Once again, it was too easy.
Georgia Tech proved it’s a rinky dink program, offering as much resistance as Charleston Southern did a week ago. In front of a large number of Georgia fans at Bobby Dodd Stadium, the Bulldogs cruised to a 45-0 victory.
The tone of the game began on the opening kickoff, when Jake Camarda left a kickoff short of the goal line. Georgia Tech, however, let the ball bounce and roll around the turf before picking it up at the 3-yard line. Jahmyr Gibbs ran the ball to the 9-yard line before being tackled. From there, the Yellow Jackets were unable to do much of anything.
Following a field goal on the opening drive, Georgia got its first touchdown on a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Stetson Bennett to receiver Jemaine Burton. Receiver Ladd McConkey and tight end Brock Bowers also scored touchdowns in the first half to help give Georgia a 24-0 halftime lead.
Bowers, snubbed as a finalist for the Mackey Award, played like his absence from the nation's top tight end award was personal. Bowers’ first touchdown came on a quick throw that saw the freshman speed through Georgia Tech’s entire defense for a 77-yard score. His second touchdown was on Georgia’s first drive of the third quarter, when he caught a 9-yard jump ball in the end zone.
Bowers finished with 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Bennett concluded his regular season by completing 14 of 20 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns.
Georgia’s defense was once again superb, holding Georgia Tech to only 171 total yards. The 45-0 win also marked the largest shutout win in the history of the rivalry.
Next up for Georgia is the SEC Championship against Alabama.
What it means
Georgia is 12-0 for the first time since 1980, the last time it won the national title. As an unbeaten No. 1 team in the nation, Georgia is guaranteed a playoff spot no matter what happens against Alabama in the SEC Championship. Still, you can bet Georgia will be doing everything it can to win its first conference title since the 2017 season.
In addition, this game against Georgia Tech marked the first time receiver George Pickens returned to the football field. Pickens tore his ACL during spring practice, but has now received the requisite clearance to play again. This is huge news for the Bulldogs as they will have him back for the postseason.
Against Georgia Tech, Pickens played sparingly, but was able to catch a pass for 5 yards.
Three important plays
Combined sack: Down 17-0 in the second quarter, Georgia Tech began its ensuing drive on its own 25-yard line. After the first-down snap, Georgia linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean barreled their way through the Georgia Tech offensive line to sack quarterback Jordan Yates. Walker was held on the play, but it didn’t matter. This set the Yellow Jackets back quite a bit and resulted in a punt three plays later.
Bowers’ long touchdown: Bowers’ 77-yard score was a thing of beauty. Bowers caught a 9-yard slant and turned the jets on shortly after. You’d be forgiven if you thought Bowers was a receiver as he sped past the entire Georgia Tech defense for the long touchdown. This play put the Bulldogs up 24-0 with 11:03 to go in the second quarter.
Bowers’ jump ball: At the Georgia Tech 9-yard line in the third quarter, Bowers saw man-to-man coverage on the outside with no safety help. This became a no-brainer for Bennett, who put up a jump ball for the big man to catch. Bowers won the position battle, and came down with the touchdown catch.
Bowers has turned into a cheat code. How in the world was this man not included as a Mackey Award finalist?
Grading Georgia
Offense: A
Georgia's offense did whatever it wanted to do. Georgia’s first team only punted one time, scoring on each of its other possessions. The Bulldogs amassed 463 total yards, having its way with another overmatched defense. Georgia Tech’s defensive performance mirrored Charleston Southern’s a week ago, which helped make things easy for Georgia.
Defense: A
Similarly, Georgia’s defense was way too much for Georgia Tech’s offense to handle. Yates was running for his life on passing plays, with the Yellow Jackets unable to establish a run game. It was another easy day at the office for the defense.
Special teams: B+
Georgia was fortunate that Camarda's 32-yard punt was against a lowly team like Georgia Tech. Against Alabama, that could turn into a disastrous turn of events. Camarda has been spectacular all season long, so this one can be credited to being a mishap on a windy day.
Season grades to date
Offense: A-
Defense: A
Special teams: A-
