In this Tech-Tech slugfest, the Jackets are undone by a punch
Georgia Tech's Tevin Washington scored three touchdowns. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Technically speaking, this wasn’t the ACC championship game, but you can’t go wrong assuming the winner between the Techs will play for the conference title. It has happened every year the league has staged a championship game, and it figures to happen in 2011, too.
But which Tech might it be this time? The one that was ranked in preseason and is ranked still, or the one that began play unranked, worked its way to No. 12 in the polls, fell out after two ugly road losses but wedged its way back after upsetting No. 5 Clemson? The former is officially known as the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the latter as the Georgia Institute of Technology. For purposes of space, we’ll call them Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech.
For a series only in its ninth installment, this has become a corker. The past three meetings — those since Paul Johnson arrived here — had been decided by a total of 15 points. What transpired Thursday night at a not-quite-full Bobby Dodd Stadium was more of the same. One Tech got ahead. Then the other Tech did. Then the first Tech scored 16 consecutive points to retake the lead. Wild, wacky stuff.
Details? Sure. Georgia Tech led 7-0. Then Virginia Tech went ahead 14-7. Then Georgia Tech kicked a field goal to draw within four points. Then — shades of the Miami game — the Jackets allowed a touchdown inside the half’s final minute. The Hokies led 21-10 and seemed to have taken control. But no.
Georgia Tech drove 61 yards in 44 seconds to a catalytic field goal as the half expired. Then the Jackets, aided by a Virginia Tech personal foul, opened the second half with a drive to one touchdown. The Hokies’ lead was two points. Virginia Tech moved inside the GT 20, at which point Julian Burnett smacked the ball from David Wilson’s grasp. Soon Georgia Tech was ahead by five points and poised to throw a hammerlock on the proceedings, whereupon linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu threw a punch.
The Jackets had stopped Virginia Tech. Attaochu was about to complete a third-down sack of quarterback Logan Thomas. But Thomas, who weighs 254 pounds — 31 more than Attaochu — didn’t go down, and Hokies linemen rushed to his aid, and Attaochu wound up taking a swing at an opponent. He was flagged for a personal foul; he was lucky he wasn’t ejected, and he might yet face a suspension.
To his credit, Attaochu didn’t t dabble in denial afterward. “It was an overdose of adrenaline,” he said. “There’s no excuse for it.”
Said Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech’s coach: “The big penalty kind of changed the game.”
Handed its mulligan, Virginia Tech did what a good team is supposed to do. It fashioned a drive that changed the careening game yet again. The massive Thomas scored on, of all things, a 12-yard quarterback sneak, and the Hokies were back ahead. Then Paul Johnson did the Paul Johnson thing and went for it on fourth down on the wrong side of midfield — at the Tech 31, to be exact — and Tevin Washington was halted.
“Maybe we could have called a better play,” Johnson said. “But we didn’t execute the play that was called very well, either.”
Why had he gone for it? “I felt like we needed to score. From the second possession of the game, we couldn’t stop them.”
Again the Hokies took their windfall and cashed it in. A Thomas touchdown pass made it an eight-point game. Washington slipped and fell trying to pass on third down, and Georgia Tech had to punt. By now Virginia Tech’s offensive line was pushing the Jackets’ defense backward, just as had happened over the final 10 minutes of the first half, and a field goal with 3:02 to play pushed the Hokie lead to 37-26.
And that was that. A crackling game had, at least for the home side, fizzled at the end. The winning Tech is again in playing-for-a-championship mode, while the losing Tech has been eliminated from the division race. To be blunt, Virginia Tech seemed the more talented team for much of the game, but Georgia Tech will long wonder what would have happened had Jeremiah Attaochu kept his hands to himself.
By Mark Bradley
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534 comments Add your comment
oh brother!
November 11th, 2011
9:59 am
The GT players look so petite!
St Simons - we're on Island time
November 11th, 2011
9:59 am
no, I think Ga Tech is good. They might be the best team we play of the next three.
Realistic fan
November 11th, 2011
9:59 am
Arrogant for CPJ to say the punch to the head by Attackyou changed the game. What about the stupid 4th and dumb call on has own 31, going for it and not getting it. Oh I forgot, this is Paul Johnson who is the greatest coach in Tech history per the media. They slobber all over him. Any other coach in the South who makes that stupid call gets skewered. He also tried to run the ball with 20 seconds left in the NC St game on an option and holding a large lead. So NC St strips the ball and runs in for a TD. Didn’t matter in the outcome but it was a stupid call. And he got a pass there. He reminds me of the old Kentucky coach whose name I don’t recall who never punted–and seldom won.
hahahaha!!!!!
