Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football
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The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football program represents the
Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public university, public research university and Institute of technology (United States), institute of technology in Atlanta, ...
in the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
Football Bowl Subdivision in the sport of
American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
. The Yellow Jackets college football team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
(NCAA) and the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
(ACC). Georgia Tech has fielded a football team since 1892 and as of 2023, it has an all-time record of 761–544–43. The Yellow Jackets play in Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, Georgia, holding a stadium max capacity of 51,913. The Yellow Jackets claim four national championships across four decades. The program has also won 16 conference titles. Among the team's former coaches are
John Heisman John William Heisman ( ; October 23, 1869 – October 3, 1936) was a player and coach of American football, baseball, and basketball, as well as a sportswriter and actor. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College, Buchtel College ...
, for whom the
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
is named, and
Bobby Dodd Robert Lee Dodd (November 11, 1908 – June 21, 1988) was an American college football player and coach, college baseball coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Tech from 1945 to 1966, compili ...
, for whom the
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award is an annual college football award given to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision head coach whose team excels on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. The award is named for Bobby Dod ...
and the school's stadium are named. Heisman led the team to the most lopsided game in football history, 222–0, and both Heisman and Dodd led Tech's football team to national championships. Dodd also led the Jackets on their longest winning streak — 8 straight games — against the
University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...
in Tech's most time-endured rivalry, called Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. For his part, Heisman led Georgia Tech to an undefeated 12–0–1 record in the Georgia Tech–Clemson football rivalry. A number of successful collegiate and professional football players have also played for Tech. The program has 48 first-team All-Americans and over 150 alumni who have played in the NFL. Among the most lauded and most notable players the school has produced are Maxie Baughan, Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Keith Brooking, Joe Hamilton, Joe Guyon, Pat Swilling and
Billy Shaw William Lewis Shaw (December 15, 1938 – October 4, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a guard for the Buffalo Bills in the American Football League (AFL). After playing college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Ja ...
. In the 21st century, Georgia Tech has won their Coastal Division and appeared in the ACC Championship Game four times since 2006. In addition to its conference and national championships, legendary coaches, and talented players, Tech's football program has been noted for its many historic traditions and improbable game finishes throughout the years, including its famed fight song Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech, its famous blocked field goal return against No. 9 Florida State in 2015, and its comeback win over No. 17 Miami in 2023.


History


Early history (1892–1944)

