Final
Georgia Tech-Clemson Preview
Dec 4, 2009 - 11:01 PM By FRED GOODALL AP Sports WriterNo. 10 Georgia Tech (10-2) at Clemson (8-4), 8:00 p.m. EDT
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson and Clemson's Dabo Swinney don't feel they have to the defend the honor of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Saturday night's ACC championship game may not have national title implications of the SEC and Big 12, but the coaches for the 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets and No. 25 Tigers aren't going to apologize for how their teams got here.
Johnson and Swinney disagree with anyone who believes losing regular-season finales to Southeastern Conference also-rans has taken some of the luster off what otherwise figures to be an entertaining matchup at Raymond James Stadium.
Georgia Tech (10-2) lost to struggling Georgia, plummeting out of the Top 10. Clemson (8-4) was trounced by instate rival South Carolina and nearly dropped out of the poll.
Johnson and Swinney's reaction? It's time to move on.
"Nebraska is playing in (the Big 12) championship game and they lost to Virginia Tech. Do they need to apologize? Pitt's playing for the Big East championship and lost to N.C. State. ... Stanford's had a pretty good year and they lost to Wake Forest," Johnson said.
"I can understand the story line because the teams played SEC teams. Last year, us and Clemson both beat Georgia and South Carolina and there didn't seem to be any kind of story line. No one was saying the ACC is dominant. Every team has good players."
Before stumbling, the Yellow Jackets and Tigers were two of the hottest teams in the country.
Georgia Tech had won eight straight since losing to Miami in September. Clemson was riding a six-game winning streak after losing three of five to start Swinney's first full season at the helm.
"I just laugh at it," Swinney said of the talk the matchup lacks appeal, especially on a day when the SEC and Big 12 titles are also being decided.
"Teams from our conference have had a lot of good wins this year. We didn't play very well, and I am sure Georgia Tech feels the same way. But we have to move on. It is all about this championship game. ... That is all that matters."
The winner will end a lengthy drought between league titles and earn a spot in the Orange Bowl.
Georgia Tech shared the ACC crown with Florida State in 1998, however the Yellow Jackets have not won the championship outright since 1990 - the year before Clemson won its most recent title.
Tech won the regular season meeting 30-27 in Atlanta, kicking two fourth-quarter field goals after blowing a 24-0 lead as Clemson scored 27 consecutive points.
The Yellow Jackets and Tigers are the top two scoring teams in the conference. Georgia Tech is second in the nation in rushing at 305 yards per game, and Clemson's explosive offense features ACC player of the year C.J. Spiller, who has scored 16 touchdowns - seven rushing, four receiving and five on kick returns.
Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer and Josh Nesbitt, a distant second to Spiller for conference player of the year, are on pace to become the first teammates in the ACC to rush for more than 1,000 yards since 1993.
But after giving up 339 yards on the ground during the loss to Georgia, it will be interesting to see whether the Yellow Jackets can make necessary adjustments to contain Spiller, who's close to becoming the first player in conference history with 1,000 yards rushing and 500 receiving in the same season.
"I'm concerned about everything, not just the defense," said Johnson, who is trying to get the Yellow Jackets into a major bowl for the first time since 1966, when Tech played in the Orange Bowl. "We've had a lot of shootouts this year."
- NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
GATECH 3 13 17 6 39
CLEMSON 7 6 7 14 34 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: CLEMSON - TD, C.J. SPILLER 3 YD RUN
(RICHARD JACKSON KICK), 3:36.
CLEMSON 7-0
GEORGIA TE - FG, SCOTT BLAIR 48 YD, 7:30.
