Saturday, toe meets leather when the Georgia Bulldogs square off against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Though the two longtime rivals have a storied history on both sides of the contest, we’re here to tell you why it’s the second biggest game in the Peach State Saturday.
(Yes, this post is supposed to be sarcastic, just like this tweet)
(Funny, huh?)
Georgia (10-1), heads into Atlanta as a 28.5-point favorite over a rebuilding Yellow Jacket squad that only has three victories on the season. Georgia Tech (3-9), will likely just be playing for pride on Saturday with a bowl far out of the equation and only the ability to play spoiler at stake.
Here’s why this game isn’t even the biggest in Georgia tomorrow. Take the following information as you will.
Georgia State (7-4) and Georgia Southern (6-5) are playing in a battle of bowl-eligible Sun Belt teams in Statesboro. Of course, this game has no implications on the College Football Playoff, but neither does the one in Atlanta if you convince yourself Georgia cannot possibly lose.
(Yes, South Carolina did beat Georgia this year, but have you seen Tech play?)
The North Avenue Trade School’s only wins are over USF, Miami and NC State. Don’t pull the bowl eligible card on me with Miami, the ‘Canes are terrible right now.
As you know, anything can happen in a rivalry game, until you realize you’re playing a junior varsity high school team. The contest in Statesboro is even more heated than Clean Old-Fashioned Hate this season, once you come to terms with the current factors of the game.
The two in-state Sun Belt foes have comparable teams in just about every sport and even play in the same division. Georgia State and Georgia Southern fans have been battling it out on the inter webs all year, debating who’s better.
As for Georgia-Georgia Tech, it’s one team’s Super Bowl and the other team’s annual cupcake before the SEC Championship.
Overall, of course Georgia-Georgia Tech carries more weight than a Sun Belt rivalry for college football, but this season, the biggest Peach State football game on 11/30 is in Statesboro.
Why am I writing this post in the middle of the night before heading to Bobby Dodd in a few hours? Because if the Tech game actually mattered this year, I’d already be out there tailgating.
Sure, Georgia Tech could technically win the game, but there’s a better chance the Braves win a playoff series or the Falcons’ offensive line lets Matt Ryan get a pass off in the 4th Quarter. As for that other game, it’s anyone’s guess who comes out on top, which makes it actually interesting.
I can almost guarantee you that 15 minutes into the Georgia game Saturday, you’ll start looking at your remote and consider flipping to Ohio State-Michigan for a play or two. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 67-41-5 and the contest hasn’t been close since 2017.
This season, with the talent gap still growing, Geoff Collins took over an option-centered Yellow Jacket offense and tried to run a pro-style scheme. Sure, this might win Tech an ACC Coastal division title in a few years, but it’s not going to give them a chance this weekend.
Georgia State leads the all-time series with Georgia Southern three games to two. The rivalry is so heated that the schools fought over who the real “GSU” was, until Georgia Southern finally agreed to be called “GS” on telecasts.
And did I mention each school has been to as many bowl games as Georgia Tech in the last two seasons? Ouch.
Of course I have a hatred for Tech that lies deep inside of me, but let’s face it, there’s really no need to show it that much. Why? Because Tech is irrelevant and only exists for the sole purpose of annoying Georgia. Ok, not really, but that’s what I like to believe.
Also, these so-called geniuses decided it would be a good idea to combine the two largest interstates in Georgia and merge them through downtown with I-20 in Atlanta. For that, I am forever bitter as I have to suffer the consequences five days a week and even this Saturday.
Seriously, who’s idea was that? Moron.
What’s my point here? Well, I’m glad you asked.
I’ll be in Bobby Dodd Stadium draped in red and black, watching the Bulldogs beat down on the bees in a little while.
But yes, I do believe the game in Statesboro will be much more entertaining, once those Georgia touchdowns begin to raise the electricity bill for the Grant Field scoreboard this month.
Go Dawgs! Wreck Tech!
And oh yeah, can we please drop Tech from the schedule for Georgia State next season? I think it might strengthen our resume a bit.
Just a thought.