Tech began its football program with several students forming a loose-knit troop of footballers called the Blacksmiths. On November 5, 1892, Tech played its first football game against
Mercer University Mercer University is a Private university, private Research university, research university in Macon, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1833 as Mercer Institute and gaining university status in 1837, it is the oldest private university in the s ...
. The team lost to Mercer 12–6 in
Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. Situated near the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is southeast of Atlanta and near the ...
. Tech played two other games during their first season and lost both of them for a season record of 0–3. Discouraged by these results, the Blacksmiths sought a coach to improve their record.
Leonard Wood Leonard Wood (October 9, 1860 – August 7, 1927) was a United States Army major general, physician, and public official. He served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, List of colonial governors of Cuba, Military Governor of Cuba, ...
, an
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
officer and Atlantan, heard of Tech's football struggles and volunteered to player-coach the team. Over the span of 1892–1903, Tech only won 8 games, tied in 5, and lost 32. In 1893, Tech played against the University of Georgia for the first time. Tech defeated Georgia 28–6 for the school's first-ever victory. The angry Georgia fans threw stones and other debris at the Tech players during and after the game. The poor treatment of the Blacksmiths by the Georgia faithful gave birth to the rivalry now known as Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. In 1902, Jesse Thrash was the team's first All-Southern selection. He began the season as a sub and closed it as the undisputed star of the Tech team. Oliver Jones Huie was selected by Ga Tech's athletic association to coach the football team for the 1903 season when the team won 3 and lost 5 games. A professional coach was desperately needed if Tech wished to build a truly competitive football program. The first game of the 1903 season was a 73–0 destruction at the hands of
John Heisman John William Heisman ( ; October 23, 1869 – October 3, 1936) was a player and coach of American football, baseball, and basketball, as well as a sportswriter and actor. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College, Buchtel College ...
's Clemson; shortly after the season, Tech offered Heisman a coaching position. John Heisman put together 16 consecutive non-losing seasons, amassed 104 wins, including three undefeated campaigns and a 32-game undefeated streak. From 1915 to
1918 The ceasefire that effectively ended the World War I, First World War took place on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of this year. Also in this year, the Spanish flu pandemic killed 50–100 million people wor ...
Georgia Tech went 30–1–2 and outscored opponents 1611–93 utilizing his jump shift offense. He would also muster a 5-game winning streak against the hated Georgia Bulldogs from 1904 to 1908 before incidents led up to the cutting of athletic ties with Georgia in 1919. Heisman was hired by Tech for $2,250 a year and 30% of the home ticket sales. Heisman would not disappoint the Tech faithful as his first season was an 8–1–1 performance, the first winning season since 1893. One source relates: "The real feature of the season was the marvelus advance made by the Georgia School of Technology which burst from fetters that kept it in the lowest class for ten years." His team posted victories over
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
,
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, University of Florida at Lake City, and
Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...
, and a tie with his last employer, Clemson. He suffered just one loss, to another first year coach, Mike Donahue of Auburn. The 1905 team went 6–0–1. The 1906 team beat Auburn for the first time. Stars of this early period for Tech include Lob Brown and Billy Wilson. The
1907 Events January * January 14 – 1907 Kingston earthquake: A 6.5 Moment magnitude scale, Mw earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica, kills between 800 and 1,000. February * February 9 – The "Mud March (suffragists), Mud March", the ...
and 1908 teams were led by "Twenty Percent" Davis. Pat Patterson was All-Southern in 1910. Patterson was
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in
1911 Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia. * January 3 ** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 m ...
, a season in which future coach William Alexander was a reserve quarterback. Heisman helped students construct Grant Field in
1913 Events January * January – Joseph Stalin travels to Vienna to research his ''Marxism and the National Question''. This means that, during this month, Stalin, Hitler, Trotsky and Tito are all living in the city. * January 3 &ndash ...
, when Alf McDonald was
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
. The 1915 team went undefeated. Arguably the most notable game of Heisman's career was the most lopsided victory in college football history. In 1916, Cumberland College ended its football program and attempted to cancel a scheduled game with Heisman's Jackets. Heisman, however, was seeking vengeance for a 22–0 baseball loss to Cumberland in the spring of 1916, a game in which Heisman suspected Cumberland of hiring professional players to pose as Cumberland students. Heisman refused the game's cancellation and Cumberland mustered up a group of commonfolk to play Tech. Tech won 222–0. Neither team achieved a first down other than a touchdown, as Cumberland either punted or turned the ball over before a first down and Tech scored on almost every play from scrimmage. Jim Preas, Tech's kicker, kicked 16 point after tries, which is still a record for a single game. In
1917 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 9 – WWI – Battle of Rafa: The last substantial Ottoman Army garrison on the Sinai Peninsula is captured by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force's ...
Tech won its first national championship behind the
backfield The offensive backfield is the area of an American football field behind the line of scrimmage, and players positioned there on offense who begin plays behind the line, typically including the quarterback and running backs ( halfbacks and full ...
of Everett Strupper, Joe Guyon, Al Hill, and Judy Harlan. It was the first national title for a Southern team, and for many years the "Golden Tornado" was considered the finest team the region ever produced. Strupper and captain Walker Carpenter were the first two players from the
Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the Southern United States. The term is used to describe the states which were most economically dependent on Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plant ...
ever selected first-team
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
. Heisman challenged
Pop Warner Glenn Scobey Warner (April 5, 1871 – September 7, 1954), most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American college football coach at various institutions who is responsible for several key aspects of the modern game. Included among his inn ...
's undefeated Pittsburgh team to a decisive national championship game, but he declined. In the next season of 1918, Tech lost a lopsided game to Pitt 32–0. Center Bum Day became the first player from the south selected for Walter Camp's first team. In 1919, Auburn upset Tech for the SIAA crown. By 1919, Heisman had divorced his wife and felt that he would embarrass his wife socially if he remained in Atlanta. Heisman moved to Pennsylvania, leaving Tech in the hands of William Alexander. William Alexander had attended Georgia Tech and after graduating as valedictorian of his class in 1912, taught mathematics at Tech and served as Heisman's assistant coach. In 1920, he was given the job of head coaching Tech's football team. Alexander retained Heisman's 'jump shift' offense, and in his first season he saw Tech win an SIAA title behind captain Buck Flowers, the first Georgia Tech player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Tech suffered its only loss again to Warner's Pitt, and finished the season with a win over rival Auburn. Tackle Bill Fincher made Camp's first team All-America. The
1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...
and 1922 teams also claimed SIAA titles. The 1921 team suffered its only loss to undefeated, eastern power
Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with ca ...
. Tech was captained by fullback Judy Harlan. Future Tech fullback Sam Murray was asked about a certain strong runner in the 1930s, "He's good. But if I were playing again, I would have one wish – never to see bearing down upon me a more fearsome picture of power than Judy Harlan blocking for Red Barron." Barron ran for 1,459 yards on the season. From
1923 In Greece, this year contained only 352 days as 13 days was skipped to achieve the calendrical switch from Julian to Gregorian Calendar. It happened there that Wednesday, 15 February ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Thursday, 1 March ' ...
to
1925 Events January * January 1 – The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria (1925–1930), State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini m ...
, though Tech failed to claim a conference title, it had one of its best-ever players: fullback Doug Wycoff, "the outstanding back of the South for the past two years." Coach Alexander recalled "The work of Douglas Wycoff against Notre Dame two years in succession was brilliant in the extreme, as was his plunging against Penn. State when we defeated them twice." Tech and UGA renewed their annual rivalry game in 1925 after an eight-year hiatus. Quarterback Ike Armstrong thought the game clock read five seconds remaining in the game when in actuality it was five minutes. Williams set up his offense for a field goal and kicked it to put Tech up 3–0 on first down. Luckily for Williams, Tech won 3–0. In 1927, Alexander instituted "the Plan." Georgia was highly rated to start the 1927 season, known as the " dream and wonder team", and justified their rating throughout the season going 9–0 in their first 9 games. Alexander's plan was to minimize injuries by benching his starters early no matter the score of every game before the UGA finale. On December 3, 1927, UGA rolled into Atlanta on the cusp of a national and conference title. Tech's well rested starters were helped by the rain and shut out the Bulldogs 12–0, ending any chance of UGA's first national title, while netting the SIAA title. Alexander's 1928 team amassed a perfect record and won the school's second national title. The team was led at center by captain Peter Pund and upset Notre Dame. "I sat at Grant Field and saw a magnificent Notre Dame team suddenly recoil before the furious pounding of one man–Pund, center", said legendary coach Knute Rockne. "Nobody could stop him. I counted 20 scoring plays that this man ruined." The 1928 team was also the very first Tech team to attend a bowl game. The team was invited to the Rose Bowl to play
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The game was a defensive struggle, with the first points scored after a Georgia Tech fumble. The loose ball was scooped up by California center
Roy Riegels Roy Riegels (April 4, 1908 – March 26, 1993) was an American college football center who played for the California Golden Bears from 1927 to 1929. Riegels was nicknamed "Wrong Way" due to his infamous wrong-way run in the 1929 Rose Bowl, wh ...
and then accidentally returned in the wrong direction. Riegels returned the ball all the way to California's 3-yard line. After Riegels was finally stopped by his own teammate at the 1-yard line, he was swarmed by a group of Tech players. The Bears opted to punt from the end zone. The punt was blocked and converted by Tech into a safety giving Tech a 2–0 lead. Cal scored a touchdown and a point after but Tech would score another touchdown to win the game 8–7. This victory made Tech the 10–0 undefeated national champion of
1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly demonstrating that DNA is the genetic material. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris B ...
. Coach Alexander found campus spirit to be particularly low during the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
. His football program (and the other athletic teams) had very few student fans attending the games. He helped to establish a spirit organization known as the Yellow Jacket Club in 1930 to bolster student spirit. The group would later become the Ramblin' Reck Club. Georgia Tech football declined following the 1928 championship, and did not post another winning record until 1937. The 1939 team was SEC co-champion. The only retired jersey in Georgia Tech football history is No. 19. The number belonged to Tech halfback Clint Castleberry. Castleberry played on the No. 5 ranked 1942 Tech team as a true freshman and was third place in the 1942
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
voting. After ending his freshman year at Tech, Castleberry elected to join the war effort and signed up for the Army Air Corps. While co-piloting a
B-26 Marauder The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in t ...
over Africa, Castleberry, his crew, and another B-26 disappeared and were never heard from again. Castleberry has been memorialized on Grant Field ever since, with a prominent No. 19 on display in the stadium. The
1943 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured. * January 4 ...
and
1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...
teams won SEC titles. Coach Alexander finally retired in 1944 after winning 134 games as head coach and taking Tech to the Rose Bowl,
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. Played annually since 1935 Orange Bowl, January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in ...
, Cotton Bowl Classic, and
Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed only ...
. To this day, Alexander has the second most victories of any Tech football coach. The record for most coaching victories in Tech history is still held by Alexander's then coordinator and eventual successor
Bobby Dodd Robert Lee Dodd (November 11, 1908 – June 21, 1988) was an American college football player and coach, college baseball coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Tech from 1945 to 1966, compili ...
.


Bobby Dodd era (1945–1966)

