Tech secures a bowl but doesn’t exactly leave UGA cowering
With this swoop, Mario Butler takes Tech from behind to ahead. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
The goal, cornerback Mario Butler said, was to keep from becoming the first Georgia Tech team since 1996 to be bowl-ineligible, and that mission was accomplished. And if the Jackets entered Saturday’s game with the ancillary aim of rendering Georgia overconfident for next week’s collision … well, they managed that, too.
Upcoming in Athens: The most impressive 5-6 team in the land — that’d be Georgia — will face the least imposing 6-5 aggregation. Tech won Saturday for the first time since Oct. 16 and needed all the aid and comfort Duke could supply, which was a lot. Some will point to this tepid regular season as a massive comedown from the high of the 2009 ACC championship, and in its way it has been. But this comedown could well have been a nosedive.
The Jackets didn’t have much except Joshua Nesbitt when this season commenced, and now that the indomitable quarterback has been lost they have next to nothing. Their offense mustered but two touchdowns — one of them coming on a pass completion, of which Tech likewise had two — against Duke, which ranked last in the ACC in total defense. The Tech defense, meanwhile, yielded 443 yards to an opponent conspicuously lacking a talent on the order of, say, A.J. Green.
The first half was vintage Tech 2010: A touchdown run overridden on a penalty; a fumbled Duke kickoff uncovered; a fumble lost inside the Duke 10; a failed fourth-down bid that led to a Duke field goal three seconds before halftime. “We had a chance to bury them early one,” said Paul Johnson, the Tech coach, “but we couldn’t get out of our own way.”
Tech trailed 13-6 at the half. It drove smartly enough on its first possession of the third quarter but was held to a field goal, whereupon Duke drove smartly and was within 14 yards of establishing an 11-point lead, whereupon Butler made two plays. The first resulted in a 6-yard loss. The second netted seven points. Butler broke on the only pass thrown by Brandon Connette, who is Duke’s running quarterback for a reason, and took it 85 yards to score.
“I just jumped it,” Butler said, speaking of the pass route. Then: “When I cut across [the field on his lung-bursting return], my hamstrings were about gone.”
Tech would build a 10-point lead. Being Tech, it came close to handing it back. Duke missed a tying field goal with 9:20 left. Three snaps later, Stephen Hill outfought a defender to snatch a Tevin Washington pass from the air. The 79-yard touchdown was the sort play of the departed Demaryius Thomas authored weekly last season but that Hill, considered the heir apparent, has seldom made.
“Coach Johnson wants playmaking receivers,” Hill said. “[I've] had a bad little year. But the year’s not over with.”
Said Johnson: “We didn’t accomplish a lot of the goals we set as a team, but our players know they’re going to play two more games.”
Tech’s next game will be of great local interest, and it’s hard to imagine a team that needed 3 1/2 quarters to put away Duke at Bobby Dodd Stadium going to Athens and actually winning. But say this about these Jackets: They’ve somehow won more than they’ve lost, the key word being “somehow.”
Jonathan Dwyer gained 1,395 yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns in 2009; Anthony Allen, the new feature back, surpassed 1,000 yards with Saturday’s grinding performance but has scored only five times. Derrick Morgan had 12 1/2 sacks in 2009; the 2010 Tech team has 16. The aforementioned Thomas caught 46 passes for 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns in 2009; Hill’s numbers this season — 13 catches, 244 yards and three touchdowns.
When Nesbitt suffered a broken arm against Virginia Tech 2 1/2 weeks ago, the fear among Tech fans was that their team wouldn’t win again. On Saturday it won, if haltingly, and now the Jackets will play in a bowl, albeit an off-brand one. That’s actually pretty good value for a team almost devoid of playmakers, and you Jacket backers should try to hold that thought. Because what happens in Sanford Stadium might not be pleasant for the ol’ White and Gold.
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497 comments Add your comment
wreckmaniac
November 21st, 2010
11:39 am
Having a bowl conversation for either of these two teams is as inane as discussing balancing the federal budget. I expect Tech to win a game it is expected to lose and it hasn’t happened this season. UGA is the chance.
LCDawg
November 21st, 2010
11:42 am
I heard PJ made the team rings to commemorate this magical victory.
wreckmaniac
November 21st, 2010
11:44 am
GODOGS1: Sure there is more of a ruckus in Athens if UGA loses to TECH than if they lose to FL.
UGA never expects to beat FL. Dawg fans already know they will lose to FL next year. Its a done deal
but they will all carry their booze to Jax and have a blast.
