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
Get Real
November 29th, 2009
4:25 pm
Looks like wet behind the ears GT07 has the world figured out…….aren’t we all so lucky this management graduate is now in the job market. Thank God for the manageement degree at gti or this little girl would have nothing to hang their Darth Vader cape upon. Now let’s see how you do in the real world there young Skywalker…….LMAO.
GT'07
November 29th, 2009
4:29 pm
To 30-24 We’re just better than you:
I’m not sure whether I should be impressed with the fact that actually took time out of your day to find that nice article or sorry for you in the fact that you actually had time to go out and find that article. But since you know better and still do it anyways, I guess ignorance is “simply” better than stupidity.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
4:30 pm
We’ll always be better than you.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
4:31 pm
It eats you alive that we’re better than you…
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 29th, 2009
4:32 pm
WELL DONE BULLDAWG NATION========== IVE BEEN OUT SINCE 12:02, PM…………… STILL DO NOT SEE REGULAR Y A C K E T S WHO TRASHED US FOR SO LONG.. WONDER IF THEY WILL COME BACK IN THE NEXT 364 DAYS ?????????? YALL TAKE A BREAK , GRAB A VICTORY SANDWICH AND ILL TAKE WATCH………..
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 29th, 2009
4:34 pm
30-24WERE JUST BETTER THAN YOU============ GREAT JOB, YOUVE POUNDED THEM LIKE EALEY !!!!!!!!!!!!
GT'07
November 29th, 2009
4:36 pm
Get Real,
I would rather you not insult my Darth Vader cape. My mom worked hard on that.
Mike T.
November 29th, 2009
4:47 pm
fmr, Tech sucks, and Harleyman
I guess you guys don’t realize I cut and pasted a previous comment about a NERD who
was resorting to their old academic diatribe.If you will read on in my post you will see, I ‘m a Georgia
fan responding to the Techies statement.Yeah a Georgia fan, have been since Wally Butts was coach.
Learn to read the posts correctly.
Mike T.
November 29th, 2009
4:49 pm
Where are yall ranked
Where is your question mark, Nerd?
We are ranked 30-24, that’s where.
Junkyard Dawg
November 29th, 2009
4:52 pm
Dear Saint Simons,
30-24 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah you NERD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GT'07
November 29th, 2009
4:55 pm
Mike T,
Your ranking system makes no sense.
Mike T.
November 29th, 2009
4:57 pm
Hey Bama Nation,
All Dawgs say Roll Tide.Whip them Gators.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
4:57 pm
Thanks BOOGIES, carry the torch! GATA
Mike T.
November 29th, 2009
5:02 pm
Your ranking system makes no sense.
I tell you how it makes sense,Tech is overranked and overrated at number
ten.We are a 5 loss team and Tech’s defense could not stop us. Imagine what
Bama,Texas or Teboy would do to them?
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
5:05 pm
We simply own gtu.
Snuggie the bee
November 29th, 2009
5:05 pm
I feel like i bee raped.My little stinger gone
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 29th, 2009
5:06 pm
SNUGGIE=========== IS THAT YOU CPJ ????????????
Reggie Ball
November 29th, 2009
5:08 pm
When will we ever be good again? I guess we’ll have to wait until next year for the CPJ revival.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
5:10 pm
It bears repeating over and over… We’re simply better than gtu.
GT'07
November 29th, 2009
5:14 pm
Mike T.
UGA’s offense looked insane last night. King and Ealey made CJ Spillers look like he is walking. There is no argument there. As of last night, I don’t want to imagine what they would do to us. Just thinking about it makes me want to curl up in the fetal position with my collection of Star Wars collectibles and impressive Dungeons and Dragons card collection and weep.
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
5:32 pm
GT’07
November 29th, 2009
4:06 pm
What…the number seven team in the nation got beat by poor, pitiful, unranked UGA?
Obviously, you have not had much practice at “talking smack”.
Jimmy
November 29th, 2009
5:37 pm
You want to talk about rankings?
What makes no sense is that Tech would be humiliated by unranked UGA team
and then only fall three spots to number ten?
Goes to show you how terrible our ranking system is.
Mike T.
November 29th, 2009
5:39 pm
GT’07
Just thinking about it makes me want to curl up in the fetal position
I’m going to be nice,Techie.
I know exactly how you feel, Good luck against Clemson.
Mill
November 29th, 2009
5:48 pm
Tough loss for your team last night Shultz.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
November 29th, 2009
6:03 pm
UGA offense against GT defense looked like the Varsity going against the JV squad. After Chapas destroyed a couple of GT DB’s last night are they having 2nd thoughts about playing Clemson?
Too bad Rambo and AJ weren’t available. Already looking forward to next year. Goooooooo DAWGS, sic ‘em WOOF WOOF WOOF.
Even Russ did a good job in a fill-in basis for UGA VII.
monty
November 29th, 2009
6:16 pm
Sometimes done deals aren’t what they seem! Tech got to believing their own hype, something us Dogs know about all too well!
Coffee Bluff DAWG
November 29th, 2009
6:28 pm
Hey Bama Nation,
UGA DAWG Nation 100% behind you. Isn’t everyone a little sick of FL?
dawginboat
November 29th, 2009
6:31 pm
i’d tell you bugs to take it like men, but that’s just giving you what you want.
Comin' Down The Track
November 29th, 2009
6:33 pm
GT’07,
1) “… almost beat you. But ‘almost’ is not a win.” Correct! Good for you!
2)”… Georgia Institute of Technology.” That makes “GT” slightly incorrect, too. “GIT” is closer, you git.
