Second quarter blog

0:50 left in first half, Georgia re-takes lead, 21-14

Well, Georgia didn't need the whole two minutes.

Aaron Murray just hit Bruce Figgins in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the half, and the Bulldogs have re-asserted themselves.

Quite a well-rounded drive by Murray, who also laid down a good downfield block on a long Washaun Ealey run that got Georgia into Georgia Tech territory. Then Murray hit Kris Durham on a sideline catch down to the 16.

At that point, if you're also following my tweets you know I wondered if Mike Bobo would go conservative again and call run plays. He did, but with more success than the previous drive, as Ealey burst up the middle for a 13-yard gain.

Big drive and answer for the Bulldogs. Now they need to make the proper defensive adjustments at halftime - which Todd Grantham has done before, only to have it break down in the fourth quarter. We'll see what he can scrounge up this time.

(Assuming the Jackets don't do something in the final minute of the half too.)

2:05 left in second quarter, Georgia Tech ties it at 14

OK, this turned sour quickly for Georgia. Let's review:

- Georgia has questionable play-calling once it reaches the GT 14, then fails on fourth-and-inches from the 4, rather than kicking the chip-shot field goal.

- Then Georgia's defense was utterly powerless to stop the Georgia Tech run, except when the ball-carrier fell down on his own to force a third-and-nine. Surely, since the Jackets had yet to attempt a pass, the Bulldogs had them right where they wanted them.

- Ah, but then Tevin Washington completed his first pass of the game, converting the first down. Then it was back to the run, all the way downfield, to tie the game.

The only good news for Georgia is it has a little over two minutes left to take back the lead before halftime. And it better, because Tech gets the ball to start the second half.

8:42 left in second quarter, Georgia still leads 14-7

Look, I know you have to run to keep the defense honest. But sometimes an offensive coordinator can out-smart himself in that regard.

Georgia passed its way down to the 14, with Tech showing no signs it could stop Aaron Murray and company. And then at that point the Bulldogs called two straight running plays, which gained a combined two yards. Huh?

A third down pass was - of course - complete to Kris Durham, who looked like he was right at the first down marker. But the spot was short, and a Murray sneak was stopped. So Georgia Tech takes over at its own 4.

Hmm, not hindsight at all, I would have kicked the field goal there. Put yourself up two scores, rather than bank on a running game that hasn't done much so far.

12:59 left in second quarter

Georgia's offense might need to keep scoring, because its defense is doing a spotty job of stopping the triple option.

Georgia Tech, on its third try in the red zone, finally scored on a 1-yard keeper by Tevin Washington. So it's back to a one-score game.

The Bulldog secondary has been a bit nicked up so far. Cornerback Sanders Commings, one of the many rotating opposite Brandon Boykin, hasn't played lately with an apparent ankle injury. Safety Bacarri Rambo also missed a few series, although he was back on the field for the Jackets' touchdown drive.

I just don't think the Bulldog defense is stout enough to make stop after stop against the run. It can make some big plays behind the line, as we've seen, but Georgia's best bet here is for the offense to keep slinging it, and hope that a few more scores forces the Jackets to alter their gameplan.