Could Tech end its bowl skid against the preseason No. 1?
Give this tactical genius a month to prepare and ... he'll probably lose by two touchdowns. (AP photo)
If, on Labor Day morning, you’d have known Georgia Tech would be facing USC in a bowl, you’d have guessed that everything would have broken right for the Jackets. As it happened, Tech had a rough season, which is why it’s again headed to El Paso and not, say, Miami. But spare a thought for the Trojans, who have been the greatest flop in almost half a century.
Ranked No. 1 in preseason, USC finished its regular season 7-5. Not since Ole Miss in 1964 has a preseason No. 1 wound up unranked, and back then the Associated Press poll included only 10 teams. Today it has 25, and you still won’t still find the Trojans until you sift through the “also receiving votes” category. They’re 12th on that not-exactly-stellar list — behind the likes of Vanderbilt, San Diego State and Arkansas State.
So there’s your Sun Bowl matchup: A team that has gone from No. 1 to No. 37 in the time it takes to say, “Lane Kiffin can’t coach a lick,” against a sub-.500 opponent. You wouldn’t think there’d be muchat stake, but again you’d be wrong.
USC has no reason to try hard on Dec. 31. Georgia Tech does. Not since Dec. 21, 2004, have the Jackets won a bowl, and that was so long ago that Chan Gailey was the coach and Reggie Ball, then a sophomore, was the game MVP and the team Tech beat (Syracuse) was so mortified by losing 51-17 that it fired coach Paul Pasqualoni eight days later.
Since then, nada. Tech has lost to opponents great (West Virginia, LSU and Iowa) and small (Utah twice, Fresno State, Air Force). That seven-year skid strips the luster from the Jackets’ string of 16 consecutive bowl appearances, and the past four losses have come under Paul Johnson. On the list of bowl-winning Tech coaches, Johnson ranks behind Mac McWhorter, who led the Jackets to victory in the 2001 Seattle Bowl as a one-game fill-in for George O’Leary.
This can’t-win-a-bowl thing has rankled Johnson for a while, and it has also gotten to his players: Tech’s seniors made “Win a bowl” one of their preseason goals. As of Halloween, there was no guarantee the Jackets would qualify for one. But they beat Duke on Nov. 17 become bowl-eligible, and then they lost to Florida State in the ACC title game to dip to 6-7, requiring an NCAA waiver to book passage to El Paso. But they got it, and off they’re going.
Of the Trojans, Johnson said Wednesday: “They were ranked No. 1; they had the Heisman frontrunner (quarterback Matt Barkley), and they’ve got the Biletnikoff winner (receiver Marqise Lee). They’re a talented team. Like I told somebody else, we’ve had a pretty good trifecta.”
Well, yes. Tech just played Georgia and Florida State, two gifted aggregations, losing to the former badly and the latter honorably. Can’t say the Jackets aren’t used to playing NFL-ready opposition.
“They’re very talented, but we’re not scared of them,” cornerback Louis Young said. “They’re 7-5. They’ve showed they can be beaten.”
They have, repeatedly. There’s a chance the Trojans, who figured to be spending the holidays in more scenic places, will sleepwalk through the Sun, and there’s no chance the Jackets will. This hasn’t been the season they envisioned, but tying Miami and North Carolina for first in the Coastal Division and playing for the conference title helped ease the pain. Beating USC in a bowl would be a nice New Year’s tonic.
On talent, the Trojans should win easily. But on talent, the Trojans shouldn’t be 7-5. For the first time under Johnson, Tech enters its bowl with more to prove than its opponent, and sometimes the lesser bowls come down to who plays harder.
There’s also this: Monte Kiffin, father of the lamentable Lane, has announced his resignation as USC’s defensive coordinator, for good reason. The Trojans rank 63rd nationally in total defense — that’s 10 spots below Tech, which fired coordinator Al Groh at midseason — and were overrun by Oregon on Nov. 3. The Ducks managed 62 points and 426 rushing yards, including 321 by Kenjon Barner.
If Tech can do nothing else, it can run the ball. It’s doubtful that the Jackets’ defense will shut down Barkley and Lee, but if the Tech offense can score early and control the clock, this could be one of those scoring lollapaloozas Tech occasionally wins. (To wit: Tech 68, North Carolina 50.) It would be utterly in keeping with this bizarre year if it ended with the Jackets breaking their bowl drought and finishing 7-7 by beating a team that was supposed to be unbeatable.
By Mark Bradley
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181 comments Add your comment
Dog kicker
December 19th, 2012
5:28 pm
First
Mark Bradley
December 19th, 2012
5:32 pm
Kudos, DK.
y3ll0wjacket
December 19th, 2012
5:34 pm
I’d take it! And I think you’re right that things seem to be lining up for just that bizarre of an end for a very unusual season.
old dog
December 19th, 2012
5:34 pm
To Hell with Tek, today,tomorrow and every other day!
jacket backer
December 19th, 2012
5:42 pm
Thanks to Kiffin, we have a chance…..Hope we show up inspired and shock some people…..Stranger things have happened…Excited about CBG and the hoops team!
Go Jackets!
captaindave
December 19th, 2012
5:45 pm
What, no gushing UGA column rehashing a game almost three weeks old?
Paul in NH
December 19th, 2012
5:46 pm
For GT to beat USC they have to score early and often
Really old dog OR
December 19th, 2012
5:54 pm
Are you the one who thinks your a DWAG?????????????????
DMAN
December 19th, 2012
5:57 pm
Tech aint no Ducks,what a joke!Kiffin gonna hang 60 on you nerds.
Dallas Cowboys
December 19th, 2012
5:59 pm
Was about to give old dog a thumbs up for spelling,then I saw tek…never mind…bet his mommy is embarrassed…..GT wins this one by 7
Dallas Cowboys
December 19th, 2012
6:00 pm
And Nebraska hangs 50 on you liberals…
Festus
December 19th, 2012
6:03 pm
In this part of the world USC is the University of South Carolina and Trojan has something to do with birth control. Lane is such a nice young man. How could this happen? I want more pictures of Lane’s wife and the girl who was on the motorcycle with Petrino. Football is just jocks running into each other.
