With no bowl game, Saturday’s Georgia Tech-Georgia game will be the final time that the Yellow Jackets’ eight seniors will play in their college careers, for some the last time ever.
The eight – safety Christian Campbell, tight ends Tyler Cooksey and Tyler Davis, running back Nathan Cottrell, defensive tackle Brentavious Glanton, wide receiver Omahri Jarrett and offensive linemen Scott Morgan and Jared Southers – will be honored before the game at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“It’s something that has hit me, but I don’t think it’s hit me fully yet, because I know come Saturday, it’s going to be crazy,” Cottrell said Wednesday. “On top of how big this game is for everybody, just the emotions for it being my last game is going to be a lot to handle.”
Cottrell has played 46 games in his career, the most on the team. He missed only two games, as a freshman. This season, he has taken on a role as a special-teams playmaker, playing on the kickoff and punt teams and both return teams.
“They say everything in life, all the good things sometimes, they’ve got to come to an end,” Cottrell said, “so this is just one of the next chapters that’s coming to an end.”
Tech arguably will face its biggest test of the season in No. 4 Georgia. (The Jackets opened the season on the road at No. 3 Clemson.)
“They’re a great defense,” Davis said. “They’ve got freaks at every single position. They run a great scheme. They’re going to be a tough challenge.”
Even for Davis and Southers, both grad transfers playing in the Tech-Georgia rivalry for the first time, the depth of the animosity has been understood.
“I haven’t been here very long, but having played Georgia my entire college career at my old school (Vanderbilt), I understand the hate, and I understand why we don’t like these guys,” Southers said. “I’m excited for this game.”
The senior class has beaten Georgia once, in 2016. The Jacket are overwhelming underdogs Saturday.
“(Winning Saturday) is something I can’t even put into words,” Cottrell said. “That would mean more to me than probably any win I’ve had in my career, honestly.”
