UGA Football Fans Light Up Sanford Stadium During Tight Game Against Tech
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and UGA Football are trailing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 17-6 entering the 4th quarter.
Still, Georgia fans made sure to “light up” Sanford Stadium, hoping to see their Bulldogs pull off an epic comeback against the Jackets.
UGA-Tech QUICK NOTES
Georgia (9-2, 6-2 SEC) concludes a three-game home stretch to close out the regular season Friday when it plays host to in-state rival Tech (7-4, 5-3 ACC) at 7:30 pm on ABC.
The Bulldogs look to retain the Governor’s Cup Trophy for the seventh straight year. The current winning streak in the series began in 2017, and the teams did not square off during the 2020 campaign when each played a conference-only schedule. This season, Georgia is 5-0 at home, 2-2 in true road games and 2-0 at neutral sites.
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The No. 10 (CFP) Bulldogs have won a school record 30 consecutive home games dating to 2019, and that is the longest active streak in the FBS. After going over a month without a home game, the Bulldogs returned to Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium on Nov. 16 and registered a 31-17 win over No. 7 Tennessee. Senior quarterback Carson Beck was 25-for-40 for 347 yards and accounted for three TDs, two passing and one rushing. The Bulldogs blanked the Vols in the second half for the second straight year and extended their winning streak in the series to a program-record eight straight. The Bulldogs finished the SEC with a 6-2 mark.
Then, Georgia defeated UMass 59-21 last Saturday as Beck was 20-for-31 for 297 yards and 4 TDs while freshman Nate Frazier ran for a career-high 136 yards and three scores. The defense notched its first touchdown of the season when sophomore Gabe Harris Jr. had a sack/strip fumble that was scooped up by freshman Chris Cole and returned 28 yards.
The Bulldogs are averaging 33.2 points per game (ppg) while allowing 18.5 ppg. Tech averages 27.9 ppg and has surrendered 23.1 ppg. Tech has rotated its quarterbacks with redshirt junior Hayes King and true freshman Aaron Philo both involved in the offense. In last Thursday’s home win over N.C. State, Philo’s 18-yard TD scamper with 22 seconds left lifted Tech past the Wolfpack 30-29 after State missed a 58-yard field goal for the win. Tech snagged a season-high three interceptions including a pick-six by former Bulldog E.J. Lightsey to set the tone in the first quarter. Tech has posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2013-14, and its signature win came over then No. 4 Miami (Fla.) 28-23 on Nov. 9.
Time To Bounce Back Again
*The Bulldogs are aiming for their fifth straight undefeated season at home and seventh in nine years under Smart. Georgia is 49-4 Between the Hedges in the Smart era.
*Georgia has won 25 straight night games at home including 16-0 under Smart. The current streak of night victories at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium started in 2010 with a 42-34 win over Tech. *Georgia is 37-2 against non-conference teams in the Smart era. The only two losses have been to Texas 28-21 in the 2019 Sugar Bowl and 28-27 to Georgia Tech in Athens in his first season in 2016. *The Bulldogs have won 25 consecutive non-conference matchups.
*Georgia’s 2024 Senior Class is an FBS-leading 51-4 (45-2 in the regular season) since 2021 and that’s a school record. The next best record in this span belongs to Michigan at 46-8. Georgia’s 2023 Senior Class held the previous school record at 50-4 with two national titles, an SEC crown plus went 6-0 in bowl/CFP games.
*The Bulldogs have clinched their fourth straight appearance in the SEC Championship Game (SECCG) and seventh overall trip under Smart. It will face the Texas/Texas A&M winner in Atlanta on Dec. 7. In school history, Georgia has won the SEC title 14 times and is 4-7 in the SECCG. *Georgia owns the nation’s longest active bowl streak at 27 seasons and has won its last seven matchups. Now at 9-2, the Bulldogs have guaranteed that postseason streak will be extended. *The Bulldogs are aiming to reach the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the fourth time under Smart. The Bulldogs made the four-team field in his second season coming in 2017 and advanced to the National Championship Game after a thrilling overtime win over Oklahoma in a CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Then, Georgia became the first team in the CFP era to win back-to-back national championships in 2021-22, beating Michigan and Alabama in 2021 and Ohio State and TCU in 2022. *Currently, Georgia is No. 10 in the latest CFP top 25 rankings. They are released every Tuesday night until Selection Day on Sun., Dec. 8.
UGA FRAMED PRINT DAWGS 31, VOLS 17 BLACKOUT
2023 Georgia-Tech Flashback
Top-ranked Georgia rushed for 262 yards on its way to a 31-23 win over Tech. It was Georgia’s 12th straight win on its rival’s home field.
The Bulldog offense was missing Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey due to injuries so the running backs helped carry the load. Kendall Milton rushed for a career-high 156 yards and two TDs on 18 carries. Quar- terback Carson Beck finished 13-for-20 for 175 yards and a one score. Smael Mondon Jr. and CJ Allen led the defense with eight tackles apiece. Tech struck first, recovering a fumble on Georgia’s first play. It led to a score. By halftime, the Bulldogs led 21-13. Tech cut the lead to 31-23 with 3:46 to play, and then the Bulldogs were able to run out the clock on the ensuing drive to cap a 12-0 regular season. Also, it marked Georgia’s 29th consecutive victory, which set an SEC record.
Georgia Versus Tech Since 2016
2016 in Athens: Tech d. Georgia 28-27
2017 in Atlanta: Georgia d. Tech 38-7
2018 in Athens: Georgia d. Tech 45-21
2019 in Atlanta: Georgia d. Tech 52-7
2021 in Atlanta: Georgia d. Tech 45-0
2022 in Athens: Georgia d. Tech 37-14
2023 in Atlanta: Georgia d. Tech 31-23
Georgia-Tech Series
Georgia has won six in a row over Tech and hold a 71-39-5 edge in the series history that dates to 1893. The Bulldogs are 7-1 versus Tech in the Kirby Smart era.
For the first time since 1994, the teams will battle on a Friday. That year, the Bulldogs posted a 48-10 victory in Athens. Also of note, the teams met on Thanksgiving Day in 1993 and 1995 in Atlanta with the Bulldogs winning those too.