Tech will grace a BCS game, but not THE BCS game
The good news: Georgia Tech should — not could, should — play in the Orange Bowl as the ACC champion. The less-good news: Georgia Tech cannot reasonably aspire to anything better than the Orange Bowl, and there is one game better. It will be played in Pasadena, and it’s for the BCS title.
Tech was ranked No. 11 in the BCS standings announced yesterday, and to play for the BCS title a team must be no lower than No. 2. It sounds overly simplistic to say that for Tech to climb nine spots nine teams would have to lose, but that’s essentially how it is. With the Jackets’ schedule, they aren’t apt to jump anybody ahead of them so long as those teams keep winning.
A few of those teams must lose. Alabama and LSU will meet, and the winner of that game will surely play Florida for the SEC championship. And Southern Cal and Oregon face off this weekend. So that’s three teams ranked above Tech that are guaranteed having one more loss than they do today. But only three.
It’s unlikely Boise State or TCU will lose. (Cincinnati could, though: The Bearcats have West Virginia and Pittsburgh remaining.) And if the current standings suggest anything, it’s that an unbeaten team from a non-BCS league figures to trump a once-beaten team from the ACC.
The Jackets have four games remaining in their regular season. They’ll be favored in each. The cumulative record of those four teams is 14-16. Not one is ranked. Nothing Tech does in those four games is going to impress anyone the way, say, Oregon beating Southern Cal or LSU beating Alabama would. The meat of Tech’s schedule is behind it, and even the ACC title game in Tampa figures to offer no heavyweight opposition. Every Atlantic Division team holds at least three losses.
Put simply, a once-beaten conference champion from the Big 12 — say Texas loses to Oklahoma State this Saturday but then wins out — or the Pac-10 would surely shade Tech in the final rankings. The ACC has lost cachet by the carload these past few seasons, and history teaches that the teams extended the benefit of the BCS doubt are those that have already caught someone’s eye. (Think LSU in 2007, which was ranked No. 1 twice only to lose and still wound up the national champ.)
For all its splendid work, Tech isn’t yet in the top 10. The guess here is that it will be somewhere around No. 5 come Dec. 6, the day the final BCS standings are revealed, and that in the grand scheme is really good. (The obvious assumption is that Tech won’t lose again this calendar year, which it shouldn’t.) But the BCS will never be a truly grand creation simply because different teams and different leagues are held to different standards.
Were Tech still in the SEC with its one loss, it would stand a fighting chance to reach Pasadena. Because it plays in a conference that has lost whatever sheen it once possessed, it has next to no chance. Sad but true.
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378 comments Add your comment
William Casey
October 27th, 2009
9:33 am
Recent history:
August 2008—- UGA is pre-season #1
GT predicted to go 3-9
October 2009— UGA not in the discussion, hoping to redeem selves with wins vs. UF and GT
GT is 7-1 and ranked #11
I’d say that Paul Johnson has done something remarkable. I, for one, am grateful.
Nate
October 27th, 2009
9:55 am
TheForgottenMan – oh the irony of your statement is killing me.
Rock On......
October 27th, 2009
10:47 am
Ezekiel….dude, I am as big a Tech fan as anyone but GT isn’t playing in the BCS championship game under any circumstances even if they win out. The computer alone will keep them out due to future wins against weak opposition. The fact that the ACC is about as weak as I have ever seen it won’t help for wins by ACC teams that Tech has already beat.
North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest are just flat-out really really weak teams. That is 1/2 of the ACC. That isn’t even factoring in a sub-par FSU. Seriously the ACC is simply killing any chance GT has of advancing up the BCS ladder. Not that GT can’t get beat by a Clemson or BC in the ACC title game but this league is very weak. I argue this is the very weakest the ACC has ever been.
We will gladly take an Orange Bowl berth against probably a Boise State/TCU. Let’s get there first.
An Observation
October 27th, 2009
10:57 am
The UGA fans are on the Tech blog because they DON’T HAVE anything to get excited about this year with the way UGA has been playing.
