d Hes so athletic and is such a big guard and hard to stay in front of.

ATLANTA -- Justin Thomas is still a bit miffed about last season.He doesnt want to go through it again, thats for sure.Its no fun, said Georgia Techs senior quarterback. Im pretty sure a lot of us never experienced anything like that before. It was a learning experience. You cant take winning for granted.A year ago, Thomas was still riding high after leading the Yellow Jackets to a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game and an Orange Bowl victory over Mississippi State. He was being touted as one of the most dynamic players in the country, an undersized but unique talent in coach Paul Johnsons option offense.Some pundits were even throwing around the idea of Thomas contending for the Heisman Trophy.That all fell apart when Georgia Tech collapsed to a 3-9 record, its worst mark in more than two decades. The Yellow Jackets managed only one win in the ACC, a stunning upset of Florida State that showed the teams tantalizing potential but did little to ease the sting of such a disappointing year.Now, heading into his final season, Thomas is determined to go out with a more worthy showing. The Yellow Jackets open the season Saturday against ACC rival Boston College in Dublin, Ireland, which marks the first trip out of the country for the quarterback and many of his teammates.This isnt a sightseeing trip, however.Im ready to go. Im ready to play, Thomas said, his voice rising. That wasnt no fluke (in 2014). What you saw two years ago is who I am. I plan on showing that again.His teammates have sure noticed a difference in the signal-caller, who had always been a bit soft-spoken, preferring to let his performance on the field do his talking.Not any longer.Its almost shocking, receiver Ricky Jeune said. Hes such a mellow dude. But its nice seeing JT step up, and really speak up and getting the team together. Hes always been pushing me, but now Im like, `All right, Ive definitely got to do this because Justins going to be on my case.Surrounded last season by inexperienced players at running back and receiver, and plagued by a leaky offensive line that didnt provide much protection, Thomas looked like a one-man show at times. He took the weight of the team on his shoulders, his bravery and toughness never in question but the results a far cry from the previous year.We had a lot of new faces on the team, he said. At the same time, they didnt know what to expect. They were coming to this big, hyped team. They thought it came easy. Now we know we have to go back to the lab.Thomas rushing yards plunged from 1,086 to 488, while his average per carry dipped from 5.7 to 3.4. While passing was never his forte in the run-oriented offense, there was a dramatic drop-off as his completion percentage went from 51.3 to 41.7. His yards and touchdowns through the air also took a downward turn. His interceptions went up.When things in front of him broke down, which happened often, he often resorted to hurried, desperation throws that had little chance of being caught, at least by the Yellow Jackets.Thats been a focus during the offseason.Just trying to stay calm in the pocket, Thomas said. Not be so antsy.Of course, the Yellow Jackets are known for their running game.Thomas expects the triple-option to return to its devastating form, now that he can rely on myriad players with a year under their belts. Plus, the Yellow Jackets have added some new weapons on offense. B-back Dedrick Mills will be the first true freshman to start his first game at Georgia Tech since 2008, Johnsons debut season as coach. Former Georgia running back J.J. Green, who sat out last season after transferring to the Yellow Jackets, figures to get plenty of playing time at A-back.Everybodys locked in, Thomas said. Theres no questions or hesitation. Everybody is playing fast. At this point last year, we were still learning. Now were not. Were just going out there and playing and having fun.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org Tytus Howard Womens Jersey . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Tytus Howard Jersey . 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BOISE, Idaho -- Chandler Hutchinson scored 21 points and Boise State used a big advantage from 3-point range to take down SMU 71-62 on Wednesday night.The Broncos (4-3) made seven 3-pointers compared to one by the Mustangs (4-3), who went 1 of 11 from 3-point range.James Reid drilled four 3s and finished with 18 points, and Justinian Jessup made three 3s and had 11 points for Boise State. The Broncos went 7 of 21 from behind the arc and 14 of 19 from the foul line.The Broncos held the Mustangs without a field goal for more than four minutes in the first half in turning a one-point deficit into a 28-14 lead that would never be relinquished. Boise State led 44-24 at halftime. The closest SMU came was five points in the final minute.That first half -- I just am really proud of the way our guys bounced back, Boise State coach Leon Rice said, referring to losing at Oregon on Monday night. Thats the best half we played this year for sure.The opening half was too much for SMU to overcome. The Mustangs did score the first 12 points of the second half to get back in the game.Our effort was tremendous in the second half, SMU coach Tim Jankovich said. You cant feel good about our first half. They were definitely the aggressor. You cant give up 44 points on someone elses floor in the first half.Hutchinson made 8 of 16 shots from the field and had seven rebounds to go with two assists and two steals.I thought Hutchinson was fantastic, Jankovich said. WWe couldnt guard him, and he was the difference in the game.dddddddddddd Hes so athletic and is such a big guard and hard to stay in front of.The Mustangs were within 65-59 and 67-62 in the final minute but couldnt get closer. Boise State squandered a 14-point lead in losing to Oregon on Monday, so Rice was happy to see his team earn a win.It was a great finish, Rice said. That team we played tonight -- they werent just going to pack it up. Thats a good team that is going to win a lot of games this year.Ben Moore led SMU with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Semi Ojeleye added 15 points, which was hurt by 16 turnovers and 50 percent shooting from the foul line (11 of 22).TIP-INSSMU had made at least five 3-pointers in each game this season before making just one, which came in the final minute. ... Moores 14 rebounds were one shy of a career high.Boise State: Reids 18 points were a career high. He scored 12 points in the first half of 4 of 5 shooting from behind the arc. His previous career high was nine points, set earlier this season. ... Hutchinson has led the Broncos in rebounding in all seven games this season. ... Forward Nick Duncan went 0 of 5 from 3-point range, marking the first time this season he didnt make a 3-pointer.UP NEXTBoise State plays at Evansville on Dec. 3SMU hosts Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 2 ' ' '