Kirby Smart is ready for the noise in Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee football is set to face off against the sixth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. The Bulldogs have won eight straight against the Vols, but head coach Kirby Smart knows that having their first away game of the season in Knoxville won’t be easy.

“When you open up on the road in the SEC, it’s always challenging,” Smart said.

Here is what Smart had to say about Tennessee during his press conference on Monday.

Preparing for Neyland loud

Starting SEC play on the road isn’t the only challenge for Georgia to consider. Neyland Stadium is known for being one of the most hostile environments in college football. For new players experiencing their first away and SEC game, the noise level can have a significant impact.

“One of the toughest places to play in all of college football,” Smart said. “It’ll be as loud as it ever is, it always is one of the loudest in the SEC for sure.”

Despite this, Smart believes that his team can block out the noise and stay focused on what’s happening right in front of them. The game plan for the Bulldogs is to focus solely on execution, rather than the environment.

“It’s not you against 100,00 — it’s you against 11-on-11,” Smart said.

Last time Tennessee hosted Georgia in 2023, Neyland Stadium set the college football record for noise level at 137 decibels.

Tennessee physicality

Smart put a major emphasis on the physicality of past and present Tennessee teams. He knows that it will always be a battle in the trenches when these two teams face off. Specifically, when it comes to the Vols’ offensive line.

“Their offensive line plays extremely physical,” Smart said. “They are very intentional with their bumps and their doubles. They attack you.”

The intensity of the offensive line gives way to an equally physical rushing attack.

In two games, the Vols have 455 rushing yards and seven touchdowns across five different running backs. Smart’s response is the key focus of the Georgia defense this week: don’t let them run.

“Make it hard to score,” said Smart. “And that starts with stopping the run and not giving up big plays. Those are the two key ingredients to Tennessee.”

He had high praise for the use of multiple tough physical running backs who can attack on patient downhill runs. Slowing them down is the focal point of Smart’s game plan.

On the other side of the ball, the Vols’ defensive line was another unit recognized for its physicality. Smart has noted the difficulty of simulating the Tennessee defense in practice.

“They play really hard, they’ve disrupted the pocket in each game,” Smart said.

This intensity on the line led to five sacks against Syracuse and three against ETSU.

The passing game

Even though the run game is his top priority, Smart commended quarterback Joey Aguilar’s performance in his first two games with the Vols.

“He’s playing really efficiently,” Smart said. “He’s got great arm talent, he’s a really good athlete.”

Smart also commented on Aguilar’s deep-ball ability. Tennessee’s potential for big plays downfield is another focus for the Bulldog defense. The Vols’ quick tempo and wide spread style of play is something that Georgia is heavily preparing for.

Aguilar has 535 passing yards and five touchdowns on the year, with two of them being 50-plus-yard plays.