November 11th, 2011
10:00 am
it never gets old watching the worst fan base and most overrated coach get shamed on national tv.
AngryJacket
November 11th, 2011
10:02 am
never thought I would say this but I now officially miss Chan. He atleast called a game in hopes of winning it. The Johnson experiment is now over.
St Simons - we're on Island time
November 11th, 2011
10:07 am
That Tech team can beat us in 3 weeks. That’s a quality opponent.
We haven’t won anything yet. Good game, tech. And yeah, PJ
was right, he had to go for it ’cause they were playing small ball
and clock is always a factor in that offense. He just called the wrong play.
TNB
November 11th, 2011
10:08 am
’nuff said
Bill.B
November 11th, 2011
10:08 am
Please stop whining about the punch and how it lost the game. Yeah, it was dumb and, yeah, it led to a VT touchdown but it happened in the third quarter. GT still had a a ton of time to recover from it and didn’t. Everbody seems to conveniently forget that VT committed a personal foul that led to a GT touchdown and they managed to overcome that mistake.Scapegoating one player is just stupid. The real culprit is PJ and his gimmick offense and his incredible arrogance that tells him that nobody can stop him on fourth down. What head coach in the country goes for it on fourth down from his own 30 in the 4th Quarter? Just one and unfortunately he coaches Georgia Tech.
Give it up tool
November 11th, 2011
10:15 am
St. Simons – we’re on Island time = Obvious pathetic yech fan. Just too ashamed fo admit it.
buzzedout
November 11th, 2011
10:16 am
Never thought I would say this – if only we could have had Duke’s defense for one night!
Merck
November 11th, 2011
10:17 am
Johnson couldn’t coach his way out of a paper bag
sourgrapes
November 11th, 2011
10:17 am
AngryJacket – you’re way too angry if you miss Chan. Chan called games trying not to lose – I can remember maybe 3 games that it seemed he called them to win.
Don't worry
November 11th, 2011
10:18 am
Don’t worry Tech fans, come Saturday night, you will be able to return the insults to the Ga fans because Auburn is going to bring the dogs back to reality; that against teams other than cupcakes Ga can’t compete.
They have sunk so low that they are reduced to fantasizing on their Junk Yard blog about whether they could beat Boise State with today’s team, as if beating 7 cupcakes in a row somehow changes the fact that they lost the game on the field.
This goes to show you that they can’t stand the reality that they are just an average team, so they retreat into a fantasy world where they can dream about doing something they have not done for a while, beat a good team when it matters on the field of play.
UGA OWNS gtu
November 11th, 2011
10:19 am
gtu has the WORST excuse for a fanbase. gtu is a complete JOKE and DISGRACE.
UGA OWNS gtu.
Always have, always will.
UGA OWNS gtu
November 11th, 2011
10:20 am
gtu has a complete JOKE of a fanbase. gtu is PATHETIC.
UGA OWNS gtu.
Always have, always will.
Bob C
November 11th, 2011
10:20 am
The excuse of an overdose of adrenalin is a sorry excuse. You need to think all the time when playing. It was third and long and you had Logan going nowhere. As long as his forward motion had stopped there was no way he was going to get a first down.
A good football players can control his emotions – a fair player obviously cannot. What a shame. This was the help that the Hokies needed.
UGA OWNS gtu
November 11th, 2011
10:21 am
The truth hurts, don’t it gtu fans…?
UGA OWNS gtu.
Always have, always will.
Realistic fan
November 11th, 2011
10:22 am
And CPJ calls the game from the hip. Gunslinger. Tell me one who consistently wins. And don’t come with Les Miles. He is a good coach with a system a plan and good athletes who can carry it out. CPJ has none of that.
UGA OWNS gtu
November 11th, 2011
10:23 am
gtu, your fanbase is a JOKE! PATHETIC.
UGA OWNS gtu.
Always have, always will.
Mountain DAWG
November 11th, 2011
10:26 am
Pretty stupid play there, aahhchhoooo. Bless you.
Oh how the mighty have fallen
November 11th, 2011
10:27 am
we own gtu, can’t compete with the big dogs of college football so Ga fans hide under the porch and come running out to yap only when Tech loses, but when they lost to Boise State and SC, the onlt teams they have faced this year who are ranked, they are no where to be found.
