The final weekend of the college football regular season is known as “rivalry week,” which means that teams face off with their most-disliked foe. Saturday was no different for Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia as these two teams continued a series that began in 1893. Although 2019’s iteration will be better known for a fight that resulted in penalties for both teams and one player being ejected.
On the play in question, Georgia Tech’s Tre Swilling was locked up with Georgia’s freshman receiver George Pickens near the end zone during a third-quarter play. Fellow freshman Dominick Blaylock caught a touchdown, but it became an afterthought as Pickens and Swilling engaged in the fight in the far left corner of the end zone.
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Pickens threw punches at Swilling during this back-and-forth battle while multiple members of each team gathered. The Georgia Tech defensive back responded by throwing Pickens into the padded wall.
Georgia receiver George Pickens going full backyard brawl, getting a well-earned ejection. pic.twitter.com/1ZJ7McQRYY
— Matt Schick (@ESPN_Schick) November 30, 2019
Following this incident, both Pickens and Swilling were penalized. However, the Georgia receiver was ejected from the game after he threw multiple punches. He could now potentially miss the first half of next week’s SEC Championship game. Pickens was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his actions on Saturday.
This rivalry is not one that has been marked by mutual respect. Instead, the two universities and their fanbases have made it very clear that there is considerable friction between these teams. According to the Georgia Tech website, there is so much hatred that it has permeated the fight songs. Georgia fans now sing, “Glory, Glory to ‘ole Georgia and to Hell with Georgia Tech!” Tech fans, on the other hand, respond with, “If I had a son, sir, I’ll tell you what he’d do, he would yell To Hell with Georgia! Like his daddy used to do!”
In this longstanding series, Tech falls short of Georgia in the overall series record with 41 wins, 67 losses, and 5 ties. However, Tech does own the largest win streak with eight wins that took place from 1949 to 1956. Although Georgia has won 36 of the last 50 matches.
The last time that Tech reigned victorious was in 2016 when they scored a touchdown with 30 seconds remaining to achieve a 28-27 win. Saturday’s game will likely increase Georgia’s lead given that the 10-1 Bulldogs entered the fourth quarter with a 38-7 advantage.
(Photo Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty)
