LIVE BLOG: Tech vs. USC
Some thoughts and notes. Game starts 2 p.m. ET on CBS.
1. I think Tech will enjoy considerable support from the Sun Bowl crowd, which is largely made up of locals. After the 16,000 tickets allocated to the participating schools, the other 34,000 are sold to the El Paso community. As you may have read, USC stirred up controversy by showing up late for a Sun Bowl dinner and with two tweets sent by players criticizing the city of El Paso, which I’m going to guess has not sat well with residents. Further, Tech’s coaches and players have done nothing but rave about how welcome they feel and are enjoying the experience (which I think is genuine).
2. Weather: It’s sunny and very windy. The forecast calls for winds 20-30 mph, and it certainly feels like it. The wind right now (12:30 ET) is blowing briskly to the south, I think. Left to right on the television, at any rate.
Watching warmups, David Scully and Chris Tanner had trouble hitting from 45 going into the wind. Scully, at least, has range probably 10 yards longer than that. He crushed one from 55 with the wind.
3. If Tech gives up 35 points, the team will have the highest points-per-game allowed average going back at least to 1948. The 1999 team, which went 8-4 in Joe Hamilton’s final season, gave up an average of 30.3 points. Tech’s average through the ACC Championship game is 29.9.
4. There are two current Jackets who share Tech bowl records – Tevin Washington (completion percentage, 11-15 against Utah, tied with Shawn Jones in the 1991 Citrus Bowl) and Quayshawn Nealy (longest interception return, 74 yards, against Utah, tied with W.P. McHugh in the 1947 Oil Bowl)
5. Tech will wear blue jerseys, gold helmets, white pants.
6. The line is down to seven or 7.5 points in favor of USC. It had opened around 10. I’d guess Matt Barkley’s being ruled out played a big part in the drop.
7. Interesting – at 7-5, USC is still No. 20 in Sagarin ratings, presumably because their strength of schedule is ranked 13th. Tech is 63rd. Strength of schedule is 55th.
8. Tech marching band is here. Hopefully the altitude won’t affect the brass section.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy the game.
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892 comments Add your comment
Erk Russell's Dog
December 31st, 2012
4:53 pm
Very impressive stand by the Tech Defense.Now the offense needs to step up.
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
SIMS………………………..BOOM
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
Nice pass Tevin
Stinger1
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
WHAT no roughing THE passer??????????????????????????????
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
Enter your comments here
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
SIMS ……………..BOOM
son's who?
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
USC is …………. terrible in all phases of the game. Good job, Kiff! lol
Iluvnutella
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
Hahaha the football genius put Tevin in……..In the immortal words of the asst coach in HOOSIERS, ” I find it hard to believe u knw what ur doin”
WillGT
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
Sure we are up by a touchdown, but can’t we just get a game where the D and O are working great. The D is doing awesome, but the offense just looks sluggish
GT fan
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
Maybe we found a DC…..
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
Have we found a D-Coordinator?
dog5
December 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
Has GT’s defense gotten t
hat much better or is USC offense just that bad
Stinger1
December 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
RUN IT DOWN THEIR MARRON THROATS
1990_Champs_GT
December 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
Paul Johnson isn’t going to change, so we need to send him back to the minor leagues.
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
4:56 pm
SUCK my “Iluvnutella” boy
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
4:57 pm
Why are you so down on CPJ today?
Lee has not done that well today
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
4:58 pm
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
4:55 pm
Have we found a D-Coordinator?
Nice hijack Douche Nozzle.
GT fan
December 31st, 2012
4:59 pm
Ken stays on tweets instead of blog
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
4:59 pm
Notre Dame is going to get Killed if this is USC
GT TN
December 31st, 2012
4:59 pm
@1990..you aren’t a true fan..we are leading and all you are talking about is past games..cheer for the team
Stinger1
December 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
MAROON I MEAN
goFalcons
December 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
need a TD not 3
Dog kicker
December 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
Get some points!
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
Didn’t like the TW run.
MrPhoenix
December 31st, 2012
5:00 pm
Heady…isn’t it time for your ninny?
How old are you? 14
You sound like an idiot, as well as your other dwag family.
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Damn MORGAN
DawgNole
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Need to punch it in here. 14-pt lead would be huge in this game.
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
4:54 pm
Enter your comments here
Stick with this idiot
Stinger1
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
i’M SO EXCITED SO FAR
GTJohn
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Sorry, I have had this handle for over a year. Did not see you
ibidGT
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
What in the bloody…the whole drive was basically B back runs up the middle and one long pass. Why go away from it???
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
TW has to THROW the ball
1990_Champs_GT
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Forgot that we had to beg for an exception to even play in a bowl…
Whoever becomes the new AD won’t fire Johnson coming in. Nobody does that, it’s like a code or something.
But he’ll have to have some REAL success to come back in 2014. Until then, I will support my TEAM, but not my COACH.
DawgNole
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Going the wrong direction. Just gotta hope for a FG now–against the wind.
goFalcons
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Fire ken from the AJC for not talking to us on the site that pays him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
great TD TECH
GT fan
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Hell yea………………..
ibidGT
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Well that works!!!! ORWIN SMITH does it again!!!
Dog kicker
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
YESSSS
DawgNole
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Guess I was going in the wrong direction. Nice call!
Orwin Smith...
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
Bailing out the rest of the offense.
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
BITE my Bee Butt……………………TD PASS TW………………………Go Big O.
MrPhoenix
December 31st, 2012
5:02 pm
SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 21-7
Jacket Detective
December 31st, 2012
5:03 pm
Uga fans.
I can see Bama paying Saban all those millions but have u gotten your moneysworth with Richt?
He must have been paid 25 million by now.
And no NC.
I can’t believe any of you are really happy about that.
Keep up the brave front though.
OldschoolTechFanatic
December 31st, 2012
5:03 pm
Im a Vad Lee fan but I will have to admit this is some of the best coaching CPJ has done in a while !!! Great job TEVIN !!!
Stinger1
December 31st, 2012
5:03 pm
YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
45 ACP
December 31st, 2012
5:03 pm
Notre Dame will get blasted by Bama.
5150 UOAD
December 31st, 2012
5:04 pm
1990_Champs_GT
December 31st, 2012
5:01 pm
Forgot that we had to beg for an exception to even play in a bowl…
=======================================
STFU…………we were not the first team that got the exception to be in a bowl.
goFalcons
December 31st, 2012
5:05 pm
1990—u don’t have what it takes to be a top notch football program…..yall don’t have the shine to bring in recruits to play in a small stadium and not state of the art practice facilit…..any coach u get that has good success will leave u! be happy with paul johnson, he will stay and it is fun watching the option that when ran perfect,,,,,,,,it can not be stopped
Gov
December 31st, 2012
5:05 pm
21-7 our diabolical plan is working!
MrPhoenix
December 31st, 2012
5:05 pm
I believe USC defense is getting tired.