Nov. 16, 2012
By Jon Cooper
Sting Daily
– Georgia Tech returns home looking to continue its run toward a Coastal Division championship, taking on Duke. Kickoff at Bobby Dodd Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
The Yellow Jackets have won back-to-back road games to pull themselves into a three-way tie for first in the Coastal Division with Miami and North Carolina. Duke is right behind them at 3-3.
“With the start we got off to this year, especially in the conference, we dug ourselves a huge hole,” said head coach Paul Johnson. “With all the things that have happened and the balance in the league, especially in our division, we’ve been able to crawl back.”
That crawl has been sparked by the offense, which last week went off for 68 points, the most in the Paul Johnson Era, in a 68-50 win over North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A-Back Robert Godhigh’s three touchdowns sparked a 30-point third-quarter as Tech came from 29-28 down at the half to pull away and set up today’s game.
The Blue Devils are hoping to get back in the race, as they’ve been trounced in back-to-back weeks, first at Florida State, 48-7, then last week, 56-20, against Clemson. Duke never led against the Tigers, surrendering 28 first-quarter points. Sophomore wide receiver Jamison Crowder had seven catches for a career-best 167 yards in the defeat.
Here are some numerical nuggets to get you ready for today’s Senior Day battle.
The Series: Georgia Tech leads, 48-30-1
Current Streak: Georgia Tech has won eight straight
In Atlanta: Georgia Tech leads the series, 27-12-1
Last Meeting: RV/No. 23 Georgia Tech 38, Duke 31, @ Duke, Nov. 19, 2011
40 – The number being worn this week by junior outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu. The number had been worn by linebacker Julian Burnett, who was forced to stop playing due to a neck injury suffered in last year’s Hyundai Sun Bowl. The number will be worn by a different Yellow Jacket every week in tribute. It has been worn by Barnes, cornerback Rod Sweeting, quarterback Tevin Washington, long snapper Tyler Morgan and, defensive end Izaan Cross, linebacker Chris Crenshaw, safety Isaiah Johnson, defensive end T.J. Barnes, again, and last week again by senior A-Back Jamal Paige.
12 – The number of consecutive years Georgia Tech has held the Michael Isenhour Toy Drive. Isenhour, a former Yellow Jacket basketball player who passed away in 2002, began the drive to help children of the victims of 9/11. Last year, Tech student-athletes delivered more than 1,000 toys and about $4,200 to the Atlanta Children’s Shelter.
3 – The number of Yellow Jackets players from North Carolina. One of them is quarterback Vad Lee, who grew up in Durham.
3 – The number of players in the Paul Johnson Era to run for and catch a touchdown in the same game. Godhigh became the third last week, jointing Orwin Smith and Roddy Jones, both of whom did it last season against Kansas.
8 – The number of wins by Paul Johnson-coached teams against Duke in nine career games against Duke. He is 4-0 at Tech and was 4-1 at Navy.
9 – The number of Georgia Tech players who have scored a touchdown this season. That ties Baylor for fifth in the FBS for number of players with a touchdown.
9 – OLB Jeremiah Attaochu’s rank in the ACC in sacks. His 5.0 QB takedowns lead the Jackets and are one off his career-best, set last year. He has three all-time vs. Duke.
12 – The number of seniors playing their final game at Bobby Dodd. Among them are captains QB Tevin Washington, OG Omoregie Uzzi and DL Izaan Cross.
12 – The national ranking of kick-returner Jamal Golden, who is averaging 29.6 yards per return. Golden has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in three games.
15 – The number of consecutive years Georgia Tech has played in a bowl game. A win today would make them bowl-eligible for No. 16.
17 – Tevin Washington’s rushing touchdowns this season, that’s second in the nation among quarterbacks.
18 – The number of consecutive non-losing seasons in Coastal Division play. Tech extended that mark by beating North Carolina last week.
40 – The number of years since Georgia Tech kicked off 12 times in a game, as it did last week against North Carolina.
40 – The number of players in Yellow Jackets history to rush for 1,000 career yards. B-Back David Sims became No. 40 last week.
66 – The number of years since Georgia Tech has lost a game on Nov. 17. They last lost in 1945 and are 9-0 since then. This will be their first game against Duke.
70 – The most points ever scored by Georgia Tech in a road game, at Navy on Sept. 8, 2001.
79 – The number of meetings in this series. That’s the most for Tech against any other ACC team.
136 – The number of points in the highest-scoring regulation game in NCAA history. That came in 2007, when Navy knocked off North Texas, 74-62. Navy’s head coach that day was Paul Johnson.
144 – The number of points Georgia Tech has scored in four games against Duke under Johnson. That’s 36 points per game. Duke has totaled 51.
186.4 – Lee’s quarterback efficiency. He’s 18-for-34 passing for 434 yards, with three TDs against one interception.
10 Things To Know About Duke
1/35 – The number of catches and receiving yards senior wide receiver Conner Vernon needs today to set a pair of ACC records. With a catch today Vernon will set the record for consecutive games with at least one reception. Last week, Vernon tied former North Carolina wideout Corey Holiday, who set the record at 45 between 1990 and ’93. The ACC career yardage record is held by former FSU star Peter Warrick (1996-99).
4 – The number of years in which Vernon has made at least 50 catches and gained at least 700 yards receiving. Vernon has 257 catches for 3,483 yards with 18 touchdowns in 45 career games.
5/11 – The number of interceptions and pass-break-ups by redshirt junior corner Ross Cockrell. That leads the ACC in the number of passes defended.
9 – The number of years since the Blue Devils has defeated Georgia Tech. The last win came on Nov. 8, 2003 at Wallace Wade Stadium, a 41-17 thrashing.
11.33 – The ACC-leading number of tackles per game by redshirt senior safety Jordan Byas. Byas recorded as career-high 15 stops last week against Clemson.
18 – The number of years since Duke has defeated Georgia Tech in Atlanta. That year they took home a 27-12 win on Sept. 24, 1994.
67.3 – The completion percentage of redshirt senior quarterback Sean Renfree. That ranks third in the ACC and 16th in the nation. He’s on pace to surpass his own school record of 65.0, which he set last year.
83 – The point total for true freshman kicker Ross Martin, a school single-season rookie record and the fourth-highest single-season total in Duke history. Ross is 16-for-18 on field goals and is a perfect 35-for-35 on extra points. The 35 PATs are fourth-most in a season for a Duke kicker.
169 – The number of consecutive extra points converted by Duke kickers, including Will Snyderwine (84, from 2009-11), the school’s all-time leader in consecutive PATs, Nick Maggio (50, 2007-10) and Martin.
100 – The number of years Duke has been playing football. Today will be the 80th year in which they’ll have met Georgia Tech.
