Georgia Tech Opens Well in the Johnson Era
2018 marks Coach Paul Johnson’s 11th year at Georgia Tech. The team’s record in season openers in that span is a strong 8-2.
That 10 game total includes 2 distinct sub-groups. 7 openers have been against FCS schools, all played at home in Atlanta and all Tech wins, by a healthy average margin of 39 points.
The other 3 games have been against Division 1 opponents, yielding a record of one win and two losses. Moreover, those margins have been razor thin. Virginia Tech prevailed at Blacksburg over the Jackets by three points on overtime in 2012. In 2016, Johnson’s squad eked out a 3 point win over Boston College in Ireland. Last year Tech fell to Tennessee in 2 overtimes in a one-point game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The 2018 season starts Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium against the Alcorn St Braves. History says Tech will prevail handily..Alcorn State hopes otherwise. Recall the admonition given to Apollo Creed in Rocky. As the bout wore on, the trainer of the heavily-favored Creed reminded him that the tenacious underdog “…don’t know it’s a damn show. He thinks it’s a damn fight”.