This nutty Tech season could yield a truly hilarious ending
Believe it or not, both of these teams could land in Miami come New Year's. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Georgia Tech could wind up in the Orange Bowl, or it could grace no bowl at all. At this moment, the Jackets are bowl-eligible; come Saturday night, they might not be. Got that?
“It’s been a different year,” Paul Johnson said Tuesday, which is an understatement on a par with, “Bill Gates isn’t hurting for money.”
After a full regular season, Tech is neither a winning or a losing team — but it might yet be a conference champion. Generally speaking, when serendipity takes a hand it lifts a good team to greater heights. Somehow serendipity seems to have taken a shine to these middling Jackets, who lost by 21 points to Middle Tennessee and by 32 to Georgia.
The Jackets have played 12 games, losing half. They have beaten one team (North Carolina) that finished above .500. Carolina was one of three teams that tied for first place in the ACC Coastal Division, but the Tar Heels couldn’t play for the conference title because the NCAA won’t allow it, and Miami decided not to play for the ACC championship for fear of what the NCAA might do. Ergo, Tech to Charlotte.
“You want to be playing for your conference championship,” Johnson said. “Would you have dreamed it would be with this record? Probably not.”
Should the Jackets lose to Florida State — they’re a two-touchdown underdog — they’ll be 6-7, which would render them bowl-ineligible after they’d moved heaven and Earth to get bowl-eligible. Tech people absolutely believe the Jackets will be afforded a postseason berth even with a losing record; neutral observers are less sure. “You guys (meaning the media) are having more fun with that than might actually be,” Johnson said, though “fun” mightn’t be the proper word.
The coach’s Tuesday briefing wasn’t nearly as acidic as his post-Georgia address, but he didn’t miss the opportunity to hammer home a Talking Point. “This is the third time in five years these players have finished with the best record in their division,” he said. (Not incidentally, five years is how long Johnson has been in place.) “To hear some people talk, you’d probably think the sky is falling. But that’s probably better than they’ve done here in a long time.”
True. Before Johnson arrived, Tech had finished first in the ACC or the Coastal three times: In 1990, the UPI national championship season under Bobby Ross; in 1998 under George O’Leary, and in 2006 under Chan Gailey. But it’s also worth noting — and here we risk being included on a list of “some people” — that Johnson’s Jackets are 21-20 since Thanksgiving 2009, and that the biggest victory of that span (the ACC championship over Clemson) was officially vacated, and that their last game marked the second-largest margin of defeat of Johnson’s five years.
Loading ...Even with Tech playing for the ACC title, it’s impossible to call this season a smash. (Though, as Johnson said, “If we can win the conference championship, it’d be hard to say they underachieved.”) It would also be impossible to characterize the program as being in the prime of health. That said, it would be utterly in keeping with this crazy-quilt season for Tech to topple Florida State and break its bowl losing streak, which stands at seven years, in a BCS game against a true heavyweight like … Kent State?
As Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports has outlined, if Kent State beats Northern Illinois for the Mid American Conference title on Friday and finishes in the top 16 of the BCS rankings, and if the Big East champion is ranked below that, the Golden Flashes would almost surely land in the Orange Bowl, which gets last choice in this year’s BCS rotation. (Dodd also calls a potential Tech-Kent matchup “a game you wouldn’t pay to see in September.”)
The Golden Flashes lost to Kentucky by 33 points, and Kentucky didn’t win an SEC game and fired its coach. (And just hired Mark Stoops, the Florida State defensive coordinator. Small world, huh?) And to this outlandish possibility, we say: Why NOT?
Nothing else about Tech has made a lick of sense, so why not go the full Monty? Upset Florida State, beat Kent State and stick around afterward to help welcome the Georgia Bulldogs to Miami. See, the Orange Bowl will be staged at Sun Life Stadium — the home field of the Miami Hurricanes, whose step-aside put Tech in in the ACC title game — on New Year’s night. Six days later, the BCS title game will be played at the same place. Could this strangest of Tech seasons reach any more suitable end than to have both Jackets and Bulldogs take their respective talents to South Beach?
