Georgia Football: 3 takeaways from blowout rivalry win over Georgia Tech
By Zach Bigalke
1. Georgia is playing championship-level defense right now
One place where Georgia has absolutely no questions heading into the SEC championship game is their defense. Kirby Smart’s background is on the defensive side of the ball, and he has worked with first-year defensive coordinator Dan Lanning to produce a fearsome unit capable of shutting down just about anyone on a given Saturday.
Georgia Tech is in a transition season as they move on from the triple-option era under Paul Johnson. The Yellow Jackets entered the game ranked 123rd in the FBS in scoring and 124th overall in yards produced, so reading too much into what Georgia was able to do must be cautioned.
Even so, the Bulldogs held their hosts to just 139 total yards of offense. Yellow Jackets quarterback James Graham completed only five of his 20 passing attempts as he finished with 40 yards through the air and one touchdown strike that prevented the shutout. The running game averaged fewer than three yards per carry as Georgia Tech’s backfield ended the day with a combined 99 yards on the ground.
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Georgia’s defense will have their hands full with Joe Burrow, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and the rest of a high-octane LSU offense when they meet up on the first Saturday of December. But given the way the Bulldogs are playing at the moment on that side of the ball, they will be the wild card that determines how things shake out in the College Football Playoff race.