From junk yard dogs to little nipping at your ankles mutts.
Jackdog
November 11th, 2011
10:28 am
The brainless swing and contact by #45 on VT’s quarterback may not have been the difference in the game, but if it had not occurred GT would have the ball and the MOTOVATION. GT has some serious problems, the punter is unbelievably inept. High school punters are as good and some better. The punter has really caused some problems for GT. We had no pass rush last night and the pass coverage was lacking. I despise 3rd and long when we are on defense. I bet if you looked at the entire season the opposing team picks up the first down 80% of the time. CPJ needs to rethink his approach to the game. Maybe a real QB with this offense would be the trick, but the receivers have to catch the ball. O. Smith was butter fingers last night.
Get Under That Bus!!
November 11th, 2011
10:30 am
“We just didn’t make enough plays, we didn’t get it done,” Johnson said. “Offense, defense, special teams – nobody got it done.”
Now who wouldn’t want to go to “war” for a coach like that!
St Simons - we're on Island time
November 11th, 2011
10:32 am
son, I am an accountant from UGA, I have one child in Vet school now, one a UGA undergrad, and a third going in two years. My heart and trust me ALL of my money go to UGA. They are a quality opponent, they’re good, they’re Georgians, and I respect them.
now i’m taking away your nintendo priveleges for a week,
and no more blogging on mommy’s computer
Jackdog
November 11th, 2011
10:34 am
You arrogant dawgs on owning GT are pitiful. What with the recruiting edge GA has over GT, GA should win most of the games. The problem for GA is what it does with all of those super star athletes. Not seen any national champions over there in a long while much less winners of the SEC. Don’t jump on GT, GA needs to win the big ones, and I have not seen a lot of those in a long time either. Your schedule is weak.
Rudow70
November 11th, 2011
10:41 am
KB,
I thank you for your thought re: GT v. Clemson. We’ll see how the rematch between VT and Clemson goes in Charlotte. If all goes as planned, they should meet again . It ought to be a good game.
UGA OWNS gtu
November 11th, 2011
10:43 am
LMAO…. It really hurts you! I LOVE it…!!!
UGA OWNS gtu.
Always have, always will.
ugab
November 11th, 2011
10:45 am
The punch and the bad 4th down call was game changer.
UGA OWNS gtu
November 11th, 2011
10:46 am
We will CONTINUE to OWN gtu from now on… know your place gtu.
UGA OWNS gtu.
Always have, always will.
Tech-nically Speaking
November 11th, 2011
10:47 am
Tough loss but when you get down to it, no big deal.
An engineering degree from GT is worth so much more than one from VT.
Frank Lane
November 11th, 2011
10:52 am
Tech is supposed to have smarter students and players than UGA, but this was about as stupid a move as I have ever seen in a game and it really costs them.
italian_29
November 11th, 2011
10:52 am
Man, I am extremely disappointed in the outcome of that game, you guys have one heck of a team and should have won that game. I am not saying that the penalty on Attaochu cost you guys the game, but it was definately the turning point. Up by 5 and had them stopped deep on their side of the field. I hope the Dawgs can hang with you and make a good game of it.
Trolling
November 11th, 2011
10:55 am
Funny how football seasons play…. Last week it was “We beat the #5 team in the country..” who beat VT 23 to 3. So it’s logical that Ga.Tech should beat VT… wrong…. the Clemson win was well earned.. VT was clearly the better team last night and the punch didn’t lose the game… maybe 5 quarterback sneaks did….. Teck fans can now laspe into their UGA fans are dumb and redneck rants whick is thie specialty when they lose.
CigarJacket
November 11th, 2011
10:55 am
Please eliminate the comments from “Hilarious”. I hope we can agree that they should not be listed for review. I can’t understand how some people have no class or care for their behavior.
RiffRaff
November 11th, 2011
10:55 am
Seems a lot of people are jumping the 4th and 1 play, but if it works and Tech goes down and scores and eventually wins, everyone would be talking about what a gutsy play caller PJ is.
YardDawg
November 11th, 2011
10:57 am
Tech, you are stuck with CPJ ….. how many games has his arrogance cost you and how many future games will his recruiting and high school offense cost you. Many and as a Dawg fan I am loving every minute of it.
sourgrapes
November 11th, 2011
10:58 am
@UGA OWNS gtu : Georgia Tech played Virginia Tech last night. Unless there was another game the rest of us aren’t aware of?
