Tech season takes yet another turn
The smirk returned Saturday.
After his team buried North Carolina under an avalanche of yards, touchdowns and difference-making plays, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson gave praise to the Yellow Jackets’ next opponent, Duke. The Blue Devils are much improved, Johnson said, and a very good team.
“Plus, they’ve had two weeks to get ready,” he said. “We all know how that works.”
The remark referred to the oft-repeated belief that opponents receive a considerable benefit when they have an extra week to prepare for Tech’s spread-option offense. Opposing coaches have routinely credited it when they’ve won, but it irks Johnson and he likely took no small pleasure in providing contrary evidence Saturday. North Carolina had an extra week to get ready for Tech, but the Tar Heels gave up the most they had ever allowed in a home game in the Jackets’ 68-50 victory in Chapel Hill, N.C.
“Practices were good,” UNC coach Larry Fedora said. “If I saw that coming, I probably wouldn’t have shown up (Saturday).”
Johnson’s post-game demeanor, bragging on his players and cracking wise, reflected yet another change of course in Tech’s improbable season. It began with an overtime loss to Virginia Tech that was somehow both stunning and encouraging, appeared to lift off with a shearing of Virginia, then collapsed in consecutive losses to Miami, Middle Tennessee State and Clemson.
The Jackets have now won three of their last four and, with quarterback Vad Lee’s vibrant play Saturday, may have finally found traction.
“We really needed this,” A-back Orwin Smith said. Only a couple weeks ago, he continued, players’ heads were down. “Now guys feel like they can win, and that’s what we need. As long as guys believe, I feel like we can get some things done.”
More than a few things got done Saturday, an afternoon of firsts and mosts, starting with the ACC record for most combined points in a conference game.
Tech set school records for most points in an ACC game, most players to rush for a touchdown in an ACC game (five), most opponent kickoff return yards (267) and most kick return yards by an individual (Jamal Golden, 230). The Tar Heels set ACC records for most kickoff returns (11) and most points by a losing team. Tech’s 68 points were also the most ever scored on North Carolina in a conference game.
“Too bad we missed that two-point conversion,” Johnson said.
More pertinent to Tech’s season, the Jackets achieved a meaningful “first since.” This season, the fourth quarter has been a platform for opponents to bolt the game down, stage comebacks or at least tighten the score. Saturday, Tech locked the game up in the final 15 minutes. The Jackets outscored North Carolina 10-7 in the fourth, scoring the final 10 points after the Tar Heels drew to within 58-50 on an interception returned for a touchdown in the first minute of the quarter.
It was the first time that Tech had outscored its opponent in the fourth quarter of a game that was within two scores at the end of the third since its 45-35 win over N.C. State in the fifth game of the 2011 season. The Jackets did it, no less, against a UNC team that had outscored its opponents 75-28 in the fourth quarter before Saturday.
Lee led the two scoring drives in the fourth, accounting for 99 of the two possessions’ 156 yards either by run or pass. He riddled the Tar Heels throughout the afternoon, accumulating 281 yards of total offense and accounting for three touchdowns. Lee, who came in as planned for starter Tevin Washington in the third series of the game and thereafter never left, also converted six of Tech’s nine third downs with runs or passes.
“I just wanted to execute the offense to the fullest, to the best of my ability,” Lee said. “I think we did that (Saturday).”
The win sets up a potential “first since” – Tech’s first ACC Coastal Division title since 2009. Tech will play Duke at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium, televised on ESPNU. A berth in the ACC championship game may be on the line.
