Georgia Tech (7-4) at No. 6 Georgia (9-2, No. 7 CFP), Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Georgia by 19 1/2.
Series record: Georgia leads 71-39-5.
Georgia will look to protect its College Football Playoff ranking and extend its six-game winning streak in the state rivalry called Clean Old-Fashioned Hate. The Bulldogs also will try to extend their 30-game home winning streak that began in 2019 and is the longest active streak among FBS teams. Georgia Tech will try to claim its first win over the Bulldogs since a 28-27 victory in Athens in 2016.
Georgia Tech RB Jamal Haynes vs. Georgia run defense. Despite being limited to 36 yards on 13 carries in the Yellow Jackets' 30-29 win over N.C. State on Nov. 21, Haynes leads the team with 717 rushing yards. The Bulldogs allowed a season-high 226 yards on 40 carries in a 59-21 win over Massachusetts on Saturday. Georgia Tech QB Haynes King has rushed for 468 yards and eight touchdowns, making it more difficult for run defenses to focus on Haynes. King has shared time with freshman Aaron Philo, who passed for a career-high 265 yards against N.C. State. Philo added the go-ahead 18-yard scoring run with 22 seconds to prove he also can serve as a complement to Haynes in the diverse running game.
Georgia Tech: While King has been very efficient while completing 72.5% of his passes (145 of 200) with only one interception, Philo has emerged late in the season to earn a larger share of playing time. Philo's running skills may not be as established as King's, but he proved against UMass he is effective as a passer and could receive a significant share of the snaps.
Georgia: Freshman RB Nate Frazier set career highs by rushing for 136 yards and three touchdowns against UMass. Frazier could have more help if Trevor Etienne (ribs), Branson Robinson (knee) or Roderick Robinson (toe) return from injuries this week.
This is only the second time the state rivalry game has been played on Friday, following the 1994 game in Athens won by Georgia 48-10. ... Georgia is 7-1 in the rivalry under Smart. ... Georgia Tech is 2-0 against top 10 teams this season (Florida State, Miami). ... The Yellow Jackets have clinched back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2013-14. They finished 7-6 in 2023, Brent Key's first full season as coach. ... Georgia is 5-0 at home this season. ... The Bulldogs are 16-0 in home night games under Smart and will be playing to complete their fifth straight unbeaten home schedule and seventh in nine seasons under Smart. ... QB Carson Beck threw a combined six touchdown passes with no interceptions in the last two games. ... The Bulldogs will play Texas or Texas A&M in the Dec. 7 Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.
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Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo (12) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Georgia running back Nate Frazier (3) out runs UMass defensive back Leonard St. Gourdin (11) to the end zone for a tochdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Georgia Tech running back Jamal Haynes (11) runs the ball against North Carolina State linebacker Sean Brown (0) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) throws from the pocket during the second half of an NCAA college football game against UMass, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — No. 6 Georgia might have viewed Friday night's state rivalry game against Georgia Tech as another playoff game before a crazy weekend of upsets in the Southeastern Conference sent the Bulldogs to the SEC championship game.
Georgia (9-2, No. 7 CFP) can wrap up a spot in the playoff by beating No. 3 Texas or No. 20 Texas A&M in next week's SEC title game in Atlanta. A loss to Georgia Tech (7-4) wouldn't necessarily knock the Bulldogs out of the playoff — but it would be highly unwelcome.
Coach Kirby Smart has tried to make sure no one on his team is looking ahead with state bragging rights on the line.
““My thoughts are on Georgia Tech,” Smart said. "I mean, it’s a great honor to be able to play in the SEC championship game. ... My concern 100% is with Georgia Tech because of what that game means to so many in this state, so many on our team, and what it means to this season and these seniors playing at home. So that’s the focus.”
Only one week ago Smart said he didn't consider speculation about his team's chances to play for the conference championship to be relevant. A rash of losses last week by some of the SEC's top teams dramatically changed things. The SEC announced on Saturday that losses by Alabama, Texas A&M and Ole Miss meant the the Bulldogs had secured a trip to Atlanta.
The SEC's drama was of no interest to Georgia Tech and its coach, Brent Key. If Georgia Tech ends its six-game losing streak in the series, it would make the Yellow Jackets' season.
Speaking at an alumni event in June, Key didn't hold back on his feelings about the Bulldogs in the rivalry known as “Clean Old-Fashioned Hate.”
“There’s nothing I hate more in the world,” Key said, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It’s probably the only thing I actually hate. When I say hate, like, truly despise everything about it. I really do.”
Asked this week about Key's comment, Smart said he prefers a different approach.
“I don’t think you get really emotional about things like that,” Smart said. “I think you’re a lot better coach when you stay composed, and you coach your players, and you teach your players what it’s going to take to win the game. It will be an emotional game, but I don’t get emotional about it.”
Georgia senior linebacker Smael Mondon says Key's comments provide no extra motivation.
“Yeah, I see it,” Mondon said. “I don’t really pay too much mind to that. I feel like he’s supposed to feel like that for the rivalry. ... So it doesn’t really add anything. You know, we still going to prepare like we normally would.”
Georgia Tech has rotated quarterbacks Haynes King and Aaron Philo in recent games. Philo, a freshman, passed for a career-high 265 yards in the Yellow Jackets’ 30-29 win over N.C. State on Nov. 21 and added the late go-ahead 18-yard touchdown run.
"You have to prepare for both of those styles of game and know which quarterback is in,” said Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen.
Key would like for Georgia to be uncertain about the Yellow Jackets' plans.
“I mean, who’s to say we use both of them?” Key said when asked about his tandem of quarterbacks. “... Every week is a new week and a new defense, new scheme, new coaches, new ways to attack things. So really one week has no bearing on the next when it comes to putting a plan together.”
Coming off a Thursday night game, Georgia Tech has had a full practice week. Georgia has had a short week after Saturday's 59-21 win over Massachusetts. Smart said the practice week went “great” despite an accelerated schedule.
“We had a good plan for it, and we just keep calling today Wednesday,” Smart said after Tuesday's practice.
Georgia QB Carson Beck has ended criticism about his midseason turnover woes. Beck has thrown six touchdown passes with no interceptions in the last two games. Beck threw four scoring passes against UMass. For the season, Beck has 23 touchdown passes with 12 interceptions.
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Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, right, is restrained by an assistant as he yells instructions to his players on the field during the second half of an NCAA college football game against UMass, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo (12) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) throws from the pocket during the first half of an NCAA college football game against UMass, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
