Tech outlasts UNC, 68-50 (yes, 68-50)
Link to updated game story here.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Georgia Tech and North Carolina combined to score more points than in any ACC league game ever, but it concluded in typical Yellow Jackets’ fashion.
A clock-grinding, will-defeating drive closed out North Carolina, buttoning up a wild 68-50 win for the Jackets Saturday at Kenan Stadium. Besides the combined points record, it’s the most points Tech has scored in an ACC game.
Quarterback Vad Lee, who entered the game in the third series and never came out, led the Jackets to scores on eight of nine possessions, not counting a half-ending kneeldown. Seven of them were touchdowns, three scored by A-back Robby Godhigh in the third quarter.
In a game that featured five lead changes, Tech took the lead for good with 9:52 to play in the third quarter with a four-yard run by Godhigh.
Taking control of the ball with 10:57 to play in the game with the score 65-50, the Jackets consumed six minutes of clock and finished with a 34-yard field goal by Chris Tanner.
The Georgia Tech-North Carolina game included almost 1,100 yards of total offense, a kickoff return for a touchdown, an interception return for a touchdown and 17 touchdowns total.
Despite the unbelievable score, it was two defensive stops that turned the game in Tech’s favor. In the third quarter, defensive end Izaan Cross intercepted a screen pass that Tech converted into a Tanner field goal for a 44-36 lead. On North Carolina’s next possession, coach Larry Fedora elected to try a fake punt on 4th and 10 from the Tar Heels’ 25-yard line that failed. On the next play, Godhigh took a toss 27 yards for a score that gave Tech a 51-36 lead, which, even on this wild afternoon, proved sufficient.
Tech improves to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the ACC. UNC fell to 6-4 and 3-3. The Jackets have now beaten the Tar Heels four years in a row, eight of nine and 14 of 16.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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306 comments Add your comment
GT Joe
November 10th, 2012
10:04 pm
GT Fan: As i’ve told you like 25 times over the past 2-3 weeks: 29/game doesnt cut it any more. This is not the NFL. college scoring is through the roof this year, in case you haven’t been “up” on trends this year.
Luckily for all of us, we are up to about 33/game in OFFENSIVE pts./game vs. FBS teams, thanks to Vad today.
1 4 GT
November 10th, 2012
10:09 pm
God, but I hate agreeing with Joe. Or rather him thinking I agree with him. I just can’t make up mind about Joe. Is he really a Tech fan? Or is he an aggravating leg humping dwag troll? Or is he really another incarnation of “Carnack” (WnE)? Whatever, he surely does enjoy stirring the chit!
Remember when
November 10th, 2012
10:10 pm
George Stein
October 31st, 2012
12:45 pm
No one should be panicked because the season is cooked.
I do think there’s a high level of randomness in the outcomes of close games, though.
LinkReport this comment
GT Joe
November 10th, 2012
10:11 pm
GT Fan: as a point of reference, when we won the ACC title in 2009, we averaged 27.2/game, which was #10 in the country.
This year, 27.2 would rank us #55.
George Stein
November 10th, 2012
10:12 pm
Do you disagree with my assessment, Remember when?
Savannah Buzz
November 10th, 2012
10:12 pm
please….just let GT Joe have his moment.
What this win showed me is that this team has not quit.
GT Joe
November 10th, 2012
10:12 pm
1 4: I’m a tech fan. Look, you won’t hear me complaining about Tech any more; we now have our best QB on the field.
wrecked again
November 10th, 2012
10:16 pm
Two terrible football teams, good offense or pathetic defense?
1 4 GT
November 10th, 2012
10:20 pm
On ESPN Robert Smith & some doofus are debating the BCS after Bama’s loss today. Smith asked the doofus would he rank a 1 loss Georgie team ahead of an undefeated ND team (assuming Georgie wins the SEC). Doofus sat there with a puzzled look for about 5 seconds & finally said soto voce NO. But I “want” a SEC team in the title game. Tell me ESPN doesn’t have that mentality. This doofus just said it. Doofus cause I don’t know his name.
GTfan2012
November 10th, 2012
10:24 pm
1 4 GT,
You know its funny, I’ve found myself agreeing with GT Joe some, too. He is very knowledgeable about college football. I am a numbers guy so I really respect his use of statistics and trying to make data-driven conclusions.
