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
ziggy
November 30th, 2009
10:26 am
You know the old saying about how you can call a penalty every play in football if you wanted to? You could literally call a chopblock every play against the Trade School if you wanted to. That’s the dirtiest scheme I’ve ever seen!!!!!
gdawginkalamzoo
November 30th, 2009
10:27 am
7-5 and ACC defacto champs. Now explain this to me bees. If the 3 point win you guys had last year was an a$$ whooping as most all of you “fans” have been saying for 365 days (minus 60 minutes) What was our 6 point win Saturday night?
415 yards of a$$whooping!!!
November 30th, 2009
10:29 am
Giving the nerds a piece of their own medicine!!! hahahahahahahahha!!!!
Lets be honest
November 30th, 2009
10:29 am
I TELL YA… THAT CPJ, HE IS A GENIOUS!! TECHIE IS ONE DIMENSIONAL. STOP THE OPTION. STOP TECHIE.
8 for 9 baby! Tech hasen’t won at home since the last MILLENNIUM… Literally. You Techies are pathetic fans. We own you!!! Let me say that again. WE OWN YOU!!!
30-24 BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
James T. Kirk
November 30th, 2009
10:30 am
If we had made more 3 pointers we would have won Saturday night
George Holman
November 30th, 2009
10:31 am
Clemson sends Ga Tech to the Gator Bowl on Saturday night.
Saint Johnson to lose Saintdom?
November 30th, 2009
10:31 am
Looks like the Tool Nation creamed their shorts prematurely as usual! LOL!!!
SAINT SIMONS..WHERE ARE YOU?!?!
November 30th, 2009
10:38 am
HAHAHAHAHAHA SAINT SIMONS……..WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!?!?!?!?(((30-24))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….WE RUN THIS STATE…339 YARDS RUSHING!!!HAHAHAHAH PATHETIC!!!
Saint Simons
November 30th, 2009
10:39 am
(((((30-24)))))HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Wahshaun Ealy is STILL RUNNING!!!!
uh, oh, Caleb King just scored…AGAIN!!!!!
GT fans enjoy it. Maybe next time your team wins you’re turd fans will have a little more class,and the classy GT fans will do a better job of policing their own.
Karma sux doesn’t it?!!
Saint Simons
November 30th, 2009
10:39 am
excuse me “your fans” not “you’re fans”
UGA
November 30th, 2009
10:42 am
FOR SALE BY OWNER: GEORGIA TECH
Please call the UGA athletic office to make a bid.
GO DAWGS!!
Missing in Action....
November 30th, 2009
10:44 am
Ramble On
Stinger
m
Saint Simons (the real one)
Pi$$ on a Dawg
Where have you all gone???!!!!
You know YELLOW is a very suitable color for all the COWARD GT fans like those listed above!!!
What a bunch of losers!!!!!
Enjoy 30-24
Enjoy “Washaun Ealy is STILL RUNNING”
Enjoy “Caleb King just scored again!”
Kendawg
November 30th, 2009
10:44 am
I can’t see Clemson beating Tech. Tech has a good team and a good coach in Paul Johnson. Is he the second coming of Bear Bryant, as some of the genius-like Atlanta Journal- Constitution writers have said earlier this season? I sincerely doubt it. And is it a fluke when the winning team runs for 339 yards and has to throw only 14 passes? Even a Tech graduate could figure that one out.
