We’re live from Tech, Jackets have chance to take charge
The Jackets need to wait another year for a BCS title shot, but not for bragging rights.
Welcome to Opportunity Night.
Georgia Tech’s ability to become a national program is dependent in part on the ACC’s ability to develop elite teams and elevate itself significantly higher than it has been this season. But the Yellow Jackets never will have a better opportunity to take hold of their local rivalry.
Georgia fans don’t want to hear that. They view the Jackets’ 45-42 win last season and their ensuing hedge assault in Athens as some sort of aberration. All evidence is to the contrary.
This season has confirmed what we suspected last season: Tech is a program on the rise and Georgia is the one sliding. The Jackets are scrambling to keep their head coach, Paul Johnson. Mark Richt is not in trouble at Georgia but is expected to make changes to his staff.
Even if Tech had beaten Miami earlier this season and was entering tonight’s game undefeated, there’s a pretty good chance it would rank no higher than fourth in the polls, behind Florida, Alabama and Texas. That’s because of perceptions of the ACC. The Jackets would be sitting in that cluster with TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State, screaming for a playoff.
But let’s focus on the local landscape for now. The Bulldogs won seven straight games in this series (2001-07) before last season, and 14 of the last 17. But what happened last season at Sanford Stadium was not a fluke. If the Jackets win tonight, it also won’t be a fluke (they’re favored by 7 1/2).
The 2010 season is months away. But Georgia probably will be starting a freshman quarterback and Tech will return Josh Nesbitt and a blur of running backs in an offense that just keeps getting better. If you had to guess right now, which school do you suppose is going to be favored when the teams meet again next season?
This is Tech’s chance. It is the cliche statement game. Nationally, the Jackets certainly can make this a special season and say something about the program by defeating Clemson in next week’s ACC championship game and then winning the Orange Bowl. But closer to home, this is their chance to take charge locally.
Tonight’s game comes down to one thing for me: I don’t think Georgia’s defense can stop the Tech offense. The Jackets’ have defensive liabilities but I don’t see the Bulldogs matching the Jackets when they have the ball.
Do you agree? Weigh in and I’ll be back shortly.
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1,373 comments Add your comment
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
7:34 pm
TechfFan– Sean McDonough and Matt Millen. Sean has a much better eye for talent.
Cuz
November 28th, 2009
7:34 pm
Flowery I would imagine Jaybo. Rene Curan puts on a mean lick.
Cuz
November 28th, 2009
7:35 pm
Wow, I am first on the second. What an honor.
GT For You And Me
November 28th, 2009
7:36 pm
25 minutes till toe meets leather!!!!!! Go Jackets…….
We're live from Tech, Jackets have chance to take charge | Jeff … | Georgia Today
November 28th, 2009
7:36 pm
[...] Original post: We're live from Tech, Jackets have chance to take charge | Jeff … [...]
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:36 pm
What’s a Bolerjack?
dagnabit
November 28th, 2009
7:37 pm
I want to see all the Jawja fans on this blog after the game.
Who's Your Daddy
November 28th, 2009
7:37 pm
Jeff,
Go wondering around the old Techwood Homes area. I hope you come up missing.
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:37 pm
Rennie also misses a lot. See Rocky Top and Bayou games.
Cuz
November 28th, 2009
7:38 pm
Oh well back to my homeboys.
Jackets, I will not wish you luck, saving that for next weekend. I do wish an injury free game and no personal fouls or late hits. A clean game and win or lose I will still be UGA, I expect the same of you.
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:39 pm
My God, just a 5th year senior. Look at the the anchovies falling from the sky.
Who's Your Daddy
November 28th, 2009
7:39 pm
Jeff,
Joe Hamilton the DUI guy who graduated from Tech but forgot to take a speech class.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 28th, 2009
7:39 pm
Wildcats just took a seven point lead over the Vols at the end of the first quarter.
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:40 pm
If Vespa sponsored a bowl game, would CMR let his boys go?
GT Fan
November 28th, 2009
7:41 pm
Jeff has PETA showed up yet?
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:42 pm
A.J Green not on the field YET is just another Richt “surprise”.
Who's Your Daddy
November 28th, 2009
7:42 pm
The key to stopping the triple option rest on the shoulders of the defensive tackles and you safeties. If Bryan Evan and Reshard Jones play their assignments and tackle, UGA will win.
Justafan
November 28th, 2009
7:43 pm
Al Gore has Green with him
Buckhead Bulldog
November 28th, 2009
7:43 pm
Baba…not cool!