But none of that really matters when he acts like an arrogant A-hole (which sadly is a lot of the time). I usually just tune him out. Life is too short. I don’t have time to listen to someone bloviate like he’s the smartest guy in the room, even if he has a valid point. He can make a strong, well-thought out argument backed up by data and statistics, but at the end of the day, it is still his OPINION no matter how much he belittles those who don’t agree with him.
Mike S.
November 10th, 2012
10:25 pm
I think it all depends on what you want out of this program. To me, this kind of win only delays the inevitable. The team is still sitting at 5 losses for the third season in a row in an ACC conference that is as down as I’ve seen it since the 90’s when it was FSU and no one else. Remember Lee played most of the second half against BYU (a very solid defense) and managed just a FG. That was a week after pasting BC. UNC isnt very good and yet still managed to paste our D for 50 pts despite turnovers and a missed fake punt. WVU found out in the Big 12 pretty quickly that you can’t win consistently against tough competition without defense.
A miracle can happen, and Tech beats UGA or wins the ACC, but I’m not going to care. All that means is they wont rush to buy out Johnson’s contract. Vad Lee had a good game today, but once he’s the starter, teams will gameplan and adjust to him just as they did Nesbitt and Washington.
1 4 GT
November 10th, 2012
10:29 pm
That’s good Joe. Can you please quit trying to bully everyone to your side? I admit you make some good points, but you sure go about it the wrong way. You can be extremely overbearing & you come across as though any opinion but your’s is wrong. Sorry if my honest, personal assessment of your style on the blogs hits me that way. For all I know, you could be a very affable, pleasant fellow in person. I’m glad Vad is getting playing time now. I’m glad he is looking like we all thought he would. You’ve had 2 games now to gloat & say “I told y’all so”! Enough????
Home Crowd
November 10th, 2012
10:36 pm
Here’s the big difference….Vad Lee gives us a chance on third and long situations. He breaks tackles and give us another 2-3 yards every single time. Nothing against TW, but he’s just not physically big or fast enough to get those extra, tough yards when needed. Vad also has an arm to throw in long third down situations and his bigger to see over the pocket. Tevin- we appreciate everything you’ve done for this program but V Lee really gives us the best chance to win moving foward.
Home Crowd
November 10th, 2012
10:39 pm
@ Mike S- Yes, Lee played much of the 2nd half against BYU, but he’s getting better with each snap and is gaining confidence. Let him play against BYU again and I”m not so sure he does a little better. Prob not good enough to win but he makes more plays with a few more snaps and confidence under his belt.
1 4 GT
November 10th, 2012
10:43 pm
Who was it that wanted Tech to get Mike Leach as HC. He must be a holy terror. I just heard on the TV that 18 guys have quit or been run off the team. I found this article about the situation with Leach & WSU. http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/11/06/2357035/humiliation-isnt-motivating.html
GT Joe
November 10th, 2012
10:47 pm
CPJ said the most popular player on the team is often the backup QB.
YEP.
GTfan2012
November 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
Mike S.,
Not sure what you are looking for out of GT football. If you are looking for a team that will win a MNC, GT probably isn’t the team you should root for. If you are looking for a team that will win the ACC every year, this probably isn’t the team for you. But I think 10 win seasons can become the norm. I think that being in the mix for the ACC every year is doable, winning it 3 or 4 times in a 10-year period is realistic. But the landscape of college football is different than it was 10, 20, 30, and 40 years ago. We operate at a distinct disadvantage to Alabama, Auburn, UGA, Clemson, FSU, and yes, even the team we beat today, UNC (and many others). Just the reality we must operate within.
I will caveat all of this to say that I would fire CPJ tomorrow if we could hire Ken Wisenhunt.
I LUV BEES
November 10th, 2012
10:54 pm
GT football is great!!!! PJ is the best coach we’ve had in years. Vad is the best QB in years. Oh yeh and the D is ACC calaber…………….HAHAHAHAHA
Mike S.
November 10th, 2012
10:55 pm
GTFan2012 – I think that’s the problem with this program. Too many people are willing to settle. Look this is a very winnable ACC right now and we are stuck losing 5 games a year, and still have yet to even win a low level bowl. Why should we settle for that?