When basketball season rolls around this year the rednecks of UGA will be still doing the same thing. They’ll be on the Tech blogs bringing up historic stats as an excuse. Some things and people never change.
Rock On......
October 27th, 2009
11:01 am
Mark, If GT doesn’t win the ACC championship game it will get interesting. The Gator and Chicken bowl get the picks after the Orange of ACC teams. GT for certain is not going to the Chicken bowl and the Gator will almost certainly pick from Clemson, VT, and FSU because they travel well and at that point it is all about money. In fact you can almost pencil in Notre Dame for the Gator Bowl already and I would say that VT is probably the front runner among eligible ACC teams to face them.
Should GT lose the ACC game (against Clemson they could against BC they shouldn’t) then I think GT and The ACC will lobby hard for the Cotton Bowl to play a Nebraska or Oklahoma team.
Bad News Dawgs
October 27th, 2009
11:12 am
JACKSONVILLE – Don’t tell Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler that you know what it’s like to have your dog killed.
“Not till you go pick him up in the boat and take him home,” he said. When he found UGA VII on Tuesday evening, he was bobbing in the lake behind his home. A 10-foot alligator had taken his chest, neck and one leg.
Seiler had picked up UGA VII, part bulldog and part chihuahua, from the dog pound in Clarke County when she was only 12 weeks old.
“I’ve been crying since 5 o’clock yesterday,” he said Wednesday night.
Neighbors had complained about the alligator to the UGA Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in early October. They worried about their children and their pets.
“I knew that alligator was going to eat that dog,” said Bernie Capasso, who lives across the lake from Siler. Several times, Capasso said, the alligator crawled up behind his home. And twice, he said, it snatched up a duck.
“But to take UGA VII, the pride and soul of our team, is devastating. Our team is in the cesspool already, but now to have this carcass of a mutt to cheer on the team is only going to make things worse.”
Rebel Fan
October 27th, 2009
1:00 pm
Bad News Dawgs,
That a real story?
Pi$$onaDawg
October 27th, 2009
1:06 pm
UGA win over the Gators LSU beat Bama and UGA has the head to head over USC and UF to meet LSU for the SEC? I think that is right. No I forget if UGA beats UF then USC plays in the SHIP in the GA DOME. HAHAHAHAHH.
uberVU - social comments
October 27th, 2009
2:03 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by MarkBradleyAJC: Georgia Tech will play in a BCS game, but it won’t be the BCS title game, alas. http://bit.ly/2CnrfH…
Delbert D.
October 27th, 2009
2:11 pm
Traditionally, bragging rights are good for one year. We (Tech and Georgia) need a version of the Paul Bunyan’s Axe, Little Brown Jug, Old Oaken Bucket, or whatever that thing that Ole Miss and Miss. State have.
Ideas?
1) the Block of Granite (from Stone Mountain)
2) ?
RankingsSayIt
October 27th, 2009
2:26 pm
For all the puff mouthed GT fans, read below.
For all the UGA and Tech fans, here are the final AP college rankings in the 2000’s. Decide for yourself who should be proud.
2000 UGA #20 GT #17
2001 UGA #22 GT#24
2002 UGA #3 GT UR
2003 UGA #7 GT UR
2004 UGA #7 GT UR
2005 UGA #10 GT UR
2006 UGA #23 GT UR
2007 UGA #2 GT UR
2008 UGA #13 GT #22
Enjoy your year GT. As you know UGA will be back. History (recent history, not the 1960’s) proves it.
Delbert D.
October 27th, 2009
3:25 pm
What we know is Tech beat Georgia last time they played.
RankingsSayIt
October 27th, 2009
3:37 pm
Delbert, All we know we beat you 7 times straight prior to last year.
Burdell
October 27th, 2009
3:58 pm
RankingsSayIt–
Currently, GT #11 and UGA is unranked. Like you said….rankings say it!
Delbert D.
October 27th, 2009
4:02 pm
Rock On –
Cotton Bowl for Oklahoma or Nebraska? Both have 3 losses already. Nebraska could lose to Oklahoma, and Oklahoma could lose to Ok. State. CBS projects Ok. State vs. South Carolina.
