AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2008 > October > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USDuke and the Top 25
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m sitting here watching College Football Live and I’m extremely aggravated by the fact that teams like UNC and Auburn are ranked ahead of GT.
I’m not going to spend alot of time on Duke, so lets get that out of the way…
As predicted, our defensive line was the difference in this game. The veteran Duke defense played well as expected but they spent too much time on the field and eventually cracked and then it was all over as Tech ran out to a 27-0 win. Jaybo looked like a true freshman at times, which he is…so no surprise there.
Game Ball to Demarius Thomas…9 catches for 230 yards. Good job!
So lets get back to the Top 25 and my problems with it.
North Carolina is suddenly ranked at #22…in spite of the fact that two of their wins are against a 1-4 Rutgers and a 2-3 Miami. Don’t waste your time telling me about UNC’s win against a ranked Connecticut…UConn had only beaten Hofstra, Temple, Baylor, and a woeful Virginia before getting a quasi-decent win over a .500 Louisville.
North Carolina carries pretty much the same loss that GT does…17-20 against Virginia Tech at home. They didn’t even have to go on the road to Lane Stadium like the Jackets did.
So then lets look at Auburn…one of the worst offensive teams in the nation. They’re still milking their preseason ranking for all its worth. They’ve lost two games to LSU and Vanderbilt while barely squeaking past Mississippi State 3-2 (yes that was the score). Georgia Tech spanked that same Mississippi State team 38-7 with our backup quarterback one week later. Mississippi State then went on to give LSU a tough game at 34-24.
Lets recap Auburn overall…in case you aren’t getting the picture.
The Aubies have stumbled past Mississippi State and a BAD Tennesseee squad 3-2 and 14-12. They lost to both LSU and Vanderbilt. They’ll lose their next three games and finally disappear from the rankings for good this season.
All Georgia Tech has done is go on the road and beat Boston College, play toe to toe with Virginia Tech, and return home to absolutely BURY an SEC team in Mississippi State and a 3-1 Duke team whose only loss was 5-0 Northwestern and who was scoring 31 points a game.
At this point I hope Paul Johnson puts a big fat chip on his shoulder and gets the Jackets fired up for the second half of the season. We should be able to put Gardner Webb away early and then start getting rested up and ready for the second half gauntlet of Clemson, Virginia, Florida State, North Carolina, Miami, and Georgia.
With each season I’m more and more convinced that polls shouldn’t come out until the middle of October. The preseason rankings give teams an advantage based on expectations and reputation and its not fair. We’ll never see another team come from out of nowhere like Georgia Tech did in 1990 when we started the season unranked and won it all. I don’t think the BCS is set up to allow that anymore…if you aren’t ranked early in the season you are pretty much out of luck.
Go Jackets!
THWG!
EDIT: Apologies to Northwestern. Those guys are being overlooked at 5-0 worse than GT is. And I also forgot to mention Wake Forest remaining in the Top 25 after losing to a Navy team that beat them in Winston Salem. The pollsters are giving Wake the benefit of an earlier ranking and consciously ignoring the fact that Duke beat that same Navy team before losing to Georgia Tech.
Ultimately I’m not arguing that Georgia Tech should be ranked so much as I am arguing that we should be ranked higher than some of the teams that DID actually make the Top 25.
I’m quite content to fly under the radar until we ring up a big Clemson road win.
Comments
By Jim Grogan
October 5, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this
I really don’t care about the rankings. Coach Johnson has brought an intensity, a professionalism and a discipline to the Flats that have the potential to reach all time highs over the coming years. Every Jacket fan has to be excited and optimistic that the Jackets will play to their full potential for 60 minutes every week. I’m delighted and thankful that we have turned the corner from a program that Dave Braine thought couldn’t win more than 7 or 8 games a year. With Coach Johnson, we will be competitive in every game, and get out played in darn few. THWG and GO JACKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By jabster
October 5, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this
Auburn has no business being in the top 25, and hasn’t for a few weeks now. That ought to be a response for anyone who thinks that the polls hate the SEC.
