2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009 – 2010 Football Season . The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson . Georgia Tech played their home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Grant Field in Atlanta , Georgia . The Yellow Jackets finished the season 11 – 3 , 7 – 1 in ACC play , represented the coastal division in the ACC Championship Game where they defeated atlantic division champion Clemson 39 – 34 to earn the ACC ' s automatic bid to the BCS . The Yellow Jackets would be invited to the Fedex Orange Bowl where they lost 24 – 14 to Iowa . The ACC Championship was vacated by the NCAA on July 14 , 2011 as a penalty for Georgia Tech ' s non - compliance with NCAA rules and its refusal to cooperate with the NCAA in the investigation of those rules violations . Previous Season . The previous season ended with a 9 – 4 record under first - year head coach Paul Johnson , including a share of the ACC Coastal Crown and continuing 12 - year bowl streak with an invite to the 2008 Chick - fil - A Bowl . The Jackets ended a 13 - game losing streak against Florida State with a 31 – 28 win in Atlanta , and ended a seven game losing streak to rival Georgia by 45 – 42 in Athens . Tech finished the season ranked 22 in the AP and the " USA Today " Coaches ' Poll . Johnson was named ACC Coach of the Year by the Atlantic Coast Conference Media Association and 2008 National Coach of the Year by CBSSports . com . Preseason . The 2009 squad returns ACC Player of the Year and All - American B - Back Jonathan Dwyer , Quarterback Josh Nesbitt , A - Back Roddy Jones , WR Demaryius Thomas , and the entire offensive line from the bowl game . Tech adds Louisville transfer Anthony Allen to the backfield . On defense , Tech returns eight of eleven starters including All - ACC players Morgan Burnett and Derrick Morgan . Tech returns nineteen starters to a squad that defeated three ranked teams in 2008 . Johnson signed a recruiting class of 21 players . Game notes . Jacksonville State . Pregame Line : Off the Board GT vs . Jacksonville State Gamecocks Georgia Tech rushed for nearly 300 yards behind Jonathan Dwyer ' s 96 yards on just 7 carries . On the first play of the season , the former ACC Player of the Year took a Josh Nesbitt pitch 74 yards down the sideline for a touchdown . Dwyer was untouched on the carry . The B - Back , Tech ' s feature back in the offense , carried the ball six more times in the game , finishing with seven carries . Josh Nesbitt connected on a touchdown with Anthony Allen . In Tech ' s home opener , Demaryius " BayBay " Thomas posted a 100 yard receiving performance , catching the ball four times for 101 yards . All - American candidate Morgan Burnett listed an interception , his first of 2009 and 11th of his career . Coach Johnson earned his 10th win at Georgia Tech . Clemson . Pregame Line : Clemson + 5 . 5 GT vs . Clemson Tigers Georgia Tech earned a second half scare by Clemson . However , Scott Blair connected on three field goals for the Yellow Jackets to seal the win . Tech scored on three plays in the first half . Louisville transfer Anthony Allen took a Josh Nesbitt pitch 82 yards down the sideline to score Tech ' s first touchdown on its opening possession . Jerrard Tarrant returned a punt 65 yards to increase the Tech lead to 14 – 0 . Following a Scott Blair field goal , Tech on its ensuing possession marched the ball downfield only to have itself stopped . On 4th down , Tech ran onto the field with its kicking unit , but instead of kicking the field goal , Blair took the snap , finding " BayBay " Thomas down the sideline , earning a 40 yard touchdown score for the White and Gold . While Tech led 24 – 7 at the half , the Tech defense gave up 27 unanswered points . Clemson took the lead 27 – 24 in the 4th quarter . Tech , who was 0 – 9 on third down attempts early in the 4th , converted three in a row late in the 4th quarter with Josh Nesbitt earning two consecutive field goals . Anthony Allen ran for 127 yards on 5 carries , 25 . 4 yards per carry . The Tech Defense intercepted Kyle Parker twice . Miami . Pregame Line : Miami – 4 . 