CBS also has GT vs. TCU. They are figuring the probabilities. In reality, Tech has to Win The Next Game, and repeat 4 times.
CBS has Houston vs. UGA in the Liberty Bowl. Their other picks obviously assume UGA will lose 2 more games and be 7-5. A 7-5 SEC team vs. the #1 C-USA team…hmmm…a chance to show that UGA really should have beat Ok. State, I guess.
CBS has UVA vs. Temple in the GMAC Bowl. The absolute freakin’ pits. Having lived in the Philly area for 5 years awhile back, “Temple” and “bowl” were two words I never thought I’d see in the same sentence.
Delbert D.
October 27th, 2009
4:15 pm
Well, we are current the holders of the “Good Old Fashioned Hate” trophy/cup/mug/silver-and-gold football or whatever.
My advice is don’t live in the past. If you do, it’s a no-win. Should you have really married Mary instead of Sue? Should you have taken 316 instead of 29 that night, and therefore not have wrecked the T-Bird? Should you have started lifting when you were 8, and then could have played linebacker for UGA? Don’t do it to yourself, man.
Delbert D.
October 27th, 2009
4:21 pm
RankinsSay –
Well, we are current the holders of the “Good Old Fashioned Hate” trophy/cup/mug/silver-and-gold football or whatever.
My advice is don’t live in the past. If you do, it’s a no-win. Should you have really married Mary instead of Sue? Should you have taken 316 instead of 29 that night, and therefore not have wrecked the T-Bird? Should you have started lifting when you were 8, and then could have played linebacker for UGA? Don’t do it to yourself, man.
Delbert D.
October 27th, 2009
4:24 pm
RankingsSay -
Well, we are current the holders of the “Good Old Fashioned Hate” trophy/cup/mug/silver-and-gold football or whatever.
My advice is don’t live in the past. If you do, it’s a no-win. Should you have really married Mary instead of Sue? Should you have taken 316 instead of 29 that night, and therefore not have wrecked the T-Bird? Should you have started lifting when you were 8, and then could have played linebacker for UGA? Don’t do it to yourself, man.
RJGTGRAD
October 27th, 2009
4:30 pm
All this talk about the past…ok…Look at how many national championships UGA has vs. GT. (In case you are wondering, Tech has twice as many)
You think UGA is better recently…ok…who won the most recent national championship? (It’s been 29 years since you were a powerhouse)
National Championships are the goal, right?
Don’t dwell on the past UGA fans, you don’t measure up. Unfortunately, you don’t measure up in the present either. We’ll demonstrate who is dominant in the state in a few weeks.
I predict Richt will also loose his Ford commercials soon to CPJ…that one will hurt, won’t it?
Tyler
October 27th, 2009
4:49 pm
Uou know why Georgia players put T.G.I.F. on there shoes? (Toes Go In First) That’s a true education from UGA.
Jacketfan
October 27th, 2009
5:51 pm
GO jackets!!!!!! a beating of all the teams will put us at least in the top five
Jacketfan
October 27th, 2009
5:54 pm
Rankings say it choose to win in the past or present WE WIN IN BOTH
kick the puppy when its down
October 27th, 2009
5:55 pm
hey booger. id rather be called a dork than not be able to spell dork. and at least we have something to cheer about this year. what have yall done recently?
Pi$$onaJACKET
October 27th, 2009
6:09 pm
techbuzz, give you all the facts and you still dont get it….Dawgs have a superior football program, always have always will! One down year doesnt take away from that…. we have proven that we can kick GT butts just about anytime we want to….
Pi$$onaJACKET
October 27th, 2009
6:10 pm
agreed the rankings say it….
Pi$$onaJACKET
October 27th, 2009
6:11 pm
enough said….see you in november….
kick the puppy when its down
October 27th, 2009
6:21 pm
dont even try to say that uga has always had a superior program. you obviously havent or you might actually have more than one ring. oh and since you can see the future and you know uga(y) will always have a better program, can i get tomorrows lotto numbers?
