Nov. 18, 2010
By Jon Cooper
Sting Daily
It’s Seniors Day at Bobby Dodd Stadium and Georgia Tech will attempt to send them out on a high note, as well as make them eligible to send them to one more bowl game, when they take on Duke. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast over the internet on ESPN3.com.
The team of Wes Durham (play-by-play), Rick Strom (color) and Jeff Woolverton (sidelines) will call the action on the Georgia Tech ISP Radio Network. Live stats can be found on RamblinWreck.com.
Besides seeking bowl eligibility, the Yellow Jackets are looking to snap a three-game losing streak — the first under Paul Johnson — and make it 16 consecutive seasons finishing with at least a .500 record in ACC play. Tech dropped a 35-10 decision to Miami its last time out, but saw the emergence of sophomore quarterback Tevin Washington, who ran and threw for over 100 yards and threw his first career touchdown pass. Redshirt senior Kevin Cone was on the receiving end, his career-first score.
Duke, which began the season 1-8, saw its modest two-game winning streak end last week, dropping a 21-16 home decision to Boston College. The Blue Devils knocked on the door in the final minute, reaching the four-yard line before being denied by the Eagles. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Sean Renfree was superb in defeat, completing 35 of 49 for 285 yards.
Tech leads the series 46-30-1, has won 14 of 15 against Duke, and is looking to make it seven straight wins and eight straight at Grant Field.
Here are a few more statistical bits to take into tomorrow’s kickoff:
0 – The number of Georgia Tech quarterbacks prior to Tevin Washington to rush for over 100 yards in their collegiate debut. Washington ran for 101 yards. The previous high was 62 yards set by Kim King on Sept. 25, 1965, against Texas A&M. He had one more attempt than Washington. Joshua Nesbitt ran for 60 yards on 11 carries on Aug. 28, 2008 against Jacksonville State.
4 – Georgia Tech’s ranking in the ACC in pass defense. The Jackets allow 190.3 yards per game through the air. Duke throws for 265.9 yards per game, third in the conference and 26th in the country.
5/86 – The career-high number of catches and yards by wide receiver Correy Earls against Duke in 2007.
5/45 – The combined number of tackles for loss and sacks and the total yardage loss for which Ben Anderson was responsible in last year’s game against Duke. Anderson had three TFLs for minus-24 yards and added a pair of sacks for minus-21 yards.
6 – The number of games in which Georgia Tech has compiled 400 yards of total offense and games in which they’ve rushed for 300 yards.
7.4 – The difference in scoring defense per game between Georgia Tech (28.6) and Duke (36.0), which has allowed 62 points (vs. Alabama), 54 points (at Wake Forest), 48 (a win vs. Virginia) and 44 (at. Virginia Tech).
10 – The number of passing touchdowns allowed by Georgia Tech. That’s the second-fewest in the ACC, behind only Miami (6).
11 – The number of points needed by Scott Blair to move past Luke Manget and into second place in the school’s single-season scoring list. Blair has 87 points. Three field goals also would give Blair a career season-best.
12 – The consecutive number of successful kicks made by Scott Blair against Duke. He’s 10-for-10 on PATs, including 7-for-7 last year, and is 2-for-2 on field goals. HIs long is 26.
19 – The number of conference victories by this senior class heading into today’s game. They’ve won 32 games overall.
20 – The number of seniors playing their final home game at Bobby Dodd. That includes eight starters.
21 – The difference in ACC wins over the last five seasons between Georgia Tech (26-13) and Duke (5-33).
25.5 – The average margin of victory by the Yellow Jackets during their current six-game series winning streak. They’ve outscored the Blue Devils 225-72 and have scored at least 24 points in each game. Duke’s high-water mark points-wise in those games is 24, a 49-24 loss to the No. 18 Jackets on Nov. 18, 2006 at Bobby Dodd.
26 – The number of wins Georgia Tech would have in three years under Paul Johnson with a win Saturday. That would tie them for seventh all-time with the 1989-91, the 1953-55 and 1946-48 teams. Johnson, whose 25 wins are already two more than any Georgia Tech coach in his first three seasons, would tie Lou Holtz (26-8-2 at N.C. State) and Danny Ford (26-9 at Clemson) for second place for most wins in third year by an ACC Coach.
30 – The number of combined successful field goals in 33 attempts by Georgia Tech kicker Scott Blair (12-of-14) and Dukes Will Snyderwine (18-of-19, including 16 straight).
37 – The team-high number of consecutive starts made by senior cornerback Mario Butler. That’s one more than senior A-Back Roddy Jones and three more than Nesbitt.
77 – The previous number of meetings in the series. Duke is Georgia Tech’s most frequently played ACC opponent and is third overall behind only Georgia (104) and Auburn (92).
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3 – The number of surprise on-side kicks successfully converted by Lou Groza Award and All-America Candidate Will Snyderwine. He caught Miami, Virginia Tech and Virginia by surprise. Snyderwine, by the way, holds Duke’s top two single-season records for field goals, converting 18 this season, breaking the record of 17 he set in 2009.
4 – The ACC-leading number of 100-yard receiving games by sophomore Conner Vernon. Vernon had 134 yards on a career-high 12 catches in last week’s loss to Boston College.
4 – Georgia Tech’s rank among Duke’s most commonly played opponents. The Blue Devils have faced off more against only North Carolina (96 times), Wake Forest (91) and North Carolina State (81).
4.7 – The conference-low number of penalties per game by the Blue Devils. That’s tied for 10th in the nation. Their 47 penalties in 10 conference games also makes them the least-penalized team in the ACC. Virginia Tech is next at 50. Their 24 in six ACC games, lowest in the conference, are seven fewer than second-place N.C. State.
6 – Duke’s longest winning streak in the series. It came from 1936 through 1941 and was part of a run of nine wins in 10 years (1936-1945). Since the end of that run they’ve won 22 times, with a long winning streak of four (1980-83).
10.7 – The differential in Duke’s scoring offense (26.4 ppg) and defense (37.1).
12 – The number of consecutive quarters in which Duke has scored. That’s five off the school record, set in 1990 and tied last season.
16 – The number of years since Duke last scored 40 points at least three times in a season. In 2010, they’ve hung at least 40 on Elon (41) in their opener on Sept. 4, at Wake Forest (48) on Sept. 11, and UVA (55) on Nov. 6. It’s the seventh time in school history they’ve had the 40-point hat-trick. The 55 points against UVA are the most since running up 57 against Wake Forest on Nov. 3, 1990.
95 – The number of yards of redshirt freshman safety August Campbell’s school-record fumble return for a touchdown last week. It was 18 yards longer than Ed Rushton’s record set on Nov. 10, 1956 against PIttsburgh.
205 – The combined number of points in shootouts this season against Virginia, a 55-48 win, and Wake Forest, a 54-48 loss.
