GAME NOTES: Peach State rivals will collide in a non-conference contest this weekend, as the 13th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs play host to the 18th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Last Thursday, Georgia Tech beat Miami by a 41-23 final in a critical ACC game. The Yellow Jackets finished the league portion of their schedule with a 5-3 mark, and while they are currently alone atop the Coastal Division standings, they must wait to see if they have earned a spot in the league title game. Virginia Tech owns a tie-breaker over Georgia Tech, and the Hokies will face rival Virginia in Blacksburg on Saturday. If VaTech wins, it will play in the ACC championship game. A win by the Cavaliers would give that right to the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech is under the guidance of first-year head coach Paul Johnson, who has successfully installed the wishbone offense that he utilized to near perfection while at Navy.

Georgia head coach Mark Richt is 7-0 against the Yellow Jackets during his tenure in Athens, so there is good reason for the Bulldogs to be confident. They are 9-2 overall and finished 6-2 against SEC competition. The last two outings and five of the last six games have resulted in victory, including a 17-13 decision over Auburn two weeks ago. Georgia was idle last weekend and figures to be very well rested.

The Bulldogs own a 59-36-5 lead in the all-time series with the Yellow Jackets.

Georgia Tech is averaging 24.5 ppg and 372.7 total ypg, relying heavily on the run. Of the 32 offensive touchdowns scored by Tech this season, 27 have come on the ground, and the Yellow Jackets are pounding out 270.8 rushing yards per contest on an average of 5.5 ypc. Coach Johnson's offense features a pair of talented sophomores in quarterback Josh Nesbitt and tailback Jonathan Dwyer. Dwyer is a strong candidate for ACC Player of the Year honors, as he has rushed for 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns while generating seven yards per attempt. As for Nesbitt, who has run for 591 yards and seven scores, he has passed for 639 yards and two touchdowns while completing only 48.4 percent of his passes. With 93 pass attempts in the nine games he has played, Nesbitt hasn't been asked to do much with his arm.

Dwyer ran for 129 yards and two touchdown on 10 carries against Miami before leaving the game with a knee injury. It remains to be seen if he is healthy enough to play against Georgia this weekend, although he is expected by many to be on the field. Georgia Tech gashed Miami for 472 rushing yards on 56 attempts last week, the second-most rushing yards ever surrendered in a single game by the Hurricanes. "I'm really proud of Josh Nesbitt," said coach Johnson after his quarterback played an efficient game against Miami. "He probably wasn't 100 percent, but tonight he grew a lot as a quarterback. It wasn't just physical ability. He was really dialed in."

The Yellow Jackets have benefited from tremendous defense this season, as they are limiting opponents to 16.7 ppg and 296.7 total ypg. Tech is surrendering just 120.2 rushing ypg on 3.5 yards per carry. Also, the pass defense is limiting opposing quarterback to 9.5 yards per completion, and 17 interceptions have certainly helped the cause. With 27 total takeaways and 30 sacks, Tech owns one of the best big-play defenses in the nation. Keep an eye on Derrick Morgan and Michael Johnson, as they have posted 6.5 and six sacks, respectively. Morgan Burnett leads the team with 73 total tackles and six interceptions.

Georgia Tech led Miami by a score of 41-10 at one point, and the Hurricanes scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make the game seem more competitive than it really was. The two late touchdown drives accounted for 164 of Miami's 388 total yards. Tech scored a defensive touchdown in the tilt and limited the 'Canes to 3-of-13 success on third down conversion attempts. "It's our No. 1 goal on our team is to beat those guys in Athens," said defensive tackle Darryl Richard when asked about this weekend's showdown with Georgia. "I'm liking how we're peaking right now at the end."

Georgia is a dangerous offensive team because of the fact that it can do serious damage both on the ground and through the air. The Bulldogs are generating 31.2 ppg and 429.0 total ypg, numbers that will catch the attention of any opponent. The best skill position player on the offensive side of the ball is Knowshon Moreno, the team's star tailback. He has rushed for 1,244 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry, and Moreno brings both speed and power to the table. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has completed 61 percent of his passes, and he has thrown for 17 touchdowns against only eight interceptions. A.J. Green is just a freshman, but he has recorded 51 receptions for 887 yards and seven touchdowns.

Stafford threw a pair of touchdowns against Auburn last time out, and Moreno and Green were on the receiving end of those receptions. Georgia posted 357 total yards in the clash and overcame a 3-of-11 effort on third down conversion attempts. "We are thankful for the victory," said Georgia head coach Mark Richt. "A bunch of guys didn't flinch in the end. Either team could have won, it was a close game; another SEC brawl."

Give the Georgia defense credit for limiting Auburn to 13 points last time out. Sure, the Tigers have struggled offensively this season, but the Bulldogs can still take pride in their effort. They allowed 303 total yards and sent Auburn away scoreless on both of its trips to the red zone.

The Bulldogs will focus a great deal of their effort on stopping Georgia Tech's Dwyer this weekend. "We have to get to him before he gets started because he is an agile tackle-breaker with good speed," said Richt. "If you don't get to him at the line of scrimmage, it's going to be tough to get him down."

Overall this season, opponents are generating 23.8 ppg against Georgia, which is yielding 308.4 total ypg. The run defense has been strong, limiting foes to 104.5 ypg and 3.3 yards per rushing attempt. The pass defense hasn't been nearly as potent, however, as opposing quarterbacks are averaging 12 yards per completion with 17 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.

Expect Richt to lose his first game to Tech since becoming the leader of the Bulldogs. Sure, Georgia has the advantage of playing at home, but the Bulldogs will have a hard time slowing down the rushing attack of the Yellow Jackets.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Georgia Tech 20, Georgia 17