President Blake R Van Leer believed athletics were an important part of collegiate life, he championed that belief with public support of coaches like Dodd. Van Leer was recorded being proud of Dodd's accomplishments, celebrating him among peers and being a supporting friend.
Bobby Dodd Robert Lee Dodd (November 11, 1908 – June 21, 1988) was an American college football player and coach, college baseball coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Tech from 1945 to 1966, compili ...
took over the Georgia Tech football program following Coach Alexander's retirement in 1944. He did not believe in intense physical practices but rather precise and well executed practices. Dodd's philosophy translated to winning. He set the record for career wins at Tech at 165 career coaching wins including a 31-game winning streak from 1951 to 1952. He also managed to capture two Southeastern Conference Titles and the 1952 National Title, which concluded a 12–0 perfect season and
Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed only ...
conquest of previously undefeated, seventh ranked Ole Miss in a season that also included victories over
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. Played annually since 1935 Orange Bowl, January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in ...
champions, 9th ranked,
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
; 15th ranked Gator Bowl champions
Florida Gators football The Florida Gators football program represents the University of Florida (UF) in American football, American college football. Florida competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the ...
; 16th ranked
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; and a 7–4 rival Georgia. While 9–0 Michigan State would capture the AP and UP titles, the Yellow Jackets' were ranked first in the International News Service poll. Dodd also understood the deep-seated rivalry with the University of Georgia. His teams won 8 games in a row over the Bulldogs from 1949 to 1956 outscoring the Bulldogs 176–39 during the winning streak. This 8–game winning streak against Georgia remains the longest winning streak by either team in the series. Dodd would finish his career with a 12–9 record against the Bulldogs. In 1956, much controversy preceded the 1956 Sugar Bowl. Segregationists tried to keep Pitt fullback/linebacker Bobby Grier from playing because he was black. Georgia's governor Marvin Griffin privately met with Coach Dodd and Georgia Tech President Van Leer, where he told them the game could go on without pushback. Immediately after, the governor issued a telegram stating the South stands in Armageddon and publicly threatened to remove funding if Georgia Tech's president Van Leer did not cancel the game. Dodd, along with his team, publicly supported moving forward with the game. President Van Leer threatened to resign in a show of support. Ultimately, Bobby Grier played, making this the first integrated Sugar Bowl and is regarded as the first integrated bowl game in the
Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the Southern United States. The term is used to describe the states which were most economically dependent on Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plant ...
. Dodd's tenure included Georgia Tech's withdrawal from the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
. The initial spark for Dodd's withdrawal was a historic feud with
Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the Na ...
Coach Bear Bryant. The feud began when Tech was visiting the Tide at Legion Field in
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
in 1961. After a Tech punt, Alabama fair-caught the ball. Chick Granning of Tech was playing coverage and relaxed after the signal for the fair catch. Darwin Holt of Alabama continued play and smashed his elbow into Granning's face causing severe fracturing in his face, a broken nose, and blood-filled sinuses. Granning was knocked unconscious and suffered a severe
concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brief ...
, the result of which left him unable to play football ever again. Dodd sent Bryant a letter asking Bryant to suspend Holt after game film indicated Holt had intentionally injured Granning. Bryant never suspended Holt. The lack of discipline infuriated Dodd and sparked Dodd's interest in withdrawing from the SEC. Another issue of concern for Dodd was Alabama's and other SEC schools' over-recruitment of players. Universities would recruit more players than they had roster space for. During the summer practice sessions, the teams in question would cut the players well after signing day thus preventing the cut players from finding new colleges to play for. Dodd appealed the SEC administration to punish the "tryout camps" of his fellow SEC members but the SEC did not. Finally, Dodd withdrew Georgia Tech from the SEC in 1964. Tech would remain an independent like Notre Dame and
Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with ca ...
(at the time) during the final four years of Dodd's coaching tenure. In 1967, Dodd passed the head coach position to his favorite coordinator, Bud Carson. Dodd simply retained his
athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches a ...
position, which he had acquired in 1950. He would not retire from athletic directing until 1976.


Bud Carson era (1967–1971)

Bud Carson was Tech's defensive coordinator in
1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
. His job was to appease the Tech fan base Bobby Dodd had accumulated. Carson was not the charismatic leader like Dodd but rather a strategy man that enjoyed intense game planning. Carson's most notable achievements included recruiting Tech's first ever
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
scholarship athlete and being the first Tech head coach to be fired. Carson recruited Eddie McAshan to play quarterback in 1970. After several Summer practices, McAshan won the starting quarterback job and became the first African American quarterback to start for a major Southeastern university. This decision initially polarized Georgia Tech's fan base, but after winning his first 4 starts and leading Tech to a 9–3 season after three straight 4–6 seasons, McAshan won the hearts of the Tech faithful. McAshan's besting of UGA in the annual rivalry game made McAshan a fixture on campus. The following season, however, led to Carson's demise. In
1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
, Tech went 6–6 and a fan base used to Bobby Dodd's 8 wins per season average forced Carson out by James E. Boyd's hand. Carson went on to form the Steel Curtain
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
defense.


Bill Fulcher era (1972–1973)

Bill Fulcher supplanted Bud Carson. Fulcher appeared to be the right choice but quit after two seasons, overwhelmed by racial incidents. Fulcher's tenure included a terrible feud with Eddie McAshan, which peaked before the 1972 UGA game. McAshan had requested additional tickets for the game so that his family could attend. Fulcher refused the ticket request and McAshan sat out of practice in protest. Fulcher responded by suspending the quarterback for the UGA game and the upcoming
Liberty Bowl The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic Cit ...
. The story exploded on the national scene when Jesse Jackson attended the UGA game, allowing McAshan to sit with him outside of the
stadium A stadium (: stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage completely or partially surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit ...
in protest.


Pepper Rodgers era (1974–1979)

Alumnus
Pepper Rodgers Franklin Cullen "Pepper" Rodgers (October 8, 1931 – May 14, 2020) was an American American football, football player and coach. As a college football player, he led the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to ...
was hired soon after Fulcher quit, hired away from
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
. Like Carson and Fulcher, he simply could not return Tech to its national prominence of Dodd's era; in six seasons, his overall record was . Rodgers' flamboyant demeanor shortened his welcome at the school, and athletic director Doug Weaver replaced him with Bill Curry after the
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
season. Homer Rice became athletic director and attempted to reinvigorate Tech's program by joining the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
in
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
.


Bill Curry era (1980–1986)

Alumnus Bill Curry had no experience as a head coach, but was a refreshing change after the flamboyant Rodgers. Curry's early years saw Tech reach its lowest point in modern history. His first two Tech teams in
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
and
1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...
went , with the only bright spots being a brilliant 24–21 road victory over Bear Bryant's
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
team at Legion Field to open the 1981 season and a 3–3 slug fest in 1980 with top-ranked Notre Dame at Grant Field. Things had gotten so bad, they could only get better. Curry slowly rebuilt the team, restored a winning mentality to the Georgia Tech fan base; Tech won nine games in
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
, including a 17–14 victory over Michigan State in the All American Bowl. Tech's 1984–1985 teams featured the "Black Watch" defense; created by defensive coordinator Don Lindsey, it featured linebackers Ted Roof and Jim Anderson, safety Mark Hogan, and lineman Pat Swilling. The elite defensive players were awarded black stripes down the center of their helmets and black GT emblems on the side of their helmets. Curry's leadership and ability to build a winning program sparked interest from the Crimson Tide and Alabama hired Curry away from Tech in 1986.


Bobby Ross era (1987–1991)

After Curry's departure, Tech hired the talented
Maryland Terrapins The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's college sports in the United States, varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate ...
Coach Bobby Ross, who departed a Maryland athletic program in turmoil after the Len Bias tragedy. Bobby Ross came from Maryland after winning three ACC titles over four years. Ross' first season at Tech experienced a severe talent vacuum after Curry's departure, and the players Ross inherited resisted the changes he demanded. The team only won two games, and Ross contemplated ending his coaching career after a humbling loss to Wake Forest in 1987. Ross decided to remain at Tech and continued to rebuild Tech's program. The turning point came in 1989 with the recruitment of Shawn Jones and several other key freshman. After two seasons and only five total wins, Jones helped the Jackets rebound at the end of the 1989 season. In Jones' sophomore season, Tech powered through their schedule and won the ACC. The four-game unbeaten streak in
1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...
extended all the way through 1990 and into the 1991 Citrus Bowl. The key victory in the streak was a huge 41–38 come from behind upset victory over then No.1 ranked Virginia in Charlottesville before a nationwide TV audience. Tech demolished Nebraska 45–21 in the 1991 Citrus Bowl, finishing the season 11–0–1, and earning a share of the 1990 National Title with the Colorado Buffaloes. Tech's winning streak ended against Penn State in the 1991 Kick Off Classic. Ross and Jones never replicated that 1990 season but managed to win 8 games in 1991 making Shawn Jones one of the most heralded quarterbacks in Tech history. Ross was offered a head coach position after the 1991 season for the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
, which he took.


