Rivalry week kicked off with a bang as No. 7 Georgia and Georgia Tech went to eight overtimes in Athens, Ga— one overtime away from matching the all-time record set in 2021 by Penn State and Illinois. The Bulldogs completed the comeback, securing the 44-42 win.
The Clean, Old Fashioned Hate rivalry game had been a lopsided matchup in its recent renditions, with Georgia out-scoring the Yellow Jackets 248 to 72 in their last six meetings. However, Brent Key’s squad made the quick drive up to Athens and jumped out to a 17-0 lead by halftime. Tech recorded 307 total yards to UGA’s 137 in the first 30 minutes.
Kirby Smart’s squad was able to claw back into the game, scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to force the beginning of the second-longest overtime game in FBS history.
In the first two overtimes, the in-state rivals traded touchdowns, moving the score from 27-27 to 40-40 heading into 3OT. But then the defenses returned when the overtime pivoted to only two-point conversions, as each team failed to convert the two-point try in 3OT and 4OT.
Offense returned in 5OT, with each quarterback connecting with their receivers for the two-point try, pushing the score to 42-42 heading into 6OT. The sixth and seventh overtimes were the same story as the third and fourth, as the defenses once again stepped up, holding the score at 42-42 going into the eighth.
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King failed to connect with Eric Singleton to open 8OT, giving the Bulldogs yet another chance to close out the game. And finally, with the playbook running thin, Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo returned to the basics, sending true freshman running back Nate Frazier up the middle for the win.
Entering this game, Georgia (10-2, 6-2 SEC) had already punched its ticket to the SEC championship for a shot at a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff. But a loss in this game would have made the matchup in Atlanta a must-win to keep the Bulldogs in the CFP. The dramatic victory tonight should keep Georgia in the inaugural 12-team playoff regardless of the outcome of the SEC championship.
Georgia Tech (7-5, 5-3 ACC) was as close as a team could get to securing its third top-10 win of the season. The Yellow Jackets knocked off Florida State to start the year and Miami three weeks ago. Brent Key’s team had already punched its ticket to a bowl game for the second straight year after missing a bowl the previous four.
The Broncos took care of Oregon State behind another monster day from superstar running back Ashton Jeanty. The junior Heisman candidate was a workhorse, carrying the ball 37 times and rushing for a stellar 226 yards with a touchdown. Jeanty wraps up his regular season with 2,062 yards and 27 TDs to lead the entire FBS.
Boise State now waits to see who they will take on in next Friday night’s Mountain West title game. No. 22 UNLV clinches a date vs. Boise State with a win over Nevada on Saturday night. With a UNLV loss, Colorado State will battle the Broncos for Mountain West supremacy. Either potential championship matchup could have massive College Football Playoff implications with the Broncos currently projected in the 12-team field and receiving a first-round bye in the latest CFP projections.
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