by DAN MATHEWS

The end result of the 52-7 win for Georgia over Georgia Tech was much better than the game started.

The Bulldogs went to the half up just 17-7 over their rival Yellow Jackets. They had turned the football over twice and also seen a rare Rodrigo Blankenship missed field goal.

Quarterback Jake Fromm started the game by missing on his first four throws. He would finish up the afternoon in Atlanta by tying his career-high in touchdown passes with four.

Fromm improved his overall afternoon of passing, despite the slow start. This was his best performance in terms of yards (254), since he threw for 279 against Florida.

Georgia was without wide receiver George Pickens for the first half of the game, due to a violation of team rules, according to head coach Kirby Smart. He would then be ejected in the second half for fighting with Yellow Jackets cornerback Tre Swilling.

In his short time on the field, Pickens was able to score on a 41 yard touchdown pass from Fromm. He also drew a defensive pass interference and holding penalty on intended passes.

Smart confirmed after the game, that Pickens would be out of the first half of the SEC Championship Game next week. This goes along with the news that graduate transfer Lawrence Cager is indeed going to miss the SEC title game and likely a bowl game.

Cager’s absence has been noticeable in the performance of Jake Fromm. In the last three UGA games, Fromm has completed less than 50 percent of his throws.

The good news for Georgia, is that senior receiver Tyler Simmons was able to pull in some key catches on the afternoon. He ended the game as the team leader in catches, with three and one touchdown.

Georgia also lost junior running back D’Andre Swift to a left shoulder contusion in the second half of this game. Smart said in his postgame press conference that he did not believe that Swift’s injury was serious.

Defensively on the afternoon, Georgia only gave up that one touchdown to the Jackets. It came following a muffed punt return by freshman Dominick Blaylock. The conclusion was a six yard touchdown pass from James Graham to tight end Tyler Davis.

Dan Lanning’s group finished the game with six tackles for a loss. They also broke up seven passes.

Now, the attention turns to one of the most electrifying offensive groups in the country in LSU. The Tigers will enter the SEC Championship Game behind the likely Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Joe Burrow.

This highly productive UGA defense will have it’s hands full in trying to defend wide receivers Justin Jefferson, JaMarr Chase and Terrace Marshall. The offense can also run through tight end Thaddeus Moss and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.