Georgia @ Georgia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 24, 2018 ) Georgia Tech 21, Georgia 45

Fourth-ranked Georgia already has a spot in the SEC championship game and remains in the running for a playoff spot, but first is a chance to continue its in-state dominance as the Bulldogs travel to Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Bulldogs defeated the Yellow Jackets in 18 of the past 24 meetings while winning nine in a row at Georgia Tech, and enter the matchup allowing the second-least points per game in the nation (10.7) - including 44 points total in the past five games.

“What they’ve done well is a lot of things,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters Monday in describing the defense, but emphasizing the need to force more turnovers. “What they can improve on is several things that we try to work on each week, and we try to demand it of them.” While the Yellow Jackets have struggled offensively under first-year coach Geoff Collins - ranking 122nd nationally in scoring offense at 17.5 points - they scored 28 for the second time in their past three games in last week’s 28-26 victory over North Carolina State. Collins scrapped former coach Paul Johnson’s triple-option offense in favor of a more traditional pro-style attack, which totaled a season-best 395 yards of total offense last week. “We understand the program that we’re going against,” Collins told reporters Tuesday about the challenge of facing Georgia. “Great players, great coaches in a great venue, but it’s all about us and getting ourselves wired and ready to go.”

TV: Noon ET, ABC. LINE: Georgia -28

ABOUT GEORGIA (10-1): Junior linebacker Monty Rice leads the defense with 71 tackles and senior linebacker Tae Crowder has 52 stops, leading a defense that is second in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game (68.5) and fifth in total defense (267.7 yards per contest). Junior quarterback Jake Fromm completed just 11 passes last week against Texas A&M for 163 yards, but has only thrown three interceptions on the season (all three in Georgia’s lone loss, against South Carolina). Junior running back D’Andre Swift is third in the SEC in rushing yards (1,130) and yards per game (102.7).

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (3-8): Redshirt freshman quarterback James Graham earned ACC rookie of the week after passing for 129 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 112 yards and a score last week. Sophomore Jordan Mason tied a career high with 141 yards rushing, while freshman receiver Ahmarean Brown caught two touchdown passes to give him seven on the season. Redshirt freshman Jordan Domineck won ACC defensive lineman of the week after recording 10 tackles against N.C. State, but the Yellow Jackets are allowing 30.6 points per game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Graham has passed for 11 touchdowns, one off the school freshman record of 12 set by Shawn Jones in 1989.

2. Georgia senior K Rodrigo Blankenship ranks second in the SEC in points scored (105) and became the school leader in career points scored last week (418).

3. A victory Saturday assures Georgia its third consecutive season with at least 11 wins.

PREDICTION: Georgia 44, Georgia Tech 17