Further reading: Heat Check — Destiny’s Dogs? No-bowl Jackets? Whoa, Nelly.
By Mark Bradley
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209 comments Add your comment
Mama Says
November 27th, 2012
11:46 pm
Ok I’ll give it a shot.
Let me get this right, Georgia in beating Buffalo and Florida Atlantic gives up a combined 43 points, beats Kentucky, who you just told us about, 29-24, gives up 44 to a Tennessee team that was so bad they fired the coach and got absolutely manhandled by South Carolina. Yet it is absolute justification that they are mentioned as being a possible national champion. Who can get people to buy tickets because they are such a good team.
Kent St may very well win their conference and Ga Tech, despite the conference they play in and record, is playing in the ACC championship game. yet even by beating Fla State they still arent good enough to attract ticket buyers to the Orange Bowl ?
Could there be a more graphic example of spoiled big conference favoritism than this ?
Has anyone stopped to think that nobody gives a crap about what Bowl Georgia, Alabama or Notre Dame is in except their fans ?
The truth is that the mentality that leads to this is totally based on ticket sales. Meaning that the only ones buying tickets to any of the bowl games are the fans that support the relevent teams that are in the bowls.
The fact is regardless of record the smaller schools are shunned in favor of the larger fan base. That’s why you will never see Kent State start he season ranked in the top 25.
There is a backlash in ranking small schools high, some of them might actually be good. If they are good they may finished ranked. Finished ranked and someone may have to take you in a bowl game. A bowl game that will not sell out because the fan base is small.
Money controls all things folks, therefore these mega conferences controll it, by rule the fix is in.
Now please continue telling us why Kent St and Tech shouldn’t be in a bowl please.
Stinger 2
November 28th, 2012
4:02 am
GT should not be in a bowl game. They should take an enema and stay at home near their toilet bowls. After the great purge, they should be ready to do at least someting right. Start by putting CPJ on notice that improvement in his recruiting, defense are
expected immediately.
Buzz 333
November 28th, 2012
5:57 am
One thing is for sure, CPJ is overpaid.
Another thing, I am glad DRad is gone.
I am waiting for CPJ and Peterson to be gone, they have ruined the fan base and recruiting.
old dog
November 28th, 2012
6:22 am
To Hell with Tek, today,tomorrow and every other day.
Jacket 97
November 28th, 2012
7:18 am
GT will beat Kent State in Miami; meanwhile, after losing to Alabama…UGA will lose to another nobody in the Outback Bowl.
Rufus
November 28th, 2012
7:19 am
I’m embarrassed that we would even think about playing for the ACC championship. We should follow Miami’s lead and step aside.
RedandBlackDAWG
November 28th, 2012
7:21 am
Goldenrod
November 27th, 2012
3:30 pm
There is always the Sun Bowl again. Maybe there will be another team, with a wins waiver that wants to play you in El Paso. I woulds doubt it adds much to the coffers of GT or the ACC, but it is a bowl game, I guess.
Reggie Ball
November 28th, 2012
7:23 am
Who better than the best QB to ever play the game in Georgia to offer my prediction?
GT will win big over FSU…GT 45 – FSU 10.
Meanwhile, UGA 3 – Alabama 55
Pepper Rogers
November 28th, 2012
7:26 am
I may be old, but I know that GT will win big over FSU.
UGA just got lucky against us this year.
The Dawgs will be kicked up and down the field Saturday against Alabama.
Final score…UGA 0 – Alabama 62
Alabama is lucky they don’t have to play GT this year!
RedandBlackDAWG
November 28th, 2012
7:28 am
Jacket 97
November 28th, 2012
7:18 am
Kent State? I am pretty sure with the schedule they play you might be able to stand up against them. I am not sure though given MTSU whopped you, so you might be careful what you ask for. It would be humiliating to lose to two teams like that in a single season. Of course, if not for the two teams at least in front of you not going to a bowl, you would not even have a chance to play in the championship game of your conference. One has to wonder where the pride is, in playing in a championship game, with a 6-6 record and even to go as far as asking for a waiver to play in any bowl game when you could be 6-7. That is just sad, and you would think that an outstanding school, as we are always told that you are, would even lower their team down to the level.
