What’s the key
What’s the key to tonight’s game?
And it’s not as easy to decide as you may think.
Because both teams feature so many weapons all over the field, it’s hard to single out just one area.
So, how about by elimination at a few key positions or position groups.
Dwyer and Spiller cancel each other out.
Ford and Thomas cancel each other out.
Sapp and Morgan cancel each other out.
Nesbitt gets a significant edge over Parker.
The rest of Clemson’s defensive line gets a slight edge over Tech’s.
Tech’s offensive line gets a significant edge over Clemson’s because of experience.
Georgia Tech’s secondary gets an edge over Clemson’s.
Clemson’s special teams get a slight edge over Tech’s.
So, what to make of this?
It’s going to be yet another close game between the two teams for the 11th consecutive year.
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132 comments Add your comment
logan
September 10th, 2009
10:48 am
im kidding guys i am the goon
logan
September 10th, 2009
10:54 am
Thats dirty pool yellerjacket is that the way you do it down there
yellerjacket
September 10th, 2009
10:56 am
juvenal, are you defending tech students who don’t go to their own school’s home games as a sign of individuality? I don’t think going to football games at a school with a good football team means you care about being like everyone else. I think it means you like to have fun.
logan
September 10th, 2009
10:56 am
thats dirty pool yellerjacket
logan
September 10th, 2009
10:59 am
yellerjacket you lose and so does tech
yellerjacket
September 10th, 2009
11:00 am
logan, the DB comment and the “dirty pool” comment were mindless trash talk. Act like a goon, get called a goon. If you want to have an intelligent discussion about Tech’s team versus Clemson’s team, there are plenty of people on here who would be game. Give it a shot.
SatchelBuzz
September 10th, 2009
11:03 am
JoeV,…I guess we don’t stand a chance, but please don’t be offended if we show up anyway.
GO JACKETS!!!
JoeV
September 10th, 2009
11:08 am
SatchelBuzz,
I never said that. I think this game will be another close one that really, at this point in the season, could go either way. I’m quite concerned, as a fan, about the outcome of this game because I know what Tech brings to the table. Here’s to a great, injury-free game!
logan
September 10th, 2009
11:11 am
this time tommorrow yellerjacket will be known as yellerback. Go TIGERS
yellerjacket
September 10th, 2009
11:17 am
One m, two r’s, logan. One m, two r’s.
macrotech
September 10th, 2009
11:19 am
This is going to be a great game! Tech wins by more than the usual 3 points IF they keep the ball off the ground….if not, Spiller has a huge game and Tech only wins by 3.
For the record…. In high school, Franceour was better at football than he was in baseball. He’d have made ANY team better on defense! That guy was a beast!
yellerjacket
September 10th, 2009
11:22 am
Agreed, Francouer was a stud at football and baseball in high school. I don’t blame him for taking the money and playing baseball. I’m sure he would have been a good player at Clemson, but not sure he was an NFL talent. Any time I can get a shot in at a Met, I’ll take it. Just trying to ruffle logan’s feathers. Looks like it worked.
Not Disappointed!
September 10th, 2009
11:23 am
11:22am and butterflies are alive in well in my stomach. I guess it’s several hours until game time. I look forward to seeing my Tech brothers and sisters wearing white.
It should be a close game. I’m so tired of hearing we have tech’s offense figured out. Well, Paul Johnson knows how to adjust as well. I do believe Clemson has something to prove, but so does Tech.
Joe Hamilton said it best, “Nothing like playing football on the Flats on a Thrusday nite ESPN! To look up and see the Midtown Skyline. Man it’s awesome!” Partial quote from Joe on CSS sportnite a couple nites ago.
Have fun tonite all. Even JoeV, but not to much.
Ramblin Wreck!
Last time Clemson had a good D
September 10th, 2009
11:23 am
Jeff Rigsby blows the snap, jackets get the ball.
Reggie Ball to Calvin Johnson in the endzone. Again.
Tech wins!
For those of you who would like to see it again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JL6YQsw7Y4
Go Jackets!
logan
September 10th, 2009
11:25 am
yellerjacket one o and one e YELLOW
Jeff Rigsby
September 10th, 2009
11:26 am
Boy I hate that video!
GTSteve
September 10th, 2009
11:33 am
Hang on to the ball, and Tech should be ok
Trade School Junkie
September 10th, 2009
11:33 am
CPJ has already stated that the GT-O is WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY ahead of where it was this time last year.
