Why start Days at fullback after Laskey was last week's hero? Butker's pre-kick routine almost as long as the play clock. Ok with me if QB Thomas wants to carry offense on his shoulders and make big plays...which he did on the first two drives.
Buffalo Wild Wings has the dumbest commercials. After filming ESPN College Gameday in Waco announcers Fowler and Herbstreit had two change planes in both Dallas and Atlanta just to get to the game in Charlotte.
GT had 141 yards rushing in first quarter without throwing a pass...ok by me. On pace for 564 yards. Meanwhile in Indy Wisconsin gives up two big plays and trails 14-0.
Laskey starts second quarter and has a good first carry. Thomas face-masked but not called for second time. His face shield looks fogged over. False start when GT slow to snap ball. Has been happening once or twice a game lately.
Penalty negates long run by Winston, but he connects for a TD on third down. 21 all. That couple that invited the Bakers over in the Buick commercial has issues. Nice house...he must be a computer programmer based on his looks. Wife seems to have a wandering eye.
Days sure worries me the way he carries the ball so loosely. He hits the hole so slowly. Thomas running quicker than he had all year. Another false start. Nerves? Snap count? On third and long Days is stopped for a second straight time.
Wisconsin gives up a third big play. Kansas State only down one TD...Baylor not playing as impressively as TCU did earlier in the day.
Like many teams GT hasn't played against a good tight end all year. GT cannot stop FSU if they can't mount a pass rush. Need to force a turnover or three - hard thing to do when Winston has all day to throw. With less than a minute in the half it would've been great if GT could've held FSU to a field goal, but it just wasn't to be. Half ends with another no gain by Days.
Winston can have a monster game and still won't win the Heisman. Looks like Mariota has the award locked up. Marcus has a better TQBR than any recent QB Heisman winner (Winston, Mansiel, Newton, etc.). Perhaps Mariota should've been last year's winner as well.
Capital One Halftime Report sounds more like the Seminole roundtable - led by former FSU QB Danny Kanell. Before the game I spilt garnet colored spaghetti sauce on the lucky yellow Columbia PFG shirt I had worn to Grant Field for the win over Clemson...not a good sign.
Bad spot on first possession of third qtr but Days converts on fourth. Playing Days more than Laskey might cost Johnson the game. Days just got stuffed again. Laskey comes in and has three big runs. Days relieves and gets stopped before scoring. Thomas headed for a season high rushing total. Must be trying to get a thousand yards. Looks like he cleaned his windshield at halftime. 28 all.
Heather Cox lookin fly in her Shaft getup. That Jared perfectionist girl is more obnoxious than red haired Wendy or Progressive's Flo. AT&T's Lily has to add an extra comment in every commercial. And why doesn't the wife in the Georgia Natural Gas commercial that keeps turning up the thermostat just put on a sweater?
FSU is the best team GT has played this year. Winston is the best QB they've faced. Unlike Alabama's defensive players locking up ballcarriers with perfect technique tackles, GT defenders seem to throw themselves at ballcarriers hoping to knock them down. GT finally holds FSU to a field goal, but FSU forces a punt. 31-28 after three quarters.
FSU continues to get away with holding, and the frustration shows on the faces of the GT defenders. Herbstreit even mentioned it. Then GT is called for defensive holding. The ACC really wants a representative in the playoff. The Tech fans came across as loud on TV.
Could've used an interception on the second down busted play, but the third down incompletion resulted in another FSU field goal. 34-28 with 10 minutes remaining. Plays are being run at a fever pitch...a whole lot of action going on every play. QB's making lots of reads. GT again wins the time of possession battle.
Terrible call by Johnson to go for it on fourth and five with 7:23 remaining (in retrospect, it was perhaps the right call). Johnson knew the defense hasn't stopped FSU, but actually the tide was beginning to turn. Punt and make Winston drive...they were due to make a turnover. Now FSU could slow it down, but hadn't been able to stop young RB Cook all night.
Winston shows his immaturity and displeasure, unwisely wanting to go for it on fourth down when a field goal would make it a two possession game with just over four minutes to go. Jimbo's demonstrative "Let me call the game!" was priceless. 37-28.
Being held to three straight field goals, could FSU possibly be unimpressively playing its way out of a playoff berth? By playing so well, GT could actually be playing its way OUT of an Orange Bowl bid. Nice of Herbstreit to lobby for the Noles.
Terrible kickoff return by Golden, virtually stopping at the 15 yard line before getting tackled. GT really didn't need to throw, and the first down incompletion, second down sack, and third down interception were killers. Should've instead ripped off ten yards at a time with the option.
The GT defense held, thanks to a Winston interception, but FSU punted inside the five.Thomas spotted the gimpy defender and completed a pass in his area. The injury gave the announcers the chance to describe Tech's amazing comeback win in Athens. Then Thomas completed the 97 yard drive with a sweet catch and run TD pass to Waller. 37-35.
Onsides kicks are hard, and actually rarely work. Butker's didn't. Game over.
I'm happy with Tech's effort. It would've been a tough game to win, especially without Smelter. Play like this on New Years Eve and the Jackets could be Orange Bowl Champions. If Clemson's DRad and his CFP committee don't mess things up.
NOTE: Above notes were my thoughts and observations during the game. Negative opinions about players like Days and Butker have developed over the course of their entire careers, based on their performance and attitudes. Several seasons back Laskey beat out Days and has out-performed him ever since. For this reason alone I think playing Laskey gives tech the best chance of winning. I stand by my comment - Tech may very well have beaten FSU had Laskey played more.
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