Live from Tech-UNC: Will first-play lightning strike yet again?

Exhibit C: Tech's first snap last week. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)

I’m not in the habit of constructing game plans — I would never ever venture to give highly paid coaches any advice, heh heh — but I offer one piece of advice for North Carolina’s Everett Withers:

On the first Georgia Tech snap, have your men back up 30 yards.

The way I see it, it’s better to yield a chunk of yardage that a touchdown.

As we know, Tech has scored on its first play of every game this season, which is about to conclude its first month. Against Western Carolina, it was a 5-yard toss sweep. (Turnover set it up.) Against Middle Tennessee, it was a 73-yard touchdown pass. Against Kansas, it was the 95-yard counter by Orwin Smith.

Aggregate time of possession on Tech’s first series of Games 1-3: Thirty-four seconds.

Aggregate number of points on Tech’s first series of Games 1-3: Twenty-one.

Today’s titanic tilt comes billed as Tech’s first test, which it is, kind of. But Carolina isn’t exactly a convincing 3-0. It overrode five turnovers in Week 2 to beat Rutgers, and in Week 3 it was outgained by Virginia, which has won one conference game in two seasons. (Both games were in Chapel Hill, FYI.)

I like Tech by at least 10 points today — the Vegas line is GT by a TD — but I offer this caveat: Even if the Tar Heels win on the scoreboard, there’s no guarantee it’ll stick. As you’ve doubtless heard, Carolina is in the habit of forfeiting victories.

On that cheery note, the floor is again open for questions, comments and thoughts on the choking Braves. (What’s that? They’re three games up? Never mind.) I’ll be here until the last touchdown is scored, and I welcome your company. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.

By Mark Bradley

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