The seventh-ranked Georgia Bulldogs will look to cap off their regular season with a win tonight, taking on the in-state rival Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Dawgs will also celebrate Senior night tonight, as many DGDs will play their final game in Sanford Stadium unless Georgia earns home-field advantage in the College Football Playoff. Georgia comes into this with a record of 9-2 and winners of two straight, as the Dawgs’ offense seems to be firing on all cylinders. As for the Yellow Jackets, they have put together a solid 7-4 season that includes a win over the sixth-ranked Miami Hurricanes. Coach Brent Key has put together a tough and gritty program in his second season as the Jackets’ Head Coach, with this one sure to be a game of physicality for the Dawgs. This game still has significant playoff implications for the Dawgs; it will be crucial for Georgia to finish strong before heading to Atlanta to take on the Texas Longhorns or Texas A&M Aggies. Tonight’s game has a scheduled start time of 7:30 p.m. ET and can be viewed on ABC and ESPN+.
Georgia run defense vs. Tech rush offense
The Dawgs’ front seven was disappointing last week, allowing 226 yards on the ground to UMASS. Georgia cannot afford to turn in a similar performance this week, lining up against a solid Tech run game. The Yellow Jackets’ rushing attack is headlined by Junior running back Jamal Haynes. This season, Haynes has rushed for a total of 717 yards on 138 carries for an average of 5.2 yards per carry to go along with nine touchdowns. The 5’9, 190-pound Haynes packs a lot of power within his frame, so it will be crucial for the Dawgs’ front seven not to allow him to get to the second level of the defense. Junior quarterback Haynes King is also a guy the Dawgs’ defense will need to keep at bay in the run game. King has been a solid passer for the Jackets but is more known for his improvising and rush skills. King has totaled 480 rushing yards on 90 carries from the quarterback position this season, including eight touchdowns, as the Dawgs’ will more than likely have a spy on him all night.
Unfortunately, the Dawgs’ run defense will be without defensive lineman Christen Miller for tonight’s game. With Miller being out, Georgia will lean on guys like Warren Brinson and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins to keep that front line strong against a solid Tech O-line. Mykel Williams will look to continue his dominance from the outside edge, along with Senior Chaz Chambliss, as both guys look to get after King and Haynes. The Georgia linebacking core should all be suited up and ready to go tonight, with Smael Mondon looking to have a big game, possibly his last one, at Sanford Stadium. Sophomore C.J. Allen will also look to continue his solid season, and we could see a little more of Freshman Chris Cole as he’s been coming on strong for the Dawgs’ defense in the last few weeks.
What to look for
While Haynes King is the leader of Tech’s offense, Freshman Aaron Philo will also have plenty of snaps at the quarterback position tonight. Philo turned in a solid performance last week against the N.C. State Wolfpack, receiving a majority of the snaps with Haynes King being banged up. Philo completed 19 of 33 passes for 265 yards while adding 57 on the ground, including a late-game rushing touchdown that earned the 30-29 win. With that being said, the two-quarterback system will be in full effect tonight.
As for the Dawgs, they will probably continue to lean heavily on Nate Frazier tonight, with the running-back room still plagued with injuries. Frazier turned in a career-high 136-yard performance on the ground last week, which included three touchdowns against UMass. Frazier recently made it known that he wants to be an all-time great at Georgia, and he looks to be off to a solid start in accomplishing that.
It will be interesting to see if Georgia’s offensive play-calling will be kept to a minimum tonight, as the Dawgs may take a more conservative approach if possible to get the win. Senior quarterback Carson Beck has been on fire the last two weeks, throwing for 644 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions as he will look to go out on a high note for possibly the final time under the lights of Sanford Stadium.
Prediction UGA-31 GT-21
This game will be a game of physicality; Georgia wants to take care of business and finish strong before heading to Atlanta, while Tech would love nothing more than to hurt the Dawgs’ playoff chances. This game will be determined in the trenches, as whoever establishes and owns the line of scrimmage will get the win. As always, GO DAWGS!!!