EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Despite setting two Kickoff Classic receiving records, Kelly Campbell of Georgia Tech doesn't put much stock in first-game performances.
Campbell is certain he is not going catch 10 passes for 193 yards every game, and he also knows the No. 10 Yellow Jackets are better than they showed in beating Syracuse 13-7 in the penultimate Kickoff Classic on Sunday.
Many had predicted that Georgia Tech not only could challenge Florida State for the ACC title, but that George O'Leary's veteran team could also make a run at the national title.
However, that wasn't apparent Sunday against Syracuse, which was 6-5 last season.
"People have to understand that Syracuse is a very good team," said Campbell, whose 72-yard pass play and 10 catches were Kickoff Classic records.
"Being it was the first game, things weren't going to go the way we expected," Campbell said. "We knew today's game wasn't going to be that perfect, but we had to stick together as a team."
Georgia Tech did that, getting field goals of 22 and 20 yards from Luke Manget and a 1-yard, fourth-down touchdown run from tailback Joe Burns.
"I looked at this as a great chemistry thing for our team," said Burns, who rushed for 113 yards on a Kickoff Classic record-tying 34 carries. "This was a character game. We had to come in and fight. It wasn't an easy game."
Yellow Jackets quarterback George Godsey noted that recent Kickoff Classic history should tell everyone not to make too much of this game.
Florida State didn't look very good in beating Texas A&M 23-14 in this game in 1998, but it played for the national championship, losing to Tennessee in the Fiesta Bowl.
"It's hard to judge a season by the first game," said Godsey, who was 15-of-26 for 224 yards playing for the first time since suffering a knee injury in the Peach Bowl last season.
"I guarantee this team will improve this year," Godsey said. "We have to. We know that."
The Yellow Jackets will have to improve in a hurry. They have games with The Citadel and Navy before meeting Florida State on Sept. 15.
Campbell's 10 catches were one more than the Kickoff Classic record held by three players, with Peter Warrick of Florida State doing it last in 1998.
"I think Georgia Tech came in sleeping a little bit," said Syracuse wide receiver David Tyree, who had seven catches for 67 yards. "The major thing is we just have to finish our drives. We were pretty much able to win the game, but we just didn't convert."