Rivalry week in college football always manages to produce a fair share of drama and this weekend’s slate of games should be no different. One of the more intriguing battles will take place in Atlanta when No. 13 Georgia travels to Bobby Dodd Stadium to settle an annual score with No. 25 Georgia Tech. The ‘Dawgs have reeled off nine straight wins and punched a ticket to next month’s SEC title game. The Yellow Jackets sit at 8-3 and are looking to defeat their Peach State foe at home for the first time since 1999. Let’s take a closer look inside this heated matchup.

#13 Georgia versus #25 Georgia Tech

Head coach Mark Richt had one foot out the door after an 0-2 start, but nine consecutive victories later has the Bulldogs in a position to qualify for the BCS. Led by sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray and a stifling defense, Georgia is poised to defeat the Jackets for the tenth time in eleven games under Richt. For that to happen, they must contain Tech’s vaunted spread option attack, which ranks second in the country in rushing. The front seven has to be disciplined and force the Jackets into third and long situations. Freshman running back Isaiah Crowell is expected to play after exiting last week with a sprained ankle. That will help Murray, who tossed three touchdowns in the 2010 meeting, but has struggled at times this season when the ground game stalls. The Bulldogs have won two straight in the series by six and eight points, respectively.

Tech head coach Paul Johnson is a master at the spread option. It might look simple on paper, but defending it can be a nightmare. Just ask Clemson, who entered Bobby Dodd Stadium last month undefeated and left 31-17 losers after yielding 383 rushing yards. Junior quarterback Tevin Washington is the trigger man with 849 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground; when he’s on point the offense is difficult to stop. However, the Tech defense is another story, having surrendered 21 or more points in all but two games. Even lowly Duke managed 31 points and 351 yards a week ago. Georgia’s offense is efficient if not overly explosive. Stopping the run and making them one-dimensional is the best strategy to employ. Johnson will also need to take some shots downfield to monster wideout Stephen Hill, who is averaging a gaudy 30.7 yards per catch.

Georgia is listed as -6 points favorites, but this has the makings of a dreaded trap game. Riding high on a nine-game streak looking ahead to next week’s SEC Championship could spell trouble for the visitors. The Yellow Jackets are a dangerous bunch equipped to at the very least keep things close. Bet the underdogs, not the ‘Dawgs in this one.

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