Miami self-imposes, Tech headed to ACC title game
It took a second-half resurgence, the fallout of a booster gone wild and Virginia Tech’s worst season since 1992, but Georgia Tech is going to the ACC championship game.
A day after most expected the decision to be made public, Miami announced Monday morning that it will self-impose a postseason bowl ban in anticipation of NCAA sanctions in the wake of an investigation into allegations that Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro provided players with thousands of impermissible benefits with the knowledge of coaches. The ACC does not allow bowl-ineligible teams to compete for the ACC championship. As a result, Tech will play Florida State for its third ACC title Dec. 1 in Charlotte. Kickoff will either be 7:45 or 8 p.m., depending on the broadcast outlet, either ABC or ESPN.
The Yellow Jackets’ 42-24 win over Duke Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium turned out to be the clincher. Tech’s 5-3 league record cannot be matched by any bowl-eligible team in the Coastal Division.
It is a stunning turn of events. Oct. 6, Tech fell to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC with its third consecutive loss, to Clemson by a 47-31 score. It was the third consecutive game in which the Jackets had allowed 40-plus points, a first in the team’s history. The dismissal of defensive coordinator Al Groh followed two days later.
With division losses at that point already to the Hokies and Hurricanes, Tech’s shot at Charlotte was still mathematically alive, but that seemed about it. For Tech to reach the ACC title game would likely require Virginia Tech to lose four conference games, something the Hokies hadn’t done since joining the ACC in 2004. It would seem to have also required the Hurricanes, whose possible bowl ban had yet to surface, to do likewise.
The Hokies lost to North Carolina to drop to 1-1 that day, and then after beating Duke Oct. 13, lost three consecutive games to drop to 2-4 in the league to give the Yellow Jackets a second chance. Virginia Tech has not had a three-game since 2002. Tech has since remained perfect in the league, defeating Boston College, Maryland, North Carolina and Duke with a loss to BYU mixed in.
It is coach Paul Johnson’s second appearance in the ACC title game in his five years at Tech. Were the Jackets to defeat Florida State – Tech will almost certainly be a heavy underdog to the 10-1 Seminoles – Johnson would become the only coach in school history to win two ACC titles. (The first, in 2009, was vacated by the NCAA as a result of impermissible benefits violations.)
The news sets up an interesting week in the state of Georgia. For the first time, both Georgia and Tech will be playing in their respective conference championship games in the same season. While the game carries heavy meaning, both teams will be playing for more in a week’s time. The Bulldogs may be playing for a spot in the national championship game. Tech will have a spot in the Orange Bowl on the line, a remarkable prize for a season that started so auspiciously.
Johnson may have to make a decision on A-back Orwin Smith, who suffered an ankle injury in the second half of Saturday’s game. After the game, Johnson said he didn’t know if Smith would be available for the Georgia game.
The Tech ticket office will likely make information available soon. Tickets are also available at the ACC’s championship game site here.
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485 comments Add your comment
Labyrinth
November 19th, 2012
6:55 pm
Congratulations from a UGA fan, GT. I’ll be pulling against you on 11/24, and pulling for you In the ACC championship game.
West Coast Jacket
November 19th, 2012
6:58 pm
It will be a major embarassment to GT and the ACC if Tech goes to any bowl if it has a 6-8 record. Those extra weeks of practice may not be worth it.
White&Gold
November 19th, 2012
7:05 pm
WCJacket: Worst case scenario going into a bowl game is Tech having a 6-7 record.
White&Gold
November 19th, 2012
7:09 pm
Labyrinth, we greatly appreciate it. There aren’t many of you, but it’s great to see classy UGA fans. Unfortunately your fellow fans that don’t seem to share the same class as yourself, make it impossible for me to ever root for Georgia.
230gr Full Metal Jacket
November 19th, 2012
7:12 pm
Perhaps an unorthodox way of getting into the game, but you play with the cards you’re dealt. And if Duke beats Miami Saturday, then we didn’t back into anything! I have to laugh at all of the Red & Black wearing inbreeders on here. You are no more the 3rd best team in this country than I am Superman!! You have played a total pansy schedule and got completely blown out by a mediocre South Carolina team, whereas several of the other 1-loss teams lost close games to legitimately high-ranked opponents. UGA is a very good (albeit entirely undisciplined) team, but they are nowhere near as good as the trailer park inhabitants seem to think.
