ATLANTA — In the first half of the 119th edition of Clean, Old‑Fashioned Hate between the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs (10-1) and No. 23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-2) at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, the Bulldogs lead 13–3 heading to the locker room.
Georgia Tech grabbed first blood after a turnover by quarterback Gunner Stockton, whose interception was returned into Bulldog territory — setting up a first quarter 30-yard field goal by Tech kicker, Aidan Birr, putting the Jackets up 3–0 early. Tech took the lead with 1:20 to go in the opening quarter and it’s been all Georgia since.
The Bulldogs answered smartly, methodically driving downfield, before tying it up with a 22-yard field goal of their own. Georgia kicker Peyton Woodring knotted the game 3–3, with 9:42 to go in the half.
The Dawgs didn’t stop there. Early in the second quarter, Georgia converted a big third-and-five with a strike to wide receiver Zachariah Branch that sliced through Tech’s defense. The completion turned the first down into an eventual touchdown gave Georgia a 10–3 advantage with 4:35 to go in the half.
After a three-and-out by the Yellow Jackets, Georgia scored again on a 30-yard field goal by Woodring to end the half.
This year’s rivalry week showdown arrives under a new wrinkle: the game is being played at a neutral site in Atlanta for the first time, part of the new Invesco QQQ Atlanta Gridiron Classic, as the Jackets sold the rights to the game to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Despite the change in venue, the intensity of the rivalry feels intact — with fans of each team packed into the Benz. Given last season’s insane eight-overtime thriller, which the Bulldogs won 44–42 in Athens, it’s safe to say this rivalry is in good hands.
Coming into the game, Georgia (10–1) and Georgia Tech (9–2) bring a combined 19 wins — a rare high bar for the series. The Jackets, coached by Brent Key, have not beaten the Bulldogs since 2016, and would need a near-perfect game in the second half to snap a losing streak stretching back to 2017. Meanwhile, under the watch of Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs look poised to extend their dominance.
As the first half winds down, Georgia leads but questions still linger: Can UGA rely on its run game to wilt away the Tech defense? Will Tech’s defense tighten up and allow Haynes King to be the hero on offense?
And — in true Georgia-Georgia Tech fashion — will somebody crack under the pressure? Stay tuned: if the final 30 minutes offer half the fireworks of last year’s eight-OT epic, Atlanta might be in for one for the ages.
It’s Georgia 13, Georgia Tech 3 here in Atlanta at the break. Stay tuned to EasySportz for all things Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate in the second half and after the game.
