Can Georgia Tech avoid a Dog hangover against Clemson?
Paul Johnson's next challenge is helping Josh Nesbitt and others get past the loss to Georgia. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
Paul Johnson told everybody who would listen last week that the Georgia game would not define Georgia Tech’s season. Now all he has to do is convince his players.
The 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 teams, Tech and Clemson, coming off losses to pedestrian SEC teams. The ACC title game now matches No. 12 (Tech, which fell from seventh) vs. No. 25 (Clemson, which fell from 15th).
But the bigger issue for Johnson is making sure his players get past what just happened. This easily is the biggest defeat the Jackets must bounce back from since he took over. It’s bigger than last year’s loss at North Carolina, and the even the early season defeat at Miami.
Three years ago under Chan Gailey, the Jackets were 9-2, then collapsed and lost consecutive games to Georgia, Wake Forest (ACC title) and West Virginia (Gator Bowl) to close the season.
Asked about a potential hangover, Johnson said Sunday: “It’s always a concern. When you have a big game like that one and you come out on the wrong end, and certainly it was a game we all wanted to win and we took seriously, you have to turn the page. We talked about that for eight straight weeks [during a winning streak]. We talked about it in the locker room [Saturday] night. We have to move on. The regular season is over. We finished 10-2, and that’s better than a lot of people probably thought we could do. Now we have a chance to play for the conference championship. We’ve earned it. Now let’s go play.”
Those were the right words. We’ll find out about the actions soon enough. I’m inclined to think Tech will bounce back. Question: Are you confident the Jackets can avoid a collapse similar to the one we saw in 2006?
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565 comments Add your comment
Charlotte Dawg
November 29th, 2009
10:22 pm
I think I know where all the tech fans are: There is an episode of “Pimp my Calculator” on tRU channel.
Brunswick Marsh Dawg
November 29th, 2009
10:22 pm
(((((((((((((((30-24))))))))))))))) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Knight in Shinning Armor
November 29th, 2009
10:22 pm
SO, I’m glad so many of you TECH fans want to become FLORIDA fans. However, due to the large number of applicants we are no longer accepting applications. At this time we would like to ask you to keep your Gold & Blue colors, Yellow Jacket license plates & bumper stickers. Yes, it will be a long 365 days, but after 7 years of practice you should be used to it.
OldDawg
November 29th, 2009
10:22 pm
Well well, where do I start?
the delusions and rationalizations by the techies as to why the game didnt matter…..YEAH RIGHT!!!
The very weak ACC was exposed yesterday…BIG TIME!
Now techies (at least 5,000) will show up in Tampa for a totally meaningless so called championship game….in the words of Sara Palin…giving that trophy to tech or clempsum will be like putting lip stick on a hog!
That loud strange sound you heard yesterday and last night was the Orange Bowl committee and all of it’s sponsers groaning and puking un unison when they realized what they are stuck with!
We will not go to shreveport…but no matter…whereever we go will be better than what techies are used to…ie: the blue rug and emerald nut bowl! And rest assured where ever we go there will be more fans there than there will be at the Orange Bowl IF techies beat clempsum! and we will sell more than 241 tickets…sound familiar?
Now IF techies win the ACC so called championship game…they will play in their first major bowl in 43 years! IF you should win the Orange bowl (btw…you WONT beat Clempsum) then you will have the opportunity to win your FIRST major bowl game in 53 years!
In the meantime…your blogs will be blown up for the next 364 days…you can thank yellow fuzz, GT forever, Ramble On, m=idiot…thus hereafter referred to as midiot, PissOnADawg and your other fringe lunatic fans for that!
30-24…GLAD IT HURTS SO BAD
7 OUT OF 8
15 OUT OF 19
gt= UGA’S BIOTCHES
bees suck
November 29th, 2009
10:23 pm
30-24 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Get Real
November 29th, 2009
10:24 pm
Yech Nerd posing as Gator fan,
The “submit comment” button only needs to be chosen once. It does not have to be chosen a second time to post on the internet. Glad I could help you out on your foray into the world wide web…………..