ATL XMAN
November 21st, 2010
11:53 am
tech simply doesnt have the players to hang with UGA. all of gailys players are almost gone. allen is your only hope to keeping it close. tech is filled with div 1aa talent and is no match for UGA young 4-5 star recruits. UGA has played better teams this year and have almost beat them. a 4-4 record or 3-5 record in the sec is equal to a 7-1 or 6-2 record in the acc. that conference is a joke.
GT Man
November 21st, 2010
11:56 am
Sammy Dawg
You mean UGA Convicts 17 GT 35
ATL XMAN
November 21st, 2010
11:56 am
tech loses and loses badly and uga ends the season with a 7-6 record which will be a first for mark richt. pretty normal for tech though. i think ala record was 7-6 the year before they won it all. look for uga to be back at full force next year starting with a beat down of Boise st who beat the acc best team this year by three…haha..boise st wont stand a chance either.
ATL XMAN
November 21st, 2010
11:58 am
tech just upset duke. i expected them to lose without nesbitt. lucky for tech that duke is a pretty bad acc team.
1eyedJack
November 21st, 2010
11:59 am
Gnats, sing along now.
Second verse, same as the first.
Georgia will push your OL and DL up and down the field just like last year. 2009 redux, only the ending won’t be in doubt this time.
Though we suffer the frustrations of being unable to slay the dragon that is UF, even when they are weak, so too, is your fate, to be unable to whip big brother even as we suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
But I am sure, as you sit and ponder, and try to rationalize another defeat, that in your heart of hearts you realize…that you have bigger fish to fry!!
Enjoy the Nancy Pelosi Cheese Sandwich Bowl out in Fairyland. It may be your last for some time to come.
No chance
November 21st, 2010
12:09 pm
Tech has no chance in this game. Terrible QB, oline will get blown off the ball, and the mickey mouse offense fools no one anymore. Grantham’s 3-4 D will shut that high school offense down cold and the UGA O will have a field day on that weak D. Ga wins big and gets a good bowl bid. Tech–not even a minor bowl this year.
ARDawg
November 21st, 2010
12:10 pm
Just remember, there’s nothing dumber than a Georgia Bulldog fan. Absolutely nothing.
The Architect
November 21st, 2010
12:15 pm
UGA fans have entered the matrix but have failed to realize that the AJC Blog is just one more program in a series of controls that keep redneck graduates and non-graduates of the state’s lower institution of learning (UGA) in their proper place — punching a time clock!
The obsurdity of bragging about a 5-6 team highlights their irrationality. GT will let you guys win this weekend to insure that worshippers of the time clock everywhere remain oblivious. You are working for us whether you like it or not.
Old Gold and White Fan
November 21st, 2010
12:16 pm
No bias in that story, Mark. Top to bottom, none at all. Of course, I guess you’re allowed all the bias you want as a writer rather than a reporter. And, similarly, you don’t have to have ANY facts as a writer, just ideas. Definitely a “writer’s” column, not a reporter’s column.
Amazing to me that all these mutt fans coming over to read the tech blog and bash tech who has a winning season rather than stay on their own blog site and continuing offering their opinions as to how to “fix” the loosing season the fleabags are having. All the while thinking the powers that be in muttsville actually read these blogs and take allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll their opinions into account when planning their decisions.
If we listen to you, Mark, and all the in-bread, redneck, yahoos from muttsville, Tech should just save ourselves the expense of driving up the road and even playing the game. Ehhhhh, I think I’ll make the drive. I think Tech just might surprise some folks. Then again, with a 7:45 kick off, most of the mutt fans will already be sleeping it off by the end of the game. Too bad they could miss the upset.
fair and Balanced
November 21st, 2010
12:17 pm
There is NOTHING impressive about a team with a record of 5 – 6!
If GA cannot manage to beat Tech, CMR should be fired. Here are just a few reasons:
1. Tech is a bad team.
2. Tech only had 1 player who could start for GA and that player is now out for the season.
3. Though Tech is a bad team, losing to them would make GA a worse team and a loss would point to poor coaching.
4. Losing to Tech would reduce significantly the hope of obtaining the recruits needed to make GA a better team next year.
5. Losing to Tech is hardly ever excusable, but this year there is just no excuse.
6. Tech has no defense.
7. Tech has no offense without Nesbitt.
8. GA has had an extra week to prepare. (I suggested that GA begin preparing for Tech after the FL loss).
9. There have been no arrests of GA players in the last 2 weeks.
10. A GA loss just boils down to the fact that CMR has lost it and can’t get it back. GA’s only hope of a return to anything that resembles championship calibre would be to hire a new HC.
“We run this state” – yeah, but this year that is like a bunch of Congressmen saying, “We run this government.”
Gator Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
12:18 pm
Georgia. The best 5-6 team in the country.
question
November 21st, 2010
12:18 pm
green probably will go for the green next year leaving the dogs without a weapon….so how do you guys expect start the season with boyze especially with your normal group of 7/11 thugs on suspension?