2008 score (without Spiller): GT:21 CU:17
2009 prediction: GT:38 CU:23
juvenal
September 10th, 2009
11:34 am
yellerjacket, any given sat theres more students in the library than at the game-that’s why the 1st stu protest since foever was whae they tried to close it sat afternoons-it is wut it is, a free country, thankfully,we have a business school-we are ALWAYS in the top 10 as an istitution of higher learning-40 yrs, i’ve missed a handful of games-
logan
September 10th, 2009
11:39 am
logan better known as the goon to yellerjacket is now leaving the Great State of S.C to the crime Capital of G.A. to see CLEMSON DESTROY ga.tec in its own back yard.
yellerjacket
September 10th, 2009
11:39 am
juvenal, agreed. see you at the game tonight. get loud.
yellerjacket
September 10th, 2009
11:40 am
logan, you’re cute. wanna share a soft pretzel at the game tonight?
Jefferson
September 10th, 2009
11:57 am
A win is a win, go Jackets.
blazer
September 10th, 2009
11:57 am
WORRIED ABOUT THE HOT DOG THING-SHOULDN’T THEY BE WORRIED ABOUT
THE CHICKENS FROM S.C.?
GT45
September 10th, 2009
12:02 pm
Where are the UGagers? Waiting in the shadows, like the roaches they are, hoping we lose! Seven thity won’t get here fast enough! Be loud and proud, and GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO JACKETS-
Saint Simons
September 10th, 2009
12:12 pm
Looking forward to the game…really looking forward to the tickle pile!
Tiger Fan
September 10th, 2009
12:19 pm
Tigers are going to show up big time tonight for some payback. We are going to show you girls in the ATL how to play football. Gooooo Tigers!
Trade School Junkie
September 10th, 2009
12:32 pm
The ONLY way GT loses this game is turnovers.
No turnovers and GT rolls…BIG.
GT-O just has too many Offensive run & pass weapons for CU to handle.
GT Secondary will have at least 2 INTs. Bank on it.
And, as a general rule, all other aspects things being “equal,”
you dont bet against the MORE EXPERIENCED QB.
Nesbitt is a “battle-tested” Junior.
CU QB Parker is a good baseball player, but a Freshman QB with ZERO career starts.
A HUUUUUUGE disadvantage that will get exposed.
macrotech
September 10th, 2009
12:33 pm
logan is going to be disappointed to find that the odds of him getting mugged in the ATL are as good as the ones that have the little tiggers beating the Yellow Jackets….you’ll be PLENTY safe!!! GO TECH!!!
Stinger
September 10th, 2009
12:38 pm
Usually Clemson fans have been pretty nice. I see we have a few idiots trying to act like Dawg fans this year. Based on your ignorance and arrogant attitudes, I am aking Coach Johnson to take off the gloves. The score will be 41 to 17 Jackets. You will be totally focused on trying to stop Dwyer and Jones, Allen, and Nesbitt will eat you alive. This will be another Miami game.
JoeV
September 10th, 2009
12:43 pm
Hey Trade School Junkie…
Kyle Parker started last Saturday. Just sayin…
RAMBLE ON!!!
September 10th, 2009
12:58 pm
ENOUGH OF THE WHITE OUT!
not gonna do it.
NO turnovers and we roll.
CW
September 10th, 2009
1:03 pm
Hope I’m wrong, but too many of the Tech fans above think this is going to be a cake walk. The keys to the game are cliched, but 95% of the time accurately predict the winner of the game: Turnovers and 3rd down conversions.
Tech had certainly better take better care of the ball than last week. And, the D needs to shut Clemson down on 3rd downs and get the ball back in our offensive team’s hands.
I would guess that Clemson’s new D coordinator didn’t spend summer camp getting ready for last week’s game. I’m certain they were preparing for our option. Josh and Bay Bay need to burn the Tigers deep when they crowd the box.
I think Tech will win, but this game will likely be in doubt until the final two minutes.
Lunatic Fringe
September 10th, 2009
1:10 pm
JoeV
Parker did start last week, but against who??? And he only complete 9 passes, though I understand there were a few dropped balls. Did he play the whole game?
GT Que
September 10th, 2009
1:11 pm
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4462154
Bad news for the Dawg Nation….
GT Brill
September 10th, 2009
1:20 pm
I am one who doesn’t think this will be a cake walk. Clemson is going to be damn tuff.
Repeating what everyone else is saying, Tech wins if we don’t turn the ball over multiple times.
Plus, Tech gets Roddy Jones back, that has to open things up offensively.
Plus that Anthony Allen kid is going to be great, he can do it all.
GO JACKETS !!!
