FOR NINE YEARS, THE BULLDOGS HAVE BULLIED THE VOLS A Tennessee insider doubts QB Joey Aguilar can help the Vols break their 9-year losing streak against Georgia.

For nearly a decade, the SEC East has been dominated by a single terrifying truth for Tennessee fans: the Georgia Bulldogs own the Volunteers.

Since 2016, Georgia has not only beaten Tennessee nine straight times but has done so in increasingly demoralizing fashion. Once a competitive rivalry rooted in tradition and proximity, the annual showdown has become a one-sided affair marked by blowouts, second-half collapses, and, most recently, national championship-level disparities. The gap has never been wider. And now, entering the 2025 season, the question on Rocky Top is one of cautious desperation: is this finally the year the streak ends?

A recent quarterback addition was meant to signal hope. Joey Aguilar, a high-profile transfer with proven arm talent and veteran moxie, was brought in to elevate Tennessee’s quarterback room after a rollercoaster 2024 campaign. But not everyone in Knoxville is convinced he’s the answer—especially not when it comes to facing Georgia.

One long-time Tennessee insider, who requested anonymity in order to speak candidly, offered a grim assessment: “Joey Aguilar’s a solid quarterback. He’s smart, accurate, and battle-tested. But to break a nine-year losing streak to Georgia, you need more than solid. You need special. I’m not sure he’s that guy.”

It’s a bold statement, especially considering the optimism surrounding Aguilar’s arrival. Coming off a breakout year at Appalachian State, where he threw for over 3,500 yards and led his team to a Sun Belt title game appearance, Aguilar was one of the more sought-after names in the transfer portal. He brings maturity, poise, and a deep understanding of the game. But as the insider points out, Georgia is not the Sun Belt.

“They’re NFL-level at every position,” he said. “You don’t beat Georgia unless you can make plays off-schedule, stretch the field vertically, and stay calm when everything collapses around you. We’ve seen quarterbacks with five-star pedigree crumble against that defense. Joey hasn’t played anything like that yet.”

The numbers support that skepticism. In their last nine meetings, Tennessee has averaged just 13.8 points per game against Georgia, including a paltry 10 points in 2023 and 17 in 2024. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have routinely scored in the 30s and 40s, winning the last five by an average margin of 24 points. Tennessee’s offense, which under head coach Josh Heupel has been among the nation’s most explosive, consistently grinds to a halt against Georgia’s suffocating scheme.

Last season’s loss in Athens was emblematic of the problem. Tennessee struck first with a brilliant opening-drive touchdown, but from there, the Bulldogs adjusted, tightened, and dominated. Heupel’s tempo offense was slowed, quarterback Nico Iamaleava was rattled by relentless pressure, and Tennessee managed just 202 total yards over the final three quarters.

And therein lies the insider’s concern about Aguilar: “He’s coming from a system where he had time. At Georgia, there is no time. They make you play left-handed. They take away what you do best and dare you to improvise. You have to be able to make something out of nothing. Nico wasn’t ready. Joe Milton wasn’t that guy. And I’m not sure Joey is, either.”

The doubt isn’t just rooted in Aguilar’s past, but in the broader context of what Tennessee is up against. Georgia enters the 2025 season with yet another top-3 recruiting class, a pair of likely first-round edge rushers, and perhaps the nation’s deepest secondary. They’ve reloaded yet again after sending nine players to the NFL Draft. Kirby Smart, whose record against the Vols stands at a pristine 9-0, has built a program that doesn’t just expect to win these matchups—it expects to dominate them.

The psychological hurdle is real, too. Tennessee’s last win over Georgia came in 2015 on a game-winning Hail Mary in Neyland Stadium. That was two coaching staffs ago. Since then, the Volunteers have lost in nearly every way imaginable—blowouts, shootouts, second-half collapses, and total no-shows.

Heupel’s offense is one of the few that has, at times, challenged Georgia’s elite defense. But even Heupel, who orchestrated a historic win over Alabama in 2022, has looked overmatched in this particular game.

So what gives?

Some within the program believe 2025 could finally offer a breakthrough—not because of Aguilar alone, but because of a broader evolution. Tennessee returns four offensive line starters, has one of the deepest running back rooms in the SEC, and will feature rising star wideout Mike Matthews, a former five-star who’s drawn comparisons to Jalin Hyatt. Defensively, the Vols expect to have their most athletic front seven under Heupel, headlined by edge rusher James Pearce Jr. and linebacker Arion Carter.

More importantly, the game is back in Knoxville.

“The environment at Neyland gives us a shot,” said the insider. “We saw it in 2022 against Bama. When that place gets going, it’s worth a touchdown at least. If Aguilar can stay composed early, we might have a chance to punch first and dictate tempo.”

There’s also hope that Georgia may be, if not vulnerable, at least more human this year. The Bulldogs lost two All-American offensive linemen, their starting quarterback Carson Beck to the NFL, and several leaders on defense. While Smart’s program is built to absorb losses, even he has acknowledged this offseason that “this team has to find its own identity.”

But to the Tennessee insider, that’s not enough. “Unless they’re rolling out freshmen across the board, Georgia is still Georgia. You’re still talking about five-stars everywhere. You can’t count on them being down—you have to go out and take it.”

Which brings the conversation back to Aguilar.

Heupel has praised Aguilar’s intelligence and leadership all spring, noting his quick grasp of the system and natural rapport with teammates. He’s not a runner like Iamaleava or a cannon-arm quarterback like Milton, but his intermediate accuracy, ability to read defenses, and veteran calm could provide Tennessee with something it’s lacked in recent Georgia matchups: consistency.

“He’s a stabilizer,” one offensive assistant said recently. “He won’t wow you with flash, but he won’t implode either. That might be what we need.”

Aguilar’s own comments this spring were measured but confident. “I know the history,” he said of the Georgia series. “But we’re not playing nine years of games—we’re playing one. I came here to compete, to win, and to help change the narrative. That’s the only focus.”

Changing the narrative won’t be easy. Georgia remains a national title favorite, even with new faces under center. And for Tennessee, the pressure is immense. A 10th straight loss would further solidify Georgia’s dominance and reinforce the idea that, even with all of Heupel’s progress, the Vols remain a rung below the true elites.

But a win? It would shatter a mental and historical ceiling that’s loomed for nearly a decade.

“You don’t get many chances to rewrite your story,” the insider said. “If Joey can do that—if he can beat Georgia—he’ll be a legend here forever.”

Until then, skepticism lingers. Joey Aguilar may be Tennessee’s best hope at quarterback this fall. But as history has shown, when it comes to Georgia, hope alone has never been enough.