Georgia’s wins over Tech are the sweetest of all
If it’s Georgia-Georgia Tech week, then you know certain things are happening. Mark Richt and the UGA coaching staff are assuring everyone that Tech really is still Georgia’s chief rival. UGA fans are fretting about whether the Dogs’ defense can suddenly switch gears to stop that quirky triple option. And Paul Johnson is being his usual snarky, sarcastic self.
This year, there are also the added distractions of worrying about what Georgia’s running game will look like against the Jackets and wondering whether the Dogs might get caught looking ahead to the SEC Championship game the following week.
On that last point, I think it’ll help Georgia’s concentration on Tech that we don’t yet know for sure who the Dogs will play in the Dome.
As for the question of whether the Jackets remain Georgia’s main rival, that’s complicated. There’s no doubt that for many Georgia fans (and players) the game against the Gators in Jacksonville means more since it plays a big part in who wins the SEC East. But there’s also no doubt that the Dogs and their fans hate losing to Tech worse than any other opponent. So, yeah, beating Florida is more important, but losing to Tech hurts more and beating them is such fun.
Fortunately, Georgia has had a lot of fun during the years I’ve been following the Dogs. So here, for those who might have missed it in the past, here’s an updating of my Top 10 favorite wins over Georgia Tech …
1964: Georgia wins 7-0 in Athens. The first of Vince Dooley’s 19 wins over the Jackets in 25 seasons was played on a cold, rainy day Between the Hedges. I had to listen to Ed Thilenius call it on radio but my Dad was there and came home damp but extremely happy. A Tech fumble was recovered by the Dogs at the 22, leading to a winning score by Preston Ridlehuber. The Dogs went on to the Sun Bowl while the loss to Georgia kept the Jackets out of the Gator Bowl, which made the win even sweeter.
1971: Georgia wins 28-24 in Atlanta. This nationally televised game on Thanksgiving night was highlighted by one of the greatest Bulldog comebacks ever. Tech had jumped out to a 14-0 lead and led 17-14 at halftime. Led by Andy Johnson, a classmate of mine in junior high and at Athens High School, the Dogs roared back in the second half to take a 21-17 lead, only to see Tech regain the upper hand, 24-21. The Dogs got the ball at their own 30 with 1:29 on the clock and in one of the most memorable Georgia drives of my lifetime Andy’s running and passing moved them downfield, with Jimmy Poulos going over for the winning TD.
1975: Georgia wins 42-26 in Atlanta. Another nationally telecast Thanksgiving night game on ABC saw the Dogs, led by Ray Goff and Glynn Harrison, run wild over Pepper Rodgers’ Jackets in freezing weather. I was watching this at my future wife’s family home just two days before our wedding, and their next-door neighbor was a big Tech fan. We promised to touch base after the game. I got to make the victory call.
1978: Georgia wins 29-28 in Athens. The game that cemented Buck Belue’s place in the Bulldog pantheon two years before the national championship. The Jackets were up 20-0 when the freshman quarterback got put into the game late in the first half. Helped by a great Scott Woerner punt return, Belue brought the Dogs back and threw a fourth-quarter scoring pass to Amp Arnold that gave Georgia the choice of kicking the PAT for a tie or going for two points and the win. Dooley the gambler won.
1981: Georgia wins 44-7 in Atlanta. The Dogs were riding high with Herschel Walker, but somehow that week the Atlanta sports media latched onto the idea that Georgia was ripe for an upset and we had to put up with a week of hype for the Jackets. Belue put an end to that nonsense on the first play from scrimmage with an 80-yard scoring strike to Lindsay Scott. Oh yes, and Herschel scored four touchdowns.
1993: Georgia wins 43-10 in Atlanta. Another Thanksgiving Day game on TV. This is the one where a brawl between the two teams broke out late after the Jackets had been mouthing off throughout the game. I can still see Goff pulling players out of the fray like they were children.