The fact that they beat Tennessee—possibly the worst team in the SECE—with only 7 offensive points speaks volumes. UT should have won that game; the fact they didn’t shows how bad they are.
I’m not sure that Tech belongs in the top 25 (yet), but I know one thing for sure—UNC doesn’t belong in there without Tech and FSU too. And I have to wonder about Ball State (GMAB).
As far as the argument about a team coming out of nowhere goes, South Florida did it a couple years back, and took it all the way to #2 before losing a bunch of games.
There’s always the risk of being the odd man out in a 3-way challenge for #1, and you always have these contenders who run the table outside of the BCS, but I still think there’s room for someone in a BCS conference to go from nowhere to undefeated at the end of the season to play for the national championship.
By CW
October 5, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this
Chris, I understand your frustration but don’t agree at all with your assessment of the polls. It is crowded right now, but conference play has begun and you will start to see ranked teams falter with 1, 2 and 3 losses piling up. Auburn still has Ark, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Georgia and Bama to play. They’ll likely lose at least two of those and fall out of the polls soon enough. Of the ranked teams I’d say Pitt looks pretty weak also, with their only significant win being against South Fla. Other than those two teams, I can’t honestly say any others don’t belong in the top 25.
And frankly, I’d just as soon have Tech lurking just outside the top 25. If the Jackets take care of business next week and get a win on the road at Auburn by the lake, we’ll be ranked soon enough. And we’ll climb the rankings if we beat FSU, UNC, UVA, Miami and that other team.
If we continue to focus on just winning games, the polls will take care of themselves.
And as for teams coming out of nowhere, remember that Alabama wasn’t ranked in the top 25 at the beginning of the season and they are now ranked #2 and are picked by many to have a shot at the NC game. As long as a team wins, anything is possible.
By Born2Buzz
October 5, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
Yes, aside from the big 4 in the SEC (UF, UGA, Bama and LSU) the rest of the conference is average at best or putrid. The SEC gets too much hype, but since they are now in bed with ESPN it will continue that way. Vandy will end up probably 8-4 and out of the rankings. Auburn will also fall out soon.
Don’t worry about GT being ranked. Our day will come. Keep winning games and we will soon be there. Remember, we are having to overcome 7 years of Gaileyball.
By Tokyo jacket
October 5, 2008 10:20 PM | Link to this
Born, I think you’re spot on. We’re having to overcome Gailey’s legacy. As good as we look now, the press expects us to fold. They’ve been burned by over-ranking Tech too many times. Think about the 400 yards that Matt Ryan or the Clemson running game put up when we were top 15.
GT should be ranked, but has to overcome a lot of perception. I don’t expect us to be ranked until (if) we’re 6-1. Then, the ESPN staff will advertise how they’ve been saying all season to watch out for CPJ’s offense because he’s a winner (which, of course, will be total crap!).
I still want to see some proof against better competition. I think when we beat Clemson (notice the when), we should be sitting somewhere around 16. I’m actually rooting for UGA to win the SEC because I think we can beat them. If so, we can jump some other cup cakers that week and get rid of the poor ugly sister viewpooint the media espouses.
By Navigator
October 5, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this
Rankings are a lot like baseball all stars. It takes some good seasons to get recognized, but when you become one, it also easy to stay one. Remember, when Chipper Jones was an all star third basemen for several years, then he moves to the outfield and lost it, but now that he’s back at third base, he’ll stay and all star as long as he keeps play well. When O’leary was coaching and Tech had a string of good seasons, they were ranked every year.
By AlabamaRamblinwreck
October 5, 2008 10:59 PM | Link to this
Chris:
I totally understand your frustration. As many others on this blog, I would rather GT stay just out of the top 25 right now. BUT I agree with Chris that it is a joke to have AU and NC ranked in the top 25.