GATORS OWN UGA
November 29th, 2009
10:24 pm
LOL LOL NOOOOO TECH fan just a pup hater..LOL LOL>..what was the Gator ugay score charlotte PUP…now say with me..UGA IS OWNED BY FLORIDA…come on charlottle luttle dawg…WHO OWNS THE DAWGS??? GATORS…Yes The 2009 National Champs….IT GREAT TO BE A GATOR….UGA LOL LOL bunch of toothless,classless IDIOTS…GOOOOOOOOOOOOO GATORS
LOL
dentaldawg
November 29th, 2009
10:25 pm
Why do ugly bald men always grow beards? I bet it scratches CPj when you kiss him too.
bees suck
November 29th, 2009
10:25 pm
And you Techies wonder why your receiver is not mentioned with AJ Green as one of the best in CFB. He can’t make the big play when it counts. 30-24 HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:26 pm
God, it hurts really bad. I just HATE it that all of the UGA players are rubbing my nose in it…. my turd-covered, smelly nose….
I’m watching ESPN right now, and all they EVER show are commercials and SEC teams! Why is that?
I can’t stand this pain.
Somebody please kill me.
UGADawg83
November 29th, 2009
10:28 pm
GT vs. CLEMSON
Two mules fighting over a turnip
Knight in Shinning Armor
November 29th, 2009
10:28 pm
SO, I’m glad so many of you TECH fans want to become FLORIDA fans. However, due to the large number of applicants we are no longer accepting applications. At this time we would like to ask you to keep your Gold & Blue colors, Yellow Jacket license plates & bumper stickers. Yes, it will be a long 365 days, but after 7 years of practice you should be used to it. (re-post)
Get Real
November 29th, 2009
10:29 pm
OldDawg,
Tell it like it is, brother. Did not know the nerds had not been to a major bowl in 43 years…….and no the Tangerine bowl (or whatever it was in 1990) against a weak azz Nebraska team does not count as a major bowl.
MiamiDawg
November 29th, 2009
10:29 pm
The SEC title game is the de facto nat’l championship, the ACC title game features a couple of second rate teams beaten by two SEC teams having subpar years…
Ok Nerds, what do you think this means for the Almost Competitive Conf???
By the way, are you losers going to get this score stamped onto your rings this year???
DAWG A
November 29th, 2009
10:30 pm
Last nights game proved that Tech is overrated, The coach is clueless and the gimmick offense is old news! Thanks CPJ for throwing deep three times last night!Your arrogance bit you in the backside this time! Your aloof attitude will get you run out of town even from a group of fans that don’t surface or care but every 7 or 8 years!
By the way…. I hear very little buzzing today! Sounds great!
stevesixty8
November 29th, 2009
10:30 pm
Oh, to Big Fat Lady with the bald-headed willie baby…the fat lady did sing. The name of the tune was “30-24.” And she’ll be singing it for the next year.
OldDawg
November 29th, 2009
10:31 pm
By the way….UGA….STATE CHAMPS…AGAIN….FOR 15 OF THE LAST 19 YEARS AND COUNTING!
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:31 pm
ACC thought it was pretty smart, bringing in VT and Miami in 2004. Thought they might turn it into a football powerhouse, compete with the SEC.
Look who’s crowing now…. BULLDOGS! It really, really hurts so bad!
Dang, hate this crappy conference! It shouldn’t be allowed to exist.
GATORS OWN UGA
November 29th, 2009
10:31 pm
COME ON PUPS yall aint answering..who OWNS YOU…FLORIDA…come on u can say it…u beat an acc school and talk BULL****…Cant WAIT untill Championship game…Yall watch and you will see a REAL footbll team….and BTW…yalls ass will be heading back to that sewer yall call athens with tail between legs..right after the game in Jax next year..you KNOW its coming…cant stop it…GO GATORS
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
10:32 pm
doggs, come back when you actually belong in your beloved sec, and can win an sec big game. remember that tech is acc which is advanced div 2.
