Tampa, Fl – Tampa Bay is in the midst of hosting the 2009 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship. Here are the events taking place today, December 5:

ACC FanFest – taking place in the Lot 6D at Raymond James Stadium (south parking lot), the ACC FanFest is the largest party during Championship Weekend. It all starts at 5 p.m., and there will be over 200,000 square feet of interactive games, clinics, team mascots, pep rallies, food and beverage, autograph signings, game merchandise, jumbotrons and general family fun. And, country music star James Otto will perform a pre-game concert, beginning at 6:30 p.m. This event is FREE to all ticketholders.

Affiliates to carry 2009 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game.

Tampa, Fl - With the 48-hour celebration of ACC football this weekend, it’s time to start planning out your ACC Championship itinerary. Just some of the highlights of the weekend’s festivities include:

Friday, Dec. 4
12 p.m.
ACC Coaches & Awards Luncheon at the Tampa Convention Center
The 2009 ACC Football awards will be presented at this luncheon. Head Coaches Dabo Swinney of Clemson and Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech will be present to discuss their team’s seasons and participate in the festivities. Limited tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 813-218-3814.

Friday, Dec. 4
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Channelside Community Outreach – Mascot and Children’s Bowling Championship at Splitsville at Channelside Bay Plaza
The ACC is teaming up with the Children’s Cancer Center to treat some of the cancer patients to a fun-filled afternoon at Splitsville at Channelside Bay Plaza. The kids will enjoy food and drinks, as well as a round of bowling with the mascots and cheerleaders from all 12 ACC institutions. The event is closed to the public

Friday, Dec. 4
7 p.m.
ACC Night of Legends at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay

Durham, NC - Georgia Tech beat Duke 49-10 to clinch the ACC Coastal division and make their way to the ACC Championship game on December 5th in Tampa, FL.

Atlanta, GA - Georgia Tech junior wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has been named as one of 10 semifinalists in the running for the 2009 Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Monday.

Thomas joins nine other candidates in the running for the award presented annually to the nation's top college receiver. The next vote for the top three finalists will take place Nov. 16 and close on Nov.19.

The Montrose, Ga. native ranks first in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 19th nationally in receiving yards per game (93.4). He has 30 of Tech's 44 receptions on the year, totaling 747 yards with four touchdowns.

Thomas' average of 24.9 yards per reception is currently the highest in the country, and if holds, would be the best in Georgia Tech history.

He is one of three Yellow Jackets ever to be named a Biletnikoff semifinalist, joining Dez White (1998, 1999) and Calvin Johnson (2005, 2006). Johnson won the prestigious trophy in 2006.

Top 10 semifinalists for the 2009 Biletnikoff Award

Freddie Barnes, BGSU
Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas
Vincent Brown, San Diego State
Eric Decker, Minnesota
Marshawn Gilyard, Cincinnati
A.J. Green, Georgia

Atlanta, GA -- When Georgia Tech returned to campus Saturday night from its 34-9 victory at Virginia, several Yellow Jackets found the closest television with more than a casual interest in closing minutes of the Clemson-Miami game.

When Clemson scored a touchdown to upset the 10th-ranked Hurricanes, Georgia Tech moved to the Coastal Division catbird seat. If the Yellow Jackets win their remaining two ACC games -- vs. Wake Forest (Nov. 7) and at Duke (Nov. 14) -- Tech will advance to the league's championship game for the first time since 2006.

Head coach Paul Johnson, however, will not look ahead, not with a non-conference game at upset-minded Vanderbilt next Saturday.

"Well, it's the same as it's always been," Johnson said after learning of Miami's loss. "Winning today just made the game next Saturday that much bigger. We still have four games remaining (on the regular season schedule)."

No question that a loss at Vanderbilt would dampen what is developing into a special season on the Flats. Georgia Tech's 7-1 record is its best record through eight games since 1990, when the Yellow Jackets were 7-0-1 and went on to capture a share of the national championship.

Georgia Tech vs. Virginia at Scott Stadium Charlottesville

Georgia Tech 3 10 7 14-- 34

Virginia 3 3 0 3 -- 9

FIRST QUARTER

GT--FG Blair 24, 8:14. Drive: Four plays, four yards, 1:47. Key play: Tarrant fumble recovery at UVa 11. Georgia Tech 3, Virginia 0.

UVa--FG Randolph 49, 2:12. Drive: Five plays, 12 yards, 2:13. Key play: Barnes 3 run on fourth-and-7 to GT 44. Georgia Tech 3, Virginia 3.

SECOND QUARTER

UVa--FG Randolph 19, 14:51. Drive: Five plays, 23 yards, 1:24. Key play: Clark fumble recovery at GT 25. Virginia 6, Georgia Tech 3.

GT--Nesbitt 1 run (Blair kick), 9:34. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:17. Key play: Allen 21 run on third-and-5 to UVa 4. Georgia Tech 10, Virginia 6.

GT--FG Randolph 23, :00. Drive: Eight plays, 74 yards, 3:20. Key play: Thomas 42 pass from Nesbitt to UVa 15. Georgia Tech 13, Virginia 6.

THIRD QUARTER

GT--Allen 1 run (Blair kick), 4:13. Drive: 18 plays, 82 yards, 10:47. Key play: Allen 5 run on fourth-and-2 to UVa 38. Georgia Tech 20, Virginia 6.

FOURTH QUARTER

UVa--FG Randolph 30, 14:51. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 4:22. Key play: Georgia Tech 15 pass interference to GT 6. Georgia Tech 20, Virginia 9.

Atlanta, GA - The Georgia Tech Athletic Association advises fans to be cautious when considering the purchase of football tickets through non-Georgia Tech sources.

