Preview: The ‘Dawgs aren’t looking past the Ramblin’ Wreck on rivalry weekend

The top-ranked and undefeated Georgia Bulldogs are preparing for the Alabama Crimson Tide successful the crippled of each games, the SEC Championship, Dec. 4. That’s what the mainstream media is talking about. But first, they person the task of taking connected the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets this Saturday astatine Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Even though the Yellow Jackets are 3-8, Georgia caput manager Kirby Smart is committed to continual betterment connected the violative broadside of the ball.

“We got to person 11 guys connected the aforesaid page,” Smart said Tuesday. “So galore of our plays that neglect erstwhile you spell backmost and look astatine them, what caused that play to beryllium unsuccessful. One got into his job. They bash what they’re expected to do. We thin to person a affirmative summation oregon nary gain. It’s the mislaid yardages and sacks arsenic turnovers that travel backmost to haunt america the astir truthful we’re trying to region that. Continue being explosive and being dangerous. We privation to beryllium connected the attack.”

Through eleven games, Georgia has averaged 40.3 points per game, which is 7th champion successful the nation. Quarterback Stetson Bennett has thrown 17 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, portion completing 65.5% of his passes.

Conversely, the Ramblin’ Wreck person been successful each crippled they’ve played in, but for the 55-0 nonaccomplishment to the No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish past Saturday. Prior to the defeat, Tech’s mean borderline of decision successful the archetypal 4 games of the skid was conscionable 7.7 points. Losing to Northern Illinois, a mediocre showing against Virginia and the atrocious nonaccomplishment successful South Bend, caput manager Geoff Collins acknowledged “possible instrumentality frustration, donors, boosters, each those things.”

“I get it,” Collins said. “I recognize it. I’m frustrated. I’m arsenic large of a rival arsenic determination is successful the crippled and truthful I’m frustrated. Even though we’ve made progress, it inactive hasn’t shown up successful the triumph column, wherever we privation it to be, wherever we request it to beryllium and wherever it volition be.”

During the coach’s show, Georgia Tech Athletic Director Todd Stansbury expressed assurance successful Collins and expressed his willingness to clasp the manager for the 2022 season.

“I cognize he’s going to reappraisal benignant of what it is that we request to do, wherever we are falling short, wherever determination are holes successful what we’re doing, and we’re going to enactment unneurotic to get those things fixed,” Stansbury said.

According to sources, Collins’s buyout is $10.5 million, according to the presumption of his memorandum of understanding, if Tech and Collins were to portion institution this year. The full drops to $7.2 cardinal aft the 2022 play by the presumption of the aforementioned agreement.

On the field, backmost Jordan Yates volition apt commencement for Georgia Tech. Running backmost Jahmyr Gibbs has tally for 745 yards and 4 touchdowns and consistently shown up each week for the Ramblin’ Wreck. Gibbs leads the FBS successful all-purpose yards astatine 163.8 yards per game, 2.2 yards per crippled much than Central Michigan RB Lew Nichols and 3.2 yards per crippled much than Utah State WR Deven Thompkins.

Georgia enters the crippled arsenic a 35 constituent favorite. Smart isn’t disquieted astir constituent spreads, the SEC Championship oregon positioning successful the College Football Playoff.

“No. I don’t person time,” Smart explained. “I’m trying to spell bash 3rd down close present successful the reddish country and bash everything else. I don’t person immoderate clip for it. Between recruiting, worrying astir our players, and trying to get acceptable for a game. It’s the slightest of my worries.”

As the saying goes, ‘toe meets leather’ astatine Bobby Dodd astatine precocious noon Saturday.