Georgia Football’s 5 Biggest Year-Changing Moments of 2014

Nov 29, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Deon Hill (31) tries to escape a tackle by safety Quincy Mauger (20) during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia Tech defeated Georgia 30-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4: Mark Richt’s Poor Clock Management and Decisions vs Georgia Tech

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a big Mark Richt supporter, but at the end of the game against Georgia Tech, he blew it plain and simple.

First, there was the squib kick. With just 18 seconds left in the game after a Georgia touchdown that put the Bulldogs up 24-21, Richt opted for a short kickoff. It was a questionable decision, but truthfully wasn’t as bad as some make it out to be. Tech had one of the best kick returners in the game, and kicking it deep could have resulted in a return for a touchdown.

Unfortunately the Bulldogs didn’t cover the squib kick well, and then failed to stop QB Justin Thomas on the next play, putting Tech in position to tie the game with a field goal…which they did.

The head-scratcher was why Richt decided to take the timeout with just 13 ticks of the clock left. Tech was in range for a 53-yard field goal, and was out of timeouts. Had Georgia just let the clock run they would have been rushed to get their unit on the field and make the kick.

Next: Mailing It In