Georgia Tech’s 2011 schedule
Georgia Tech has two Thursday night games on the 2011 football schedule released today.
The Yellow Jackets will host ACC champs Virginia Tech at 8 p.m. on Nov. 10 in the teams’ second consecutive Thursday night meeting. The game will be on ESPN. Georgia Tech will open its schedule against Western Carolina with a Thursday night game on Sept. 1 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets went 6-7 last season, losing to Air Force in the Independence Bowl. The team has a challenging schedule featuring games against eight teams that played in bowls last season.
The Yellow Jackets will open ACC play by hosting North Carolina on Sept. 24. Its first road game will come the next week at N.C. State. The team has just one set of back-to-back road games, at Virginia and then at Miami on Oct. 15 and 22. It has a bye on Nov. 5.
GEORGIA TECH (home games in caps)
Sept. 1 WESTERN CAROLINA (Thursday)
Sept. 10 at Middle Tennessee
Sept. 17 KANSAS
Sept. 24 NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 1 at NC State
Oct. 8 MARYLAND
Oct. 15 at Virginia
Oct. 22 at Miami
Oct. 29 CLEMSON
Nov. 5 OPEN
Nov. 10 VIRGINIA TECH (Thursday), ESPN, 8 pm
Nov. 19 at Duke
Nov. 26 GEORGIA
—
Here’s more about the games:
Western Carolina
Sept. 1 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
2010 record: 2-9 overall, 1-7 in the FCS Southern Conference.
Last year’s result: Did not play.
Tech coach Paul Johnson is a WCU alum (class of ‘79). WCU averaged 16.5 points and allowed a whopping 34.5. The rushing attack was led by Decatur native Michael Johnson (611 yards), who will be a junior. The team was quarterbacked by Zac Brindise, a transfer from South Carolina. He passed for 1,405 yards and seven touchdowns last season as a junior. After the season, coach Dennis Wagner fired offensive coordinator Keith Heckendorf and tabbed himself as the play-caller.
—
Middle Tennessee State
Sept. 10 at Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2010 record: 6-7 overall, 5-3 in the Sun Belt.
Last year’s result: Tech won 42-14 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
This will be Tech’s first visit to Murfreesboro, Tenn. Dual-threat quarterback Dwight Dasher is gone, but the team returns Logan Kilgore (540 passing yards) and Jeff Murphy (395 passing yards). The team averaged 26.5 points and allowed 28.1 last season.
—
Kansas
Sept. 17 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
2010 record: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in the Big 12.
Last year’s result: Tech lost 28-25 in Lawrence, Kan.
The loss in Week 2 last season set off alarms for Tech fans. After all, the Jayhawks were beaten in their season-opener by a FCS team. In the second year of Turner Gill’s regime, Kansas will bring its most productive quarterback, running back and wide receiver to Atlanta: Jordan Webb (1,195 passing yards), James Sims (742 rushing yards) and Daymond Patterson (487 receiving yards). The Jayhawks lost three of the best defensive players, but will return linebacker Steven Johnson (team-leading 95 tackles). Kansas averaged 17.1 points and allowed 34.4 last season. Both were among the worst in the FBS. This will be the Jayhawks’ first game at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
—
North Carolina
Sept. 24 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
2010 record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in the ACC.
Last year’s result: Tech won 30-24 in Chapel Hill.
The win over the Tar Heels in Week 3 was arguably the high-water mark of Tech’s season. North Carolina will be without two of their best offensive players: quarterback and Marietta native T.J. Yates and running back Johnny White, who used up their eligibility. Wide receiver Dwight Jones (946 yards) will return. Bryn Renner is expected to take over for Yates. Many of the defensive players involved in last year’s scandals declared for the NFL. The Tar Heels averaged 25.3 points and allowed 23.2 last season.
—
N.C. State
Oct. 1 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C.
2010 record: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in the ACC.
Last year’s result: Tech lost 45-28 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The big question: Will quarterback Russell Wilson return for his senior season or will he go play professional baseball? Wilson (3,563 yards, 28 touchdowns) tore up the Jackets’ defense in last year’s game. The Wolfpack will return leading rusher Mustafa Greene (597 yards). On defense, N.C. State has lost middle linebacker and leader Nate Irving, but do return leading tackler and safety Earl Wolff. N.C. State averaged 31.8 points and allowed 21.3 last season.
—
Maryland
Oct. 8 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
2010 record: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in the ACC.
