Nov. 16, 2012
HOW TO WATCH IT
Georgia Tech is home for the final time in 2012 and the stakes are high as the Yellow Jackets welcome Duke to Bobby Dodd Stadium on Senior Day. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game can be seen live nationally on ESPNU and the WatchESPN app. Anish Shroff and former Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins will call the action.
HOW TO HEAR IT
As always, you can hear Wes Durham and Rick Strom on the Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network – in Atlanta on 790AM and 106.7FM, on Sirius Channel 94, XM 191 (Tech broadcast), or check the radio affiliate list.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow @gtathletics for in-game updates on Twitter and use the hashtag #GTDU12 for in-game discussion. Like Georgia Tech Athletics on Facebook for photos and more from Saturday’s game.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
1. What’s at stake? A very muddy Coastal Division race should clear up considerably by the time tomorrow’s game ends. A win by the Jackets moves them one step closer to the Coastal Division crown and a shot at playing in the ACC Championship Game, while a loss would eliminate Tech from the chance to play in Charlotte. A win also gets the Jackets to the six-win threshold needed for bowl eligibility. So you could say tomorrow’s game on the Flats is, well, big.
2. Senior Day. Georgia Tech will recognize 12 seniors that play their final home game tomorrow at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Those honored in the pregame ceremony are Tevin Washington, Orwin Smith, Chris Jackson, Malcolm Munroe, Tyler Morgan, Omoregie Uzzi, T.J. Barnes, Chris Tanner, Izaan Cross, Rod Sweeting, Nick McRae and Jamal Paige. Also participating tomorrow are Tyler Kidney, who will forego his senior season to begin his career, and Julian Burnett, who suffered a career ending injury last season.
3. Records Approaching. Senior QB Tevin Washington is on the verge of history entering the Duke game, as the signal-caller needs just one more rushing touchdown to break both the Tech and ACC career record for rushing TDs by a quarterback. With 17 this season and 35 in his career, Washington has tied another Tech great, Joshua Nesbitt, who held the records with 35. Washington has the second-most QB rushing TDs in the FBS this season, trailing K-State’s Colin Klein (19).
4. Golden Boy. In a game that featured 16 touchdowns and an ACC record 118 combined points, sophomore return man Jamal Golden provided one of the biggest highlights with his dazzling 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Golden took the second-half’s opening kick to the house, two weeks after returning one 97 yards for a TD versus BYU. The reigning ACC Specialist of the Week has vaulted himself into All-ACC discussion as he is now second in the league and 12th nationally in kick return average (29.8), and one of only 12 players nationally with multiple kick returns for TD.
5. Take your pick. Georgia Tech has recorded at least one interception in nine consecutive games, and the team’s 11 interceptions rank tied for second in the ACC and tied for 28th nationally. Nine Jackets share the team’s 11 picks, with only junior Jemea Thomas having multiple INTs (three). Last week, senior DL Izaan Cross recorded the first of his career with a key interception of UNC QB Bryn Renner in the third quarter. Tech’s streak of nine-consecutive games with an interception is tied for the longest streak at Tech in at least the last 35 years.
THEY SAID IT
“With the start we got off to this year, especially in the conference, we dug ourselves a huge hole. With all the things that have happened and the balance in the league, especially in our division, we’ve been able to crawl back.”
–Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson
“First takeaway is I could have done a lot better,”
–Georgia Tech redshirt freshman QB Vad Lee on his performance versus UNC
“I don’t know that I’ve seen a team that’s been hitting on all cylinders like they are right now. A threat to score in so many different ways.”
–Duke coach David Cutcliffe on Tech’s offense
STAT(S) OF THE WEEK
**Saturday is the 80th meeting all-time between Georgia Tech and Duke, and the Blue Devils are Tech’s most-commonly played ACC opponent. The Jackets are 48-30-1 all-time, and have won eight straight and 16 of the last 17.
**Of junior A-Back’s Robert Godhigh’s six touchdowns this season, he’s scored five in the third quarter – a quarter in which Tech is out-scoring the opposition 92-54.
**Duke WR Conner Vernon needs 35 receiving yards to pass former Florida State standout Peter Warrick (3,517) as the ACC’s career leader. IN three career games versus Tech, Vernon has 19 catches for 177 yards and a touchdown.
