Tennessee Week: Monday News and Notes

ATHENS - Josh Kendall's news and notes from Georgia's falls practices.

TURNER BACK, TOO: Offensive tackle Michael Turner also returned to practice Monday for the first time since suffering a right ankle injury. He was limited but expects to be ready to play against the Volunteers.

BIG-GAME TESTED: Although Tennessee is ranked lower than the Bulldogs and is playing on Georgia’s home field, oddsmakers have made the Vols a two-point favorite. Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer also believes his team might have a little edge, but his opinion has nothing to do with point spreads.

Tennessee has played two top-10 teams this season, beating Cal 35-18 and losing to Florida 21-20.

“I think it probably does help us that we’ve played a couple of really good teams, just the speed of the game or the physicalness of it,” Fulmer said. “The downside of that is that we’ve got quite a few people banged up right now, having four games in a row and being pretty tough ball games.”

Tennessee starting tackle Arron Sears and starting guard Anthony Parker and backup center Michael Frogg all have ankle injuries.

TV SCHEDULE: The time for Oct. 14 game against Vanderbilt won’t be announced until Sunday after CBS exercised a six-day option Monday. CBS will broadcast either Georgia-Vanderbilt, Alabama-Ole Miss or LSU-Kentucky in its 3:30 p.m. time slot on that day.

Lincoln Financial will take either Georgia-Vanderbilt or Alabama-Ole Miss after CBS makes its choice and show that game at 12:30 p.m.

The Florida-Auburn game on that day has already been chosen by ESPN for the 7:45 p.m. slot.

SEC AWARD: Defensive end Charles Johnson of Hawkinsville was named the conference’s defensive lineman of the week on Monday, two days after recording two sacks, a pass deflection and four tackles against Ole Miss. Johnson now leads the Bulldogs with 3.5 sacks and the SEC with nine tackles for loss.

The Bulldogs have had a player recognized by the SEC office in each of the first four weeks of the season.