Logan Cook

The Georgia – Georgia Tech rivalry is renewed after a back and forth, eight-overtime thriller on Friday night. It has been seven years since the 2016 matchup in Kirby’s first year when Tech upset Georgia 28-27. Ever since, the rivalry has been owned by the Dogs. But the current Georgia Tech team looks a lot different than the days of the Paul Johnson triple option or the Reggie Ball 4th and throwaway. Brent Key has this Yellow Jacket football team playing tough, hardnose football. It was evident in last year’s matchup in Bobby Dodd when Haynes King took Georgia down to the wire. 

That toughness was on display this year as well as the Jackets dominated the first half on both sides of the football. In five first-half drives, Tech sustained long, time-consuming possessions, eating up the clock and keeping Carson Beck and the Georgia offense off the field. Georgia’s defense was able to hold Tech to a field goal and a turnover on downs on two drives, but a Haynes King rushing touchdown and a Jamal Haynes receiving touchdown put Tech in front 17-0. Tech tallied 307 yards of offense in the first half. 

Georgia’s offense finally came alive in the second half. After a scoreless thirty minutes, the Georgia offense would find the endzone on six of their next eight possessions. Late in the third, Beck found Oscar Delp in the endzone after driving 51 yards in 6 plays. The Yellow Jackets responded with a field goal of their own before Nate Frazier’s touchdown made it 20-13 with 8:18 left on the clock. 

Then Georgia’s hopes seemed to be lost in what wouldn’t be the last time as Haynes King rushed for an 11-yard touchdown putting the Jackets up by two possessions at 27-13. Beck completed five of seven passes for 58 yards the next drive, finding Dominic Lovett in the endzone with 3:54 left in the game. Three plays later, Senior safety Dan Jackson forced a Haynes King fumble giving Georgia the ball at the 38 yard line with two minutes to go. Beck scrambled his way down the field and completed another touchdown to Dominic Lovett, tying the game. Beck finished with 297 yards and five touchdowns. 

Overtime came, and each team traded touchdowns on their first and second attempts. In the third overtime, new NCAA rules dictated teams trade 2-pt conversion attempts. Neither team converted their attempts in the 3rd or 4th overtime. Both converted in the 5th. Dan Jackson sacked King in the 6th but Georgia failed to convert on offense. In the 7th, Kaynes King was stuffed at the 1-yard line after a pass interference call on Georgia’s defense. Finally, in the 8th overtime and early into Saturday morning, Nate Frazier scored, giving Georgia the improbable victory. 

The win nearly cements Georgia’s position in the playoffs, though Kirby Smart will hope to take advantage of the conference championship game against Texas to secure a top four seed and a first round bye. Kick off is scheduled for 4:00 on ABC.