Coach Vince "Coke Head" Dooley
November 28th, 2012
7:28 am
Where am I?
What day is it?
Where is Larry?
I need some blow!
Bud
November 28th, 2012
7:34 am
Hey mark how many teams in fbs has ga beaten with a winning record
MC
November 28th, 2012
7:34 am
Even when GT had a good team and faced Iowa in the Orange Bowl the tech “faithful” wouldn’t buy tickets or go to the game. Iowa filled the place up. The city of Jacksonville is on record as saying they never want to see GT in their city again. What was it attended the ACC CG in Charlotte against Wake? 3000-4000 tech fans? Everywhere GT goes bowling a financial bloodbath befalls that bowl. GT has become the pariah of the bowl season. I wouldn’t count on a waiver when the NCAA knows 10 tech fans might show up to whatever unfortunate bowl has to take them.
Brian Tucker
November 28th, 2012
7:45 am
Why is Paul Johnson still coach here?
dawgfan
November 28th, 2012
7:51 am
Let me get this straight Mama says, the ACC just got humiliated on the football field by the SEC and you STILL want to cry like a little girl about some supposed SEC bias and favoritism?
Can you even chew gum and walk at the same time?
sugarpikegang
November 28th, 2012
8:13 am
2012 Mayan prophesy – plain and simple.
Jeff B
November 28th, 2012
8:14 am
Uga isn’t beating bama. That’s so obvious. Bama isn’t losing twice in a month. And they certainly aren’t losing to a team that got blown out and played just 2 games all year. Compare that to fla who played top 15 teams and lost but 1. That’s why fla deserves the sugar and ga doesn’t when they lose. You see red neckers, if you played lsu and texas am too, u wouldn’t be in the game. Fools.
Roll Tide 42 ga 21
Jeff B
November 28th, 2012
8:15 am
Nice my post doesn’t show. Ths blog and mb is an utter joke. Keep spinning uga loser. Gonna laugh when they get blown out.
Then next year with all their players adios, it’s back to 7-5 reg seasons.
tndawg
November 28th, 2012
8:31 am
Wow! So much hate here. Loosen up guys. Football is only a sport. And I LOVE it!
GO DAWGS! BEAT ALABAMA!
Ramblin David
November 28th, 2012
8:44 am
I don’t think Tech should go to a bowl this year. It would be a travesty. Fire CPJ and go get James Franklin from Vandy. Let’s get back to playing “big boy” football.
Dadgum....
November 28th, 2012
8:48 am
Many are claiming GT backed into the championship game and that is partly true. Reality is the other teams dropped out via NCAA sanctions and self imposed sanctions. It certainly isn’t GT’s fault they were the last team left standing in the division. Just to keep in mind, had there been no sanctions then UNC would have won the three team tie breaker. Not Miami. Still, nobody had a better record so we got to go. Call it fortuitous or whatever. It is what it is.
To set another thing straight. Last year UCLA went bowling with a 6-7 record via an NCAA waiver. The reason was there were not enough qualifying teams to put in the bowls and they had just played in their champ game. GT situation is different on a couple of levels. #1- there are over 70 qualifying teams so if GT loses to FSU they don’t need them. #2- UCLA is not a precedent so the NCAA is not bound to past action.
The Sun Bowl has already looked past GT and even if GT somehow got a waiver they would only play in the Music City Bowl. The two bowls have been negotiating a switch in the event Tech is granted a waiver. I think there is a slim chance GT actually gets the waiver. The waiver has to do strictly with the rules and not game outcomes or who played who. Pure and simple the GT case is hollow and it is very doubtful the NCAA is going to bail out the ACC for having a 6 loss team in the champ game. Just because we have a tie-in for the loser to fall no further than the Sun Bowl that doesn’t trump the NCAA mandate of being a minimum of .500 and 6 qualifying wins.