Last year’s result: Did not play.
The Terrapins were the pleasant surprise of the conference last season. That didn’t stop them from firing coach Ralph Friedgen and replacing him with Randy Edsall, formerly of Big East champ Connecticut. Maryland returns the core of a dangerous offense featuring ACC rookie of the year Danny O’Brien (2,438 passing yards, 22 touchdowns) and running back Davin Meggett (720 yards). Leading wide receiver Torrey Smith (1,055 yards, 12 touchdowns) opted to leave school early for the NFL. The Terps averaged 32.2 points and allowed 22.2.
—
Virginia
Oct. 15 in Charlottesville, Va.
2010 record: 4-8 overall, 1-7 in the ACC.
Last year’s result: Tech won 33-21 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The Cavaliers will return a new offense having lost their best quarterback Marc Verica, running back Keith Payne and wide receiver Dontrelle Inman. They do return Kris Burd (799 receiving yards) and Perry Jones (646 rushing yards). The team returns the bulk of its defense, led by cornerback Chase Minnifield, although defensive end Zane Parr did leave early for the NFL.
The Cavaliers averaged 25.3 points and allowed 28.3 last season.
—
Miami
Oct. 22 at Miami.
2010 record: 7-6 overall, 5-3 in the ACC.
Last year’s result: Tech lost 35-10 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Tech will face a renovated Hurricanes squad, led by new coach Al Golden. Who will guide Miami’s offense? Who knows? Neither Jacory Harris nor Stephen Morris stood out last season, combining to throw 24 interceptions and the dismissal of coach Randy Shannon. Leading rusher Damien Berry and receiver Leonard Hankerson are gone.
Lamar Miller (646 yards) returns in the backfield and Travis Benjamin (743 yards) on the edge. The Hurricanes averaged 26.3 points and allowed 20.7 last season.
—
Clemson
Oct. 29 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
2010 record: 6-7 overall, 4-4 in the ACC.
Last year’s result: Tech lost 27-13 at Clemson.
The Yellow Jackets’ slide started with last season’s defeat in Death Valley. Clemson’s defensive line disrupted the Jackets’ blocking schemes. The good news for Tech is two of the big problems on the defensive line – end Da’Quan Bowers and tackle Jarvis Jenkins are headed to the NFL. Clemson will also be breaking in a new quarterback, possibly Tajh Boyd, as well as a running back with Jamie Harper’s decision to leave school early. There is also a new offense to learn. After averaging 24 points last season, coach Dabo Swinney fired offensive coordinator Billy Napier and replaced him with Tulsa’s Chad Morris. The Golden Hurricanes finished eighth in the FBS in scoring (41.4 points per game) and fifth in yards per game (505.2) in 2010.
—
Virginia Tech
Nov. 10, a Thursday, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
2010 record: 11-3 overall, 8-0 in the ACC. Conference champions.
Last year’s result: Georgia Tech lost 28-21 in Blacksburg.
Last year’s game will be remembered because quarterback Joshua Nesbitt suffered a broken arm shortly after becoming the ACC’s most prolific rushing quarterback. Tevin Washington entered and did his best to rally the Jackets. The Hokies will be without Mr. Everything Tyrod Taylor as well as running backs Darren Evans (team-leading 854 rushing yards) and Ryan Williams, who declared for the NFL. The Hokies return leading tacklers Bruce Taylor and Eddie Whitley. Virginia Tech averaged 33.9 points and allowed 20.6 last season.
—
Duke
Nov. 19 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.
2010 record: 3-9 overall, 1-7 in the ACC.
Last year’s result: Tech won 30-20 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The Blue Devils return a dangerous offense, featuring quarterback Sean Renfree (3,131 yards), running back Desmond Scott (530 yards) and receivers Conner Vernon (973 yards) and Donovan Varner (736 yards). Of course, defense was Duke’s issue last season. The Devils allowed an average of 35.4 points per game last season, while scoring 25.3.
—
Georgia
Nov. 26 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
2010 record: 6-7 overall, 3-5 in the SEC.
Last year’s result: Tech lost 42-34 in Athens.
The Bulldogs have defeated the Jackets two consecutive seasons. Tech dominated last year’s game on the stat sheet, but four turnovers were its undoing. The Bulldogs return quarterback Aaron Murray (3,049 yards, 24 touchdowns) and a big question mark at running back, where incoming freshman Isaiah Crowell, one of the nation’s most sought-after running backs, could provide an answer. The Bulldogs lost wide receiver A.J. Green, who caught eight passes for 97 yards in last year’s game. Will Georgia’s 3-4 defense improve under second-year coordinator Todd Grantham?