A loss to end this season and a loss to start 2011.
gt84
November 21st, 2010
12:19 pm
gt wins vs ga when nobody exspects them to, i think tech plays mistake free football, while the undisciple ga teams makes too many mistakes, dont get me wrong on paper ga is way more talented but that doesnt mean anything tech vs ga is always unpredictable gt plays their best game of the year tech wins 28-21 in a bit of a surprise
We
November 21st, 2010
12:19 pm
If you look at the 2 teams, yes UGA should beat tech handily. However, UGA loves to give lots of opportunities to other teams to win. If UGA turns it over 3 plus times it will be a close game and possibly a tech win. IF UGA figures out how to hold onto the ball and not turn it over it will be a long day for tech. Unfortunatley I pick the 1st scenario.
Gator Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
12:19 pm
Georgia. 2010 National Champions of 5-6 teams.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ARDawg
November 21st, 2010
12:19 pm
ATL XMAN – “tech is filled with div 1aa talent and is no match for UGA young 4-5 star recruits”
…yeah, those 4 and 5 star recruits really dominated the SEC this year didn’t they? UGA knows how to do the least with the best players they recruit, which is why UGA’s opponents don’t want the Dawgs to get rid of Richt – the coaching at UGA really sucks. Just think how many teams UGA lost to that didn’t have those 4 and 5 star recruits? So, having superior talent has not generated wins for UGA. Of course, UGA is a bad team with very good talent and the Jackets are a bad team with mediocre talent. It will come down to who wants it the most.
gt84
November 21st, 2010
12:22 pm
1
Gator Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
12:23 pm
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I heard they are voting you out of the SEC!. Hope it’s true. Hahahahahaha
We
November 21st, 2010
12:23 pm
Should be UGA 51 tech 7
Probably will be UGA 24 tech 23
Gator Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
12:24 pm
Got bowl?
Yellow Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
12:25 pm
Glad you have to play the game between the hedges and not on these blogs. Like last year, this WILL be georgia’s “signature” win if they win. I just don’t think they will. Even though they are a better team, I just think they will panic and make 2-4 turnovers that cost them the game at the final horn. You heard it hear first- Tech 45 georgia 42.
Bad Bruce
November 21st, 2010
12:27 pm
Soon to be “The most impressive 6-6 team in the land”. How bout them Hairy Dawgs!
DIT
November 21st, 2010
12:29 pm
I thought it would be a close game until I watched the game yesterday. I think UGA will blow tech out of the water. It will be ugly by the 2nd quarter. If UGA loses and I am a CMR backer, then CMR would need to be fired! Immediately. There is no excuse to lose this game. Nesbit ran their offense and did a great job with it. He is out. Duke just put over 400 yards on their defense. This is not to bash tech, it’s just a fact. If we can put points on the board against UF and Auburn then there is no reason not to against tech………… crap, that’s right Bobo is still our OC….. Alright scratch that post!
ARDawg
November 21st, 2010
12:33 pm
Bad Bruce – “Soon to be “The most impressive 6-6 team in the land”. How bout them Hairy Dawgs!”
…there are enough stereotypes about Dawg fans being delusional without you proving the point. I mean really, there is NOTHING impressive about being a 6-6 team. “Bad” Brucee is an appropriate name for the current Dawgs; it most closely describes the Dawg football team… BAD. The Brucee part? Embarrassing really. No wonder BB was sleeping during the UF game – he couldn’t watch his Dawgs going down to a lousy Gator team. Of all the years that the pups should have beaten the Gators who put who in their proper place in the SEC?
Pago Pago Dawg
November 21st, 2010
12:38 pm
This just in, the AD meant to say San Jose State and NOT Boise State.
son_sir
November 21st, 2010
12:39 pm
Judging by the talent, this no contest. On paper it looks like no contest. UGA should be favored by a couple of TD’s at least. If Tech could cut out the stupid penalties, costly turnovers, lack of pressure, lack of coverage, risky roll of the dice coaching in critical situations, block better, etc. etc., it should be able to make it close. Yeah, it looks like it might get ugly.
Regardless, THWG !! Go Jackets !!
faultline
November 21st, 2010
12:41 pm
I never have coached nor said much about coaching but watching second quarter of game on fuzzy espn3 I could not help but notice when Duke punted that the right side had no containment. Surely, Tech coaches will see what Duke coaches are seeing and put a fix on that. Did not happen. Those guys should worry about job security.
GTech
November 21st, 2010
12:54 pm
Of course no mention by Bradley of the TD taken away from Tech on a horrible block in the back call and the TD Duke got credit for when they clearly fumbled the ball and Tech recovered.
