ESPN College Football

Heather Dinich breaks down what Georgia Tech's victory over Virginia Tech means to the ACC.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich

	Paul Abell/US Presswire
	Tyrod Taylor and the Hokies no longer have a shot at playing for the national title.

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Virginia Tech couldn’t control what Iowa, Cincinnati and USC were doing on Saturday night. They had no power over Alabama or Florida. All the Hokies could do was control the game in front of them, and in the second half against Georgia Tech on Saturday night, they couldn’t do that, either.

Virginia Tech’s chances at the national title -- and the ACC’s hopes that were piggybacking on the Hokies’ success -- took a dramatic dive after the Hokies' 28-23 loss to Georgia Tech. Only once in the history of the BCS has a two-loss team ever played for the national title, and that was in 2007, when a loss to LSU kept the Hokies out of the national championship game and opened the door for the Tigers. Similarly, Virginia Tech’s loss to Alabama in the season opener would also come back to haunt them, but with so many other teams in the country with one loss or still undefeated, it’s an improbable scenario anyway.

The No. 4-ranked Hokies (5-2, 3-1 ACC) waited until the fourth quarter to play like a team with the national title on the line, and by then it was too late.

“UNC. Isn’t that the next game? UNC,” said Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams. “We can’t think no further than that. I think that’s a problem with a lot of people. They look at the bigger picture before they take care of the smaller picture. We have to work and get ourselves prepared to play UNC. We can’t skip. We can’t skip to the end of the season. Before the season, there were so many talks about the national championship. Then we lost. Then we got ourselves back into the rankings. We took another (loss). We have to be prepared to take every week, week by week, and play our A-game. We can’t play our A-game in the fourth quarter. That’s what killed us.”

The loss dropped the Hokies behind Virginia in the Coastal Division standings and into a tie with Miami, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Virginia, which started out 0-3 overall, is suddenly the only team still undefeated in the conference, thanks to a win over Maryland today.

The biggest loss of the day, though, was the for the ACC -- another year without a contender for the national title.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich

	Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
	Josh Nesbitt led Georgia Tech to a huge victory that eliminates Virginia Tech from the national title picture.

ATLANTA -- Grown men joined the Georgia Tech students in hurling themselves over the eight-foot wall separating the fans from historic Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Defensive end Derrick Morgan winced in pain as ecstatic nameless fans continued to pat him on his sore back. The goal posts weren’t just torn down, they were dismantled and have already made their way out the stadium gates and into a frat house -- or the university president's front lawn (there have been conflicting reports, but it's no longer here in the stadium.)

The Yellow Jackets’ 28-23 upset of No. 4 ranked Virginia Tech in front of the largest home crowd of the season was bigger than any one player who was swept away in the postgame euphoria, and it was bigger than last year’s road win over Georgia, said quarterback Josh Nesbitt -- “by far.”

“It’s the biggest thing that’s happened since I’ve been here,” Nesbitt said.

That’s because this one has bigger implications both within the conference and on the national scale. Since the Hokies joined the league, all roads to the ACC championship have gone through Blacksburg, and this year, the Yellow Jackets got a taste of what it’s like to beat the one team that’s dominated the conference over the past five seasons. With the win, No. 19 Georgia Tech knocked the Hokies out of the running for the national title and should be rewarded with a high top 15 ranking by the Associated Press poll. That should be reflected when the first BCS Standings are released on Sunday, but a top 10 ranking might be too much for Jackets’ fans to hope for at this point.

After all, Georgia Tech isn’t even leading the Coastal Division -- yet.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson reminded his players in the locker room immediately after the game where they stand -- behind Virginia in the tightly contested Coastal Division standings. Georgia Tech hasn’t defeated Virginia in Charlottesville since 1990, so there is no sense of security in the locker room considering that’s where the Jackets are headed next.

The ACC -- once again -- is as comfortable as a crowded elevator.