30-24 GO DAWGS
November 30th, 2009
10:45 am
HEY TECH FANS…. THIS GEORGIA TEAM IS THE WORST IN MARK RICHTS TENURE. 6-5 WITH UGLY LOSSES. A HORRID DEFENSE AND WE LOST OUR BEST PLAYER, AJ GREEN TO INJURY…. AND WE STILL BEAT YOU! LOL THAT’S HILARIOUS. YA’LL TALKED TOO MUCH TRASH THE PAST YEAR FOR YOUR AMAZING 3 POINT WIN, THEN HOW YOU WERE GOING TO SPANK US AT HOME. YA’LL LAUGHED WHEN OUR MASCOT AND PRIVATE FAMILY PET DIED AND WISHED FOR THE NEXT TO DIE TOO. YA’LL DESTROYED OUR FAMOUS HEDGES IN COWARDICE FASHION LAST YEAR. TIME FOR PAYBACK AZZHOLES! 30-24! SO LONG TOP TEN RANKING AND YOUR “STREAK” OVER GEORGIA. WE MAY BE IN A REBUILDING YEAR, BUT WE’RE STILL BETTER THAN A 10-1 TECH TEAM! HOW FITTING IS IT THAT THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS IS GOING TO INVOLVE TWO TEAMS THAT ARE COMING OFF LOSES TO MID-TIER SEC TEAMS!!! LOL SUCK IT GnaTs!
Johnny Test
November 30th, 2009
10:46 am
OBNOXIOUS… It is clear to see that 1. you are very immature and 2. This lose to the Dawgs is killing you. Glad it hurts so bad. Keep pretending like you got something that makes the hurt go away but you know you don’t. Wait till Clemson beats you. You can bet I’ll be pulling for them.
Johnny Test
November 30th, 2009
10:50 am
Tech is going to the Gator bowl….not the Orange bowl… Tech finishes 10 and 4.
30-24 GO DAWGS
November 30th, 2009
10:50 am
WHAT WAS THAT RUMBLE I JUST FELT GUYS? I THINK IT MUST HAVE BEEN ALL THE TECH FANS JUMPING OFF THE BANDWAGON! AHAHAHA 30-24 CHUMPS!
Atlanta Sports Fan
November 30th, 2009
10:52 am
Wish Tech were playing Boston College in the ACC CG.
I would enjoy the quiet of an empty stadium.
BUZZ
November 30th, 2009
11:02 am
Dear Tech fans,
Please thank your nice friends, aka Yellow Fuzz, Saint Simons, Ramble On and a few others for inflicting this pain on you.
Sincerely,
Buzz Lightyear
BYC
November 30th, 2009
11:10 am
One dropped easy pass away from an amazing comeback… good game overall. This must be exactly how Georgia felt last year.
The Bane of Saint Simons
November 30th, 2009
11:17 am
(((30-24))) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
THE DAWGS TOOK THE NERD HERD TO THE WOODSHED AGAIN!!!!
BACK TO MEDIOCRITY BOYS!!!
pb
November 30th, 2009
11:18 am
WHERE IS YELLOW FUZZ TODAY? Doesn’t have much to say now, does he? Serves him right, for trying to “dawg” UGA fans all season…
munsondawg
November 30th, 2009
11:21 am
Yellow Fuzz is still choking on the DAWGBONE that got shoved down his throat Sat. night.
30-24………………..GO DAWGS
Richard Bagge
November 30th, 2009
11:29 am
Honestly, Tech fans, the crow you’re getting now wouldn’t be quite so over-the-top had your supporters not acted like the most obnoxious boneheads on the internet for the last twelve months. Guarantee the only reason that “GT is a 4th rate high school team” and “30-24 GO DAWGS” and the like are haunting these posts and taunting is because they, like me, need something to do while we’re waiting for “saint Simons” and the like to man up and take their medicine.
johnny weissmuller
November 30th, 2009
11:29 am
Congrats UGA fans – Must admit this one cuts deep
….But I caution you about talking trash; it looks like you will be playing Va Tech in the Chick-fil-a bowl which won’t be an easy game.
Ending the season 7-6 with a loss to a ACC team with 3 losses won’t sting as much as us losing to you guys, but it will not be pretty for the bulldawg nation
johnny weissmuller
November 30th, 2009
11:32 am
Congrats UGA fans – Must admit this one stings
….But I caution you about talking trash; it looks like you will be playing Va Tech in the Chick-fil-a bowl which won’t be an easy game.