5 GT at Miami Hurricanes Georgia Tech traveled to Land Shark Stadium in Miami Gardens , Fla . to compete against the University of Miami . Offensive Coordinator Mark Whipple and Miami Quarterback Jacory Harris prepared a game plan against Dave Wommack and the Georgia Tech Defense . Miami threw the ball for 300 yards . Tech managed to run for only 180 yards , and it earned merely 250 yards of total offense . Josh Nesbitt and Demaryius Thomas hooked up for a touchdown late in the game . On just Tech ' s third possession of the game , a 40 yard Roddy Jones touchdown was nullified on a block in the back call by walk - on Kevin Cone . The crucial call nullified a 14 – 10 score midway through the second quarter . The Tech offense stalled out on the same drive , attempting a 40 yard field goal which was missed by PK Scott Blair . North Carolina . Pregame Line : North Carolina + 2 . 5 GT vs . UNC Tarheels Georgia Tech bounced back the following week in Atlanta against the University of North Carolina . Butch Davis and the Tar Heels came in ranked in the Top 20 . The Tech defense held North Carolina to just 154 yards of total offense , including only 17 on the ground . The Tech offense , led by Jonathan Dwyer , rushed for 317 yards . Josh Nesbitt showed improvement in the air , earning a completion % of 60 . He connected with Demaryius " BayBay " Thomas for a touchdown . Jonathan Dwyer finished with 157 yards on 17 carries . Josh Nesbitt ran for two touchdowns and Roddy Jones ran one in from 13 . Mississippi State . Pregame Line : Mississippi State + 6 GT at Mississippi State Bulldogs Georgia Tech was 2 – 0 against Mississippi State University in the all - time series going into the October 3rd contest between the two schools . On the first possession of the game , former Tulsa DE and current Georgia Tech End Anthony Egbuniwe sacked MSU QB Tyson Lee , stripping the ball from Lee ' s possession and gaining possession for the White and Gold . Stephen Hill took a 30 yard reverse to the house on Tech ' s opening drive . Josh Nesbitt threw 266 yards on 11 of 14 completions and a touchdown . Nesbitt led the Tech Offense all the way to MSU ' s goaline on its second possession with his throwing Jonathan Dwyer ran the ball in from two yards to improve the Tech lead to 14 – 0 . MSU responded with a 98 yard kickoff return for a touchdown . Tech was slated to go up 21 – 7 when Jonathan Dwyer fumbled the ball around Tech ' s goaline and MSU recovered , earning a touchback and possession of the football . On the ensuing drive , Lee and Anthony Dixon fumbled , where DB Jerrard Tarrant picked it up , returning it 35 yards to the house . Tech went on to win the contest by a score of 42 – 31 . The Tech Defense gave up 497 yards of total offense . Florida State . Pregame Line : Florida State - 3 . 5 GT at Florida State Seminoles Georgia Tech ran for 401 yards en route to defeating Florida State 49 – 44 at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee , Florida . Tech had never defeated the Seminoles in Tallahassee previously . Jonathan Dwyer ran for a couple scores , one of which was a 69 yard memorable dart downfield on the first play of Tech ' s third possession . A - Backs Anthony Allen , Marcus Wright , and Embry Peeples posted stellar games . Allen took a pitch 60 yards down the sideline on Tech ' s second drive to set up a Josh Nesbitt one yard touchdown . Tech had four possessions in the first half , scoring on each of them . It finished with 49 points . Nesbitt added two more touchdowns , the final coming late in 4th quarter . On the game winning drive , Roddy Jones dropped a Josh Nesbitt pitch , and FSU picked it up , maintaining possession . However , Nesbitt used both of his hands to take the football back before the FSU player was down , regaining possession for Tech . Nesbitt later scored on a 25 yard scamper that same drive , sealing victory for the White and Gold . The epic scamper increased the Tech lead to 11 at 49 - 38 . While the Tech Offense posted a career day , the Tech defense struggled . It gave up 550 yards of total offense , 408 coming in the first half . Christian Ponder had a career day , throwing for five touchdowns . FSU punted once all game , Tech never punted . Paul Johnson and his spread option offense posted its third 400 plus yard rushing performance at Georgia Tech . The other two came in Johnson ' s first season at Tech , against Miami ( FL ) in Atlanta and Georgia in Athens . " We simply could not stop them . " - Bobby Bowden Virginia Tech . Pregame Line : Virginia Tech – 3 . 