ATLANTA (AP) -- Paul Johnson is much more confident than two years ago, when he was preparing for his first game as Georgia Tech's coach.

The No. 16 Yellow Jackets, coming off their 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference championship, open the season on Saturday against South Carolina State.

Johnson says Georgia Tech is "a lot better" than two years ago, even after losing 2010 NFL draft picks Demaryius Thomas, Jonathan Dwyer, Derrick Morgan and Morgan Burnett.

South Carolina State finished 10-2 last year and won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship. As an FCS team, however, South Carolina State is a big underdog against Georgia Tech.

South Carolina State lost at South Carolina 38-14 last season. Then-No. 23 Clemson beat the Bulldogs 54-0 in 2008.

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