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
Saint Simons
November 29th, 2009
12:10 am
hey tech fans, let’s drown our sorrows by going to the library and study. let’s study on how to effectively pass a football and how to beat the dawgs.
losers
UGA 30 – GT 24!!!
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
killerJ
November 29th, 2009
12:10 am
Well All I Can Say Its Still” 4 to 1″ Baby Pup Convict Nation.On To A Second Championship Game Since Your Last One ,As Usual Your Mouths Precede You.
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
12:10 am
GT Grad 84: HERE YA GO. UGA 30 Ga. (sucks) Tech 24.
Oh, yeah we knew the bowl talk would begin. Can’t wait till Tech finishes the season 10-4. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
GT Grad 84: Two words: King, Ealey. See ya next year. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Skydawg
November 29th, 2009
12:10 am
So the question must be asked. If two middle of the road SEC East teams (UGA and SC) beat their respective in state rivals, of which are ACC division winners, does that make UGA and SC co-ACC Champs? Or does UGA get ACC title outright due to UGA beating SC head to head. Yep..that sounds right.
The Dawgs are ACC Champs!!! Congrats Dawgs!
Paul Johnson
November 29th, 2009
12:11 am
Do I get an extension for coming close?
Motown Hound
November 29th, 2009
12:11 am
Maybe Georgia and South Carolina should Play for the ACC Championship!!
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
12:11 am
GT grad 84…
You get back to work washing the space suttle and bragging that you work for NASA with that bug yech degree.
Ya bum.
Andy Williams is a Dawg Fan
November 29th, 2009
12:11 am
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
With the Dawgs wreckin’ Tech and all the fine @$$ Red Hots leading the cheers!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
It’s the hap-happiest season of all
With those Dawgs givin’ beating to the Techies always cheating and I get to call all my Techie Nerd Friends and tell them to lick my b…..!
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
12:11 am
YEAH ACC CHAMPS. Georiga Bulldogs!
Hondo
November 29th, 2009
12:11 am
Nobody can beat the Johnson triple option, it is unbeatable! Johnson proved it at Georgfia Southern. That is true if you don’t follow Georgia Southern football. I am a Georgia Southern football fan.
Furry Foreigner
November 29th, 2009
12:11 am
The Tech AD has just told Paul Johnson his position has been outsourced to India.
Order has been restored by the Dawgs. It’s hard to beat a SEC team when you run a middle school offense.
Today’s results:
SEC 3 ACC 0
That says it all!
Yeah Right
November 29th, 2009
12:12 am
Yellow Fuzz
November 28th, 2009
10:11 am
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.5 straight days!
Ed
November 29th, 2009
12:12 am
Yes, the ACC sucks. However, when a Georgia win over an ACC team in a competitive game is cited as an example of how bad the ACC is…
Let’s just say it might be a sign that Georgia’s program has slipped a bit in recent years. 2010 is going to be an important season for UGA.
DawgsCRUSHJackets
November 29th, 2009
12:12 am
Martinez sucks and is going to get fired as DC at UGA and still beat the mighty GA. Tech offense. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!
Sanford Drive
November 29th, 2009
12:12 am
Ramble,
Class? You can’t be serious. You were a cancer on UGA blogs for an entire year. Don’t kid yourself.
boog
November 29th, 2009
12:12 am
Go cry in your beer Schultz. I know you just hate it. You want nothing more than for Tech to be percieved as a better program than UGA. Yet, Techs best team since Bobby Ross could not beat UGA’s worst team in 15 yrs. What does that tell you Schultz? Tech will never pass UGA…ever! No matter how bad you mediocre journalist at the AJC want to see it happen.
UGA VIII
November 29th, 2009
12:12 am
I am ready for next year. Bring it on. We got Idaho and army on our schedule. That’s at least 2 wins. Let’s keep Willie and Boblow and see what happens. 7-5 UGA team is awesome. Great year!
donster dawg
November 29th, 2009
12:12 am
With all disrespect due to S’AINT SIMON
30-24 hahahahahahahahahahahahaahahah….breath…hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…breath hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
GT is a high school team
November 29th, 2009
12:13 am
buwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Dave from UGA
November 29th, 2009
12:13 am
First, UGA can’t help that Nesbitt’s never been hit by an SEC player.
Neither Tech nor Clemson deserves to play in a BCS bowl, but rules are rules so one of you under achieving losers will be there.
