A win over Bulldogs would make season for Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson didn’t mince words when he called this year’s season a disappointing one. From the opening overtime loss to Tennessee to last week’s shellacking at Duke, this year’s results have been all over the road.

That could all change on Saturday if the Yellow Jackets could find some way to upset No. 7 ranked Georgia. A victory would cure many ills.

“I think we had a chance to have a really special year and we had a chance to be OK,” Johnson said. “We put ourselves in a bit of a hole. If we can find a way to win on Saturday and then go to a bowl game, you salvage a bit of the season. But certainly when we started out, we didn’t plan to be 5-5 right now.”

A win would give the Yellow Jackets an undefeated home season for the first time since 1999, when Joe Hamilton led the team to an 8-4 season, a trip to the Gator Bowl and a win over Georgia. In fact, that was the last time Georgia Tech has beaten the Bulldogs in Atlanta.

A win would give Georgia Tech back-to-back wins over Georgia for the first time since they won three in a row from 1998-2000 under coach George O’Leary.

“I told them on Monday, this is a game you’ll remember for a long time, especially if you win,” Johnson said. “It’s really important to our players, to our alumni, to people in general, that you play well. You’ve got to go out and play with some intensity and try to play your best game. I mean, that’s what this game is all about.”

Although Georgia has won six of nine games since Johnson took over the program at Georgia Tech, the games have been close. Only the 2012 game got out of hand. Georgia won that one 42-10. Last year’s game went down to the final minute, the 2015 game was decided by six points, and the 2013 and 2014 games went to overtime.

“Other than the one year here that they were really good, the games have been pretty close,” Johnson said. “I think that’s indicative of a rivalry game. Both teams want to play and it’s a big deal, I think.”

But this year the challenge for the Yellow Jackets may be greater than in previous years. The Bulldogs have extra motivation, since a loss would knock them out of any chance to compete in the College Football Playoffs.

“I think the University of Georgia probably, if they’re not the best team they’ve had since I’ve been here in my 10 years, it’s probably one of the two best teams for sure,” Johnson said. “It’ll be a huge challenge for us to see if we can’t clean up our mess (against Duke) and play an opponent that’s very, very talented and playing very well right now.”

In addition to ruining Georgia’s season — always motivation for the Yellow Jackets — it would make Georgia Tech eligible to play in a bowl game.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Georgia Tech quarterback TaQuon Marshall said. “State rival. You can’t really ask for more. We’ve still got goals, can finish undefeated at home. Everybody is going to be ready. It’s Georgia.”

This story was originally published November 24, 2017 at 1:20 PM with the headline "A win over Bulldogs would make season for Yellow Jackets."