“There are still games left to play, so all you focus on is Virginia,” said Johnson. “Because we’ve got to go up there and win the game. We know we already have a loss and I don’t think you’re going to win our side with two. I think somebody with one loss is going to win. What we did tonight is we stayed alive, and we put everybody else back in it.”

They stayed alive with a remarkable turnaround on defense. After giving up an average of 37.5 points and 513 yards over the past two games, Georgia Tech held the Hokies to 334 yard of total offense and, with the exception of a 66-yard touchdown run, kept running back Ryan Williams in check most of the night. Morgan said the defense felt “an obligation” to finally help its offense.

“We owed it to the offense because they were taking care of business the last two weeks,” Morgan said. “They were like a machine. Our main focus was we can’t leave them out there to dry.”

They didn’t, and despite completing just one pass the entire game -- a 51-yard heave to Demaryius Thomas in the second quarter -- the offense held up its end of the deal, too.

Defensively, Virginia Tech came out with a different look than it did a year ago. Last year the Hokies lined up in an eight-man front the entire game, and this year they played a 4-3 or 6-1 and rolled a safety into the boundary. In the first half, Georgia Tech was running “right into the teeth of where they were lined up,” Johnson said. In the second half, though, they adjusted while Virginia Tech stayed the same. The difference was noticeable, as Georgia Tech ran for just 37 yards in the first half and piled up 272 in the second.

“The lined up a little differently than they played last year, and we acted like we had never seen that defense,” Johnson said. “Once we got settled down at halftime and understood where everybody was supposed to go, we executed a little better in the second half.”

None of it will matter much, though, if Georgia Tech can’t stop its losing streak in Charlottesville next weekend.

“With this win, this helps us a lot, but like coach Johnson said, after this game, that makes the Virginia game even bigger,” said safety Morgan Burnett. “That just shows you the competitiveness in the ACC conference. You can’t get relaxed or satisfied. You have to keep pushing and stay hungry.”

Only then do the wins somehow keep getting bigger.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- Consider the Coastal Division chaos. Miami, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Virginia -- it's anyone's game.

The only thing that's certain right now is that Georgia Tech showed up when they needed to most. They avenged last year's loss to the Hokies and the defense showed a remarkable turnaround in a week's time.

Defensive coordinator Dave Wommack deserves credit, and the Hokies were yet another victim of the option offense. Heading down to the interviews now, more from both teams to come.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- You didn't think this game was over, did you? Tyrod Taylor marched the Hokies downfield on a six-play, 77-yard scoring drive. After a two-point conversion failed, Virginia Tech now trails 21-16 with under five minutes remaining. Taylor showed his maturity and progress on that drive, as did the Hokies' entire offense. This game is living up to the hype and was well worth waiting for, regardless of who wins.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- This is exactly the kind of break Virginia Tech needed -- a fumble recovery by Jason Worilds. The Hokies have to make this possession count in order to stay in contention for the national title. A two loss team has only been a factor once in the history of the BCS and that was in 2007. That year, the Hokies' loss to LSU came back to haunt them just as their loss to Alabama will this year. VT is playing with a sense of urgency on this drive and with good reason. Time is running out.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA - This crowd just got louder than anything I've heard in Lane Stadium this fall. Add a little hip-hop to a Derrick Morgan-led defense, and the Jackets are head bobbin' and the fans are on their feet. This crowd was slow to show up, but the crowd has finally become a factor in this stadium.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA, Ga. -- The band has now begun to play Livin' on a Prayer. Looks like they're livin' on Paul Johnson's play-calling to me.

Virginia Tech's defense looks like it's losing focus, and Georgia Tech continues to make use of its numerous backs, the latest being Marcus Wright, who took off to the left for a 13-yard touchdown run and a 21-10 lead.

Anyone who doubts the credibility of Johnson's offense needs to check his own credibility, because Bud Foster is one of the best defensive coordinators in the country, and no matter how much he preaches assignment football to his players, it's up to them to execute. Virginia Tech's defense is struggling to do that here in the second half, and it only takes one missed assignment for this offense to explode.