ESPN just mentioned GT at the closing of the show. They gave big ups to Bay Bay!!
Go Jackets!!
By gtme2k
October 5, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this
Mr. Boggs, I was scratching my head trying to figure out how in the world Auburn is ranked in the top 25 let alone ahead of GT. But like you said I would love for Coach PJ to use this to motivate the team for the next couple of weeks and also fly below the radar heading into Clemson. Which Clemson is going to show up in 2 weeks? The one that thrashed us badly 2 years ago?
Anyways thing are definately looking up for BuzzNation.
By GT GRAD
October 5, 2008 11:22 PM | Link to this
GT is definitely under-rated. This is the case almost every year. GT almost ALWAYS ends up ranked higher at the end of the season than where the pundits place them in the preseason.
Sagarin currently has GT ranked at #11. I don’t think we should be ranked quite that high just yet; however, the computer ranking of #11 shows how much negative bias there is in the AP & Coaches polls regarding GT.
Let’s ponder a few Facts:
The SEC is 28-5 out of conference.
The ACC is 28-10 out of conference.
The SEC losses were to Louisianna-Monroe, a pitiful UCLA, Wake Forest, GT & Texas. Only 2 of the 5 teams that beat these highly touted SEC teams are ranked in the Top 25. 60% of the SEC losses are to unranked teams & WF is barely ranked!. Also, the overall strength of schedule for the SEC out of conference games is simply pitiful.
The ACC losses were to USC, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, a very hot and lucky East Carolina, South Florida, Connecticut, a 5-0 Northwestern, Navy & Middle Tennessee. 7 of the 10 loses were to teams ranked in the Top 25. Only 30% of the ACC losses were to unranked teams. The overall strength of schedule for the ACC out of conference games is very respectable (best of all of the BCS college football conferences).
Conclusion: THE ACC IS NOT AS WEAK AS MOST SEC FANS AND THE SPORTS MEDIA WOULD LIKE TO THINK!!
GT SHOULD WITHOUT A DOUBT BE IN THE TOP 25. THE FACT THAT AUBURN WAS RANKED AS THE #9 TEAM AND IS STILL IN THE TOP 25 IS A COMPLETE JOKE!!!
By George P. Burdell
October 5, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this
You should add that in the MSU-LSU game, the kid from MSU dropped a pass right in his hands that would have been an easy TD. That game was actually even closer than the score indicated. Of course, they were playing another SEC school so that week they are one of the best around compared to when they play an ACC school, in which case they are suddenly such a horrible team they shouldn’t be allowed to suit up.
I do agree that the polls should come out after at least 5 or 6 games have been played. So much of what goes on is perception or vested interests of the parties involved. I’m just fine with not being in the Top 25 right now, but some of those teams ahead of us have to make you wonder. If we just keep taking care of business, they’ll eventually have to rank us just to avoid embarrassing themselves.
By GermanJacket
October 6, 2008 1:27 AM | Link to this
It certainly makes sense not to have a poll until October, but it is what it is.
In the mean time, playing under the radar and with a chip on our shoulders isn’t necessarily a bad thing as others have noted. Keep winning and it’ll all work out in the end. (Well of course there will still be biases, and surely as in most years, someone will get screwed by the polls at the end of the season. Can you say 4 team playoff?)
There’s still too much negative noise out there about CPJs offense. The only real reason (other than vanity) to be upset that we aren’t in the polls now or that someone less deserving is, is the fact that the recognition and interest it generates in an 18 year old recruit’s mind goes a long way towards neutralizing a lot of the crap that they hear from those too ignorant to know better.
Ultimately, we have to keep winning football games. When we do that, we can politely (or not) tell all the naysayers and trash talkers to Shut the F Up!
THWG!