Duke LaCross
December 19th, 2012
6:05 pm
The fleabags blow. If they were playing Iran, I would have a turban on.
Stinger 2
December 19th, 2012
6:10 pm
Thanks for your kind and nice thoughts Mark. I hope you are right. Ken Suguria noted yesterday that USC has a great defense and we know GT does not. That dims my hopes for the Jackets to pull of an upset.
Southeastern Losers
December 19th, 2012
6:10 pm
I hope it’s a Vad Lee repeat vs UNC, but if not at least TW has enough sense to SPIKE the ball….
Ramblin Black Jacket
December 19th, 2012
6:30 pm
They can’t win with TW behind the center. Sorry to say it, but it is what it is. USC defenders will eat the little man up. TW isn”t big or fast enough to run that offense against the big boys.
Skeptic
December 19th, 2012
6:34 pm
A column uploaded at 1715 (5:15 PM for you Democrats)?
Boy, this ought to trigger some pileups on 400. A multitude of The Great Unconcious staring at their iPad at 80 mph.
SC Jacket
December 19th, 2012
6:59 pm
Wow MB, a whole article without mentioning that UGA played the greatest game ever and deserves to be in the Super Bowl if the Falcons don’t make it? It has been almost a week since you reminded all of us about the team that lost to 2 of their only 3 ranked opponents this season. 2012 should always be remembered as the year UGA had the talent, schedule, and good fortune to have a chance to play for the National Title their deluded fan base feels they will win every year. The weak schedules of 2011 and 2012 for UGA are over. CMR is solid person and good coach. Too bad his players did not grab the ring when it was there for the taking.
Mike
December 19th, 2012
7:01 pm
TW isnt the problem. Its the offense itself. Vad Lee hasnt done any better against anyone that can actually play defense. Has Johnson beaten anyone decent who had more than a week to prepare for him? I cant remember it if he has. At least at Tech anyway. Monte Kiffin’s D may have had issues this year, but they also played in a much better league + finishing the season with #1 Notre Dame. I’m pretty sure he knows how to play the option. Its a good bet USC’s defense will be more prepared to play it than people think.
Mike
December 19th, 2012
7:08 pm
@SC Jacket – how does having to play Nick Saban’s Alabama squad qualify as “there for the taking”? You dont want to hear about UGA? Then maybe we should get a coach that can actually stay on the field with a good UGA team. Johnson has gotten mauled the last two years. At least Gailey was competitive with the good UGA teams. But that wasnt good enough, so he got fired. Then Tech swallowed a bill of goods they got sold after Johnson beat the worst UGA defense in memory. Now the only way we can hope for a win against them is to hope their defense collapses again. As long as UGA is playing good football, which they are, Johnson wont have a chance at competing with them.
ahsoisee
December 19th, 2012
7:16 pm
There is no way Tech will beat USC.
davidinloganville
December 19th, 2012
7:25 pm
Southeastern Losers
December 19th, 2012
6:10 pm
I hope it’s a Vad Lee repeat vs UNC, but if not at least TW has enough sense to SPIKE the ball….
of course he can, on 4th down like the great Reggie, Reggie,Reggie, Reggie,Reggie, Reggie,Reggie, Reggie,
Skeptic
December 19th, 2012
7:29 pm
This bowl season is just another level of assimilation into the Borg–just about every game is on ESPN, although not Tech in the Sun Bowl. Resistance is futile if you expect bowl games on OTA channels anymore. In spite of that, the most eager to be assimilated–and milked like a cow–love to characterize Tech folks as star trek nerds. Interesting.
So long, New Year’s day wall-to-wall football
Guess I’ll go hunting instead
1990_Champs_GT
December 19th, 2012
7:33 pm
A loss to USC would be ok, as long as it means CPJ goes back to the minor leagues after 2013!
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 19th, 2012
7:39 pm
Anything could happen. Tony Dungy thinks A. Murray is a first round worthy QB.
I dropped my fried twinkie
December 19th, 2012
7:40 pm
Telling Jokes again I see.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
December 19th, 2012
7:54 pm
Tech may win because USC doesn’t want to even be in the game.
Pitbull
December 19th, 2012
8:07 pm
Tech couldn’t end its bowl skid against Georgia Southern.
And Pitbull
December 19th, 2012
8:19 pm
couldn’t end his skid marks with new underwear.
Pitbull
December 19th, 2012
8:24 pm
Rumor has it that Tech is so disappointed with its football program that it is going to beat its Johnson (Paul that is).
flexbone 45
December 19th, 2012
8:26 pm
@Mike- Duke and North Carolina, both of which had a decent season, had a bye weeks to prepare for Georgia Tech. 2009, the year tech won the ACC championship, Tech beat Clemson in the regular season and championship game; not only did they have twice the amount of preparation (two weeks of preparation including the regular season practice and week prior to the championship game), but they had already seen the offense live in the regular season.
Also, considering Vad has played no more than two series after the North Carolina game, which was the most prolific the offense has looked this year, it’s difficult to say he’s had a realistic opportunity “to do any better.”
Pitbull
December 19th, 2012
8:34 pm
El Paso is the new Boise.
PS: Don’t drink the water.
gasman
December 19th, 2012
8:39 pm
42-10
Jon Koncak
December 19th, 2012
8:41 pm
I just spit my drink all over the table from laughing when I saw this article title.
OLD TECHIE
December 19th, 2012
8:46 pm
I don’t em beating lame kitten, but I would love it if they did.