Too bad USC and UGA can play for the ACC this year. It only seems fair.
Buckhead Bulldog
November 29th, 2009
12:13 am
I just watched the after game interview with Dwyer. That kid is all class, and calls it the way it is. He made zero excuses, and admitted Tech got beat up front. That is a special student/player that represents all that is Tech. Good guy!
Anyway, good luck Jackets in the ACCCG and your wondeful Bowl game…11-2 is pretty dang good for CPJ 2nd year.
To the classy Tech fans…sorry for the pain! We knew first hand last year so I know how y’all are felling. I do wish the classy Tech fans the very best of luck for the remainder of the year.
To the other not so classy Tech-tards, well_____ __. You can fill in the blank because you were so good at writing your smack the past 364. A special shout out to Yellow Fuzz, m, and Saint Simon.
Goooooo GEORGIA BULLDOGS!
DAWG A
November 29th, 2009
12:13 am
GT Grad 84………………… time to be quite for another 8 or 9 years! Say what you want but we beat you!!!!!!!!!! If I was you I would cut my computer off!!
yeller jax
November 29th, 2009
12:13 am
It was a great game. Well thought out game plan and you executed every bit of it. Congrats Dawg fans. Us GT fans still have the same old defensive woes and Wommack will be joining Gailey on that ole’ Greyhound. It simply came down the who had the last possesion, so i hardly call that a whipping. GT had their chances and simply ran out of time w/ a gimpy QB and some questionable play calling. Be Be Thomas owned your secondary but your running backs own the entire stadium. Glad that rivalry is back.
If you are TRULY a fan of the dawgs, you will acknowlege that GT is not a team you beat around anymore. You slip up one time and we’ll be back in it. A 6 point loss and a dropped bass on the final down of the drive sums it up. Great play by both offenses. Great play by one defense. That was the difference. W/ everyone coming back next year, don’t EVEN think that UGA will blow out GT. Fact is, as long as CPJ is coaching, this is going to be THE RIVALRY of the entire country for years to come. Proud to be a GT fan and live in the great state of UGA.
Big Hairy Dudads
November 29th, 2009
12:13 am
UGA took this game seriously and seriously spanked Paul and his Johnson.
DirtyDawg
November 29th, 2009
12:13 am
Hey Techies…it’s a pisser, ain’t it…just as I said it would be. And to make matters worse, ‘The Year of Living Arrogantly’ is, indeed, effin over. Seems I heard a voice from the past on that last ‘drive’ of yours (all those passes seemed to say that the ‘option genius’ on the sideline had decided that you couldn’t run on a Willie Martinez defense)…the voice I heard was one of a Tech announcer saying ‘Oh no…Auer, er Thomas, dropped the ball!’.
Now maybe you’ll get out of my face for a while. Oh yeah, good luck in that ACC thing…heh, heh, heh.
ctown dawg
November 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Hey schutz have and cpj stopped crying yet i told 2 months ago this was going to happen hahahahahahahah
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Ramble On….
Class???????
You bugger eating geek. You have talked more crap than anyone. Take yoru medicine you yechie.
Oh yeah, And we own you! I own you. Now clean my toilet you pukestick.
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Who’s Your Daddy — You’re mistaken, sir. I have no feelings.
BitDawgBarking
November 29th, 2009
12:14 am
Rashad Jones vindicated himself tonight. Great game Rashad.
Saint Simons
November 29th, 2009
12:14 am
it’’s 12:15AM and Caleb King and Waushaun Ealey is still running.
http://www.firepauljohnson.com
flagboy?
November 29th, 2009
12:15 am
Nice season for tech. I was impressed, as usual, with Nesbitt. To come back out after the injury. . . well, if he hadn’t come back out, that game wouldn’t have been close. I remember on this board a little over a year ago when people were calling for Shaw over Nesbitt. If Shaw ran that offense, you’d be toast.
Limelight, i know you’re at the game, but i remember last week when i said the team with the least amount of turnovers would win. . . just happened to be us tonight.
Also tech fans. . . . what were your feelings about all the pass plays on the last drive? I thought tech was in good position.
Reggie Ball = Josh Nesbitt
November 29th, 2009
12:15 am
Rumor is that Reggie Ball cell phoned in and told Josh that Odell was playing, man, did he get out of there quick. Somebody, must have called the locker room to tell them ol’ 33 was playing in the UFL, not the SEC anymore. I’ve never seen an ankle heal so quickly, but it was enough!