– Doug Roberson, AJC
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146 comments Add your comment
Paul in RDU
February 14th, 2011
4:17 pm
I have a serious question on UGA putting in a medical school and a full engineering school. These are the 2 most expensive disciplines for any university.
Where is the money coming from? The State of Georgia must be in a better financial situation than North Carolina – the UNC System (UNC-CH, NCSU, UNCC, ECU, etc, etc) is eliminating programs in order to be more efficient.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 14th, 2011
4:20 pm
Also, if any undergrad student is worth his salt, he doesn’t stay at that school for graduate work. It’s the same with pre-med students. Any current students in Athens who are excited about staying in Athen rather than moving to Augusta probably aren’t any good, because they would be looking at places other than either city to continue their studies. Contrary to what you may think, the majority of students at MCG are not THUGa grads.
GStateBen
February 14th, 2011
4:20 pm
As I said before 7-5 at best, 6-6 more likely. GT offenses fall apart vs. larger Front 7s.
Brutal stretch in the middle of the year with Maryland returning 7 starters on D, UNC who will have their full complement of defensive depth available, Clemson who is absolutely loaded on defense, NC State has 9 starters returning on D.
If Tech puts up another 6-6 in 2011, will they begin to sour on CPJ? Will they begin to realize that their immediate jump was more about timing and less about them?
Clemson was poorly coached, FSU was going through the Bowden Flu and thankfully found the antidote, Miami was continuing to underperform and not coach its talent up.
Now the even more question: What happens when Georgia State wins more games than GT in 2011?
Supersize that order, mutt
February 14th, 2011
4:23 pm
Paul, good to see you here again, man. In answer to your question, it’s GA taxpayer money that is being used to needlessly fund both those projects. At a time when people are being laid off or furloughed, you would think there would be a little more common sense amongst those making decisions. Apparently not
Supersize that order, mutt
February 14th, 2011
4:25 pm
GStateBen, the only opposing defense that Tech has “fallen apart” over was Iowa’s. As far as GState’s record, who cares; they’re division 2 and will be for he foreeeable future.
juvenal
February 14th, 2011
4:37 pm
if i lived in South Georgia, i would demand to join FLA-that way, they could go to fsu or uf & not pay out of state tuition, not like paying state income tax here & it all goes to North Georgia cuz we vote all these uga lawyers into office………would be better served by a So Tech style branch in Tifton…..
GStateBen
February 14th, 2011
4:37 pm
@Supersize. Georgia State is an FCS Independent in 2011. Not Division 2. Don’t let facts get in the way of a good argument.
How did that Tech offense do vs. Miami last season? How about Clemson? Or how about that vaunted Air Force D? Did you know that Tech has the ability to offer 85 athletic scholarships and Air Force doesn’t offer a single athletic scholarship?
Tech replaced Wake Forrest with Maryland. That’s a better team.
Did Tech football make money in 2010? Georgia State did.
Paul in RDU
February 14th, 2011
4:40 pm
GStateBen
You obviously don’t follow UNC closely enough. As well as last year’s SRs on D who are gone, they are losing their best DL (JR, Robert Quinn) to the NFL and have had 2 players declared permanently ineligible by the NCAA (for no apparent reason).
Paul in RDU
February 14th, 2011
4:43 pm
Did you know that Tech has the ability to offer 85 athletic scholarships and Air Force doesn’t offer a single athletic scholarship?
——————————————-
Every single student at the Air Force Acadamy (or at West Point or Annapolis for that matter) goes to school for free and is also eligible to play NCAA football.
5150 P.O.A.D.
February 14th, 2011
4:48 pm
PAUL
don’t confuse GStateBen with the facts as he likes to say. I love NAVY. Most of the D players are or trying to be Marines while the rest are wanting to be Navy Officers. Sounds about right.
GStateBen
February 14th, 2011
5:22 pm
@Paul in RDU Umm, I do follow the ACC as a whole very closely. UNC lost a total of 4 starters on D from their Music City victory vs. Tennessee. They will be loaded again on that side of the ball with a ton of experience coming back. Coples is a tremendous DL and he’s back for his Sr. season. they return 4 out 5 on the OL and played many young players at WR.
