Coming into the TaxSlayer Bowl, Kentucky was concerned with stopping Georgia Tech’s vaunted triple-option offense, from the fullback dive to the pitch on the edge. The number of Kentucky possessions, controlling the ball, opportunities to score-all would be effected by getting stops.
But in the end, it was Georgia Tech’s defense that controlled the game, from building an early lead, to disrupting Kentucky’s offensive all day long. The Yellow Jackets were able to apply consistent pressure to UK quarterback Stephen Johnson, and completely shut down Kentucky’s own powerful running game, giving Tech’s offense plenty of opportunities to take control in the second half with the triple-option ground game.