By gtEX99
October 6, 2008 1:56 AM | Link to this
I’m fine with Tech being outside the rankings right now. No matter what, if we win the ACC championship we are going to a BCS bowl. I would just as soon not have the pressure of the rankings until we win a championship and then have people look back at our body of work and say, “Wow, these guys have been laying the wood all season.” Teams ultimately control their own destiny, and I’m not sure I would rather have our destiny in anybody’s hands but Michael Johnson, Josh Nesbitt, Jonathan Dwyer (ACC leading rusher), and BeBe Thomas (SECOND in the ACC for recieving). Congratulations to the Wreck for a phenomenal win. Oh, high schoolers looking to go to the NFL: come play defense for Georgia Tech.
By 1Jacket7
October 6, 2008 2:56 AM | Link to this
Here’s why the rankings matter. Being ranked in the Top 25 gives a team more exposure in the media. The GT name and logo is advertised more. You get your highlights played more on Saturday afternoon. Have you noticed how infrequent our highlights are shown. The highlights are advertising for your program. We are a Team that recruits nationally. The more we are seen on ESPN and other Sports broadcast the better. But, if you are not in the Top 25 you just don’t get the exposure. 12 weeks of exposure is better than just 6 weeks. Yes, we will be ranked where we are supposed to be by winning out and going 11-1 to Orange Bowl. But we miss out on so much TV talk and exposure by not being in the Top 25.
By surfrider
October 6, 2008 3:24 AM | Link to this
Hopefully this will motivate the team for the second half or remainder of the schedule. If we win the polls will eventually take care of themselves. There definitely is a bias for the SEC and somewhat against the ACC since Miami and FSU faded somewhat but not for long. They both could really start going any week now. You’re right on about Auburn. Even GA. may be a little overrated, we’ll see how they play Tenn. Alabama barely beat Kentucky, so how good is Alabama? They looked good against Ga. but again it’s too early to really know how good. How good is Vandy defintely better than they’ve been. Parity may be the issue here as top to bottom the ACC is tough as the caliber of coaches shows. The SEC is tough top to bottom as the caliber of coaches shows. And how many times has the Big Ten been rated high only to have poor bowl showings. The point is the bias in the polls comes sometimes from big media centers outside of Atlanta which include the northern and midwestern cities.
By Tech Fan
October 6, 2008 4:54 AM | Link to this
Just remember that Kansas came out of nowhere last season and got all the way up to #2 in the polls. All Kansas did was win the Orange Bowl. My point is that Tech will get the respect they deserve if they just keep their heads down and continue pushing forward. If Tech keeps improving each week like they have been, they’ll be a tough test for whoever their opponent is that week.
GO JACKETS!!!
By Carolina Jacket
October 6, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this
I guess I worry more than most Tech fans do, but there are several upcoming teams that bother me. UNC lost their starting qb, and, oops, their offense looks even better. Clemson still has some of the top players in the country but have not hit their stride yet — look out. FSU has gotten most of their thugs back and are greatly improved — can’t overlook them. I won’t even talk about the Dawgs. The good news is that the better teams on the schedule come at the end of the season, so our offense has time to improve each week, so it should be interesting. PLEASE STAY HEALTY.
By Bug Killer
October 6, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
Whaaaah! Whaaah! Whaaah!
What a little crying b!tch!
Seriously, get over yourself.
How’s bout this: Tech beats a ranked team, Tech gets ranked?
Fair enough?
Also, your team didn’t win it all in 1990. You won a partial title, just like two of your titles. You were not consensus MNC winners.
Go cry about that along with crying about this latest “injustice” done against Bugland.
LOL
By Manfred P. Mann
October 6, 2008 8:25 AM | Link to this
For the love of all that is holy, please quit b*** about where we are/are not ranked. It doesn’t matter right now. If we finish with 1 loss, we will be rewarded. If we finsish with 4, we’ll get what we deserve then as well.
This is whining at its best. It’s also premature. In our most honest moments, we have to acknowledge that we haven’t beaten anyone worth bragging about. Come on. You gonna brag about Duke and MSU? Hell, before the season started (and when we were all at our most pesimistic), we knew those were two wins. Now they’re justification for being in the Top 25? Gimme a break. Let’s win out and we’ll be a top 5-10 program, no question.
