Georgia Tech Football: How Upset Loss Will Hurt Yellow Jackets' BCS Hopes

No. 12 Georgia Tech ran into a bump in the road on the way to ACC and BCS glory on Saturday, suffering a disappointing 24-21 loss to Virginia in Charlottesville. The loss is the first of the season for the Yellow Jackets, setting them back with the pack in the Coastal Division and essentially deflating their slim hopes of competing for the BCS National Championship.

Who's the Biggest Winner?

The Cavaliers deserve all the credit in the world for shutting down Paul Johnson's triple-option offense, which had been one of the most prolific in all of college football up until this weekend. The win is easily the biggest of the Mike London era and pushes the team to 4-2, thereby matching its win total from all of last season.

The Cavs aren't about to win the ACC just yet, but notching a victory over a top-flight conference contender like Georgia Tech will go a long way toward getting the program back on track after years of inconsistency and mediocrity.

Does Georgia Tech Still Have a BCS Chance?

As shocking as this loss is, it leaves Tech's BCS hopes well intact. The Jackets stand at 3-1 in conference play and, as such, are guaranteed to remain atop the Coastal Division for at least another week. The Ramblin' Wreck still controls its own destiny from here on out and, realistically, need only worry about No. 19 Virginia Tech stealing its thunder and the berth in the ACC Championship Game that comes with it.

What it Means

The loss merely affirms what was already apparent—that Georgia Tech wasn't going to win a national title this year. The Yellow Jackets came into the weekend as one of 13 undefeated teams in college football, though they would've needed a ton of help from teams around the country in just about every AQ conference to sneak their way down to New Orleans.

Saturday's disappointment also laid bare a number of issues that had come to light in Atlanta over the past few weeks, including...

Biggest Thing to Fix

The passing game, the lack of which proved to be a huge problem for the Yellow Jackets against the Cavs. Quarterback Tevin Washington had his third poor passing performance in as many weeks, completing just two of eight attempts for 24 yards with two picks. To his credit, Washington had another terrific day on the ground (115 yards, two touchdowns), though Georgia Tech will need him to get back to making big plays with his arm if the 2011 season is to be a crowning one for the Jackets.

Pivotal Turnaround Game

Georgia Tech better have its house in order by November 10th, when the Hokies come to town. The winner of that game will likely go on to represent the Coastal Division in the ACC Championship Game, while the loser will simply have to settle for a mid-level bowl game at season's end.

Who the Yellow Jackets Play Next

Georgia Tech will look to get back on track at Miami next Saturday. The Yellow Jackets have lost each of their last two games against the Hurricanes by double digits.