Tech loses bragging rights, chance for something special
Look a little different than the end of last year's Tech-Georgia game? The Jackets lost to the Bulldogs, 30-24, and they won't soon forget this. (Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@AJC)
Signs of change were everywhere.
Bobby Dodd’s stands weren’t half-red. Thus, the game didn’t have the usual neutral-site feel to it. Bowl officials didn’t jam the press box. What for? Georgia Tech’s future was fairly simple, and Georgia’s was fairly depressing. The Jackets could be headed to the Orange Bowl, a game with history. The Bulldogs could be headed to the PapaJohns.com Bowl, a game with anchovies. The Dogs even had a temp-Uga on the sideline.
But if the Jackets feel like they just got knocked back in time, there’s a reason.
A year ago, they stunned Georgia at home and tore branches off the sacred hedges. On Saturday, with an eight-game winning streak and a fantasy season unfolding, they fell behind early to the Bulldogs 17-3 and fell short in a comeback. They lost 30-24.
The 12 months of bragging just kicked off from the other direction.
It doesn’t mean Tech can’t win the ACC title. It doesn’t mean the Jackets can’t play in Miami and finish 12-2. But this one will sting for a year because this is one most expected they would win. They were playing a mediocre Georgia team coming off a loss to Kentucky, and it doesn’t get much worse than that.
Tech coach Paul Johnson downplayed the significance of this game earlier in the week. He believes everybody should focus on the big picture, and that picture includes conference championships and competing for BCS bowls, not just bragging rights over big brother from Athens. “I don’t want to leave the wrong impression because I do realize that the game is important and I know for a lot of our fans that this is the game they want to win,” Johnson said. “[But] we want to get to the point where our program is bigger than one game. We want to win the game, but we want to do some other things that just beating Georgia won’t do for you.”
And Johnson’s right. Tech’s season is about more than beating Georgia. But beating Georgia ranks pretty high.
Bottom line: This was the Jackets’ chance to take charge, and they failed.
Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt left the game in the first quarter with a sprained ankle but returned later. (AP photo)
This won’t do much to boost morale in the ACC’s offices, either. The conference’s two championship game entries, Tech and Clemson (to South Carolina), both closed the regular season with losses to SEC rivals.
Tech trailed 17-3 at halftime. It clawed back to within 30-24 in the fourth quarter after a touchdown run by Josh Nesbitt, who keyed the comeback when he returned from an ankle injury. When Georgia’s Blair Walsh missed a 55-yard field goal attempt with three minutes remaining, it gave them one last chance. But a dropped pass by Demaryius Thomas at the Dogs’ 35 ended the final threat.
There was a general consensus that this would be a high-scoring game, with the game’s two defensive coordinators, Georgia’s Willie Martinez and Tech’s Dave Wommack, taking turns absorbing blows like those old inflatable clowns that keep bouncing back up after being punched. (In Martinez’s case, there’s no guarantee he’ll be bouncing back up after the season.)
What nobody figured: At halftime, Tech would be trailing 17-3 and its run-dominated offense — one of the top units in the nation — would be outrushed by Georgia 204-80. (On second thought, maybe it’s Wommack who won’t be bouncing back up.) That kept the Jackets’ offense off the field.
Not only was Tech limited to four possessions, it lost Nesbitt, who might as well be this team’s transmission. When he suffered a sprained ankle with 1:03 left in the first quarter, every projection about this game changed. He tested the injury on the sideline, eventually went into the locker room, presumably for a wonder cure, and returned during the second. But backup Jaybo Shaw ran the next possession and threw an interception, which the Bulldogs turned into a touchdown and the 17-3 halftime lead.
But Nesbitt played Tech’s final possession of the half, not looking full-speed, and then returned strong in the third quarter. He led the Jackets to touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half (including a 77-yard scoring pass to Thomas). But the Dogs’ responded with touchdown and field-goal drives and held a 27-17 lead. If nothing else, it had turned into the game most expected.
But the end wasn’t what Tech players or fans expected. Last year was about getting attention. This year has been proving their worth. It can still be a great season. But not nearly as great it could have been.
