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
Rob2595
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
Good game Tech fans. Tough loss but I think most of you failed to realize that UGA is still really talented and that loss to Kentucky probably hurt you more Murray and rumor has it the DC is Tuberville.
Diggity Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
bluecole
November 28th, 2009
11:47 pm
And where are you playing Dec. 5th? Thought so. . . . .
And all the Techies down in Techwood cried Boo hoo hoo hoo.
SouthernTown Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
Well, just proves that Jeff is brilliant …. NOT.
St Simmons, don’t jump off of a bridge …. causes pollution. Jump into a Trash Dump, you will fit right in.
Go Dawgs!
Cuz
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
Ramble, you can take it. Come on your blog and admit your team lost.
charles
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
OVERATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OVERATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OVERATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rick from Rome
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
THWGT…….Them DAWGS just rolled into your home field(all 53,000 seats-what a joke!) and smacked you techies in the mouth, stole your lunch money, and took back the state title. Sorry jackets but you lose again to those mighty DAWGS. Dawgs Win, Dawgs Win, Dawgs Win. 30-24….hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Top Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
THIS JUST IN: The ACC Executive Committee has just named UGA and South Carolina as Honorable ACC Co-Champs for 2009.
jimmy miller
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
keith richards rules
Pay Attention
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
Apparently, you learned nothing from the Clemson/S Car game earlier. UGA didn’t need to get better. They were missing two key players (the entire game). They just needed to play an ACC team. Meanwhile, you’re waiting for lightning to strike twice.
Hollywooddawg
November 28th, 2009
11:57 pm
We shoved the nerds back in the locker — and with A.J. on the sideline!
30-24!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brunswick
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
We may not be playing next week, but we’ll still be celebrating 30-24!!!!!
Glad it hurts SO GOOD!!!!
BTW, Washaun Ealy is STILL running!!!
45ACP
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
Who’s your DADDY??????????????
MiamiDawg
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
Nice game bugs…. for us that is.
Seriously, not a bad night, we say say good night to martinez, bobo, and our idiot qb, at 7-5 we win the ACC, aaaaaaaaaannnnd we squash the bugs reason for fielding a team.
All isn’t right in UGAville, but still, one little, and i do mean little, piece is back where it belongs.
Crawl back under your rock nerds. Beat you next year and for seven or so more after that.
techsux
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
I’m done….tech sucks…until we put in a weed eating major, ga will have the best team.
Cuz
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
This just in. A red and black tidal wave just wiped out the island formerly known as St. Simons.
Top Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
Suck on that, Shultz.
Doug
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
30-24 its nice to see other teams dropping passes.
John Smith
November 28th, 2009
11:58 pm
Tech’s linebackers lost that game. Georgia played smart, but they shouldn’t get too excited. Few teams have such poor run support from the backers. Why I am the only one who is talking about the dismal backer play?
NV Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
Lol at the bugs. Probably their best season since their last (shared) national championship, they’re ranked #7 and they can’t even beat a bottom feeder UGA team that’s the worst UGA team in 8 or 9 years. Pitiful. The ACC in general is pitiful, the 2 teams that will be playing for the ACC championship next week lost this weekend to worse than mediocre SEC teams. I love it!
I thought UGA’s defense was bad this year but that GT defense is even worse. Willie Martinez may be available for next season Techies, you should go after him because apparently he may be an improvement over what you have now.
GT Grad 84:
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
Nice win to UGA. Well deserved! However, you are playing in the papajohns bowl and we are playing for a chance to play in the Orange Bowl. Your team owns us like UF owns your team. Good luck beating Duke, NC or Florida State.
GA DAWG
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
That was pretty easy. Hey Clemson, just run it down the middle. Simple eye formation. It’s good for at least 5 yards a carry. In fact, you can put your true freshman running back in, just like we did. I’d wish you good luck, but you don’t need it. Tech kinda sucks ass. GO DAWGS!
Bulldog34
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
How ’bout them Dawgs! Russ is now undefeated, untied and undedied!!!!!
PAUL HAS A SMALL JOHNSON
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
IM GREAT
I BEAT WILLIE MARTINEZ LAST YEAR
I WON A NAVY WITH TRIPLE OPTION MIDDLE SCHOOL VEER
IM THE BEST COACH IN THE NATION
IM A WINNER IN THE BEST CONFERENCE IN THE NATION
u Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
JUST FOR Ahole SAINT SIMONS Dawgs 30, Bugs 24……8 of 9…. and hoefully you’ll lose next week and miss out on the BCS……enjoy…….
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Diggity Dawg
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
“Thanks Georgia; your the scrimmage we needed to get ready for the big games.”
Hey WW — That was AWESOME!!! The ACC has “big games.” Yeah.
GT Grad 84:
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
Hopefully you will keep willie and boblow now. That would be great!
