It's rivalry weekend, and three SEC teams face longtime foes from the Athletically Challenged Conference ACC. Vanderbilt also faces off with Wake Forest in a football game that is played without anyone really knowing why. We present a look at some of the games through the bloggers that covered them, or through our own eyes if need be. In the case of Georgia-Georgia Tech, we have the fine folks from the SB Nation blog covering Georgia Tech, From The Rumble Seat, and Dawg Sports, which ought to be known around these parts. The visiting team, of course, goes first.
Winfield Featherston, From The Rumble Seat (Georgia Tech):
2010's version of georgie vs. Georgia Tech will be one of mediocrity but yet still, one of old-fashioned hate. In the mind of the stereotypical Tech fan, a disappointing season is always redeemed by a victory over georgie. And when you combine the possibility of making the mutts ineligible, a win to close out the year would be quite satisfactory. Talking seriously about the game is difficult ... let's lighten the mood with a joke first:
Four georgie players are riding in a car. Who's driving? The police officer!!
Reality says it will be a tough game for the Jackets to pull out a victory. The opponents passing game has improved since AJ Green returned and his "football vacuum" skills continue to lead the way for them. Early analysis and discussion this week has revealed that Tech continues to struggle on third down, while georgie stays competent. The Jackets must be consistent on third down should they want to stay competitive. Beyond simple data, casual observations have showed that both teams cannot run the 3-4 defense well whatsoever and only one team can put up points on any type of "consistent basis", georgie. Summing it up...to win the game, Georgia Tech is going to have to play arguably one of the best games of the season against arguably one of the worst teams on the schedule.
T. Kyle King, Dawg Sports (Georgia):
If you’re not a Peach State native, this year’s edition of Clean Old-Fashioned Hate is apt to inspire Clean Old-Fashioned Indifference, as the defending ACC champion Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are 6-5 and the defending state champion Georgia Bulldogs are 5-6. Few are apt to be inspired by this sissy-boy slap party.
Nevertheless, there is a lot on the line for both teams. The Bulldogs need the win for bowl eligibility, the Engineers need the victory to ensure a winning season, and both combatants need to triumph if they are to claim a year’s worth of bragging rights. The significance of the latter ought not to be underestimated; Paul Johnson and Mark Richt are 1-1 against one another, with each coach pulling off an upset on the other’s home field. Both men have their current jobs largely because their predecessors, Chan Gailey and Jim Donnan, consistently finished second in the state.
If you ain’t from around here, this one isn’t apt to light your fire. Around these parts, though, it matters a great deal, not because a win would make either team’s season -- that ship has sailed, and sunk -- but because a loss would break it. In the land of the mediocre, the less lousy team is king.
Thanks to Winfield and Kyle for giving us their thoughts, and make sure to check out their respective blogs leading up to and during this weekend's games.