LIVE: Bulldogs, Jackets vie for more than bragging rights
The early scene from Sanford Stadium, site for the final regular season game for Georgia and Tech.
ATHENS — Good morning. Before we get to the game, I have a small request: Let’s be civil.
I understand emotions (and beer) often cause sports fans to jump the rails a little bit. Because we will have both Georgia and Georgia Tech fans on this blog, the chance for a verbal inferno becomes even greater.
But the same rules apply: no profanity, no profanity that is cleverly disguised with punctuation marks, no racist comments, no sexual innuendo, no stealing of screen names to give the impression that somebody wrote something when they really didn’t, no … well, you get the idea. You can praise, mock, laud and criticize all you like. But let me share something an old editor of mine once told me: If you have to ask, “Can I write this?” the answer is probably no.
Fair enough?
OK, onto the game. Georgia and Georgia Tech is, first and foremost, always about 364 days of bragging rights. But it’s so much more than that today.
– Georgia needs a win to keep hopes alive for a berth in the BCS title. That’s also contingent on the Bulldogs upsetting Alabama in the SEC championship game next week. The Dogs would still play for the conference title even if they were to be upset by the Jackets. But obviously a lot of steam would come out of the game, and certainly it would deflate the fan base.
– Georgia Tech needs a win for a credibility boost and, in that sense. It also would give Jackets fans some hope for the ACC championship game against Florida State and/or a better bowl game. Tech has won three straight. But it has been a largely rocky season and they slipped into the Coastal Division title and a conference championship berth through the backdoor, benefiting from Miami’s decision to bow out in hopes of minimizing expected NCAA sanctions.
Georgia fans have reason to be concerned: Even though the Dogs have shown themselves to be the better and more talented team, there’s a possibility of players being distracted by all of the SEC and BCS talk.
Georgia Tech fans have reason to be concerned: Even with the late-season bounce back and the added skills that quarterback Vad Lee brings to the lineup, the Jackets’ defense hasn’t stopped anybody. Georgia has a balanced offense led by quarterback Aaron Murray (12 touchdowns, zero interceptions since the fourth quarter against Florida) and freshman running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall.
Bottom line: This is a rivalry game, and strange things often occur in rivalry games. At the risk of sounding cliche, I suspect Tech’s best chance to win today will be based on turnovers and winning the special teams battle. Georgia probably also doesn’t want to get into a scoring battle (as was the case in 2008, when the Jackets won 45-42). Red zone production is key for both teams.
That’s it for now. Have fun all. I’m here to serve.
And with that, the cyber venting lines are open.
By Jeff Schultz
Post-Thanksgiving blog blowout sale
• Upsetting Georgia would give Tech needed boost for future
• Weekend Predictions: Georgia will win on Red-and-Black-Saturday
• Vince Dooley: Joy from Georgia’s resurgence, pain from son’s firing
• Wonder why SEC is on top? Look at other conference finals
• Falcons win — but run before somebody changes their mind
• Short takes: Ryan awful, defense great, win important
• Georgia’s new reality: From on the brink to BCS title possibility
• Upsets launch Georgia into BCS title picture (updated game column)
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,171 comments Add your comment
GTBob
November 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
Until PJ is gone this will be a regular occurance for GT.
Why does everyone keep saying this? PJ is not the reason we lose to UGA every year. Was no one here alive before 2008?
GT Fan
November 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
Questions to UGA fans ….. Welch in at QB. Who is he?
Why not the LeMay kid?
Hutson Mason….is he not on the team anymore?
GSUStud
November 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
Ga Tech should play all of their players on the bench now so they can say they had the honor of playing against the current #3 team in the nation and possibly the National Champion.
Chip 'The Dixie Dove' Shirley
November 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!
GEORGIA ALABAMA IN THE BIG PLAY-IN!
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
No GTBob, I wish for negative things to happen to GT and the ACC. Was that not clear?
DIT
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Hey tech folks, should coke be firefighters? Y’Allstate team was not even ready. I expected a better showing.
Raul
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Honey BoBo is Georgia,s problem and it will be obvious against Alabama.
blamegame
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
why is’nt Hutson or Lemay in?
ignition
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Vad throws off his back foot way to much…
An adequate quarterback coach would be nice but CPJ doesn’t pass the ball anyway.. so nevermind.
Bill
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Always remember what goes around comes around…every dog has its day..today is yours enjoy. Tomorrow is Roll Tide!
ScoutDawg
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
GTBob, you were doing so good , but that last post just blows. Our tickets are hard to get, especially on my McDees salary, hah.
kingdaddy
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Here come the cheapshot, butthurt nerds that can’t talk about the game. Got to be ahoes…
GTBob
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
GT Bob, Several posters are here at the game, ever heard of a smart phone?
