That was an abysmal first half of football from Georgia, possibly the worst they’ve played all season. Georgia Tech dominated the entire half, running all over the defense, while Carson Beck and the offense struggled to find any rhythm. Just when it seemed like they were finally making progress, Dominic Lovett fumbled after a big gain.
Georgia Tech accumulated 307 yards of offense, compared to Georgia’s 137. The Yellow Jackets also controlled the clock, holding the ball for about 20 minutes compared to Georgia’s 10. And just when UGA seemed to be building a solid drive toward the end of the half, their field goal attempt missed badly.
All these factors combined to give Georgia Tech a surprising 17-0 lead at halftime.
How could such a poor half even happen? Georgia has looked sharp in many games this season, especially when they beat Tennessee two weeks ago. So why are they suddenly struggling against a team like Georgia Tech, a team they should easily handle?
The answer is simple.
Lack of motivation for this game While Georgia promotes this matchup as a big rivalry, everyone knows Georgia Tech is UGA’s third rivalry behind Florida and Auburn. So, even though Georgia wants to dominate their in-state rival, this rivalry isn’t as intense as the other two.
On top of that, this game doesn’t have much bearing on the season’s outcome. Georgia already has their spot secured in the SEC Championship. The result of this game won’t affect their chances to make it to Atlanta, which might subconsciously cause them to take it less seriously.
Looking at the College Football Playoff, this game doesn’t hold much weight either. Win or lose, Georgia can still make the playoff if they win the SEC Championship next weekend. Sure, a loss would impact their seeding, but Georgia can still make the playoff regardless of the result here, which could make them less invested in this game.
Now, it’s up to Kirby Smart to fire up the team during halftime. So far, this game has been one of the most embarrassing performances from Georgia in quite a while. Hopefully, the second half is much improved, or Georgia’s win streak over Tech could come to a sudden end.
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