Georgia football triumphs over the Yellow Jackets on senior day
Georgia football defeated Georgia Tech 45-21 on senior day to improve to 11-1 in the regular season. The Dawgs play Alabama next week in the SEC Championship Game.
All is right with the world. Georgia football dominated Georgia Tech on route to a 45-21 victory in Athens. The senior class leaves school with a 3-1 record over the Yellow Jackets. The win was not as close as the score showed. The Dawgs lead 38-7 at halftime, and 45-7 when the first and many second-string players left the game.
Georgia out-gained Tech 447-219. Jake Camarda didn’t launch a punt until the fourth quarter, ending Georgia’s streak of consecutive quarters without a punt at seven. The Dawgs also had more than double the amount of first downs (25-12) and rushing yards (285-128).
Scoring summaries
Georgia marched 75 yards on nine players to open the game. Terry Godwin and Tyler Simmons both caught first down passes, Elijah Holyfield and D’Andre Swift combined to rush for 28 yards. Jake Fromm ended the drive with a five-yard-strike to Riley Ridley . Georgia 7, Georgia Tech 0. 1Q,10:23.
Tech punted after just 15 yards and six plays on their first drive. They flipped field position by giving Georgia possession at the 12-yard-line. But a 39-yard-run by Holyfield flipped the field back in Georgia’s favor. The Dawgs dominated on the ground the rest of the way, and Swift capped off the drive with a one-yard-run. Georgia 14, Georgia Tech 0. 1Q, 00:51.
Tech temporarily made the game interesting with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. At that point, Clean, Old Fashioned Hate looked like it was going to follow a typical formula for games in Athens. Georgia 14, Georgia Tech 7. 1Q, 00:32.
The kickoff return proved detrimental to Georgia Tech as it put a tired defense back on the field. The Dawgs began cruising downfield with a big 17-yard-pass to J.J. Holloman and a 22-yard-run by Jayson Stanley. Fromm then hit Holloman in the end zone near the sideline for another touchdown. Georgia 21, Georgia Tech 7. 2Q, 12:56.
While Tech’s defense was tired after the kickoff return, Georgia’s defense was rested. The offense had possessed the ball for a total of 13 minutes and 20 seconds. That rested defense came up big with a fourth down stop after just six plays. Instead of going on another time-consuming drive, the Dawgs swung for the fences with a 44-yard-touchdown-pass from Fromm to Mecole Hardman. Georgia 28, Georgia Tech 7. 2Q, 9:22.
Tech lost six yards on four plays on their next possession. They punted and Hardman returned the ball 27-yards to the Tech 33-yard-line. Five plays later, the Dawgs scored with an eight-yard-run by Holyfield. Georgia 35, Georgia Tech 7. 2Q, 5:00.
Tech finally put together a solid drive, though it didn’t amount to anything besides the time it wasted. Fromm slung some passes to Isaac Nauta to move down field, but Georgia had to settle for a Rodrigo Blankenship field goal. Georgia 38, Georgia Tech 7. Halftime
Georgia Tech only gained one yard to start the second half. The offense cruised downfield with runs by Swift and Holyfield. Fromm finished his day with another short touchdown pass to Ridley. Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 7. 3Q, 10:20.
Reflection
The first-team is firing on all cylinders at the right time. The offense seems to have found a way to keep from missing out on points. These last two weeks, the first-team offense has been near perfect. They’re not settling for field goals anymore, and if they get inside the 30, they’re leaving the field with points.
Georgia’s defense has struggled against the run all year, but Tech’s run game failed for most of the day. They covered the option very well and never gave up a big play, even creating some themselves with big hits around and behind the line of scrimmage.
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The Dawgs now have to prepare for Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide are playing in their 12th conference title game, and their seventh with Nick Saban. They haven’t lost in the SEC title game since 2008. The winner is pretty much guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, disregarding possible hi-jinks by the committee. Georgia is making their seventh appearance in the championship game. Georgia won last year’s SEC Championship and have a 3-3 record.