Maybe it’s the rivalry. Maybe it’s that a large number of Tennessee’s football players grew up there. Or maybe it’s the schedule, an annual test that quite often determines UT’s fate in the SEC East.

Whatever it is, Tennessee guard Anthony Parker feels it.

“I just think there’s some games that no matter what’s going on the rest of the season, everybody plays harder,” said Parker, a Jonesboro, Ga., native and one of 12 UT players who grew up in Georgia. “I just think Georgia’s that team for us. There’s a lot of competition and a lot of rivalry between us and Georgia. It just brings something to the game where everybody’s focused a little more, everybody plays that much harder.”

When kickoff arrives at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (TV: WVLT), Tennessee will need every edge it can get against the 10th-ranked Bulldogs.

The Vols (2-3, 0-2 SEC) are searching for an elusive first win in conference play. The Bulldogs (4-1, 1-1) were a trendy pick to win the national title this season, but an embarrassing loss to No. 2 Alabama two weeks ago in Sanford Stadium left Georgia smarting.

So have its last two games against Tennessee.

In 2006, the Vols turned a 10-point halftime deficit into a 51-33 victory in Athens. Last season, UT jumped out to a 28-0 lead and cruised to a 35-14 victory in Neyland Stadium.

This year, though, Tennessee hasn’t scored more than 30 points since a 35-3 victory over UAB on Sept. 13. Its offense ranks among the worst nationally in passing efficiency (109th), points per game (106th), third-down conversions (100th) and total offense (97th).

Quarterback Nick Stephens was 10-of-17 passing for 156 yards in his debut as a starter last week. He connected on a pair of big plays — a 52-yard touchdown to Denarius Moore and a 43-yard pass to Gerald Jones — but Tennessee managed just 13 points in a win over Northern Illinois.

This weekend, it only gets tougher for Stephens, who will make his SEC debut and take his first career snaps outside Neyland Stadium.

“It’s a big difference,” Stephens said of playing on the road. “I’ve traveled the three years I’ve been here. I know what to expect, really, I’ve just got to go out and lock everything else out and just play my game.”

Tennessee can certainly help Stephens by running the ball more effectively. Since Lennon Creer’s 45-yard touchdown run against UAB on Sept. 13, no UT back has had a carry go longer than 20 yards. Last week, UT mustered just 69 yards rushing against Northern Illinois.

Stopping Georgia’s ground game will be just as important.

In addition to averaging 97.8 yards a game and 6.3 yards per carry, sophomore Knowshon Moreno has scored 10 touchdowns this season. Last year, UT’s defense held Moreno in check, limiting him to a career-low 30 yards on 13 carries.

Georgia is more balanced than any team the Vols have faced this season. Quarterback Matt Stafford and receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and A.J. Green are more than capable of making their share of plays, too.

Still, stopping Moreno and backup tailback Caleb King is UT’s primary focus.

“They’re going to bring it downhill at you,” defensive end Wes Brown said. “It’s going to be a smash-mouth game. They’re going to bring it downhill and get it to Moreno, and then try to open up the play-action pass. We’re going to have to come out and stop the run to begin with and see how things go from there.”

How things go for the Vols after today depends largely on the outcome.

A loss puts Tennessee at 0-3 in the SEC and effectively eliminates any chance at a return trip to Atlanta for the championship game. A win would breathe life into a team that hasn’t had many good things happen in the first half of the season.

“It’s a must-win just to get our swag back,” says senior linebacker Ellix Wilson, who is expected to play after missing last week’s game with a shoulder injury. “We’re going to take that approach and hopefully come out with a win.”

Senior tailback Arian Foster, who has rushed for 161 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games against Georgia, like UT’s approach heading into the game.

“We kind of made up our mind before the game how it was going to be,” he said. “We have to set the tone early, and we did it in practice every year that I’ve been here. This year is kind of reminiscent of that.”

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.