What Tennessee Tech's coach said about facing Georgia

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles head coach Bobby Wilder outlined the challenge his team faces against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs.

“I’m talking about this (Georgia) is the best football team in the country,” said Bobby Wilder. “They’re they’re not only sound in every area. They’re excellent.”

Tennessee Tech is over 50-point underdogs against Georgia. The Golden Eagles are being paid $550,000 to play at Sanford Stadium against a team that has not lost at home since 2019.

“In my opinion, Kirby Smart is the best coach in college football,” added Wilder. “I truly believe he’s the voice of college football, right now, with Nick Saban retiring.”

Kirby Smart is one of only two active head coaches to win a College Football Playoff. He just defeated the other, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, by 31 points in Week 1.

“If I was being honest, I would tell you that I’m not thrilled to be headed to Athens, Georgia, this weekend,” said Wilder. “So I’ll be dishonest and say I’m very excited to be playing a game in Sanford Stadium in front of 93,000.”

It is refreshing to see Wilder’s take on facing Georgia. Playing at Georgia is a tough game for teams in the SEC, but FCS teams have such a talent disadvantage against a team like Georgia that they don’t have a chance.

“A lot of FCS schools have been taking it in the teeth the first couple weekends to pay bills and truthfully that’s what this is about,” said Wilder.

The $550,000 that Georgia is compensating Tennessee Tech to play in Athens is not a big chunk of change to UGA, but it makes a big difference for Tennessee Tech.

“I think Georgia’s (NIL) collective is $20 million. Our athletic department budget is $17 million that’s the gap,” explained Wilder. With the transfer portal, Georgia and other Power Four schools often recruit and add the top players from other FCS and Group of Five schools partially due to NIL money.

Tennessee Tech plays against Georgia on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.