Tech handles Miami ban with little fanfare
There were no fireworks or confetti cannons. When Georgia Tech secured its spot in the ACC Championship game Monday, there may have been coffee.
“We were in a staff meeting this morning,” coach Paul Johnson said. “Somebody came in and said, ‘It’s official.’”
With that, Tech’s plans for the evening of Dec. 1 were finalized. Miami’s decision to self-impose a second consecutive bowl ban, an attempt to lessen the sting of potential NCAA sanctions from an investigation into a rogue booster, lifted the Yellow Jackets into the title game as the Coastal Division representative. The Jackets, who will play archrival Georgia Saturday in Athens, will play for its fourth ACC title against No. 10 Florida State in two Saturdays at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. (BCS ranking)
The berth alone is a considerable trophy for Tech, which six weeks ago was 2-4 and had lost three consecutive games in which it gave up 40-plus points in each, a first in team history. Johnson fired defensive coordinator Al Groh two days after the sixth game of the season, a 47-31 loss to Clemson.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Johnson said after Monday’s practice. “They won four conference games in a row and two of them on the road. It was a case of persevering and just keep playing.”
Following Tech’s 41-17 loss to BYU Oct. 27 that sank the Jackets’ record to 3-5, Johnson assured that “we’re not that far away.” Tech’s performance since then – three consecutive wins, the offense spitting out touchdowns and the defense showing signs of improvement – seems to confirm his assertion.
Since the ACC began divisional play in 2005, Tech is just the fourth team to earn a title-game spot with a 5-3 league record. Tech received a huge break when Virginia Tech, which opened the season with an overtime win over the Jackets, lost four league games for the first time since joining the ACC in 2004. Miami pulled out of the race with a 4-3 league record. Had the Hurricanes not done so, a win over Duke Saturday would have sent them to Charlotte over Tech.
Johnson said he wasn’t apologizing for anything. In response to a question about the line of thinking that Tech had won the division by default, Johnson responded, “We’re 5-3. Who else is better than that in our division? That’d be my answer. Miami’s not 5-3 yet, either.”
Tech and Georgia enter an unusual week in which both teams will be playing in their respective conference title games a week after their showdown Saturday. It’s a first for the rivalry.
“Right now, our focus is on Georgia, because if it’s not, we’ll go up there and get embarrassed,” Johnson said.
The ascension to the championship game clarifies Tech’s bowl picture, although not completely. The ACC champion advances to the Orange Bowl. By contractual agreement, the loser must go to one of the first three bowls in the ACC’s selection order after the BCS bowls – the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Russell Athletic Bowl (formerly the Champs Sports Bowl) or the Sun Bowl, Tech’s destination last season.
However, if Tech loses both to Georgia and Florida State, the Jackets would fall to 6-7 and drop below the .500 standard necessary for bowl eligibility. Last year, UCLA, which was 6-6 going into the Pac-12 title game, sought and received a waiver beforehand from the NCAA to be considered bowl-eligible in the event of a loss. The Bruins played their bowl with a 6-7 record.
Monday, Tech and ACC officials were preparing paperwork to file with the NCAA in case the Jackets lose to Georgia to fall to 6-6. The conference office had already been in contact with the NCAA.
In August, the NCAA approved a process to address the situation in which there are not enough bowl-eligible teams to fill the 35 bowl games, which could be the case this year with several teams ineligible due to NCAA sanctions. It casts some uncertainty onto a potential Tech petition, but Tech and ACC officials were confident that they would be able to secure a waiver if necessary.
The championship game will be Tech’s third, following its loss to Wake Forest in 2006 and its victory over Clemson in 2009, a win that the NCAA vacated as part of sanctions stemming from an investigation into improper benefits to two football players.
