We’ve discussed the victory over Virginia Tech already, but a win like that deserves just a bit more attention. It’s been since 1962 that Georgia Tech has beaten a top 5 team at home. Before moving onto the Virginia Cavaliers, let’s enjoy this one just a little while longer, with a few great highlights of the historical win.

If you have time please check out my blog All About Sports to read more of my thoughts on Georgia Tech, the ACC and other sports topics.

Select the links below to view the great videos of the game.

ESPN Highlights of GT Victory over Hokies

GT Fans Rushing the Field

There’s that one guy out there that still doesn’t believe you can win BCS Level football running the triple option offense. It is ok whoever you are out there. Just keep believing that, while Paul Johnson and his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets just keep winning.

The latest opponent the Jackets beat were the team that has been the class of the ACC for the last half decade. A 28-23 gutsy win over the Virginia Tech Hokies.

I have lot of respect for the Hokies; they’ve earned it. Frank Beamer and Bud Foster are some of the best coaches around, but Paul Johnson one-upped them Saturday night.

Bud Foster came up with a tremendous game plan to stop the Jackets triple option offense. In the first half, I began to wonder how Georgia Tech would score. Then Johnson calls a deep pass to All-ACC receiver Demaryous Thomas, 51 yard gain. Jackets go in for the score, and its 7-3 at the half.

In the 2nd half Johnson attacked the edges with the pitch, and the QB keeper since the dive was effectively taken away. Josh Nesbitt just as he did last week, minus a couple of bad pitches, ran the offense beautifully. The Jackets gained 314 yards rushing against the Hokies. When was the last time a Bud Foster coached defense gave up that many rushing yards? When was the last time a team was more physical than Virginia Tech?

Now it’s all in front of Georgia Tech. They are in the thick of the Coastal race. If they run the table, and Miami is the Coastal Representative, they could still go to a BCS game. Next up are the Virginia Cavaliers. The suddenly resurgent Cavs actually lead the ACC’s Coastal division, because they have yet to lose an ACC game. I might have to check, but I don’t think Georgia Tech has won in Charlottesville since 1990.

That’s interesting, that year GT played for the national title. This year, I don’t think that’s in store, but it’s shaping up to be a year to remember on the flats. They must maintain their focus. I know Paul Johnson will preach that to them this week before heading to Virginia.

Did you see Georgia Tech’s exhilarating 49-44 win over Florida State that didn’t end until early Sunday morning due to a 78 minute lighting delay? What Georgia Tech did Saturday was the take on a talented, motivated Noles team at FSU and still came away with a victory. That’s the mark of really good team, to beat quality opponents on the road.

Tech put up 401 yards rushing, and Josh Nesbitt ran Paul Johnson’s triple option offense wonderfully. Nesbitt’s game  was defined by one play. Florida State recovered a fumble, and then Nesbitt promptly ripped the ball out of the FSU defender’s hands giving Georgia Tech the ball back. The Jackets scored the deciding TD on that drive. Nesbitt is Georgia Tech’s most fierce competitor at quarterback since Joe Hamilton was manning the position nearly a decade ago.

The victory sets up the Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech game Saturday in Atlanta as the game of the year of the ACC. The Miami\VT game was a big one, but was to early in the season to be called “The ACC’s Game of the Year”.  What’s on the line in this one?

A victory for Virginia Tech would probably give them the ACC’s Coastal Division. The Hokies would have wins over both Miami and Georgia Tech. The scenario for the Canes and Jackets to win the Atlantic would require a collapse by Virginia Tech and alot of luck. In addition the Hokies are now getting press as a darkhorse national title team, and why not? With Tyrod Taylor starting to show some consistency passing, the running game getting in gear, and the defense starting to look like typical Bud Foster defenses, it can happen. The Hokies are in the top 5. Either Florida or Alabama is going to lose, and Texas still has Oklahoma to play. Looking at Virginia Tech’s schedule, the Jackets are easily the Hokies most formidable opponent left on their schedule.

For the Jackets a win would put them smack in the middle of the ACC Coastal race. They would have one loss along with Miami and Virginia Tech, and then the race is a wide open. If all three are tied, having beaten each other, it will come down to the various ACC tiebreakers. There’s a chance then the ACC could get a second BCS team in. Offensively the Jackets have scored 91 points in their last 2 games. The Hokies are far better than FSU or Mississippi State on defense. They have shown some susceptibility to the deep pass, though. They gave up over 350 passing to Duke a couple of weeks ago. Expect to see Nesbitt try some deep throws to WR Demaryous Thomas. 

The Jackets defense on the other hand is going have to find a way to contain Virgina Tech’s offense. Dave Wommack’s defense has given 76 points in their last two games. FSU scored 5 straight Touchdowns to start Saturday’s game, and ran up over 500 yards of offense. The Jackets just don’t have a lot of size or talent on that side of the ball, and I’d give Wommack a D for his coaching of the defense this year. Defensive players are taking poor angles, using poor technique, and just simply look out of position. The short passing game has killed the Jackets this season. It might be Georgia Tech’s MO this season, just try to outscore people.

There is plenty on the line in this one with a matchup of 2 of the ACC’s best teams. It should be a great one.   

If you missed the relatively easy Georgia Tech victory at SEC Opponent Mississippi St. something happened that’s going to give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. The Yellow Jackets threw the ball, and they threw it well. Josh Nesbitt was a tidy 11 for 14 for 266 yards a TD. WR Demaryius Thomas had 8 catches for 174 yards and TD. Who says WR’s at Tech don’t get the ball thrown to them?

What was especially impressive about the passing game was how well Nesbitt threw it. He threw short passes intermediate passes and long passes with accuracy and strength. It’s the best I’ve ever seen him throw it while at Georgia Tech. If he can do this consistently then, the Jacket’s offense becomes that much more dangerous. There simply shouldn’t be questions about this triple option offense anymore. Tech proved against Mississippi State if they need to throw it, they can and they will. As a side note, Paul Johnson is now 3-1 against the mighty SEC since his arrival at Georgia Tech. Back to the Miss. St. game.

The defense did not play so well. They did come up with 5 turnovers, but gave up 487 yards to the Bulldogs spread option offense, and in general the tackling was pretty sloppy. That will have to be improved. With the Bulldogs taken care of, the Jackets jump back into the ACC with a visit to Tallahassee.

Under every pre-season scenario that I looked at the Yellow Jackets season, I chalked this game up as a loss. Florida State might be crossing the line from inconsistent to just plain mediocre. The Jackets have an opportunity to join Miami and Virginia Tech as the class of the ACC. At the moment the Canes and Hokies are in my opinion just a little ahead of the Jackets. After those three it’s anyone’s guess.

The Jacket’s Nole’s rivalry once a upon a time was on it’s way to being the ACC’s marquee game. When FSU was steam rolling ACC opponents 9-10 years ago, the Jackets were the one team in the ACC to consistently play the Noles all 4 quarters. They never broke through back then. By the time the Jackets finally beat FSU last year, they hadn’t played each other in years, and the Noles were a shell of their former self. For a lot of Jacket fans though last year ended years of frustration after all those close losses in the late 90s and the early part of this decade.

The first game I ever attended as a Georgia Tech student was the 1992 game with Florida State. The 29-24 loss is the still the most frustrating loss I’ve ever attended. Charlie Ward was the Nole great leading the 4th quarter comeback, and for that last year seemed like poetic justice when FSU fumbled late going in for the winning touchdown.

It’s going to be tough down there for the Jacket’s. The Nole’s backs are against the wall, and they will be an unsightly 2-4 with a loss. Beware the wounded animal. This game scared me before the season started and it scares me now.