The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BULLDOGS POUND JACKETS
UGA coasts after going up 38-7 at halftime; Tech has been outscored 83-28 in past two matchups.
ATHENS — Georgia’s College Football Playoff aspirations will extend at least one more week, and Georgia Tech’s lamentations as the gridiron subordinate in the state will continue at least another year.
On a gray afternoon before a sea of red, the No. 5 Bulldogs parceled out a 45-21 defeat of the Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium. UGA throttled Tech, amassing 447 yards to the Jackets’ 219, more than half of which were gained in the fourth quarter when the game was well out of reach.
“They’re a good team, and we played horribly,” Tech coach Paul Johnson said. “So put the two together, and that’s what you get. You get your butt kicked.”
Georgia (11-1) has now pummeled Tech (7-5) in consecutive years, following its 38-7 win last season at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Tech held hopes of upsetting Georgia at Sanford Stadium for a third consecutive time — a hat trick the Jackets hadn’t achieved since the 1950s — but those aspirations were dashed by halftime. If the past two games were any indication, it may be awhile before the Jackets score backto-back wins in Athens. Or maybe even a single win, if you would listen to UGA line- backer D’Andre Walker, who was second on the team with seven tackles.
“I feel like after this year, there will be no more years where Georgia Tech will come into the University of Geor- gia and beat us in our own stadium,” Walker said.
Needing a win to keep alive its hopes for getting into the four-team playoff, Georgia jumped on Tech from the start. The Bulldogs raced through the Jackets on the game’s opening drive to take a 7-0 lead, as UGA running backs Elijah Holy- field and D’Andre Swift ran freely behind the Georgia line and quarterback Jake Fromm threw from the safety of a seemingly impregnable pocket. After stopping Tech’s first drive – the Jackets foiled themselves by false starting on a fourth-and-1 that they were going for, ending their possession — Georgia sped through Tech again for a 14-0 lead.
Tech’s only highlight of note followed on the ensuing kickoff — kick returner Juanyeh Thomas’ 100-yard return for a touchdown — but the Bulldogs poured it on, scoring on their next four possessions to go up 38-7 at the half.
“Offensively, they were pretty much a machine there in the first half,” Johnson said.
For the game, Fromm completed 13 of 16 passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns. With the Georgia offensive line controlling the line of scrimmage, Swift and Holy- field combined for 184 rushing yards and two scores on just 23 carries.
The Bulldogs had six pos- cient, and we’re getting possessions in the first half and itive plays.” ran only three third-down Tech needed to give a plays. For the game, they near-perfect performance averaged 7.3 yards per play to have a chance but relin- on offense, the highest rated quished its bid with errors posted on Tech since the Bull- on o ffense and defens e. dogs’ 7.9 last year. The aforementioned fourth
“Our offense is functioning and-1 was botched, Johnat a high level,” UGA coach son said players told him, Kirby Smart said. “We’re effi- when backup quarterback Tech) when it was able to isolate speedy wide receiver Mecole Hardman against line- backer Brant Mitchell. Hard- man flew past Mitchell for a 44-yard touchdown recep- tion with a precision deliv- ery from Fromm. The score expanded Georgia’s lead to 28-7 with 9:22 remaining in the second quarter.
“If you want to take a 4.3 guy (Hardman, referring to his 40-yard dash time) and put him against an — I don’t know what I run; it’s not good — but it was just a mismatch,” Mitchell said.
Tech will now wait for its bowl destination. The Belk, Music City, Military and Inde- pendence are all possibilities. Tobias Oliver (in because With Tech behind them, TaQuon Marshall’s helmet the Bulldogs can now turn had come off on the previous their sights on No. 1 Alabama play) called the play “3” in in Saturday’s SEC Championthe huddle, but some teamship game at Mercedes-Benz mates heard “Freeze,” the Stadium. In a rematch of last name of another play. year’s national championship
Ge o rgia delivered its game — in the same stadium, knockout punch in the sec- no less — Georgia probably ond quarter (after another needs to pull the upset to get failed fourth-down try by into the playoff.
“It feels like a game we should be going to every year,” Smart said. “Our guys will lay it on the line, and they’re excited about the opportunity.”