By OldGold
October 6, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
Bug Killer …. 1980 was a loooooong time ago, and Herschel Walker is in his old age. Go bark at the mailman or something.
By Bug Killer
October 6, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
You know what else was a looooooong time ago?
The last time Tech was consensus MNCs. In fact, it’s longer than 1980.
Huh. Funny how that works out. See, at Georgia, we don’t count non-consensus titles, like y’all do, or Bama does, or USC does.
If we did, our number would be 5. But we like to remain humble and choose to recognize our 2 consensus MNCs.
You know what else was a long time ago?
The last time Tech beat Georgia without cheating.
1990 I believe it was.
By Wrecker1
October 6, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
1Jacket7 is exactly right. Being ranked in the top 25 is like free advertisement. B/c you’re ranked your highlights get shown on ESPN and every kid in America has the chance to see your team and hear your school’s name called out on national TV. I said a couple of weeks ago that htere shouldn’t be any polls until about the first week of October and I also said the next couple of games (Duke, GW) would do nothing to get us ranked. I also said that even though Clemmons was ranked they would probably lose before we played them (they did) and beating them wouldn’t help much. Sure there are teams ranked ahead of us that probably shouldn’t be (AU) but UNC probably isn’t one of them. They lost their starting QB and won a couple of big games. We play them in a few weeks and if they’re still ranked and we beat them that just helps us. The point is if we win out we’ll be ok but being ranked right now is really good pub.
By Not Disappointed
October 6, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this
Jackets win this week and next and the Coach’s & AP will notice. Stay healthy and keep winning. “Go Jackets!”
By fortebuna
October 6, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this
Good analysis of Tech and the ranking system in this article. Should Tech be ranked now? I think not. A loss to a very mediocre VPI, a bare win over a not great BC, Duke improved but still no power house, MSU what can you say about an over rated conference/team. Rankings only count at seasons end. Please Mr pollster don’t put that target on GTs’ back. Let the over rated Auburns, and Ugag, and yes Bama etc enjoy the hype but when they come back to earth you will hear it as a big thud. Almost forgot Ugag has come back to earth.
By whyucry?
October 6, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Bugkiller- the only cryin b*** I see is you on a tech blog at 8:30 on a Monday morning. Loser!. Keep talkin big man. Your time is coming.
How does it make you feel to hide behind a screen and mouth off like you are a manly man on a Tech blog? Still upset you got smacked in the pu$$y by Bama? I haven’t seen GA beat a ranked team all year. Your ranked on preseason polls and drop every week pal. Oh wait you moved up one. Not because you played and beat anyone with importance but because you relied on someone else to fail so you could move up. Sounds like the same excuse you say us Tech fans use when we root against you. Sure, we haven’t beat GA in 7 yrs but again I say keep talkin. I can’t wait till the jackets shut you up for good. Loudmouth rednck pu$$y b***!! Fools for Richt!!! hahahahahaha!!
By wes
October 6, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
Auburn is terrible. Tech would kill them.
No mention of Ball State being ranked?
I mean, its BALL stinkin’ STATE! I don’t even know where that is or what their unis look like.
Pollsters suck pole.
By Dawg Fud
October 6, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this
I think Tech deserves to be in the top 25. They are a good team.
Tech, Vandy and Wake Forest have surprised (and will continue) to surprise some people this year…just hopefully not Georgia.
GO DAWGS!
By UgaMatt
October 6, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Ok, Tech’s wins are against I-AA Jacksonville St., a BC teams whose best win is against Rhode Island, a 1-4 MSU teams whose only win was against Southeastern Louisiana, and Duke whose best win (I guess) was against Virginia (or maybe Navy). Color me unimpressed. See ya 11/29 Jackets.
