Turnovers on special teams sent the Yellow Jackets to an early defeat. The game was over at half time but the Jackets kept fighting until the end...
Special Report by SEC Sports Report
Georgia Tech came into the Georgia Dome as the favorite with the home town advantage but once the game started everything favored LSU. In the opening kick-off, Georgia Tech kicked the ball out of bounds and it went down from there. Freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson led the Tigers in a sixty yard drive for the first score. Tech opened up with a forty yard pass completion to Jonathon Dwyer on the first play but showed no other signs of the potent offense that was expected in this game.
In the second quarter, Georgia Tech special teams fell apart. After a LSU touchdown and a 14-3 score, LSU called an on-side kick and recovered the ball on the LSU 45 yard line. LSU could not establish a drive but when they punted Tech fumbled the return and gave the Tigers the ball on the 19 yard line. Six plays later, LSU is up 21-3 early in the second quarter.
Tech gets the ball back and after three plays tries a fake punt on fourth and eight deep in their territory at the twenty two yard line. The gain of two yards and another turnover put the nail in the coffin for the Tech football team. Two plays later, LSU goes up 28-3 and gains the psychological advantage.
Before the half was over, LSU scores one more touchdown to go up 35-3. At this point, the game was over and 71,423 fans knew it.
In the second half, Tech continued to fight but could not score. The Yellow Jackets improved the statistics and made them close but went to the locker room defeated. Frustrated Tech fans started making paper airplanes and dropping them from the upper deck. It became a contest to see which engineer could get a plane to land on the field.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said in post game comments that his team was overpowered in the trenches on both sides of the ball. He also said his team played the worst special teams he could remember. Johnson said he did not think his teams performance would affect the team moving forward but that 2008 was over and he looked forward to 2009.
LSU coach Les Miles said he really enjoyed this LSU team. He said his teams success in this game was about his team not wanting to lose again. Miles said it was great to finish the year on a solid win.
This game was a huge surprise. Prior to the game, everyone believed Tech would continue to win with their option offense. LSU closed their practices to the press and came ready to play and win. Final score 38-3.
Jay Holgate is a sports analyst with SEC Sports Report. He can be heard around the South on sports radio talking about SEC Sports. For all the latest stories on SEC Sports, go to www.secsportsreport.com