The Jackets will go to Charlotte with a win over the Blue Devils and one of three scenarios. One is Miami losing to Duke Nov. 24. Should Miami beat the Blue Devils, the second is North Carolina beating Virginia and Maryland to finish in a three-way tie with Miami and Tech and then Virginia finishing in fourth place, which would give Tech a berth in the championship game through the league’s tiebreaker system. The third would require Tech to beat Duke and Miami to self-impose a postseason ban as part of its NCAA sanctions.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
197 comments Add your comment
5150 UOAD
November 12th, 2012
9:14 am
Wear the GOLD HELMETS………………
10 out of 11 supersized
November 12th, 2012
9:17 am
It was a good win for the jackets. Hopefully your offense will be more consistent with Lee which will help the D as well. As a dawg fan just think you guys need to settle down a little. You don’t even have 6 wins yet and it has only been two weeks since the BYU debacle. Good luck with Duke and I look forward to a good game in Athens. Love our offense matched up against your D. Going to score at will.
And supersize before you spout off about who UGA has beaten or not beaten this year rest assured every team on our schedule is better than middle Tennessee. Just the truth pal.
Flak Jacket
November 12th, 2012
9:31 am
Good win to build on,nothing more .Team must stay focused,play hard one game at a time and more good can happen.
White&Gold
November 12th, 2012
9:41 am
Right there with you, UOAD. Gold helmets and gold pants for life.
Flak Jacket
November 12th, 2012
9:45 am
Gold helmets and Dodd era style uniforms with black block numbers, nothing fancy,just play football.
ToeMeetsLeather
November 12th, 2012
9:51 am
Hey “10″, every team? Fl Atlantic, Buffalo, Ky, Ga Southern all would loose to MTS. TN, Vandy, Auburn, Ole Miss, would be toss ups. He**, Fl had to block a punt against Lafayette to win. TX AM, AL, ARK, LSU would probably beat MTS I will give you that, OH that’s right, you guys avoided EVERY good team in the SEC this year. Kinda looking forward to playing in Athens myself. We may be the best team UGA has played this year.
GT TN
November 12th, 2012
9:56 am
@ 10 out of 11 supersized..not sure whre you get “Just the truth pal” comment from..UGA schdule is a joke..all teams better than MTSU..leave it to a mutt to make stupid comments..
Buffalo 3-7 (best win vs 4-6 Miami OH)
Missouri 5-5 (best win vs 5-5 Ariz State)
Flordia Atlantic 3-7 (best win vs 5-5 Troy)
Vandy 6-4 (best win vs 5-5 Missouri)
Tennessee 4-6 (best win vs 6-4 NC State)
USC 8-2 (can’t count because didn’t win)
UK 1-9 (can’t beat anyone)
UF 9-1 (good win)
Ole Miss 5-5 (best win vs 4- Arkansas)
Auburn 2-8 (beat no one)
Record of the team UGA has beaten..38 and 52..2 wins against teams that have a winning record..
So, everything you say has no merrit that MTSU is worst than anyone on your schedule..by the way..MTSU beat Florida Atlantic (that is on your schedule) and gave up less points than UGA did to them..
if you try to blast someone it helps to know what you are talking about..yes UGA will be favored..but anything can happen and thta is why they play the games..
wreckmaniac
November 12th, 2012
10:01 am
I would really be excited if this team could hold any team to less than 40 points. However, this offense was unbelievable Saturday.
NC should easily beat UVA and MD.
NCAA
November 12th, 2012
10:11 am
KEEP IN MIND GEORGIA TECH LIKE MIAMA AND NORTH CAROLINA IS ON NCAA PROBATION. THIS IS TECH SECOND PROBATION THIS CENTURY. SO STOP CALLING OTHER SCHOOLS THUG U UNTILL TECH CLEANS UP IT LITTLE DIRTY PROGRAM.
Dadgum.....
November 12th, 2012
10:11 am
I have been a GT fan for almost 60 years. 3rd generation. It amuses me to read the blog bitching here by UGA and GT fans over the season ending game. The rivalry has gotten so watered down and trivial over the years it doesn’t even garner national attention any longer. Now it is all about conference play and the season ending championships for both teams. Bowl games afterwards aren’t even as important a game as conference play. The GT / Ga game is practically exhibition in stature now. The game seems to be more about blogging rights than bragging rights. Georgia is a very good team. Tech is an average team. Maybe good on some days. Tech will be bowl eligible before the GA game but Georgia has an outside shot at the National title. Take Georgia and lay the points.