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1,802 comments Add your comment
GaCracker
November 29th, 2009
1:30 am
Goes to show how strong the SEC is and how weak the ACC is. Did either Tech or Clemson beat or play any other SEC teams?
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:30 am
GT Joe, no the better team does win. Like UGA the past 8 of 9 years.
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
1:30 am
I wouldn’t mind losing to TCU or Boise, I want to play the best teams out there. For UGA, they are gonna get stuck with Marist of Dekalb County. You should win that game though.
Sean M
November 29th, 2009
1:30 am
Congrats to the Dawgs for a hard fought victory and we’ll see you next year in sports it’s always the classy thing to congratulate your opponent even if it is your instate rival and Dawg fans I can only hope you return the favor the next time Tech beats you(hopefully in 2010).
I’m wondering why CPJ decided to throw it 4 straight times on Tech’s last possession? Tech was moving the ball on the ground just fine and had 1 timeout still left. That will baffle me for quite a while but Tech still has a conference championship to play for and a spot in the Orange Bowl.
Duke
November 29th, 2009
1:30 am
Tech players dropped like flies tonight…they played soft as Paul Johnson’s double chin.
jacketsareretarded
November 29th, 2009
1:30 am
heres some of the comments techies made in the weeks leading up to the game
Seeking to counter the “they’re a second-half team” argument, Tech scores 3 TDs in the 1st QTR and Cox gets pulled by halftime for throwing 3 picks…Sorry guys, but this one ain’t gonna be close.
The TRUE GT and TRUE UGAG teams both show up for all 4 QTRs…CPJ has third stringers in before the 4th QTR starts. This will be a HIGH point for GT Football just as much as a FALL OFF THE CLIFF for the butt-sniffers. 52-10 GT as UGAG fans call for Willie M. to be fired immediately, blame the Refs for bad calls that “cost them the game” and simply disappear from AJC Sports Blogs for some strange reason. What a beautiful day to be A YELLOW JACKET!!!! Can’t come soon enough…
Tech is going to stomp a mudhole in ugag’arse that will make the Grand Canyon look like a ditch.
UGAayers have been running mouths all year leading up to Saturday game time each weeks. For some reason, they aren’t there to answer call past 6 PM. Above you see again.
Look, the game coming up isn’t GT’s most important one of the year. Won’t even help us in the rankings to win this one cause the pesky pups have no respect in the polls.
CPJ won’t let up though and will CRUSH the dawgs.
Gonna get bee-tch slapped!
Only destroying UGAyers will do is fill up the blogs AGAIN with how the refs robbed them and how it’s time to fire CMR crap. GT will be off to prepare for a real game. Losers
(((( Tech 42, Georgia 27 )))) Hahahahahahahahahahaha
Good call Mark! The tables have definately turned.
UGA fans … seeting yourself up for another depressing Saturday afternoon. Get real and lower your expectations.
GT will score & score & score & score & score & …..
The only thing Georgia is known for is coming out in butt ugly uniforms to try an inspire a typically mediocre football team. Another Tech win will put you further back into your rightful meaningless position in the world of college football.
I believe Tech’s off week will be the deciding factor in the georgia game. And I’ve been right about both team’s seasons since AUGUST! We will do more with ours than georgia did with theirs (way to prepare for Florida-LOL).
Not only do our players and coaches out perform georgia’s, our athletic director does as well!
45-42 (((( “pound the hound” ))))
The best #8 will be on the field, Bey Bey Thomas is higher ranked and more efficient than Green whether he plays or not. Tech in a rout.
This year playing UGAg at home is the same as playing Duke on the road.
GT 49 UGAg 10CPJ is going to push the UGA defense around much like Rennie Curran pushed CWM around on the sideline of the Auburn game!
I agree Mark, this one will be 40 something Tech to 20 something UGA.
Score looks about right. The dawgs might sniff 30 but I doubt it. I see tech getting a few sacks on them and one or two picks. Maybe a fumble. the second half will be gt dominance once again.
While the teams are fairly even in terms of overall talent, Tech is motivated and hungry while Georgia’s on the downhill swing and no one can deny that. As a program, Tech has bigger fish to fry than a lowly stumbling UGA program which is headed to, well, nowhere.