Bill Lewis era (1992–1994)

After first considering Ross assistant coaches, Ralph Friedgen and George O'Leary, Tech hired Bill Lewis away from East Carolina soon after Ross' departure. When Lewis was hired, the Tech faithful hoped he would continue to build on Ross' success. He had just led East Carolina to an 11–1 record and a final ranking of ninth in the nation. However, Lewis' first season at Tech in
1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...
saw the Jackets collapse to only a 5–6 record just two years removed from a national championship. Preseason All-American Shawn Jones suffered from nagging injuries, leaving Tech's offense inept. After Jones' fourth year ran out,
redshirt Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to: Sports * Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically ...
freshman Donnie Davis stepped in to fill his shoes in
1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...
, which saw another 5–6 season. In just two years, Lewis had completely squandered the successful momentum established by Bobby Ross. During the Summer of '94,
George O'Leary George Joseph O'Leary (born August 17, 1946) is a former American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 1994 to 2001 and the UCF Knights from 2004 to 20 ...
was rehired as defensive coordinator. With Davis injured in spring practice, Lewis recruited Tom Luginbill as his replacement. Luginbill was a proficient passer at Palomar College, a
junior college A junior college is a type of post-secondary institution that offers vocational and academic training that is designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations or support roles in professions such as engineering, a ...
in California, and his first two games in
1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
showed promise. Tech almost upset
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
who was projected as the No. 1 team in the nation by
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
and won 45–26 over Western Carolina. However, Tech lost its next six games before Lewis was fired with three games remaining in the season. O'Leary was named interim coach for the rest of the season.


George O'Leary era (1994–2001)

Georgia Tech lost their final three games, including a 48–10 drubbing at the hands of Georgia. Despite this, Tech dropped the "interim" tag from O'Leary's title and named him head coach in
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
. O'Leary's first season saw Senior Donnie Davis return as starter and Tech won 6 games. O'Leary's second season saw the emergence of Joe Hamilton as starter when Brandon Shaw struggled in his first two starts. Hamilton would eventually lead the Jackets back to bowl contention and Tech attended its first bowl in six years, the 1997 Carquest Bowl. Hamilton's prowess as a runner and passer thrilled the Georgia Tech fans. Offensive coordinator
Ralph Friedgen Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the Un ...
utilized a complex offense with Hamilton that featured option football mixed in with complex timing routes. Hamilton racked up yardage, touchdowns, and wins for Tech. In
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
, Hamilton and Tech's high powered offense won 10 games and a season ending victory over Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. Hamilton's senior year put him on the national stage. He was a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy against rushing phenomenon Ron Dayne. Hamilton passed for over 3,000 yards and rushed for over 700 yards. But while Hamilton dazzled, the Georgia Tech defense was a liability (they allowed around 28 points per game), and may have ultimately cost Hamilton the 1999 Heisman Trophy. In a late-season, nationally televised game against Wake Forest, Tech gave up 26 points and Hamilton threw two interceptions and no touchdowns. As an indirect result, Dayne went on to win the Heisman (Joe was runner-up). Hamilton's Georgia Tech career ended on a sour note in the 2000 Gator Bowl against the
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, where the Jackets lost 28–13. The following season,
redshirt Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to: Sports * Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically ...
junior George Godsey, a more traditional pocket passer, succeeded Hamilton at the helm of Tech's powerful offense. The drop-off was minimal—Godsey continued where Hamilton left off, winning 9 games in
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
and 8 games in
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
. In 2000, Godsey also led Tech to their third straight victory over the archrival Georgia Bulldogs. The end of the 2001 season saw George O'Leary entertain a coaching offer from Notre Dame after Bob Davie announced resignation as Irish head coach. O'Leary was eventually awarded the position, but it was revoked shortly thereafter when Notre Dame discovered that O'Leary had fabricated several aspects of his resume. He claimed to have played three years for the
University of New Hampshire The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire, United States. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant coll ...
and to have attained a master's degree from
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
; in actuality, he had attended NYU but did not graduate, and he never played a down of New Hampshire football. Following O'Leary's departure, Mac McWhorter was named interim head coach for Georgia Tech's bowl game, a victory over Stanford in the 2001 Seattle Bowl.


Chan Gailey era (2002–2007)

The following spring, Chan Gailey was hired to replace O'Leary as Georgia Tech's head coach. Chan Gailey came to Georgia Tech in 2002 after head coaching stints with the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, Samford Bulldogs, and
Troy Trojans The Troy Trojans are the sports teams of Troy University. They began playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's Division I (NCAA), Division I-A in 2001 in sports, 2001, became a American football, football only member of the ...
. Gailey's first team in
2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
managed to win seven games under the quarterbacking of A.J. Suggs. The most notable game of the 2002 season was an upset of National Title Contender North Carolina State. Georgia Tech rallied in the fourth quarter to upset NC State and end Philip Rivers's Heisman Trophy hopes. In
2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...
, eleven Georgia Tech players were found academically ineligible. Despite the academic losses and the playing of true freshman Reggie Ball, Gailey would lead Tech to a seven-win season and humiliation of Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl. P.J. Daniels racked up over 300 yards rushing in the effort.
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
and
2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
saw Georgia Tech improve talent and skill wise but Tech won seven games again. Star Calvin Johnson arrived as a true freshman in 2004. His performance against Clemson in 2004 helped cement Johnson's place in the annals of all-time Tech greats. Two off-the-field problems affected the Yellow Jackets' 2005 season. First, Reuben Houston, a starting
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
, was arrested for possession of over 100 pounds of
marijuana Cannabis (), commonly known as marijuana (), weed, pot, and ganja, List of slang names for cannabis, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform psychoactive drug from the ''Cannabis'' plant. Native to Central or South Asia, cannabis has ...
. Houston was dismissed from the football team immediately following this arrest but a later court order forced Coach Gailey to allow Houston to return to the team. Houston would see little playing time following the court order. At the end of the 2005 season, an NCAA investigation found that 11 ineligible players had played for the Yellow Jackets between the 1998 and 2005 seasons. These players played while not making progress towards graduation on the NCAA-approved schedule. The football victories for that season were initially revoked, and Georgia Tech was put on two years of NCAA probation. Twelve football scholarships were stricken from Georgia Tech's allotment for the 2006 and 2007 freshman classes. The Georgia Tech Athletic Department appealed this decision by the NCAA, and the records were restored but scholarship reductions and probation remained. Athletic Director Dave Braine retired in January 2006, and Dan Radakovich was hired as athletic director. Gailey's most successful year at Georgia Tech was in
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
with nine victories and the ACC Coastal Division championship. The Yellow Jackets football team reached its first New Year's Bowl since the 1999 Gator Bowl and played the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Gator Bowl. Tashard Choice led the ACC in rushing yards and Calvin Johnson led the ACC in receptions and receiving yardage. After an impressive 33–3 victory at Notre Dame to open the 2007 season, the team slid to finish 7–6. On the morning of Monday, November 26, 2007, Gailey was fired from the Yellow Jackets, two days after another heartbreaking loss to the
University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...
. The Yellow Jackets' Athletic Department hired Paul Johnson, then the head coach at
Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
and former Georgia Southern head coach, as Gailey's replacement on December 7, 2007.


Paul Johnson era (2008–2018)