The Dawgs SHOULD blow out Tech saturday, but I’ve already got money down that it doesn’t happen. UGA may very well win (They should, given all of the “5-star” talent on that team) but it won’t be a blowout. Your defense isn’t good enough to stop our offense, especially with Vad at the helm (This assuming that CPJ doesn’t get stupid and leave Tevin in again), but our defense is absolutely horrible, so it should be a high-scoring affair, similar to the Tech-UNC game week before last. We also have history in our favor: I’ve been a Tech fan for going on a half century now, and without exception, EVERY season we sneek up and B-slap some team that should have killed us. But that hasn’t happened yet this season, so we’re due one. If the dwags make the mistake of looking ahead to Bama, they will be in for a VERY bad day. And if they don’t they should win handily — but doesn’t it feel good to know that you dwags are irrelevant at this point to us. Losing to UGA would have absolutely no influence on our season, because we will still have a MUCH bigger game coming up the next weekend (and a BCS berth at stake). On the other hand, if Tech were to knock UGA right out of the NC picture……………….. Let’s just say that the trembling Chihuahuas have a LOT more to lose than we do, which is very much to our benefit!
THWG!!!!! (even though FSU is MUCH more important and relevant, but I digress…….).
Buzz2011
November 19th, 2012
7:35 pm
Go Jackets!! Win the ACC..I care little about UGA and would rather win the ACC by
beating a more legit ranked team..
Beekeeper
November 19th, 2012
7:49 pm
Seems I’ve read an inordinate amount of chest-thumping the past couple of days on these AJC blogs about Tech’s national championship a couple of decades ago. It may be beneficial to remember that it was actually 1/3 of a national championship since the 2 other major polls voted Colorado champion. There’s also the fact that, to earn that championship, Tech beat a mediocre, 4-loss Nebraska team in a non-major bowl (Citrus). The mists of time can cloud memories . . .
Also, seeing as how Tech’s lone ACC championship was vacated for cheating, does anyone have a clue when GT last earned a true, undisputed football championship of any kind? And how many championships UGA has won since?
1 4 GT
November 19th, 2012
8:15 pm
I do know that GT & Georgie were both in the same conferences until 1964. There were 3 different names of what eventually boiled down to the SEC. GT had 16 championships & Georgie had 14 in those different named versions of the SEC.
1 4 GT
November 19th, 2012
8:16 pm
BTW, there was no such thing as conferences with 2 divisions back then. That means the champion had an undisputed title.
Buzz-Off
November 19th, 2012
8:33 pm
Name one team in the top 10 that can say they did not “back into” the championship game if they were to make it there. I promise you can’t name one…..so leave the DAWGS alone and try to find another fault. P.S. You will be working overtime to find one.
Buzz-Off
November 19th, 2012
8:38 pm
Buzz2011
UGa lost in Columbia to SC ranked as high as #3 in the nation. FSU got kicked by NCS …I think in Tallahassee. No comparison……that is why everyone ranks UGa higher….everyone.
OkieDawg
November 19th, 2012
8:43 pm
GT can play for the ACC title and feel very proud of getting there by however. But UGA will own GT this weekend. This game will not even be competitive. Murray passes for 400 yards and Gurshall runs for 175. 575 yards ought to get it done. Anyone disagree?
tech fan for life
November 19th, 2012
8:45 pm
God, I never thought I would utter these words:
Go Georgia!
plus
Go Seminoles
and Go Johnson – Get your butt outa here! & that is being nice.
Please go to 1AA and win some more titles.
For you other Tech Fans who say I am not a fan
stick to your guns go 6-6 lose in the whatever bowl, lose to GA
and be happy mediocre losers
Me- I believe in another 1990 possibility
Also remember for those of you who say we can’t hire a big time coach
Johnson is overpaid and an underachiever GA last won a title in 1980
You engineers are good at one thing – engineering failure and mediocrity
My new favorite team is whoever playing tech as long as PJ is here
Again never in my life did I think I would stoop to such a cesspit but
PJ and the fools who support him leave me no choice – Go Dogs.
gtlawyer81
November 19th, 2012
8:46 pm
Buzz-Off, welcome to your own opinions but not your own facts. NC State beat FSU at NC State. How hard would that have been to look up before you spouted that off? A little research please! So losing a last second game on the other team’s home turf is hardly a death knell. Alabama lost at home two weeks ago, right? But they are #2?
Full Metal Jacket
November 19th, 2012
8:48 pm
When you’re as sorry as we are…we will take anything…even the tolietbowll!
Goldenrod
November 19th, 2012
8:53 pm
WOW!!! We beat Duke in football!!
OkieDawg
November 19th, 2012
8:57 pm
BDS@HGF still cracks me up…Hysterical! Now on to the tainted ACC Championship game. Win and become Bowl Eligible.
tech fan for life
November 19th, 2012
9:07 pm
oh for you GA fans running your mouth about 1990 take a look – I remember being in Sanford Stadium that day sitting in the GA section a little tipsy and running my yellow all over the GA fans in front of me – they didn’t have nothing to say that day-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU8I29KovrU
yeah yeah I know that last decade thats my point to Tech fans – but
make no mistake it has been over three decades since you played for
a nat’l title with the top recruiting classes in the country and a good coach
Again i am in a cesspool pulling for one class of idiots over the other
I just believe that eventually one set can be reformed.
