Georgia Tech Football: Week 9 Bad Advice, Bold Prediction, and Something Else

(What makes the spread option so effective? Yoga, that's what.)

Two-thirds of the way through their 2009 season, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are sitting prettier than they have in quite some time. First place in the ACC Coastal and within striking distance of the top-10 in the country.

Moreover, the spread option has turned doubters into disciples and receivers into believers (score one for cheap poetry), and it's got Tech second in the country in rushing offense.

Saturday night, the Jackets face Vanderbilt, a struggling team whose momentum could not carry over from last season, when the Commodores went bowling for the first time since before parachute pants were cool.

Bobby Johnson's crew plays tough D, and they're at home (whatever that means at Vanderbilt Stadium). But the Jackets are dreaming big now.

So let's get started.

Bad advice

Get big early. Tech's offense has sputtered in the first half in the last couple of weeks, largely by its own hand.

The AJC's Doug Roberson does a better job of breaking down their struggles than I ever could, but the long and short is that Tech is beating itself with penalties and sloppiness.

Obviously, putting opponents like Vandy away quickly is important—let a bad team hang around, and they'll find a way to make you regret it.

Just as important, however, is this: Georgia Tech is eight games deep into a schedule that hasn't yet seen a bye week.

By this point in a college football season, nobody is 100 percent anymore. They might not be injured, but they certainly aren't fully healthy either.

The next three weeks—Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Duke—frankly, should be elementary for the Jackets. Then comes a bye, then Georgia, then, assuming all goes according to plan, the ACC title game.

Getting on weaker opponents early means two things: First, it kills the aforementioned upset aspirations. Second, it gets guys some much-needed rest down the stretch.

So jump on Vandy, and Wake and Duke after them, quickly, prove your mettle as one of the best teams in the country, and get those first-teamers out by the end of the third.

Bold prediction

Jonathan Dwyer's going to have a big finish. I know I keep tipping Dwyer for big days and whatnot, although considering he's probably the most complete back in the country, I don't know why I shouldn't.

Dwyer hasn't had to carry as big a load this year as he did last season, but Tech's going to be facing some suspect run defenses here at the end, and Dwyer only got stronger at the end of last season.

As I gaze into my crystal ball (or something), I see big numbers for Dwyer down the stretch, and Tech looks to punish weaker opponents early and often.

Something else

Call it a Southern Conference reunion tour stop.

The brothers Johnson (Paul and Bobby, not real brothers, by the way) will get together again for the first time since 2004 and the ninth time overall.

Paul and Bobby met six times when the former was at Georgia Southern and the latter at Furman, two FCS powerhouses (back in my wizened day, we called it I-AA).

CPJ was 4-2 against CBJ, and as a son of two proud Georgia Southern alumni, I can tell you I watched my share of GSU-Furman games. Riveting stuff, they were.

Frankly, it's not surprising both men have come as far as they have.

Finally, a score

Wasn't this the kind of game that would have given Tech fits a few years ago? Well, yes.

Vanderbilt is a double-digit underdog at home, facing a team with supposedly superior talent, skill and scheming.

But old Bobby Johnson's not going to be fooled by what his former dance partner Paul has for him on the opposite sideline. Believe me when I say, Johnson has more institutional knowledge gameplanning against this offense than anyone else in the FBS right now.

So it's going to come down to execution, something with which Tech has struggled early and finished strong in recent weeks. Don't you think Paul Johnson wants to change that?

Last week, we learned the Jackets can win, and win big, and win big on the road, with that target on their backs. In the past, it's been an albatross, but it would appear no longer.

Vandy's had a tough season, some close losses in the SEC (Where Tech has more wins, one, than the 'Dores, zero). But at the end of the day, Vanderbilt just doesn't match up. They'll be ready for the option, but that doesn't matter if the team running it is just too skilled for them to stop.

Bees win, rolling: Georgia Tech 42, Vanderbilt 16.