On Friday, December 7, 2007, less than two weeks after Georgia Tech announced the firing of Chan Gailey, Paul Johnson was announced as the new Georgia Tech head football coach. Johnson was hired under a seven-year contract worth more than $11 million. Johnson immediately began installing his unique flexbone option offense at Georgia Tech. By the regular season's end, Johnson had led the Yellow Jackets to a 9–3 record including an ACC Coastal Division Co-Championship and a 45–42 win in Athens, Georgia over arch-rival UGA, Tech's first win against the Bulldogs since 2000. In recognition of his accomplishments in his first season, Johnson was named 2008 ACC Coach of the Year by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association as well as the CBSSports.com coach of the year. Several weeks after Johnson's defeat of rival Georgia, Georgia Tech rewarded Johnson with a new contract worth $17.7 million, a 53% raise that made him the second highest paid coach in the ACC before he had even completed his first year in the conference. In 2009, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets to historic wins over Florida State in Tallahassee, No. 4 Virginia Tech (breaking an 0–17 losing streak to top five opponents at Grant Field in the past 47 years), and Virginia in Charlottesville. The jackets went on to defeat the Clemson Tigers to make them ACC champions, a title that would be vacated on July 14, 2011, due to NCAA infractions. The Yellow Jackets went on to lose to Iowa in the
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. Played annually since 1935 Orange Bowl, January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in ...
, 24–14. Georgia Tech had another significant win over the No. 5 Clemson Tigers on October 29, 2011, giving the Tigers their first defeat of the season and enabling QB Tevin Washington to rush for 176 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown, breaking a school record. In 2012,
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Established in 1885, it has the lar ...
was declared the winner of the ACC Coastal Division on November 19, 2012, clinching it with a victory over
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
42–24 and finishing with a 5–3 ACC record. Georgia Tech played against
Florida State Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
in the 2012 ACC Championship Game, which was coach Paul Johnson's second appearance in the title game. The Yellow Jackets lost to the Seminoles 21–15. The 2014 Yellow Jackets, despite being predicted to finish 5th in Coastal Division by ESPN, garnered a 10–2 regular season record (6–2 ACC), including wins over then No. 19 Clemson and No. 9
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
to finish the regular season ranked No. 11 by the recently created College Football Playoff Committee. The highlight of the season was an overtime thriller that lead to the defeat of the Bulldogs in Athens, featuring Harrison Butker's 53-yard field goal that sent the game into overtime, a 1-yard rushing touchdown by RB Zack Laskey, and a game clinching interception of UGA quarterback Hutson Mason's throw by cornerback D.J. White. Georgia Tech met No. 4
Florida State Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
in the 2014 ACC Championship Game in
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 United ...
, losing 37–35. Following their conference championship, Florida State was chosen in the top four (ranked No. 3), under which circumstance the
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. Played annually since 1935 Orange Bowl, January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in ...
selected Georgia Tech (now No. 12) as its replacement to face the No. 7 Mississippi State Bulldogs on December 31, 2014. Justin Thomas led the Jackets to a dominating 49–34 win for the Yellow Jackets, finishing the season 11–3, No. 8 in AP poll and No. 7 in the American Coaches Poll. The 2015 season showed the Yellow Jackets a 3–9 record, after numerous injuries throughout the entire year. Their only notable win was a 22–16 upset over No. 9 Florida State on Tech's Homecoming Night, when the Yellow Jackets blocked an attempted field goal by Florida State Kicker Roberto Aguayo, which was picked up by Lance Austin and returned for the game-winning touchdown. This was later coined the "Miracle on Techwood Drive". 2015 year marked the first year since 1996 that Georgia Tech did not make a bowl appearance. The next year, 2016, marked a bounce-back season, with the Yellow Jackets, led by team captain Justin Thomas, posting a 9–4 record, including a win over
Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
in the TaxSlayer Bowl. 2016 also saw a 28–27 victory over
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
in Athens featuring a 14-point comeback in the 4th quarter topped off by a 6-yard TD rush on third down by Qua Searcy, with 30 seconds left in the game. The Yellow Jackets took a step back in 2017, finishing 5–6 (4–4 ACC) with close losses to
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
(42–41 in 2OT) at the Chick Fil A Kickoff Game in the newly constructed
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it is the home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta ...
, and at
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
(25–24). Despite starting the 2018 season 1–3, the Yellow Jackets rallied to finish the regular season 7–5. The most notable victory was that against rival
Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
, making Georgia Tech the only conference opponent to win three consecutive games in Lane Stadium against
Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
. The season ended with the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl, where the Jackets fell 34–10 to the
Minnesota Golden Gophers The Minnesota Golden Gophers (commonly shortened to Gophers) are the college athletics, college sports teams of the University of Minnesota. The university fields a total of 21 (9 men's, 12 women's) teams in both men's and women's sports and com ...
. Johnson announced his retirement on November 28, 2018, effective following the team's bowl game. Geoff Collins was named Johnson's replacement on December 7, 2018.


Geoff Collins era (2019–2022)

Geoff Collins was announced on December 7, 2018, as the new head coach, to replace the retiring Paul Johnson, starting the 2019 season. Collins was hired under a seven-year contract worth more than $23 million. Geoff Collins, a native of
Conyers, Georgia Conyers is a city and the county seat of Rockdale County, Georgia, United States. The city is 24 miles (38.6 km) east of downtown Atlanta and is a part of the Metro Atlanta, Atlanta metropolitan area. As of 2020 United States census, 202 ...
, was previously the head coach at
Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
, defensive coordinator at Mississippi State and Florida, and previously worked with Georgia Tech as a graduate assistant and recruiting coordinator. In his first season the Jackets experienced several significant losses. A loss against The Citadel was the Jackets' first loss against an FCS opponent since
1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
, and a 45–0 loss to
Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
was the Jackets' first shutout loss at Bobby Dodd Stadium since
1957 Events January * January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany. * January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch. * January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...
. Geoff Collins was fired from Georgia Tech along with athletic director Todd Stansbury on September 25, 2022, after three 3-win seasons and a 1–3 start in 2022. His final record at Georgia Tech was 10–28, one of the worst coaching records in Georgia Tech history.


Brent Key era (2022–present)

Brent Key, a Georgia Tech alumnus and football letterwinner who at the time was the OL coach, was named the interim for the rest of the 2022 season. Key led the Yellow Jackets to a 4–4 record over the final eight games of the 2022 season. The four wins included two road victories over nationally ranked opponents – a 26–21 win at No. 24 Pitt in his first game at the helm on October 1 and a 21–17 triumph at No. 13 North Carolina on November 19. The Jackets overcame a plethora of injuries (which included its top two quarterbacks.) to finish 5–7 overall and 4–4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play after a 1–3 start. The overall and conference win totals were Tech's highest since 2018, as was its fourth-place finish in the ACC Coastal Division standings. Key's Jackets also defeated the three teams that finished ahead of them in the coastal division. (North Carolina, Pitt and Duke). On Tuesday November 29, 2022 the interim tag was stripped and Key was named Georgia Tech's 21st head football coach. One of Key's most memorable wins came on October 7, 2023, when following an embarrassing loss to Bowling Green the week prior, the Yellow Jackets defeated the then 17th ranked Miami Hurricanes'. Miami could have won the game by taking a knee, but they ran the ball before fumbling with 26 seconds left. Tech drove 74 yards in four plays to win the game on a last second 44-yard touchdown pass from Haynes King to Christian Leary. It was Key's third win over a ranked ACC opponent on the road. Tech finished the 2023 regular season at 6–6 and made its first bowl since 2018. The Jackets went 5–3 in ACC play and finished 4th in the conference. They then defeated UCF 30–17 in the Gasparilla Bowl to finish 7–6. It was their first winning season since 2018 and their first bowl win since 2016. The Yellow Jackets began the 2024 campaign against the 9th-ranked
Florida State Seminoles The Florida State Seminoles are the athletic teams representing Florida State University (FSU) located in Tallahassee, Florida. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I, prima ...
in Week 0. Tech and FSU played in the Aer Lingus Classic at
Aviva Stadium Aviva Stadium, also known as Lansdowne Road (, ) or Dublin Arena (during UEFA competitions), is a List of stadiums in Ireland by capacity, sports stadium located in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with a capacity for 51,711 spectators ...
in Dublin, Ireland. Tech upset the Seminoles 24–21, with the game-winning field goal being kicked by sophomore kicker Aiden Birr with no time left on the clock. Tech then beat crosstown foe Georgia State 35–12 the next week in the first ever meeting between the two Atlanta programs. Tech started 5–2 through the first seven games, then starting quarterback Haynes King got injured in the win over
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
which led to a two game losing skid. Haynes King returned for the homecoming game against #4
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, however Tech also played freshman Aaron Philo for long passing situations as King's right shoulder was not fully healed. The Yellow Jackets pulled off their biggest upset in 15 years when they knocked the Hurricanes from the ranks of the unbeaten, winning 28–23 in front of a raucous crowd. Tech's encore performance yielded a narrow 30–29 win against the NC State Wolfpack on November 21, 2024. On November 29, 2024, the Yellow Jackets battled #6
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, losing 44–42 after 8 overtimes, the second most overtimes played in FBS history as of December 2024. In his first full game since recovering from a shoulder injury, quarterback Haynes King produced 413 yards of total offense – comprising 303 passing and 110 rushing yards – and 5 touchdowns. Eric Singleton, Jr. had 8 catches for 86 yards, with Jamal Haynes carrying the ball 13 times for 91 yards. Tech was defeated by Vanderbilt in the Birmingham Bowl, 35-27.


