ATLANTA — Georgia freshman receiver George Pickens was held out of the first half of the Bulldogs’ game at Georgia Tech.

Coach Kirby Smart indicated it was his decision not to play Pickens, but he did not elaborate on the “team matter.”

Pickens started the second half at receiver, whatever the issue was, apparently resolved.

Pickens was not engaged with any teammates in the first quarter, sitting on a bench behind the sideline without his helmet in hand. Pickens road a stationary bike in part of the second quarter and sat with his teammates at times.

Georgia held a 17-7 lead at halftime, but the passing game struggled mightily with Lawrence Cager out indefinitely with an ankle injury and Pickens not playing.

Quarterback Jake Fromm was 8-of-18 passing for 105 yards with a TD, a 20-yard strike to senior tight end Charlie Woerner.

The Bulldogs, however, were scoreless in the second quarter.

It was arguably the worst quarter of football Smart’s team has played all season.

Georgia fumbled three times in its own territory in the second quarter, the first two on special teams.

Dominick Blaylock muffed a punt, and Tyler Simmons failed to recover it in the open field leading to the Yellow Jackets starting a drive at the UGA 20. Four plays later, Georgia Tech scored it’s only first-half TD.

The Yellow Jackets’ onside kick went into the arms of Prather Hudson, but the special teams ace fumbled when hit and Georgia Tech recovered at the Bulldogs’ 47.

On the next series, D’Andre Swift fumbled the ball away at the Georgia 42.

Tech missed capitalizing when kicker Brenton King missed a 27-yard field goal.

Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship returned the favor, missing a 42-yard attempt on the final play of the first half, capping off an awful quarter for the Bulldogs.