Tech strikes FSU

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

TALLAHASSEE -- For most of the night, the only thing that could stop the offenses of either No. 22 Georgia Tech or Florida State on Saturday was lightning.

The two teams combined for more than 1,000 yards, including a 63-point first half, before  the Yellow Jackets eventually grounded the Seminoles 49-44.

A delay of 1 hour, 18 minutes interrupted the game at Doak Campbell Stadium. At the time, the game was tied 7-7 with neither team having an answer for the other following two easy scoring drives.

But from that point, all the electricity was on the field, and in the second half it was generated almost entirely by the Jackets (5-1, 3-1) who made history by winning in Tallahassee for the first time in seven attempts.

"I thought both teams were going to hold serve there for a long time," Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "I'm proud of our team, they found a way."

The win sets up a huge game against Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Should Georgia Tech win, it will be tied with the Hokies atop the ACC's Coastal Division with 3-1 records. The Jackets will hold the first tie-breaker, head-to-head results. Should the Jackets lose, Virginia Tech will hold the tiebreaker against them and Miami, who is 2-1.

But, for all of its offensive fireworks, if Tech can't solve its issues defending the pass, playing for the ACC title might not happen.

The Jackets entered the game allowing 227 yards per game and gave up 267 to the Seminoles by halftime. Included in that total were four plays of at least 20 yards, as well as four touchdowns that saw FSU take an incredibly high-scoring 35-28 lead.

"We talked at halftime and I told them there wasn't any difference in that game than a 7-0 game," Johnson said. "If we could get a couple of stops I thought we could win the game. I think we did. I think we got three stops in the second half maybe and they got two."

They got those stops because defensive coordinator Dave Wommack changed from a 4-3-4 to a 3-3-5 and then again to a 5-man front that included moving Derrick Morgan around. The result was the Jackets were able to limit FSU quarterback Christian Ponder and company to 136 yards in the final two quarters.

"The whole defense just had to calm down and work on their assignments and that's what we were able to do," middle linebacker Brad Jefferson said.

Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt played as well as Ponder. He finished with 143 yards rushing and three touchdowns, and 131 yards passing and another touchdown. Johnson said his most important play came in the third quarter when he wrestled the ball away from Florida State linebacker Nigel Carr, who had recovered a pitch dropped by Roddy Jones. Johnson called it the play of the game.

The loss is the third consecutive for Florida State and ends what has been a contentious week for legendary coach Bobby Bowden, whose job was under scrutiny this week after school trustee Jim Smith said it was time for the 79-year-old coach to retire.

The Seminoles walked onto the field arm-in-arm with their coach before the game. Afterward, Bowden said as hard as the week was, explaining how Tech won wasn't difficult.

"We simply couldn't stop them," Bowden said. "That ain't very hard to figure out. We simply could not stop them."

Tech didn't punt during the game, while rushing for 412 yards and passing for 131. B-back Jonathan Dwyer had his second-longest rush of the year when he barrelled down the left sideline for a 69-yard score with 14:03 remaining in the second quarter. Dwyer said he wasn't surprised by the back-and-forth scoring in the first half, though he was relieved to be a part of it.

"It felt great," said Dwyer, who rushed for 106 yards on 14 carries. "I give all the credit to Florida State. I don't know why these people want to get rid of coach Bowden. Obviously they came out and played for him. Luckily we made some stops and got the win."