By GTbaBi
October 6, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this
Amen “whyucry?”
Go Jackets!!!
By GT_THWG
October 6, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
Until UGA beats a ranked opponent, they’ve done nothing more than Tech has. I agree that Tech needs a quality win before we get ranked. UGA has yet to beat a real team, so should they not be ranked? By the logic being spewed out of the Athens Faithful, I would say they shouldn’t! If you try to use logic, be aware that the logic must be applied to everyone.
I am just confused by the fact that Auburn is ranked. Auburn is a joke…I’m fine with Tech not being ranked. We’ll get what’s coming to us. If we win the games we need to win, we’ll be ranked. It’ll work itself out. Let the mutts do their talking, they always do. Especially after a sound flogging at home.
By inveniojacket
October 6, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this
Come on people, hold on now. Let’s stop this “we are going to be 11-1” crap. I would LOVE as much as any other Tech fan to be 11-1 at season’s end, BUT, we must take care of the business at hand first. One game at a time…
By Shambo
October 6, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
It appears that the body of Tech faithful are not as sensitive about press clippings & opinions as Mr. Boggs. Although Mr. Boggs is correct regarding Auburn (two of their wins were by a TOTAL of 3 points), he is wrong about Tech’s ranking - or lack of it.
Let’s be a little pragmatic here. Half of Tech wins are over glorified high schools are not doing us any favors in the polls (seems Dave Braine is a gift that keeps on giving)And, the other half are against non-ranked teams. The only time we have played a currently ranked team, we lost. Even Johnny Cochran couldn’t make a case for a top 25 slot with those stats.
Don’t get me wrong. I believe Tech has a really good team this year. But more importantly, they are a “TEAM” this year. A lot of folks - including the press and pollsters - are still waiting to see if Tech implements the “Gailey Choke”. Our first opportunity to test this hypothesis will be against Clemson. If Tech wins this road game, the believers will begin to crawl back into the light.
By Idiots
October 6, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
I love the idiot mutts who come in here and say “beat someone”….You fvkcing idiots haven’t beaten anyone worth a crap either, and got your tails whipped on national tv by Bama. Our only loss was in a close game, with a couple bad to’s, and a few questionable calls that we easily could have won. You mutts got your doors blown off, your women were defiled, and your first born were also taken by Bama. The best team you have beaten thus far is unranked SC, who beat wofford and uab by a combined 23 points…wow. So please, stop telling us to “beat someone” when you have yet to do anything impressive. And you talk about us whining? Look at the mutt blogs after they dropped when they squeaked by the chickens. The mutt nation was whining to anyone within ear shot.
By Steve
October 6, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this
I agree that’s okay to be flying under the radar for now, but it does irk the hell out of me that we pretty much get ignored by the national media. When Jonathan Dwyer has his 88 yard run, that should have made someone’s highlight. How many people had that big of a run that day (against the vaunted SEC, no less)?? I heard Herbstreit say last night that Vandy was so legitimate because they don’t run this “cute offense”, and I was wondering if he was referring to us. If it’s not a bias against Tech, what other reasoning should we look at?
By GetOverIt
October 6, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this
These guys must be Blinded by the Light, eh Manfred? And BugKiller, that “shared” NC is closer than you leghumpers have come to it 28 years! And dont give me the #2 ranking last year, you know that was given to you because of your b*** and whining! Didnt even win your conference division.
By The Big Bug
October 6, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
If Tech declared themselves NC’s whether they were actually voted NC’s or not like Bug Killer does, we would have 10 NC’s at least.Big hat, no cattle.
By fred
October 6, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Don’t sweat the ratings!!!
Good grief!
Win—-win—win, and, sure ‘nuff,journalists from jounalism schools might vote for a school that only awards BS DEGREES.
WIN ON THE FIELD and then IN REAL LIFE!!! THWG.
By Big Bee
October 6, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
Bug Killer, did I read you right? You had rather remain HUMBLE? Didn’t know you even knew that word. Now let’s go for the biggie—What does HUMBLE mean?
