Georgia rebounds from 17 down to lead Georgia Tech in 8OT shootouts

ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia freshman Nate Frazier ran 3 yards for a two-pointer in the eighth overtime, leading the No. 7 Bulldogs to a wild 44-42 victory over rival Georgia Tech in the longest game in the history of the SEC Sanford Stadium on Friday night.

In the eighth overtime, the Yellow Jackets had the ball first. Quarterback Haynes King threw from the back of the end zone after being pressured by linebacker CJ Allen.

Georgia wasted no time in putting Georgia Tech away for good as Frazier took a handoff and ran down the middle, sending the red and black crowd into an uproar.

Frazier’s touchdown run capped one of the most memorable comebacks in Georgia history and one of the most exciting finishes in the in-state rivalry known as the Clean Old Fashioned Hate. It was the Bulldogs’ 31st straight home win and seventh straight against Georgia Tech.

None were as hard to get as Friday night.

It was the first time since 2006 that the Bulldogs overcame a deficit of 17 points or more. It was only the second time in the past 20 seasons that they rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Tech finally had a chance to win the game in the seventh OT after Beck was stuffed short of the end zone on a quarterback draw. Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. was penalized for interfering with tight end Jackson Hawes in the end zone and moving the ball to the 1½ yard line.

After struggling to score a point in the first half for the first time since 2019, Georgia’s offense finally got going in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs scored 21 points in 8:18 of the finale, including two in the final 3:39, handing the Yellow Jackets one of their most painful losses of the series.

After both teams failed to convert two-point conversion attempts in the third and fourth overtimes, Beck finally found Dillon Bell on a slant to give the Bulldogs a 42-20 lead in the fifth overtime. But Tech answered right back, and King found Malik Rutherford to tie the score and send the game into the sixth overtime.

In the sixth OT period, Georgia safety Dan Jackson tackled King and sacked him. But Georgia also failed to convert; Receiver Arian Smith failed to catch a pass tipped by Bell in the back of the end zone.

The Bulldogs had a chance to win the game in the second overtime. After Tech took a 40-34 lead on King’s 1-yard run, Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon intercepted King’s pass for a two-point attempt.

When the Bulldogs got the ball, Beck threw a nice pass down the left sideline to running back Cash Jones, who caught it for a 25-yard touchdown. But Georgia also failed to convert its two-point attempt – Beck threw incomplete to receiver London Humpreys in the end zone.

After rallying from a two-touchdown deficit in the final four minutes of regulation, the Bulldogs took a 34-27 lead in overtime when Beck scored a 14-yard touchdown to Humphreys. Georgia converted a third-and-5 on Beck’s 6-yard pass to Jones to keep the drive alive.

King’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Eric Singleton Jr. tied Georgia Tech’s score at 34-34.

Beck threw five touchdowns for 297 yards on 28 of 43 passes.

King was even better, completing 26 of 36 passes for 303 yards with two scores. He also ran for 110 yards and three touchdowns on 24 attempts. According to ESPN Stats & Information, King is the first player with at least 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns against an AP top-10 team all-time.

The Yellow Jackets, who were 17 ½ point underdogs, took a 17-0 halftime lead and were ahead 27-13 with just over 5 ½ minutes to play.

But the Georgia offense, which struggled with dropped passes and missed plays most of the game, scored two touchdowns in the final 3:39 of regulation to tie the score at 27.

King, who made countless big plays with his right arm and legs, made a crucial mistake when he lost a fumble on third-and-1 at the Tech 31 with 2:02 left. Jackson caused the fumble and defensive end Chaz Chambliss recovered the ball at the Tech 32.

On third-and-9 from the Tech 13, Beck scrambled for 10 yards and a first down. On the next play, he scored a 3-yard touchdown to Dominic Lovett with 1:01 left. Peyton Woodring’s extra point kick tied the score at 27.

The Bulldogs’ touchdown came four plays after Tech safety Syeed Gibbs was penalized for pass interference in the end zone.

The Yellow Jackets got past midfield in the final seconds of regulation time. On fourth-and-1 from the Georgia 46, King’s pass was deflected.

The Bulldogs had gotten within 27-20 thanks to Beck’s 17-yard touchdown to Lovett with 3:39 left.

Georgia Tech controlled the game for most of the night. While the Yellow Jackets controlled the clock with sustained scoring, Georgia punted twice, turned the ball over on downs, lost a fumble and missed a long field goal attempt on the final play of the half.