Georgia Tech: 0
Georgia: 0

Having tied back-to-back contests with Alabama and Florida, Georgia Tech looked to get back in the win column with its annual Thanksgiving weekend matchup with the rival Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia entered the game at 5-3-1, having lost two straight contests to put a damper on a 5-1 start to the season. The rivals tied their last meeting 6-6 in Atlanta in 1937 after each squad took one of each of the previous two contests.

The first quarter passed without notable action before the Jackets faced a brief threat early in the second period. Bobby Beers fumbled a Georgia punt and the Bulldogs recovered at the Ramblin’ Wreck 26 yard line. The scare did not last long though, as Howard Ector recovered a Georgia fumble shortly thereafter to put the ball back in Tech’s hands.

Later in the second, Tech took over at its own 29 after holding the Bulldogs on downs. On first down, Beers ran off tackle right for 33 yards to Georgia’s 38 yard line. Beers and Earl Wheby combined for 6 more yards on the ground before the former shot a 6 yard pass to George Smith for a first down at the 27. The Tech offense continued in this fashion, nabbing short gains en route to the Bulldog 3 yard line. Gene Shaw then lined up as if he would drop kick for the score, but instead tossed a pass to Ector in the end zone on the left side of the formation. The pass was nearly completed for the score, but Georgia’s Billy Mims knocked the ball down in the end zone for a touchback, putting an end to the Tech scoring threat.

Play continued with little notable action until halftime, and the third quarter passed in similar fashion with no noteworthy drives.

Early in the fourth quarter, Tech mounted another attempt at a score after Ector picked off Mims of Georgia. Tech’s offense performed wonderfully as it pushed to within the Bulldog 5 yard line, but eventually stalled yet again. Shaw returned once more in drop kick formation, but no longer as a decoy. His kick attempt was untrue though, missing low and wide to end Tech’s second run at a score and keep the contest knotted at 0-0.

No further threats were made by either squad and the long-time rivals would again exit without a victor, marking the fifth occurrence ever in the all-time series.

The tie was Tech’s third in a row and left the Jackets with a record of 3-3-3 and one last attempt at a winning record with a contest against California on December 26th. Georgia would face Miami one week later at Burdine Stadium in Miami Florida (eventually renamed the Orange Bowl). They would eventually fall 13-7 at the hands of the Hurricanes after holding a 7-0 advantage in the first half, finishing the season at 5-4-1, overall.

Statistics:

First downs:
GT – 15
UGA – 4

Rushing yards:
GT – 230
UGA – 16

Passing (Comp-Att-Yds):
GT – 8-15-54
UGA – 3-8-29

Interceptions thrown:
GT – 1
UGA – 2

Fumbles lost:
GT – 3
UGA – 1

Penalty yards:
GT – 40
UGA – 5

References:
Timer, Ole. “Yellow Jackets Halted at Bulldog 1-Yard Line.” The Atlanta Journal. 1938 Nov. 27
Kopf, Frank A. “Jackets Outgained Georgia, 317-86.” The Atlanta Journal. 1938 Nov. 27