Nesbitt leads Georgia Tech in season-opening rout

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/04/2010 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Nesbitt ran for 130 yards and three touchdowns, as the 16th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets opened the 2010 season by trouncing South Carolina State, 41-10, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Roddy Jones added a pair of scores on the ground for the Yellow Jackets (1-0), who are the reigning ACC champions.

Malcolm Long completed 11-of-25 passes for 94 yards and ran for South Carolina State's lone touchdown. The Bulldogs (0-1) are the two-time defending MEAC champions.

Georgia Tech got the ball to begin the game and wasted little getting on the scoreboard. An unsuccessful on-side kick gave the Yellow Jackets excellent field position, starting at the Bulldogs' 42-yard-line.

South Carolina State forced Georgia Tech into a 4th-and-3 situation at the 35, and the Yellow Jackets converted as Nesbitt took the ball all the way to the end zone to give his team the early lead.

The Bulldogs picked up points on their first offensive series of the season, with Blake Erickson capping a 17-play drive by drilling a 28-yard field goal.

Georgia Tech's next drive extended into the second quarter, and Nesbitt scored from a yard out. The Yellow Jackets led 13-3 after the extra point was blocked.

South Carolina State came up empty on its next series when Erickson missed a 42-yard field goal attempt.

The Yellow Jackets then marched 74 yards in nine plays, and a one-yard plunge by Jones made it 20-3 with 4:46 remaining before halftime.

Georgia Tech was forced to punt on its first series of the second half, but the Bulldogs' Lennel Elmore fumbled during the return. Quentin Sims recovered the ball for Georgia Tech at South Carolina State's 21-yard-line.

The Yellow Jackets capitalized in four plays as Nesbitt dashed 14 yards into the end zone for a 24-point cushion.

Following a South Carolina State punt, Georgia Tech moved 44 yards in three plays, aided by a personal foul infraction, and Jones scampered 15 yards to increase the lead to 34-3.

A one-yard TD run by Long cut the Bulldogs' deficit to 34-10 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

The Yellow Jackets added a touchdown on Tevin Washington's 10-yard run with 4:50 remaining in the game.

Game Notes

This was the first-ever meeting between the schools...Nesbitt was 1-of-6 passing for eight yards and one interception...Asheton Jordon rushed for 129 yards on 18 carries for South Carolina State...Georgia Tech outgained the Bulldogs, 384-272.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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