What just happened: Georgia toughs out eighth straight win over Georgia Tech
Friday’s Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry was the embodiment of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. It was an old-school, throwback bruiser of a game, with each side exchanging body blows to see which team would outlast the other.
In the end, the Bulldogs claimed state-wide bragging rights again in a 16-9 slugfest that came down to the last few plays and yards. Georgia running back Josh McCray picked up a key third down late in the game that helped the Bulldogs run the game clock all the way down to 21 seconds before giving the ball back to the Yellow Jackets.
With 13 seconds remaining, Georgia Tech made things interesting, completing two passes to the Georgia 44-yard line. With one second left, however, a Hail Mary was batted down, securing a victory for the Bulldogs.
Anyone who came to see Gunner Stockton and Haynes King duel it out through the air left disappointed. Stockton finished 11-of-21 passing for 70 yards, a touchdown and an interception. King completed 19 of 27 passes for 181 yards, with 36 of those yards coming on the two passes before his failed Hail Mary. King also threw an interception.
Georgia’s defensive success came by stopping King on the ground. King was limited to 10 carries for 39 rushing yards. As a team Georgia Tech only mustered 69 rushing yards.
Meanwhile, Nate Frazier carried the ball 16 times for 108 yards and had the bulk of his success in the first half.
What it means
Unfortunately for Georgia Tech’s perpetually sad fan base, Georgia’s win ties its rival for the series-best winning streak at eight. But hey, the Yellow Jackets are bound for the WhoCares.com Bowl, which is great for them. Congratulations! Fortunately for Georgia fans, the Bulldogs can claim the series-best winning streak all to themselves with a victory over Georgia Tech next year. You can bet Kirby Smart will want this accomplishment on his resume.
A question that needs answering
Will Georgia reach the SEC Championship?
With Georgia’s regular season concluded, this is the only question left to answer. And we’ll all find out the answer in the next 48 hours. If Texas defeats Texas A&M or if Auburn beats Alabama, Georgia will play again next Saturday in Atlanta.
If Texas A&M and Alabama both win, Georgia will wait to see where things shake out with the College Football Playoff.
Three important plays
Crucial interception: With Georgia going three-and-out to open the second half, the Yellow Jackets had a chance to cut into a 13-3 lead. Instead, around midfield, King took a deep shot that Ellis Robinson IV high-pointed for an interception.
Undisciplined penalty: Georgia Tech’s Jamal Haynes ran the ball to the left to set up what should have been a third-and-2 in the fourth quarter. Inexplicably, Keylan Rutledge committed an unsportsmanlike penalty to back the Yellow Jackets up 15 yards. Failing on third-and-17, Georgia Tech was forced to punt while trailing 16-6.
McCray’s pickup: With 2:34 to go in the fourth quarter, McCray cut back to the right to pick up a first down that allowed the Bulldogs to get to the two-minute warning. Georgia Tech had one timeout, but the Bulldogs were able to prevent the Yellow Jackets from getting the ball back until 13 seconds left to play.
Other games of note
No. 7 Ole Miss 38, Mississippi State 19: There would be no upset bid from the SEC’s other Bulldogs. Now, Ole Miss will wait to see what happens with Texas A&M and Alabama, and the world will wait to see what happens with Lane Kiffin.
Grading Georgia
Offense: C
Georgia Tech deserves a lot of credit for its defensive game-plan. It wasn’t going to let Georgia find success in the screen game and kept its safeties deep to prevent vertical shots. Georgia probably could have stuck to the run in the third quarter and possibly pulled away earlier. By failing to capture some offensive momentum early in the second half, Georgia Tech was allowed to stick around the entire game.
Defense: A
Georgia’s defense needed to take away King as a runner. It did just that by holding him to 39 rushing yards for the game. By accomplishing this, the Yellow Jackets were held out of the end zone in a hard-fought defensive battle from both teams.
Special teams: A
Peyton Woodring connected on three field goals, with his third being from 50 yards. Brett Thorson punted four times with a long of 61 yards. His third punt pinned Georgia Tech at Georgia’ 12-yard line. These two specialists were once again tremendous for the Bulldogs.
Season grades to date
Offense: B
Defense: C+
Special teams: B+