Tomorrow night Tennessee will wrap up the first full weekend of college football in the second Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in Atlanta’s new stadium, against Georgia Tech. Vols head coach Butch Jones is looking forward to the game, but is already suggesting the Yellow Jackets may have the edge by experiencing the brand new football mecca in person for a full practice session.
“They already have an advantage on us because we were told that they were inside the dome practicing with full pads for a two-hour practice (Tuesday),” Jones said, according to the Associated Press. “They got a phone call. We’ll have to make the most of our walkthrough on Sunday when we get there, and I know our players are looking forward to it.”
How much of an advantage it is for Georgia Tech allegedly getting a practice in at the new stadium remains in question, but the allure of a brand new stadium is something to be at least mildly concerned about. The fancy video screen wrapping around the stadium could draw wandering eyes at times, but when the game begins the focus is still on what is happening on the field.
Georgia Tech getting a chance to workout on the field is hardly surprising giving the distance between the new stadium and Georgia Tech’s campus. And why wouldn’t Georgia Tech want to take advantage of the opportunity to get in some reps at the new stadium when given the chance?
Tennessee’s biggest problem won’t be that Georgia Tech got to practice in the stadium already as much as it will be trying to slow down the signature triple option offense employed by Georgia Tech, and overcoming the loss of a pair of key starters.