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Nov. 9, 2000
By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) – Talk about a team effort.
Led by George Godsey, No. 24 Georgia Tech piled up 627 yards, thesecond-most in school history. The defense, meanwhile, picked up its firstshutout since 1993.
The result was a totally dominating 35-0 victory over Virginia on Thursdaynight, ending a streak of thrilling games between the Atlantic Coast Conferencerivals.
“They should just put us in the national championship game,” said receiverKelly Campbell, who had a 50-yard touchdown run and caught a 33-yard scoringpass. “We’re a very good football team right now. We’re putting a lot ofpoints on the board. The defense is stopping teams. You can’t ask for anythingmore.”
Godsey, already the nation’s seventh-rated passer, completed his first ninethrows while leading the Yellow Jackets (7-2, 5-2 ACC) to the end zone on theirfirst three possessions.
Godsey finished 29-of-37 for 323 yards, spreading the ball around to 11receivers. Georgia Tech piled up 304 yards on the ground, led by Joe Burns with120.
Burns had TD runs of 17 and 3 yards, and Nate Curry finished the scoringwith an 18-yard reception.
“You can’t get caught up in throwing to one guy,” Godsey said. “Ouroffense is dictated by the coverages. You’ve got to be able to read secondariesto be an effective quarterback.”
Georgia Tech was already bowl-eligible but likely clinched its fourthstraight postseason trip, which hasn’t happened since the 1950s.
Virginia (5-4, 4-3) must win its final two games against North CarolinaState and Virginia Tech to extend its streak of seven-win seasons to 14 in arow.
“I don’t think we are executing anything right now well enough to winagainst a team that is going to score some points on us,” Cavaliers coachGeorge Welsh said. “This is the third straight game that we had troubleexecuting.”
Virginia was blanked for the first time in more than 16 years, stretchingback to a 55-0 loss to Clemson opening the 1984 season. Georgia Techsurrendered only 290 yards in its first shutout since a 38-0 victory overMaryland seven years ago.
This ACC series usually produces wild, high-scoring games. The last fourmeetings had been decided by a total of 20 points, each team winning twice.
Virginia won 35-31 in 1997 and 45-38 a year ago, sandwiched around GeorgiaTech’s 41-38 victory in ’98, making this only the second series in ACC historywhere both teams have scored at least 30 points three straight times.
“The defense made a statement, especially in this series,” Tech defensiveend Greg Gathers said. “Everyone thought it would probably be anothershootout. But we made some big defensive stops.”
Offensively, the Yellow Jackets went over 600 yards for the first time since1984 and were topped only by a 706-yard performance against the Citadel in1948. They didn’t event have to punt.
The score could have been much worse. Ed Wilder dropped a sure touchdownpass, backup kicker Dan Burnett missed two field goals, and the Yellow Jacketswere stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Virginia 16.
“There’s still room for improvement,” Godsey said. “We sputtered a littlein the red zone.”
Georgia Tech led 21-0 before the game was 13 minutes old.
On the opening possession, Burns broke off a 42-yard run before streaking tothe end zone on third-and-1 from the Virginia 17.
The Cavaliers went three-and-out before Campbell took an option pitch at the50 and swept down the left sideline, untouched, for his first touchdown.
Virginia managed a first down on its next possession before punting back tothe Yellow Jackets. They quickly drove 80 yards in 10 plays, with Burns scoringfrom the 3 with 2:34 left in the quarter.
Tech kept driving into Virginia territory, but squandered several scoringchances.
Burnett, filling in for injured kicker Luke Manget, was wide right onfield-goal attempts from 29 and 34 yards. Wilder was wide open in the end zone,but dropped a soft pass from Godsey.
Virginia quarterback Dan Ellis was 14-of-30 for just 136 yards.
Antwoine Womack, the ACC’s leading rusher with an average of 100 yards,managed only 44 yards on 12 carries.
“The defense was on the field too much,” Welsh said, noting Tech’s nearly16-minute advantage in time of possession. “I’m not sure what happened to ouroffense. We’ve gone south.”