After taking several days to carefully, thoughtfully and almost scientifically analyze the Georgia Tech-Georgia game, I have come to this conclusion:

The Bulldogs flat out beat the Yellow Jackets (30-24).

The Bulldogs rushed for 339 yards, cutting through the Tech defense like a hot knife through butter. And just as unexpected, Georgia limited Tech's second-best rushing offense in the nation to only 205 yards on the ground.

Even before South Carolina upset Clemson and Mississippi State rose up and smote Ole Miss, premonition whispered that Georgia might clean Tech's plow as well.

There was much more than a whisper from Tech coach Paul Johnson a few days before the big game. He might as well have taken a bullhorn and driven through the UGA campus shouting, "No big deal. I'm not worried. Just another game."

The "just another game" phrase was the lead of an Associated Press story saying "that's the way Paul Johnson sees it."

Although no such direct quotation from Johnson appeared in the story, he was quoted thus: "I know the game is important. But honestly, I get ready for this game the same way I do every other game. It is not the end-all, do-all for our football program to beat Georgia. I certainly want to win our share of games against them. They're in the state. I understand all that. But it's not going to define our year if we beat Georgia."

Johnson went on to say he was sure his players would be "fired up" for the game, "but I don't know that they'll have a celebration in the streets if they win Saturday night. We've got other fish to fry. This game has no effect on what happens for the conference championship. Next week does. I'm not diminishing this game. But I'm not making it out to be the Super Bowl."

Why in the name of common sense did Johnson say that?

Is that what the coach told his players in the locker room before the game?

To say the least, Johnson messed up in the extremely important pre-game phase of psyching up his players for what everybody in Georgia knows is the BIGGEST game of the season for Tech and Georgia.

It was clear that the Bulldogs didn't think it was just another game. Neither did the Yellow Jackets, I'm sure. As savvy as Johnson is at coaching, he needs to wise up on pre-game ammunition for the opposing team - Georgia or whoever.

Still, the fact is that mistakes by Georgia Tech ultimately made the difference in the game. Just a couple of examples: an interception thrown by Tech's backup quarterback Jabo Shaw while starter Josh Nesbitt briefly nursed an ankle injury on the sidelines, and the incredible drop of a pass by wide-open Tech receiver Demaryius Thomas on a fourth-down play that would have made a first down and kept Tech's drive alive.

I don't think we'll be hearing "Just another game" in the future.

dmckee9613@aol.com