How EA Sports College Football 25 predicts Georgia’s season

FINAL SCORE: Georgia Tech wins 44-26

OVERALL RECORD: 9-3 (6-2 SEC)

WHAT HAPPENED: Georgia entered Saturday’s showdown with Georgia Tech in great position to make the College Football Playoff and end the regular season on a high note. Instead, the Yellow Jackets thumped the Bulldogs and left their rivals praying that their resume is strong enough to make the playoff.

Georgia Tech scored the game’s first 27 points and withstood a resurgent second half by No. 4 Georgia to take a 44-26 road victory. The outcome was not only a consolation prize for a Yellow Jackets’ team that fell short of bowl eligibility but also stood as a major blow for the Bulldogs, which fell to their in-state rival for the first time in eight years.

A dominant first quarter by the Yellow Jackets set the stage for an upset loss few Georgia fans will soon forget.

Christian Leary got Georgia Tech going early in the first quarter by catching a 43-yard touchdown pass from Haynes King. Aidan Birr tacked on a 32-yard field goal on the next Georgia Tech possession, and just over a minute later Jamal Haynes reached paydirt on a 2-yard run. Former Georgia tight end Brett Seither closed out the quarter with a 6-yard touchdown catch, leaving the Bulldogs in a 24-0 hole after the opening quarter.

While the Georgia Tech offense was thriving, the Georgia offense was floundering. The Bulldogs had five first-quarter possessions, which amounted to a pair of three-and-outs, a pair of interceptions, and a punt. 

The second quarter became a kicker’s duel with Birr and Peyton Woodring each delivering a pair of field goals for their team. Leary found the end zone again with a 35-yard touchdown catch on the half’s final play, leaving the Bulldogs improbably trailing by a 37-6 score.

Georgia showed more life in the second half, but the damage was already done.

Dominic Lovett delivered Georgia’s first touchdown with a 51-yard catch, cutting the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 24. A Roderick Robinson touchdown run and a failed two-point conversion created a 37-19 contest with 4:19 to go, but Georgia Tech answered with another Leary score.

Lovett delivered the game’s final touchdown with a 9-yard touchdown catch with 1:20 remaining in the game.

NOTABLE OFFENSIVE STATS:

Carson Beck: 22-of-38 for 293 yds. with 2 TDs and 2 INTs; 3 car. for 8 yds.

Trevor Etienne: 15 car. for 28 yds.

Roderick Robinson: 1 car. for 1 yd.

Dominic Lovett: 1 rec. for 103 yds. and 2 TDs

Dillon Bell: 1 rec. for 54 yds.

Oscar Delp: 4 rec. for 70 yds.

London Humphreys: 3 rec. for 43 yds.

NOTABLE DEFENSIVE STATS:

Smael Mondon: 13 tackles, 1 sack

Daylen Everette: 8 tackles

Dan Jackson: 8 tackles

Julian Humphrey: 4 tackles, 1 TFL

Mykel Williams: 4 tackles, 1 TFL

Joenel Aguero: 3 tackles, 1 INT

Damon Wilson: 2 tackles, 1 sack

NOTABLE SPECIAL TEAMS STATS:

Peyton Thorne: 2-of-2 FG, long of 48 yds.; 2-of-2 XP

Brett Thorson: 5 punts for 184 yds. (25.6 avg.), long 52 yds.; 1 punt inside 20-yard line

Note: Georgia did not make the SEC championship game. Oklahoma beat Alabama 35-30 in the conference title game.