Keys to the Hate: Georgia Tech at uga

Focus and Emotion

Bottomline here: if either team comes in and starts making mental mistakes of any kind, they'll be digging themselves a hole that they don't want to be in. Georgia Tech is a solid underdog in this game, meaning they a) cannot afford to make mistakes like turnovers or personal fouls, and b) will benefit GREATLY from uga's mistakes. As we know, the great equalizers in games with this type of talent divide are the turnovers and stupid emotional outbursts that guys occasionally make. Tech needs to avoid them to have any chance, and could use a couple from the Dwags to have a good chance.

Tech's Front 7

uga's offense is not one-dimensional by any stretch of the imagination. They can run and throw the ball very effectively. The key to stopping them both will be in the front 7. They need to have a huge game between stopping the run and pressuring Aaron Murray if this defense is to get some stops.

Tech's O-Line and Other Blockers

They're going to be going up against a very large and athletic defense who will destroy us if we give them a chance. It's going to be crucial for our running game that we get defenders to the ground and limit their opportunities to make tackles when we're running the ball. Similarly, we need to get Tevin and Vad protection when they're passing. Either of them is capable of opening up the passing game (how capable each is is debatable), but there's not a chance in Hell that they'll be able to if they don't have time to throw.

Tackling

We saw in 2008 just how bad you can look when playing against Georgia Tech's offense if you don't wrap up and tackle. Similarly, we've seen all year how bad our defense can be when they don't wrap up and tackle. If either defense makes a habit out of not tackling tomorrow, they will get scored on, a lot. uga RB Todd Gurley is a beast of a runner, and is not easy to bring down by any stretch of the imagination. If you give him more than one or two chances, he WILL break one against your defense. Same thing goes for Orwin Smith and Robbie Godhigh -- don't tackle them, and they won't quit (I especially love Godhigh's tackle-breaking abilities...he really does NOT like to be tackled).

All of this being said, I have a hard time picking Tech to cover a ten-point spread. I know that we've looked a lot better in the last few games, but I don't think we've looked good enough (defensively in particular) to hang with these guys for 60 minutes, or even win. It may well end up how Clemson did, with us in the lead (or just close) at the end of the third quarter before losing in the fourth. That's just one man's opinion though, Tech fans. How are you feeling? Did this article make you feel even better, or bring you back to Earth?