That is best way I can explain it. If I was the NCAA I would disallow the waiver. There is no precedent and the waiver is more about spilt milk than substance. Beat FSU or go home. That is the only way to handle this. Why apply for a waiver when no bowl wants you. Case closed.
Cecil34
November 28th, 2012
8:54 am
Mark calls it nutty – Funny choice of words – how about substandard and inadequate?
I would say that would be more accurate.
Tech backing into an ACC championship game is not my idea of a successful season, but obviously for Johnson it is.
Any team that is 6-6 or 6-7 has no business going to a bowl game, period.
TEXAS DAWG
November 28th, 2012
9:02 am
The comments from the TECH fans say it all. They think that a 6-6 record and going to a conference championship (because the 2 above you can’t or won’t) is a great thing. THEN they have the nerve to get upset because if they loose and wind up with a 6-7 record, they may not get to go bowling. NO team should go with a loosing record. There are way too many bowls now when even a .500 record is good enough to get you there.
quick fix
November 28th, 2012
9:05 am
@ MC…the reason there were so few GT fans in the champ game in Charlotte vs Wake, the real game was played in Jax….
@ Tex dog
November 28th, 2012
9:08 am
let me guess, spelling was your major in Athens. By the way, my dog sometimes gets loose stool.
Dawg Catcher
November 28th, 2012
9:16 am
Continuing this logic, GT and uga will win Saturday, I will win the powerball (without buying a ticket), and I will give half of my winnings to GT. GT will use the winnings to hire Nick Saban as the new DC, and ….. the Mayans will be right and this whole season (and the world) will be vacated! Then, after all that, GT’s 2012 season will all make perfect sense.
TEXAS DAWG
November 28th, 2012
9:20 am
@Tex dog,
Just typing in a hurry while I had a little down time at work. I did not review before posting, so sorry to offend you (your disdain ruined my day). Once again as with most TECH poster, let’s ignore the facts and go to personal insults. If you can not attack the message, attack the messenger. I guess after this past Saturday that is all you have left to resort to. Oh and by the way did they teach you start sentences with lower case letters at GT- be careful of your comments and make sure you don’t have any errores yourself before you start down that road.
TEXAS DAWG
November 28th, 2012
9:21 am
Correction errors
robodawg
November 28th, 2012
9:28 am
Tech and UGA both in Miami … love it! Hope it works out that way.
Go Dawgs!
Coach Vince "Coke Head" Dooley
November 28th, 2012
9:33 am
Does anyone care about the old coach?
TechLB
November 28th, 2012
9:34 am
@Texas Dawg – Wow, that is some inferiority complex you have going on man.
Here’s a virtual man hug for you ( man hug). Try to enjoy the SEC Championship game and possible BCS title OK? Let it go…
Damon Evans
November 28th, 2012
9:35 am
Two words…”Red panties.”
TEXAS DAWG
November 28th, 2012
9:45 am
Thanks for the offer, but save it for your fellow GT alumni who are in to that kind of stuff. You will need it big time after Saturday. The world is so interested in the ACC championship game that tickets on stub hub are going for less than that it would cost to tour the stadium on an off day.
From Yahoo sports “Interest in this weekend’s ACC Championship Game isn’t exactly at an all-time high. Considering you can use a $5 bill to buy a ticket and still get $1 back in change”
Now that is funny.
Buzz 2011
November 28th, 2012
10:17 am
Hey everyone i forgot that GT got the 2009 ACC cahmpionship taken away for cheating and I also forgot to mention that UGA spanked us that year and every year since.
Not only is CPJ a BAD coach he is also bad recruiter and very very FAT.
http://www.firebigjohnson.com
13 fans
November 28th, 2012
10:32 am
Show some CLASS please, do not go to a bowl game.
