LIVE: Bulldogs, Jackets vie for more than bragging rights
The early scene from Sanford Stadium, site for the final regular season game for Georgia and Tech.
ATHENS — Good morning. Before we get to the game, I have a small request: Let’s be civil.
I understand emotions (and beer) often cause sports fans to jump the rails a little bit. Because we will have both Georgia and Georgia Tech fans on this blog, the chance for a verbal inferno becomes even greater.
But the same rules apply: no profanity, no profanity that is cleverly disguised with punctuation marks, no racist comments, no sexual innuendo, no stealing of screen names to give the impression that somebody wrote something when they really didn’t, no … well, you get the idea. You can praise, mock, laud and criticize all you like. But let me share something an old editor of mine once told me: If you have to ask, “Can I write this?” the answer is probably no.
Fair enough?
OK, onto the game. Georgia and Georgia Tech is, first and foremost, always about 364 days of bragging rights. But it’s so much more than that today.
– Georgia needs a win to keep hopes alive for a berth in the BCS title. That’s also contingent on the Bulldogs upsetting Alabama in the SEC championship game next week. The Dogs would still play for the conference title even if they were to be upset by the Jackets. But obviously a lot of steam would come out of the game, and certainly it would deflate the fan base.
– Georgia Tech needs a win for a credibility boost and, in that sense. It also would give Jackets fans some hope for the ACC championship game against Florida State and/or a better bowl game. Tech has won three straight. But it has been a largely rocky season and they slipped into the Coastal Division title and a conference championship berth through the backdoor, benefiting from Miami’s decision to bow out in hopes of minimizing expected NCAA sanctions.
Georgia fans have reason to be concerned: Even though the Dogs have shown themselves to be the better and more talented team, there’s a possibility of players being distracted by all of the SEC and BCS talk.
Georgia Tech fans have reason to be concerned: Even with the late-season bounce back and the added skills that quarterback Vad Lee brings to the lineup, the Jackets’ defense hasn’t stopped anybody. Georgia has a balanced offense led by quarterback Aaron Murray (12 touchdowns, zero interceptions since the fourth quarter against Florida) and freshman running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall.
Bottom line: This is a rivalry game, and strange things often occur in rivalry games. At the risk of sounding cliche, I suspect Tech’s best chance to win today will be based on turnovers and winning the special teams battle. Georgia probably also doesn’t want to get into a scoring battle (as was the case in 2008, when the Jackets won 45-42). Red zone production is key for both teams.
That’s it for now. Have fun all. I’m here to serve.
And with that, the cyber venting lines are open.
By Jeff Schultz
Post-Thanksgiving blog blowout sale
• Upsetting Georgia would give Tech needed boost for future
• Weekend Predictions: Georgia will win on Red-and-Black-Saturday
• Vince Dooley: Joy from Georgia’s resurgence, pain from son’s firing
• Wonder why SEC is on top? Look at other conference finals
• Falcons win — but run before somebody changes their mind
• Short takes: Ryan awful, defense great, win important
• Georgia’s new reality: From on the brink to BCS title possibility
• Upsets launch Georgia into BCS title picture (updated game column)
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1,171 comments Add your comment
ryan
November 24th, 2012
3:26 pm
Go Dawgs we are one win away to the BCS title not going to talk trash to Tech fans just going to enjoy this moment one win away fellas GO DAWGS !
RJ1
November 24th, 2012
3:26 pm
Congrats, Dawgs, on a beautifully played game! Best I’ve seen in ages.
Glory, glory to old Georgia …
BuzzMan
November 24th, 2012
3:27 pm
Coach Johnson, you show no leadership or motivation capabilities on the field. These are young men that need motivation. You are the most negative leader I have ever seen. I have bought my last GT ticket and made my last contribution to the Alumni Association until you are gone. The team under your lack of leadership has gotten worse and worse every year. You were only lucky that you had the Gailey recruits when you first arrived. The true measure of a coach is shown by how the team progresses year after year. You have failed miserably. Please save a proud University the pain of another year under your lack of leadership – step down now!!
Cause
November 24th, 2012
3:29 pm
5150
For
Unlawful
Carnel of
Knowledge
U tool.
The big question
November 24th, 2012
3:29 pm
Go Florida State…..we started the humiliation you can finish it
Eric C.
November 24th, 2012
3:29 pm
Disagreed with Mark May about pulling starters sooner…did he see how bad the back-ups looked?
UGA OWNS gtu
November 24th, 2012
3:31 pm
We run this state!!!
gtu is a PATHETIC excuse for a team. We’d have more of a challege playing Valdosta State than PATHETIC gtu.
We’re simply better than gtu. Always.
Blaster
November 24th, 2012
3:32 pm
Everything is good! My Tech +50 held up after all.
Erk Russell's Dog
November 24th, 2012
3:33 pm
Enter your comments here
@GT Bob
My mistake Samuel would be Tech’s starting Middle Linebacker ,Lord knows Tech needs one.