GR82BAG8R
October 27th, 2009
7:31 pm
RankingsSayit, nice run. How many NCs during that time?
As for comparing yourself to Tech, remember that Tech today is nothing like Tech of the past. Do you believe Gailey would have engineered a 26 point comeback against Georgia? The more you choose to revel in the past, the more it shows you believe you have no future.
Pi$$onaJACKET
October 27th, 2009
8:09 pm
sure 17 23 45 8 32 12
macrotech
October 27th, 2009
8:33 pm
Pi$$onaJACKET, just a heads up….your counting blows!
Keith
October 27th, 2009
9:20 pm
Wow I cant believe that there are this many UGA fans reading up on Georgia Tech. I guess they really dont have anything else to do with their time. I spend my time pulling for my team and I dont worry about the other teams. Go Jackets!
GR82BAG8R
October 27th, 2009
9:35 pm
P…JACKET, you used to count on beating Tech to make you feel better after getting blasted by Florida year after year. Now that Johnson has arrived, that is no longer the case. Imagine what it will be like once he recruits players more suited to his system. Get ready for Saturday. Your annual beatdown is coming.
Midnight Rambler
October 28th, 2009
3:07 am
Finishing in the Top 5 will be a great accomplishment. Too bad there isn’t a playoff system so the Jackets could prove themselves to be higher. Maybe someday.
The trash-talking dawgs probably never went to UGA or any college so their sour grapes comments should be ignored.
I will be pulling for them to upset the Gators since [a] it is good for our Strength of Schedule rating, and [b] they represent my beloved state.
Rhino
October 28th, 2009
12:22 pm
and piss is what we will do on the dogs in Atlanta next month. Hope you like the color.
Bob
October 28th, 2009
2:27 pm
Hey, fellow Jackets – don’t be too hard on these UGA posters. These are the writing assignments for their lit classes. Don’t insult them! Let these kids learn!
RealSOS
October 28th, 2009
2:30 pm
This is the latest BCS rankings with points and strength of schedule in ( ). Where is the one poster getting UGA SOS is #29? It’s (8).
College Football 2009 through games of October 24 Saturday the BCS uses the ELO_CHESS from here
0 0 | 1 2 | 78.62 31 | 75.82 46
HOME ADVANTAGE= 3.27 RATING W L SCHEDL(RANK) VS top 10 | VS top 30 | ELO_CHESS | PREDICTOR
1 Florida A = 93.11 7 0 70.85( 39) 0 0 | 2 0 | 93.56 2 | 92.07 2
2 Alabama A = 92.92 8 0 72.65( 27) 1 0 | 4 0 | 92.27 3 | 93.02 1
3 Oregon A = 89.71 6 1 75.90( 10) 0 1 | 2 1 | 89.40 5 | 89.43 7
4 Iowa A = 89.58 8 0 75.41( 15) 0 0 | 2 0 | 93.71 1 | 86.11 12
5 Southern California A = 89.13 6 1 75.77( 12) 0 0 | 4 0 | 88.16 7 | 89.60 5
6 Boise State A = 89.03 7 0 68.72( 54) 1 0 | 2 0 | 89.61 4 | 87.89 9
7 TCU A = 88.86 7 0 70.70( 40) 0 0 | 1 0 | 88.13 8 | 89.03 8
8 Cincinnati A = 87.91 7 0 66.78( 76) 0 0 | 2 0 | 89.11 6 | 86.25 11
9 Virginia Tech A = 87.16 5 2 78.09( 4) 0 1 | 1 2 | 84.00 12 | 91.10 3