Conference affiliations

* Independent (1892–1920) *
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I. Southern Conference College football, football teams c ...
(1921–1932) *
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
(1933–1963) * Independent (1964–1982) *
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
(1983–present)


Championships


National championships

Georgia Tech has been named national champions seven times by NCAA-designated major selectors, including the Coaches' Poll national championship in 1990. Georgia Tech claims the 1917, 1928, 1952, and 1990 championships.


Conference championships

Georgia Tech has won 16 conference championships, nine outright and seven shared. Their 2009 ACC championship was later vacated by the NCAA. † Co-champions
‡ Vacated by the NCAA


Division championships

Georgia Tech has won five division championships, with four of those leading to an appearance in the ACC Championship Game. † Co-champions


Head coaches

List of Georgia Tech head coaches. * Ernest West (1892) * Frank O. Spain and
Leonard Wood Leonard Wood (October 9, 1860 – August 7, 1927) was a United States Army major general, physician, and public official. He served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, List of colonial governors of Cuba, Military Governor of Cuba, ...
(1893–1894) * ''No team'' (1895) * ''No coach'' (1896–1897) * Rufus B. Nalley (1898) * Harris T. Collier (1899–1900) * Cyrus W. Strickler (1901) * John McKee (1902–1903) *
John Heisman John William Heisman ( ; October 23, 1869 – October 3, 1936) was a player and coach of American football, baseball, and basketball, as well as a sportswriter and actor. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College, Buchtel College ...
(1904–1919) * William Alexander (1920–1944) *
Bobby Dodd Robert Lee Dodd (November 11, 1908 – June 21, 1988) was an American college football player and coach, college baseball coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Tech from 1945 to 1966, compili ...
(1945–1966) * Bud Carson (1967–1971) * Bill Fulcher (1972–1973) *
Pepper Rodgers Franklin Cullen "Pepper" Rodgers (October 8, 1931 – May 14, 2020) was an American American football, football player and coach. As a college football player, he led the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to ...
(1974–1979) * Bill Curry (1980–1986) * Bobby Ross (1987–1991) * Bill Lewis (1992–1994) *
George O'Leary George Joseph O'Leary (born August 17, 1946) is a former American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 1994 to 2001 and the UCF Knights from 2004 to 20 ...
(1994–2001) * Mac McWhorter † (2001) * Chan Gailey (2002–2007) * Jon Tenuta † (2007) * Paul Johnson (2008–2018) * Geoff Collins (2019–2022) * Brent Key (2022–Present) † Interim


Bowl games

Georgia Tech has appeared in 47 bowl games and compiled a record of 26–21. Georgia Tech's first four bowl game appearances, the Rose Bowl (1929), Orange Bowl (1940), Cotton Bowl Classic (1943), and Sugar Bowl (1944), marked the first time a team had competed in all four of the Major Bowl Games. † Interim ‡ New Year's Six Bowl Game


Home stadium

The Yellow Jackets play their home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field in Atlanta, Georgia. Upon his hiring in 1904, John Heisman insisted that the Institute acquire its own football field. Grant Field was constructed to appease Heisman as well as bring a true home field advantage to Tech football. From 1893 to 1912, the team used area parks such as Brisbane Park, Ponce de Leon Park, and Piedmont Park as the home field. Georgia Tech took out a seven-year lease on what is now the southern end of Grant Field, although the land was not adequate for sports, due to its unleveled, rocky nature. In 1905, Heisman had 300 convict laborers clear rocks, remove tree stumps, and level out the field for play; Tech students then built a grandstand on the property. The land was purchased by 1913, and John W. Grant donated $15,000 towards the construction of the field's first permanent stands; the field was named Grant Field in honor of the donor's deceased son, Hugh Inman Grant. The stadium now sits amongst a unique urban skyline and is among the oldest Division I FBS football stadiums. In fact, the only Division I stadiums older are Franklin Field at the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
and Harvard Stadium. Grant Field was natural grass until 1971. The
astroturf AstroTurf is an American subsidiary of SportGroup that produces artificial turf for pitch (sports field), playing surfaces in sports. The original AstroTurf product was a pile (textile), short-pile synthetic turf invented in 1965 by Monsanto. Si ...
was replaced by grass in 1995. The stadium officially holds 55,000 but has held up to 56,412 in 2005 and 56,680 in 2006. On February 26, 2019, Georgia Tech officials unveiled plans to hold one home game per season from 2020 to 2024 (five games total) at
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it is the home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta ...
, located less than one mile from the Georgia Tech main campus, with the series dubbed "Mayhem at MBS". However, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, on July 30, 2020, the 2020 game against Notre Dame was moved back to Bobby Dodd Stadium and the agreement with MBS was extended to six years, running through 2026, comprising six games.


Logos and uniforms

The interlocking GT logo was created in 1967 at the request of Bobby Dodd. One of the varsity players was asked to design a logo for the helmets. Several variations of the design were submitted, including a yellow jacket design. The yellow jacket was not submitted because to make the insect look mean it would have to be stinging and therefore flying backwards. The interlocking GT was selected during the summer of 1967 and formalized into decals for the helmets. Over the years it became the official logo for Georgia Tech Athletics. When head coach Paul Johnson was hired in 2008, the Yellow Jackets adopted a new uniform style. One year later, the uniforms were altered to change the yellow to gold. A year after that, the uniforms were altered again. This time, the team adopted separate white uniforms for both home and away games, while retaining the previous styles' navy and gold jerseys for occasions when the Yellow Jackets could not wear white at home. In 2018, after nearly 40 years of being with Russell Athletic, Georgia Tech switched to Adidas. With the change came more consistent branding across all sports and a custom shade of gold for the team as well as new uniforms that entwine progressive and traditional elements. The uniforms were updated in 2022 with a more classic look.


Rivalries


Alabama

The Crimson Tide and the Yellow Jackets have played 52 times in a rivalry that dates back to 1902. With the exception of a four-year break during World War II (1943–1946), they squared off annually from 1922 to 1963 as members of the
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I. Southern Conference College football, football teams c ...
(1922–1932) and
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
(1933–1963). The rivalry continued for one season after Georgia Tech withdrew from the SEC in 1964, then was renewed again with games in six-straight seasons from 1979 to 1984. With 52 previous meetings, Alabama is Georgia Tech's fifth-most-common all-time opponent (behind only Georgia – 114 meetings, Auburn – 92, Duke – 87 and Clemson – 85). Alabama and Georgia Tech announced in January 2020 that they are set to renew the rivalry after 36 years in 2030 and 2031. Alabama leads the series 28–21–3, and the Yellow Jackets won the last matchup 16–6 in 1984.


Auburn

The Yellow Jackets have played the Auburn Tigers more than 90 times in football, and the series of football games between the two is the second-oldest in the Southeast. Auburn Univ. or A.P.I. is by far Georgia Tech's second-most-often played opponent in football. The rivalry is also intense in basketball, baseball, etc. The first game took place on November 25, 1892, in
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. They played in the SIAA until it was defunct in 1922, before joining the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
. This rivalry lost some luster when the Georgia Tech Athletics discarded its membership in the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
in
1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...
to become an independent institute. However, the Yellow Jackets continued their annual series of football games with the Auburn Tigers through
1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...
. Georgia Tech and Auburn play football games in occasional years, and games in other sports regularly. Even though the Yellow Jackets have joined the Atlantic Coast Conference for all sports in recent decades, from a historical perspective, the Auburn Tigers are Georgia Tech's second-highest sports rivalry, behind only the Georgia Bulldogs. Auburn leads in the all-time series 47–41–4 with the last game played in 2005.