5 GT vs . Virginia Tech Hokies Josh Nesbitt scored three touchdowns and Georgia Tech ran for 306 yards to upset # 4 Virginia Tech on a cold , memorable night in Atlanta . For the second straight week , head coach Paul Johnson led the # 19 Yellow Jacket squad to a victory , earning a win that ended a 17 game losing skid to top five opponents played at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 1962 . Jason Peters batted down and intercepted Tyrod Taylor in the 1st quarter . Josh Nesbitt ran in a couple scores from inside the five , and Sophomore Marcus Wright scored from 13 yards out in the third quarter to increase the Tech lead to 11 . The Georgia Tech Defense played effectively , limiting an elusive Tyrod Taylor and the Virginia Tech offense to only 342 yards of total offense . Taylor scored on a 3rd quarter scamper . However , on 3rd and 7 with 3 : 02 remaining in the final quarter , Josh Nesbitt had a 33 yard game icing stiff arm and score to increase the Tech lead to 28 – 16 . Following the announcement of a 28 – 23 final tally , Grant Field was swarmed . Steven Sylvester and Derrick Morgan each recorded a sack . Jonathan Dwyer and Anthony Allen combined for 150 yards on the ground to set up Josh Nesbitt and the Georgia Tech offense . The win over Frank Beamer ' s # 4 Hokies improved Paul Johnson ' s record to 10 – 1 at home . " . . . with the caliber of players they have – Nesbitt is unbelievable , they ’ ve got Dwyer – it ’ s just exhausting . " - Torrian Gray Virginia . Pregame Line : Virginia + 6 GT at Virginia Cavaliers Georgia Tech defeated Virginia in Charlottesville , Va . for the first time since 1990 by a score of 34 – 9 . Tech had two 100 yard rushers in the game . Jonathan Dwyer led the team with 125 yards while Anthony Allen followed with 111 yards and two touchdowns . Josh Nesbitt ran in two touchdowns from inside the five . Redshirt Freshman Malcolm Munroe forced a fumble by Virginia punt returner Chase Minnifield . The Tech offense accumulated 447 yards of total offense . The Tech Defense held Virginia to 198 yards . . . . Tech ' s time of possession today was the highest in at least 20 years ; the next closest in the last 20 years was 42 : 10 vs . Wake Forest on Sept . 14 , 1996 and 42 : 06 vs . North Carolina earlier this season . . . Tech had two 100 - yard rushers in a game for the second time this season . . . Tech had over 400 yards total offense for the sixth time this season . . . Tech rushed for more than 300 yards for the sixth time this season . . . Georgia Tech has outscored opponents 79 - 31 in the first quarter this season . . . When Tech ' s fake punt in the first quarter failed , it ended a streak of six consecutive fourth - down conversions ; it was the Jackets ' first failed fourth - down attempt since Sept . 17 ( vs . Clemson ) . . . Georgia Tech attempted its first field goal since Sept . 26 ( vs . North Carolina ) . . . 139 consecutive games without returning a kickoff for a touchdown . . . 27 consecutive starts by senior guard Cord Howard . . . back - up DT Jason Peters ( r - So . ) did not travel to Virginia ( sick ) Vanderbilt . Pregame Line : Vanderbilt + 14 GT at Vanderbilt Commodores Paul Johnson and his # 11 ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will travel to Nashville , Tenn . to compete against Vanderbilt University on Halloween night , 2009 . Tech dominates the series , leading the Commodores 18 – 15 – 3 in 36 contests . Tech comes in averaging nearly 295 yards on the ground . Tech holds a # 11 ranking in the AP , Coaches ' , and BCS polls , its highest mark since 1998 . A win over Bobby Johnson and the Commodores could mean Tech ' s highest ranking since 2001 . Jonathan Dwyer rushed for a career high 186 yards and three touchdowns while Josh Nesbitt added 2 touchdowns on the ground and 2 in the air as Georgia Tech routed Vanderbilt 56 – 31 in Nashville , Tenn . Vanderbilt led 31 – 28 with twelve minutes left in the 3rd quarter , but a series of turnovers allowed Georgia Tech ' s high powered offense to score four more touchdowns . Josh Nesbitt threw an 87 yard touchdown to sophomore Embry Peeples in the 4th quarter to increase the Tech lead to 18 at 49 – 31 . The win marked Tech ' s fourth victory on the road , its most since 2000 . It also elevated the Jackets to a # 10 BCS ranking , its highest ranking in November since 1990 . Paul Johnson posted his fifth 400 plus yard rushing attack at Georgia Tech , as the Yellow Jackets ran up and down