Even if we find a hot name coach that comes in here, wins more games, then leaves like O’ Leary, fine. Go find the next hot coach. Dont settle for Johnson and a program that clearly has hit its ceiling with Chan Gailey’s players. Speaking of…Gailey’s last recruiting class was top 20 that Johnson inherited and his 2008 class was projected top 20 as well. The will never out-recruit Bama, UGA, FSU, etc., but they certainly can recruit as well as Va Tech, UNC, and be at least around the top 20. That’s much better than what Johnson has been doing.
Mike S.
November 10th, 2012
11:00 pm
I’m just not down at all with the “keep Johnson because who else will stay” crowd. Tech isnt the only school out there that coaches use as a stepping stone. You just have to go out there and get someone else just like all the others. Look at the success at WVU even after Rodriquez left. Rutgers is undefeated in Big East play right now even after losing Shiano to the NFL. There is example after example. I have a hard time believing, in a state as talent rich as Georgia, that a coach can’t come in here and recruit a top 20 class. There’s just too much talent in and around this state.
ToeMeetsLeather
November 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
With a Randy Shannon in charge of the defense and TECH playing in the ACC, CPJ could certainly get the Institute in the upcoming four team playoff system. At that point anything could happen.
GTfan2012
November 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
Mike S,
Why would that hot coach come here? Where does this job rank in the pecking order? Is this job more attractive than Kentucky? Is this job more attractive than Auburn? Both those will be open soon (I think UK already is, right?) I’ll go one step further, who is that hot coach? Give me a name. I’m not firing a successful coach who has a proven track record of success in I-A and I-AA.
Look, no matter what happens the rest of this season, 2013 is a big year for CPJ. A new AD will expect a good year in 2013, because if 2013 isn’t successful for CPJ (I say at least 8 wins, maybe even 9), then revenue is going down hill in a hurry in 2014. That’ll get CPJ fired by the new AD really quickly.
fan
November 10th, 2012
11:05 pm
when a division 2 team like the blowflys get a win they’re all of a sudden world beaters.This lousy team playing in this lousy conference geve up fifty points to a bad team. Duke will probably manhandle them.
GTfan2012
November 10th, 2012
11:05 pm
I didn’t finish my thought in the first paragraph of my last post. I meant to include “without knowing who I was hiring.”
Ken Sugiura
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
game story updated with quotes.
posting other stuff soon.
http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/tech-outlasts-tar-heels/nS35K/
GTfan2012
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
Hey fan, don’t forget that Duke has two weeks to prepare for our offense. GT’s offense NEVER does well when the opponent has two weeks to prepare.
George Stein
November 10th, 2012
11:09 pm
What does “calaber” mean?
Supersize that order, mutt
November 10th, 2012
11:11 pm
@ Mike S……Gailey had ONE good recruiting class…..ONE!!!! And he couldn’t do anything even with that talent. Johnson took what he inherited and won the ACC….DRAD and the NCAA notwithstanding. I don’t want to keep CPJ because anybody “better” would leave. I want to keep CPJ because HE IS GOOD !!!! And believe me, now that Vad has begun to come into his own, AS A FRESHMAN, I might add, then the future looks better than it has looked since O’Leary was at Tech. Sorry if you disagree and if you have no faith, but check back with us next year and let those of us who like CPJ give you the “I told you so,” routine. All we are really lacking now is a consistently performing defense, and I have faith too that CPJ will hire the best he can find to build one.
ToeMeetsLeather
November 10th, 2012
11:11 pm
Fan, I guess you are referring to UGA’s big win over a pituful Auburn squad and the nadlickers defensive effort against an even worse TN team.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 10th, 2012
11:13 pm
@ fan…..I bet you were in here last week saying that UNC would manhandle Tech too. Well, I guess you are consistent……consistently stupid, that is.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 10th, 2012
11:19 pm
@ Ken….enjoyed the update…..good writing. Thanks
Questions to Ponder
November 10th, 2012
11:22 pm
So does U-LL have an “SEC Defense” with SEC speed, or is it more that SEC offenses just aren’t very good????
Buzz 2011
November 10th, 2012
11:30 pm
Can’t wait to get to those hedges!! Where is Athens anyway?
Is it in the country somewhere? Thuga guns this state, but Tech
does most of the scoring……………………….UGA only scored 38 against Auburn
The GT b-backs and Vad Lee will fly by Bacardi Lambo like he is sitting..
Buzz 2011
November 10th, 2012
11:34 pm
@fan… You like GT’s lousy offense, huh fan? 68 points against a team with a good defense and winning record, not an Auburn like pushover., you like that fan?