Rock on…..here is a weird thought. It is possible that GT could go to the Orange Bowl with 6 losses and Georgia the Sugar Bowl with one loss. I don’t think the Orange Bowl would be too happy with that. It looks like a given that ND will be in the Orange Bowl. How weird is all of that. Same pay day for GT and UGA basically if that occurred. That is why ACC games are more important to Tech football than a rivalry (if it still is) game. That’s the landscape these days and its not changing.
Joshua Barlowe
November 12th, 2012
10:14 am
Coach Johnson, you’re 5-5. Lose the smirk. It’s not cute anymore.
GTVegas
November 12th, 2012
10:22 am
Just focus on Duke. Last week is done. Play this as a one game season, period. Nothing matters this week other than beating Duke.
GTfan2012
November 12th, 2012
10:24 am
Do I think that we are likely to beat UGA? No, of course not. But no one thought A&M was likely to go on the road and beat Alabama either. That is why they play the games.
What we have now that A&M has is a dynamic QB that can make plays throwing and with his feet. What we don’t have that A&M has is a really good defense.
Old Dog
November 12th, 2012
10:28 am
To Hell with Tek, today, tomorrow and every other day!
tiebreaker headache
November 12th, 2012
10:28 am
So, if GT and Miami both beat Duke,
UNC has to beat Virginia and Maryland,
Virginia has to lose at home to UNC and beat Virginia Tech in Blacksburg to finish in 4th place tied with Duke at 3-5.
Is that correct Ken?
Voice of Reason
November 12th, 2012
10:29 am
Sorry to be negative…but I see Tech beating Duke and then Miami loses to Duke, so the Jackets are in the title game. BUT…then they get shelled by UGAg…go to the title game at 6-6 and get another beat down by the Criminoles….then go to a lower tier bowl by virtue of a 6 win season; lose again and finish 6-8
Not Disappointed
November 12th, 2012
10:31 am
GT beat Duke and the rest will take care of itself!
Vad the Impaler
November 12th, 2012
10:33 am
“Still need to get rid of Pitiful Paul–He did ok with Gomer Gailey’s players–even beat Jawgie with them once–but he hasn’t done real well with his own recruits–”
“jawgie”…this is not the langauge of a Tech fan, student, or alumni. Please leave this blog your only embarrassing your fake identity.
Something tells me the Duke GT game will not go how anyone expects it too, because after all its the ACC Coastal Division in 2012. My guess, GT wins a close low scoring game, because that is exactly what no one expects.
GT Lover
November 12th, 2012
10:39 am
I told you so… I told you we could do it… all you got to do is believe!
You laughed!
Two more baby, two more!
Support your team! Support you coach!
Beat Dook, beat Ugly!!!!
SansWorld
November 12th, 2012
10:41 am
I am just glad the UGA beat Florida this year.
Prior to that beating GT has been the program’s signature win each year. The ‘09 game being UGAs defining win over the last five years.
It seems odd that a program that takes such joy in disparaging the Jackets, really has little to show recently other than beating the Jackets.
Anyway, this year at least, even if they lose to the GT, UGA can hang their hat on beating a top 10 Gator team.
Einstein
November 12th, 2012
10:47 am
Glad PJ has finally seen the light and the future: Vad Lee.
VL brings energy to the team and a “I’m gonna whip your butt and we’re gonna score” attitude on every play. VL is a great runner and is easily the best passer we’ve had at GT in the PJ era (in fact he looks like one of the best passers we’ve had over the past 20 – 30 years!). This bodes extraordinarily well for the future not to mention the remainder of this season. (Possibly the best news about VL’s development is that it should free up PJ focus more than he has in the past to shoring up the defense ….)
