Oct. 11, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format
Yellow Jackets Host Middle Tennessee Saturday In Non-Conference Battle
Georgia Tech, coming off two straight wins, steps out of conference play Saturday to face Middle Tennessee State at Bobby Dodd Stadium (3:30 p.m./ ESPN3.com). The Yellow Jackets, 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the ACC, erupted for 477 rushing yards —
Tech’s most ever in an ACC game — in a 33-21 win over visiting Virginia last Saturday. Senior B-back Anthony Allen (195 yards) and senior quarterback Joshua Nesbitt (109 yards) led the way.
Nesbitt (90.5 yards per game), who is 150 yards shy of breaking the ACC record for career rushing yards by a quarterback, and Allen (87.5 ypg) are the ACC’s top two leading rushers. Tech ranks third nationally as a team in rushing offense (328.0 ypg).
Middle Tennessee State, 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the Sun Belt Conference, has not played since a Tuesday night (Oct. 5) home loss to Troy, 42-13. The Blue Raiders were held to 207 yards of total offense despite the return of senior quarterback Dwight Dasher, who did not play in the first four games of the season because of a suspension.
Dasher, a Folkston (Ga.) native, completed 22-of-37 passes for 172 yards in his season debut. Dasher has passed for more than 4,200 career yards and has rushed for more than 1,900 yards.
Georgia Tech and Middle Tennessee State will meet for the first time. The Yellow Jackets have never played a Sun Belt Conference team previously.
Following Saturday’s game, Tech plays its next two games on the road — at Clemson and Virginia Tech.
Quick Notes On The Yellow Jackets
— Georgia Tech defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Andy McCollum was the head coach at Middle Tennessee State from 1999-2005.
— The last non-conference team other than Georgia to beat Georgia Tech in Bobby Dodd Stadium was Notre Dame in the 2006 season opener. Georgia won at Bobby Dodd Stadium last season.
— The Yellow Jackets are 11-2 under Paul Johnson in games decided by five points or less.
— Tech ranks first in the ACC and third nationally in rushing offense (328.0 ypg). The Yellow Jackets finished in the top five nationally in rushing in 2008 and 2009.
— In its three ACC victories, Tech’s defense has allowed just 10 fourth-quarter points.
— The Yellow Jackets have not lost back-to-back games in three seasons under head coach Paul Johnson.
— Senior quarterback Joshua Nesbitt ranks first in the ACC in rushing (90.5 ypg) and he ranks fifth nationally among quarterbacks in rushing.
— Three Yellow Jackets have more than 1,000 career rushing yards — Nesbitt (2,612), Anthony Allen (2,245, including his two seasons at Louisville) and Roddy Jones (1,203).
— Nesbitt needs 150 rushing yards to become the most prolific rushing quarterback in ACC history. He has more rushing TDs (32) than any QB in ACC history. Nesbitt needs 388 rushing yards to become just the eighth player in NCAA history with 3,000 career rushing yards and 3,000 career passing yards.
