Good Day, UGA: The Black Friday edition
Good day, UGA. Welcome to your one-stop shop for all the relevant Georgia football news and takes every Monday through Friday. In today’s (brief) edition, we try to shake off the post-Thanksgiving hangover and get pumped for the Georgia Tech game. If this doesn’t get you excited for this weekend and damn near bring a tear to your eye, check your pulse.
Great Moments in Tech Wreckin’
In case that video wasn’t enough to keep the adrenaline pulsing through you from now until Saturday at noon ET, these videos of Georgia crushing Tech’s spirit throughout the years should do the trick.
There was the time in 2006 when freshman Matt Stafford marched the Bulldogs down the field on a 12-play, 64-yard drive to take the lead with just over a minute left.
And the time in 1978 when freshman Buck Belue came in with Georgia trailing 20-0 and engineered a momentous comeback to give the Bulldogs a 29-28 victory.
And, of course, the time in 2009 when Georgia spoiled Tech’s 10-win, division-winning season by rushing for more than 300 yards and nabbing a 30-24 victory in Atlanta.
Keys to the game
Defensive discipline: There may be no offense in college football more difficult to prepare for than the triple-option, which gives Georgia Tech a distinct advantage in almost every game it plays. The trick to stopping the triple-option is to play the gaps and stay disciplined. The Yellow Jackets are going to run the ball every which way with a number of rushers, and Georgia must be prepared for everything. Luckily for the Bulldogs, their front seven is the best unit on the team. A mobile linebacker such as Roquan Smith should have a lot of success stopping Tech runs if he plays assignment football.
Nick Chubb and Sony Michel: Aside from the South Carolina game, Chubb and Michel haven’t rushed for 100-plus yards each in the same game this season. In fact, there have been six games in which neither rushed for 100 yards, which is one big reason for Georgia’s struggles on offense. Both are juniors, but both are also NFL-caliber talents who could jump to the next level after this season, which means this could be their last game in Sanford Stadium. Although Tech’s strength on defense comes against the run, Chubb and Michel likely will be determined to have big showings in what could be their last appearances in front of the home crowd.
Isaiah McKenzie: Mckenzie had one of the best games of his career last weekend against Louisiana-Lafayette. Not only did he take the the first play from scrimmage to the house for a 55-yard touchdown, he also added an 82-yard punt return touchdown minutes later, giving him Georgia records for career punt return touchdowns and career return touchdowns. With McKenzie back fielding punts, Georgia has the opportunity to score even when the offense isn’t humming. He’s Georgia’s X-factor.
ICYMI
- Georgia has other rivals on its mind — unless it loses to Georgia Tech (Seth Emerson, Dawg Nation)
- Bulldog-turned-Jacket J.J. Green ready to face old friends in Athens (Ken Sugiura, AJC)
- Give thanks for Georgia’s first full recruiting cycle under Kirby Smart (Jeff Sentell, Dawg Nation)
- Long before taking sides in ‘Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate,’ Smart and Jackets’ assistant started coaching careers together (Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald)
- Georgia football takes care of its own on Thanksgiving (Wilson Alexander and Jed May, the Red & Black)
- ‘Selfless’ Greg Pyke nearing stretch run of Georgia career (Jason Butt, Macon Telegraph)
Good dog
Gia the Greyhound won best in show at the National Dog Show. She is a very good dog and has the silverware to prove it.
The Greyhound wins Best in Show in the National Dog Show! #DogThanking pic.twitter.com/c0LKwrb0wp
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 24, 2016
