HATE WEEK: JACKETS v DWAGS
Momma always said that Thanksgiving dinner is never complete without all of the sides and fixins.

Love is in the air

So, as promised, here's a tasty side dish for the great Rivalry Week when bitter in-state foes meet on the gridiron or, perhaps, across the dinner table.

There are several big rivalry games this Friday and Saturday but none bigger then Clean Old Fashioned Hate: #9 Georgia versus #16 Georgia Tech.

This rivalry began in 1893 and is quick to stir the emotions of all involved. This is about home state bragging rights. This is ACC versus SEC. But this season, there's more at stake for both teams. UGA still has an outside chance of getting into the SEC Championship game and slipping into the College Playoff, and GT is looking to gain momentum going into its ACC Championship showdown with unbeaten Florida State.

So, there's a lot more riding on this game then in recent years which only adds to the excitement.

More spelling bee titles then National titles

To help us better understand the game, we've asked two past WWW contributors to provide their perspective. Gurley Gal, as you might suspect, is an alum of UGA. What'll Ya Have, named after that wonderful dining venue on North Avenue, is a Tech man. So we have the perfect duo for dueling outlooks.

In their words, a look at the Georgia-Georgia Tech game...

What’ll Ya Have

Cousin Eddy, Gurley Gal and What'll Ya Have

It’s that time of year again when we give thanks, enjoy time with our loved ones and hate that team across the state. 

I’ve been a Tech man for seven years now - as a student, sports information aide in the athletics office and as an alum. In all that time I boast a lowly 1-5 record against the Dwags. Our last win in 2008 was one of the single best days of my life - and I’ve still got a handful of those sacred Hedges to commemorate it. Needless to say, I’ve been dying to see Tech get back on the winning side of this rivalry. THWG!

Gurley Gal

After taking some time to grieve over Gurley’s knee, I’m ready to make my glorious return to WWW and put some cash in your pockets just in time for the Holidays.

The Dawgs broke all our hearts in Jacksonville against Florida, while also putting my reputation at WWW at risk. Hey, even the best players and game pickers miss one every now and then. But this week I feel really confident that Georgia will continue to dominate at home and beat the Nerds. The Dawgs have won 12 of the last 13 games against Tech - the Nerds should know that those numbers don’t look too good.

Five Keys to the Game

1.   Turnovers: One of the biggest factors in this rivalry over the past six years has been the turnovers. It’s not rocket surgery, but the team who has committed fewer turnovers in this game in each of the last six years has won. The leg-lovers have only committed eight turnovers all season, one of the many reasons for UGA’s success. Meanwhile, Tech has forced 24 turnovers on the year for 116 points, or what we call, “Getting it done.” This could be a coin toss here, but I’ll take the Gold & White.

2.  Between the Hedges: So far this season the Dawgs have found success between the hedges and under the Sanford Stadium lights. Mark Richt’s last home loss was October 12th, 2013, to Mizzou. In the last four years the Dawgs are 23-2 at home, including 4-2 vs Top 25 teams. Why would this week be any different? Dawg fans will show up early, pack the stands and rock the hedges on Saturday.

3.  Ground Control: There’s no doubt the Nick Chubb has far exceeded expectations in place of Gurley. The kid runs with power, but also has that same Gurley breakaway speed to make him a threat each play. Since filling in full-time at running back, Chubb has averaged 163 yards per game against SEC opponents. Luckily, this is nothing new to the Jackets. Tech has already played three of the top 10 rushers in the country: Pittsburgh’s James Connor, Miami’s Duke Johnson and Georgia Southern’s Matt Breida. That’s an impressive list - and GT beat all of them. If Tech holds Chubb to under a buck fifty, Jackets win.

4.   Battle-Proven, SEC-Approved: Despite two terrible loses, Georgia has proven they can win tough games this season week in and week out. The Dawgs have beaten four Top 25 teams thus far and a win against the Jackets will end the season at five. According to Sagarin Rankings,  UGA has had the 12th toughest schedule in the country this year, while GT’s schedule ranks only 53rd. Advantage: season-tested Dawgs.

5.  Finish the Drill: Tech had this game just about wrapped up last year, but UGA’s 10 points in the fourth quarter were enough to force overtime and, eventually, their fifth straight win in the series. This year, both teams have gotten it done late in the game. UGA has outscored opponents 115-69 in the last 15 minutes, while GT has gone 122-57 in the same span. Tech has had plenty of games decided on the last couple drives. If you remember last year’s game as well as we do, you’ll know the team who can close will win.

Predictions

Gurley Gal: Count on the Dawgs to take care of business at home and send the Jackets packing back to Atlanta. UGA will still need a Missouri loss to put the Red & Black in the SEC Championship (playoffs, anyone?), but this will be a great game to send our seniors out with a bang. Pick the Dawgs, 38-31. #werunthisstate

What’ll Ya Have: That aforementioned game last year still stings quite a bit, making it hard for me to pick the Ramblin’ Wreck in this game. As much as our defense has improved this year, can it go toe-to-toe with the leg lovers for four quarters? That’s the million dollar question. With the Dwags opening up as a 14.5 point favorite, I’ve got your money maker right here: take Georgia, lay the points. 35-28 final.

We hope to have a perspective on the Egg Bowl real soon so stay tuned.

MAKE MO' MONEY WITH MARK™