If you post it anonymously on a blog 20 times, does it make you a bigger man than you were yesterday?
sourgrapes
November 11th, 2011
11:02 am
“UGA OWNS gtu” – Yes, UGA really beat the crap out of GT last night. What a game! You SO own us! Look at you! You’re a big stud, thanks for coming on a GT blog and posting that anonymously 20 times, it was AWESOME for me!
CigarJacket
November 11th, 2011
11:04 am
Dawg fans, jump on the wagon of “high school offense and CPJ is an idiot”. I can’t wait for the blog on 11/27. I guess you forget that group you have in Athens is mistake prone too. We lost the game to VT. That is all. But, your boys will lose to GT.
Iron Mask
November 11th, 2011
11:07 am
Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you.
If the QB gets six more inches on that fourth and one, Paul Johnson is a genius and next in line for the Notre Dame job. If the QB doesn’t make it, Johnson’s a goat.
Well, bears eat goats, too.
Bad move on the kid who punched Thomas. I wish I could say I never did anything headstrong and stupid when I was his age, but I can’t.
There’s more games to play. Support your team.
Tech Triumph
November 11th, 2011
11:12 am
“An engineering degree from GT is worth so much more than one from VT.”
Yeah, only in Georgia! Can you squeal like a pig while we wave at you from the moon?
Atlanta87
November 11th, 2011
11:16 am
@ YardDawg and the rest of the SEC loves Coach Richt as your coach. Still loving that Boise State beat you mutts.
DawgByte
November 11th, 2011
11:18 am
Paul Johnson’s high school offense is an embarrassment to division 1 college football. The yearly GT implosion is in full bloom and you’ll have to endure yet another loss to Georgia. Our Defense is Top 10 in the country and Grantham proved last year with inferior players that he could shut down your lame O.
Nerds facing reality once again!
DawgByte
November 11th, 2011
11:20 am
Three cheers…
Nerds
Nerds
Nerds
Mark Bradley
November 11th, 2011
11:20 am
Er, didn’t Tech gain 500 yards against Georgia last season — behind its backup quarterback?
Atlanta87
November 11th, 2011
11:21 am
Good one DawgByte. Did you come up with that all by yourself?
Technically Correct
November 11th, 2011
11:25 am
Virginia Tech has better players overall than Georgia Tech, and that usually decides close games, so the outcome last night was really no big surprise. If Tech had more talent, CPJ wouldn’t have to gamble so much. Every game is a matter of “match-ups” and gaining advantages between players and that is what the coaches game plan for. Got good DLs? You stuff 4th and short, get pressure on the QB, and you don’t have to blitz as much. That means you don’t have to play as much man-to-man coverage in the secondary. Got big, fast LBs? You can fill lanes, get off blocks and tackle big RBs or the occasional big QB, like Logan Thomas last night. Got big, talented OLs? You can move the line of scrimmage against a weaker DL and you are not in as many short-yardage situations. Got a QB who can pass well and receivers who can catch well? It opens up the running game. Like it or not, it really is about the 3 stars versus the 4 and 5 stars. Coaches must work with the talent they have. Right now, Tech is stuck in the mold of a run-oriented, triple option team with average talent overall. We have no NFL-caliber talent on the offense and only a couple of players who might – one day – have a chance to play on Sundays. Until CPJ can break the status quo by recruiting a little better talent and then exploiting the passing ability of a true, QUALITY dual-threat QB – the absolute KEY to his offense – we will be destined to mediocre 6,7 or 8 win seasons, where the number of days that opposing defenses have to prepare for the novelty of our offense usually determines the outcome. Both Virginia and Virginia Tech had off-weeks to prepare for us. College football success is determined on National Signing Day and, until we can start winning those battles, true success will remain illusive.
hey Bradley...
November 11th, 2011
11:26 am
didn’t UGA win for the 9th time outta 10? stats are for losers…
Atlanta87
November 11th, 2011
11:28 am
Here’s a stat, Richt hasn’t beaten a ranked team since 2009. Hopefully that doesn’t change tomorrow.
italian_29
November 11th, 2011
11:34 am
I cannot believe that you guys are trashing your team and your coach, I think that Tech is WAY ahead of where most of the “experts” expected them to be and should have won that game last night.