Ending the season 7-6 with a loss to a ACC team with 3 losses won’t sting as much as us losing to you guys, but it will not be pretty for the bulldawg nation
Thomas Hook
November 30th, 2009
11:33 am
congrats UGA we got whipped i said last year tech beat a better team and my how irony works figure doggies……..tech has less money inferior locker rooms and overall at a diadvantage but some how find a way to make you spoiled doggies backside tighen up late in most games must be a god send
Johnny Test
November 30th, 2009
11:39 am
Johnny W. Hey thanks for showing up and getting your medicine.. Sorry about all the trash talk but you guys earned it. Actually I wouldn’t mind playing Virginia Tech or Miami. If we play as well as we played against tech we can beat either of them.
tomhook
November 30th, 2009
11:39 am
for anyone out there to call tech a 4th rate high school team is saying you lost last year to a 4th rate team and had you doubts about 4th rate team this year so i guess you are just above a 4th rate team think about that
johnny weissmuller
November 30th, 2009
11:59 am
J. Test
You certainly have what it takes to win against Mia or VT; all I am saying is that it won’t be an easy contest like we were for LSU last year in the peach bowl
CMR really showed some class when we scolded the players for giving him a gatorade bath.
Good luck to you the rest of the way and congrats again
Tech82
November 30th, 2009
12:11 pm
Richard Bagge – I agree that there have been some obnoxious, moronic posters on these boards over the past year but they have represented BOTH schools. Yes, we (Tech) have St. Simons, m and the like who are a collective embarrassment to any real Tech fan but your post would suggest that we have been the only ones guilty of such nonsense which simply isn’t the case. There have been plenty of idiot dog fans posting here as well.
Congrats on a quality win Saturday.
Smyrntown is DUMB
November 30th, 2009
12:56 pm
Our win was not a fluke, we have beaten you idiots 8 out of the last 9. Your 1 victory last year, by 3 points, was a fluke.
Your a nerd, you should be able to see the trend here. 8 out of 9…
We OWN TECH All-time 60 to 37…DOMINATION!!!!
Tech Sux
November 30th, 2009
1:03 pm
Wow! That Bye-week paid huge dividends for the Nerd Herd!
WE OWN YOU!!! Another Win in Sanford South.
Stinger is FULL OF IT
November 30th, 2009
1:12 pm
You said…”This game meant nothing to us this year. We are going to the Orange Bowl and your weakass team is going to the Papa Johns Pizza Bowl. We were focusing on the Conference Championship match up with Clemson….”
Funny, in the last 3 Championship games we have played in, and 3 BCS Bowls we have been to, we still managed to maintain focus and beat the sh!t out of your sorry team.
Of course that is because UGA OWNS TECH! ALWAYS HAS, ALWAYS WILL!!
Pi$$onaJacket
November 30th, 2009
1:29 pm
30-24 is going to hurt for another 365 days. Eight out of nine is called total domination. On the tech campus, it’s called Dawg Envy.
I am glad to see that some of the tech fans that were throwing bottles got arrested by the GBI. How classless. TO HELL WITH TECH!
Dallas
November 30th, 2009
1:30 pm
Don’t forget—– Clemson lost to Tech at the first of the season–a few screwed up calls by the ref late didn’t help the Tigers, but payback will be tough.. GO Tigers!!!
sucks to be Tech
November 30th, 2009
1:33 pm
hahahahahha!!!!! Same ol’ story for the tools!!!
juvenal
November 30th, 2009
1:33 pm
under the previous coach, it felt hopeless-this year, there weren’t as many of them, & very little trash-talk b4 the game…talk is cheap, i’m tripling my AT…
j0sH neSbItT
November 30th, 2009
1:40 pm
s0rRy FaNz. I bEe leTtin’ yAlL d0wN dIs SaTuRdAy NiTe. We BeE pLaYiN hArD bUt wEeZ wAsNt rEaDy 4 A rEaL gAmEz AgAiNsT dEm. BuT d0nT yaLl woRrIes!!! wE bEe ReAdy 2 wInZ dA bEsT cOnFrAnCe TiTlE dIs wEeKeNdZ!!!
