Pregame Buildup
Following the last week of regularly scheduled conference games, both teams fell in the national college football polls because of their rivalry losses. Georgia Tech, which had been No. 7 in the Bowl Championship Series Poll, No. 7 in the Associated Press Poll, and No. 7 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, dropped to No. 10 in the BCS Poll, No. 12 in the AP Poll, and No. 12 in the coaches' poll. Clemson, which had been No. 18 in the BCS, No. 15 in the AP, and No. 16 according to the coaches, dropped out of the BCS and coaches' polls and was No. 25 according to the AP. Spread bettors predicted Georgia Tech would win the game. Various betting organizations favored the Yellow Jackets by one point.
The game was a rematch of an early regular-season contest, but even though Georgia Tech won that game, there were questions about whether the victory would be repeated. Twice before, the two teams matched in the ACC Championship Game had played earlier that season. Both times, the loser of the first matchup won the second. There also were questions about each team's quality because of their losses in rivalry games against Southeastern Conference foes.
Read more about this topic: 2009 ACC Championship Game
Famous quotes containing the word buildup:
“I think those Southern writers [William Faulkner, Carson McCullers] have analyzed very carefully the buildup in the South of a special consciousness brought about by the self- condemnation resulting from slavery, the humiliation following the War Between the States and the hope, sometimes expressed timidly, for redemption.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)