Paul Johnson is the best coach in Georgia. Period. (And other College FB thoughts).

Wow!

In case you missed it, Georgia Tech defeated Wake Forest in overtime today 30-27.

Besides the usual amount of ground yardage (~450), Tech struggled to score and Wake did a good job making sure Tech was always starting on the Tech side of the field.  Despite a fairly rotten performance from the pass defense (typical), Tech managed a 24-24 tie after holding Wake to zero points for nearly 25 minutes of the 2nd half.  CPJ went for it on 4th down 4 times during the game, and you can usually count on Tech making it about 75% of the time.  Today, they were 0 for 4 in regulation.

Did that deter CPJ, after Wake had scored first with a field goal in the first overtime, from going for it again on 4th and 1 at the Wake 4 yard line, when he could have kicked a chip shot field goal and tied it back up and played a 2nd OT?

Of course not, because Paul Johnson has balls of steel and figured “If we can’t get half a yard, we don’t deserve to win.”  Mark Bradley reports.

So, on 4th and 1, stud QB Josh Nesbitt sneaked the 1 yard, and scored on the subsequent play, giving Tech the win, and securing our 7th straight.  With losses by one-loss teams Oregon and LSU ahead of us, and Penn State behind, and Iowa losing, Tech is sure to move up in the BCS rankings (though I doubt we get further than 7th).

In ACC play tonight, Clemson and FSU are fighting for FSU's final chance to sneak back into the Atlantic Division race, while Clemson can keep pace with Boston College in their Atlantic Division race (they're tied, but Clemson holds the tie-breaker over BC).  With a loss, BC holds their destiny in their hands, and I'd much rather play BC in the ACC Championship Game, since it would be nice to play someone different, and Clemson is playing well right now and they are better than their record indicates, and, they would like to avenge their loss to us about 2 months ago now.

So, go 'Noles!

In other college football thoughts:

• Navy beat Notre Dame (again!), 23-21 (and it wasn't THAT close).  GO Navy!  Got to love that high school offense these schools play...
• I have been impressed by the use of instant replay in college football this season.  Most of the time, it vindicates the referees and shows how often they get the calls right.  I also think the college game (as opposed to the pro game), where the calls are not reviewed subject to a coach's challenge, but, whenever the officials think necessary, is better. The officials all seem to have taken the approach that they can make the call that will lead to a replay, then, if they are wrong, the replay official will set it straight.  Like I said, they are usually getting them right.  Sometimes, rather than make a quick call, you can tell they are spending some time processing what they have just seen, make a call, then let the replay official sort it out.  I know it disrupts the flow of the game, but, now that we're used to it, I think it works.  

Anyway, FSU is now up 17-14.  Ugh.  

Georgia Tech 24, UNC 7

Time for a little college football ranting.

Georgia Tech redeemed themselves today and beat Carolina handily, 24-7.  To all those who kept saying how Carolina was so awesome because they stopped Tech's triple option last season, I should remind you - it's a new season, you have to execute, and the triple option is a tough offense to execute against all the time (and you must, because it is designed for every play to be a big one).

This, coupled with Miami's thrashing at the hands of Virginia Tech, sets up a big showdown between the ACC's premier engineering schools (ok, the one premier engineering school, and that ag school in Blacksburg) in a few weeks (assuming GT can get past FSU) to force a potential three way tie in the Coastal division of the ACC (again). 

Yes, the ACC is down, down, down in the college football landscape these days.  With the exception of FSU's win over BYU and VT's over Nebraska, and NC State's apparent over Pitt today, the conference has had little success against other conferences, even flailing about against mid-majors.  But, when you look at three of the best teams in the conference - GT, UNC, and Miami - these teams, with relatively new coaches, are extremely young and will continue to improve.  I had hoped FSU was on the rebound, with the late game loss to Miami only marring its season, but today's fumblefest against USF did them in.  Time for Bobby Bowden to hang them up and Mark Richt to return home (that was for you UGA fans out there).

Outside the ACC, let me just say how happy I am that Michigan beat ND.  Haha.  See ya later Charlie Weis!  Oh, and USC losing to Washington.  And Oklahoma to BYU.  Oh, and especially UGA to OK State.  How can South Carolina give up 3 points to NC State and 31 to UGA?  Come on Spurrier!  I count on you beating those pups regularly. 

