Website . .RamblinWreck.com Sports Information Office . .404.894.5445 Primary Contact . .Dean Buchan E-Mail . [email protected] Buchan’s Cell . .404.295.8703 Secondary Contact . .Seth Gerard E-Mail . [email protected] Gerard’s Cell . .774.279.4461 September 15, 2008 The Mississippi State Game GT-MSU Capsule YELLOW JACKETS RETURN HOME TO HOST MISSISSIPPI STATE Georgia Tech, coming off its first loss of the season -- a 20-17 heart-breaker at Virginia Tech Date: Saturday, September 20, 2008 last Saturday -- hosts Mississippi State Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in an intriguing ACC- Kickoff: 12:10 p.m. SEC battle (12:10 p.m./Raycom-TV). Television: Raycom (WUPA-TV in Atlanta). Steve The Yellow Jackets, 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC, lost at Virginia Tech despite gaining Martin (play-by-play), Doc Walker (color) and Mike more yards on the ground and in the air, and producing more first downs than the Hokies in Hogewood (sidelines) call the action. David Bar- front of a frenzied crowd in Blacksburg, Va. Virginia Tech used two 15-yard personal foul penal- ringer produces. ties against Georgia Tech to drive 76 yards in the fourth quarter for what proved to be the Internet Broadcast: None. game-winning field goal. Tech sophomore quarterback Josh Nesbitt was outstanding in the loss. He set a school Tape Delay: Comcast Sports Southeast. Two- hour edited version airs Tuesday at 3 and 9 p.m. record for single-game rushing by a quarterback with 151 yards. Nesbitt also had 109 yards Joe Block (play-by-play) and former Tech stand- passing, rushed for one touchdown and threw for another. out Dorsey Levens (color) call the action. Tech began the season with a 41-14 win over Jacksonville State, followed by an impressive 19-16 road win over ACC foe Boston College. Radio: Georgia Tech ISP Network, including At- Mississippi State, 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the SEC, lost in a defensive struggle to nationally- lanta flagship WQXI-AM 790 The Zone, and At- lanta FM stations South 107.1 and WREK 91.1 ranked Auburn, 3-2, Saturday in Starkville, Miss. The Bulldog defense held Auburn to 315 total (night games only). Wes Durham is in his 14th yards and forced three Tiger fumbles. Auburn’s only score was a second-quarter field goal. season as play-by-play voice. Former Georgia Georgia Tech leads the all-time series, 2-0. Saturday’s game is the first meeting in nearly Tech and NFL quarterback Rick Strom is the 80 years, since 1929. More on the series on page four. color analyst. 790 The Zone’s Jeff Woolverton reports from the sidelines. TODAY’S TIP-OFF XM Satellite Radio: Channels 190-192. Georgia Tech’s next three games and five of its next six games, will be played at home. Live Statistics: RamblinWreck.com The Yellow Jackets have had a rusher go for more than 100 yards in each of the first three games of the season. Sophomore Jonathan Dwyer eclipsed 100 yards in Games 1 and 2, Series History: Georgia Tech leads, 2-0. and Nesbitt had 151 yards last Saturday at Virginia Tech. Tickets: (800) TECH-TIX. Tech’s defense held Boston College and Virginia Tech -- the two teams that played for the Records: Georgia Tech is 2-1 overall and 1-1 in 2007 ACC title -- to a combined 13 second-half points and one second-half touchdown. the ACC after a 20-17 loss at Virginia Tech on Saturday. Mississippi State is 1-2 overall and 0- 1 in the SEC following a 3-2 loss to Auburn on 2008 Georgia Tech Schedule/Results Saturday. Date Opponent TV Time/W-L Series National Rankings: Georgia Tech is not ranked. Mississippi State is not ranked. Aug. 28 JACKSONVILLE STATE ESPN360 W, 41-14 GT leads 1-0 Paul Johnson’s Tech debut a success; 484 yards of total offense Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson: Johnson Sept. 6 *at Boston College Raycom W, 19-16 GT leads, 5-2 (Western Carolina ‘79) is 2-1 in his first season Dwyer, defense lead 4th-quarter rally to win ACC opener with the Yellow Jackets, 109-40 in his 12th sea- son overall. Sept. 13 *at Virginia Tech ABC L, 17-20 VT leads, 4-2 Jackets out-rush, outpass Hokies, but lose on 2 4th-quarter FGs Mississippi State Coach Sylvester Croom: Sept. 20 MISSISSIPPI STATE Raycom 12:10 GT leads, 2-0 Croom (Alabama ‘75) is 18-32 in his fifth season First meeting since 1929; two teams did not meet in SEC play with the Bulldogs, 18-32 in five seasons overall. Oct. 4 *DUKE (Family Weekend) tba