Georgia Tech withstood a ferocious Clemson comeback Saturday night to capture its first outright Atlantic Coast Conference Championship since 1990 and its first Orange Bowl bid since 1966.
Meanwhile, the Tigers (8-5) saw their ACC Championship and Orange Bowl droughts continue … and a career performance by Heisman hopeful C.J. Spiller squandered.
After being held in check in a Nov. 28 loss to South Carolina, Spiller exploded for a career-high 233 rushing yards and four touchdowns against the Ramblin’ Wreck. He added another 63 return yards as well – all while playing injured.
While this ACC Championship game lost some of its luster after both Tech and Clemson were defeated a week ago by their unranked SEC arch-rivals, it certainly provided fans at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida with plenty of drama.
With Tech in command 33-20 in the fourth quarter, Clemson converted two key fourth downs during a critical drive to set up a 9-yard Spiller touchdown with 12 minutes left. Then, the Tigers’ defense did something it hadn’t done all night – it stopped the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech – which had scored on its first seven drives of the game – was stopped on a fourth-and-one at the Clemson 37-yard-line, giving Clemson a chance to take the lead with a touchdown.
Dabo Swinney’s team immediately pounced on the opportunity, with Spiller breaking off a 54-yard run on the first play of the ensuing drive to set the Tigers up with a first-and-goal from the 9-yard line. Three plays later, backup running back Andre Ellington dove into the end zone for the touchdown.
But as they did all night, the Yellow Jackets methodically executed their option offense on the next drive – which will likely go down in the annals of Georgia Tech football as one of the most clutch drives in program history.
Taking over at their own 12-yard line, Georgia Tech received a command performance from quarterback Josh Nesbitt – who led his team on a bruising 13-play, 88-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a 15-yard touchdown scamper from running back Jonathan Dwyer.
Nesbitt finished with 103 yards rushing and 136 yards through the air. Dwyer also went over the century mark rushing for Georgia Tech.
It was the second time this year the Yellow Jackets had to hang on to eke out a win against the Tigers. When the two teams met back in September in Atlanta, Clemson reeled off 27 unanswered points after falling behind 24-0 to Georgia Tech.
Two late field goal drives lifted the Ramblin’ Wreck to a victory in that game.
While Spiller soared for the Tigers, freshman quarterback Kyle Parker had perhaps the worst night of his young career, connecting on 10 of 17 passes for 97 yards and two costly interceptions.
Clemson hasn’t been to the Orange Bowl since 1981 – the year it won the national championship under coach Danny Ford. It hasn’t won an ACC Championship since 1991.
Pic: Getty
By Liberty For Me December 6, 2009 at 7:17 am
I am really upset about this……NOT!! Now we should have a Alabama vs GT game??? Really ACC people get a clue.ACC football is kind of like football from those who ride on a shorter bus.
By Natasha December 6, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Reading that headline, I thought this was about Tiger Woods…what’s the update on that?
By LIstenUp December 6, 2009 at 10:54 pm
You see what happens when the NCAA makes you stop BUYING Championships?
Poor poor CLemzon, as the national sports guys say.
As much as I delight in the Tigers loss, I am a Gamecock fan who will give props where props are due. Spiller is freaking amazing.
If Tommy Bowden had used this guy like Dabo has been using this guy, he’d have won the championship. And if Bowden had used James Davis more at the same time.
He certainly did the best job of the listed contenders on Saturday, I think.
By CNSYD December 7, 2009 at 9:47 am
LFM, congrats on USC’s performance in their football game this past weekend. What? They didn’t play football this past weekend? Maybe it was basketball. How did that turn out?
By OhNoNotAgain December 7, 2009 at 11:07 am
USC didn’t play football this weekend.
As the best Division 1A team in South Carolina, we were granted a day of rest.
Heard the second best team had to play to get a chance to redeem themselves after losing the only game that really matters to them. How did that work out?
By CNSYD December 7, 2009 at 1:43 pm
OhNoNotAgain, you are so right. We lost to GT which was the only game that mattered. Good luck to the cocks in the SEC championship game. USC is obviously better then ALA and FL as they played them close. Was that in horseshoes or hand grenades?