ATLANTA (AP) — No. 1 Georgia (11-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) at Georgia Tech (6-5, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Line: Georgia by 24 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Georgia leads 70-41-5 according to Georgia Tech and 70-39-5 according to Georgia, which does not recognize games played in 1943 and 1944 when the Yellow Jackets won with players from the World War II naval officer’s training program. Georgia has won five straight and 18 of the last 21 games in the series, including a 45-0 rout in 2021 and a 37-14 win last season.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Georgia will be playing to wrap up its third consecutive unbeaten regular season, extend its school-record 28-game winning streak and protect its hopes for a third consecutive national championship. Georgia also will be playing for its sixth straight win in the battle for state bragging rights and the Governor’s Cup Trophy. Georgia Tech, which clinched bowl eligibility with last week’s 31-22 win over Syracuse, will be playing for its first win over Georgia since a 28-27 victory in 2016.
KEY MATCHUP
Georgia Tech’s run defense vs. Georgia running backs Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton. The Yellow Jackets rank last in the ACC and 128th among 130 FBS schools with their average of 222.4 rushing yards allowed. Defense has been a major challenge this season for Georgia Tech, which demoted coordinator Andrew Thacker on Oct. 1 after the unit allowed 38 unanswered points in a 38-27 loss to Bowling Green. Syracuse ran for 206 yards last week but lacked the balanced attack the Yellow Jackets will face against Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. Edwards has run for 725 yards and 10 touchdowns. Milton has eight rushing touchdowns while running for 488 yards.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Georgia: WR Dillon Bell again demonstrated his versatility by throwing and catching touchdown passes in last week’s 38-10 win at Tennessee. Bell caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown and threw an 18-yard TD pass to Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint. Bell also has rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns this season, adding depth when injuries were an issue at running back.
Georgia Tech: QB Haynes King has thrown 15 interceptions, tied for the most in the nation, but his 26 touchdown passes lead the ACC. King bounced back from throwing four picks in a 42-21 loss to Clemson to complete 16 of 20 passes for 138 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against Syracuse while rushing for 82 yards and a touchdown. The Yellow Jackets’ best chance for an upset rest on King’s ability to provide dual-threat production while avoiding turnovers.
FACTS & FIGURES
Georgia’s five-game winning streak in the series overlaps the 2020 pandemic-shortened season, when each team played a conference-only schedule and did not play the state rivalry game. … The teams are playing at night for the first time since Georgia’s 42-34 win in Athens in 2010. The last prime-time game in Atlanta was 2009, a 30-24 Georgia win. … Georgia Tech led the Bulldogs 7-0 last season before Georgia scored the next 37 points. … With the win over Syracuse, Georgia Tech is bowl-eligible for the first time since a 34-10 loss to Minnesota in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl. … A win over Georgia would secure the Yellow Jackets’ first winning record since a 7-6 finish in 2018. … Georgia’s senior class has a 48-3 record and would tie the 2022 seniors, who had 49 wins, for the most in school history by beating the Yellow Jackets. … Georgia averages 40.4 points while allowing 15.09 per game to rank fifth in the nation in scoring offense and scoring defense. Oregon is the only other team to rank in the top 10 in each category.
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