Anyway, this was really just an excuse to rub in the score of the Tech/Carolina game to my family (UNC grads all - get your own blog for basketball season).

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Football break

Ok, a while back I boldly predicted that Georgia Tech would whip UNC's ass, and that created a little stir among the family members who all attended the leftist University (admittedly, some of them before it became a bastion of left-wing thought - see, I can even make a football post political!).

Today, UNC took its revenge on Tech with a 28-7 smackdown. Despite Tech outgaining Carolina by 100 yards, 3 turnovers, and Josh Nesbitt's bum ankle did the good guys in. Regardless of what you think about the ACC, former Navy coach Paul Johnson has done a fantastic job at Tech, with 7 wins and bowl eligibility. If Tech can beat Miami at home, 8 wins will beat Chan Gailey's 6 year average in CPJ's first season. 9 would mean a victory over Georgia, which would make Johnson a god in Tech fans' eyes.

Elsewhere in college football today, Penn State returned to earth and gave the pollsters all the reason they need to dump them from their top 10 lists. Alabama survived at LSU, and UGA squeaked past Kentucky (ugh!).

In the ACC, FSU survived Clemson, VT whipped Maryland (Thursday) and Wake smacked UVA. Jimmy Clausen is proving why he sucks as Notre Dame is getting whipped by BC. While Florida and Alabama have settled the SEC championship game, the ACC still belongs to anybody. Funny thing is, in this crazy season, we could see a Virginia Tech/FSU championship game (VT controls their own destiny, FSU needs a Wake Forest loss and to win out). The more things change...

Dont...

College Football Today

11pm update:
Georgia lost. LSU won. Virginia Tech is beating Nebraska, and NC State lost to USF. Michigan beat Wisconsin. So, 4 of the top 10 lost and 3 of the top 5. Look for Oklahoma to be number 1 tomorrow, LSU 2. Alabama will move up. Will any of those top 5 losers drop out of the top 10? Who will move in?

8pm update:

Wake lost to Navy. Go Navy! But, not good for the ACC.

And, Alabama is ahead of Georgia, 7-0! Roll Tide (they're my second favorite team this weekend).

It's only 5pm, and already, it's been a big college football weekend. Southern Cal has lost, Florida has lost, and in my home conference, UNC beat Miami (not an upset, really), Maryland beat Clemson (the most overrated team every season), and Navy is beating Wake Forest at halftime, 17-0. Tonight NC State plays South Florida and Virginia Tech will face Nebraska. Granted neither of those teams are all that good, but, the conference needs good performances and wins, to restore some of the luster lost by early season losses by Virginia to USC, Virginia Tech to ECU, Miami to Florida, and Clemson to Alabama. If Alabama can pull the upset on Number 1-in-waiting Georgia tonight, that might make that loss look less awful, and Ole Miss's victory over Florida adds some luster to Wakes victory over Ole Miss. And, of course, we restored some of that shine with NC State's victory over ECU (a team headed back to reality, though), Tech's shellacking of Mississippi State, and Maryland's win over then #23 California.

I'm torn whenever Navy plays an ACC team. Conference loyalty requires me to pull for our conference teams, but, I like to see any service academy win, and especially, for obvious reasons, Navy. So, this is kind of a no lose situation.

Anyway, I wonder, with Paul Johnson installing the triple option at Georgia Tech, will we see more ACC teams schedule Navy early in the season, so that they can get game experience against the triple option with a lesser-equipped team? If Wake loses, the answer will probably be no.

Carolina upholds ACC's honor

I'm going to digress from politics for one post, and give a big shout out to the University of North Carolina football team, who upheld the tainted honor of the ACC by beating the crap out of Rutgers last night.

With only Wake Forest beating a BCS conference school til last night (Ole Miss), the ACC was teetering on being laughable if they couldn't beat a Big East also ran. Of course, we have seen why those NC schools don't want to schedule East Carolina.

When Georgia Tech (my alma mater) with a new coach, and new offensive scheme, is being discussed as a favorite for the Coastal Division championship, that should tell you how bad the ACC is in football this year. We'll know a lot more about that tomorrow, when Tech faces Virginia Tech on the road.

So, kudos Tar Heels and prepare to lose November 8th.

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