10 Texas A = 86.49 7 0 68.88( 52) 0 0 | 1 0 | 83.09 14 | 90.89 4
College Football 2009 through games of October 24 Saturday the BCS uses the ELO_CHESS from here
HOME ADVANTAGE= 3.27 RATING W L SCHEDL(RANK) VS top 10 | VS top 30 | ELO_CHESS | PREDICTOR
11 Georgia Tech A = 86.40 7 1 75.87( 11) 1 0 | 2 1 | 85.39 11 | 86.92 10
12 LSU A = 85.05 6 1 72.99( 26) 0 1 | 0 1 | 87.87 9 | 82.20 19
13 Penn State A = 84.76 7 1 66.65( 79) 0 1 | 0 1 | 83.23 13 | 85.93 13
14 Arizona A = 84.02 5 2 77.75( 5) 0 1 | 3 1 | 85.46 10 | 82.15 20
15 Miami-Florida A = 82.76 5 2 75.70( 13) 0 1 | 2 2 | 80.99 20 | 84.21 17
16 Ohio State A = 81.76 6 2 69.96( 46) 0 1 | 0 1 | 78.80 28 | 85.00 15
17 California A = 81.45 5 2 72.58( 28) 0 2 | 0 2 | 82.90 15 | 79.56 28
18 Pittsburgh A = 81.36 7 1 68.68( 55) 0 0 | 0 0 | 79.85 24 | 82.48 18
19 Clemson A = 81.32 4 3 75.56( 14) 0 1 | 1 2 | 77.80 34 | 85.54 14
20 Notre Dame A = 81.00 5 2 74.80( 17) 0 1 | 0 1 | 80.08 23 | 81.39 22
College Football 2009 through games of October 24 Saturday the BCS uses the ELO_CHESS from here
HOME ADVANTAGE= 3.27 RATING W L SCHEDL(RANK) VS top 10 | VS top 30 | ELO_CHESS | PREDICTOR
21 Utah A = 80.64 6 1 70.07( 44) 0 1 | 0 1 | 81.97 16 | 78.84 30
22 Oklahoma A = 80.04 4 3 70.12( 43) 0 1 | 0 2 | 74.33 51 | 89.59 6
23 Stanford A = 79.52 5 3 73.63( 23) 0 0 | 0 2 | 77.49 36 | 81.27 23
24 Oregon State A = 79.41 4 3 74.55( 19) 0 2 | 1 3 | 80.19 22 | 78.06 33
25 Central Michigan A = 79.38 7 1 62.70( 113) 0 0 | 0 1 | 81.50 19 | 76.95 38
26 Oklahoma State A = 79.26 6 1 64.89( 100) 0 0 | 0 0 | 78.95 27 | 78.97 29
27 Mississippi A = 79.07 5 2 67.77( 65) 0 1 | 0 2 | 77.67 35 | 80.01 26
28 Kentucky A = 78.98 4 3 74.94( 16) 0 2 | 0 3 | 80.44 21 | 77.05 37
29 South Carolina A = 78.93 6 2 71.28( 36) 0 1 | 2 1 | 81.50 18 | 76.14 39
30 Fresno State A = 78.92 4 3 71.25( 37) 0 2 | 0 2 | 76.74 39 | 80.88 24
College Football 2009 through games of October 24 Saturday the BCS uses the ELO_CHESS from here
HOME ADVANTAGE= 3.27 RATING W L SCHEDL(RANK) VS top 10 | VS top 30 | ELO_CHESS | PREDICTOR
31 Arkansas A = 78.30 3 4 78.31( 2) 0 2 | 0 3 | 75.88 42 | 80.58 25
32 Wisconsin A = 77.95 5 2 71.96( 32) 0 1 | 1 2 | 81.68 17 | 74.36 54
33 BYU A = 77.87 6 2 69.81( 47) 0 1 | 1 1 | 77.38 37 | 77.77 34
34 Houston A = 77.79 6 1 65.20( 97) 0 0 | 1 0 | 78.97 26 | 76.10 40
35 Georgia A = 77.48 4 3 76.38(
RealSOS
October 28th, 2009
2:33 pm
I have no clue why the smiley face came up on UGA. Maybe the God’s are smiling on them for this weekend. They will need it.
35 Georgia A = 77.48 4 3 76.38(
0 0 | 1 2 | 78.62 31 | 75.82 46
GT
October 28th, 2009
3:05 pm
GT went into Athens and rolled over UGA in their own house. Deal with it! And now, GT is starting to get all those good recruits that UGA used to get in the past. The day of the dawg is no more. This series won’t be so lop-sided anymore.