You are correct that Air Force football players go to school for free but because of their academic grants not because they are on athletic grants as the players at GT are.
Tweets that mention Georgia Tech’s 2011 schedule | Georgia Tech -- Topsy.com
February 14th, 2011
5:23 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Diana Azabache, ajcgatech. ajcgatech said: Georgia Tech’s 2011 schedule http://bit.ly/dV9uhK [...]
5150 P.O.A.D.
February 14th, 2011
5:32 pm
GStateBen
Please, The kids at service academies are not whipms either. The Air Force might have the less physically tough but don’t ack like they are out of shape nerds.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 14th, 2011
5:34 pm
GStateBen, you say tomayto, I say tomahto; the fact remains that GSU is in the division below Tech, and they will remain there for the foreseeable future. As far as Tech’s offense in any game last year, it had nothing to do with the opposing defenses. Tech’s failures in those games, as well as in those games Tech won, were unforced turnovers and lousy passing. If the turnovers had been forced, then you would have a valid point, but they were not. AF didn’t exactly contain our offense either; in that game is was two fumbled punts. And you might like to know that AF and Tech had the two most productive (yardage wise) offenses in the country and very similar in style. Neither team produced their average yards in that game, mainly because the other team knew how to contain it for the most part. Although, in fact, Tech contained AF’s passing game (their strong point) more than AF contained Tech’s running game (our strong point). These are not whiny excuses either; they are facts reflected in the stats for the game. As I said in an earlier post, Iowa is the only team Tech as faced in the past 3 years who can justifiably claim to having consistently contained Tech’s offense.
GT 07
February 14th, 2011
5:51 pm
8-4
GT Brother!
February 14th, 2011
6:42 pm
10-2 with this schedule.
It’s the bowl game I’m worried about. We have been cursed.
Ramblin Man
February 14th, 2011
7:14 pm
No wat Vad starts this season. I have high hopes for this kid like the rest of us, but with him not bein an early enrollee I cannot see him learning this offense in one summer. I see Days being the starter unless Washington greatly improves his pitch reads. The spring game will be interesting
Remarkable
February 14th, 2011
7:34 pm
Hope they win their first three, because they might not win another game all year, unless it’s Duke.
Remarkable
February 14th, 2011
7:35 pm
GT 07 You have that reversed.
BuggyTownSting
February 14th, 2011
7:39 pm
Could be 7-0 going to Miami game if we fill in key positions. Another great year coming up on The Flats, THWG!!!
BuggyTownSting
February 14th, 2011
7:44 pm
@GStateBen. The ONLY reason GSU made money on football last season is that is was a novelty and Coach Curry (a Yellow Jacket) wasn’t afraid to take a beat down in Tuscaloosa in exchange for a pay check.
5150 P.O.A.D.
February 14th, 2011
7:57 pm
GState what did GSU have to pay to use the Ga DOME? I am sure it was not the same price Chick-fil-A and the Falcons paid for games.
superDawg
February 14th, 2011
8:16 pm
Tuck Fech!
5150 P.O.A.D.
February 14th, 2011
8:19 pm
Super Dawg you need to not be buried in the end zone in Samford to try that trick.
Toccoa Bug Zapper
February 14th, 2011
8:57 pm
get ready for a 5-7 year
Yep
February 14th, 2011
9:50 pm
Wish Ga had that schedule, then again that would mean we were in the ACC. 5 or 6 sec teams would go undfeated, including Ga….. Enjoy it,
BG
February 14th, 2011
9:56 pm
Easy schedule!!
Coach Grohbo
February 14th, 2011
10:08 pm
Sept. 1 WESTERN CAROLINA (win)
Sept. 10 at Middle Tennessee (win)
Sept. 17 KANSAS (win)
Sept. 24 NORTH CAROLINA (win)
Oct. 1 at NC State (win)
Oct. 8 MARYLAND (win)
Oct. 15 at Virginia (toss up)
Oct. 22 at Miami (toss up)
Oct. 29 CLEMSON (toss up)
Nov. 5 OPEN
Nov. 10 VIRGINIA TECH (toss up)
Nov. 19 at Duke (win)
Nov. 26 GEORGIA (toss up)
Seven likely wins, No likely losses, Five toss ups.
Best case 14-0 (with another conference championship win and bowl win), Worst case 7-6 (with bowl loss).