As for you any one who says sic em at a kickoff is a 100% fool
And I find myself pulling for fools
that is how bad our situation is
Again, I cannot believe I can type these words Go Dogs
beat Tech – Beat Johnson
5150 UOAD
November 19th, 2012
9:10 pm
Real NEWS would be when UGa StupidLetes go 32 years without getting arrested.
5150 UOAD
November 19th, 2012
9:13 pm
Taking bets…..Do you think she is a UGa fan or a Tech fan?………………….Gwinnett mom gets DUI charge with child in car………………… http://www.ajc.com/news/news/gwinnett-mom-gets-dui-charge-with-child-in-car/nTBCM/
5150 UOAD
November 19th, 2012
9:16 pm
P.O.A.D…………………………….. everyday and all day……….
OkieDawg
November 19th, 2012
9:17 pm
Are all GT fans incoherent? Or just Toad and Techerhead 4 life….
tech fan for life
November 19th, 2012
9:17 pm
Enter your comments here
1 4 GT
November 19th, 2012
9:19 pm
How has Notre Dame “backed” into anything with an undefeated season if the beat USC? BUZZOFF , HUH????
tech fan for life
November 19th, 2012
9:22 pm
anyone acting stupid these days has to be considered a Tech fan
the numbers don’t lie
we are dumb and dumber
going to the championship game because somebody else cheated
when our only acc title was lost because we cheated
more than that we keep running the triple option in 2012
we may just be dumb, dumber and dumbest
the speed of Ga and FSU will kill us and all of you know it
your just not man enough to admit it
the triple option sucks Johnson (in big time college ball, not in 1AA) sucks
go el dumbos!!!!
5150 UOAD
November 19th, 2012
9:23 pm
OkieMUTT…………..what?
tech fan for life
November 19th, 2012
9:25 pm
okie
can you comprehend this
GA last won a nat’l title 32 years ago
despite having some of the greatest recruiting in the history of football
yes we suck but you are an idiot
Iceman87GT
November 19th, 2012
9:25 pm
Just an FYI Tech has already secured a share of the Coastal division, Miami still needs to beat Duke in order to grab their share. In other words Miami hasn’t given us anything yet, they are currently 4-3 in the ACC, Tech is 5-3, we can’t finish any worse but the canes can. All this announcement means that Georgia Tech will represent the Coastal Division regardless of what happens Saturday.
Also show some humility dwags, if South Carolina played the same SEC teams you did you’d be sitting at home on December 1st, you benefited greatly by the expansion, your game against Bama got changed to a division game against Mizzou, South Carolina still had to play LSU.
And enough with the “joke of a program nonsense” we’ve been bowl eligible 16 straight seasons, and we’re tied with y’all for the 4th longest active bowl streak. Jokes don’t perform that well for that long of a time, besides if y’all held your football players to the same standards you do incoming non-athletes, you would not be doing nearly as well.
OkieDawg
November 19th, 2012
9:30 pm
Please confirm…A team that is on probation(GT) goes to the ACC Championship even though a team that is not on probation (UM) self imposes. Do I really have this right? Only in the ACC!!! or soon to be the former ACC and current Big 10 (actually Big 14). Who can keep up?
5150 UOAD
November 19th, 2012
9:31 pm
Today headlines…..UGa Athlete Student arrested “Again” and UGa loses to a #1 team…..How many times will that headline be repeated in the next few months?
Supersize that order, mutt
November 19th, 2012
10:09 pm
“tech fan for life” is no more a Tech fan than I am a UGA fan, and I HATE the mutts to the core. NO Tech fan would EVER pull for the mutts, NO MATTER WHAT. That’s just pure ignorance. And as for his reasons, they are hogwash too. Johnson is a great coach, and his best days at Tech are yet to come. I GUARANTEE IT !!!!!
1 4 GT
November 19th, 2012
10:23 pm
Supersize, I concur. I just responded to your latest email, BTW.
wreckmaniac
November 19th, 2012
11:46 pm
BeeKeeper: In 1990 GA TECH was the ONLY undefeated team in the nation. Today that means an automatic nat champ. Why it didn’t then is still hard to understand. Same thing happened to Auburn about 12 years ago.
Anyway, Colorado lost a game that year (1990) and was given an infamous 5th down in their game against Missouri. Many questions persist on how and why Colorado mysteriously won the AP vote while Tech won the UPI (coaches) poll that season. Disagreements such as this led to the formation of the BCS system we have today which is often critisized.
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November 20th, 2012
1:57 pm
[...] Miami self-imposes, Tech headed to ACC title game A day after most expected the decision to be made public, Miami announced Monday morning that it will self-impose a postseason bowl ban in anticipation of NCAA sanctions in the wake of an investigation into allegations that Hurricanes booster Nevin … Read more on Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Tim McLeer
November 24th, 2012
12:41 am
It is how you finish that counts. If Tech can beat GA, Fla State and win the orange bowl–my
hats off to them. Momentum over rules naysayers!!! It could happen but the probabilities
are stacked against them. Just do it and talk later.