tba GT leads, 44-30-1 Mississippi State Media Contact: Two new head coaches; GT hasn’t lost to Duke at home since ‘94 Mike Nemeth Oct. 11 GARDNER-WEBB tba tba 1st meeting (o) 662.325.2703 / (c) 662.418.7229 Bulldogs came on schedule after Army cancelled series [email protected] Website: mstateathletics.com Oct. 18 *at Clemson tba tba GT leads, 46-24-2 Tech has won three of last four and seven of last 11 meetings Oct. 25 *VIRGINIA (Homecoming) tba tba VA leads, 15-14-1 Inside The Numbers Winning a 12th straight Homecoming will be difficult vs. Cavaliers Nov. 1 *FLORIDA STATE tba tba FS leads, 12-7-1 One of the intriguing match-ups this week First meeting since 2003, first meeting in Atlanta since 2002 should be Georgia Tech’s rushing attack, which Nov. 8 *at North Carolina tba tba GT leads, 23-17-3 ranks ninth nationally in rushing offense (263 Tech has won 9 of last 10 including game-winning field goal in ‘07 ypg), going against a stingy Mississippi State Nov. 20 *MIAMI ESPN 7:30 GT leads, 9-4 defense, which is allowing just 96 yards rushing per game (ranking 38th nationally)... Georgia ESPN Thursday Night game; Tech has won last three meetings Tech leads the ACC in a category that often Nov. 29 at Georgia tba tba GA leads, 59-38-5 goes unnoticed -- pass efficiency defense Battle for Governor’s Cup is between the hedges this season (89.0). * ACC game Injury Report NESBITT SETS QB RUSHING RECORD AGAINST VIRGINIA TECH Sophomore Josh Nesbitt rushed for more yards in a game than any quarterback in Geor- Out For Mississippi State Game gia Tech history last week at Virginia Tech. Martin Frierson, Jr., CB (knee) Nesbitt’s 151 yards eclipsed the old record of Brad Jefferson, So., LB (arm/wrist) Most Yards Rushing By A GT Quarterback A.J. Smith, Sr., OL (elbow) 130 held by Reggie Ball, against Troy in 2006. 151, Josh Nesbitt vs. Virginia Tech, 2008 Nesbitt’s performance marked just the ninth 130, Reggie Ball vs. Troy, 2006 time in Tech history a quarterback has rushed 122, Gary Hardie vs. Tulane, 1977 for 100 yards or more. He is the seventh dif- 108, Danny Myers vs. South Carolina, 1974 ACC Standings & Schedule ferent Yellow Jacket QB to achieve that feat. 104, Danny Myers vs. Tulane, 1975 103, Reggie Ball vs. Vanderbilt, 2003 COASTAL ACC Overall Nesbitt also became just the fourth player in 103, Donnie Davis vs. Duke, 1995 Virginia Tech . .1-0 2-1 Tech history to rush and pass for 100 yards in 101, John Dewberry vs. Clemson, 1983 Georgia Tech . .1-1 2-1 the same game. He threw for 109 yards 100, Joe Hamilton vs. UCF, 1999 North Carolina . .0-0 2-0 against the Hokies, joining Reggie Ball (twice), Duke . .0-0 2-1 Donnie Davis and Joe Hamilton in the GT Players To Pass And Run For 100 Yards Miami . .0-0 1-1 100/100 club. 109/151, Josh Nesbitt vs. Virginia Tech, 2008 Virginia . .0-0 1-2 164/130, Reggie Ball vs. Troy, 2006 Nesbitt’s totals at Virginia Tech: 151 yards 108/103, Reggie Ball vs. Vanderbilt, 2003 rushing and one touchdown on 28 carries, ATLANTIC ACC Overall 161/100, Joe Hamilton vs. UCF, 1999 Clemson . .1-0 2-1 and 5-of-8 passing for 109 yards and his first 206/103, Donnie Davis vs. Duke, 1995 Wake Forest . .0-0 2-0 passing TD of the season. Florida State . .0-0 2-0 Maryland . .0-0 2-1 YELLOW JACKETS HOPE TO GET HEALTHIER, DEEPER SOON Boston College . .0-1 1-1 Three sophomores who started the season opener -- LBs Brad Jefferson (arm/wrist) and NC State . .0-1 1-2 Anthony Barnes (shoulder), and WR Demaryius Thomas (mild concussion) -- did not play last week at Virginia Tech. Also out of action last week were CB Martin Frierson (knee), senior OL Saturday, September 20 East Carolina at NC State, Noon (ESPN) A.J. Smith (elbow) and sophomore WR Correy Earls (hamstring). Barnes practiced Monday. Mississippi State at Georgia Tech, 12:10 (Ray- Jefferson, Frierson and Smith have been ruled out for the Mississippi State game. com) UCF at Boston College, 1:00 (ESPNU) Probable Starters & Key Reserves Eastern Michigan at Maryland, 1:00 (ESPN360) Offense SC State at Clemson, 1:00 (ESPN360) QB 9 Josh Nesbitt So. 6-1 214 Rushed for 151 yards, passed for 109 at Va Tech Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30 (ABC) BB 21 Jonathan Dwyer So. 6-0 228 Has a pair of 100--yard rushing games this year Miami at Texas A&M, 3:30 (ABC) AB 20 Roddy Jones r-Fr. 5-9 194 Speedy rookie caught 41-yard TD past last week Wake Forest at Florida State, 7:00 (ESPN2) AB 36 Lucas Cox r-So.