As far as Duke is concerned, they’re going to complete a lot of passes and put up some yards, but hopefully our D will make some stops to give the offense more scoring opportunities. It can be one of those “trap” games where the boys take Duke too lightly and they light us up, however, with so much on the line and with VL running the offense, we should stay focused, get down to business, and play the way we thought they would all year – improved and better. (BTW, Tevin played better this year than I expected, doing a yeoman’s job; however with VL clearly the perfect QB for PJ’s system and energizing the team when it’s needed most, sticking with VL is a must and the silver lining is that with Tevin we have an awesome, experienced “no. 2″ QB who can continue to play a major, important role.)
Who cares
November 12th, 2012
10:50 am
The ACC is so horrible, it doens’t matter who wins the Coastal.
It’s just a matter of who sucks the least. Bragging about beating
UNC is pathetic!
Buzz Kill
November 12th, 2012
10:52 am
50 points given up kinda creepy ain’t it guys??
Vad the Impaler
November 12th, 2012
10:56 am
“The ACC is so horrible, it doens’t matter who wins the Coastal.
It’s just a matter of who sucks the least. Bragging about beating
UNC is pathetic!”
THe ACC is nothing to brag about, but someone is going to win the Coastal, someone is going to win the ACC and years from now there will be a banner saying as much and no one will remember the records. So it does matter. And UNC is a lot of things but patheic they are not. That is a quality football team. Weird game, but a win desperatly needed for a beleaguered fan base thats hanging in there.
GT TN
November 12th, 2012
11:04 am
I love how so called UGA fans get on here and bash GT..you must be so proud of yourself..most of the people who claim to be UGA fans have no connection to the school other than wearing the same t shirt they got for Christmas 10 years ago..I have really good friends that are grads and give alot of money..they know that UGA blew it this year..the schedule was set up and everything was in place for them to make a BSC Champ run..they only had to beat 2 teams and didn’t even show up for one of the 2 games..quit worrying about what Tech is doing..if you had any brains you would know that a good tech team only helps UGA..rigt now you have beaten 2 teams with a winning record..a 6 and 5 Tech team looks alot better thanb you beating a 5 and 6 team..worry about your own problems which is winning the big game..not the lower half SEC teams that you are beating up on..you only had to play 2 of the top 6 sec teams and played 6 of the bottm 7 teams..
10 of 11 GT Tenn
November 12th, 2012
11:15 am
Dude, you really want to do comparisons about your 21 point loss to Middle Tennessee? So middle Tennessee beat Florida Atlantic by 17 and beat you by 21. Help me understand why you wanted to do comparisons again? You do realize Miss St another SEC team you prob consider overrated blew out Middle Tennessee 45 – 7 just like we are going to blow you out of the stadium again this year.
Bottom line is your D has zero chance of stopping UGA. You got destroyed by BYU, lost to Miami at home, and were embarrassed by Clemson. Would love to hear though how that translates to you being able to beat Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida, or even Vandy. Tech is never our most important game nor the best opponent we play despite your delusional comparisons but you keep telling yourself that and we will just keep winning the last Saturday in November. Dude, we own you and Richt has won 10 out of 11. Nuff said!
Dawg4Life
November 12th, 2012
11:15 am
You can’t beat UGA. We are too good on Defense and your “perfect option” is no match for our schemes. Expect to see the same result as the last couple of years. Oh yea, we have an offense that can run and pass. We are too well balanced for you to keep it close. Optimism is good, but we all know what is going to happen.
GT TN
November 12th, 2012
11:26 am
@ 10..I was proving how stupid your comment was..you said that everyone on your schedule was better than MTSU..I was just proving you wrong..which I did since you changed the subject instead of defining what you said..I know GT has struggled this year..I’m the first to say that..however, I have buddy that are trueUGA fans (went to school there and spend money with the school) that know UGA blew the chance to paly for a NC..UGA only had 2 games and they didn’t show up for 1 of them..you played 6 of the bottom 7 sec teams..please don’t tell me that you think ole miss and UT are good teams..UF is a good team but you are listing Vandy as a signature win..you are disgracing all of our UGA buddys..
