Georgia Tech sinks Hokies’ national-title hopes

ATLANTA -- Virginia Tech's players jogged to the locker room at halftime last night, having contained Georgia Tech's tricky, option-based offense well, for the most part, in the first half.

But in in the third quarter, the Yellow Jackets' big plays had the Hokies' defensive coordinator, Bud Foster, pacing the sideline in frustration, tearing off his headset and throwing up his hands as he watched his team's hopes of playing for the national championship fade with every pitch and quarterback keeper.

The 19th-ranked Jackets' 28-23 win over No. 4 Virginia Tech resulted largely from a third quarter in which Georgia Tech ran 21 times for 157 yards, compared to a first half in which its 21 carries netted 37 yards. The Jackets added 115 rushing yards in the fourth quarter.

Their third-quarter touchdown drives of 60 and 86 yards, and a fourth-quarter touchdown march of 75 yards that buried the Hokies, not only almost certainly dashed Virginia Tech's national-title aspirations but also muddled the ACC's Coastal Division.

The Jackets (6-1) and Hokies (5-2) now both have 3-1 conference records, with Georgia Tech holding the tiebreaker advantage as Virginia Tech enters its lone off week and prepares to regroup for its final five games.

Georgia Tech led 7-3 at halftime. Its touchdown, a 1-yard run by quarterback Josh Nesbitt, came after Nesbitt's 51-yard pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. Other than that, the Yellow Jackets gained 37 yards on 25 plays in the half. Their first four drives gained minus-4, minus-12, 3 and 6 yards, before the 72-yard touchdown drive.

But Foster had to be pleased with his group's performance. That is, until the Jackets showed in the third quarter why their offense ranked 24th nationally before last night, with 426.7 yards per game, why they ranked first in the ACC with nine plays of 50 yards or longer and why they ranked second in 30-plus plays, with 17, behind only Virginia Tech's 20.

They needed just three minutes to go 60 yards and extend their lead to 14-3 on their first drive -- thanks to a 31-yard Nesbitt run that put them at Virginia Tech's 4. Two drives later, they went up 21-10 when Marcus Wright completed an 86-yard possession by taking a pitch from Nesbitt, running right, past diving free saftey Kam Chancellor, and scampered into the end zone.

The Hokies managed to hang around. Georgia Tech reached Virginia Tech's 14 with 7:19 left in the game, but Nesbitt's errant pitch bounced off Jonathan Dwyer's hands. Rover Davon Morgan, a former Varina High standout, recovered. And the Hokies' offense cashed in the opportunity with a six-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that lasted just 2:27.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor capped it in spectacular fashion, escaping a collapsing pocket and running for a 22-yard touchdown with 4:52 left. After a failed two-point coversion attempt, Georgia Tech led 21-16. But the Jackets answered, needing just three minutes to drive 75 yards and extend their lead 28-16 after Nesbitt's 39-yard run.

A important play on the drive was Anthony Allen's 23-yard run on second and 10 from Georgia Tech's 25. Foster was furious after the play and yanked off his headset. He responded to Nesbitt's touchdown simply by looking at the ground and throwing up his hands.

He would find no answers on this night, which ended with Georgia Tech's fans rushing the field and scurrying up the goal posts to celebrate the signature win of coach Paul Johnson's season-plus in Atlanta. And while the Hokies still have a shot at playing in, and winning, their third consecutive ACC championship game, plenty of buzz surrounding their season died last night at Bobby Dodd Stadium -- one pitch and quarterback keeper at a time.