Georgia overcomes 17-point deficit to break Tech's heart 44-42 in eight overtimes

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia got outplayed and out-coached for most of the night but it stormed back from 17 points down to grab a 44-42 win over Georgia Tech in the longest game in SEC history. The Bulldogs finish the regular season 10-2 and earn their eighth straight win over their in-state rivals.

Carson Beck connected on 28 of 43 passes for 295 yards and five touchdowns in the comeback victory. Nate Frazier rushed 11 times for 50 yards, a touchdown, and the game-winning two-point conversion. The Bulldog defense surrendered over 300 total yards in the first half and 563 yards overall but got some key stops late to aid the comeback.

Georgia Tech didn’t just draw first blood in this game, it scored the first 17 points of the ball game. It used the opening possession of the game to go eight yards in 61 plays, capping it off with a short field goal to take a 3-0 lead that it wouldn’t relinquish until the third quarter.

Despite piercing the Georgia 20-yard line twice without points, the Yellow Jackets took a 17-0 lead into the break after touchdowns from from King on the ground and then a pass to Jamal Haynes. The second of those touchdowns took advantage of a Dominic Lovett fumble that thwarted one of the Bulldogs’ best first-half scoring threats.

In addition to the fumble Georgia dropped no fewer than three passes in the first half and went three and out with two of its first three possessions. The Bulldogs had another one of those to start the second half but its defense also forced one.

That allowed Georgia to get on the board for the first time, taking over near midfield after a poor Georgia Tech punt that was muffed by Anthony Evans but recovered by the Bulldogs. Georgia punched it in on a two-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Oscar Delp. The two-point attempt failed, making the score 17-6.

After the ensuing kickoff was spotted at the Georgia Tech four-yard line, the Yellow Jackets went on an 18-play, 90-yard drive that ate up over 10 minutes of game clock. It ended in a 23-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 20-6.

Georgia answered right back with a touchdown drive of its own, traveling 75 yards on 13 plays as Frazier punched it in from a yard out. That temporarily shrunk the Tech lead to seven points at 20-13.

The Yellow Jackets’ answer came quickly. It needed just six plays to reach the end zone, traveling 75 yards as King ran it in from 11 yards out. Georgia had a chance to get off the field on the drive with 3rd and 7 near midfield and the Yellow Jackets completed a 33-yard pass.

Kirby Smart’s team didn’t quit. The Bulldogs took over at their own 25-yard line after a touchback and used eight plays and just a minute and 58 seconds to get back into the end zone. Beck found Lovett from 17 yards out to pull the Bulldogs back to within one score at 27-20.

Tech had a chance to put it away on its next possession but King fumbled on 3rd and 1 after it appeared as if he had picked up the first down. Dan Jackson forced it and Chaz Chambliss recovered, giving the ball to Georgia at the Yellow Jacket 32-yard line. UGA used five plays with Beck finding Lovett for a touchdown from three yards out. Woodring’s PAT tied the tame with 1:01 left.

Tech failed to pick up a 4th and 1 on the ensuing possession, giving the ball back to Georgia with just four seconds left and the Bulldogs’ Hail Mary attempt never had a shot as Beck was stripped sacked. It was recovered by Tate Ratledge with no time left on the clock, sending us to overtime.

Georgia Tech won the overtime toss and the Bulldogs got the ball first and grabbed their first lead of the day. After Beck hit Cash Jones to convert a 3rd and 5, he found London Humphreys for a 14-yard touchdown. Peyton Woodring’s PAT gave Georgia a 34-27 lead.

Although it started its first possession of overtime with a false start, Georgia Tech had no trouble getting into the end zone. It needed just three plays to make it happen with King finding Singleton for a 15-yard touchdown. Tech kicked the the PAT to tie it at 34-34.

Tech got the ball first in the second overtime and, again, needed just three plays to score. King scored his third rushing touchdown of the day from a yard out to cap off the drive but his pass on the two-point try was batted away.

Down 40-34, Georgia scored on the first play of the ensuing possession with Beck hitting Jones for a 25-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs had to go for two and the try failed as Humphreys couldn’t come up with it. That sent it into a third overtime with dueling two-point conversions.

Neither team was successful with their two-point tries in the third or fourth overtimes but Georgia broke through in the fifth overtime with Beck hitting Dillon Bell. Tech, however, was also successful with its attempt, sending the game to a sixth overtime tied at 42 apiece.

Both teams failed in the sixth and seventh overtimes, sending the game into an SEC-record eighth period. Tech got the ball first and couldn’t convert and Georgia won it as Frazier took an inside handoff and punched it in for the 44-42 win.

Next up for Georgia is the SEC Championship game in eight days. The Bulldogs will play the winner of Texas at Texas A&M on December 7 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on ABC.

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