When Tennessee Tech quarterback Lee Sweeney drops back to pass Saturday at Georgia, chances are he'll be throwing to somebody from the Chattanooga area.

Sophomore receiver Tim Benford, junior receiver Antonio Robinson and sophomore tailback Tremaine Hudson rank 1-2-3 in receptions for the Eagles. Benford excelled at Red Bank, Robinson at South Pittsburg and Hudson at Howard.

"They've all been really good players for us so far," Eagles coach Watson Brown said, "and they're going to be here a while longer, thank goodness."

Tennessee Tech is 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference after defeating Tennessee State 20-13 last Saturday. Benford had five receptions for 122 yards against TSU, including the winning touchdown from 28 yards out with 3:08 remaining, and was co-OVC offensive player of the week with Jacksonville State quarterback Ryan Perrilloux.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Benford was named OVC newcomer of the year last season after amassing 68 catches for 782 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 68 catches set a school record and were 12 more than Georgia sophomore A.J. Green had in his debut season.

Green suffered a bruised lung in last week's loss to Florida and will not play Saturday.

"I'm trying to prove to everybody that I can play on a level with the best of the best," Benford said. "I think I can be an SEC-type guy. I just didn't get the opportunity like everybody else."

Benford, who has 25 catches for 498 yards (19.9 yards per catch) and two touchdowns through eight games this season, has a goal of being a two-time OVC player of the year. His lofty desire has become more difficult this season, as opponents are double-teaming him more often.

Brown said that started late last year, but he believes Benford is handling it well and has the potential to play at the professional level. Benford's winning score last week came in double coverage.

"I've told Tim that he has to be a better player as a senior than he is today," Brown said. "I had (the Atlanta Falcons') Roddy White at UAB, and Tim isn't as big as Roddy was, but he has all of Roddy's abilities as a sophomore. Now Roddy went to work. He got bigger, stronger and faster, and his work habits got better and his attitude got better.

"These are the things that Tim is going to have to do to have those kinds of opportunities that Roddy did."

The double-teaming of Benford has provided more chances for Robinson. The 6-5, 200-pounder has 15 catches for 217 yards (14.5) and two scores.

"Everybody in the OVC knows about Tim Benford," Robinson said. "It's getting to the point where they're putting Tim at different positions to give him the best chance to make plays."

Hudson has 12 catches for 77 yards to complement his 48 carries for 219 yards (4.6) and three touchdowns. The 5-9, 190-pounder missed last week's game due to shoulder soreness but is probable for this week's trip.

Brown wants Hudson healthy in a hurry.

"He's the one who doesn't get talked about enough," Brown said. "Tremaine Hudson has been every bit as important as Tim Benford to us. There is nothing Tremaine can't do, and he is much faster than people think. If I had to pick one guy on this team who can dodge you, he would be the guy."

Robinson signed with the Eagles in 2006, redshirted that season and played just one game in 2007. He had 23 catches for 290 yards last year, when he was happy to have some familiar company.

Benford and Hudson are dorm mates but often stay at Robinson's apartment, where the three talk about everything from representing Chattanooga to which guy's high school would have thumped the other.

"It's a blessing to have people from your area," Robinson said. "Even though we're from different schools, I feel like I played with them in high school. When they came to Tennessee Tech, I welcomed them with open arms. We're tremendously close."

Said Brown: "That's the thing these kids are lucky to get that the normal student doesn't get, and that won't just be in these next two or three years that they play together. It will be for the rest of their lives."