AlabamaRamblinwreck
September 10th, 2009
1:21 pm
I’m very nervous about this game. I would be more nervous if I were a Clemson alum, because they have an unproven head coach. But the head coach doesn’t play the game, but he does greatly impact the performance. So, in summary, I am very nervous because I think Clemson is very talented and could cause our d-line/o-line some issues, but I am very glad that CPJ is on our side!!
Go Jackets!!
Clempson
September 10th, 2009
1:35 pm
WE GOING TO SPANK WHITY
Ryan
September 10th, 2009
1:35 pm
Clemson gets it done on the road. 28-10!! OUCH!!
Stephen
September 10th, 2009
1:40 pm
You will all be surprised. GT wins this easily. It’s obvious. New qb for clemson. Spiller hurt but playing. Dabo..nuff said.
Tech 31
clem 17
Ramblin Wrecker
September 10th, 2009
2:09 pm
The defensive key for GT is pressure on the QB. Last week against a first time starter, GT wasn’t all up in his face all the time. That needs to change tonight against another first year starter. I think GT has a great secondary and with the emergence of Julian Burnett at LB, I think they have an active hard hitting LB corp. Derrick Morgan is a star and showed last week, that despite being keyed in on with double/triple teams, he can still disrupt. Robert Hall, Jason Peters, Ben Anderson, TJ Barnes et al, need to make a difference tonight.
The offensive key for GT is Josh Nesbitt’s health and ball security. If he can play close to the level he did last week, GT wins walking away. He made very good reads in the option and was accurate passing the ball. If he gets nicked up or fumbles the ball GT might be in for a long night. But Nesbitt has a way of willing his team to success. We saw it in several games (including at Clemson) where he just took over when it mattered and got it done. As long as he is in the game and has the ball (meaning not dropping it), GT will win.
Clemson has the same problem with GT that GT has with Virginia. They just can’t get it done against the Jackets. They’ve lost 4 of the last 5, and the last time Clemson played on the Flats, they didn’t score a TD. CJ Spiller is electric, but he’s never been their every down back. I have doubts about him carrying the load for them. He’s already got a hamstring issue. I could be wrong.
Ramblin Wrecker
September 10th, 2009
2:23 pm
Also, I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m just about fed up with this comparison between CJ Spiller and Jon Dwyer. Spiller is a return specialist who plays some running back. He’s made some plays as a RB, but he is not a load carrier. He couldn’t beat out James Davis to be the starter the last three years. James Davis was so good he wasn’t drafted until the 6th round in the NFL draft. Guys with Heisman potential don’t sit behind 6th round picks for three years.
Dwyer is a load carrier. He was a center piece of his offense as a true sophomore. He’s an ACC Player of the Year, an All-American and a first round NFL draft prospect. I just don’t see there being such a huge comparison between the two. Sorry, I just don’t.
juvenal
September 10th, 2009
2:33 pm
let’s just play..
JoeV
September 10th, 2009
2:38 pm
You need to take off the gold-colored glasses Wrecker. James Davis is a STARTING NFL RB! Good grief.
I’m guessing you fail to remember the night in 2006 when C.J. Spiller made your defense look like a high school team? You wont find too many Clemson fans that think Dwyer isn’t a premier back; but for some reason hardly any Tech fans want to give CJ any credence even though he lit you up as a freshman and is now a senior that is in the top 20 in the nation in 12 different categories. Among active players with at least 1,000 yards he is second in ypc at 5.96.
Frank Wren
September 10th, 2009
2:40 pm
Arent you guys worried wearing white with all those free hot dogs?
Id say the key is not to get too much mustard on your shirt when Spiller scores his 4th TD of the night.
FREE COKES FREE HOT DOGS !!!!!!!
juvenal
September 10th, 2009
2:41 pm
better free coke than joke diploma
dap01
September 10th, 2009
2:56 pm
Dang it! I just filled up my Gremlin at the BP and I forgot to get my Tech tickets. I was distracted because of the “pocket protector display”.
Seriously, to all Tech Fans, let’s all show up tonight and support our team. Our goal is 40,000 screaming fans. Let’s go Yellow Jackets!
dap01
September 10th, 2009
2:57 pm
The diplomas must not be that good, no one can afford those low priced tickets!
saint simmons wannabe
September 10th, 2009
2:57 pm
Hey I have an idea, all 12 people going to the game tonight wear white. That will intimidate the tigers. Look around campus and see if you can find a girl to go with us. Then tomorrow I will wait until ajc opens a thread about UGA and I will talk about how cool we are.
m
September 10th, 2009
3:23 pm
If you wear orange you can’t come in our tickle pile. See you guys after at Bulldogs.