CLEMSON 7-3
2ND QUARTER: GEORGIA TE - TD, JONATHAN DWYER 4 YD RUN
Dec 5 11:37 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 39
CLEMSON 34 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Dec 5 11:37 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 39
CLEMSON 34 1:20 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 39, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 1:20Dec 5 11:33 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH JONATHAN DWYER 15 YD RUN (JOSH NESBITT RUN FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
Georgia Tech(12) 41, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 1:20Dec 5 11:29 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH JONATHAN DWYER 15 YD RUN (JOSH NESBITT RUN FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
Georgia Tech(12) 41, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 1:20Dec 5 11:29 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 41
CLEMSON 34 1:20 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 41, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 1:20Dec 5 11:29 PM
TD CLEMSON ANDRE ELLINGTON 1 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 6:11Dec 5 11:12 PM
TD CLEMSON ANDRE ELLINGTON 1 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 6:11Dec 5 11:12 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 33
CLEMSON 34 6:11 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 6:11Dec 5 11:12 PM - 124
rootsRUWTbot Added 90 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 34 4th - 6:11Dec 5 11:12 PM
TD CLEMSON C.J. SPILLER 9 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 27 4th - 12:00Dec 5 10:52 PM
TD CLEMSON C.J. SPILLER 9 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 27 4th - 12:00Dec 5 10:52 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 33
CLEMSON 27 12:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 27 4th - 12:00Dec 5 10:52 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 33
CLEMSON 20 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Dec 5 10:41 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 33
CLEMSON 20 1:11 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 33, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 1:11Dec 5 10:35 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH DEMARYIUS THOMAS 70 YD PASS FROM JOSH NESBITT (SCOTT BLAIR KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 30, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 5:10Dec 5 10:21 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH DEMARYIUS THOMAS 70 YD PASS FROM JOSH NESBITT (SCOTT BLAIR KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 30, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 5:10Dec 5 10:21 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH DEMARYIUS THOMAS 70 YD PASS FROM JOSH NESBITT (SCOTT BLAIR KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 30, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 5:10Dec 5 10:21 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 30
CLEMSON 20 5:10 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 30, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 5:10Dec 5 10:21 PM
TD CLEMSON C.J. SPILLER 36 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 23, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 6:39Dec 5 10:14 PM
TD CLEMSON C.J. SPILLER 36 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 23, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 6:39Dec 5 10:14 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 23
CLEMSON 20 6:39 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 23, Clemson(25) 20 3rd - 6:39Dec 5 10:14 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH JOSH NESBITT 13 YD RUN (SCOTT BLAIR KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 23, Clemson(25) 13 3rd - 9:12Dec 5 10:06 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH JOSH NESBITT 13 YD RUN (SCOTT BLAIR KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 23, Clemson(25) 13 3rd - 9:12Dec 5 10:06 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 23
CLEMSON 13 9:12 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 23, Clemson(25) 13 3rd - 9:12Dec 5 10:06 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 16
CLEMSON 13 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Dec 5 9:33 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 16
CLEMSON 13 0:06 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 16, Clemson(25) 13 2nd - 0:06Dec 5 9:31 PM
TD CLEMSON C.J. SPILLER 41 YD RUN (TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION FAILED)
Georgia Tech(12) 13, Clemson(25) 13 2nd - 2:55Dec 5 9:15 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 13
CLEMSON 13 2:55 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 13, Clemson(25) 13 2nd - 2:55Dec 5 9:15 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 13
CLEMSON 7 5:35 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 13, Clemson(25) 7 2nd - 5:35Dec 5 9:04 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH JONATHAN DWYER 4 YD RUN (SCOTT BLAIR KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 10, Clemson(25) 7 2nd - 13:30Dec 5 8:46 PM
TD GEORGIA TECH JONATHAN DWYER 4 YD RUN (SCOTT BLAIR KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 10, Clemson(25) 7 2nd - 13:30Dec 5 8:46 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 10
CLEMSON 7 13:30 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 10, Clemson(25) 7 2nd - 13:30Dec 5 8:46 PM - NCAAF
GATECH 3
CLEMSON 7 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Dec 5 8:40 PM
TD CLEMSON C.J. SPILLER 3 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 0, Clemson(25) 7 1st - 11:24Dec 5 8:13 PM
TD CLEMSON C.J. SPILLER 3 YD RUN (RICHARD JACKSON KICK)
Georgia Tech(12) 0, Clemson(25) 7 1st - 11:24Dec 5 8:13 PM- NCAAF
GATECH 0
CLEMSON 7 11:24 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Georgia Tech(12) 0, Clemson(25) 7 1st - 11:24Dec 5 8:13 PM - 24
roots
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