Duke
November 29th, 2009
10:33 pm
Richt was serious as hell last night and stuck his foot up Paul Johnson’s butt…..Suck on it Saint Simons…30-24
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:34 pm
I’m just sick about this. SICK, SICK I tell you!
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:36 pm
This makes me want to lose my religion and become a homo. No, wait. I already am. Dang nerd brain, can’t remember a thing!
ACC?
November 29th, 2009
10:36 pm
Tech lost to UGa, clemson got blown out by usc—both teams will be flat for the title game. They may not have 25,000 people at this mediocre game. It will be a boring affair—I may not watch it.
International Crowd
November 29th, 2009
10:36 pm
WHERE IS SHREVEPORT anyway,
a third world country?
Do they have any Double Wides with a big G on the mailbox?
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
10:37 pm
gtu… consistently our b*tch since 1893. LMAO
OldDawg
November 29th, 2009
10:37 pm
I DO NOT CARE WHO YOUR TEAM IS…..fact…THE acc….BCS BOWL RECORD…2 WINS-9 LOSSES….BY FAR the worst of the 6 BCS conferences!
As of now there are 4 conferences that deserve an automatic BCS bid…ACC and Big L east are not one of the 4!
Should be SEC, Big Ten. Big 12, and PAC 10…then 4 at large births!
And IF that were the case this year the weak azz ACC would not get a BCS bid…PERIOD!
Duke
November 29th, 2009
10:37 pm
ACC = Absolutely Crappy Conference
GATORS OWN UGA
November 29th, 2009
10:37 pm
LOL LOL BUTT LICKERS …what was that score???? Hey its getting late gotta git…but Hey pups yall dont forget to brush your tooth…keep it clean for opening beer cans..and remember..FLORIDA OWNS YOU
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:38 pm
Another excellent point, OldDawg. Why didn’t I think of that?
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:40 pm
I think that the bowls should shed themselves of all affiliations, so that they could justify inviting SEC teams to ALL of the bowls on those years that they deserve it. (Which is every year, but keep it flexible so you can say it’s interesting.)
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:40 pm
Did I mention that I’m in pain here?
OldDawg
November 29th, 2009
10:41 pm
One more thing and i will check out for the night……and this is a VERY SERIOUS question…not making fun or throwing a barb……….
Has anyone that watches college football EVER seen a student section that is more nerdy and geeky looking than tech’s?
Didnt think so…i have not either!!!! One of the highlights watching the game last night was seeing a few of those ugly azz girls crying at the end!!!
GOOOOO DAWGS!!!
30-24
Techies sux…always have and always will!!!!
30-24 We're just better than you.
November 29th, 2009
10:42 pm
Thanks for continuing to come out and support the Dawgs gtu! We appreciate you coming and getting pimpslapped by us annually.
Duke
November 29th, 2009
10:42 pm
UGA’s Willie Outdistanced Tech’s Johnson….did not come up with that one myself but it is great….Suck on it Saint Simons…30-24
Fair and Balanced
November 29th, 2009
10:43 pm
Lets get this straight for once: It isn’t a rivalry until there is some back and forth on the winning and losing of the game. Tech does not take this seriously because they are resigned to losing (getting beat) to GA most of the time. Johnson concedes that winning the ACC is the no. 1 goal of the season. At GA, the no. 1 goal is to win a national championship, if you can’t do that, then win the SEC. If you don’t do that – win as many games as you can and the Tech game is the most important AFTER the FL game. GA usually looks to survive vs. Tech. This year Tech looked to survive GA. The rivalry isn’t back until the loss hurts worse than it does now. Johnson promised to bring back the rivalry. So far he hasn’t. Or has he? GA has to be pretty happy about this win in a bad season. Tech may be too use to losing to GA, but is probably lying to themselves about how bad this loss to the Dawgs hurts.
