Two distinct ways to look at that game:
1. GT is clearly on the rise. We went toe to toe with arguably the best program in the country that is loaded with 4* and 5* talent. Our stats were superior and our QB was clearly superior. But they simply had more depth and they wore us down. Tech fans know the feeling from Gt's prime years under O'Leary-Friedgen-Hamilton going against the loaded FSU teams under Bowden. Similar deal then.
Fans were treated to an absolutely epic, historic football game. It was an excellent display of sport: courage, fortitude, competitiveness, effort. That game is what football is supposed to be about. Only one team could win.
Funny, watching the game I did not think the officiating was too biased. They missed a few Pass Interference calls on us. The targeting calls have been mystifying to me all year. In the previous few years they were calling targeting all over this place. This year, they seem never to call it any more. They missed one on us as well. So, it is not inconsistent. Holding calls are missed all the time. Both fumble reviews were obscured by the mass of bodies. As I reviewed the thread, I was surprised by any suggestion that the officials stole the game. That game was decided by the players and coaches.
The long hug after the game was one of the more touching things I've seen in football. Two top-notch coaches.
2. That game should never have gone to overtime and our coordinators are not above criticism for this one. I understand that we were decimated in the back end, but Santucci and Key went into the soft zone too early in the second half and gave UGA a chance. It would have worked without the Haynes King fumble, but that is the thing with Key, he plays the clock game with a very narrow margin for error.
Two ways to play with a 2-3 score lead in the second half: play the clock or go for the boot on the neck. Analytics may suggest to play the clock and sell out to avoid the chunk play, but human psychology may suggest to go for a big play at the cost of a big play. Overload a side, try to press. Their QB is not that good.
Against our offense, UGA made a late adjustment to bring pressure up the middle which I think Buster failed to adjust to and cost us the game, especially in OT. In the two-point try festival, UGA was charging up field and Buster was calling for these long out-routes. g0lf noted that the rocket toss would have been a good call and I was yelling for that play also. I envied UGA's call for a short slant. They were bringing the safeties on the blitz and that area vacated by the blitzing safeties in the middle was open. Jamal Haynes was an outlet for three of those plays. I'm not a huge option fan, but the A-back option play would have been good.
The short point was that GT needed to get the ball out of the pocket quickly against what they were showing. Buster needs to re-think his two point conversion strategy against teams strong up the middle.
Tons to be proud of, no reason not to be optimistic that we are on the rise. It certainly is a far flippin' cry from 55-0. But, the tough pill to swallow is that we blew our chance to win it.
Singleton really needs to refine his route running. On the first half throw into the end zone where the throw was behind Singleton for the drop, Haynes King put the ball exactly where it had to be. Singleton arrived in a big hole in the UGA zone in the middle of the End zone, King sees him throws it right to him but Singleton Inexplicably drifts right into the safety and Singleton can't reach back for the ball, which was where the receiver should have sat down on that route. That is a bad error. Maybe a move to running back for him?