Saint UGAVII
November 29th, 2009
12:15 am
Good luck next week…playing for 4th in the SEC East!
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Sanford Drive
November 29th, 2009
12:15 am
I still say we suck as a team and school. Now, let’s get ready for a showdown with DUKE, or WAKE or NC. Now, that’s a bowl game that the entire nation will be watching. When is it played? Is it on 12/7/09? LMFAO!
Yeah Right
November 29th, 2009
12:15 am
Yellow Fuzz
November 28th, 2009
1:15 pm
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
georgia = Tech’s bitch for 364.75 straight days!
uga1989
November 29th, 2009
12:16 am
C’mere, Tech fans. I’ll be your buddy. Just keep saying this to yourselves, real quiet like: “This game doesn’t define our season, this game doesn’t define our season, this game doesn’t define our season.” There ya go! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!! 30-24!!!
Big Hairy Dudads
November 29th, 2009
12:16 am
If you are TRULY a fan of the dawgs, you will acknowlege that GT is not a team you beat around anymore.
hahahahaha. Dude you are kidding. This was a GA team with the worst record in forever….The Dawg nation is pissed enough to fire both co ordinators. GT has one loss, coming off a bye and gets taken out of its game….This is as bad a UGA defense as we’ve had in 3-4 decades and you lost….
Oh and UGA’s best player did not play. Nuff said.
CBB1
November 29th, 2009
12:16 am
Hey GT Grad 84,
How many BCS Bowls has GA Tech played in? That’s what I thought, 0!!! We have played in 3 since 2001 and are 2-1. You have to beat Clemson next week to make it to your FIRST BCS Bowl. You could end up in the Music City Bowl or Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Clemson got waxed by South Carolina today who UGA has owned. I wouldn’t book my flight to Miami just yet if I were you. Delta charges $75 to change a flight.
Buzzkill
November 29th, 2009
12:16 am
ok i know that you have seen this hundreds of time nerds so ……..here is 101
30 – 24 , hahahahahahahahahahaha, that ring does have another side engrave that losers
Garrett
November 29th, 2009
12:16 am
St. Simons..how about 30-24 for 364 days out of the year. Go back to building robots NERD! Order is restored back in the state! Go Dawgs!
Motown Hound
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
The ACC Championship game is called off due to no-interest. Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!
robbie
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
FSU& Miami, were national championship contenders every year until they joined the ACC. since then they have played down to the competition. GT don’t you wish B.Dodd hadn’t gotten you out of the SEC? UGA, usc, and uf showed how weak your conference is.
30-24. GO DAWGS!!!!!!!
amarillo dawg
yeller jax
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
If GT is a high school team, the UGA is a division III school b/c you only beat us by 6 w/ the team driving and only to drop the ball on their won merit. WOW! Please continue to cheapen you knowledge about football. That was a great game and won by the team who executed better. Not b/c GT is a high school team. Top 10 high school team huh? Well, top 15 maybe. WTF! THis blog makes me puke. Most of you are in your teens and early 20’s and have no respect for each other. I’m no longer participating in this blob b/c of the lack of respect and class from BOTH fan bases. Pathetic
GT is a high school team
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
UGA and South Carolina for ACC Championship. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
Woof, woof, woof — Pretty funny.
Mike T.
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
42-45 a fluke!!!! 30-24 yeah baby!!1
UGAFan
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
@Ramble on Let me help you with a short lesson on class. Example post: Congrats Georgia with your win. Best of luck in your Bowl game.
scott
November 29th, 2009
12:17 am
Hey Shultz, are tickets free to the ACC title game? HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
U Atlanta HOMER, Nerds lost to a bad team, its is awesome!!!!
Pauly Johnson is screwed!
November 29th, 2009
12:18 am
Ga. Tech coach: Georgia just another game from the AP
“I know the game is important,” Johnson said Tuesday. “But honestly, I get ready for this game the same way I do every other game. It is not the end-all, do-all for our football program to beat Georgia. I certainly want to win our share of games against them. They’re in the state. I understand all that. But it’s not going to define our year if we beat Georgia. I’m trying to build a football program here.”
In order to BUILD A PROGRAM you need to beat your in state rival on a regular basis…RETARD!
Michael McClure
November 29th, 2009
12:18 am
Hey Saint Simons maybe you had better leave Atlanta. We’re tired of your mail and shallow crap. Loser…period.