Tech last faced the Seminoles in two memorable games in 2008 and 2009, Johnson’s first two years at Tech. In 2008, the Jackets stopped a 12-game losing streak to FSU with a 31-28 victory at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Safety Cooper Taylor forced a fumble on what would have been a go-ahead touchdown run inside of the final minute of play. The next year, Tech defeated FSU in Tallahassee, Fla., 49-44 in a game most remembered for a lightning storm that halted action and a play in which quarterback Joshua Nesbitt ripped the football away from a Seminoles defender who had recovered a fumble.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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120 comments Add your comment
Like Tech doesn't have...
November 20th, 2012
9:02 am
…communications, anthropology, film , and one other major that was listed by band members Saturday that Tech folks make fun of at UGA…
Ken Sugiura
November 20th, 2012
9:15 am
NOVAJacket and Tdone – i didn’t write that the sanctions were in response to the benefits. i wrote that the sanctions stemmed from the investigation into the benefits.
5150 – i didn’t say that tech backed into it. i gave johnson the opportunity to respond to what more than a few people are saying. regardless, i think it’s hard to argue that virginia tech going 4-4 wasn’t a break.
Magic Touch
November 20th, 2012
9:35 am
Georgia Tech is on a magic roll. You could feel it in the second half of the Duke Game. There is a sense of quiet humility combined with a feeling of destiny. I’m not saying that this GT team is a better team than Georgia or Florida State. What I am saying is that when the clock ticks down to zero GT will have the higher score. And no, I haven’t been smoking anything.
don
November 20th, 2012
9:51 am
the pressure on uga players will be huge. this is a must win game or it makes the alabama game almost pointless. it’s all about alabama. i wouldn’t be surprised to see some nerves pop out of uga players and coaches when they start out bumpy.
GTVegas
November 20th, 2012
9:57 am
The UGA game is the most impotant game of the season for one reason, it’s the next game.
FOCUS and EXECUTION are the keys on both sides of the ball, and a bit of luck wouldn’t hurt the defense.
I really don’t give us much of a chance, but I do give us a chance. Do I expet a win this Saturday? Not really, but I do believe that they are capable of winning.
GO JACKETS !!!
5150 UOAD
November 20th, 2012
10:02 am
yes KEN…..VPI being BAD this year hurt the ACC as a whole. We should not have been in this position. Beat VPI with 44 seconds and get a stop after taking the lead on Miami and the year looks great. Tech could be 7-1 but ended up 5-3 in the ACC.
Sorry I missed you last weekend. Dad wasn’t feeling good so I was late.
"It's Official"
November 20th, 2012
10:03 am
It sure is.
No more talk about UGA backing into a conference championship game.
I can hear the announcer ” And Now Your 6-6 (soon to be sub .500) Coastal Division Representative, of the imploding ACC, Georgia Trek”.
Thanks again for the laughs Tech.
ToeMeetsLeather
November 20th, 2012
10:05 am
Anyone else find it ironic that the NCAA investigation of TECH was led by an ex-UNC player that had to be aware of all the academic abuses that were going on in Chapel Hole, NC. Everything that is being exposed now about their program was happening while he was playing there. Just saying.
ToeMeetsLeather
November 20th, 2012
10:08 am
“Like”, TECH does not have enough students to field a band so that allow KSU, etc. students to play in the game day band. That is where some of the majors come from, now go away fella.
5150 UOAD
November 20th, 2012
10:21 am
Is ANY blog coming out that will be full of the TECH vs UGa Jokes we all know and make?
Reebok
November 20th, 2012
10:29 am
Sure, Georgia’s better than Tech, but the best team doesn’t always win (see: Kansas State vs Baylor). Tech will play hard and Gergia MIGHT be thinking about BCS implications…I figure the final will be something like 42-24 Dogs, but GT does have a chance of pulling the upset.
crackbaby
November 20th, 2012
10:31 am
@Toe – I believe the Tech Marching Band no longer accommodates GSU, KSU, etc. students.
