But it wasn’t until Derrick Morgan tackled Tiger QB Kyle Parker to force a turnover did Yellow Jacket fans start chucking oranges on to the field of Raymond James Stadium. Paul Johnson had promised us that he’d get us to where his team’s season is bigger than just one game. And, like almost always, he was right.

We’ll be back in Sunshine State in a month’s time. But this time we’re headed to Miami. This time we’re headed to the Orange Bowl.

Blair’s Witch Project
It’s been an up and down year kicker Scott Blair. But last night was a career night for the junior. Blair kept the Jackets in the game by going 4/4 on his field goals, including career longs of 48 and 49. Arguably GT’s MVP for the game, Blair seems to always play his best against the Tigers. In the previous match against Clemson, he kicked the game-winning FG and even threw a touchdown to Demaryius Thomas.

A Night of Firsts
It was the first time ever that both teams ran for over 300 yards in one game. It was Tech’s first time as ACC Champs since 1990, and this will be their first Orange Bowl appearance in decades. Oh, and regarding attendance… Raymond James had over 57K in the stands last night. That’s more than the GT/CU matchup earlier this year in Atlanta.

But for now it’s enough to know that Georgia Tech is your 2009 ACC CHAMPS!!!

My Clemson counterpart and I set out this morning for the ACC Coaches Luncheon. Needless to say, it was a blast. Coach Johnson and Derrick Morgan were honored, among others. ESPN’s Todd Blackledge and Brad Nessler interviewed CPJ and Coach Swinney. It was great to run in to some faces that we haven’t seen since the ACC Media Days all the way back in the summer.

We briefly stopped by the Bungalow, a local sports bar and grill in the city. JP Peterson had us on his show “The Happy Hour” on AM 1010, where we discussed the game tomorrow, our blogging experiences this season, etc.

We then proceeded over to Channelside, where fans are gathering all throughout the night. There, we attended an event for the Children’s Cancer Center of Tampa. Kids were able to bowl with mascots and cheerleaders from all of the ACC schools, and Boston College’s Mark Herzlich showed up to talk about his battle with cancer over the last year. It was great to see the kids’ eyes light up when the likes of Buzz and Hokiebird showed up.

After a short break, we attended the ACC’s Night of Legends. Tech’s Eddie Lee Ivory and Clemson’s Danny Ford were honored along with some of the conference’s greatest players of all time.

All in all, it’s been a fun day. Time for me to rest up and get pumped for another big day ahead.

PS Anyone know where I can buy some oranges around Raymond James Stadium tomorrow???

The Road to Tampa Bay has been a long one, but championship weekend is finally here. Tomorrow night’s game features the best that the ACC has to offer when #20 Clemson gets a rematch with rival #12 Georgia Tech. Both schools are coming off of disappointing losses to their SEC rivals South Carolina and Georgia, but these teams tee it up, none of that matters. The Tigers and Jackets met way back in week 3 as Tech escaped with a 30-27 win off of a Scott Blair field goal.

Offense
Jonathan Dwyer was a non-factor last week, and Tech faces a defensive line that is every bit as talented as UGA’s. When they played before, Clemson’s tackles crashed in on Dwyer every play and held him to under 70 yards. Georgia Tech needs to find a way to get Dwyer involved, whether it’s neutralizing their line with cut blocks or getting Big Jon involved in the pitch game.

Baybay Thomas needs to bounce if GT wants to win. Last week, he carried this team until he dropped a pass on 4th down to end a potential game-winning drive. As talented as Clemson’s corners are, they couldn’t cover him last time and they won’t be able to cover him this time. If Thomas can stretch the field early, he’ll give Clemson safety Deandre McDaniel another element to worry about besides the run.

Josh Nesbitt will have his work cut out in reading defensive ends Ricky Sapp and Da’Quan Bowers, two of the best in the business. Last time, the rushed up field quickly, neutralizing the pitch and forcing Nesbitt to keep it often. Nesbitt is going to take plenty of shots tomorrow, and after getting hurt last week it will be interesting to see how the leader of Tech’s offense responds.