OLD TECHIE
December 19th, 2012
8:47 pm
I meant SEE EM
cc
December 19th, 2012
8:52 pm
USC will hang 50 on Tech….and then shut it down in the fourth quarter. Plus, any team than has more than six days to prepare against that crap of an offense has no problem with it.
dry dirt road
December 19th, 2012
8:54 pm
I don’t think they could end the skid. They won’t be fielding much of a team. No offense, no DC, no AD, “Buzz” without veins in its wings as opposed to the BD years yj with veins in its wings partially symbolic of veins in arms of athletes from their muscles pushing them out. Also not much of a team because of tremendous fan criticism and not support, and not grabbing flu shots during a medically sponsored breast cancer month, preferring to wear pink instead. I remember when I went to Tech during the BD years of ‘69-’73 and I had center veins in my upper arms sticking out, and I wasn’t even on a team, I just worked out alot. BTW, I don’t have them anymore.
Calhoundawg
December 19th, 2012
9:04 pm
This headline is a pitiful attempt to make Georgia Tech football relevant for a day or two. Some may ask, “Can Georgia Tech win this football game?” I ask, “Who cares?!!”
God Bless you, Coach Richt. God Bless Georgia. Go Dawgs !!!
Buzz2011
December 19th, 2012
9:11 pm
GT will take out the Trojans and
Nebraska will handle the Dogs easily…
Buzz2011
December 19th, 2012
9:13 pm
Dawgs play in the SEC championship next year against ?????
and lose again…..What a joke the Dogs still whining over a game
3 weeks ago. The Tide would take the Dogs 9 out of 10 times played..
you can't fix stupid or bulldogs
December 19th, 2012
9:17 pm
Five yards short of NC…Its those darn IFs that get UGA every year….Best team between Feb. 1 and Aug 1 every year…please drink the koolaid dawg fans……ROLL TIDE… ROLL TIDE
gt4ever
December 19th, 2012
9:18 pm
NO
Ken in Alpharetta
December 19th, 2012
9:25 pm
USC is not NC. tech OL will not be able to handle USC front seven. USC players will not want to lose to a 6-7 “bowl” team. tech loses BIG.
JB
December 19th, 2012
9:27 pm
@SC Jacket,
Wow! an article about GaTech and all you can do is talk about UGA. LOL!!
GSUStud
December 19th, 2012
9:28 pm
As much I and most other people hate USC, I must admit that Ga Tech does not even belong on the same field as USC. USC might as well be playing Idaho State Tech College. Ga Tech will get embarrassed again this year. Ga Tech should never have requested a waiver to play in a bowl game…and now with a 6-7 record. Sad, very sad.
MT
December 19th, 2012
9:29 pm
The Tide would take the Dogs 9 out of 10 times played..
The Dawgs take the Jackets 10 of 10 times played. Gurley just scored again….
Tech and vicarious living.
Ken in Alpharetta
December 19th, 2012
9:29 pm
techies have a love affair with UGA. They just don’t know it or won’t admit it. Or it could just be the wannabe syndrome.
Pitbull
December 19th, 2012
9:50 pm
I would like to see Georgia Southern move up to the BCS and join the ACC in its Coastal Division. They would win the Division every year and beat Tech in the pprocess.
Tech on the other hand should move down to the FCS.
As for Southern Cal…if Tech lost by three touchdowns to MTSU in their own stadium, I doubt they will even score on Southern Cal.
Lank Kiffin is a sleaze under pressure. He will run up the score.
GT65..
December 19th, 2012
9:54 pm
Time to run the table..get it done!
dawgfan
December 19th, 2012
10:00 pm
LOL @ Bradley trying to make this game sound interesting.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 19th, 2012
10:06 pm
Tech will win.
lol
December 19th, 2012
10:07 pm
dawgfan, at least we didn’t cry for 3 weeks after getting beat like UGA did after Ala. won….crying and calling foul?
You better worry about your bowl game….
A person SMART enough to know.....
December 19th, 2012
10:07 pm
I wouldn’t bet on this game.
List Mama » Could Tech end its bowl skid against the preseason No. 1? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)
December 19th, 2012
10:15 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Rick James
December 19th, 2012
10:32 pm
If the team that played Florida St shows up it could be a good game.If its the one that showed up against Georgia they’ll get blown out by 40 points.Kiffin will be trying to make statement and will run up the score if he can.Best of luck..
dawgfan
December 19th, 2012
10:36 pm
No, you’ve just been crying for the better part of 12 years as Georgia has owned your joke program like a three legged dog.
Tech
December 19th, 2012
10:36 pm
Know what the Bulldogs and a sandcastle have in common? They both look good ’til the Tide Rolls in….. GA just lost its last chance to ever play for the national title again. This was the year and you blew it…….. How’s that choke collar feel now.?
Tech
December 19th, 2012
10:37 pm
….and you backed into that with a creampuff schedule….. Hahahahahaha
dawgfan
December 19th, 2012
10:37 pm
I wouldn’t watch this game.
Varsity
December 19th, 2012
10:54 pm
As a Tech fan, I hope we get run out of the building!
FireHydrant
December 19th, 2012
10:58 pm
That’s ok dawgfan…You cry when you look at your pay stud compared to our! But it’s ok, your jailbirds sure can play ball but notin else!
FireHydrant
December 19th, 2012
10:59 pm
BTW..UGA is a joke of a university!
11 of 12
December 19th, 2012
11:25 pm
I don’t think USC will stop Tech from rushing for over 300 yards but Tech needs to put the ball in the endzone. We saw what Oregon’s spread offense did to the Trojans. Good luck and looking forward to watching it.
To the obnoxious posts about UGA losing to Bama just remember what the score was in our game. Hard to talk trash if u yourself lose by more than 4 TD’s don’t ya think???
Dacusville Bill
December 19th, 2012
11:34 pm
Southern Cal will beat de rain and hail outta Tech, and Pitiful Paul will blame the Tech players & not his sillyassed “system”–Fire him and get a real Coach, somebody named “Bobby” as in Dodd and Ross–
USMC DAWG
December 19th, 2012
11:48 pm
I hope Tech SPANKS Usc. Go Jackets!