Who have you chosen to stop GT , nobody….That’s what I thought.
You have weak little lousy thoughts don’t you?
I'm Glad, I'm Glad, I'm Glad
November 10th, 2012
11:35 pm
That Mr V.Lee had such a great game, and he has an awesome future…his time is here. But if you’re honest, you must give credit to Mr T Washington as well. I know I’ve bashed the young man…but I apologize for that, and I recognize him for literally picking up the ball and the team when he did, and I also appreciate his doing the best he could for the team. Tevin, your conduct epitomizes what we, as Georgia Tech fans, appreciate; sacrifice for the team. As for me, I hope your future is as solid as your commitment to the team was. Best wishes to you Mr Washington.
BW
November 10th, 2012
11:37 pm
I was at work all day, so I’m just now watching the replay. This is what the offense can be. I am only in the early 2nd quarter, but we’ve seen just about every wrinkle that GT can throw at you. Some grind it out 3O. Some hurry up/almost hurry up. Some shot gun. Some darts on toss sweeps from Lee. Completed passes, followed by big runs right up the middle with the B-Back. And still, plenty of missed blocks, meaning the offense could be even more efficient. The offense is not the problem at GT. As it’s always been, it’s the D. It seems like the D is just passive. Secondary players waiting on the offense player to come to him. The inability to drop the offense player on first contact, pretty much ever. No pass rush. No ability to clog up running lanes. A willingness to just run a player out of bounds rather than make the tackle. The offense is not immune to these problems either. I’d like to just see aggressiveness a majority of the time from GT. It feels like the aggressiveness is not there at least 50% of the time, like it needs to be. The funny thing is that GT is in good shape to go 6-6, which was the low end of what I was expecting from GT this year. Obviously, not what I had hoped for, but for all of the doomsayers, it’s not exactly the complete self-destruction that they are talking about, at least in my mind. The Paul Johnson offense is very good, and it’s all about the D. We’ve seen GT with a good D with Tenuta, but a no-show offense, and the results are the same(albeit worse, if you consider avg W-L or the fact that CPJ has a conf champ). The story is the same, get a D, and the expectations go up by a win or two, and 8-4 and 7-5 are bad years, instead of 6-6. GT first needs to get to the point where 8-4 is the avg season and a top 25 finish is regular. Then let’s start whining about GT not winning 10 games/yr. I’m a big believer in the 7 year plan(at schools like GT), and I still believe in CPJ.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 10th, 2012
11:41 pm
@ BW…..keep watching your recording. The D actually made a few very good plays today, and as the offense continued to score, the D began to rise to the occasion. They’re by no means a great D, but they seem to have fed off the success of the offense today.
I'm Glad, I'm Glad, I'm Glad
November 10th, 2012
11:54 pm
Whatev, BW…your assessment appears to be the same as most ‘fans’ that don’t pay that much attention to the games played (and I’m just going by what you wrote in your post). The major games lost by GT were lost by the D…and one game where the team just didn’t show up (mtsu) because they apparently quit on the D coach. I’m not belittling your comments, your opinion is your opinion, but no one, besides BYU has stopped GT’s offense – and remember that BYU plays and has played, at least one TripOp team every year (AirForce) for a loooong time, and also has, in some positions, a 2 year maturity advantage in some of their players (Mormons take a 2 year ‘pledge’ of evangelism). To me, the only real stinker this year was the mtsu game, and I’ve already commented on that. So; the team fired its DC, and lost its AD (good riddance to both), both proving to be inept, and yet, the the head coach rallies the team, and beats the pants off their last 2 opponents on the road. So your point is….
Supersize that order, mutt
November 11th, 2012
12:57 am
@ I’m Glad…..apparently what you read in BW’s post and what I read in the same post are completely different. What you just typed seemed to me to be exactly the same thing he said.
Silly Mutts
November 11th, 2012
1:04 am
I love when I’m wrong:)
Marietta Buzz
November 11th, 2012
1:51 am
CPJ is the best head coach on the planet. Go Jackets.
BW
November 11th, 2012
2:37 am
So your point is….
…
What you just typed seemed to me to be exactly the same thing he said.