@ 10 JUST LISTED UT, OLE MISS AND VANDY AS BIG WINS>>WOW UGA HAS REALLY FALLEN!!!!!
Buzzzed
November 12th, 2012
11:41 am
My prediction for UGA/Tech:
UGA will score at will and will not punt.
Tech will score on half of their positions with VL at QB.
10 of 11
November 12th, 2012
11:47 am
I have plenty of GT friends despite the fact that I graduated from UGA in 2001. They never try to compare the ACC to the SEC or make statements about beating UGA or any of the teams we play.
They can’t because Tech has beaten UGA one time in 11 years. I am not concerned as much with what you do in your conference or whether or not you will be 5-6 or 6-5 when we play you. You are right about that because it won’t help our strength of schedule either way. Never does.
We lost one game this year and yet Tech fans continue to talk trash on the blog about UGA and try and compare the two teams as if you have a chance in hell in two weeks. That is why I post.
.
SansWorld
November 12th, 2012
11:53 am
“Tech is never our most important game nor the best opponent we play”
True, but is resent years Tech is the best / most important opponent that you can actually beat. I agree that you have beaten several teams better than Tech this year, of course this is one of the worse Tech team in almost 20 years, so i guess that does not mean much.
1 4 GT
November 12th, 2012
11:57 am
10’s ramblings don’t have the logic of any college grad I ever knew. IMHO!
GT TN
November 12th, 2012
11:57 am
@ 10..I never trashed UGA until you came on a GT blog and started trashing GT..I never compared ACC to SEC..you stated that GT lsot to MTSU and the everyone on the UGA schedule was better than MTSU..you said that not me..I was just proving you wrong on your comment..and yes a Tech team that has a winning record does help your strength of schedule..not sure where you get that it doesn’t help UGA either way..not sure where you see people comparing the 2 teams as equal..most people just say anything can happen..I watched the UGA/UK and i have hope that GT can win..I watched GT/BYU or GT/MTSU game and have thoughts of no way..anything can happen..I was just proving you wrong and I did because you still are not talking about the comment you made..I just want you to talk facts and you cant do it
10 of 11
November 12th, 2012
12:02 pm
So Middle Tennessee is better than one team on our schedule and you are right because they played and it was proven. My statement back to you is that Middle Tennessee beat you worse than the team they beat on our schedule. So I guess that makes Florida Atlantic better than GT?????
Not that I truly believe that but the arguments and comparisons you are trying to do suggest it. Just so happens they beat you worse than they beat them. Now that is humorous.
Since when can GT ever talk trash about Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida or Vandy and say our standards have fallen? You couldn’t beat any of those teams this year. Should we talk about our standards falling with you on the schedule or do your rules not apply there??
Vad the Impaler
November 12th, 2012
12:04 pm
Beating a 5-6 GT team versus a 6-5 GT team doesnt mean anything. But beating the ACC Coastal Champs can only help, and that GT team has to be 6-5. It might not mean much, but at this point any UGA fan should be hoping this sub-par GT team pulls off a miracle and clinches the ACC Coastal, because you are going to need every piece of trivia to make a case for a NC even if you can beat Bama in an SEC champ game.
As a tech alumni and fan I cheer my team, but I am willing to see the plank in my own eye before talking about the speck in someone else’s. If real Tech fans are on this blog it would be classless to make any negative comment about UGA’s season. And I would be beting my mortgage on a UGA win on Turkey day but I will hope the jackets win just the same. maybe more cause its about all that can save this season. If by the Grace of God we make it to the ACCCG and beat an overrated FSU team which is still better than us, we end up in a BCS Bowl we don’t deserve…and win the Orange Bowl, the peak of ths season would still be ruining UGA’s season.
tooltime432
November 12th, 2012
12:10 pm
Vad I’m with you. I think we beat Duke but I just can’t see a way we beat UGA. I would be happy if the game is close.