Footballrules
December 20th, 2012
12:33 am
What do all Tech fans and 99% of UGA fans have in common? Neither went to UGA.
Boo Boo
December 20th, 2012
12:36 am
Saturday, September 22, 2012, Middle Tennessee State University had an open schedule. No game to play. On Saturday, September 29, 2012, MTSU travelled to Atlanta, GA and whipped Paul Johnson’s offense and defense, 49-28 (and the game was not as close as the score indicated).
On Saturday, November 17, 2012, the University of Georgia played a carbon-copy offense, in GA Southern, as a warm-up to playing Georgia Tech the following Saturday. UGA beat Southern 45-14, then after that practice week they beat Paul Johnson’s offense and defense 42-10.
The point is simple. If every team had a whole 2 weeks to prepare for and practice against a Paul Johnson offense, Paul Johnson’s offense gets stopped COLD.
It does not matter if USC is unranked. It does not matter if USC is coached by Lane Kiffin. It does not matter if USC’s quarterback is blind. Their defense will be able to stop Paul Johnson’s offense, and because of 4 years of Al Grogh not teaching anyone how to tackle, Paul Johnson’s defense could not stop a Jr. Varsity team (if they still had any).
Sad, but true.
john
December 20th, 2012
1:42 am
So amusing to read the hatred of GT from the dwagfans. Their pitiful, worthless lives…working in McDonald’s or bagging groceries at Publix…..And these are the dwag who graduated from UGAg!!!
lanier
December 20th, 2012
6:27 am
tech will loose big. lets get this garbage game behind us
dawgfan
December 20th, 2012
6:29 am
What do all UGA fans and 99% of Tech fans have in common? They can’t stop thinking about UGA.
Owned.
I’m glad Tech fans took the time to watch our game against Bama. I would have watched the embarassment known as the ACCCG but I had other things to do, like washing my hair or watching paint dry. I can’t remember which.
Georgia Tech= JOKE.
Fred
December 20th, 2012
6:36 am
Hey UGA fans,,,how’s your basketball team this year??? Stay off our blog….
Fred
December 20th, 2012
6:37 am
Hey DAWGFAN, it’s time for you to pick up your welfare check…..
Ben
December 20th, 2012
7:03 am
Anytime Kiffin is on the other sideline, a team has a chance. Has there ever been someone who has gotten so many jobs while failing at every step?
I could compare that with a certain politician, but this isn’t the forum for such things.
David
December 20th, 2012
7:04 am
GT is not got to catch USC sleeping. USC should win by a good margin. The worse thing that could have happened to Tech fans is the team slipping into the ACCCG. Now Johnson will be there for the next few years with a high school offense.
Boss
December 20th, 2012
7:39 am
Go to hell Mark. Don’t write about GT ever, you’re not worthy to write about the school. GT does things the right way, you are a scumbag.
gt4ever
December 20th, 2012
7:47 am
@Rick James
FSU gets beat or survives a close game, GT is pitiful… The only way GT doesn’t lose is if the Mayans get it right Friday and we don’t play…
HammondB3
December 20th, 2012
8:03 am
Will the GA starting line up be out of jail by bowl time i hope so, I heard that some have even learned how to spell and write there name……warms my heart makes me want to go out and by a red truck
You missed the point
December 20th, 2012
8:06 am
Tek doesn’t care about winning bowl games – the only concern is keeping the bowl INVITATION streak alive.
I know its true – I read it on the internet.
Never the less Tek can actually win this game because – USC will be uninspired and looking at Tek as most do – a wanna be Division 1 team that can’t play with the “Big Boys”.
Yup – CPJ is doing well – upholding the Tek tradition.
Anybody have the over under on attendance – LOL
lol
December 20th, 2012
8:09 am
Look at Johnson’s record against any decent team, and you’ll know the outcome of this one. It will be UGLY!!!
Jayden
December 20th, 2012
8:14 am
USC didn’t play in a bowl game last year and maybe the year before so they will be eager to play in one. I guess you’re setting both teams up. Gt to look bad when they lose and the opposite for uga if they lose. Well, they didn’t want to be there.
Anyone notice that guy who was going to gt, stephon tuitt, made some top defensive awards lists. It’s all about recruiting. Tech will never get star players because of the offense and no star defensive players will go because of the offense. There’s a reason nebraska abandoned the offense 15 years ago.
Jayden
December 20th, 2012
8:15 am
That should be last season for usc and maybe the season before last. year gets confusing.
Iluvnutella
December 20th, 2012
8:25 am
We’re gonna get crushed.
You missed the point
December 20th, 2012
8:28 am
But I will not miss this game. I may even Tivo it. There is nothing I enjoy more than watching Tek get pounded.
Every year Tek has some close games (mostly losses) and the fans miss the point. Tek is over looked by most teams and taken lightly. I mean really – how do you look at Tek and think – wow those guys are really good we better play our best game.
How much longer will the Tek fan base (all 12 of them) support CPJ?
BOY THAT DAWG IS UGLY
December 20th, 2012
8:30 am
Dawgfan…..sort of like the USC versus Dawgs? You could only have wised it was interesting. It was humilating before the end of the 1st Quarter. I hope Spurrier stays a long, long time in Columbia.
You missed the point
December 20th, 2012
8:35 am
Tek “could” win – and pigs “could” fly if……………………
Punch em in the mouth CPJ – fry some fish CPJ – then call out your players CPJ – Tek should be proud.
BOY THAT DAWG IS UGLY
December 20th, 2012
8:36 am
Actually Dawgfan I can’t stop thinking about UGA. What do I think of? An average academic reputation (I think of only Vandy when I think of academic respect in the SEC), arrests, suspensions, a supposdedly elite program whose last national champtionship in football was 32 years ago, an AD with panties between his legs and a DUI…..do I need to continue?