3)”… we are still #10 in the BCS. Where are yall ranked…That’s what I thought. Your football ranking coincides with your academic ranking…in the toilet.” You’re right. I guess someone has to win that lousy conference. Even though we beat GIT, South Carolina beat Clumpson and we beat South Carolina they still won’t give us the ACC trophy… not that we’d want it. And, please, the academic blah, blah, blah is pretty tired, but I guess it’s the only thing you think you’ve got. Sad.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
6:55 pm
It’s great to be a Dawg.
Can Georgia Tech avoid a Dog hangover against Clemson? | Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
7:31 pm
[...] Jackets won eight straight games and had a chance to finish the season with a top-5 ranking. But they blew that by losing at home to Georgia Saturday, 30-24, creating the ACC’s worst nightmare: a championship game between two [...]
The Alpha Male
November 29th, 2009
7:34 pm
Keep recruiting those peewees on the D-line, Johnson…. your name suits you.
2Dawgs
November 29th, 2009
7:47 pm
I pour gasoline down yellow jacket holes!!!
Witness
November 29th, 2009
7:47 pm
Butler’s Great Kick
Hope everyone got to see Butler’s great kick last night. No, not during the game, but afterwards while the teams were closing out their mid-field prayer. Butler, by himself, struted down to the north 35 in front of the Tech section, tauting the stands. Standing on the GT logo, he kicked his heel and toe back and forth into the ground until he dislocated a chuck of the gold painted sod, then held it up for the Tech folks to see. He then ran back to the his end of the field. What a kicker.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
November 29th, 2009
7:58 pm
Witness
Don’t forget about GT tearing up the hedges last year at Sanford. It works both ways. Get over it.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
8:12 pm
Witness… that was AWESOME! It was a beautiful thing, brought a tear to my eye.
obamaSUX
November 29th, 2009
8:39 pm
30-24!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
TECH IS WEAK
JACKETS GOT RUN OVER
I BET THAT TECH DEFENSE LIKED GETTING REAMED OUT BY OUR O-LINE AND RB’s
WILLIE MARTINEZ HAD THAT OFFENSE ON THEIR KNEES
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Urban Meyer to Notre Dame?
November 29th, 2009
8:41 pm
Is it true like USA Today thinks? Or maybe the NFL like CBS Sports thinks?
Pancake Block
November 29th, 2009
8:47 pm
What’s that sound I hear? Oh wait, I don’t hear anything! There’s nothing but a deafening silence coming from the Tech bandwagon. As quickly as they jumped on, all the Techies are jumping off. Face it Jackets, the ACC just doesn’t measure up to the SEC. Reality’s a b*+#h ain’t it?
Techies fail English
November 29th, 2009
8:56 pm
Comin’ Down The Track
Where are yall ranked…
Where’s your question mark?
Your the second Tech lame brain, that’s said the very same thing and not used a question mark.
Now what about that drivel, of academic excellence?
Ya’ll think that ghetto school in Atlanta is the Mecca of higher education.
Mike T.
November 29th, 2009
9:01 pm
Witness,
What a kicker.
You said it baby,Number one punter in the nation,and we didn’t even have to use him last night.
Go Dawgs!
Huh BG?
November 29th, 2009
9:14 pm
Always has, always will? I don’t think so.
hugh
November 29th, 2009
9:27 pm
30-24 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
GTFan
November 29th, 2009
9:37 pm
PJ took this game too lightly and that’s why we got crushed. I think this game should be tied tied for #1 goal with ACC championship. Both outcomes need to be accomplished else it’s an empty title. And if we beat UGA and not win the Championship, then it’s not that successful season. It is not a good season unless we achieve both results. They are not mutually exclusive.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
9:37 pm
Same song 60th verse. We’re simply better.
BarrelOfRum
November 29th, 2009
10:11 pm
30-24: you are not better. you made zero contribution to last night’s game. you sat on your heine, and most likely only showed mobility when you stood up to find those nachos that slipped between the cracks of your sofa. you did nothing, just like i did nothing. you ought to try to accomplish something on your own.
this is a blog, so one would not expect a great deal of rational and intelligent debate. but the sheer childish antics here just make me even more proud to be a jacket.
Russ
November 29th, 2009
10:12 pm
South Carolina – Defense makes game saving play
Auburn – Defense stops potential game tying drve
Tech – Defense stops potential game winning drive
Three times this year the defense held on to win big rival games. Let’s give Martinez creddit when it is due. This is a good man that loves Georgia and is a credit to our school and the players love him. The great Erk Russell had a lousy defensive team prior to the 1975 junkyard dawgs. Be careful what you wish for. All you have to do is look at the debacle at Auburn.
Duke
November 29th, 2009
10:12 pm
GT07- you must be too young to remember, but when that scholar athlete Stephon Marbury announced he was going to Tech he declared he was signing with “Georgia Tech University”…..Suck on it Saint Simons…30-24
Brookhaven Bulldawg
November 29th, 2009
10:13 pm
GT ‘07 – Where are we ranked? Is that your defense against people talking trash? Tech is ranked 10, but consider the fact that you are playing in the ACC title game against Clemson, who also fell to an unranked SEC school. The SEC’s top 2 teams are ranked #1 and #2 in the nation. 3 of the games we lost were to ranked opponents in a rebuilding year. Take the lose with a little dignity. I’m not saying we would have had a better outcome, but I believe the Thanksgiving games proved which conference was dominant and therefore who plays a harder schedule. I am afraid with Aaron Murray waiting to get under center and all of our young talent you will not only lose again next year, but lose to a ranked opponent this time. Enjoy that Darth Vader cape big guy, and before you start going to the same old excuse of UGA being a dumb jock school, why don’t you check the entrance scores…we’re not far behind The North Ave Trade School for some programs, and exceed the numbers in others. I figured you would know that though, or at least could run the numbers on your calculator you keep stored in your shirt pocket.
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
10:18 pm
Yes, WE are better than you. I am better than you too.