‘Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate’ Could Become the Best CFB Rivalry Game of 2015
“Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate”, the name so appropriately hung upon the yearly football contest between Georgia and Georgia Tech, could become the best college football rivalry game there is in 2015, with more than just state bragging rights on the line.
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Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, Bulldogs vs. Yellow Jackets, Atlanta vs. Athens, football factory pitted against trade school, nerds vs. rednecks…it’s a football game that has many angles each year, but in 2014 an angle national implications entered the picture.
Georgia may have lost a shot at a playoff spot by losing to Tech, and the Yellow Jackets almost propelled themselves in by beating the Bulldogs
2015 should see “may have” and “almost” get thrown out like a Todd Grantham recruit.
“Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” is shaping up to not only be a very big and important game, but could also become the biggest rematch of the season.
Am I getting ahead of myself here? Good. That’s my intention. Because when you start thinking of even more reasons to hate your biggest rival, having a potential rematch in a post-season game leaps right to the top of the list.
Georgia is (again) a favorite in the SEC East, a possible upset contender for the conference championship, and a dark horse for a playoff berth and national championship.
Georgia Tech is a favorite in the ACC Coastal, a possible upset contender for the conference championship and a dark horse for a playoff berth and national championship. (Is it live, or is it Memorex?)
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So let’s play prognosticator here, and make some valid but silly assumptions. What if both teams do what they are more than capable of doing, and run the table this year, both squads coming into the head-to-head season finale undefeated. First of all, they’d both be in that coveted top four in the nation, looking strong for a playoff spot. Second of all, even a loss in this game might not change that.
Win or lose COFH, Georgia goes on to win the SEC championship and Georgia Tech captures the ACC crown.
Chances are, we still have both teams in the playoffs. Did you just see what I said? Both Georgia and Georgia Tech in the playoffs. Then you have the Peach Bowl, one of the bowl games in the playoff rotation…traditionally SEC vs. ACC, traditionally nearby schools that can sell tickets and be a big draw.
So, a rematch…in a bowl game, nay, a bowl playoff game…in Atlanta, of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate
Don’t shrug it off folks, it could happen.
And if it did happen, it would propel this rivalry into the best in-state rivalry in the nation…possibly even the best rivalry period. For a game that hasn’t meant much to anyone who didn’t know how to order at the Varsity or what the Junkman’s Daughter’s Brother was, that’s a pretty significant accomplishment.
If it happens.
If. Yeah…we’ve seen if with both these teams before.
If Georgia didn’t mail it in against Florida…
If Georgia Tech didn’t choke on the smoke on Tobacco Road…
If that dog hadn’t stopped to take a pee, he’d have caught that rabbit…
Georgia has to unseat defending SEC champion Alabama this year, and Georgia Tech must accomplish the same Herculean feat against a Jameis-less Florida State team. No small task for either team, and both of those games could potentially be re-matches in their respective conference championship games.
Am I dreaming here, or does this all just sound too tasty for words?
There’s a long way to go until November 28, and lots can happen between now and the carving of a Thanksgiving turkey after a prayer to dispatch of the enemy an hour and a half away, but if things unfold the way they could, we’ll see something very special.
Feel our hate, America…let it flow through you.