Johnson says Jackets are ‘own worst enemy’

By now it’s obvious that Georgia Tech can play with anyone in the ACC. That statement would have seemed far-fetched just a few weeks ago.

But unless the Yellow Jackets clean up their game, they’ll waste their chance for a special season.

“We’re our own worst enemy,” coach Paul Johnson said, repeating that lament moments later.

The youngest team in the ACC went into the conference’s toughest environment on Saturday and dominated in many facets.

The Jackets outgained Virginia Tech 387 to 247 yards, they averaged 5.6 yards per carry and they converted 60 percent of their third downs.

For the second straight week, however, Georgia Tech committed three turnovers. And this time they forced none.

It all added up to a 20-17 Hokies’ win.

“A game like that is kind of tough to swallow, especially for the younger guys who haven’t been through this in college yet,” center Dan Voss said. “But we don’t have a lot of time to worry about the loss.”

The Jackets (2-1, 1-1) host Mississippi State (1-2) at noon Saturday, then get an off week before returning to ACC play. Resurgent Duke (2-1) visits on Oct. 4.

Here are five things we learned in Week 3:

1. It might be youth or overexuberance, but Georgia Tech has a serious problem with penalties.

The Jackets came into Saturday’s game leading the ACC in penalty yards (73.0 per game).

Tech committed eight more for 61 yards, including two personal fouls that enabled Virginia Tech to mount its game-winning drive.

The first, a helmet-to-helmet call on freshman safety Cooper Taylor, was hotly disputed by Tech coaches and players. If that call had not been made, the Hokies would have been forced to punt. It came midway through the fourth quarter, with the game tied at 17.

The second was a facemask on defensive end Michael Johnson. The senior was chasing quarterback Tyrod Taylor out of bounds, following a botched double-reverse, for what would have been a huge loss.

The Hokies drew just three penalties for 15 yards.

2. Josh Nesbitt is one of the toughest players around.

Well, we didn’t learn that Saturday, we just confirmed it.

On a hot day in Blacksburg, the sophomore carried 28 times for 151 yards, a Tech record for a quarterback.

He converted four third downs with keepers or scrambles, including his 18-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Afterward, Nesbitt, who had his right middle finger wrapped, dismissed it as “messed up ligaments” and said he’s fine.

Nesbitt hit Roddy Jones for a 41-yard touchdown in the second quarter, but overshot him on a similar route with 2:24 left in the game. Missing his top receiver in Demaryius Thomas (concussion), Nesbitt threw just eight times, completing five.

3. Saturday’s game against Mississippi State, the teams’ first meeting since 1929, figures to be a defensive struggle.

Mississippi State is coming off a 3-2 loss to Auburn in which the Bulldogs gained 116 total yards. The Bulldogs went a perfect 0-for-14 on third-down conversions.

But you have to credit their defense, which contained Auburn’s spread offense, caused three turnovers, and outscored their own offense.

4. The ACC is capable of winning a big nonconference game.

Maryland, a two-touchdown underdog, jumped on No. 23 California from the outset. The Terps led 28-6 after three quarters en route to a 35-27 home win.

Bouncing back from an embarrassing loss to Middle Tennessee State, Maryland ran the ball effectively and got a super-efficient performance from quarterback Chris Turner (15-of-19, 156 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs).

“The ACC’s been taking a hit all year,” guard Jaimie Thomas told the Associated Press. “People believe we’re not one of the top conferences. I believe we are. If people don’t want to believe that, come play us and see what happens.”

5. The ACC Coastal Division does not look weaker than the Atlantic, as many initially thought.

With the exception of Virginia, a 45-10 loser at UConn Saturday, every Coastal team is showing promise.

North Carolina just whipped Rutgers on the road, Duke is averaging 31 points under new coach David Cutcliffe and Miami played Florida tough for three quarters. Virginia Tech is much more formidable now that coach Frank Beamer has switched from Sean Glennon to Tyrod Taylor at quarterback.