GTT
December 20th, 2012
8:38 am
Not going to happen.
Birmingham Jacket
December 20th, 2012
8:53 am
@MT
“Tide would take the Dawgs 9/10 times” if played.
Nope.
And you wouldn’t bet anything you couldn’t afford to lose on that.
juvenal
December 20th, 2012
9:18 am
maybe we can join the big east basketball refugees……
ramblingbuzz
December 20th, 2012
9:34 am
For some reason I’m looking forward to watching this game. Better than playing Utah or Air Force in a bowl. If Johnson & Co don’t win this one, GT fan base is going to be pretty POed.
scratch this
December 20th, 2012
10:06 am
hope you georgie boys like being king of the local mountain,because out side of this state YOU are the ones being made fun of
Smyrna Gold
December 20th, 2012
10:06 am
We should be in a rematch with MTSU not playing USC. Come on folks, with 6 wins over the likes of Presbyterian, UVA, Duke and losses to every decent team on the schedule, USC will embarass us so badly. CPJ and GA TECH football is a JOKE.
Bobcat
December 20th, 2012
10:13 am
GT does not deserve a bowl game. It is embarrassing how they begged to be selected. I detest Kifflin and USC (they were made for one another), but USC will trounce GT. Instead of USC, GT needs to be playing Savannah State. At least GT and SSU play at the same level.
Bazooka Joe
December 20th, 2012
10:29 am
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA You bungle bees are too funny…. First of all, you dont even deserve to be in a bowl game, second you are totally outclassed by USC and are going to get drilled. Come on now, take your whoopin like a man. When is this game again ? Is it going to be on tv ? I want to be sure I watch it.
RedandBlackDAWG
December 20th, 2012
10:33 am
The question has got to be, “Does GT Have the Defense, To Stop USC’s Offensive Game Plan?” They will pass GT to death until, GT finds a way to shut it down. GT has trouble with teams that are fast.
Of course, USC hasn’t stopped too many teams all year either, so it could get interesting.
Gorilla Biscuit
December 20th, 2012
10:37 am
USC might have bigger fish to fry?
Trojan Man
December 20th, 2012
10:39 am
Please, all TW’s passes look like he is spiking the ball. Tech does not have a QB that can even throw a spiral in pregame…Tech is awful in every aspect but USC will probably sleep walk through the entire thing so I think they have a tiny chance of an upset.. unless USC wakes up.
Booze Hound
December 20th, 2012
10:40 am
6-8 coming right up. Then we’ll be back to the usual chorus of PJ-defending clowns on here telling us how the offense isn’t the problem (somehow, Johnson as head coach isn’t responsible for atrocious special teams and defense, and when his offense gets stopped by some team that had more than a week to prepare, it’s only because the Jackets got out of rythym), how they have faith in Johnson “turning it around”, how Johnson gives Tech the best chance at winning, how his record his first four years was the best in Tech history, etc.
2013? The usual…losses to VT, Miami, UGA, FSU, probably Clemson, and definitely the bowl opponent. Wash, rinse, repeat!
RedandBlackDAWG
December 20th, 2012
10:42 am
HammondB3
December 20th, 2012
8:03 am
Will the GA starting line up be out of jail by bowl time i hope so, I heard that some have even learned how to spell and write there name……warms my heart makes me want to go out and by a red truck
Link
Report this comment
Obviously a English major, who feels free to criticize anybody’s intelligence, when you use ” There”, instead of “Their”, and have no knowledge how to use a comma. Strong sentence structure.
Must have made your mom proud as you displayed your intelligence.
DawgFan
December 20th, 2012
10:43 am
John, sorry to disappoint…I am a UGA grad making 6 figures…and so does my wife…so UGA grads do make it happen in more than just sports…. WE RUN THIS STATE!
brad
December 20th, 2012
10:45 am
Tech couldn’t beat Air Force. Whats make you think that their high school offense will work against REAL college talent? it might be worse than the whipping Georgia put on them. Everyone knows Paul Johnson is gone after they lose this game and the word on campus is the team is going to tank it just so they can start playing grown up football again.
juvenal
December 20th, 2012
10:46 am
not true, T J-he over throws across the middle…..Merry Christmas, Gorilla, miss you on our sites, you are funnier than dawgfan 7 the guy who says every other day, does that mean odd or even days?
juvenal
December 20th, 2012
10:47 am
T M , that is……
JR
December 20th, 2012
10:50 am
Good analysis. Well done.
Skeptic
December 20th, 2012
10:58 am
6 figures—$9,573.36….oh but x2 lets you upgrade to Marlboro from Pall Malls
WE RUN THIS STATE, eh? That’s pretty apparent
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
10:58 am
Everyone knows Paul Johnson is gone after they lose this game
Sorry to disappoint you but CPJ isn’t getting fired no matter what happens in this game.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
11:04 am
Tech could win this game. I doubt it though. It would take a serious motivational problem by USC to make it close and i’m not really sure our guys will be all that motivated themselves. There is only one bowl game that matters and the players know it. It would be fun to ruin Lane Kiffin’s day though.
Smyrna Gold
December 20th, 2012
11:09 am
CPJ can’t motivate this team for any game. Motivated or not, GT loses by at least 30. Tech may have more yards rushing so after the game we can brag about that. Same old crap.
10per
December 20th, 2012
11:14 am
I think Tech knows what it has to do to win.
The question is…can they do it, or will they put themselves in a position to do it?
roughrider
December 20th, 2012
11:16 am
Wonder how Tech would have done against Alabama?
Smyrna Gold
December 20th, 2012
11:20 am
To win, Tech has to score more points. That’s pretty basic. USC will score on every possession. Take it to the bank.
ylojkt
December 20th, 2012
11:28 am
Let’s go Jackets! Let’s get a win against the condoms!
