could remind fans of last year’s situation when Florida State was left out of the playoffs after their quarterback got injured.
Carson Beck, Georgia’s quarterback, has struggled this season. The team hasn’t found any standout players in their passing game. Their running back, Trevor Etienne, has managed 447 yards on 95 carries. It’s clear that poor offensive performance contributed to the Bulldogs’ two losses.
Even though Tennessee only has two losses this season, they might miss out on the playoffs due to strong competition from other teams. If they don’t have their full roster healthy, the playoff committee might choose Georgia over them for one of the final spots.
Tennessee’s chances would be better if their quarterback were fully fit since Georgia has struggled against high-scoring teams this year. Iamaleava has helped Tennessee score an average of 33.6 points per game, which could pose a challenge for Georgia.
Whether or not Iamaleava plays remains undecided; his absence could complicate things for the playoff committee if Georgia wins.
