Georgia State Vs. Tennessee 2012: Final Score And Game Recap

Tennessee improves to 2-0 on the year as Derek Dooley's Volunteers squad defeated the Georgia State Panthers 51-13 in Neyland Stadium on a drizzly afternoon.

Quarterback Tyler Bray was incredibly efficient on the day, going 18-of-20 for 310 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those touchdowns went to Justin Hunter, who hauled in eight passes for 143 yards. Rajion Neal rushed for two touchdowns on 13 carries for the Vols as well.

Georgia State could not generate much offense against the Volunteer defense, gaining just 263 yards and committing two turnovers.

Box Score Hero: The entire Tennessee receiving corps could be tonight's box score hero for the Vols, as seven different receivers averaged over ten yards per reception. Junior college transfer Cordarrelle Patterson led the team in receiving average with 24.7 yards a catch.

Rankings Ramifications: Tennessee may creep into the top-25 after this performance. The Volunteers were near the top of the "others receiving votes" category in both major polls for this week.

But Did They Cover? The Vols were 46 point favorites, which means that a the Panthers were just inside of the spread.

For More On This Game: For more on the Tennessee Volunteers, visit Rocky Top Talk. For all NCAA football coverage, visit SB Nation's NCAA hub.

Next Week's Schedule: Tennessee will host the rival Florida Gators at 6:00 p.m. in Neyland Stadium. Georgia State will play Texas-San Antonio in the Georgia Dome at at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.

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Georgia State Vs. Tennessee 2012: Game Time, TV Schedule, Spread And More

The Georgia State Panthers head to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday. The game will be the first meeting in football for the two schools.

The Panthers opened up their 2012 season with a 33-6 loss to South Carolina State. Georgia State struggled to get anything going offensively as they could muster just 229 yards offensively on a meager 3.9 yards per play. The lone bright spot may have been running back Donald Russell, who carried 12 times for 122 yards.

The Vols posted an impressive 35-21 victory over North Carolina State to kick off their schedule. Quarterback Tyler Bray was accurate and efficient, completing 27/41 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns.

The atmosphere at Neyland Stadium will be far beyond what the Panthers are used to, as there will be over 100,000 screaming Tennessee fans in attendance.

Game time, TV schedule: 4 p.m. ET. ESPN3

Spread: Odds are not published for games involving FCS teams.

For news, analysis, and more: To stay updated on Georgia State, stick with SB Nation Atlanta. For all things Tennessee, check out Rocky Top Talk and Team Speed Kills.

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Georgia State Vs. Tennessee: Panthers Special Teams Key Against Volunteers

If the Georgia State Panthers want to have a chance at beating the Tennessee Volunteers Saturday, they'll need to get a strong performance out of their special teams unit, according to Doug Roberson of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In the Panthers season opening game, a 33-6 loss to South Carolina State, kicker Matt Ehasz missed two of his four field goals attempts, creating concern for the team heading forward. This week, though, Christian Benvenuto, who was suspended for the season opener after an offseason arrest, is set to return and could reclaim the starting job at kicker. Benvenuto connected on nine of his 17 attempts last season.

Despite Benvenuto's return to the lineup, coach Bill Curry was mum about who would start at kicker this week and said it would be a game time decision.

Another sign of hope for the Panthers on special teams was the play of punter Matt Hubbard, who averaged 62.2 yards per punt, including one that went for 80 yards, against South Carolina State.

Georgia State also limited South Carolina State to 20.5 yards per kickoff return, while recording a 24.1 kickoff return average of its own. The Panthers will need to continue -- or improve upon -- that play, though, if they want to stand a fighting chance against Tennessee.

For more on the Georgia State Panthers, stick with SBNation Atlanta, and be sure to check out SBNation's college football hub.

