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Georgia football quarterback Carson Beck received high praise from Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key ahead of the 118th meeting between the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets. The senior comes into Friday's game leading the No. 7 team in the country and the current eighth seed in the College Football Playoff bracket. After losing his first-ever “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” game as head coach, Kirby Smart has dominated this rivalry ever since, winning all but one of these clashes by more than 20 points.
Despite Brent Key's longstanding hatred of Georgia, the third-year head coach praised the Bulldogs quarterback and his underrated strength in an interview with Georgia Tech beat writer Chad Bishop.
“He (Carson Beck) has a unique talent and skill set. He gets all the credit for the way he throws the ball and the passing offense, but this is a kid I remember coming to camp when he was in high school; he's a 4.6 kid. Beck can run, and he can get out of trouble.”
Georgia football can seal a College Football Playoff berth with a win
The Bulldogs have had a very up-and-down year, mainly due to their star signal-caller. Carson Beck has had a wildly inconsistent season, throwing for a career-high twelve interceptions. For every lousy game that Beck has had, like at Ole Miss, the senior has put forth a brilliant performance, like in Week 12 against Tennessee.
With that in mind, Brent Key is right about his opponent. Beck is a terrific athlete, albeit he usually uses this talent to scramble to throw rather than run. On the season, the Jacksonville, Florida native has only rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown.
While Beck has been inconsistent this season, he's still ninth in the country in QBR. That stat is pretty stellar, considering that Georgia's rushing offense has been a major disappointment this year. Kirby Smart's team only averages 130 rushing yards a game despite adding talented Florida transfer Trevor Etienne to the backfield. Because of these circumstances, more has been expected out of Carson Beck this year, which has led to some stellar and head-scratching moments.
Overall, Georgia football is squarely in the driver's seat for a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Bulldogs have already secured a place in the SEC championship and will play the Texas-Texas A&M winner. A victory in the conference championship game and Carson Beck and company will likely secure the two seed in the twelve-team bracket. A loss to the Yellow Jackets on Friday night and the SEC championship becomes a must-win for the Bulldogs.
Brent Key's team is a dangerous opponent. The Yellow Jackets only lost 31-23 against the Bulldogs last year and are 7-4 right now, having recently upset the Miami Hurricanes. While Georgia Tech will play in a bowl game after Friday, this matchup means everything. Key is a former alum of his program and would love nothing more than to get his first win over a bitter rival. Carson Beck must show his Tennessee form to ensure that doesn't happen.
