## Wednesday, November 24, 2010

### Georgia-Georgia Tech Statistical Comparison: How Bulldogs Have Demonstrated Reasons For 13 Point Spread

STATISTICAL COMPARISON
Category.......................Georgia Tech............ Georgia
Record . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-6
Rushing offense . . . . . . .  319.4 (1) . . . . . . . .147.1 (72)
Passing offense . . . . . . . ..86.3 (119) . . . . . . .243.8 (41)
Total offense . . . . . . . . . ..405.6 (42) . . . . . . .390.9 (54)
Scoring offense . . . . . . ..27.0 (T-61) . . . . . . .33.5 (26)
Rushing defense . . . . . . . ..171.1 (81) . . . . . .125.4 (T-23)
Pass efficiency defense ..124.83 (56) . . . . .129.84 (70)
Total defense . . . . . . . .  . .374.5 (66) . . . . . . .319.8 (21)
Scoring defense . . . . . . .. .24.7 (58) . . . . . . .22.1 (T-40)
Net punting . . . . . . . . . . .32.4 (115) . . . . . . . .41.0 (3)
Punt returns . . . . . . . . . ... .6.2 (91) . . . . . . . . .10.9 (30)
Kickoff returns . . . . . . . . .21.2 (73) . . . . . . . .21.4 (71)
Turnover margin . . . . . ..00 (T-54) . . . . . . . ..73 (T-18)
Pass defense . . . . . . . . . ..203.4 (41) . . . . . . .194.5 (31)
Pass efficiency . . . . . . . .  108.21 (110) . . . . .154.93 (15)
Sacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..1.5 (T-94) . . . . . . . .2.2 (T-44)
Tackles for loss . . . . . . .4.9 (T-95) . . . . . . . .6.1 (T-49)
Sacks allowed . . . . . . . . .1.4 (T-29) . . . . . . . .1.9 (T-59)

I bolded the stats that jump out to me the most.
• Georgia Tech out gains UGA by almost 16 yards per game yet they score 6.5 points less per game so in other words, UGA is much more efficient on offense and Tech is not cashing in on offense.
• Georgia's defense on the surface appears to be no better than last year and especially on pass defense.  Too bad for Tech they don't pass the ball very well and you can't say it is only because they don't pass it very much.  The Jackets rank 110th nationally in pass efficiency this year; they ranked top 10 last year.
• UGA's Drew Butler won the Ray Guy Award and his leg combined with a good cover unit has the Bulldogs ranked third nationally in net punting.  Meanwhile, Tech's cover unit is not very good and turnover at the punter position hasn't helped.
• Turnovers were the difference in last year's game with Tech turning it over twice to UGA's once.  More importantly, Georgia cashed in on their two opportunities.  The Bulldogs came into last year's game ranking near the bottom of FBS in turnovers.  This year they are much better ranking 18th while Tech is 54th.
• Last week, I wrote about Tech's inability to get off blocks.  The tackles for loss ranking of 95th illustrates this perfectly.