BamaBoy
November 29th, 2009
10:45 pm
hey gator come back after we beat yer ass next week so i can piss in your face
dont fret dawg fans we will destroy tebag and FU next week and all of the dumass gaturds will slink back off into obscurity
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:47 pm
Dang, Fair and Balanced, I SAID I was in pain! What more do you want? You have your pound of flesh. I bow to your greatness. What can I do to make you stop torturing me?
tech man
November 29th, 2009
10:48 pm
I think the Ga fans are happy that they beat a good team,after a bad year they have had and it wasn’t a blow away game at all. They won by six and almost lost that at the end.That is all they got!But Jhonson will have Tech ready to play Sat.I played for 5 years and you can’t always win them all.You have to shake it off and get focus and let Sat game go.
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:49 pm
That was your SERIOUS question, OldDawg?
Nate
November 29th, 2009
10:50 pm
I swear Saint Simmons is actually a dawg fan who just posts Tech crap so that when Tech does lose, the Dawgs have more to spew here on the Tech blogs….
SiddyBoy
November 29th, 2009
10:52 pm
Hey Rambling Man !!! The road to the national championship will be blocked in Athens for the nerds next year !!!
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:53 pm
You’re probably right, Nate. There are actually people who just say crap they don’t believe, or crap that they believe but they take it over the top — all to incite other people.
I don’t know any of these people. I just heard they exist.
30-24 GO DAWGS
November 29th, 2009
10:54 pm
HAHAHA TECHS GOLDEN BOY DWYER 33 YARDS TOTAL! STUFFED! GEORGIA HAD 2 BACKS WITH 160 PLUS YARDS! HAHA 30-24! OR SHOULD IT BE PUT (((((((((((((((30-24)))))))))))))))))))!!! HAHAHAHAHA CONGRATS ON YOUR ONE WIN “STREAK” THE WORLD WILL END BEFORE YOU GET TO BEAT GEORGIA AGAIN!
Ekim
November 29th, 2009
10:56 pm
Yeah, Dwyer ain’t all that. I’ll be glad when he skips his senior year for the NFL.
Up the gut!!! 30-24
November 29th, 2009
10:56 pm
The Georgia Bulldogs offensive line just beat the living daylights out of Tech’s defense. This just proves that the Yellow Jackettes were vastly overrated playing in a pansy conference no better than the WAC, MAC, Conference USA or the Mountain West. The Jackettes would be in 10th place in the SEC just above Vanderbilt and Miss. State who Tech struggled to beat!
The USA now knows that both Georgia and South Carolina are better than both of the ACC division champions. Now there is something for you termites to whine and cry about!
30-24 GO DAWGS
November 29th, 2009
10:57 pm
HOW DOES IT FEEL TECH TO HAVE THE WORST TEAM IN MARK RICHTS TENURE BEAT THE BEST TEAM TECH HAS HAD IN YEARS?!? WE SHUT DOWN YOUR BOY DWYER. DID YOU HEAR? 33 YARDS TOTAL! KING + EALEY=160 PLUS YARDS EACH! HAHAHA
6-5 GEORGIA > 10-1 TECH! LOL EVEN OUR WORST IS BETTER THAN YOUR BEST! CHEW ON THAT FOOLS!
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
10:57 pm
the road to nc doesn’t run through ga – runs through florida, bubbaboy. read g8r posts and believe
tech man
November 29th, 2009
10:58 pm
Hey SiddyBoy I don’t know if you understand this or not.YOU HAVE ONE GAME THAT YOU ARE HANGING ON TO. If that makes your world turn so be it.But that is very sad
Louis Skolnick
November 29th, 2009
11:01 pm
doggs you were living off your lucky charms. don’t get too warmed up over a dropped pass that saved your asses from another 365 days of embarassment over your boy willie.