Paul in RDU
November 21st, 2010
12:55 pm
Wow – There certainly seem to be a large number of people who post on here (on either side) who can foresee the future. On some of the other blogs there are people who even know what’s going to happen in the UGA-BSU game – the coaches don’t even know what their starting line ups are going to be for that game. I think both teams will show up next week and play hard and be motivated. The line should favor UGA by 10 or so, so this should be an opportunity for a bunch of people to make a killing – heck you all know what the score will be.
AU
November 21st, 2010
12:56 pm
49-31 Go Jackets!
EagleDawg
November 21st, 2010
12:58 pm
Congratulations to the Eagles of Georgia Southern for making it to the FCS playoffs. First game is this Saturday in the ‘boro. The FBS needs to convert to a playoff format!
Fandom
November 21st, 2010
12:58 pm
Lets see. Thuga will end the season with a loss to tech and say goodbye to Richt. Than they can open the 2011 season by getting exposed by Boise State. Thanks Thuga. You rep the SEC so well.
SoCal Dawg
November 21st, 2010
1:00 pm
Old Gold and White Fan- HEY MORON! This might be “your blog” but it is posted on the UGA page.
Fan of the Game
November 21st, 2010
1:16 pm
This game will be decided by which defense shows up! Congrats GSU (the real GSU) on making the playoffs.
David
November 21st, 2010
1:16 pm
Colorado won the National Championship in 1990! They played their best game of 2010 against the dogs who are on everyone’s list as a team they would be most impressed if they won. Unforutunately we made too many happy this year, next year with lesson learned, look out SEC!
We
November 21st, 2010
1:17 pm
Dream on tech nerds! You really think you stand a chance without Nezbutt!! You gave up 400 plus yards to the Dookies!!!!
UGA 63 tech 3
Auburn, Alabama, Vandy, South Carolina, Florida, Georiga Tech
November 21st, 2010
1:23 pm
The Georgia Bulldogs. “The best 5-6 team in the land”…..BWahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAAHAHAHA
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHH
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAAHAHAHA
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHH
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHH
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAAHAHAHA
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHH
son of son_sir
November 21st, 2010
1:23 pm
Judging by the talent, this no contest. On paper it looks like no contest. UGA should be favored by a couple of TD’s at least. If UGA could cut out the stupid penalties, costly turnovers, lack of pressure, lack of coverage, risky roll of the dice coaching in critical situations, block better, etc. etc., it should be able to blow tech out. Yeah, it looks like it might get ugly.
Regardless, THWGT !! Go DAWGS!!
Auburn, Alabama, Vandy, South Carolina, Florida, Georiga Tech
November 21st, 2010
1:25 pm
The Georgia Bulldogs. SOON TO BE VOTED OUT OF THE SEC
Yellow Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
1:32 pm
Glad you don’t play college football games on paper or with your mouths. Georgia would still be undefeated and ranked in the top 5.
No. They have to actually play and back up their fan’s hype. My prediction, field goal as time expires, 45-42 Tech
Yellow Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
1:35 pm
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
45-42 all over again
Yellow Fuzz
November 21st, 2010
1:37 pm
Hey dog fans. What in the world are you going to do if you lose? Hahahahahahahahaha!
Ex Georgia Fan
November 21st, 2010
1:39 pm
IT MAY BE CLOSE. I SEE A LOT OF QUIT IN THEM THERE DAWGS
Judgment Day
November 21st, 2010
1:41 pm
Tech has no offense, a crappy defense and they are a very undisciplined penalty-prone team. This game will be ugleee. The SEC is “down” this year but the ACC is down even worse and GT totally underachieved with a relatively easy schedule.(lost to Kansas, barely beat Wake who stinks, losing to Duke at half-need 85 yd pick to win..)The only decent win was against NC who is also 6-5. UGA had a disappointing season too but this game won’t be close. Georgia will let out a lot of pent up frustration this Saturday night.
Abe Lincoln
November 21st, 2010
1:42 pm
Yellow Fuzz, you’re as crazy as my ol’ lady Mary. Have to laugh at you guys consoling yourselves that UGA’s defense is as bad as Tech’s defense. No it isn’t!! Tech is bad. It will be at once sad and wonderful. You would be wise to sneak out at half time and avoid the humiliation.
Judgment Day
November 21st, 2010
1:43 pm
Yellow fuzz is scared s****ess. What a coward.
DOCTOR DEATH
November 21st, 2010
1:46 pm
Yellow Fuzz:
WE WON’T TAKE A 3 MONTH VACATION LIKE YOU DID LAST YEAR EVEN IF THE DAWGS LOSE….KNOW THAT ONE LAST YEAR HURT DEEPLY…