GT TN
December 20th, 2012
11:45 am
@ Brad..love who you say we can’t win this bowl game because we lost to AF 2 years ago..using you logic that means UGA can’t beat Neb because you lost 2 years ago to UCF and only scored 6 points..I love reading dumb post by UGA fans
@ Smyrna Gold..there is no way you are a GT fan..if you were a real fan there is no way you would say the things you say..no matter how bad the season has gone a real fan would not trash the team like you do..why not show your true colors when you post instead of hiding behind some fake name..try Smyrna Red
GT TN
December 20th, 2012
11:48 am
@ roughrider..doesn’t matter what you think GT would have done against Alabama..we don’t play them..I know what your dawgs did against them..they got beat
MC
December 20th, 2012
11:55 am
Won’t happen. Matt Barkley will put 500 yds passing on our sorry secondary.
Go Dawgs
December 20th, 2012
11:56 am
So much Dawg envy. I bet there are a few folks on here that would give a kidney for another GT win against UGA
Middle Tennessee State
December 20th, 2012
11:57 am
Since we beat GT and they have a sub .500 record on the season, I think we should get to play USC.
TexGT
December 20th, 2012
12:01 pm
This game will get ugly for Tech, quick: USC 48 GT 13
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
12:05 pm
So much Dawg envy. I bet there are a few folks on here that would give a kidney for another GT win against UGA
I know that beating GT is the highlight of every season for UGA fans since they can’t accomplish anything else, but they really overestimate how much GT fans care. Personally, if they closed your school, and we never played you again then I think GT and the state of Georgia would be much better off.
Pitbull
December 20th, 2012
12:07 pm
This sad little bowl game against a loser (6-7) and Lane Kiffin the liar will have the Tech nerds popping their zits and pooping in their pants by the time it is over.
Tech won’t be in the game. El Paso is the new Boise.
Pitbull
December 20th, 2012
12:12 pm
Chances are the TV cameras won’t show the upper stands or the end zones either. Just like the ACC CG when Tech played in it and lost to heh heh Wake Forest. and then got blown out in the Orange Bowl in front of at least two dozen Tech fans in attendance.
No wonder the Sun Bowl was trying to get out of taking you.
No one will be there except for a handful of USC fans because USC isn’t playing anybody.
Watch for it.
Go Dawgs
December 20th, 2012
12:12 pm
But GTBoob… what would you then do with all your free time with no UGA blogs to vomit on?
Bali
December 20th, 2012
12:14 pm
Come on GTBob….do you just ‘hope’ that happens? I’m not here to dog anyone, but I’ve asked you before, do you really think CPJ is going to get you guys back where all of us dawgs know you were? Not bein a smartazz, don’t have any other motives, just asking a simple question. I don’t beat my chest over the dogs, cause I know an azzwhoopin is always just around the corner for ANY team.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
12:26 pm
Come on GTBob….do you just ‘hope’ that happens?
No, its basically a certainty that CPJ is going to coach next year. We have no AD right now, he has a huge buyout, and he hasn’t really done that bad as a coach so far. Do I think he can turn things around? Possibly. We will see. He will probably never beat UGA again though so if that is supposedly all GT fans care about then we should fire him and bring in the next coach who has no chance of beating UGA.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
12:26 pm
But GTBoob… what would you then do with all your free time with no UGA blogs to vomit on?
Probably something productive.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
12:27 pm
I think Tech wins this game
If Washington starts, the chances drop
If CPJ will let Vad Lee do his thing, Tech can score a bunch on these guys
49-45 Tech
Bet the double wide
suwanee dawg
December 20th, 2012
12:29 pm
If there were the regular season, I’d think you guys would have a better chance. Every time other defenses have weeks to prepare assignments, your offense struggles. I really don’t care but it would be nice to see ya’ll beat Kiffen. GT Bob, you comments reflects your frustration and is really quite stupid. I cannot stand the Gators but wanting the school to close and to express things would be better if so, makes no sense. Get a grip, it’s just football.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
12:37 pm
Get a grip, it’s just football.
Its not just football. UGA is a stain on the face of the state of Georgia. Its graduates tend to stay in the state because no where else wants them, leading to a continual degradation of the education system for further generations. There is a reason that Georgia is so poor in education overall. Its because there are a lot of UGA Alumni and fans teaching and parenting kids in the state of Georgia. If UGA went away or was completely restructured, it would be a great benefit to the state and could start to improve the low brow unintellectual face that the state cannot get away from.
Bali
December 20th, 2012
12:43 pm
Now see….you just had to hit way below the belt. That was just uncalled for. There’s no wonder you get slammed on here man. You seem to be just a bitter, little man. You’re definitely getting the reactions that you want, so keep up the good work. As for me, I’m not gonna get sucked into your misery.
Mark S.
December 20th, 2012
12:45 pm
Maybe if they beat the “pre-season #1″ they can get themselves some rings. That would be …… SO tech.
Steverino
December 20th, 2012
12:46 pm
Before this bowl futility streak started, GT was at or near the top of the list in bowl winning percentage. Time to right the ship.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
12:47 pm
“UGA is a stain on the face of Georgia”
What evidence do you have to support this statement?
Have you checked what it takes grade wise and test score wise to get into UGA?
Provide links from credible sources or SHUTUP
Tech Fan
December 20th, 2012
12:48 pm
Go Jackets!
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
12:53 pm
http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/best-college-values-kiplinger-s-top-100-public-colleges-2011.html
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
These guys actually do research unlike GtBob
Rooty Tooty
December 20th, 2012
12:53 pm
Would like to see it happen but past experience tells me it will not happen…………
Buckeye
December 20th, 2012
12:59 pm
Tech will be number one next year! Coach Johnson is a genius!
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
1:07 pm
Now see….you just had to hit way below the belt. That was just uncalled for.