Supersize that order, mutt
February 14th, 2011
10:18 pm
Grohbo, why do you consider UVA a tossup?
oldyelleroriginal
February 14th, 2011
10:21 pm
GStateBen, you guys got a lot of growing up pains left. Pal do not belong on the big boys blog. Get on the Ga. Southern blog. You have years left before you are equal to them.
Coach Grohbo
February 14th, 2011
10:31 pm
When was the last time we won in Charlottesville?
Coach Grohbo
February 14th, 2011
10:33 pm
Perhaps I should say, how often have we won in Charlottesville?
Supersize that order, mutt
February 14th, 2011
10:50 pm
Well, we won there 2 years ago. Granted our record hasn’t been very good up there, but CPJ wasn’t coaching in those years. I agree with all your other tossups right now, but not that one. That should be an easy win…..SHOULD be.
LCDawg
February 14th, 2011
11:19 pm
Are you kidding me? I don’t want to hear a damn peep out of any Tech fan this year about the Dawg’s schedule.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
12:04 am
LCDawg, I think the mutts’ schedule speaks for itself. Boise (a TV-initiated replacement for one of your patsies), USC, UF, and Tech are the only hard games on your schedule, although I’m sure you don’t think Tech is. Nobody else on your schedule will be worth a damn this year, except maybe Miss State–the have a coach now..
Tech Forever
February 15th, 2011
6:53 am
Another losing season! Wake up people and fire Johnson!
Buzzed
February 15th, 2011
7:52 am
I expect a season much like 2008 with 8 wins being the over-under mark.
Mr. Sunshine
February 15th, 2011
8:01 am
I have good news and bad news for Nerd Nation.
First the good. You guys still have a football team for some reason. Congratulations.
Now the bad. Looking at your schedule you winners still have 12 opponents you have to play. So better luck next year guys.
Brock
February 15th, 2011
8:26 am
“Now the bad. Looking at your schedule you winners still have 12 opponents you have to play”
Hmmm, how should a Tech fan take this. Is this guy calling tech winners? I mean, his name is Mr. Sunshine.
Or, wait a minute, is he calling tech whiners and just doesn’t know how to spell?
Looks to me like Mr. Sunshine needs to read a book.
Neal
February 15th, 2011
8:54 am
@ Ramblin Man:
Vad will be in the QB race. CPJ wants this kid on the field for immediate impact! That said, CPJ is going to ensure Vad is able to transition to collegiate play this summer. If necessary, he will make slight perturbations to the playbook.
GStateBen
February 15th, 2011
11:37 am
Year left? You guys are funny. Take a trip out to see our state of the art practice facility that would make many mid major FBS programs blush. We have more money coming into our athletic department than ever before and much of it is coming from alums that we never connected to our university prior to football.
I’m not ignorant to the power of Bill Curry and what playing Alabama did. That helped us balance the budget but we still finished Top 10 in attendance in the country in FCS. Wasn’t Tech 6th in the ACC and 41st nationally?
http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/9068/fsu-leading-the-way-in-acc-average-attendance
So what happens when Georgia State continues to grow their fan base and Tech points to sellouts vs. Georgia, Clemson and Virginia Tech as the reason there attendance grew. All well and good but the opponent is the reason why you are selling out, not because of the product on the field.
Be happy with 6-7 wins a year and a bowl game. We have much greater ambitions at Georgia State and now that we’ve played a year, we can snatch a few more of your players that would like to compete for championships, not playing against service academies in a bowl game.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
11:39 am
Ben, when you beat somebody significant, then get back to us. Till then, enjoy your fantasies.
gcs
February 15th, 2011
1:49 pm
WESTERN CAROLINA – W
at Middle Tennessee – W
KANSAS – W
NORTH CAROLINA – L
at NC State – L
MARYLAND – W
at Virginia – W
at Miami – L
CLEMSON – L
VIRGINIA TECH – L
at Duke – W
GEORGIA – L
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
.
GStateBen
February 15th, 2011
4:37 pm
Come find me at PantherTalk.com 1 year from today and let’s see who’s feeling better about their program. I can’t wait to see how close the attendance race is for Sept. 1st between our opener at the Dome and Tech’s opener.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
5:34 pm
Ben, one thing you forget is that you have Bill Curry as coach. Been there, done that, regretted every minute of it. You will too.
Reality Boy
February 16th, 2011
11:51 am
Supersize- hate to hurt your feelings, but uga doesnt consider tech to be one of the tough opponents on their schedule. No factual reason why they should.