UGA Football: Postgame Notes – Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

Extending The Streaks:

With tonight’s 31-23 win, Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) extended its school record for consecutive victories to 29, which is the longest in SEC history and the longest nationally since 2018-19 when Clemson won 29 straight. Georgia’s winning streak began during the 2021 season (Dec. 31) when the Bulldogs beat #2 Michigan 34-11 in a CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Georgia has won 15 straight road games which leads the FBS.

The Bulldogs extended their school record for consecutive regular season wins to 39 which leads all of FBS. This streak began during the 2020 season with a 31-24 win over Miss. State. on Nov. 21.

The Bulldogs are now 45-1 in their last 46 games including 15 straight wins in an opponent’s stadium.

Georgia improves to 12-0 for the 3rd straight year (a school mark in regular season). The Bulldogs under Kirby Smart are 93-15 overall.

With the latest victory over Tech, Georgia now holds a 71-39-5 edge in the series history including 6-1 in the Smart era.

Summary Of The Offense:

In tonight’s 31-23 win, Georgia finished with 437 yards on 59 plays. In the first half, Georgia had 236 yards of total offense on 28 plays in building a 21-13 edge and did not punt.

The Bulldogs were 4-for-6 in the Red Zone with three TDs, a field goal, one turnover (INT) and one running out the clock for the win.

Junior QB Carson Beck finished 13-for-20 for 175 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT and completed a 12-0 regular season.

After trailing 7-0, Georgia responded by going 83 yards on nine plays in 4:09 capped by a 29-yard TD pass from Beck to Dominic Lovett,his third TD catch of the year. On the drive, Beck was 4-for-5 for 53 yards.

Then, Georgia trailed 10-7 with 35 seconds left in the 1st, and the Bulldogs answered with a 75-yard TD drive on 7 plays in 2:55 to take their first lead at 14-10 with 12:40 left in the half. On the drive, Beck hit Daijun Edwards for 26 yards to convert a 3rd-and-11. Senior Kendall Milton finished the drive with a 3-yard run for his ninth TD of the year.

After Tech cut it to 14-13, the Bulldogs marched 64 yards on 11 plays in 4:46 for a 21-13 advantage with 1:13 left in the first half.

Senior RB Kendall Milton was the leading rusher with a career-high 156 yards on 18 attempts and tied his career-high with 2 TDs (also vs. Ole Miss this year). His second TD capped a 55-yard drive on five plays to put Georgia in front 31-13. Sophomore WR Dillon Bell had three catches for 37 yards plus a career-long 29-yard rush and a career-long 39-yard kickoff return .

Junior Dominic Lovett posted five catches for 68 yards including a 29-yard TD.

Senior RB Daijun Edwards tallied two catches for 31 yards plus 55 yards rushing on 13 carries with one TD.

Juniors Brock Bowers (TE) Ladd McConkey (WR) and Rara Thomas (WR) plus sophomore Tate Ratledge (RG) did not see any action tonight.

Defensive Review:

Tech finished with 363 yards of total offense on 65 plays. They were 2-for-12 on 3rd Downs and 2-for-3 on 4th Downs.

Georgia blanked Tech in the 3rd quarter while extending its lead to 31-13. Tech ran 15 plays for just 43 yards.

Tech turned a fumble into a 37-yard TD drive to take a 7-0 lead in the 1st quarter.

Tech became only the second team this season to score 10 points on the Bulldogs in the first quarter, joining Auburn.

While Tech was 3-for-3 in the first half in the Red Zone, it was only one TD and a pair of field goals.

The leading tacklers tonight were freshman CJ Allen and junior Smael Mondon with eight each. Redshirt freshman Christen Miller notched his first career sack while sophomore Marvin Jones Jr. picked up a sack to give him 4.5 this year.

A Look At The Special Teams:

Freshman PK Peyton Woodring made a 39-yarder FG and was 4-for-4 on PATs for seven points. His 39-yarder made it 24-13 with 5:15 left in the 3rd quarter. For the season, he has 119 points, which ranks eight in school history.

Redshirt sophomore Mekhi Mews had three kickoff returns for 76 yards including a 33- and 37-yarder plus one punt return for two yards. Sophomore P Brett Thorson’s first punt came in the 3rd quarter. He finished with one for a 41.0 avg. Junior Jared Zirkel handled the kickoffs.

Captains, Coin Toss and For Starters:

Seniors Daijun Edwards (RB), Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (WR), Nazir Stackhouse (DL) and Tramel Walthour (DL) served as the game captains. Tech won the toss and elected to receive. Junior center Sedrick Van Pran made his team-leading 42nd career start. There were no first-time starters.

Honoring #77 Devin Willock:

Redshirt freshman Earnest Greene III (LT), normally #71, wore #77 tonight in honor of his late teammate Devin Willock. A different Bulldog offensive lineman will be wearing #77 each game this season.

Up Next:

Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) faces Alabama (11-1, 8-0 SEC) in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on Sat., Dec. 2 at 4 pm (CBS). Earlier today, UA rallied to beat Auburn 27-24 on the Plains.