No. 4 Georgia holds off No. 23 Georgia Tech 16-9 for 8th straight win in series

ATLANTA (AP) — Nate Frazier ran for 108 yards, Gunner Stockton threw a scoring pass to Zachariah Branch for the only touchdown of the game and No. 4 Georgia retained its hold on its state rivalry with another close win by holding off No. 23 Georgia Tech 16-9 on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (11-1) set a record with their eighth straight win in the rivalry. Georgia Tech (9-3), which moved its home game from its campus stadium to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, closed the regular season by losing three of four games.

Gunner Stockton’s 7-yard scoring pass to Branch gave Georgia a 10-3 lead in the second quarter. Peyton Woodring of Georgia and Aidan Birr of Georgia Tech each kicked three field goals.

Woodring kicked a 50-yarder early in the fourth quarter for a 16-6 lead. Birr’s 41-yarder with 3:30 remaining again trimmed the deficit to seven points.

With only 14 seconds remaining, Georgia Tech took its last possession at its 20. Haynes King completed two passes to the Georgia 44 for a final snap with a second remaining. and his final pass was batted down in the end zone.

The low-scoring game was a contrast to last year when the Bulldogs outlasted the Yellow Jackets 44-42 in eight overtimes in Athens.

Each team needs help to play in its conference championship game.

Georgia would advance to the Southeastern Conference championship game if Texas A&M loses to Texas Friday night or Alabama loses to Auburn on Saturday night.

Georgia Tech’s path to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game is more difficult. The Yellow Jackets need Miami, Virginia and SMU to lose on Saturday.

Georgia Tech linebacker Tah’j Butler’s interception of a Stockton pass in the first quarter set up Birr’s 30-yard field goal to give the Yellow Jackets a 3-0 lead. It was only Stockton’s fifth interception of the season.

King completed 19 of 26 passes for 181 yards with an interception. King threw two picks in last week’s 42-28 home loss to Pittsburgh that cost the Yellow Jackets an opportunity to clinch a spot in the ACC championship game.

The takeaway

Georgia: The Bulldogs posted a 7-1 SEC record despite trailing in seven of those games. They were resilient again Friday, recovering quickly after falling behind 3-0. The win should allow the Bulldogs to protect their No. 4 spot — and position for a first-round bye — in the College Football Playoff ranking. … Stockton completed 11 of 21 passes for only 70 yards.

Georgia Tech: Special teams were a problem as Shane Marshall fumbled the opening kickoff, forcing the Yellow Jackets to start at their 3. Punter Marshall Nichols had another field-position blunder with a shanked effort that traveled only 22 yards in the second quarter, giving the Bulldogs the ball at the Georgia 44 and setting up Stockton’s go-ahead touchdown pass to Branch. … Birr’s three field goals gave him 25, a school single-season record.

Up next

Georgia: Hoping for a return trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium if it earns a spot in SEC championship game.

Georgia Tech: Needs losses by Miami, SMU and Virginia on Saturday to earn a spot in ACC championship game.

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