What it boils down to is coaching. Do you silly pups really think Richt and Martinez are any match for Paul Johnson? That’s an obvious hell no matter who is doing the evaluating.
Georgia’s fortunes have slipped and they will be no better next year despite its whimpers to the contrary. The lunatics run the asylum in Athens and Sister Christian will be out of town by the end of 2010. At least he has a F-150 to pack up all that carpet.
Look at Georgia’s wins. Yikes. Could you please beat someone worth talking about before exposing your ignorance? You didn’t beat Florida, or LSU, or Oklahoma State or even Tennessee. And you ain’t beating Tech. Beating quality teams is simply beyond your grasp.
Georgia bloggers, be sure to check back in with us in late December and let us know how things are in Shreveport.
hahahahahahah suck it tech nerds.
JTH
November 29th, 2009
1:30 am
HOW BOUT THEM DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!
45ACP
November 29th, 2009
1:31 am
GT For You And Me – You are a classy Jacket fan. I will be pulling for the Jackets to beat Clemson.
A year of getting bashed by some bloggers has made me a little hard.
TurntUp
November 29th, 2009
1:31 am
good for the rednecks. they need it more.
joey gt
November 29th, 2009
1:31 am
you ga fans have to be the biggest fairweather fans i ve ever seen i give credit to ga for betting us tonight but in no means is ga abetter team than tech this year, ga just played better than us tonight, that showes anyone can beat anyone if you dont bring your a game. let me ask you smart bulldawg fans a question? washington beat usc this year does that make them better than usc? no washington is 3-8 and usc is 9-3
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:31 am
GA Cracker, yeah the bottom of the barrel. Vandy and Miss. State (who would beat Tech now)
Cuz
November 29th, 2009
1:31 am
If you thought this loss was painful, play TCU. They would beat Bama or UF. Too bad they won’t play them.
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
1:31 am
Duke? Is there any way we can play Yech again? We would be a definite 8 win team
UGA Rules
November 29th, 2009
1:31 am
Wow! A run on a worn out treadmill would have been tougher! LMAO!
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
1:32 am
Early line for the Gaylord City Bowl; UGA -2 vs. Marist.
jarvis
November 29th, 2009
1:32 am
How can it not be anti-trust? How is it not an oligopoly?
Clemson and Tech showed today that they are more deserving for a BCS Bowl than Boise?
Total screw-job. Cut out of millions. They’ve got blue turf to buy for God’s sake.
Helluva Engineer
November 29th, 2009
1:32 am
congrats georgia fans. you guys kicked our tails. enough said. good luck down the road. we’ll see you on the hardwood in a few weeks. until then, happy holidays and congrats on the hard-fought win!
UGA Rules
November 29th, 2009
1:32 am
Cuz….take another hit!
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:32 am
Joey, yeah it does make Washington better because they won! And so did UGA. And we are still wanting our DC, OC and Special teams coaches to be fired. So, yeah we are still pissed.
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
1:32 am
Did Dwyer play tonight?
Duke
November 29th, 2009
1:32 am
St. Simons has turned a lot of us into jerks…..he brought it on all you Tech nerds….30-24!!!!!
Julie
November 29th, 2009
1:33 am
Bragging rights are ours. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!
Mikey T
November 29th, 2009
1:33 am
GT Joe you are an ignorant little b**** Admit that your one dimentional team lost because your coach sucks under pressure. Just wait and watch in the ACCCG and Bowl Game
You F*ckin sore loser
tornio's best
November 29th, 2009
1:33 am
jarvis – it’s one week. try to parse the nosie from signal. i suspect that would mean nothing to you!, sadly.
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
1:33 am
GT Joe.
Just as I thought: Marist is better than Yech
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:33 am
There goes Ealey and King again, still running.
tornio's best
November 29th, 2009
1:34 am
way to win with class, mickey t
45ACP
November 29th, 2009
1:34 am
Joe you are in denial dude. admit that you lost. that is the first step to recovery.