Tech officials have received reports of fraudulent ticket offerings and scams, including the sale/distribution of wristbands for entry into Bobby Dodd Stadium. These wristbands are not valid and a game ticket is required for admission.

Wristbands of any kind are not good for admission, and standing-room only tickets do not exist.

There have been reports of these scams for at least two Georgia Tech home football games - Saturday's game against Virginia Tech and the Nov. 28 game against Georgia.

The Georgia Tech Ticket Office cannot guarantee the validity of tickets purchased through any entity other than the Georgia Tech Ticket Office, Virginia Tech Athletics Ticket Office or other authorized ticket representative. If you have any questions, please contact the Georgia Tech Ticket Office at 404....

???? OFFENSIVE OUTBURST : Miami’s 33 points are the most by the Hurricanes versus the Yellow Jackets
since a 49-7 win on Nov. 10, 1967 in the Orange Bowl. In addition, it is the most points Georgia Tech has
given up to an ACC opponent since allowing 51 points to Virginia Tech on Sept. 24, 2005.
???? The Hurricanes racked up over 400 yards of offense for the second-straight game, finishing with
454 total yards of offense to follow up a 476-yard effort in the win at Florida State. Both games
produced more offensive yardage than Miami’s season high in 2008 – a 448-yard performance in
the 24-17 overtime win at Virginia on Nov. 1, 2008.
???? Miami last recorded consecutive 400-yard games in 2007, with four straight dating from Sept. 15
through Oct. 6.
???? BACK-TO-BACK: The Hurricanes last defeated back-to-back ranked opponents in a season in 2003,
knocking off No. 20 Pittsburgh, 28-14, on Nov. 29, and then defeating No. 9 Florida State, 16-14, in the
Orange Bowl on Jan. 1.
Miami last beat back-to-back ranked opponents during the regular season (not including bowl games) in
2001 – defeating No. 12 Washington, 65-7, on Nov. 24 and then knocking off No. 14 Virginia Tech, 26-24,

Miami Head Coach Randy Shannon

Opening statement...
"Big win for us tonight and for these kids at the University of Miami. We were 0-4 vs. Georgia Tech the last four years. Our guys came out and played hard and did what we asked of them. They stayed within the game and after we scored a couple early touchdowns, we kept pounding the football and it was just a team effort. We got to give those guys credit and the rushing yards we held them to. We still have a lot of things to improve on but that's why you play games."

On the effect of the first drive touchdown...
"We knew in this game that Georgia Tech likes to start fast on offense. So it was big to hold them to a field goal. We knew that our defense would make a couple corrections and be fine. And then our offense came out and made a bunch of big plays, some big throws and catches. That gave us a lot of excitement and we knew that each side could feed off each other."

On Bosher's missed field goals...

September 17, 2009 at #20/22 Miami
Miami, FL - Georgia Tech’s Loss on Thursday night gives the Yellow Jackets…
… a record of 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC
… a record of 2-1 (or better) to begin a season for the sixth straight year
… an 17-9 record in ACC play over the last four seasons combined; only Virginia Tech (18-6) has won more during that span
… an 0-1 record against nationally-ranked teams and a 3-2 record vs. ranked teams under Paul Johnson
… an end to their streak of five consecutive wins in their first road game of the season
… a 1-1 record in ESPN Thursday Night games this season, 11-12 all-time, including a 1-5 mark on the road
… a 10-5 all-time record vs. Miami including a 2-2 mark on the road
… an end to their four-game winning streak against the Hurricanes, and their first loss to Miami since Oct. 2, 2004, their first loss IN Miami since1967
… a 45-26-7 all-time record against teams from the state of Florida
… a 205-134-10 all-time record against teams in the ACC
… a 5-3 all-time record when playing on September 17th, including a 2-1 record vs. Miami

Georgia Tech’s Win Today Gives The Yellow Jackets…

… a 1-0 record and a season-opening victory for the third straight season and for the fifth time in

the last six seasons

… a 10-4 record in two seasons under head coach Paul Johnson

… no losses to an FCS/I-AA opponent since 1983 (vs. Furman)

… a 79-32-3 all-time record in season openers, including a 64-12-3 mark in home openers

… an 86-25-4 all-time record in home openers

… a 2-0 all-time record when playing on September 5th

… a 2-0 all-time record vs. Jacksonville State

… a 2-0 all-time record against teams from the Ohio Valley Conference

… an all-time record of 663-446-43 in program history

Georgia Tech’s Win Today Gives Head Coach Paul Johnson…

… a record of 10-4 in two seasons at Georgia Tech

… a record of 117-43 in 13 seasons as a head coach

… a tie for the 10th-most victories in 13 seasons by a head coach (tied with R.C. Slocum)

… a 7-1 record in Bobby Dodd Stadium

Team Notes

… The Yellow Jackets eclipsed 400 yards of total offense for the seventh time in 14 games in the Paul Johnson era

Atlanta, GA - A transcription of head coach Paul Johnson's first weekly press conference of the 2009 season.

Opening Statement
"It's hard to believe game week is finally here. This has been the longest camp that I can remember. We have had five weeks from the day we started until we play the first game. I think we have gotten a lot of good work in. We hit a little bit of the doldrums in the middle as guys did not have much to look forward too. The intensity and pace has really picked up. We will have another work day today and try to polish on Wednesday and Thursday, take Friday off and come back and play on Saturday. The main focus right now is to get everyone to the gate healthy. We have some guys bumped and nicked a little bit but I think overall, considering the amount of time we had in camp, we are coming out fairly healthy."