StingDoc
October 28th, 2009
3:36 pm
To the Trash-Talking Dawgs posting on Tech’s Blogs,
Georgia Tech is listed as National Champions 6 times by reputable ratings analysts, which are more than Georgia’s:
1917
1928
1951
1952
1956
1990
45-42!!
PREDICTION: PAUL JOHNSON IS COMMENCING A REIGN OF SUCCESS WHICH WILL RIVAL THAT OF BOBBY DODD, JOHN HEISMAN, WM. ALEXANDER AND WILL MAKE TECH THE # 1 FOOTBALL TEAM IN GEORGIA FOR THE NEXT TWO DECADES!!
TRASH TALKING DAWGS WHO TRY TO MOCK
WILL BE STUNG BY ME, STING DOC!!
You know UGA is having a bad year when...
October 28th, 2009
5:40 pm
the only people on your street that are renting a house move out and leave their UGA mailbox flag behind!
the UGA trolls have nothing better to do than come to TECH blogs try to prove that UGA is still better than TECH! Gotta love it!
UGA blow$
October 28th, 2009
9:48 pm
UGA sucks, the whole world has seen it. Taken to the wood shed by OSU, embarrassed by UT, and fixing to be slaughtered by UF. Tech will take care of business in November then maybe the inbreds will wake up and realize their days of owning Georgia sports is done. Just let go…It was a fun little run
atl xmen
October 29th, 2009
12:07 am
whats funny to me is in about 3-4 years ,just when uga kills tech yet again while running that high school offense, you tech fans will be calling for PJ head begging him to quit running the ball every play and asking why doesnt he throw the ball more, and why does he have to try so many trick plays that dont work anymore..haha you guys will then realise that it was chan gailys players that made that offense put up the numbers its putting up now .when pj high school offense have div 2a players running that old tired offense against the likes of UGA and other BCS teams, more times than not tech will get smashed and go through 170 pound qb like candy corn on halloween….haha but you guys shouldnt lose to jax st or william and mary like a few teams in the acc do…have fun now and enjoy the short success of pj and company. and uga fans really have nothing to be jealous about not being a tech…you guys lose way too much..
atl xmen
October 29th, 2009
12:12 am
the day uga gets out recruited by tech will be the day pigs fly or any other thing that is impossible..like that tech will win a NC before UGA..=)
Freshman Tight end
October 29th, 2009
1:16 am
if history repeats itself……. uga fans
a legend of a coach will land on the flats and win a national championship…….. oh i think we are living, breathing, and seeing it before are eyes… and isnt it a beautiful thing to witness
uga please be honest to yourselfs.. its happened
you beat chan gailey coached teams with an AD that was a puss puss….
Now you dealing with an ex LSU AD and Paul Johnson with kids that are intelligent and NO im the man 5 star recruits… but good focused football players. did i mention PAUL JOHNSON….. cant wait for CHarles PERKINS to show up to.
Freshman Tight end
October 29th, 2009
1:22 am
AND UGA FANS …. Mark Richt is a puss puss… We both know it..
YOU GUYS ARE LOADEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD WITH TALENT
and got NOTHINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
PAUL JOHNSON WITH UGA TALENT UNSTOPPABLE…… but id rather take the TECH kids….
UGA ALL THE WAY
October 29th, 2009
12:06 pm
GEORGIA TECH SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ryan
October 29th, 2009
12:43 pm
Wow, a lot of inbred mutts weighing in. Truly lonely times in Athens, indeed. How quickly the tables can turn.
Ha! Go Jackets!
dawgit
October 29th, 2009
12:59 pm
The dawgs being down is a temporary situation. You know it, I know it, the college football nation knows it.
GT all the way
October 29th, 2009
3:17 pm
Thanks Mark for the great article about how the jackets won’t make it to the BCS NC game. I guess really shows your bias towards all of those leg humpers out there.
GO JACKETS!!!
UGASlobberknocker
October 29th, 2009
3:47 pm
That last sentence should read “True, but not that sad”