GT For You And Me
November 29th, 2009
1:34 am
I understand 45ACP……….
indifferent
November 29th, 2009
1:34 am
Looked to me like Tech’s whole problem was that at the beginning it was taking the game and Ga. too lightly. They were’nt ready to play. When they finally woke up in the 2d half they were just too far behind to get over the hill which they had allowed to be created, though they probably would have but for that last dropped pass. And BTW, the interference was there and Nesbitt did indeed score on 3rd down, if not on 2d.
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
1:34 am
GT Joe has NO game. Just like turkey neck Lumpy Johnson
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:35 am
This just in…..Duke, Wake Forest, NC State, Florida State and Virginia to play in 6AAA next year.
UGA Grad
November 29th, 2009
1:35 am
Good game Tech and congrats to all UGA grads! I can understand why Tech hates UGA fans but this is to all the actual diploma carrying people out there. It was a great win!
always a Jacket
November 29th, 2009
1:35 am
I wrote two comments this week, one was to take up for Mark Richt which was on Wednesday after all theUGA fans wanted his head and the 2nd comment was to thank GT for the good season regardess of what happens in the next two games which I wrote tonight. You do not see any GT fans on here berating our coach or team. Unlike you dogpoopers who started in on Richt after the first loss to Ok St.
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
1:35 am
Let’s use retard UGA logic: Miami beats tech by 16. UGA beats tech by 6, so Miami is better than UGA. MIami is 5th in the ACC, so UGA would be 6th. Instead they are tied for 4th in the SEC. THEREFORE, UGA would be 5-7 if they played in the ACC. Ya follow me? Thought not.
stillturntupfortampa
November 29th, 2009
1:35 am
10-2 is still a $hit ton better than 6-6 I can’t wait for tampa next week while Georgia stays at home.
Dave from GT
November 29th, 2009
1:35 am
They didn’t wear black helmets.
That wasn’t really Cox out there!
I would not want to play TCU with the way that defense played tonite.
The only possible redemption this year is to cover a 50 point margin against Clemson!
Then roll into Miami and do it all over again.
This GT team needs to get mean and really roll over some quality opponents to salvage this season.
Cmon CPJ, everyone in GA knows that this was the big one!
As for UGA, better watch out that dirty play like on the Nesbitt ankle rollover. That is dirt Richt picked up at FSU ! No place for that in this state.
UGA Rules
November 29th, 2009
1:35 am
Joey……when you learn how to spell “beating” Call us!
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
1:36 am
indifferent:
I agree…plus they were not good enough…plus UGA was better…plus they are loud mouth geeks.
Other than that is was a nail biter.
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:36 am
GT Joe and yeah, UGA and Miami both kicked your tails……lol
Dave's Mom
November 29th, 2009
1:37 am
Take another hit son (Dave from GT)
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
1:37 am
I’m going to go home and play with myself now.
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
1:37 am
I admit, we lost. But it’s not like your team is better than ours. Look at the record, BCS rank, and bowl game. Be honest with yourself.
UGA FAN
November 29th, 2009
1:37 am
I am truly stunned at how UGA showed so much heart and actually looked prepared (85% prepared for this game) After listening to tech fans all week long!!! telling our fans how bad the dog nation will be whipped. I walk into your blog with a chip on my shoulder and a bone to pick with you but i can sum this whole message up in one word!! DROP
jarvis
November 29th, 2009
1:37 am
Radio is dead. Static is a non-issue.
You guys and the Big East just keep giving fodder to the Mtn. West and WAC presidents.
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:37 am
Hey Still, no we WOULD have been 6-6 but we beat Tech’s little fanny and now are 7-5
1eyedJack
November 29th, 2009
1:38 am
Jump in DAWG fans. The water is fine……
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
1:38 am
GT Joe, We beat your tail. Nuff said…..We are BETTER than you, period!
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
1:39 am
GT Joe…
Follow MY logic… Yech (the best the acc has to offer) just got beat by an SEC team having their worst year in a decade. There is your conference logic.
State logic…Yech is #2 in the state AGAIN…where you belong (until Ga State starts playing)
Dave from GT
November 29th, 2009
1:39 am
DROP…. YUP THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP, YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD NITE WATCHING THE SOFT PORN COMMERCIALS ON CABLE TV BETW HIGHLIGHTS.