Bulldogs sting Yellow Jackets
Georgia rushes for 339 yards in upset
ATLANTA – Georgia came out running and never slowed down.
When it was done, the Bulldogs had a huge upset that took some of the sting out of their disappointing season.
Taking a page out of Georgia Tech’s playbook, Georgia rushed for 339 yards to beat the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets 30-24 Saturday night. Freshman Washaun Ealey rambled for 183 yards and Caleb King broke loose for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bulldogs (7-5) reclaimed state bragging rights in a tumultuous year and handed the Yellow Jackets (10-2) a huge setback in what has been their best season in nearly two decades. The nation’s second-best rushing team was held to 205 yards – 109 below its average.
After Georgia’s Blair Walsh was wide left on a potentially clinching field goal, Georgia Tech converted a fourth down at the Georgia 46 with plenty of time to run it the rest of the way.
But coach Paul Johnson abandoned the triple option, taking three straight deep attempts through the air to leave the Yellow Jackets facing fourth-and-10. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt found Demaryius Thomas wide open along the sideline, but Thomas dropped it.
Georgia Tech, averaging 36 points a game, looked totally out of sync throughout the first half and put themselves in a deep hole, down 17-3 at the half.
The Yellow Jackets closed to 17-10 on their third play from scrimmage when Thomas turned a short pass into a 77-yard touchdown. He caught a pass just across the line, stiff-armed Vance Cuff and took off down the sideline.
But Georgia took the very next snap to the house. King got the handoff, blew through yet another big opening up the middle and zigzagged his way down the field for a 75-yard touchdown.
When it was over, Georgia got back at the Yellow Jackets for snatching pieces of the famed Sanford Stadium hedge following their 2008 upset. This time, defensive lineman Kade Weston planted a huge flag with a “G” near the middle of the field.