PITTSBURGH, PA - Even before six minutes had elapsed in the game, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-2, 3-2) had already built a daunting 28-0 lead against the Pittsburgh Panthers (4-4, 2-2). By the end, the Jackets maintained that margin with a decisive 56-28 victory against the Panthers on the famed Heinz Field.

In what turned out to be one of the most bizarre if not fortuitous starts to a Georgia Tech football game in recent history, the Georgia Tech defense forced fumbles from four different players on Pittsburgh’s squad in their first four possessions. The highlight being a pure hustle play by defensive back D.J. White (#28) chasing down Pittburgh’s running back James Connor (#24) for 74 yards before forcing a fumble into the end zone resulting in a touchback.

In complete contrast, the Tech offense was able to take full advantage of each turnover with explosive plays highlighted by a short pass from quarterback Justin Thomas (#5) on 3rd and 9 that resulted in a huge 79 yard catch-and-run touchdown by A-back Charles Perkins (#21).

Regarding Pittsburgh’s fumbles in the first few minutes of the game, head coach Paul Johnson commented that he was glad the team could take advantage of the turnovers. “We haven’t gotten very many breaks; I don’t think we had a fumble [recovery] all year and so we got all ours in one quarter. The neat thing was that we were able to capitalize on it.”

click here to read the rest and comment[/url]

CHAPEL HILL, NC - The North Carolina Tar Heels (3-4, 1-2, scored touchdowns on seven of their final nine drives to defeat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-2, 2-2) by a final score of 48-43 Saturday night at Kenan Memorial Stadium.

After a slow start offensively by both teams highlighted by two turnovers in the game's first nine plays, North Carolina ultimately gained just enough of an edge in what turned out to be an offensive shootout. North Carolina and its high-tempo offense generated 88 plays for 579 total yards while Georgia Tech's slow-it-down pace ran 69 plays for 611 total yards for the game.

Neither team was effective stopping the other even when the chances presented themselves. North Carolina converted 10 of 15 on 3rd downs and 2 of 2 on 4th downs. Georgia Tech converted 5 of 8 on 3rd downs. Both teams converted all nine combined red zone visits into points.

North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams finished with a school-record 38 pass completions and at one time completed..

click here to read the rest and comment

ATLANTA, GA - A week after their finest performance of the year against the Miami Hurricanes, the #22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-1, 2-1) fell flat Saturday at home against the Duke Blue Devils (5-1, 1-1). The result was a 31-25 loss that took Georgia Tech out of the ACC Coastal division driver's seat.

The dichotomy between last weekend's emotional win versus the Hurricanes and yesterday's loss to the Blue Devils was pronounced. All of the old coaching axioms and formulas for winning and losing held true. Boiled down into simplest terms the Blue Devils did to the Yellow Jackets what the Yellow Jackets did to the Hurricanes. That is, they played cleanly and won the turnover and penalty battle.

Head coach Paul Johnson summarized all of the above after the game. "I was disappointed in the way we played. We're not good enough to lose the turnover battle three to nothing to anybody and win the game. Couple that with penalties, especially in the first half, that kept drives alive for them. And in the red zone we kicked field goals while they scored touchdowns, and there's the game."

There is never a good time for turnovers and penalties, and the Yellow Jackets proved as much on Saturday..

click here to read the rest and comment