ATHENS, Ga. -- Playing seventh-ranked Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium poses quite the challenge Saturday night for the erratic Georgia Bulldogs.

Especially if they're still reliving the horror of last week's collapse against Kentucky.

"It's tough to get past, but we're trying to move past it," Georgia left tackle Clint Boling said Tuesday. "Going into the second half we were up 20-6, and a lot of us thought we could put the game away with the way we were playing. Defensively we were playing great and offensively we were moving the ball really well, but a couple of turnovers just really hurt."

In the second half, Bulldogs quarterback Joe Cox threw two interceptions and tailback Washaun Ealey and kickoff-return specialist Branden Smith fumbled.

The loss was Georgia's first to Kentucky at Sanford Stadium since 1977, and it left the Bulldogs 10-10 against Southeastern Conference East Division foes the past four seasons. They blew another fourth-quarter lead in a 20-13 loss to LSU on Oct. 3.

Georgia followed that defeat with the humiliating 45-19 loss at Tennessee, but coach Mark Richt does not believe the collapse against Kentucky has his team shell-shocked.

"I hope not," Richt said. "We had a couple of true freshmen fumble the ball, which hurt us, but I don't think that really affected the entire football team. I think Joe is a veteran enough player to where he can shake off the dust and go back and play well, so I don't think so."

Coincidentally, the last time Georgia lost after leading by two touchdowns at halftime was last year's 45-42 setback against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets trailed 28-12 at the break but outscored the Bulldogs 26-0 in the third quarter, with a fumbled kickoff return aiding that surge as well.

Some of Georgia's players said Saturday reminded them of last year's loss to Tech, but they had a hard time recalling a tougher locker room than the one they just experienced.

"Florida was pretty bad this year, but not like that," Cox said. "We shot ourselves in the foot in a lot of different areas and pretty much just gave them the game."

Said defensive tackle Kade Weston: "It was disappointing, because we know who should have come out of there with a win."

In 2006, unranked Georgia defeated the No. 16 Yellow Jackets 15-12 at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs had been 0-8 when unranked and facing a ranked Tech team before that game, and now they're hoping to make it two straight in such encounters.

That would have them feeling much better than they were last weekend.

"It really hasn't gone the way we had planned," Boling said. "We've had some ups and downs, but getting a win against Tech would be huge. We're just trying not to quit on the season after everything that has happened, and a win against Tech would be great for morale and emotions going into the bowl game."