By BADDAWG
October 6, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
This is way beyond ridiculous!!!
For at least the 10th time, I will call on the powers at AJC to require actual names and email addresses in order to post here. THAT would rid these blogs of the childish, mindless people who spew their venom here!
Hugh and old dawg fan here. Season tix for over 30 years. Should GT be ranked? Probably.
I prefer tech ranked…gives our annual renewal of “clean old fashioned hate” much more meaning…we are gonna get tech’s best shot anyway…so why not?
You may want to look at some of the things you guys can control that would make a difference in national perception…for starters:but tix. Week after week when you scan the channels for college football…you see half filled stadiums for ACC games. Even FSU-Miami. FSU-Colorado in Jax…upper level of stadium closed. GT-WF in ACC championship game…stadium half filled at best.
Regardless of your skewed attempts to discredit the SEC it is year in and year out the best conference in college football. PERIOD. Bobby Bowden said so. In 1990 or ‘91(I forget) the SEC sent formal letters of invitation to FSU, and Maimi to join the SEC. Both refused. When questioned later, Bowden publicly stated that they did what would give them the best chance of winning a national championhip by joining the ACC.
That said, I think and hope that GT has a good chance to be 10 and 1 when they come to Athens this year…9-2 at worst…they should be favored in the rest of their games..FSU maybe a toss up. I look for the DAWGS to be 9-2 at best…maybe 8-3. Should be a heck of a game!!! See ya then!!! GO DAWGS and THWGT
By PhotoBuzz
October 6, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this
I have no problem with us not being ranked.
I do have a problem with Auburn being ranked. They have been absolutely horrible and their only big win is over a Tennessee team that barely beat Northern Illinois.
I mean, c’mon. I also agree that if the NCAA has any gumption left in them at all that their bowl system is somehow legit, they will ban all official polls until October 15. But it won’t happen.
By AGTFan
October 6, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
I don’t care about rankings at this point in the season and barely care at the end of the season. It’s all just a beauty contest with blind judges.
What I do care about is what I see on the field. I’m happy so far. The team is well coached and appears to be improving steadily.
I would be much more disapointed if say my team had been down 31-0 in a conference game. Myabe that’s why the trolls keep showing up and talking nonsense.
By Technically speaking
October 6, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this
blogger above mentioned ACC championship.
VT probably is a lock in this division. Tech will likely finish with an admirable record but may not play in the ACC champ game.
By THWG
October 6, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
Who cares if we aren’t ranked? We know how good we are. We have seven more games to show the rest of the nation that we are legit. Besides, the human polls are clearly slanted. Why do coaches even have a say? They’re obviously going to be biased, not to mention they are a little too busy on Saturdays to worry about what every other team in the nation is doing. For the record, Jeff Sagarin’s ratings are done solely by numbers, making it completely objective. And his numbers have us ranked 11. Like I said, no big deal that we aren’t ranked. We still have plenty to prove. However, the objective poll (that is incorporated in the BCS calculations) has us almost cracking the top 10. I’ll take it.
Go Jackets!!!!
By Sautee Dawg
October 6, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this
Chris Boggs Chris you should go back and research history a little bit. Tech didn’t win it all in 1990, they shared it all with Colorado!! How are you so sure Auburn loses the next 3 games? I agree Tech should be ranked in the top 25. If Auburn is that bad a team why don’t Tech put them back on the schedule? You make it sound like a sure win!!
By LAME
October 6, 2008 8:09 PM | Link to this
why isnt VTECH a rivalry game?
that seems like the second most important game on r schedule every year doesnt it?
By GM
October 6, 2008 10:28 PM | Link to this
Sautee Dawg: Remember that Tech beat Auburn the last 2 meetings. Also, Tech is contracted to play in future years: Auburn, Bama, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Vandy. I don’t think Tech is afraid to play Auburn.
