ATLANTA – For the third-straight year, Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate was a battle to the end, as No. 23/19 Georgia Tech was edged by No-4 ranked archrival Georgia, 16-9, on Friday at a sold out Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
An over-capacity crowd of 73,728, the largest ever for Georgia Tech and Georgia’s 70 all-time matchups in Atlanta, saw the teams battle to a one-score decision for the third season in a row.
Unlike the last two meetings, shootouts in which the teams combined for 800 (2023) and 968 (2024) total yards, Friday’s 119th edition of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate was an old-fashioned defensive battle. The Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs – both featuring top-30 offenses nationally coming into the game – were limited to just 510 total yards – 250 for Tech and 260 for UGA.
Georgia piled up a 181-78 yardage advantage in the opening half and led 13-3 at halftime. But the Yellow Jackets turned the tables after the break, outgaining the Bulldogs by a 172-79 margin. However, the breaks didn’t go the Jackets way in the second half, as a close call on what appeared to possibly be a fourth-down stop inside the UGA 35 yard line in the third quarter was ultimately deemed a first down, and a Tech drive deep into Georgia territory was thwarted by an unfortunate personal-foul call in the fourth period.
Despite the second-half misfortune, Georgia Tech still had a chance to tie the game on the final play. After the Yellow Jackets’ defense got its fourth stop in five second-half UGA possessions, Tech’s offense moved the ball 36 yards in just two plays to set up a Hail Mary opportunity from Georgia’s 44 with one second remaining. Unfortunately for the Jackets, the pass was batted around and fell to the ground as the game ended.
Although the Yellow Jackets came up short, their defense was spectacular in the defeat. After allowing 40.7 points and 510.7 yards per game in three contests this month, Tech held Georgia to less than half of the Bulldogs’ season scoring (33.7) average and 170 yards below their yardage average (430.3 ypg). The Jackets were especially tough on UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton, who completed just 11-of-21 passes for 70 yards and an interception.
While Tech’s Haynes King (19-of-27 for 181 yards) outdueled Stockton, UGA’s defense was stout against the Yellow Jackets’ high-powered rushing attack, holding the Jackets to a season-low 69 yards on the ground.
Four different Yellow Jackets – LB E.J. Lightsey (12), DB Omar Daniels (10), LB Cayman Spaulding (6) and true freshman DB Fenix Felton (6) – registered their most tackles at Georgia Tech. Felton’s six stops came in his defensive debut, as he saw his first-ever playing time on defense when Tech senior defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee was forced from the game due to injury in the opening quarter.
Groza Award finalist Aidan Birr accounted for all nine of Georgia Tech’s points with field goals from 30, 44 and 41 yards out. Birr’s three field goals gave him 25 for the season, which set a new single-season school record.
Tech will await to results of Saturday’s games to see if its outside chance to land a spot in next week’s ACC Championship Game comes to fruition. If not, the Yellow Jackets will learn their bowl destination on Sunday, Dec. 7.