Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Make Statement About Program With Upset Win

They spent too many years just missing in these games.

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, perennial favorites in the "good, but not great" sweepstakes, came up painfully short against the very best of competition too often to be considered unlucky.

Eighteen straight games at home against top-5 opponents the Jackets either lost or tied, a streak dating back to 1964.

That streak no longer need apply.

Anyone who might have doubted Georgia Tech's ACC title credentials surely cannot doubt them now.

Facing what was the consensus best team in the ACC, and also the No. 4 team in all college football, Georgia Tech ran its "gimmick" option offense, controlled the flow of play and put away visiting Virginia Tech to insert itself back into the ACC Coastal race.

Josh Nesbitt ran for 122 yards and three touchdowns, including the game's sealing score, and the Jackets rolled up 309 total yards rushing on the Virginia Tech Hokies en route to a 28-23 win.

But perhaps the biggest story of the night was Georgia Tech's defense, which allowed 44 points and over 500 total yards last week against Florida State.

This week, they cut 200-plus yards off that total, contained electric running back Ryan Williams, and forced Tyrod Taylor into two interceptions.

In short, the Yellow Jackets made a statement this weekend, not offensively, but as one unit, one team, who have now made the rest of the conference stand up and take notice of the turnaround orchestrated by Paul Johnson in Atlanta.

Tech listed for six forgettable years under Chan Gailey, seasons that ended in bowl trips to places like San Francisco and Boise.

One nine-win season led to the ACC Championship game, only for the Jackets to fall in a 9-6 field goal battle and then lose their bowl game against West Virginia.

Enter Athletics Director Dan Radakovich, who decided the program must aim higher. He took a risk on Paul Johnson, the demanding coach with the offense they said wouldn't work in big-time college football.

Well, they were wrong.

The offense worked tonight, and the now-No. 19 Yellow Jackets look due for a serious rankings climb...and an interesting role in the first BCS standings, announced Sunday.

For years, Georgia Tech were the nearly men of the ACC, always in position, but never able to convert their greatest opportunities. Tonight, that stigma was shed.