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
Dave from GT
November 29th, 2009
12:26 am
No respect for Richt, keep the Criminole play out of the state of GA!!
Watch the slow motion on the Nesbitt hit. This is disgusting and has no place in the game !
This still doesn’t explain the inability to stop the run, and if that don’t get fixed, then next week will be a re-run.
Womack ranks right up there with Martinez. How many punts in that game??
GT better get back to basics, now that the offense is good, the defense needs an overhaulin’. Maybe Womack and Martinez should both be shipped out.
Tron5000
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
Came straight here when I got home from the game, so’s no one could call me out for not showing my face.
I’m embarrassed. That was exceptionally ridiculous. People talk about the dropped pass on 4th down, but it should not have come down to that.
Going for it on 4th down in the 1st half(which I endorse), you get a false start (which I discourage) followed by a shanked FG (which I deplore).
1st play of Jaybo’s first full (haha) series, you go deep pass. For real?
2 deep passes on 1st- and 2nd-and-10 at the end? Come on, man.
Tech has still had a great season, but I now have no defense against the UGA fans for the next 365 days. Dammit.
jojatek
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
Bottom line, Schultzie: The Dawgs punched us so hard that CPJ forgot to run our offense on that last series in the 4th quarter (sure, Bay-Bay dropped the pass, but he should never have been in that position on 4th down… we stick to our gameplan and, chances are, we win 31-30…). CPJ is “coach for life” if he wants it at Tech, but CMR showed Paul Johnson (and all of the folks in Bulldog nation who wanted CMR fired after one bad season) why he and Georgia are still the top football program in this state… period.
Hats-off to Richt and the Dawgs… that was a plain old, back-of-the-woodshed ass-whuppin’ on the ground… and a good reality check for CPJ and the boyz before they face Clemson (and a frustrated C.J. Spiller…) next week…
Go Jackets!!
Flo-Ri-Duh!
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
Tech will begin their whining eary tomorrow morning and the refs will be blamed for the loss . Tech couldn’t run the ball up the middle with Dwyer and UGA ran up the middle all night – that was the difference.
weston
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
((( 30-24 )))
There goes Caleb King again! TD GEORGIA
[LMAO]
Saint Simons
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
I need a hug right now. Coach Johnson can I hug you??
Right On Time
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
On my way to Tampa….who’s in?????
Saint Simons
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
See y’all in seven or eight years. Anyone need two tickets to the ACC title game?
Law Dawg
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
Now, now Mr. Schultz, is that the best you can do? You are about as “fair and balanced” as Faux News. I see that you mentioned the injury to Tech’s best player for the 2nd quarter. I didn’t see any mention that the Dawgs were without their best player for the entire game.
techsux
November 29th, 2009
12:27 am
maybe when we put in a weed eating major at tech, we could beat somebody that means something.
Tech sux, johnson sux, bey bey sux, i’m done…
bigdawg
November 29th, 2009
12:28 am
Hey, stop all the smack-talk. We (UGA) played as well as we have in two years against a quality opponent. Tech, you are a formidable opponent. I wish you all the best in Tampa and beyond. We’ll see you on the basketball court soon enough.
GT is a high school team
November 29th, 2009
12:28 am
Paul Johnson is a joke. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
The Grinch
November 29th, 2009
12:28 am
The SEC championship game: #1 Florida versus #2 Alabama
The ACC (almost competitive conference): no top 10 teams and both were defeated today by middle of the road SEC teams.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
12:28 am
Hey guys, nice win. How’s UGA 7 feeling?
georgia tech breakin necks
November 29th, 2009
12:28 am
that ok Georgia fan your still going to the sorry GAYLORD BOWL SUCKERS. In the words of the bad news bear just wait till next year where soon to be ACC CHAMPS and ORANGE BOWL WINNERS YOU GAYLORD FOCKERS
The Grinch
November 29th, 2009
12:28 am
To GT Joe
About as good as Boo Boo Thomas. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
San Francisco Dawg
November 29th, 2009
12:29 am
When Tech gets beat next week to Clemson and then gets slaughtered in thier bowl game, everything in this world will be back to normal with Tech being out of the top 25..
I love those Tech who now are complaining that the referee’s stole the game from them….such a bitter defeat…
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
12:29 am
SEC refs blow…
Big time?? Not
November 29th, 2009
12:29 am
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes. SWEET!!!!!!!
45ACP
November 29th, 2009
12:29 am
Good game Jackets. See ya next year.
Palmetto State Dawg
November 29th, 2009
12:29 am
Saint Simons, enjoy your crow! 30-24!!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! Best in the ACC loses to a “struggling” SEC team. LOL!! See you in Athens next year!
techsux
November 29th, 2009
12:29 am
who cares about acc…beat jawja… that’s all that matters
fire johnson now!
BitDawgBarking
November 29th, 2009
12:30 am
Every homeless person in Atlanta will have a brand new GT hat by tomorrow morning.
Joseph
November 29th, 2009
12:30 am
Dear Ace and Gary enjoy…well I have no idea what you would enjoy…Baby Jebus just rolled into town with a G on his onesie.
