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Georgia Tech out to end slide against Georgia

Nov 29, 2008 - 12:09 PM (23) Georgia Tech (8-3) at (13) Georgia (9-2), 12:00 pm EST

ATHENS, Georgia (Ticker) -- In his first year at Georgia Tech, Paul Johnson will attempt to do what Chan Gailey failed to accomplish in six seasons with the Yellow Jackets - beat Georgia.

No. 23 Georgia Tech looks to snap a seven-game losing streak in the series when they visit the 13th-ranked Bulldogs on Saturday in the 103rd meeting between the Peachtree State rivals.

Georgia coach Mark Richt is 7-0 against Georgia, including a 6-0 mark against Gailey - Johnson's predecessor. The Bulldogs (9-2) are looking to reach 10 wins for the sixth time in Richt's eight seasons in Athens.

Both Georgia and Georgia Tech are bowl eligible for the 12th straight year, tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the country.

The Yellow Jackets (8-3) rate as one of the most surprising teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, as they were picked to finish 3-9 by Sports Illustrated.

Georgia Tech has alternated losses and wins in its last four games following a 6-1 start. It is coming off an impressive 41-23 drubbing of Miami, a contest in which the Yellow Jackets rushed for 472 yards - the fifth-highest total in school history and the most in 30 years.

Georgia Tech relies heavily on its triple option offense; the Yellow Jackets attempted just four passes against the Hurricanes. Jonathan Dwyer is the leading rusher in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 1,184 yards, more than 300 yards ahead of his closest rival.

Last week's win assured the Yellow Jackets at least a piece of the ACC Coastal Divisional title, and they could share the crown with two, three or four teams.

Georgia Tech will be interested in a number of ACC games this weekend, but it needs lots of help getting to the ACC championship. North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Virginia also have to lose their final games, because the Yellow Jackets fell to all three and would lose every tiebreaker.

Saturday's contest features two of the top running backs in the country as Georgia's Knowshon Moreno paces the Southeastern Conference with 1,244 yards.

A sophomore, Moreno has surpassed 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons at Georgia and joins Herschel Walker as the only players in school history with consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns.

Georgia leads the all-time series with Georgia Tech, 59-38-5.