Bob from Cobb
November 24th, 2012
3:33 pm
That was a FUGLY GAME! FOUR TIMES UGLY! Hey Coach P.J. How’s that Triple Option,ball control offense working out for ya’? Georgia 42. Georgia Tech 10. Tech FINALLY scores a T.D. late in the game. Nothing like watching Tech running the ball with time left in the third quarter and KNOWING there was no chance in the world they could catch the Dogs. Coach Johnson. Maybe there is an opening for you at one of the other Service Academies. You are NOT a head coach for Division I Football.
Burdell
November 24th, 2012
3:33 pm
Once again we got our AZZZES handed to us. The talent level is so obvious even a UGA fan can see it. It’s going to be like this until we get a “retard” major and can recruit the same talent as the factories. Don’t give me the Stanford and Notre Dame argument either. They have “urban studies” majors and programs that require very little if any math. Not an excuse, just a fact. We will never beat the mutts on a regular basis until we let that caliber of student in. The sad thing for the mutts is, they will let anybody in if they’re good enough and STILL can’t win anything important!!
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:34 pm
“He isn’t a very good runner”"
HA! He took it 80 yards against you guys! He would START and LEAD at GT. Who leads at GT? Tev? Vad? Johnson even? You have no idea.
TripleFloption!
November 24th, 2012
3:35 pm
LOL, you know you’re a Tech fan when you always say, “there is always next year”. Have you nerds finally gotten over that 2008 fluke win with Chan Gailey’s players? Georgia Southern gave us a better fight with the triple floption than Tech. Since you Tech fans are so smart, please explain to me how Paul “Small” Johnson is a genius, because I haven’t figured it out yet? He has never won a bowl game, has only beaten VT, UGA, and Miami once, yet he is a genius? It never gets old beating you nerds!
Iluvnutella
November 24th, 2012
3:35 pm
Pathetic…..in every sense of the word. No excuse/ no high road/ no better than thou reason for what happened over there. CPJ is TOTALLY to blame. Millions of dollars a year to get a team ready, and this was the best product he could put on the field?
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:36 pm
@Burdell: Have you tightened your standards? Because I remember Tech competing.
Bobby
November 24th, 2012
3:39 pm
Hopefully the GT band will sit theirselves along with the FSU band next week and cheer against CPJ. This was a totally disgrace. No wonder DRad left suddenly as AD. He obviously saw what was coming down the field.
rm
November 24th, 2012
3:39 pm
@Burdell…whatever helps you deal with all the losing my friend.
hill.billy
November 24th, 2012
3:39 pm
shocking. the team with no academic standards, 20 4 star-plus athletes, the all-in culture, and a semblance of a defense. color me shocked.
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:40 pm
ALL POINTS BULLETIN:
GTBob is missing in action. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of a GTBob , contact http://www.wesuckandweknowit.com
Vince
November 24th, 2012
3:41 pm
Even though I am an Atlanta native and didn’t attend either Tech or UGA (Emory grad), it’s guys like Leghumpers Ahoy (at 3:07) and Burdell (at 3:33) that make me ALWAYS pull for UGA to beat Tech. They even make me pull against Tech regardless of who they play.
GTBob
November 24th, 2012
3:41 pm
He has never won a bowl game, has only beaten VT, UGA, and Miami once, yet he is a genius?
UGA fans are the only one who seem to think he is a genius.
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:44 pm
Pure genius. I’m sue UGA could work out a deal where we pay the boy’s salary.
Burdell
November 24th, 2012
3:45 pm
@DantheMan: No we haven’t tightened our standards, most everybody else has loosened theirs. I won’t argue that that is the only reason we are so bad, lord knows there are plenty of others, but face it, most of the best athletes don’t go to UGA or BAMA or LSU with anything other than going pro on their minds. The thought of having to take calculus isn’t very appealing when you are only there waiting for the draft!! You don’t think 3/4 of UGA’s starters would be admitted if they didn’t play football do you?
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:49 pm
Burdell: provide EVIDENCE that UGA has “loosened” standards and you win. You can’t do it. News flash: I DIDN”T TAKE CALCULUS! I am doing doing just fine. Everyone has gifts. Everyone has a calling. I think you are making excuses.
Joseph
November 24th, 2012
3:52 pm
Noticed two big facts today the little I watched of this boring game. GT is undersized and outclassed. UGA made a lot of dirty thuggish plays that should have been penalties. Bad playing undersized boys have no chance against thugs. Looking at stats, surprised GT didnt put up at least 30 points though. Glad I didnt watch much of the game. yawn….
CigarDawg
November 24th, 2012
3:52 pm
Congratulations, Dawgs
Now go beat Bama!
CigarDawg
November 24th, 2012
3:54 pm
Joseph,
Sour grapes make for a bitter whine. Why not show some sportsmanship instead?
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:55 pm
Go back to bed, Joseph. There is no penalty for body slamming, pile driving tackles. Tech got abused, I admit, but THAT IS FOOTBALL.
ramguy68
November 24th, 2012
3:56 pm
@Fladawg 3:23 pm
Ramguy 68… I am a dawg fan but I would be willing to bet, without looking it up, you don’t even know what a chop block is. You have heard and read it and that is all.