Nutty Year
November 28th, 2012
10:37 am
for sure but what do you expect when you have a nutty coach and even nuttier fan base.
atowndown
November 28th, 2012
11:10 am
Wow, it is really amazing that this guy Bradley gets paid for this. What an idiot. Bradley, stick to writing pro UGA columns about UGA instead of trying to hide your pro UGA drivel in a Tech column. Thanks.
murfdawg
November 28th, 2012
11:21 am
Hey Mark,
Put me down for $2 on GT over FSU.
Reality
November 28th, 2012
11:37 am
So many blog trolls here….. Funny how GA Tech still has a “following” isn’t it? Even when GA Tech has a 6-6 record, even when we lose to uga, regardless, GA Tech inspires hatred from these trolls. LOL!!!
Reality
November 28th, 2012
11:43 am
Any team, even GA Tech, should try to go to a bowl regardless of their record. It is just silly to state or imply otherwise. This allows for more practices, more exposure, etc.
For GA Tech, going to a bowl will also extend the consecutive years going to a bowl game. I believe that currently, they have the 4th longest streak of this.
However, I will laugh and laugh and laugh if GA Tech does go to a BCS bowl and uga does not. It would be very funny. I do not predict that GA Tech will defeat FSU, but if they do…..
TEXAS DAWG
November 28th, 2012
11:51 am
@ Reality
Hatred no, Pity yes
As far as trolls, just returning the favor. All the UGA sites are crawling with TECH trolls all the time. It is either hatred or envy but they are there regular as clockwork.
MT
November 28th, 2012
11:58 am
we have bigger fish to fry in Charlotte
Hey Georgie Tech,
11 OUT THE LAST TWELVE, Ya’ll can’t fry the” Georgie” fish can you.Let alone any other ACC Fish.
FSU is seaming over the loss to Florida and unlike ya’ll they have the defense to do something about it.
Skeptic
November 28th, 2012
12:09 pm
These blog columns keep rehashing the same news, stirring the pot some more. Hits on the blog = revenue for the paper.
Oh, well, here’s mine
MT
November 28th, 2012
12:13 pm
All you people that says Georgia won’t beat Alabama,the DAWGS don’t have a chance,ya’ll are probably the same ones that said Georgia wouldn’t beat Florida either.How did that work out for ya’ll.
Losers. Go Dawgs. NC Time.1980 Georgia 17 Notre Dame 10, this time will be worse for ND.
Skeptic
November 28th, 2012
12:20 pm
MT,
It’s “y’all”, not “ya’ll”. I can’t believe a Georgia fan can’t get this right. You must live in East Cobb.
MT
November 28th, 2012
12:26 pm
I t’s amazing what some of these Nerds are posting,considering they got there heads handed to them last Saturday.Would have been worse if Richt had pulled the starters in the 2nd half.Some Nerd back at the first of the blog is in a twist because Rambo and Ogletree were body slamming Tech’s running backs. Sorry dude it was all legal.Recruit ya’ll some better backs and that may not happen.You really didn’t expect Georgia’s defense to serve them crumpet’s and tea did you. Geez, and these guys are representative of the high bastion of academia in the State of Georgia.
MT
November 28th, 2012
12:37 pm
Skeptic
That the best you got today.Too bad the score is still 42-10.
.
MT
November 28th, 2012
12:40 pm
Go to http://www.firebigjohnson.com then visit http://www.bringbackchangailey.com
42-10
November 28th, 2012
1:49 pm
Now I see why Georgia Tech nerds are so obsessed with Paul Johnson. He is delusional, just like the rest of the nerds! Only delusional fans brag about a 6-6 season! I don’t think this is too far of a stretch, but if Tech finishes 6-7, the nerds will still say Paul Johnson is a genius. 1-4 against Miami, 1-4 against VT, 1-4 against UGA, 0-4 in bowl games. Genius! Hahahahaahahahaha! I’ll give Auburn fans credit, at least they weren’t brainwashed by Gene Chizik.
JM
November 28th, 2012
2:50 pm
Go Jackets. keep fighting to overcome.