Bulldogs Triumph Over Georgia Tech in Epic 8-OT Comeback Victory
The No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 44-42 in eight overtimes on Friday night. Here’s what The Red & Black noticed.
Offense gets it done
In their final regular-season game, Georgia’s offense started slow. A failed 4th-and-1 by Nate Frazier at the Yellow Jackets’ 14 ended the Bulldogs’ first red zone trip, and the struggles continued with just 137 first-half yards, no points, and a fumble by Dominic Lovett. Things looked bleak after a 3-and-out to open the second half, but Arian Smith’s 30-yard run sparked life, leading to Oscar Delp’s 2-yard touchdown.
Down 14, Georgia fought back with two fourth-quarter scoring drives. Frazier ran in a touchdown, and Carson Beck threw his first, pulling Georgia within one score. After a Georgia Tech turnover, Beck connected with Lovett at the goal line to tie it at 27, sending the game to overtime.
Beck stayed sharp, finding London Humphreys for a score in the first overtime and Rara Thomas for another in double overtime. However, a failed two-point try kept the game alive. Both teams missed chances in triple and quadruple overtime. In the eighth, Beck hit Dillon Bell for a 42-40 lead, but it wasn’t over yet.
After more missed chances, the game reached its SEC-record eighth overtime. Beck handed off to Frazier, who powered in the game-winning score, sealing Georgia’s incredible comeback. The crowd erupted—Georgia had done the impossible.
Defense falls apart
Georgia’s defense had a rough night against Georgia Tech, giving up big plays on nearly every drive. The Yellow Jackets racked up 157 rushing yards in the first half, with Haynes King running for one score and throwing another to Jamal Haynes, building a 17-0 halftime lead. Georgia Tech kept the pressure, adding a field goal and touchdown to lead 27-20 in the fourth quarter.
The defense found some late answers. Dan Jackson forced a fumble that set up Georgia’s tying score, but the struggles continued as Tech added two more touchdowns in overtime. Despite this, the defense came alive late, stopping Tech in triple, fourth, seventh, and eighth overtime to seal the wild comeback.
Run defense falters once more
Haynes and King dominated Georgia’s run defense all night, racking up 260 rushing yards — surpassing the season-high allowed against UMass just a week ago. Haynes set the tone early with a 44-yard run on the game’s first play, and the Bulldogs’ defense struggled to stop big outside runs throughout the night, giving the Yellow Jackets major gains. Georgia Tech leaned heavily on its rushing attack in the second half, with Haynes averaging 7 yards per carry and King scoring three rushing touchdowns. However, a key fumble late in the game gave Georgia a chance to rally, ultimately leading to a thrilling 44-42 win in eight overtimes, extending their streak to 31 consecutive home victories.