Sorry, but that sounds even worse. Unless all of the posters are women. They never quit looking at their phones.
tech fan
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
Ok gtbob, time for you to stop commenting. You go from bashing the dogs to bashing tech…disgraceful. I love my yellow jackets and wish they would win, but oh well this happens. hope uga goes all the way this year. It would be awesome to have a national champ from GA. Tech sure won’t go all the way under CPJ
Disappointed
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
UGA has taken their foot off the gas. I am so disappointed I was hoping to beat tech by 60.
David S.
November 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
GT1990… AMEN… HE’S GOT TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nobody
November 24th, 2012
2:53 pm
Im anxious to see what commitments Tray Matthews has for us after this game!
italian_29
November 24th, 2012
2:53 pm
Keep your foot on the Gas!
dawgingatorville
November 24th, 2012
2:53 pm
Hello
what's the word?
November 24th, 2012
2:53 pm
What exactly is GTU?
son's who?
November 24th, 2012
2:53 pm
I know the back-ups are in, but PLAY YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
Chip 'The Dixie Dove' Shirley
November 24th, 2012
2:54 pm
FOR YOU
Burdell
November 24th, 2012
2:54 pm
Can’t wait to hear what PJ has to say for himself. He’s been embarrassed more times than a virgin in a strip club and still manages to be condescending and arrogant! PJ, please don’t be like UGA fans, wait until you win something of import before acting like you’re God’s gift!!!.
Al Bundy
November 24th, 2012
2:54 pm
I must thank the UGA coaches and players for making one thing completely clear… CPJ has out kicked his punt coverage. He needs to go back to coaching DII or DIII. It will be a long time before Tech will compete with the top 10 teams in the country.
kingdaddy
November 24th, 2012
2:54 pm
Suddenly, the nerds are Big Tide Fans, lol…
Rick in Macon
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
Tech has nothing but a bunch of pussies on offense and defense. Tech needs to refuse a bowl game as fans are absolutely and totally embarrassed by this team this year. Tech also needs to fire Johnson and all his staff, bring in a totally new staff. They also need to get rid of those butt-ugly uniforms and go back to the traditional Tech uniform…those ugly uniforms are cursed.
Michael Johnson
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
GT Fan: Hutson Mason is redshirting to be the starter next year, unless Murray returns.
The Grinch
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
GT Fan
November 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
LeMay is 3rd team.
Mason is being redshirted.
ignition
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
that was a stupid play.
Erk Russell's Dog
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
Good news Tech fans , any Jacket fan producing a ticket stub from today’s game will not only be admitted to CPJ ’s Sunday afternoon Fish Fry and Pep Rally for free ,but you will also get to take a drink from the ACC Coastal Championship “Red Solo Cup’.RSVP and BYOB please.
dawgingatorville
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
GT Bob when your WINNING BY 39 you have time to look at your phone and rub it in!!
Iluvnutella
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
Like i said tween the 20’s we r leet…..not-so-much in the red zone.
Will
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
I think UGA is going to win it all. They have momentum, they have the swagger and they havve a new focus on defense.
phil
November 24th, 2012
2:55 pm
Pathetic d again…..
Boooooooooooooooooo!
Corlholio
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Vad Lee is terrible
Vampire Bill
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Lee is pretty good and that’s all GT has
Iluvnutella
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Vad is gonna flourish once we get a good coach.
Will
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Garbage points. I hate em.
glory between the hedges
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Tech may get to 17 on back ups
GT Fan
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
To my fellow GT fans lamenting about GT’s showing? Are you really surprised? Haven’t you seen GT’s D this season?
UGA ain’t the first team to score 40+ … and won’t be the last, FSU’s gonna do it next Saturday.
ignition
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Team doesn’t throw the ball enough to catch the ball..
blamegame
November 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
we gotta game, yessss
GTBob
November 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
There ya go Sims. Way to get one in there.
son's who?
November 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
Stop taking shots at the players!
The Grinch
November 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
Wonder what those AU commitments attending today’s UGA game are thinking at this point?
JB
November 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
Yikes. Hope this insn’ t our D for nwxt year
Dawg1
November 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
Reposting for effect – as the garbage from the losing side will just get worst from this point out..
Pretty predictable.
OK, your beating us. But your entire team is a bunch of thugs and you’ll lose to Alabama.
Nice game for Georgia.
Time to start easing the startes out – especially on the D-Line.
Cut blocking needs to be outlawed – period
UGA OWNS gtu
November 24th, 2012
2:58 pm
Hey gtu, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep Fishfry Johnson!
BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA
Jarad
November 24th, 2012
2:58 pm
This is proof of why defense wins games. Tech’s D is terrible, and we’ve gotta put some effort into a new D hire, and some Defensive recruits. However, I’m still of the mind if you are not undefeated in college football, you can’t be a National Champion. If you need someone to lose in order to play for the title, how can you be champion?
GTBob
November 24th, 2012
2:59 pm
GT Bob when your WINNING BY 39 you have time to look at your phone and rub it in!!
People bash me a lot for talking trash on the blogs. I have never gotten so pathetic as to whip out my phone during a game to do it. So congrats, you found a group lower than me.