Clemson

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Clemson Tigers have the fourth-most-played series in Georgia Tech football history. They have been rivals since 1898 and Clemson is Tech's closest opponent, geographically, in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Also, in the ACC's new two-division arrangement, each team has one football opponent in the opposite division which has been selected as the two teams' official cross-division rival, they played every year until 2024. The Yellow Jackets and the Clemson Tigers are one of these six pairs. In addition to their geographical closeness and the Heisman connection, the Georgia Tech – Clemson pairing is also a logical one because of both schools' long history in engineering, technology, and science education. Recently, the game has become known for last-minute, extremely close finishes. From 1996 to 2001, each of the six games was decided by exactly three points. In
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
(before the Yellow Jackets had even joined the ACC), this football series was being considered for termination by the administration of Georgia Tech. Clemson football fans, in an effort to show their economic impact on the Atlanta, Ga., area, brought with them to Atlanta large stockpiles of two-dollar bills that were stamped with Clemson Tiger Paws. Georgia Tech leads Clemson in the all-time series 50–36–2.


Georgia

Georgia Tech's fight songs and cheers are tailored to belittle the
Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The offic ...
, and the perennial catch-phrase for Georgia Tech fans for many decades has been "To Hell With georgia ic. Georgia Tech and the Univ. of Georgia have played each other in football over 100 times (and hundreds more times in basketball, baseball, track and field, tennis, etc.) and this rivalry has become known as '' Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate''. They have been heated rivals since 1893. The annual football game is by far the most important game on the schedule for most Georgia Tech sports fans. The winner of this game takes home the Georgia
State State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
Governor's Cup. Georgia Tech trails Georgia in the all-time series 72–41–5 through the 2024 season.


Tennessee

Georgia Tech and
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
hadn't met since 1987 until losing a heart breaking
Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...
game in Atlanta in 2017 that renewed the rivalry between the two. When Georgia Tech was part of the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
they played annually. After Georgia Tech left the SEC in 1964, the teams still met until 1987. The series dates back to 1902 and Tennessee leads the series 25–17–2 with the last game played in the 2017 season.


Vanderbilt

The Yellow Jackets and the Vanderbilt Commodores first met in 1892 in
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
with Vanderbilt winning 20–10. Since 1924, the winning team in the series has received a silver-plated cowbell with the year and final score of each game engraved on it. The trophy was created by Ed F. Cavaleri was described by the Atlanta Constitution as “a faithful Georgia Tech supporter though he did not attend the Jacket institution,” according to Georgia Tech's website. Cavaleri purchased a cowbell at an Atlanta hardware store to use as a noise-maker while on his way to a game in 1924. The Commodores defeated Georgia Tech 3–0, however another fan in attendance suggested that Cavaleri award the bell to the winning team. The tradition was born and Cavaleri attended every game between the two teams from 1924 to 1967. The cowbell has a gold plate screwed into each side, with “GEORGIA TECH-VANDERBILT FOOTBALL TROPHY” inscribed at the top. Three columns list the year of each game, Georgia Tech's points scored and Vanderbilt's points scored. The results of the games from 1924 to 1967 are engraved on one side; the results from 2002, 2003, 2009 and 2016 are on the other. Georgia Tech is 20–16–3 against Vanderbilt in 39 games. The Commodores won the last matchup 35–27 in the 2024 Birmingham Bowl.


Virginia Tech

The rivalry with
Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
has grown considerably since Virginia Tech entered the ACC. In previous years, the teams played infrequently. The intra-conference game has often seen both teams ranked and the outcome has played a key part in determining the winner of the ACC Coastal Division. Since the ACC switched to Division format in 2005, the winner of this game has gone on to win the Coastal Division all but once, with VT winning six times and GT winning four times. Dubbed the '' Battle of the Techs'', the game has seen some very close, very intense match-ups. Virginia Tech leads the series 12–8.


Significant series


Duke

The Blue Devils and the Yellow Jackets have played 90 times in a series that dates back to 1933 and every year uninterrupted until 2023. There was a long period of Duke dominance in the series from 1936 to 1945. The Blue Devils won all but one matchup including a six-game win streak, the longest in the series for Duke. The win streak also came in the glory days for Duke football, as the 1930s and 1940s featured the best Duke football teams. From 1946 to 1984, the series would be rather back and forth, teams exchanging periods of dominance over the other. Heading into the 1984 season, the series was deadlock at 25–25–1. But since then it has been nearly all Georgia Tech. In the 36 matchups since 1984, the Jackets have walked away with 26 victories, the Blue Devils have won just ten. Duke is Georgia Tech's third-most common opponent all-time (behind only Georgia – 113 meetings and Auburn – 92). Georgia Tech leads the series 55–35–1. This game decided the ACC Coastal Division champion in 2014. Although Duke won the game 31–25, they had a loss to Miami beforehand followed by losses to Virginia Tech and rival North Carolina, which allowed the Yellow Jackets to claim the division title and a trip to Charlotte for the ACC Championship as they just had 2 conference losses whereas Duke had 3. Georgia Tech won the last matchup 24–14 in Atlanta in 2024. The series will continue in 2025 in Durham and in 2026 in Atlanta. It is occasionally missed due to the ACC's new scheduling format, not being played in 2023 and 2027.


Notre Dame

This series began in 1922. The Fighting Irish were a longtime rival of the Yellow Jackets and the two teams met periodically on an annual basis over the years, particularly from 1963 to 1981 when both schools were independents following Tech's departure from the Southeastern Conference. The 1975 Georgia Tech-Notre Dame game marked the sole appearance in an Irish uniform of Rudy Ruettiger, the subject of the film '' Rudy''. When Georgia Tech joined the Atlantic Coast Conference beginning in 1982, they were forced to end the series after 1981 because of scheduling difficulties. Consequently, the two teams have met very infrequently since then. Georgia Tech was the opponent in the inaugural game in the newly expanded Notre Dame Stadium in 1997, then a year later they met again in the Gator Bowl. The Fighting Irish and Yellow Jackets met in the 2006 and 2007 season openers and split both games. The rivalry resumed in 2015 with a 30–22 Irish win in South Bend, and will continue on a semi-regular basis as Georgia Tech and Notre Dame are scheduled to face off five times in the next ten years starting in 2020. Notre Dame is played Georgia Tech at
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it is the home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta ...
in 2024, beating Tech 31–13. Georgia Tech traveled to South Bend in 2021, and is set to return for the next contest again Notre Dame in 2027. Notre Dame leads the series 29–6–1.


Tulane

The Yellow Jackets and the Tulane Green Wave first met on November 4, 1916, in
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. Tulane was the opponent at Bobby Dodd Stadium for the Jackets’ first-ever televised football game — a 13–7 win over the Green Wave on WSB-TV on Oct. 2, 1948. Tulane is the seventh-most frequent opponent for Georgia Tech (50 meetings). Tulane and Georgia Tech spent most of their athletic histories as members of the same conference: they were among the first to join the SIAA in 1894 then Georgia Tech left in 1921 and Tulane in 1922 to join the
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I. Southern Conference College football, football teams c ...
. Both schools moved yet again in 1932 to charter the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
, of which they were members until Tech's departure in 1963 to become independent. Tulane followed suit in 1966, but they played each other yearly until 1982. Georgia Tech is now a member of the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
, while Tulane is a member of the
American Athletic Conference The American Athletic Conference (AAC), also known as The American, is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States, featuring 13 full member universities and 6 affiliate member universities that compete in t ...
. The rivalry was renewed on September 6, 2014, in the first football game played on Tulane's campus since Tulane Stadium was torn down in 1980. Georgia Tech leads the series 37–13. The Yellow Jackets won the last matchup 65–10 in 2015.