1997: Georgia wins 27-24 in Atlanta. Tech took a 24-21 lead and thought it had won the game, but Mike Bobo, who threw four touchdown passes that day, led the Dogs downfield, with four pass plays in 40 seconds. The folks in yellow and white still gripe about the interference flag that helped the Dogs along. I think everyone in my neighborhood probably heard the yell I let out when Corey Allen made that winning catch.
2002: Georgia wins 51-7 in Athens. Total domination from beginning to end for Richt’s SEC champions. Probably the most satisfying performance I’ve ever seen by a Georgia team against Tech. And still one of the best days I can ever recall in Sanford Stadium.
2006: Georgia wins 15-12 in Athens. Tech was the ACC Coastal Division champion and No. 16 in the country while Georgia was unranked. You would have expected Tech to be the overwhelming favorite, but the oddsmakers liked the Dogs by 2. Probably because Reggie Ball was Tech’s QB and no team could get in Ball’s head like Georgia. I remember having no doubt the Dogs would win this game simply because the Jackets still had our favorite QB. It didn’t hurt, though, that Paul Oliver never let Tech’s celebrated receiver, Calvin Johnson, become a factor. Georgia’s last scoring drive, directed by Matthew Stafford, was a classic (and you can watch it here complete with Larry Munson’s play-by-play). My daughter says this is the most exciting game she’s ever seen.
2009: Georgia wins 30-24 in Atlanta. I had not gone to Grant Field for a football game in decades, but my son took me as a belated birthday treat. Georgia uncharacteristically took the ball after winning the coin toss and set the template for the game by marching down the field on a 10-play scoring drive that saw the Dogs keeping it exclusively on the ground. Washaun Ealey ended up with 183 yards rushing on the night and Caleb King had 166, including a fantastic 75-yard touchdown run where the Jackets trailing after him reminded me of one of Herschel’s scores against Tech way back when. What a sweet walk that was from Grant Field back to the MARTA station amidst all those downcast folks in gold and white and blue!
There are many others to choose from, so feel free to share your own memories of great Georgia wins over Tech.
Go Dogs!
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548 comments Add your comment
Ricky
November 23rd, 2011
4:39 pm
Tech matches up well to UGA.
More pass effic, better rush game, solid pass defense, and UGA can’t run the ball without coughing up fumbles. And UGA special teams have been a disaster.
Tech wins!
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
4:40 pm
You go ahead and give “your advantage” to the bugs. But UGA has a MUCH better defense than GT, a MUCH better QB than GT, much better receivers, and well, since you are cracking on kickers, it was YOUR kicker who missed an extra point last year.
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
4:42 pm
Coughing up the ball? Tech had 3 fumbles last year. Try again wittle fella. None of your stuff makes any sense. I think I just comment because it’s easy to own you. Tech has a weak pass defense. Murray has beaten Tennessee, UK, and Florida this year and they all have a higher ranked pass defense than GT. They have NO run defense worth mentioning. Passing efficiency? Dude, don’t even bring Tevin in to this debate. He isn’t even close to the QB Murray is. Dawgs win by 20!
ca dawg
November 23rd, 2011
4:47 pm
agreed, our special teams stink. we’re still going to beat tech because your whole team stinks.
Ricky
November 23rd, 2011
4:49 pm
Overall, Georgia self inflicts with dumb stuff like penalties, missed field goals, sacks, big plays, etc.
80 bad plays as f Nov 1, 11th in SEC.
http://mrsec.com/2011/11/mrsecs-fife-rankings-11111/
ca dawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:00 pm
ricky your post about self-inflicted wounds is the first one that makes any sense. it means that, in order to win, tech has to count on us beating ourselves.
Ricky
November 23rd, 2011
5:05 pm
Crowell is no Ealey. Ealey has bailed Georgia out the last few year sin this game. But remember, Murray CRACKS UNDER PRESSURE against ranekd teams, 1-6 lifetime record.