The Hokies have finally met their match.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- Then again, if you don't stop Ryan Williams, you're in trouble. He just took off untouched 66 yards for a touchdown and should leave Atlanta with his fifth 100-yard rushing game. After his score, the Hokies now trail 14-10. Williams showed on that play why he's a special player, and while the Jackets' defense did a good job of containing him in the first half, Williams is the kind of player who doesn't need too long to find a crease and take off. Virginia Tech will need him to continue to escape for big plays if they're going to make a comback.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- Anthony Allen, Josh Nesbitt, Jonathan Dwyer -- take your pick, they all played a role in the Jackets getting into the end zone on the first drive of the second half, and Georgia Tech is off to a 14-3 lead.

There is something to be said for momentum, and Georgia Tech is riding it right now.

That's the difference between Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech -- you take away Ryan Williams and you stop the run. You take away Jonathan Dwyer and you still have one of the ACC's leading rushers in Nesbitt, not to mention a host of other options.

The Jackets are proving that there really isn't that much separation between them and the No. 4 ranked Hokies, but the biggest difference right now is in how Georgia Tech's defense has been playing - consistently.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- A quick look at the first half …

Turning point: Josh Nesbitt threw a 51-yard pass play to Demaryius Thomas that set the Yellow Jackets up on the Hokies’ 12-yard line. That’s the big-play capability of this offense, and the Hokies witnessed it firsthand. It led to a one-yard touchdown run by Nesbitt on a quarterback keeper, and put the Jackets up 7-3 over the No. 4 team in the nation. That will give anyone some confidence heading into the locker room.

Stat of the half: 41. That's how many yards the ACC's three leading rushers -- Ryan Williams, Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer -- combined for in the first half. Georgia Tech, which entered the game averaging 317.7 rushing yards per game in Bobby Dodd Stadium this year, was held to just 37 yards rushing in the first half. Williams was limited to 1.6 yards per carry.

Best call: On fourth-and-3, the Jackets faked the handoff to Dwyer and Anthony Allen shouldered his way for 5 yards and the first down with about 1:30 left in the first quarter. Paul Johnson loves to go for it on fourth down.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- So far, Tyrod Taylor's feet, and his connection with receiver Dyrell Roberts, have been the offensive highlights here in Bobby Dodd.

Georgia Tech has done a good job of limiting Ryan Williams, but Taylor has found ways to improvise, and he's also thrown the ball deep to Roberts for over 70 yards total on two plays. It's another illustration of how the Hokies have more options this year, but they're going to need more from their running game to expand upon this 3-0 lead.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA - It's the first time this season that Georgia Tech hasn't scored in the first quarter.

It's been a defensive struggle so far here, but as noted earlier, the Jackets didn't help themselves with a few costly penalties. This is how it looks, though, when a team plays disciplined football, and that's to be expected from Bud Foster's group.

Each team was held to just one first down in the first quarter, and as expected, the Jackets came with the intent of stopping the run. The Hokies had zero rushing yards in the first quarter. Georgia Tech had five. Considering what happened at Florida State last week, I'd say the Noles should be even more embarrassed.

This is looking like the kind of game where field position, turnovers and a big play on special teams will make the difference.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- It feels like there have been more flags on the field here than first downs (wait, there have), and penalties so far have hurt Georgia Tech's offense more than Bud Foster's defense. The Jackets just had three consecutive penalties and can't seem to get past their own 20-yard line. While the defense is doing its part (finally), the offense can seem to go forward. They've had four penalties for 23 yards already, adding up to a whopping one yard of total offense and no first downs for the Jackets.

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

ATLANTA -- Save for a pass play of 40 yards to Dyrell Roberts on third down, Georgia Tech's defense looked on the first drive like it came to play.

Steven Sylvester sacked Tyrod Taylor on third down, and they pressured the Hokies' quarterback on that drive, but you can see the energy and emotion the defense is playing with. These guys are jumping around, waving their arms and beating their chests. Virginia Tech is down a man as Greg Nosal did start in place of injured starter Sergio Render (pec strain).