@Dadgum – completely disagree with you. A UGA win is MUCH BETTER than beating FSU for a meaningless ACC Title. If Tech wins in Charlotte, the O-bowl will be empty on the Tech side and the opponent will be the “last pick” of the BCS eligible teams. A meaningless banner with no special memories is all the ACC Title game would provide for Tech.
Beating the Dawgs this year stops the slide and the scene of an empty and SILENT Sanford stadium as the Jackets seal victory would be far more memorable and significant.
It’s actually better for the ACC if FSU wins in Charlotte and then wins its BCS game. Same for Clemson. I’m not going to root for the Noles on DEC 1st, but I would trade that game for a win in Athens 100% of the time – ALL IN!
Seriously, let’s take a poll – if Tech won 1 game out of the next two, would you have a worse hangover the day after the UGA game or the ACCG? ………… I rest my case.
Go Jackets!
Remember when
November 20th, 2012
10:42 am
Congrats to Tech. According to business insider Tech is ranked #11 on the top 25 most dangerous colleges list to send your kids. Tech was ranked # 2 in the forcible rape category. Again congrats.
George Stein
November 20th, 2012
10:48 am
All I’ve learned from this discussion is that we have some bad bosses in our midst. Grow up, people.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 20th, 2012
10:49 am
@ Remember when…….wow, I am so impressed at your ability to make up stuff. Maybe you should be working for the people trying to explain Benghazi.
North Ave Killer Beez
November 20th, 2012
10:50 am
FSU or UGA Seriously! it’s is not even close you have that part right. Beating UGA and tearing their dreams apart would bring the utmost joy =) Winning the ACC this year is like completing a marathon, you did it and your just glad it’s over.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 20th, 2012
10:59 am
@ Beez……I TOTALLY agree. Knock UGA out of any chance whatsoever for a NC, and it will be a victory that will go down in history. That would make my Thanksgiving a truly thankful one.
gtne80
November 20th, 2012
11:32 am
Boil the UGA game down to pure math. Tech’s defense is allowing about 32 points a game against some shaky competition since Groh’s departure (including 13 points to a team with a linebacker at QB and 50 points to UNC). UGA’s offense is scoring around 38 points a game. So it’s fairly safe to assume that they will score somewhere between 35-38 points on our D (if not more).
UGA’s defense is allowing about 19 points a game. Our offense is scoring about 39 points a game.
The key appears to be how well our Offense can play against their D. Most football fans understand that more often than not, good defense negates a good offense.
The variables are special teams and turnovers. Unfortunately this season’s statistics in both of those areas favor UGA also.
UGA 42 – GT 20 sounds like a reasonable prediction. UGA gets one score off of a turnover and/or special teams play. Tech gets one score on a big play on a busted assignment by the UGA defense being out of position. The other scores come through some decent drives (at least 2 ending in short field goals when we get to the red zone but can’t punch it in for a TD).
ToeMeetsLeather
November 20th, 2012
11:47 am
@crackbaby, did you see the list of majors for the senior band members. A lot of those majors listed on the jumbotron at halftime are not offered at TECH.
Full Metal Jacket
November 20th, 2012
11:53 am
Thanks again for keeping Jacket fans in the loop on the Tech beat, Ken. The team has a great opportunity to complete an impressive turn around with a strong finish and to get a good start on next season. Ken, have you heard any rumors about other ACC teams considering defection after the Maryland jump to the Big 10? I have heard directly from one SEC and one ACC athletic dept official that there are rumblings that several more teams may be leaving the ACC for financial reasons and that the conference may find itself completely restructuring again in another month or so.
Full Metal Jacket
November 20th, 2012
11:57 am
As it stands now, Tech is going to face the No. 3 and the No. 5 teams on consecutive weekends to close the season and post-season. Pretty daunting, but also a great opportunity for positive exposure as long as the team shows up and plays hard, which I think they will. The second half of the season for both UGA and GT have shown renewed commitment and an “all in” attitude by the players and coaches.