Who's your daddy!?!?!?!
November 30th, 2009
1:41 pm
Mark Richt is!!! 12-1 against the crappy ACC. Owned!!!!
there's always next year
November 30th, 2009
1:43 pm
Don’t worry bees. You have your ever consistent fallback moto of “wait til next year” you can always pull out!!! BAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
macfute
November 30th, 2009
1:46 pm
The real question is why didn’t Richt use a running attack before now. To my mind, PJ is a better coach but with a thinner roster. Tech should believe it is a better team than BOTH Clemson AND Georgia. Let’s wait and see what happens next year–even if more players declare early and hurt Tech’s chances. The puppies always overdo either way–win or lose.
BuzztheKiller
November 30th, 2009
2:16 pm
Tech got beat at its own game by an inferior team. It happens. It hurts, but what can you do but move on to the next game and be glad we have one (something UGA can’t say). The next two games could be for championships that come with a trophy, something that the UGA game does not. Top ten finish is still alive. And, most important, the ability to proudly say we are fans of Georgia Tech win or lose. Something most UGA fans don’t understand. That bandwagon rock with so many jumping on and off. Most of you clowns have not been on here this year. Enjoy Sat, the highlight of your season to beat a top ten team. Not often you can say that.
Mac
November 30th, 2009
2:16 pm
I think you can tell by the elementary school comments, that the georgia/Georgia Tech game means more to the Dawgs every year than it does to Tech. As Paul Johnson has already stated we have bigger fish to fry from year to year, than the lowly dawgs. Paul Johnson will have us winning a national championship, which I can say is more than Richt can do for the dawgs. National Championships are what count and the dawgs have not come close to sniffing one out, since they won in 1980. It is laughable that the dawgs continue to pull in 5 star recruits and still are a mediocre team.
Johnny Test
November 30th, 2009
2:27 pm
BUZ and Mac…. New tech excuse… we don’t care about the Dawgs.. we’re focused on championships… Right, You can’t beat the worst UGA team in 13 years with the best Tech team in 20. It is a darn good thing you play in the A-She-She conference. Otherwise you’d be 6 and 6. Glad it hurts so bad you pretend it doesn’t matter.
Tech Grad '97
November 30th, 2009
2:34 pm
As a proud Tech man, I’m ashamed and embarrassed by my program. I wasn’t excited about the prompt contract extensions with CPJ, and now it looks like we’re going to be stuck with him. There’s no reason in the world we should have lost to a lowly UGA team without their best player at home. And now Johnson is desperately running around bragging about his 4-2 record against the SEC since being at The Flats. 3 of the 4 wins came against horrible cellar dweller teams that weren’t/aren’t even bowl eligible!!!
Gee
November 30th, 2009
2:35 pm
When did Willie Martinez outcoach PJ? They are on diff. sides on the ball… Willies gameplan… Get Nesbitt out of the game so they dont score 40+ points on us. That was the gameplan on defense. It only worked while Nesbitt was in the locker room. Im pretty sure we scored every other time we had the ball minus one fumble. Now the defense is a diff. story… Yall executed a good gameplan. Dont pass the ball because your QB sux cox. Our defense is hurting since all our starters are playing in the NFL now. I think UGA fans call that… “Rebuilding Season” Oh yea… In a rebuilding season we still go to a championship game. Just imagine last years defense and this years offense… Game Over!
BuzztheKiller
November 30th, 2009
2:38 pm
Smyrntown is DUMB – you proved your ability to count- the official record is 60-39. Don’t even try the old WW2 story.
30-24
November 30th, 2009
2:39 pm
Ouch!!!!!
30-24
November 30th, 2009
2:39 pm
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