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:44 pm
Yeah, and my skin was darker, I lost 40 pounds and had plastic surgery, Kim Kardashian may glance at me. WYD- my scenario is more likely.
45ACP
November 28th, 2009
7:46 pm
I like the Jackets and I like them to lose.
GO DAWGS!
TechFan
November 28th, 2009
7:46 pm
Playing the triple option also means that we will get man coverage in the secondary and D. Thomas could have a big game for the Jackets! Jackets win big. THWG!
Samantha
November 28th, 2009
7:47 pm
WHATS IS THE SCORE RIGHT NOW
Technophobia
November 28th, 2009
7:48 pm
Baba, I’m about 85% sure we’re in the West stands in Tampa.
Samantha
November 28th, 2009
7:48 pm
what is the score???????? GO DWAGS
Paul in RDU
November 28th, 2009
7:48 pm
Well – time to get the TV on, pour out a very dry English white wine, mix it with quinine water and add some ascorbic acid to prevent scurvey (that’s a G&T to you folks).
See you at the half.
Adam Chitwood
November 28th, 2009
7:48 pm
How do you get a UGA grad off your front porch? Easy! Just pay him for the pizza! GO JACKETS GO!
dogs choke
November 28th, 2009
7:49 pm
cuz and paddy, the dogs will hunker down and take a big ole pile of dog doo doo ..your fans will be calling for your coaches head. . i give it 3 to 4 hrs..you guys aren’t fooling anybody, temper headed dogpoopers just like the rest of your fans…no such thing as friendly fire, it is still fire, or should I say no such thing as odorless dopcr@p
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:49 pm
Thanks Techno. I just live across the state in Jupiter. Not a bad ride for me.
Justafan
November 28th, 2009
7:50 pm
yes 45acp its better to give than recieve. I pull for both teams during season but tonight GT has more to gain…go Jackets.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
November 28th, 2009
7:51 pm
Jeff … how’s the crowd? What percentage of gold vs. red?
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
7:52 pm
Who’s Your Daddy — Thanks for the love.
Not Disappointed!
November 28th, 2009
7:52 pm
Heading in side.
Ramblin Wreck!!
pilgrim
November 28th, 2009
7:53 pm
I have concerns. About Ealey. And Cox throwing deep. And that their thred is longer than this one.
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
7:53 pm
Baba — I plan to be breaking out all of those lines sometime soon.
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
7:53 pm
GT Fan — haven’t seen them. I guess Georgia snuck the Temp Uga in through the back door.
Meanwhile...line from tomorrow's AJC
November 28th, 2009
7:55 pm
I just saw a very interesting line from tomorrow’s paper. Not sure if it was written by Mark or Jeff, but it’s telling nonetheless:
After rushing for only 275 yards in the first half, Coach Paul Johnson finally relented and let the Tech offense play with the full contingent of 11 players in the second half.
Technophobia
November 28th, 2009
7:56 pm
Paul, that quinine in the tonic water provides some protection against Malaria. The British troops invented the G&T in India because of this.
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
7:57 pm
SEC officials for FSU @ UF and SEC officials for our game. What gives?
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
7:57 pm
45ACP — You’re on the record.
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
7:57 pm
Samantha — Still scoreless. But the Tech band is in field goal range.
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
7:59 pm
Flowery Branch — Early guess-timate: 7-1 Tech fans. Percentage of UGA fans not nearly as high as years past.
U-no
November 28th, 2009
8:00 pm
I sahll be in and out as I watch with family and friends on television tonight. Computer is in another room. Updates will be during some of the commercials. So far perfect in my weekend predictions.
U-no
November 28th, 2009
8:01 pm
Jeff, I still think 49-24 Tech. Second half it will be all Jackets.
Baba O'Riley
November 28th, 2009
8:02 pm
Sean mcdonough looks like Scott Hamilton
Harry Dawg
November 28th, 2009
8:02 pm
Don’t know how much of this game I’m going to watch…can’t we just get to the part where we fire Martinez? Please?!
Samantha
November 28th, 2009
8:02 pm
thanks what quarter? sorry it does not come on my t.v untill 8:07 lol
M Cook
November 28th, 2009
8:04 pm
Chuck Dowdell makes me sick.
Tech in a blow-out.
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
8:04 pm
For those who couldn’t see it, a very nice video tribute on scoreboard for the seniors.
Jeff Schultz
November 28th, 2009
8:05 pm
M Cook — Chuck’s a Bulldog and makes no apologies for it. By the way, also a really good guy.