The basics
The teams: Georgia (9-2, 7-1 SEC) vs. Georgia Tech (8-3, 5-3 ACC). The Bulldogs lost their first two games and have won nine in a row since. The Yellow Jackets won their first six games and have gone 2-3 since.
When, where: Noon Saturday, Bobby Dodd Stadium
Tickets: Sold out
TV: ESPN
Georgia radio: 750, 95.5
Tech radio: 790, 106.7
Three storylines
Once again, clean old-fashioned hate. The Tech-Georgia winner gets the Governor's Cup trophy — and, more important, a year's worth of bragging and taunting rights across the state.
Same old same old, or something new? Georgia has dominated the rivalry over the past two decades, winning nine of the past 10 and 16 of the past 20 games, but six of the past seven have been decided by eight points or fewer.
Strength vs. strength. Tech's spread option offense ranks No. 2 in the nation in rushing. Georgia's defense ranks No. 2 in the nation in stopping the run. Something has to give.
A Georgia win would ...
- Be the Bulldogs' 10th victory in 11 tries against Tech under coach Mark Richt.
- Give UGA its seventh season of 10 or more wins under Richt, but its first since 2008.
- Sustain the team's momentum as it moves on to next week's SEC championship game.
A Tech win would ...
- Be the Jackets' first over Georgia at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 1999, when Tech won 51-48 in overtime in the highest scoring game in series history.
- Even Paul Johnson's record vs. Georgia as Tech coach at 2-2.
- Give Tech its ninth win of the season and a shot at No. 10 in a bowl.
Keep an eye on ...
For Georgia: Tailback Isaiah Crowell. He left Saturday's game after two carries because of a sprained left ankle. Will he start? Will he be 100 percent? Will he be able to stay in the game? If not, can Georgia run the ball effectively without him?
For Tech: A-back Orwin Smith. He didn't play last week because of a toe injury, but is expected to play against Georgia. He's a big-play threat, averaging 10.8 yards per carry and one touchdown per 5.3 carries (10 touchdowns in 53 rushing attempts).
Sound bites
“I know it’s a big game for both sets of alumni and fans and everybody in the state. You have to pick a side. Nobody gets to kind of remain neutral. So it ought to be a lot of fun.” — Johnson
“I can’t imagine the atmosphere being anything but electric. ... It’ll be another rock-’em, sock-’em football game.” — Richt
The numbers game
323.6 Average rushing yards per game by Tech, which ranks No. 2 nationally (behind Army) in rushing offense.
81.3 Average rushing yards per game allowed by Georgia, which ranks No. 2 nationally (behind Alabama) in rushing defense.
56.1 Percentage of third-down attempts made by Tech, which ranks No. 2 nationally (behind Houston) in third-down conversion rate.
28.3 Percentage of third-down attempts made against Georgia, which ranks No. 2 nationally (behind Alabama) in third-down conversion defense.
Miscellany
- This game marks the first time since 2008 that Georgia and Tech will meet with both teams ranked. Georgia is No. 13 in the BCS standings, No. 13 in the Associated Press poll and No. 14 in the USA Today coaches' poll. Tech is No. 23 in the BCS, No. 25 in the AP poll and No. 21 in the coaches' poll. In 2008, by the way, No. 18 Tech defeated No. 13 Georgia 45-42 in Athens.
- Both teams are young. Tech has 10 scholarship seniors, Georgia 12. Tech has played 10 freshmen, Georgia 14.
- The game will be Tech's third consecutive at home against an opponent ranked in the nation's top 13 in the AP poll, following an Oct. 29 victory over then-No. 6 Clemson and a Nov. 10 loss to then-No. 10 Virginia Tech.
- This will be the second of three games for Georgia in Atlanta this season. The first was a 35-21 loss to Boise State in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game at the Georgia Dome on Sept. 3, and the third will be the Dec. 3 SEC title game at the Dome.
- The first quarter should be interesting. Both teams have heavily outscored their opponents in the opening period, Georgia by an 88-27 margin and Tech by a 115-48 margin.
History book
Last meeting: Georgia won 42-34 on Nov. 27, 2010, in Sanford Stadium despite Tech's 411 yards rushing and the Jackets' 38:14-21:46 advantage in time of possession. Georgia won the turnover battle 4-2, and Aaron Murray threw three touchdown passes.
Series record: As on many matters, the schools don't agree on the margin by which Georgia leads the all-time series. According to Tech, Georgia leads 61-39-5; according to Georgia, the Bulldogs lead 61-37-5. The difference: Georgia doesn't count two Tech victories during World War II because, it says, the Jackets used players from a naval officer's training program on the Tech campus.
Bottom line
Georgia is favored by six points. As in many games, turnovers could prove to be the difference.