Defense
It’s safe to say that Clemson was drooling after watching video of Tech’s defense last week. UGA rushed for 339 yards on the day, and Tech simply had no answer for it. Much like the pair of Bulldog running backs, CJ Spiller is very good at finding the cutback lane, precisely what killed the Jackets last week. The loss of tackle Ben Anderson definitely hurt the run defense, so we will see how TJ Barnes fills in the week on the defensive line to try to contain Spiller.

In Week 2, Tech had the luxury of facing CU quarterback Kyle Parker when he was green. Now, however, he is battle tested and has matured throughout the season. Even in the last game he managed to throw for over 260 yards, an omen for what Tech’s secondary would look like throughout the season. The Jackets need to get All- American Derrick Morgan in the backfield to disrupt Parker’s rhythm. He had 10 tackles and 3 sacks last time these teams met, and he’s the best shot Tech has at stopping the Tigers.

I will say this for the secondary: they gave up under 100 yards last week to the Bulldogs. Then again, UGA only threw the ball 14 times. Jerrard Terrant and Mario Butler need to stick on Clemson’s Jacoby Ford. If the speedster finds a way to brake free from coverage, Parker will throw to him every time.

My Take
Both teams have something to prove after last week, and both schools want their first outright championship in almost 20 years. Clemson and Tech have both dramatically improved since September, although you wouldn’t have guessed if you were watching last week. This game will be a fun one, and has all the makings to be as close as it was back in week 2.

I’m hoping for Tech to come out early and catch Clemson off guard like last time. After that, hopefully they can fend off the Tigers for a while. Is 31-28 too close of a score to predict?

-Derrick Morgan is the best. Earlier today he was announced as an AFCA All American while leading the ACC with 12.5 sacks. 3 more and he’ll break Pat Swilling’s school record of 15. He’s a beast, and really the only bright spot on an otherwise sub-par defensive line.

-Paul Johnson is ACC Coach of the Year again. That’s two years in a row. And he’s only been here for two years. CPJ is making it look really easy right now, and if he keeps it, he’ll be King of the Conference for a long time.

-Besides Captain Morgan, other All-ACC Jackets include Josh Nesbitt, Jon Dwyer, Demaryius Thomas, Cord Howard, and Sean Bedford. That’s almost half of the entire first team offense! Morgan Burnett made 2nd team defense, too.

-I want to shout out to the Volleybees, who are taking on Baylor tonight at 8:30 EST in Los Angeles for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. I hope everyone has their bracket filled out.

If you’re in the area, tune in tomorrow to AM 1010 around 3:45- 4ish. The Clemson Correspondent and I will be on the Happy Hour with JP Petterson to talk about the game. If you’re not in the area, I believe you can listen to it ESPN radio.

Coaches & Awards Luncheon
The Coaches and Awards Luncheon officially kicks off the weekend with both participating coaches discussing their seasons. The 2009 ACC Football Awards will also be presented at this time. Limited Tickets are available. Call 813.218.3814 for ticket information.
(Tampa Convention Center)
Friday 12.04.09 at 12:00pm

ACC Night of Legends
This Legendary Event is an invitation-only party to honor outstanding legends from each ACC institution. Held at the ACC Headquarters Hotel, this party will embody the true spirit of ACC Football, as well as provide the opportunity to meet some of the biggest names in college football. Presented by the Florida Sports Foundation. Limited Tickets are available. Call 813.218.3814 for ticket information.
(Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay)
Friday 12.04.09 at 7:00pm

Channelside’s Toast to the Atlantic Coast
Join in the excitement of ACC Football at the biggest downtown party during Championship Weekend. Show your spirit alongside the participating school’s marching bands and mascots. Admission is Free.
(Channelside Bay Plaza)
Friday 12.04.09 at 7:00pm

ACC FanFest
The biggest party on Championship Weekend! ACC FanFest is over 200,000 square feet of interactive games, team mascots, pep rallies, food and beverage, autograph signings, game merchandise, jumbotrons, and general family fun! Country Music Artist, James Otto will perform a pre-game concert beginning at 6:30p.m. Admission is free to all game ticket holders.
(Raymond James Stadium - Lot 6D)
Saturday 12.05.09 beginning at 5:00pm

Pre-Game Hospitality
Located with-in ACC FanFest, this all-inclusive food and beverage area is where the perfect Championship Game experience begins. Limited Tickets will be available onsite. Call 813.342.4075 for ticket information.
(Raymond James Stadium - Lot 6D)
Saturday 12.05.09 beginning from 5:30pm-7:30pm

Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game
(Raymond James Stadium) on
Saturday 12.05.09 at 8:00pm

For more info, click here.

