The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tech not easily assessed despite 4-2 record, win over Wake Forest
One week earlier, Georgia Tech was a deflected pass on fourth-and-11 from leading the ACC Coastal. On this given Saturday, the Yellow Jackets trailed by 11 points in a game that, had it been lost, would have left them in the position of having to upset somebody to finish 6-5. In college football, as in life, things change quickly.
Then things changed again. Tech took a game going wrong and made it go right. It outscored Wake Forest 28-3 to win 38-24. If it wasn’t the sort of win to catch the collective eye of the College Football Playoff committee, it was a vital victory for a team that would have been no lock to be bowl-eligible had it lost.
But it won, and right about here we’re duty-bound to offer a mid-October appraisal of these 4-2 Jackets. And we would, except that this correspondent, having seen four of those games in person, still isn’t sure what to make of them. (The cancellation of the Central Florida game deprived them of a yardstick, and maybe a loss. UCF is undefeated and ranked in the top 25.)
The best team they’ve beaten is probably Wake Forest, which is 4-3 and hasn’t won since Sept. 23, when it trounced Appalachian State 20-19. The only times Tech has faced teams of comparable talent, it lost.
Granted, it lost by a skinny point each time. But it did lose, and being beaten 42-41 by Tennessee in double overtime looks worse with every week. The Volunteers scored six offensive touch-
downs against Tech; they’ve managed two in four SEC games, none of which they’ve won. As noted, the Miami loss came down to a tipped ball, which is to say it came down to luck. Still, the Jackets arrived in Dade County off a bye and caught Miami descending from a last-second victory over Florida State and were gifted a touchdown via the usual Mark Richt kicking-game gaffe ... and they still couldn’t make it work.
On Saturday night, we saw Tech at its worst and best. The because a the drive frustrated: field Wake Jackets — goal “I they 2 First-and-goal was on fell after could their really, behind moving bank opening really 21-10 only and to get son TaQuon when knocked said Johnson Marshall — and back,” opted then get Paul to sacked seeing go John- for it Demon on fourth-and-7 Deacons’ 33. from the
the That drive teed that up made Wake it 7-3. for
The score Deacs touchdowns would likewise on their next two possessions, guar- anteeing that Tech, which had trailed for four sec- ond-half seconds in its first five games, would be playing from behind this time. But the Jackets caught a break five seconds before halftime: A late hit on Marshall moved the ball into Brenton King’s field-goal range, which isn’t extensive. His 42-yarder at the gun cut the deficit to 21-13.
Barely two minutes into the third quarter, Tech had drawn within two points. Wake’s opening possession of the third quarter was a calamity, ping terback looking the elsewhere. John ball its center Wolford when Marshall snap- quar- was scored on punt. Tech’s Wake on first a 49-yard would snap after push counter the its lead after to the five Deacs on ran a field the goal ball on the third-and-8, first sign that which the visi- was tors, who looked rather sleek in the first half, were simply trying to hang on. It was no surprise that they didn’t score again. Despite failing on two 2-point conversions and having a 1-pointer blocked, Tech pulled away. It had opened the game with a pass and threw nine times in the first half, and we — and certainly the Jackets’ coach — saw where that got them. Johnson’s team would throw only twice in the final two quarters, once on fourthand-11 from the Wake 30. (We did mention that he doesn’t trust his kicker.) The end was classic PJ football — option pitches, counter-op- tion up downs each: yards The the keeps on Qua gut. final were a Searcy pitch, and three examples the KirVonte from touch- B-back 42 of Benson and with another then, 1:57 counter from left, on the 11 Marshall for on clincher 70 a yards dive on on Benson for third-and-4. 299 together yards. Marshall would rush and of Said our Johnson: guys in “I the was second proud half. body (Wake close has) all year. played I every- think they’re a good team.” Maybe, but the Deacs weren’t nearly good enough to beat Tech, not even after taking an 11-point lead. With games against Virginia and Duke remaining, the Jackets should be able to get to six wins. It’s the other three games — at Clemson next week and then home dates with Virginia Tech and Georgia — that will tell the tale on this team and this season. The Jackets won’t be favored in any of those.