By TheBlogger
October 6, 2008 10:40 PM | Link to this
Human voting is flawed. I have always said this regardless of where these humans have voted Tech or any team (remember when those idiots voted for Notre Dame year after year when they su@ked?). These are biased people voting mostly with their hearts (and also their conference and/or college affiliations).
I would like to get rid of these human voters once and for all as far as them mattering. They are nothing but fodder for the sports news shows, period. If those idiots still want to “vote” then fine. Put the AP voters and coaches poll right up there with the Playboy poll and the Sports Illustrated poll.
I would like to have the NCAA agree on a formula that calculates the rankings. This formula would be agreed upon by all BCS conferences, and any other reasonable representatives. Once everyone agrees, there can be no arguement and it is the sole and official ranking of the NCAA. No humans, no averaging, no BS of any kind.
The formula may get tweaked a bit during the off season as needed, but that’s it.
Then, with this formula, we can begin talk of a true playoff with the top ranked teams per this unbiased formula that everyone agrees on.
What’s in this formula? Whatever the “powers that be” agree upon - I don’t care.
The NCAA does use a “formula” to pick the NCAA basketball field. Yeah, sure, they say it is a “committee” but we all know that a formula is used. Why not do football the same justice?
By RAMBLE ON!!!
October 6, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
I see a lot of CPJ in this guy!!!
I can’t wait till “Georgie”
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3618461
By Kevin
October 7, 2008 7:26 AM | Link to this
VT still has to go to BC, to FSU, and to Miami. I’m not going to hand them the championship game berth just yet.
By Sautee Dawg
October 7, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this
GM
I wasn’t saying Tech was afraid to play Auburn or schedule them I just wondered why they stopped. The harder Auburn’s schedule is during the year the better chance we have of winning against them. On the other hand some years they do alot of growing up the harder the schedule is and they put the lumber to us!! Just wish Boggs wouldn’t disrespect Auburn saying they will lose the next 3. Can’t remember Auburn losing 3 games in a row, ever. I’m sure they have but not in recent years. Tech keeps winning rankings will come with it. One reason i think ACC gets snubbed sometimes is fanbase. Too many empty stadiums. Media loves to see a crowd and everybody knows that’s what these rankings are all about, not always about the best!!
By gregodawg
October 7, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this
Calm down techsters. You will be ranked soon enough.So far you have done less than the dogs..and that a’int a lot.
You guys need some GOOD wins. Win conf., beat dawgs.ha-ha, Team will be fine
Just like Falcons ,Tech is becoming a real team before our eyes.
Jokes aside , you could win in Athens this year, takes a nearly perfect game though.
By to Kevin
October 7, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this
BC & FSU are in the Atlantic div….
VT would have to lose two and Tech win out…..
By Chris
October 8, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this
In my personal opinion, I think GT should be at the most #22 by now. But that is life, and the BS polls for you. I’m not going to whine any longer, starting to sound too much like Georgia, oh yeah by they why, I loved that black out/blow out. Right now, the way we are playing, if we played UGA next Sat. I promise you it would be GT- 28 UGA- 24.
By Chris
October 8, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
In my personal opinion, I think GT should be at the most #22 by now. But that is life, and the BS polls for you. I’m not going to whine any longer, starting to sound too much like Georgia, oh yeah by the why, I loved that black out/blow out. Right now, the way we are playing, if we played UGA next Sat. I promise you it would be GT- 28 UGA- 24.
By Chris
October 8, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
In my personal opinion, I think GT should be at the most #22 by now. But that is life, and the BS polls for you. I’m not going to whine any longer, starting to sound too much like Georgia, oh yeah by the why, I loved that black out/blow out. Right now, the way we are playing, if we played UGA next Sat. I promise you it would be GT- 28 UGA- 24.
By mowreck
October 8, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this
I am quite content to fly under the radar until we are 11-1, then I will go outside and wake the neighbors at midnight.