Full Metal Jacket
November 20th, 2012
12:01 pm
gtne, if the TO works early and results in a couple of scoring drives, then the game could be close. If UGA gets out to a big (14+ points) lead early, it could be a very long afternoon, again, in Athens. Everyone remembers 2008 and the second half comeback, but we should also remember how unusual that was.
The Records DO Matter in this Rivalry
November 20th, 2012
12:06 pm
Contrary to the cliche “throw the records out the window”, there have been precious few upsets in this rivalry. About 90% of the time the favorite wins, and upsets by heavy underdogs are extremely rare. FMJacket is right, we all hope for another 2008 repeat, but it’s pretty much a desperate hope. For the last decade, the opposite focuses and trajectories of the Tech and UGA programs have been accurately reflected in the game’s results. Under Brane and DRad Tech has lowered its expectations and emphasis on football, and it shows when the two teams play head-to-head.
headley lamar
November 20th, 2012
12:07 pm
Anyone else find it ironic that the NCAA investigation of TECH was led by an ex-UNC player
I find it Ironic that Miami bows out of the ACC champ game because of NCAA problems and that places Tech in the game while they are still on probation and just had a title stripped away from them.
Its a strange world.
Either way you guys arent playing Middle Tenn St this weekend.
Time for your annual beat down. Try and take it like a man.
Look at it this way. You can still have a big fish fry with CPJ next week.
The Records DO Matter in this Rivalry
November 20th, 2012
12:13 pm
I’m a Tech fan and I hope to heck we beat the pups (if nothing else to win 365 days of relative quiet from the doggie banana republic), but it’s gotten to the point that I don’t feel compelled to travel to Athens every other year, and I don’t even ake special plans to watch the game on television. To be fair, I also don’t bray and brag when we do win. I leave the braying and barking to the canine congregation who have little else in their lives to talk about.All this “Old Fashioned Hate” crapola is just that, and neither a win nor a loss changes my family’s happiness or prospects.
Hayseed Dixie
November 20th, 2012
12:14 pm
@headley
And by ‘man’ you mean person who impersonates members of the armed services on anonymous internet message boards.
You don’t quite realize you fit the stereotype of the sociopathic UGA fan to a T so much it’s almost comical?
The Records DO Matter in this Rivalry
November 20th, 2012
12:17 pm
I am sure lots of UGA fans give head-ly lamar his due, and they are, in fact, the ones who actually enjoy “taking it like a man”. I think they actually look forward to all the happy doggy fashion fun they enjoy. Is that a UGA coed or Ned Beatty squealing like a pig……wait, Ned actually IS a UGA coed.
headley lamar
November 20th, 2012
12:18 pm
And by ‘man’ you mean person who impersonates members of the armed services on anonymous internet message boards.
Thats news to me
I never served but my Father did as did Grandfather since deceased.
Not something I would do.
MC
November 20th, 2012
12:19 pm
You watch folks. You gotta have the ball to score. You think UGA can’t control the ball as long as they want to in a multitude of ways. Our passing D is pitiful and they’ll run those big backs until we have to stop that to keep some clock and then bam. Everybody acts like we’ll have the ball all day long. LMAO!
Even in the ACC you don’t win with a sorry D.
headley lamar
November 20th, 2012
12:20 pm
Ill bet you got a purty mouth Records.
Hayseed Dixie
November 20th, 2012
12:21 pm
@headley lamarr
nice try, there bill clinton.
Ken outed you as ‘USMC Jacket’ not too long ago.
Did you ever figure out what an IP address was? Or was that graduate-level stuff at your school?
The Records DO Matter in this Rivalry
November 20th, 2012
12:22 pm
ditto Hayseed Dixie. And you know, they say that the inbred albino boy playing banjo in Deliverance was UGA’s valedictorian a few years after the film was made. Has anyone else noticed all the little “ay” stickers that have been retro-installed on the UGA “G” decals across Atlanta? Anyone know where I can buy them? They make a great clandestine gift to all your UGA friends’ vehicles, and for that matter, to the anonymous trucks and tractors in the local parking lots.