Nashville , Tenn . for 404 yards . " There is no way to figure it out . " - Bobby Johnson Wake Forest . Pregame Line : Wake Forest + 16 GT vs . Wake Forest Demon Deacons The Yellow Jackets , ranked in the Top 10 for the first time since 1999 , hosted the Demon Deacons in Atlanta . The game got off to a quick start as Tech jumped out to a quick 10 – 0 lead helped by Preston Lyons first career TD . But the Deacons controlled the rest of the first half scoring 17 unanswered points . The Yellow Jackets kept committing penalties , contributing to all of Wake Forest ' s points . The offense also had its share of mistakes , getting called three times for chop blocks as the officials seemed to pay close attention to the interior line after opponents complained of dirty blocking tactics . After trailing 17 – 10 at the half , Tech ' s Jonathan Dwyer broke off a 59 - yard TD run on Georgia Tech ' s first offensive snap of the second half , tying the game at 17 . Wake Forest managed only one first down on its four possessions after halftime , and Georgia Tech went ahead 24 – 17 when Josh Nesbitt scored on a 12 - yard run with 8 : 19 left in regulation . Wake Forest QB Riley Skinner drove the Deacons down late in the 4th quarter and threw an 11 - yard touchdown pass to Devon Brown with 4 : 27 remaining . After Georgia Tech was stopped again on fourth down , Wake Forest appeared to be driving into range for a winning field - goal attempt . But Skinner was sacked by Derrick Morgan on third - and - 7 from the Georgia Tech 35 , and Wake Forest decided to punt it away and settle for OT . In the first period of OT , the Yellow Jacket defense was able to hold Wake Forest to a field goal helped by a Derrick Morgan sack on Riley Skinner on a 3rd and seven . On the Jacket ' s OT possession , Georgia Tech drove to the 5 where it faced fourth - and - less - than - a - yard . The Yellow Jackets initially tried to draw Wake offsides , but was forced to burn a timeout when that didn ' t work . Deciding to go for the first instead of kicking a field goal , Josh Nesbitt got the first down on a QB sneak . On the very next play , the Jackets were able to get into the endzone thanks to another Josh Nesbitt sneak and was able to seal the victory . The victory lifted Tech to a 9 – 1 record and dropped the Deacons to 4 – 6 . The Yellow Jacket offense , also known as the Nesbone , rumbled up and down Grant Field for 412 yards , Coach Johnson ' s sixth 400 plus rushing yard performance in two seasons . Duke . Pregame Line : Duke + 13 GT at Duke Blue Devils Georgia Tech surged to the top of the ACC Coastal division behind the performance of All American Tailback Jonathan Dwyer , who carried the ball 14 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns . Josh Nesbitt connected with true Freshman Stephen Hill and veteran Junior Demaryius " BayBay " Thomas for a couple of scores en route to a 49 – 10 romp of Duke University at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham , N . C . The Yellow Jacket offense was the story of the game after falling behind 10 – 0 in the first quarter . The high powered triple option offense scored forty nine consecutive points to wrap up the Coastal Division for Paul Johnson and the Yellow Jackets . Georgia . Pregame Line : Georgia + 9 GT vs . Georgia Bulldogs Georgia Tech was outgained by the Bulldogs both rushing ( 349 – 209 ) and time of possession , which had been key components to the Yellow Jackets ' success throughout the season . Georgia tailbacks Washaun Ealey and Caleb King both had breakout performances , running for 183 and 166 yards , respectively , both career highs . Georgia Tech had a chance to take the lead late in the game , but Demaryius Thomas dropped a pass on fourth down which would have resulted in a first down , securing Georgia ' s 30 - 24 victory . This game dropped Georgia Tech ' s record against Georgia coach Mark Richt to 1 - 8 . Georgia Tech was forced to vacate this game on July 14 , 2011 due to NCAA sanctions . ACC Championship Game . Pregame Line : Clemson – 1 Georgia Tech defeated Clemson 39 - 34 to win the ACC conference championship game . Georgia Tech was forced to vacate this game and their ACC championship on July 14 , 2011 due to NCAA sanctions . FedEx Orange Bowl . Pregame Line : Iowa + 4 GT vs . Iowa Hawkeyes Georgia Tech was forced to vacate this game on July 14 , 2011 due to NCAA sanctions .