Vad the Impaler
November 12th, 2012
12:12 pm
Note** and while negative comments on UGA’s season is classless, any general prejudices about their fans, education level, financing of sports, and general un-ethicalness is still in bounds, and so that should provide plenty of material for baseless anti-UGA comments we wish to make.
ps. your bulldog mascot is ugly…
pss…yes both of them, the real one and the fake one.
GT TN
November 12th, 2012
12:15 pm
I think we would beat all 3 of those teams..I’m just making a note of what you said..I only said Uga has only beaten 2 teams with winning records..that is a fact..you brought up the 3 teams..I have never said tech was having a good year or compare the schedules..that was you
And it does matter if tech is 5-6 or 6-5..the strength of schedule that Uga plays..the SS is better if GT has a better record
1 4 GT
November 12th, 2012
12:17 pm
ugly you say……………..he is UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGLY!!!!!!!!
Vad the Impaler
November 12th, 2012
12:20 pm
i know right. so ugly. unforturnate for everyone involved.
1 4 GT
November 12th, 2012
12:22 pm
Especially in that stupid Chevy p/up commercial (and I am a proud owner of a Chevy/up) the dummies show during the telecast of the GT games on the ACC network. It’s like someone is doing that deliberately. Only time I have seen that commercial, too!
ToeMeetsLeather
November 12th, 2012
12:27 pm
“10″, UGA’s signature win is against a team that had to block a punt in the final seconds to beat Lafayette. That is what the Dawgs are hanging a #5 BCS standing on. You guys probably had a pretty good team this year, but we will really never know. Yea, and I know the SEC is great because ESPN says so, but please name a big OOC win for the mighty SEC this year. Yea that’s what I thought, I can’t think of one either.
yeller bug
November 12th, 2012
12:30 pm
Just beat Duke. We’re not good enough to look ahead as we still have trouble focusing on the game at hand.
I would still start TW the next two games even if it is just for 1 series. Senior Day this week and big rivalry game next week—start the guy with experience, then CPJ should use it to get a read on what the D will do and then bring in Vad. If Vad stumbles a bit, then we bring back TW for a series or two.
Still think we can open up the Offense more—an A back pass USING DAYS and not someone else, shuttle passes, rollout passes where Vad can either throw or run…run more from the pistol using motion—need to get a pitch to Snoddy on the outside and see if he can break one.
KO coverage is still horrible and the D needs to tighten up on pass coverage and find a way to get to the QB.
One observation is kudos to Days as he had several key blocks on Sat.
UGA89
November 12th, 2012
12:34 pm
And your bee is good looking?
wreckbuzz
November 12th, 2012
12:35 pm
Ken,
I have a headache. What exactly is the tiebreaker level that breaks a 3-way tie in GT’s favor?
Please save us the painstaking research.
1 4 GT
November 12th, 2012
12:36 pm
Ain’t a bee….he’s a Yellow Jacket. And yes he is!!!!
Vad the Impaler
November 12th, 2012
12:40 pm
“And your bee is good looking?”
Notice its a question and not a statement. Makes you think he is saying that buzz isn’t good looking without actually saying that he isn’t… so deep down you know that UGA 89 knows that buzz is kind of awesome and if he had had the grades to make the grade he could be one with the buzz…
10 of 11
November 12th, 2012
12:41 pm
I think it is because the SEC champion continues to win the BCS championship but just a guess Big Toe.
1 4 GT
November 12th, 2012
12:46 pm
Ah, but not this year big guy. The way things are looking. Seems to be shaping up to be between Oregon & Kansas State.
1 4 GT
November 12th, 2012
12:48 pm
Ain’t it funny how the dwags live vicariously thru the SEC?……..since they can’t do it on their own.