Georgia State Vs. Tennessee: Ben McLane Now In Control Of Panther's Offense

Quarterback Ben McLane struggled in his first collegiate start Saturday in Georgia State's 33-6 loss to South Carolina State, but the Panthers have not lost faith in the young signal-caller. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, McLane will be the starter this week when Goergia State visits the Tennessee Volunteers in a major road test:

Tackle Grant King said it doesn’t matter how long McLane holds onto the ball, the line needs to keep defenders off him. King, who has started 23 consecutive games at right tackle, said the line needs to focus and get their minds right.

"A lot of guys were somewhat inexperienced and we are trying to overcome that right now," he said.

McLane completed just 7 of 15 passes for 54 yards and was sacked five times. He did not throw any interceptions, however. Running back Donald Russell rushed for 120 yards on 12 carries and could be used more to take the pressure off McLane.

For more on the Georgia State Panthers, stick with SBNation Atlanta, and be sure to check out SBNation's college football hub.

Georgia State Football Depth Chart: Kelton Hill Moving To Safety

Georgia State's Kelton Hill is changing positions this week, making the move from quarterback to safety.

Hill approached Georgia State's coaching staff about the idea. Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

After appearing as a backup in Thursday night's 33-6 loss to South Carolina State, Hill said he approached offensive coordinator John Bond about the move on Sunday before talking to Curry.

"I was tired of the two-quarterback rotation," Hill said. "I thought this has got to stop. It was just holding the team up."

It turns out, Bond had also been thinking about the move for some of the same reasons as Hill.

Hill, who boasts tremendous athleticism, will still appear in wildcat formations, and might be used as a kick and punt returner, according to Georgia State's head coach Bill Curry.

The transition already seems to be going well.

Hill, now wearing No. 11 instead of No. 4, worked out with the second team safeties on Tuesday. Curry said Hill picked things up intuitively. Hill was an all-state performer as an athlete at Lithia Springs High School, where he played quarterback and safety. He said the fundamentals came back to him during practice.

Hopefully, the move works out for the best, both for Hill and Georgia State.

Georgia State Vs. Tennessee: Kicker Christian Benvenuto Reinstated

Georgia State reinstated kicker Christian Benvenuto after his involvement in a Buckhead bar altercation this offseason, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Doug Roberson reports.

The Panthers have struggled to find consistency at kicker. Matt Ehasz missed two of his four kicks, including a 24-yarder in GSU's opener against South Carolina State. David Miller, who beat out Ehasz and Benvenuto for the kicking duties out of fall camp, sat out the opener with a foot injury.

Last season, Benvenuto hit just 9 of 17 field goal attempts, with six of those misses coming from 40 yards or further. He'll have to compete with Miller and Ehasz this week for a starting spot.

Punter, meanwhile, appears to be a strong point for the Panthers. GSU punter Matt Hubbard averaged just over 62 yards on his five punts Saturday, including a booming 80-yarder.

For more on the Georgia State Panthers, stick with SBNation Atlanta, and be sure to check out SBNation's college football hub.

Georgia State Vs. Tennessee: Bill Curry Wants More Touches For Donald Russell

During a teleconference on Monday, Georgia State head coach Bill Curry admitted that running back Donald Russell didn't get the ball as often as he should have in the Panthers' 33-6 loss to South Carolina State.

"He didn’t get the ball enough in either half," Curry said during today’s CAA teleconference. "We recognized that as soon as the game was over. Several things specific in play-calling that [John] Bond and I got together immediately and realized that we didn’t distribute the ball."

Related: Georgia State Vs. Tennessee Preview: Panthers Go For Upset Over Volunteers

Russell ran for 120 yards on just 12 carries in the game, and he was the team's leading rusher by a wide margin.

For updates on this matchup, stay tuned to SB Nation Atlanta. For additional coverage, visit Volunteers blog Rocky Top Talk. And for more news, notes and analysis from around NCAA football, check out SB Nation's college football hub.

Georgia State Vs. Tennessee Preview: Panthers Go For Upset Over Volunteers

Georgia State visits Tennessee on Saturday.