The Records DO Matter in this Rivalry
November 20th, 2012
12:23 pm
You’ll never find out, HL.
www
November 20th, 2012
12:27 pm
sportwriters take note – this is quality stuff:
“There were no fireworks or confetti cannons. When Georgia Tech secured its spot in the ACC Championship game Monday, there may have been coffee.
“We were in a staff meeting this morning,” coach Paul Johnson said. “Somebody came in and said, ‘It’s official.’”
With that, Tech’s plans for the evening of Dec. 1 were finalized”
nice work, sugiura!
www
November 20th, 2012
12:29 pm
lol. why am i not surprised that “headley lamar” lies about his many online personas?
www
November 20th, 2012
12:39 pm
i agree – nerves for uga players could very likely be an issue.
they can’t make many mistakes or the chance to play for a BCS title is out the window. that’s a lot of pressure.
robert
November 20th, 2012
12:40 pm
i hate the ncaa. I wish all of college football would abandon those assface politicians and set up its own structure.
headley lamar
November 20th, 2012
12:42 pm
Ken outed you as ‘USMC Jacket’ not too long ago.
Did you ever figure out what an IP address was? Or was that graduate-level stuff at your school?
Wrong.
Ken back me up. Ive never posted under that name.
Ever.
headley lamar
November 20th, 2012
12:48 pm
Just emailed Ken so hopefully he will post something on here.
I have never. Ever. Posted under anything but this name.
Hayseed Dixie
November 20th, 2012
1:05 pm
“Just emailed Ken so hopefully he will post something on here.
I have never. Ever. Posted under anything but this name.”
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-tech-sports/2012/01/01/paul-johnson-quotes-4/?cp=1
“headley and usmc jacket – same guy.”
Read for yourself, buddy.
George Stein
November 20th, 2012
1:06 pm
Incorrect as usual, headley. You have posted several times as All Cupcake Conference. I guess having so handles with which to troll makes it difficult to remember, though.
gtne80
November 20th, 2012
1:11 pm
@Full Metal – The formula for UGA’s offense will be to pound our undersized defense with the run until we are forced to stuff the box. We couldn’t even significantly slow down Maryland’s offense when we KNEW that they had to run because they had a linebacker playing QB. When we shift forward to stop the run Murray can just toss a few over our heads for a couple of quick scores. We’ve had no success in getting any consistent pressure on opposing QBs even in obvious passing downs.
Even if we get out to a good start offensively, the results will be the same. Their defense will make adjustments and slow it down or stuff it.
No…I don’t hold any hope for this one even being close at the end…unless they are predicting 6 inches of rain in Athens on Saturday morning.
gtne80
November 20th, 2012
1:14 pm
Oooh, headley….that’s got to sting. Not only did you lie, you just got slam-dunk caught denying it.
NO CREDIBILITY. NO INTEGRITY.
gtne80
November 20th, 2012
1:15 pm
Thanks Hayseed. It would be nice to clean out a few more of these UGA trolls.
Hayseed Dixie
November 20th, 2012
1:15 pm
@headley lamarr,
Good lord, dude. Get some help.
Up at 3AM impersonating Jacket fans on New Years Eve? Really?
Now who lives in their mom’s basement?
BV
November 20th, 2012
1:20 pm
Get your arsses over to Charlotte folks. Show ‘em we can travel!
Hayseed Dixie
November 20th, 2012
1:23 pm
@BV
Just getting a final head count, buying tix on Thanksgiving. We’ll be there.
1 4 GT
November 20th, 2012
1:24 pm
I’ll see y’all in Charlotte!
Hayseed Dixie
November 20th, 2012
1:37 pm
@gtne80
No problem.
Many of these sidewalk-UGA fans are sub-mediocre people anyway, so why is it surprising that they’re sub-mediocre trolls?
GT Joe
November 20th, 2012
1:41 pm
Does anyone think we beat UGA with Tevin?