Georgia Tech Football: Duke Falls to UNC, Yellow Jackets Clinch ACC Coastal Championship

On July 21st, 2014, Georgia Tech was selected to finish 5th in the 7-team ACC Coastal Division by media members at the ACC Kickoff. They received one first-place vote, which was more than only Virginia received.

On November 20th, 2014, Georgia Tech clinched their victory over the ACC Coastal Division. They will play the undefeated reigning National Champions, #3 Florida State, on December 6th in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, NC.

Yes, the team that was expected to struggle to attain Bowl eligibility is now ranked in the Top 20 and on its way to represent its division in competing for a Conference Championship against a vulnerable Florida State team.

You know what's possibly the strangest part of it all? It was only recently that Georgia Tech fans really started to believe at all. Oh, you don't remember?

On August 30, Georgia Tech led FCS Wofford 10-9 at halftime. It didn't even take until halftime for fans to start calling for Paul Johnson's head and hoping the Jackets could muster just one conference win.

On September 13, two weeks later, Georgia Tech trailed Georgia Southern 38-35 with less than 5:00 to play, and the Eagles driving. The Yellow Jackets nearly lost a game in which they had once held a 35-10 lead, but saved face with a turnover and clutch touchdown drive.

On September 20, another week later, Georgia Tech went to Blacksburg and trailed Virginia Tech 24-17 and got the ball back with just over 5:00 left having only scored 10 points on offense the entire game. They came away with 10 points in the last 2:10.

On October 11, coming off of an emotional win over Miami, the Jackets played their worst game of the year and fell to Duke at home. The next week, they ventured to Chapel Hill and lost to North Carolina on a last-minute score. Fans lost all confidence and began to wonder if the hopes created by big wins earlier were simply a pipe dream.

All of that to say that this team has done nothing if not defy expectations. They're 3-0 against a set of teams they were 1-15 against over the past four years. They won a division, placing higher than four other teams expected to finish above them.

They'll be underdogs the next two weekends at georgia and against Florida State. For those teams' sake, hopefully they don't underestimate this team.

All I have to say at this point is...you're damn right, Synjyn Days. You're damn right.

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are your 2014 ACC Coastal Division Champions. Let's celebrate.