Sorry man, but the truth hurts. Remember this if your kids ever want to go to UGA. Don’t be part of the problem.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
1:09 pm
More spew GTBob, still no facts
Just pure hatred with no basis
I thought you Tech boys were not afraid to debate?
I guess it is difficult even for a smart old man like you to support statements that have zero basis in fact and are only supported by a pure hatred based on sports.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
1:11 pm
So I guess my best friend’s son who just graduated from UGA and got accepted after 1 interview to medical school to study to be a surgeon should hide his head in shame?
JB
December 20th, 2012
1:11 pm
Valdosta St could beat Tech………..For real
Peter
December 20th, 2012
1:14 pm
Not until they fire the head coach, and stop playing high school football.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
1:19 pm
Not until they fire the head coach, and stop playing high school football.
Yeah, we are doing so much worse with him then we did with all of those pro style coaches. At the rate that UGA fans want our coaches fired we might as well start searching for new coaches every time we hire one.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
1:20 pm
Valdosta St could beat Tech………..For real
Why stop there. Almost any team in any division could beat Tech.
GATA
December 20th, 2012
1:59 pm
Call me a heretic, but this Dawg fan is hoping the Jackets beat Lame Kitten.
Alphare
December 20th, 2012
2:07 pm
Tech will win since Johnson is gone.
What? still there? no chance!
Bali
December 20th, 2012
2:16 pm
Bob, my son is currently attending Alabama because he plays on their wheelchair basketball team. Don’t clump all dawgs in your neat little box….or all people for that matter. You’re gonna miss out on meeting some really great people if you do. Now I CAN act as nasty as any dawg on here, but things happen when you grow up. Why do you continue with this diatribe towards UGA? Most grown dawgs on here have great tech friends…..why don’t you join the party and quit fighting?
GTfan11
December 20th, 2012
2:17 pm
I have to question whether CPJ can get a team up for a bowl. He’s losing some of his luster in my eyes. His one dimensional offense and swiss cheese defense is wearing thin.
Tech Legacy
December 20th, 2012
2:17 pm
I don’t think Tech will be able to stop USC at all. So, as you say, they will have to win by scoring a lot of points and getting some breaks along the way. That being said, I don’t think USC is probably that wild about playing a sub-500 team in the Sun Bowl and has everything to lose and nothing to prove. Tech, on the other hand, has everything to prove. Advantage Tech. I think that could be the difference…and Tech better hope so….
yellowfever
December 20th, 2012
2:23 pm
Old Dawg, hope your listening, to HELL with jawga yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. I thank that pretty much says it all.
Bali
December 20th, 2012
2:26 pm
Legacy, as much as GTBob will detest, they’re some dawgs that want you guys to beat the snot out of Kiffen. But with every post that bob berates this University, he’s not making many friends, and he’ll turn the older crowd against him. Maybe that’s his goal. This dawg wants you guys to have a good showing against this piece of crap coach….win or lose.
GimmeAbreak
December 20th, 2012
2:28 pm
It’s very rare that I read a Teck blog but omg, I thought that the fans (maybe that should be singular) had a little bit of class and some intellegence. You are responding to an article about USC and Tech and some dumb*** has to bash UGA. Any forum will do for the nerds to vent frustration. I guess the reference to Reggie Ball et.al. is so disturbing.
Before I read this I was thinking Tech just maybe have a chance to win but as much as it hurts to pull for Kiffin….. BEAT TECH! The classless bunch of yellow jackets deserve no respect!
dawg tired
December 20th, 2012
2:30 pm
The Trojans have had plenty of time to figure Johnson’s high school offense. USC by 17
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
2:54 pm
But with every post that bob berates this University, he’s not making many friends, and he’ll turn the older crowd against him.
I’m not really all that worried about making friends Bali. As long as you have UGA fans on the blogs taking shots at GT I am going to be around. It is what it is.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
2:55 pm
BEAT TECH! The classless bunch of yellow jackets deserve no respect!
There ya go. Let the hate flow through you.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
2:58 pm
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
2:55 pm
BEAT TECH! The classless bunch of yellow jackets deserve no respect!
There ya go. Let the hate flow through you.
**************************
SAYS THE MOST HATE FILLED PATHETIC OLD MAN IN AJC BLOG HISTORY
POT, MEET KETTLE
Smyrna Gold
December 20th, 2012
2:58 pm
@GT TN
I’ve been a GT fan and season ticket holder longer than you’ve been on this earth. You need to quit making excuses for this charade of a football program. It is pathetic, embarrassing and going deeper into the toilet every year under CPJ (check the record)
After 5 years under this coaching staff we should be seeing improvement, not a downward spiral (hence, 5 year contracts) as is the current case with this staff.
Messin with Sasquatch
December 20th, 2012
3:13 pm
Mark, PJ is reincarnation of Pepper Rodgers, which you may know. Nice column and as an old Tech fan, I feel much better.
Georgia Tee
December 20th, 2012
3:14 pm
If Tech were to have a 11-1 season and the loss was to the dawgs, the season would still be a disappointment! Who cares about an ACC Championship and an Orange Bowl victory if the Georgia game is a loss. If CPJ dosen’t think that beating the dawgs makes a successful season he needs to move on.
Pitbull
December 20th, 2012
3:17 pm
Not so fast my fellow Dawg fans. Lets not be too tough on Paul Johnson.
He is 40-26 in his five seasons at Tech although 6 of those wins were against FCS teams.
So he is 34-26 against BCS teams. Although 33 of those wins were against ACC teams or teams that were weak in comparison to the ACC which is really sad when you think about it.
His one lone achievement at Tech was to beat Georgia by 3 points in 2008 with Chan Gailey’s recruits which was an event held in high consideration by Tech faithful, even though he is now 1-4 against UGA.
So we don’t want Paul Johnson going anywhere. We are happy with Paul Johnson right where he is and with Tech in a soft conference and not battle tested going into the Georgia game and the bowl games.
Remember that Paul Johnson is 1-10 against Georgia and bowl opponents.
