To all of Bulldawg Illustrated’s readers and followers of Georgia football, I hope you and your families had a wonderful Thanksgiving. While we were busy watching football and enjoying great food with our loved ones, our back-to-back national champion football team is diligently preparing for this Saturday’s clash against in-state rivals Georgia Tech. While the Bulldogs possess an overwhelming talent advantage, rivalry games are never to be overlooked. Below are the keys to success for the Bulldogs to defeat the Yellow Jackets and complete yet another perfect regular season.
Tech allows an average of 222.4 yards per game on the ground to opponents. The Bulldogs have an excellent rushing attack led by the likes of Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton. While Carson Beck and the Dawgs’ aerial attack have been most notably highlighted throughout the season, controlling the clock and sustaining drives on the ground is a proven way to disrupt the Ramblin’ Wreck’s defense. Expect both backs to be heavily featured in Mike Bobo’s offensive game plan.
Quarterback Haynes King has thrown 15 interceptions this season. The Texas A&M transfer is not afraid to throw the football into tight windows and force the ball down the field. While King has thrown for an impressive 26 touchdowns this year, his gunslinger mentality has certainly gotten him into some trouble, something that Georgia’s secondary is aware of. The Bulldogs are tied for first in the SEC in interceptions, having recorded twelve so far this season. Be on the lookout for Georgia’s secondary to try and steal a possession against a greedy Yellow Jacket passing offense.
A key statistic in all rivalry games is the third-down conversion percentage. The Bulldogs rank inside the top 10 nationally in both offensive and defensive third-down efficiency. This past week against Tennessee, third down was a backbreaker for the Volunteers as they failed to get the Bulldog’s offense off the field, yet the Vol’s offense couldn’t find a way to convert on third down to stay on the field and sustain drives. Tech’s offense has enough firepower to cause trouble for any team in the country; therefore, ensuring the Yellow Jackets leave the field on the critical down will allow the Georgia offense more opportunities to assert their dominance.
Rivalry weekend is always special. Even though the game is in Atlanta, there should be an overwhelming amount of red inside Bobby-Dodd Stadium. The Bulldogs understand that complacency is not in their DNA and that beating Georgia Tech is one of the yearly requirements and expectations as a Georgia football player. It should be a fun one as the Bulldogs aim to remain perfect and send the Yellow Jackets back to the library.