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
12:30 am
I hear Nashville is great this time of year… Good luck against Marist (the school in Dekalb county)
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
12:30 am
Boog — For the 10 millionth time — I just write columns. But if it makes you feel better to think I’m crying in my beer, have it. Fact it, I wish I had a beer right now. Maybe later. You buying?
Tron5000
November 29th, 2009
12:30 am
I already posted this, but it didn’t show up. Glad I copied it:
Came straight here when I got home from the game, so’s no one could call me out for not showing my face.
I’m embarrassed. That was exceptionally ridiculous. People talk about the dropped pass on 4th down, but it should not have come down to that.
Going for it on 4th down in the 1st half(which I endorse), you get a false start (which I discourage) followed by a shanked FG (which I deplore).
1st play of Jaybo’s first full (haha) series, you go deep pass. For real?
2 deep passes on 1st- and 2nd-and-10 at the end? Come on, man.
Tech has still had a great season, but I now have no defense against the UGA fans for the next 365 days. Dammit.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 29th, 2009
12:30 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FOREVER
georgia tech breakin necks
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
TO HELL WITH GEORGIA
The Grinch
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
okay tech fans, you’ll still win the ACC. you looked terrible tonight, but clemmons looked even worse. the rematch will generate a loooooooooooot of interest, right? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Floze
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
The paper will point to Thomas’s drop but what about Troup’s? That was a game changer as well – if it were caught.
techengineer
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
GT has got to have the most pathetic damn defense in the nation!! I’d take any MACs team D over Techs. There is no damn excuse for a defense to be that damn bad…
Paul "Little" Johnson
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
“Its Just another game guys”…NOT WHAT YOU SAID LAST YEAR BUDDY! Go back up north where you can win with that high school offense and JV defense.
Helluva Engineer
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
For the second consecutive year, the better team was beat today. Congrats to the U[sic]GA community – your dogs played brilliantly, and showed toughness – something that my Jackets could not match. The U[sic]GA fans were very classy, and the better team clearly won. Best of luck down the road, and we anxiously await a rematch in Athens next year. Cheers from the flats!
BE#3
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
So my Tech friends are now trying to come back with “Have fun in the Music City Bowl”. Where are they going to end up after losing to Clemson? If they allowed almost 400 yards to Ealey & King, how many yards will they allow Spiller to get?
DAWGS WIN!!!!!! AND THAT’S THE GOOD WORD!!!!!!
hollywood
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
Hey Schultz:
You owe the Bulldog nation an apology with your WRONG prediction earlier this year: Tech will beat GA!
Tech Buzz
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
I hope like hell that Dave Wommack does NOT have a job at Tech next year. I knew it would only be a matter of time before our piss poor defense got the best of us, and it happened tonight.
We had our chance to win the game, but Wommack doesn’t know how to put 8 men in the box, when EVERYBODY watching the game knows that Georgia won’t/can’t pass the freakin’ ball!!! Not that our 8 man defense would’ve stopped them anyway.
Point black, Georgia wanted it more–UNFORTUNATELY!!!!! Our whole damn team played like we played against Miami. I knew, I just freakin’ KNEW that after we beat DUke, won our division, and had TWO WEEKS OFF, that this would happen….NO sense of urgancy…..No heart……No will or desire to want to win!!!
Still love Tech, but DAMN, this was the year everyone EXPECTED us to beat UGA, what the hell happened?????
DeMarious "Opps"Thomas
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
I know how Jasper Sanks feells now
Joseph
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
Enjoy Bosie Ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
Scott — you’ll have to check with the ACC on that.
Pi$$onaJacket
November 29th, 2009
12:31 am
Over on the Hive, they are already wanting to fire Johnson. How quickly they turn.
GT Joe
November 29th, 2009
12:32 am
Who is UGA playing next weekend? LOL. Biggest UGA win in 3 years, congrats, sadly it doesn’t help your SEC position.
Deep South Dawg
November 29th, 2009
12:32 am
St Simons to makr your day even worse you were beat by a Willie Martinez’d coach defense!!!!! Fire.wilie.com!!! hahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaah((((((((((((((((((30-24))))))))))))))))))))))))biotc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Floze
November 29th, 2009
12:32 am
Where can I order my Ga state championship ring?
bigdawg
November 29th, 2009
12:32 am
jojatek: You read my mind. You (GT) had plenty of time to execute your offense, which we hadn’t really stopped in the second half. Once Walsh missed the FG, I figured the triple option would march down the field and break my heart with 10 seconds left. I don’t understand the pass-happy offense!?!
Dawg Days
November 29th, 2009
12:33 am
I just want to know where this Georgia team was hiding all season…
45ACP
November 29th, 2009
12:33 am
GT Joe – you have to know about all of the crap the Jacket fans have been on the Dawgs about.
You guys had bragging rights last year. It is a new year. GO DAWGS!
LJ of UGA
November 29th, 2009
12:33 am
“It’ll be a Tech feast. Jackets cover 7.” Nice pick, Jeff.
hollywood
November 29th, 2009
12:34 am
Put that score on your Senior Rings!
Pi$$onaJacket
November 29th, 2009
12:34 am
It must be so sad to be a tech fan and just know that you are going to lose most of the time.