Georgia football goes into this rivalry weekend against Georgia Tech with a lot on the line. They will take on a team that is very much on-form in the Yellow Jackets.
Every year, I struggle to take Georgia Tech seriously. It’s not just that they don’t seem to even both on the recruiting trail these days. It’s the fact that there is a reason the entire of college football other than about 3 teams have abandoned the triple option. It’s not a recipe for sustained football success. That being said, it seems to have been working for the Yellow Jackets for the past few weeks and that makes this game a little more important than I expected for the Georgia football team. It’s why for the first time in a while, I find myself a bit apprehensive about this particular game.
Since starting the season 1-3, Tech has bounced back and lost only one game. Over the last seven games, their only defeat has been to Duke and they’ve overcome traditional powers such as Miami and Virginia Tech. They’ve also beaten UVA and UNC as well although both of those are more basketball schools these days. It’s worth remembering that Miami is coached by Mark Richt who had Tech’s number during his time in Athens. Their victory over him this year was a real sign that Paul Johnson seems to be doing something right.
Despite the fact that the ACC is technically a dumpster fire where no team other than Clemson looks worthy of being ranked in anyway shape or form, Tech has been impressive and their offense seems to be very dangerous under senior QB TaQuon Marshall. Much like Georgia, the Yellow Jackets also have a second QB, Tobias Oliver and he’s no slouch either.
All of which should make for a difficult game this Saturday. UGA’s players will know that they can’t afford to lose this one. The playoff committee isn’t going to consider them if they lose two games even if they did somehow upset Alabama in Atlanta. This is a must-win showdown for the Dawgs and there’s nothing Tech would like more than to spoil the party.
Georgia’s senior class will want to go out against their in-state rival with a winning record but that’s not going to be a given. The Yellow Jackets are a real test and this will be a tough game. At the end of the day, I firmly believe that talent will win out, but this could be closeer than many will like for a while until the Dawgs get settled. Games like this worry me a bit, especially when the opponent is having a better season than their record indicates.
So I hope Dawgnation and its players enjoy a nice Thanksgiving tomorrow. That being said, they’ll need to get straight back to work on Friday because this Tech team is better than a lot of people realize. I still expect a victory, but with a short week like this and all the distractions that come with that, these Yellow Jackets remains a major concern.