If he says so, I guess I must oblige.

More details from the AJC here.

But for Georgia Tech’s playmaker Anthony Allen, this game takes on a little more meaning. For the first time in months, Allen returns to his hometown Tampa Bay. And for the first time in years, he will get the chance to play in front of family and friends. “I’m real excited,” said Allen. “I haven’t been back there in a while, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’m trying to get my tickets now. My family said I was going to need thirty-plus.”

Allen, who played alongside fellow Jackets Phil Smith and Michael Peterson as well as Tech alum AJ and Andrew Smith, started for 3 seasons for the Jesuit High School Tigers. There, he compiled an impressive resume that included an All-State senior season with 1,151 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Tech’s outstanding A-Back (Paul Johnson’s version of the slot back) has six total touchdowns on the season. But what’s most impressive is his 10.6 yards per carry average. In comparison, Toby Gerhart of Stanford, the nation’s leading rusher, has a 5.6 average. And in Georgia Tech’s last matchup against Clemson, Allen gashed the Tigers for 127 yards on the ground, including an 82 yard scamper for a touchdown.

Don’t expect Allen to change his game plan against the Tigers this time around. “I’m going to do what I do every week. I treat every game like it’s the biggest game of my life. Every time I touch the ball, I try to make something happen with it.”

Before every game, Georgia Tech carries on to the field it’s list of 10 goals that the players devised back in the summer. For both Allen and the rest of the Yellow Jackets, getting to this spot has been the number one priority. “It was definitely at the top,” Allen explained. “The team wants to win an ACC Championship, and it goes through Tampa. It was at the top.”

Bulldog runningbacks Washaun Ealey and Caleb King ran all night on Georgia Tech, tallying 349 yards. Tech had only 205 yards on the ground, one of its lowest totals of the season. From beginning to end, UGA stuck to its game plan and controlled much of the clock, keeping Josh Nesbitt and the offense on the sideline.

The Yellow Jacket defense, which seemed to have improved in the last few weeks, was handled all evening by a physical UGA. The D forced one turnover on the night, a fumble by Caleb King late in the first quarter. After that, the Bulldogs would march to touchdowns or field goals, leaving their All-SEC punter Drew Butler off the field.

After a missed field goal attempt by UGA’s Blair Walsh, Paul Johnson had a chance to orchestrate a last-minute game winning drive with 3 minutes left. But when Tech made it across midfield, the Jackets attempted 4 consecutive passes, something GT fans were left to ponder. Those 4 passes ended as such: incompletion to Baybay Thomas, a Stephen Hill catch out-of-bounds, an overthrown ball to Anthony Allen, and a perfect strike to Baybay that slipped through his hands. Nine times out of ten Baybay, who had shaken off his defender on a hitch, makes that catch.

It seemed that Tech’s habit of waiting until the second half to strike against their opponents came back to bite them. Down 17-3 at the half, Georgia mounted too great of a lead with too little time left at the rate these teams were eating up the clock.

It’s a hard pill to swallow for any Tech fan or player. But unlike most teams (Dogs included), the Jackets have a game this week, perhaps the biggest of the season. Everyone, especially Baybay, needs to learn from this loss and then put it behind them. It’s Tampa week.

Note to Dog Fan
It’s more than ignorant to proclaim that the “world is back on its axis again” after beating us. Everyone in that stadium, you included, thought that game would end up 31-30 in Tech’s favor. Richt did a great job of punching PJ back after last year, but the Bulldog dominance in this rivalry is over for now. But if you add another minute in that game, and I have no doubt it could have gone the other way. You should forget about Florida (and maybe even Tennessee) for now. This is the game you may want to pay attention to. You know as much as I do how evenly matched these teams are at this point in time.