Better than 80% chance Murray loses to a ranked team so far.
ca dawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:08 pm
thank god that crowell is no ealey. he’s much, much better. and murray is 1-6 against ranked teams, but he’s 1-0 in the month of november. he’s also 1-0 against GT. thanks for playing.
ca dawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:12 pm
ricky: there’s no pressure playing GT. we always win, and we always will.
OoltewahDawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:37 pm
Joe/Ricky- How bout this stat:
ATT INT INT PCT
GT 135 6 4.44
UGA 322 9 2.80
This means that GT QBs are almost twice as likely to throw an INT as the UGA QBs. If you are gonna point out stats that favor GT, we can play that game too.
old dog fan
November 23rd, 2011
7:02 pm
I will have to say that my favorite was the 1978 game you mentioned with Buck Belue driving them down the field and scoring the touchdown and extra two points to win with only seconds left in the game. (back when there were no overtimes.) I was standing in the kitchen talking on the phone to someone who had called from overseas and was trying to be nice to them while still standing in the door trying to see the game. Finally, I had to say : excuse me I will be right back” and I covered the reciever and let out a big yell to celebrate. Then I said: “I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow” and went back to the tv to see the replay. It was a great day to be a dog!
gtfanfrom1951
November 23rd, 2011
7:14 pm
There was a group of Georgia science students that wanted to send a probe to the sun, but some Georgia Tech students said that was impossible and that the probe would burn up long before reaching the sun. The Bulldogs replied that they planned to send the probe at night
gtfanfrom1951
November 23rd, 2011
7:22 pm
I think that it is a shame the way you pick on the Bulldogs. After all it was a Georgia engineer that invented the toilet seat.
…of course a Georgia Tech engineer stole the design and cut a hole in the middle
OoltewahDawg
November 23rd, 2011
7:53 pm
About the ranked teams thing; Murray may be 0-6 against teams ranked ABOVE UGA, but he’s 1-0 against teams ranked LOWER than UGA, and soon will be 2-0 against the latter.
mike w. on lake hartwell
November 23rd, 2011
8:06 pm
Top uga rivalries IMO:
1. Florida
2. Auburn
3. Tennessee
4. Georgia tech
5. Clemson
4 & 5 would be higher but we own them both.
ColemanDawg
November 23rd, 2011
9:24 pm
Agree Mike W. If we dropped Tech, I wouldn’t miss them. I believe Auburn, Tennessee, Florida and Clemson are much bigger rivals. If Tech won more than once every four or five years, maybe it would be different. When you expect to win, well …………… Glory, glory to old Georgia and to Hell with Georgia Tech!
Dawg48
November 23rd, 2011
9:49 pm
If you have ever been to the games ,tech is and always will be our biggest rivalry bar none!
Tevin Washington sucks
November 23rd, 2011
11:12 pm
Nesbitt- “You guys miss me yet?”
Tevin Washington sucks
November 23rd, 2011
11:14 pm
He will screw up a crucial pitch in this game yet again.
9 out of 10
November 23rd, 2011
11:32 pm
Ranking means nothing, it’s the caliber of team… maybe Murray would “choke” against a really good team, like Alabama or LSU, but Tech isn’t one. Ask Virginia Tech. Logan Thomas tore up your horrible run defense. Murray has 4 good receivers and a solid tight end to throw to, so I don’t think he’s scared of that pass defense. If you have to throw, you are in big trouble. 42-34, 30-24 and 9 of 10!
9 out of 10
November 23rd, 2011
11:36 pm
Weren’t Tech fans saying they were going to win last year… and the year before… and this is our best overall team since 2007 thanks to our defense. Special teams is a different story.
GT'S Daddy
November 23rd, 2011
11:36 pm
HEY NERDS! QUIET DOWN BEFORE I TEABAG YA>>>>>>>DAWGS WIN 34-20
9 out of 10
November 23rd, 2011
11:41 pm
I’m not saying we’re gonna shut down the option completely, because that’s almost impossible, but Sims is nowhere near the caliber of Allen or Dwyer and for the first time in years, Georgia has a good defense. Have we played an easy schedule? Yes. But with the exception of Vanderbilt, the defense has dominated every offense they’ve faced, including good players like Demps, Rainey, and Michael Dyer.