Thanks Supersize. I can’t find any fault in what I’m Glad said. And I actually have a lot of respect for individual players on the D. I love what Barnes is doing this year. But he’s on an island in the middle. And I think our LBs are all quite good in space. AND, I think our DBs are physically better than any as a unit we’ve had in quite a while. My argument is that there isn’t much fire on the D. The players I see on the D with fire are Barnes, Nealy, Hunt-Days, and Drummond. And Drummond gets hit with late hit penalties, which leans towards a lack of focus if you ask me. My argument is that the D just doesn’t have that killer instinct/focus.
And just to circle back to I’m Glad’s comments, BYU was one of my worry games before the season. I figured GT would split VT/Miami/Uva/Clem/BYU/UNC. Win 3 of those 6 and beat MTSU, GT is 7-3 right now. And VT/Miami were both winnable. I went to the Miami game(and I am not near ATL), what a heartbreaker. Just improve some on D, and GT is going 8-4 every year. CPJ’s offense is good enough, he just needs to get a DC that will get him there. That is my point.
One other comment is that I think Groh was canned too quickly. I think he had the LBs and DBs, he just needed the DLs. But there is a locker room factor that I know nothing about, so I can’t comment very intelligently.
BW
November 11th, 2012
2:47 am
I was ready to give Chan year 7. So, I am not some crazy, we should win 9+ games/yr fanatic. Basketball is a different sport, but I am quite high on Gregory so far.
BW
November 11th, 2012
2:56 am
Speaking of…Gailey’s last recruiting class was top 20 that Johnson inherited and his 2008 class was projected top 20 as well.
It is worrisome that GT isn’t back to this point under PJ. But, under CPJ, GT has ranked higher compared to Chan all up until this year. Of course, CPJ has been building towards a redshirt deal that Chan never had, so CPJ has smaller classes. It’s hard to compare. If CPJ is getting top 40 classes, I say that’s the same as Chan’s top 25 classes his last two years. Just because the sizes are different. As I said above, I was ready to give Chan year 7, and that was due to his 07 and 08 recruiting classes. And if 08 had gone well, 09 would have been in play for me with Chan as well. But again, this goes back to my 7 year plan for coaches at a place like GT. Unless GT can get Nick Saban or whatever, GT’s recruiting classes won’t be great until the coach has been around for like 7 years. And I always point back to Beamer at VT. It took him until year 5 to start winning. So at GT where .500 is normal, you need at least until year 5 to start winning more. And CPJ already won more, so I say he gets at least 7 years.
VR Jacket
November 11th, 2012
7:11 am
Buzz 2011
November 10th, 2012
11:30 pm
Can’t wait to get to those hedges!! Where is Athens anyway?
——
Go North til you smell it, then go East til you step in it.
Nativebird
November 11th, 2012
7:52 am
Three words: Middle Tennessee State.
tired from all the frustrations of being a yellow jacket
November 11th, 2012
8:06 am
I think that we saw today what this offense is capable of when the blocks happen. I wish those pulling for Tech to lose to discredit Johnson would judt shut the hell up. The man knows more about football than all those in the stands combined. The good thing is he is not listening. When he starts listening to the fans, he will soon be in the stands with them tech actually has a chance against the daogs.
Tokyo jacket
November 11th, 2012
8:09 am
To the UGA fans on here who are not concerned with COFH, UGA’s 8 wins have come against teams with offenses that rank 113, 96, (not ranked), 93, 22, 120, 73, 64, and 116. That is sad that you only have the nation’s 16th ranked defense against competition like that. Of the two competent offenses you’ve played, you give up an average of 36 PPG, more than they average per game. That means you’re actually helping raise their average PPG. That’s not what good defenses do! I hope you’re ready for a 1-3 start next year when you learn what real offenses and defenses look like.
Oh, and if you’re not concerned with playing the spread option, why did you schedule a team that runs the same offense the week before the game as a tune up? UNC had time and a better defense. Look how that worked out for them. I’m saying it now, GT will hang north of 35 points on UGA.
UGA = Yawn
November 11th, 2012
8:09 am
Good win for GT. Road game, good UNC team, they had 2 weeks to prepare. Stop the talk about the ACC Championship game. It’s not meant to be this year. Let’s just concentrate on beating Duke and doing well against Georgia and winning a bowl game! Next year, hopefully, things may turn in our favor. A LOT of good players on GT – it just needs to all come together next year.
Tokyo jacket
November 11th, 2012
8:14 am
@BW, I think you’re right about the D. The individual players have skill and athleticism. It just hasn’t seemed to all come together where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Maybe it will next year.