It’s Satur…It’s Friday in Athens and the Dawgs take on their in-state rivals in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. With my age and the last decade of dominance for the Bulldogs, this rivalry has lost some of its luster. I have a friend who is a Tech fan who hates UGA more than any other team. Personally, I feel like Don Draper in this rivalry “I don’t think about you at all.” Forgive me if my fellow Dawg fans cannot understand why I consider the rivalries to Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, and even Alabama more significant in the last 15 years.
The Dawgs had a little bit of a post-Tennessee hangover against UMass this Saturday in Athens. A 12:45 kick after a massive night game atmosphere, plus a premature senior day recognition even though this was not the final home game set up a lackluster performance from part of the Dawg football team.
After their weekly slow start the Dawgs looked like they were headed for another disastrous performance. Down 10-0 early in the game, the Dawg offense looked entirely toothless yet again, and the Vols had cruised down the field in their first drive and nearly took a punt to the house.
UGA fights for their playoff hopes this Saturday in Athens against the #7 Tennessee Volunteers. Who would have thought that the Vols would come into this game ranked higher than UGA? After a crushing defeat at Ole Miss, UGA limps into this must-win game banged up and deflated. Tennessee is having an even better year than expected after beating Alabama at home again and defeating historic rival Florida in overtime. Their only loss comes against Arkansas on the road. Let’s break down this game.
It started perfectly for UGA. Then it became a disaster. Safety Dan Jackson intercepted Jaxon Dart in Ole Miss territory, which resulted in a Nate Frazier touchdown for the Dawgs to go up 7-0 early against the Rebels. With Dart headed to the locker room, it looked like UGA was prepared to throttle Ole Miss’ vaunted offense like they did to Texas.
After last year’s defeat, Lane Kiffin seemed to have an epiphany. Ole Miss was simply not good enough along the line of scrimmage to compete with a team the caliber of UGA. So, during the offseason, Kiffin invested heavily on the defensive line in particular, bringing in major names like Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen through the portal. Plus they nabbed WR Juice Wells from South Carolina to add to an already formidable offense attack. Ole Miss seemingly has been built to win this game.
It was the same song, another verse for the UGA Bulldogs as they faced off against their rivals in Jacksonville once again. UGA once again looked vulnerable as QB Carson Beck underperformed. And yet, with their backs against the wall, the Dawgs pulled it out and continue to stack up wins. Let’s check out the best and worst of this game.
For the last time in Jacksonville, at least for a couple of years, the Dawgs and the Gators will face off in one of college football’s best rivalry games. For the first time, the game will be called by Kirk Herbstreet and the ESPN crew at 3:30pm. The Dawgs enter into the game as 16 point favorites, as both teams seem to be improving. UGA comes off of upsetting Texas and Florida manhandled Kentucky and barely lost in overtime to Tennessee in their previous two games. Let’s take a look at this year’s matchup.
UGA Takes Down #1 Texas in Austin What a sloppy, ugly, beautiful game between #1 Texas and #5 UGA in Austin this past week. UGA…