Sartorially speaking, on one day, the odds for Georgia Tech reaching the BCS championship game went from XXX-long to X-long. Which ain't bad, when you consider the Yellow Jackets play in the woebegone ACC and get no favors from the strength of schedule component.
Tech took care of bidness, barely, by beating Wake Forest in overtime 30-27 Saturday as Josh Nesbitt capped a so-so day (54 yards on 21 rushes, 4-for-14 passing) with a bold touchdown run. When Iowa, Oregon and LSU bit some serious dust, the Jackets vaulted from 10th to seventh in the BCS honor roll.
Just ahead of them are three vulnerable unbeatens. No. 4 TCU plays at No. 16 Utah Saturday in a toss-up game. No. 5 Cincinnati deals with No. 25 West Virginia on Friday, then No. 12 Pitt later on.
If both falter, the Jackets would pass them by winning out.
No. 6 Boise State has the smoothest road, though Nevada, which entered Sunday night's game also unbeaten in the WAC, could pose a threat. But a 12-1 Tech team might surpass a 12-0 Boise based on the blue field team's sorry schedule.
The SEC champ, Florida or Alabama, will land one BCS title spot, even in the event of a loss along the way. Texas might have to win four games to claim the other, though nothing scary is in the Longhorns' path.
The Jackets have only three games left -- at Duke (a probable win), Georgia (ditto) and the ACC championship against Clemson or Boston College, both of which they've handled. (Correction: Tech and BC have not played.) Then, the Orange Bowl, unless . . .
For them and the big one, BCS no longer stands for Beyond Comprehension, Sir.
Mike, small correction. Tech has not played Boston College this year (although they did play and beat them last year).