So when the going gets tough…….Tech folds like a cheap lawn chair.
Skeptic
December 20th, 2012
3:25 pm
Making friends on a blog? Liking or Unliking? All that scheisse is absurd.
Hell, I don’t even know if any of you are real people.
As far as providing links to facts supporting what I say–no. It’s a blog, not court. Just like gotcha journalism, the burden of proof is on you unless it’s defamation. Welcome to the internet.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
3:27 pm
Everything on the internet is true
Just ask Al Gore
Go dwags! woof woof woof woof
December 20th, 2012
3:31 pm
Ah hell, I hope dem dwags can avoid the upset by the huskers! Gah-lee, what a barnburner!
Hey yellowfever
December 20th, 2012
3:54 pm
“Your listening” – LMAO – you uneducated nitwit.
Tech Legacy I couldn’t agree more – your analogy is spot on
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
3:58 pm
Pitbull, there is no coach in the history of football that could come into GT right now and actually compete with UGA so why are you harping on about how terrible CPJ is against them?
Hey GTBob
December 20th, 2012
4:03 pm
I think he is harping because CPJ is proving to be a terrible hire for GT.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
4:10 pm
I think he is harping because CPJ is proving to be a terrible hire for GT.
How is he a terrible hire? Ive asked this a thousand times but what is the expected level of play for GT? 10 wins every season, an ACC championship and winning 50% of the games against UGA? What would be considered acceptable?
wrecked
December 20th, 2012
4:19 pm
Shows the depths that this program has reached. When the only hope of a win is the opponents disinterest.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2012
4:19 pm
Not losing to MTSU
Not losing to BYU
Having a defense that holds teams to fewer than 500 yards and 40 + points routinely.
Having an offense that attracts kids that want to play in the NFL while getting a quality education. Those are not mutually exclusive.
That would be a good start
Hey GTBob
December 20th, 2012
4:27 pm
So what are your expectations?
How many wins does it take to make you happy (you don’t appear to be a happy fellow).
LOL winning 50% of the UGA games when the record reflects something closer to 10% for over a decade.
Guess the 10 wins can be cumulative – like for two seasons combined
A legitimate ACC Championship might be nice – you don’t currently have one.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
5:12 pm
So what are your expectations?
I am a realist so my expectations will be somewhat in line with how GT has performed historically. I think a coach who can average around 8 wins and beat UGA once or twice every 10 years is a pretty good coach. GT historically is a little lower than that on wins and a little higher then that on UGA wins but UGA wins have been trending down for a while so its silly to expect it to hold stable.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
5:59 pm
Having an offense that attracts kids that want to play in the NFL while getting a quality education. Those are not mutually exclusive.
If that is the case then why are so few SEC schools top rated academic institutions?
Pitbull
December 20th, 2012
8:04 pm
People do not go to football games to comment on how highly rated the college is academically. So cut the crap playing that card.
They go to see a quality football team like they did in the 1950’s when they would go to Tech games.
Tech is not that great of an academic institution. Now Cal Tech and MIT are,
But GT is not what the Tech people make it out to be. Its just a state college for engineering majors. That’s all.
Justthefacts
December 20th, 2012
9:45 pm
I’ve got to give the UGA team its due for a great season.
The accolades stop there as there is a huge difference between the UGA student athlete and the “dawg fans” that continue to seek meaning in their life by trying to latch onto the success of others and attempting to address their own insecurities by disparaging others..
At some point in the future “dawg fans” will recognize that 1980 was a long time ago and that Herschel Walker is 50 years old, All one has heard from “dawg fans” since that time has been “if only” and “but for”. I would have thought that the excuses would have been exhausted after the first 3 decades……
Hey Justthefacts
December 20th, 2012
10:25 pm
42 – 10
6 – 7 soon to be 6 – 8
Yup love dem facts
Justthefacts
December 21st, 2012
12:09 am
@ Hey Justthefacts – You are absolutely correct. UGA has dominated GT in football in recent years.
By the way – thanks for proving my point. I hope that your attempt at disparagement allows you to sleep better this evening.
Also – another fact. With less than seven weeks left until national signing day, Georgia has lost its recruiting coordinator. Oh well, I guess this will give “dawg fans” a new excuse……..
USC Trojan
December 21st, 2012
6:20 am
Another cheap shot at the Pac 12 by Mr. Bradley. How about dissecting the USC schedule. Every loss was to a team playing in a bowl. 3 of their 5 losses were to teams playing in BCS bowls, including the national title game. You are such an SEC homer it’s pathetic. Keep writing articles about how UGA belongs in a BCS game. UGA’s out of conference schedule was Buffalo, GA Southern, GA Tech, and Florida Int. That’s 4 cupcakes. USC played Hawaii, @ Syracuse (another bowl team), and Notre Dame. Plus had to play 2 BCS bowl teams in conference in addition to 4 other teams playing in bowls this year. UGA lost to an overrated S. Carolina team and had the 5 worst SEC teams on it’s conference schedule (Tennessee, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Auburn, and Missouri). That’s over half their conference schedule that ended up being cupcakes. 9 out of 12 games against unranked teams. How could you not have a 9 win season w/ that schedule.
Messin with Sasquatch
December 23rd, 2012
12:16 am
USC is always overrated. And if it weren’t ESPN hyping them all the time they would not get bs high rankings all the time. We will see how Notre Dame does with their support from Espn for a bogus ranking as well. And If USC can’t beat GT, Trojan needs to kiss CPJ’S butt in front of the Heisman statue at Tech.
Mora Jr!
December 24th, 2012
1:09 am
USC boy…lost all credibility when the words”USC beat Hawaii” were typed!lmfao
damngooddawg
December 24th, 2012
10:26 am
You can’t fix stupid.
Whiznot
December 26th, 2012
3:43 pm
Tech bullies are going to pound on a Lame Kitten. So sad!