Traditions

* Colors – Georgia Tech football features old gold and white uniforms with old gold helmets. Navy blue and black have been used as alternate jerseys. In 2006, Georgia Tech featured a throwback jersey based on Bud Carson-era uniforms. The jerseys were mustard gold and the helmets were white. * Songs – The fight songs for Georgia Tech are " Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech" and " Up With the White and Gold". If Georgia Tech scores a touchdown, then both songs are played, with Up With the White and Gold being played after the Yellow Jackets score and Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech being played after the PAT is kicked. If Georgia Tech only kicks a field goal, "Ramblin' Wreck" is played. For some big plays, a shortened version of either song is played. * Nicknames – Georgia Tech football teams have had several nicknames over the years including the "Blacksmiths", the "Engineers", the "Golden Tornado", or just the "Techs". Officially, the teams are called the "Yellow Jackets" or the "Ramblin' Wreck". * Mascots – The " Ramblin' Reck" and the yellow jacket " Buzz" are the mascots of Georgia Tech football. The "Ramblin' Reck" is a 1930 Ford Model A Sports Coupe, and it has led the football team onto Grant Field every game since September 30, 1961. "Buzz" began pacing the sidelines of Grant Field as a mischievous anthropomorphized yellow jacket during the 1970s. "Buzz" was ranked the number three top mascot in all of college football by "America's Best" and the "Top Ten" Web site. * Yellow Jacket Alley – "Yellow Jacket Alley" is an event staged before every game. It is a players' walk in which the team and coaches walk from the buses to the stadium, and the fans surround and cheer the walking players. * Steam Whistle – An industrial steam whistle has been present on Georgia Tech's campus ever since the early industrial shop years. It typically was blown for the change of classes at five minutes before the hour. On football game days, the whistle is blown after every Yellow Jackets' score, and again after every Yellow Jackets' victory. * Student Section – The
student section A student section or student cheering section is a group of students, student fans that supports its school's student athlete, athletic teams at spectator sport, sporting events; they are known for being one of the most visible and vocal sections o ...
s for the Yellow Jackets' home football games are primarily located in the North and South End Zones of Grant Field. Until the 2011 season, Flash Card displays were performed by the student section every football season since 1957. A semi-official student cheering section called the " Swarm" is located in the North End Zone adjacent to the marching band. The Swarm began in 1996. In the south end zone there's the Goldfellas, a group of students who paints their whole body gold and sits in the first row behind the south goalpost at every home game. * RAT Caps - Incoming Georgia Tech freshmen are referred to as RATs, which stands for ''Recruits At Tech'', although in recent years the Student Government has begun incorrectly using ''Recently Acquired Tech Students''. A RAT is encouraged to wear the gold-colored beanie cap with the front bill worn turned up and bearing the student's name, hometown, major, class year, and the letters "RAT". A RAT should record the scores of each football game on the sides of their RAT Cap, written right side up for victories, upside down for losses, and sideways for ties. A RAT should write the "Good Word" on their caps: "To HELL with Georgia". It is the responsibility of a RAT to know the fight songs, the Alma Mater, all of the cheers, and the "Good Word". Before ACC conference regulations prohibited the practice, upperclassmen ordered "RATs on the field" before each home game, and RATs would line up in the end zone along both sides of the entryway from the locker room forming an alleyway for the Ramblin' Reck to drive through leading the team out onto the field. The ACC forced an end to this tradition after the 1980 season. The RAT cap tradition is most strictly observed by members of the marching band. * Marching Band - Even though Georgia Tech is a high-ranking ''Institute of Technology'', and not a college of the arts and humanities, it still fields a 300+ member marching band at all home football games and Bowl Games. A smaller Pep Band attends road games which the full band doesn't attend. Among other songs, the Yellow Jacket Marching Band always plays the Georgia Tech fight songs and the Alma Mater, and in addition, it plays " When You Say Budweiser, You've Said It All" at the completion of the third quarter.


Individual achievements


Heisman Trophy finalists

Georgia Tech has had several players receive votes in the
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
balloting. Eddie Prokop finished fifth in the 1943 Heisman voting, Lenny Snow was fourteenth in
1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
, Eddie Lee Ivery was eighth in
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
, and Calvin Johnson was tenth in 
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
. Billy Lothridge is the only Tech player to receive votes in multiple years. He was eighth in
1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...
and runner-up in
1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...
. Clint Castleberry was the only freshman in the history of the Heisman to finish as high as third until Herschel Walker's third-place finish in
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
. Castleberry and Walker, however, were both surpassed in
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
by true freshman Adrian Peterson's Heisman runner-up season. Joe Hamilton tied Lothridge's runner-up status in 
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
.


All-Americans

Georgia Tech has fielded 50 First Team All-Americans. The first All-Americans at Tech were Walker Carpenter and Everett Strupper in 1917 while the most recent were Durant Brooks in 2007, Michael Johnson in 2008, Derrick Morgan in 2009, and Shaquille Mason in 2014.


Position award winners

Four Georgia Tech players have been awarded the highest collegiate award possible for their position. Joe Hamilton won the Davey O'Brien Award after his senior season in 1999, Calvin Johnson won the Fred Biletnikoff Award after his junior season in 2006, and Durant Brooks and Pressley Harvin III won the Ray Guy Award in 2007 and 2020 respectively. Hamilton and Johnson were the only Tech players to be named ACC Player of the Year until Jonathan Dwyer received the honor in 2008.


Post-collegiate accolades


College Football Hall of Fame

Georgia Tech has had four coaches and 14 players inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
just down the street in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. Coaches Heisman, Alexander, Dodd, and Johnson were inducted in the 1954, 1951, 1993, and 2023 classes respectively.


NFL Draft

Georgia Tech has over 150 alumni that have played in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
. Tech has had ten players selected in the first round of the NFL draft since its inception in 1937. The first Georgia Tech player ever to be drafted was Middleton Fitzsimmons in 1937. He was drafted 2nd in the 10th round by the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
. The first Tech player selected in the first round was Eddie Prokop in 1945 and the most recent first round Yellow Jackets were Demaryius Thomas and Derrick Morgan in 2010. ;First round draft picks


Pro Football Hall of Fame

Three Yellow Jackets have been inducted into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
. Joe Guyon played professional football from 1920 to 1927. Guyon was a collegiate teammate of
Jim Thorpe James Francis Thorpe (; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete who won Olympic gold medals and played professional American football, football, baseball, and basketball. A citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was ...
at Carlisle Indian Industrial School before transferring to Georgia Tech. His playing career began with the Canton Bulldogs and finished with the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the class of 1966. Billy Shaw played professional football for the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
from 1961 to 1969. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the class of 1999. Calvin Johnson played for the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
from 2007 to 2015. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the class of 2021, his first year of eligibility.


Future opponents

Announced schedules as of April 9, 2025. With the ACC announcing a 17-team schedule, Georgia Tech plays the following games with no annual rival. Georgia Tech plays each team in the ACC at minimum once every 4 years. 1. The 2025 game with Notre Dame will be played at
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it is the home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta ...
in Atlanta, GA


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * Seifried, C.S., & Kellison, T. (2019). The Modernization of Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Georgia Historical Quarterly, 103(2), 94–126.


External links

* * * {{Authority control American football teams established in 1892 1892 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Seifried, C.S., & Kellison, T. (2019). The Modernization of Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Georgia Historical Quarterly, 103(2), 94–126.