Well you couldn’t be more wrong…unlike you I don’t get all my sports info from the Sports Reporters on Sunday morning. If you are such a Dawg fan you would know what a chopblock is. It has been explained in detail over and over since CPJ started at Tech. I had to go back and read my post to make sure I stated it was UGA player that got hurt. Go pick a fight with someone else. Then again that’s ok, you’re probably doing the best you can. If you could do any better you would.
air of mendacity
November 24th, 2012
3:56 pm
Burdell – the sad fact is that Vandy could wax Tech – that was a pathetic showing today and the Tech cheap shots at players knees make it worse. Tech man – my a**. From an Emory man.
Sierra Dawg
November 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
So the Jackets’ football team are better students than ballers? Is that the gist of what I’m reading in the wake of ANOTHER humiliation by UGA? OK, that much was self-evident today – I’ll buy it. My question is, if academics and ethics is where you wanna hang your hat (on a football forum, dear God), explain the massive academic ineligibility of the Tech football team a few years ago – and the ethics of cheating by playing known academically ineligible players.
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
Joseph, Please, LORD, lets do not look at the stats. Are you serious? “Looking at the stats”?!?!?!
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
3:59 pm
Vandy would OWN Tech. 20+.
Burdell
November 24th, 2012
3:59 pm
@DantheMan: The evidence is in the “new” fields of study offered by the big universities. Sports Management, Urban Studies, and the like have offered easy paths to big time athletes to be able to stay in school. I never said you need calculus to be successful, you don’t. But you do have to take calculus if you go to Tech, no way around it and that is a hinderance to a lot of kids who don’t want to have to bother with the work. Of course everyone has a different talents. Unfortunately, the talent of playing football and the desire to learn calculus don’t often coincide. I know I wouldn’t have taken it if I hadn’t had to!! lol
AWJ
November 24th, 2012
4:01 pm
You Tech guys make me laugh when you talk about the academics for Tech football. Makes me laugh. To suggest that Tech athletes are on par with their regular students is laughable. Georgia had a better % of on track graduates than Tech did in football. There are enough soft majors at Tech for athletes to recruit whomever they need. The problem is the staff, the inability to recruit good players, and the inability to have a supportive fan base/alumni group. If you guys can’t compete maybe you should not play football.
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
4:06 pm
Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443864204577619653485090364.html
ATL
November 24th, 2012
4:07 pm
Clearly UGA is the better team with better talent. Burdell’s points are right on. GT will never compete with UGA with the type of athletes that they let into the school and courses they have to pass.
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
4:09 pm
BS. GT is PROVEN to commit academic fraud. VERY RECENTLY.
Burdell
November 24th, 2012
4:11 pm
@AWJ: Nobody suggested that Tech athletes were on par with the general student population, so your straw man doesn’t work. And your statement about enough soft majors, is laughable. I am not saying that academics is the main reason we suck!! It is a factor and to pretend it isn’t is just stupid. The problem is all of the above. If you were a 5 star athlete with no inclination toward engineering and a limited academic background, would you want to go to GT?
DantheMan
November 24th, 2012
4:11 pm
Deny it.
Buckeye
November 24th, 2012
4:16 pm
Congrats dogs and good luck, and I mean gooooooooooood luck against Bama.
Buckeye
November 24th, 2012
4:18 pm
Is tom brown still on the island?
Get The Eff Outta Here With That BS
November 24th, 2012
4:19 pm
Nesbitt could barely spell his name! GT players are given grades! We know its true! You lost your ring! Which would you prefer: Easier, more functional major and grades earned or tough azz Tech major and grades given away? Get real. Get off your high horse.
Adam
November 24th, 2012
4:25 pm
What bothers me is that UGA is so bad with scheduling. We should have scheduled Georgia Tech the week before Georgia Southern, so we could have adequately prepared for the GSU tripple option offense.
Paul's Johnson
November 24th, 2012
4:25 pm
Look on the bright side, Tech. You’ll be playing for the All Crap Conference Championship next weekend, and if you’re lucky they might even televise it.
AWJ
November 24th, 2012
4:27 pm
@Burdell…So you are saying that all or most all football players are engineering majors. That is a joke. So Washington, Lee, and all those running backs are engineering majors? Whatever….If you guys need to hide behind the fact that academics makes it impossible to compete, even in the ACC where Tech is LAST in graduation rates, then that is fine. If you want to be real and look in the mirror and fix the problem then do it….
just me
November 24th, 2012
4:31 pm
Paul Johnson has wrecked the GT football program. He should resign or be fired right now. GT should do the same as Miami and withdraw from post season play. They are an embarassment and not likely to ever be any better under Johnson.
Bill
November 24th, 2012
4:32 pm
Burdell…Lil Joe Hamilton and Reggie Ball prove beyond any doubt that academic rigors are not the impediment that holds GT back….so that dog won’t hunt.
F22
November 24th, 2012
4:34 pm
Great solid victory in all phases today.
No doubt.
Took no prisoners.
just me
November 24th, 2012
4:36 pm
Even though GT football is in a sad state, if they had to accept a group of “student athletes” such as those you see cavorting on the uga sideline I’m not sure it would be worth it just to have a better team. They look just like the inmate population at some of our finer penal institutions.