Cuz
November 28th, 2009
11:59 pm
I had to change hats five times. This was a tough game.
Krebs
November 29th, 2009
12:00 am
The ACC have a few good teams and the rest are JV level. The ACC got humiliated today. Bobby Bowden needs to pack up his metamucil and retire. Even though Tech lost tonight they look like a real team compared to the other circus acts. Georgia just whipped a sloppy Tech team tonight. You can get a false sense of confidence when you play Duke and Wake. Tech fans I hope you are not delusional enough to think you can just walk onto the field and beat any SEC team now. If you do you need help.
jimmy miller
November 29th, 2009
12:00 am
ronnie wood used to bathe uga
Hob nob boot?
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
Wow, if beating Tech saves your season, you’re more pathetic then I thought. You’d think GA was going to a REAL bowl game after this….Just remember that it gets COLD in Shreveport, suckers.
PAUL HAS A SMALL JOHNSON
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
NESBITY FOR HEISMAN
BLAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
WERE IN POSITION TO PLAY FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE
BLHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
BugKiller
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
Welcome to the ACC Championship, where the two teams lost the week before to two thoroughly mediocre SEC teams.
The ACC: Where Mediocrity Happens
The ACC: Where Our Champion Would Be 5-7 in the SEC.
The ACC: Where WILLIE MARTINEZ is a defensive GENIUS.
The ACC: Where Joe Cox would be the best QB in our league.
The ACC: We Play Football?
Ghost of Saint Simons
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
Goodbye. I just blew my pimple-covered head off.
CT_Jacket
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
First, let me, as much as I hate to do it, congratulate Georgia on an excellent game plan and execution. They kept the Tech offense off the field and were more physical than GT up front. I will say that the Nesbitt injury was huge but Shaw should have played better in reserve. I wish Thomas would have caught that last pass so that we could have had a more exciting ending.
Georgia didn’t commit the turnovers and commit the penalties that had killed them all year. If they had played like that all year, they would have won a lot more.
Second, I’m tired of Tech’s defense being so mediocre. The offense has protected it as much as possible, but when the offense isn’t clicking, the defense blows it. Their big stops have been against average offenses.
Third, hopefully people like m, St. Simons, etc. would STFU and stop talking cr*p when they have nothing to do with what happens on the field. If you love Paul Johnson so much, take a page out of his book and be proud but humble.
gt97
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
Darn…I did not know this meant so much to the pups! Any way, my team lost, it sucked, but it still does not change the fact that I go to work on Monday. I think I will fire a UGA alum for the hell of it, and I have one in mind..
GT Grad 84:
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
Hey udawg: Rather lose to Clemson and be 10-3 and play in the Gator bowl, than play NC, DUKE or Fla. State in the pizza bowl.
SAINT SIMONS DOES M
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
THANK GOD AND GREYHOUND I CAN GO BACK TO MOM’S BASEMENT
Saint Simons
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
Wait, is that Caleb king or Waushan Ealey still running around GT?
HungryDawg
November 29th, 2009
12:01 am
LOL!!! Wait, wait, let me get this straight. Yech WAS ranked 7th in the nation. Divisional title in the ACC. Two weeks to prepare. Playing at home and UGA didn’t have their best player and the Tools still lost!?!?!?! BAWHWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA!!!!
Herschel Talker
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
SAINT SIMONS
RAMBLE ON!!!
M
OLD GOLD
YELLOW FUZZ
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EXCUSES!
Saint Dawg
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
30-24 hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahh
Eat some Crow Saint Simons you Bizzzzznitch
we r georgia
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
ok georgia fans, bee nice.
Motown Hound
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
SEC Owns ACC Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha can not believe that we have completely humiliated your championship game YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PAUL HAS A SMALL JOHNSON
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
HEY WE WERE UPI CHUMPIONS IN 1990
WE ARE BETTER THAN GA
Einstein
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
How smart ya feel now A-holes? LMAO!
tech is a mediocre team of a mediocre conf
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
saint simons, eat this (((((((30-24)))))))))!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You suck.
nerple
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
Nothing is more pleasing than seeing 400 littered with brand new Tech car flags all over it
Paul H
November 29th, 2009
12:02 am
((((((((0-3 vs SEC today)))))))) hahahahahahahahahaha
So SWEET!
November 29th, 2009
12:03 am
Good thing this game doesn’t “define” a season.
I love that the yellow skuzz talked about a changing of the guard and then this happened!
Couldn’t be happier!!
GO DAWGS!!!
How bout dem Dawgs
November 29th, 2009
12:03 am
I want to remind all the nerds that is what you get for going and buying a ring for winning last year like it was a Championship Game…..Go home put that on and think of what might have been if you didnt Pull that stunt…ACC IS A JOKE…Looks at the Chick-fil-a Bowl last year….