Tech's defense
November 23rd, 2011
11:44 pm
That’s an oxymoron.
War Dang Dawg
November 24th, 2011
12:42 am
“But there’s also no doubt that the Dogs and their fans hate losing to Tech worse than any other opponent.”
I guess it depends on which part of Georgia you’re from. I think most South Georgians would say Florida. But why quibble, let’s beat Tech and make it a clean sweep of our biggest rivals in ‘11.
angry mangy mutt
November 24th, 2011
1:14 am
Dawg fans do hate losing to GT. Not because it is a big rivalry, but because it feels much the same way MIch felt after App St beat them.
I am not trying to insult Tech, they do their thing as we do ours. Having lived outside this state, I can promise those who have not done so before, this game carries no interest. It is simply a no win game for UGA. GT fans should perhaps view it in the same light. We share a state, we are forced by tradition to to end the season against each other. Beyond that, no meaning for this game whatsoever.
Thomas Brown
November 24th, 2011
1:14 am
DawgH8ter November 22nd, 2011 3:39 pm
“WDE, once again, you pin your hopes of a successful season on beating a smaller team with half the athletes that UGA has. I posted this earlier, not complaining that UGA has all the athletes (supposedly), just stating the fact that with a roster full of 5-star athletes, a REAL coach would have a much better record. You give CPJ the talent UGA has, and they are a top 5 team competing for a national championship. UGA fans beat their chest when they beat up on a Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and even Ga. Tech, but when they play the big boys of college football, they can’t hang with them. Boise State proved that this season, and you will find out next week against LSU.”
_____________________________________________________
That is the whole entire issue with Paul Johnson. Downtown in a city of 6 million, Paul Johnson averages the # 51 recruiting ranking EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY SEASON, while Mark Richt in a city of 60,000 in the middle of nowhere averages the # 7 recruiting ranking all 11 years of his tenure. You have NO TALENT at Georgia tek. You also spend all your days on our blogs telling us how great you are, then you get your hats handed to you yet again at 1-9 vs our coach on the hotseat, and oh it’s just because Paul Johnson CANNOT RECRUIT HIS WAY OUT OF A WET PAPER BAG. Get over it, and after we beat you again, go lose your 7th bowl game in a row, and still not having won a single Major Bowl game after 1955 while your greatest coach ever has you back-to-back in FOOTBALL on NCAA PROBATION.
Thomas Brown
November 24th, 2011
1:19 am
This game has no meaning any longer for UGA. It only has meaning for Georgia tek. We gain NOTHING by playing Georgia tek. Florida is our Rival. Auburn is our Rival. vols are our Rival. South Carolina is our Rival. Alabama is our Rival. LSU is our Rival. Georgia tek ? Meaningless game where we have NOTHING to gain. Beating a team that bad in our state, only because they cannot hang with us in recruiting the same state we do, has become passé.
Glory Glory
November 24th, 2011
1:39 am
dawg fans i must say…not only do we dominate the techies on the field, but we also dominate them on the message boards and smack talking. good lord we have an all star in Kelly as he absolutely trashed everything a tech fan tried to say. i love how they all went to arguments about academics and how the city of atl makes the state of georgia what it is..last time i checked this is a COLLEGE FOOTBALL BLOG. UGA 31 TECH 20
Roll Tide
November 24th, 2011
2:44 am
Georgia wins a close game with their defense being the difference, probably 24-21. Auburn is blown out 38-10.
OoltewahDawg
November 24th, 2011
2:54 am
The thing about the rivalry is that the Dawgs hate to lose to Tech more than to any other team, because unless you (Dawg fans) live out of state, you hear about it all year long; while Tech’s entire season is a total bust if they don’t beat UGA.
Dawgs 45 Bugs 17
Nauti-dawg
November 24th, 2011
7:15 am
We beat them like a drum every year. GT is not even a rivalry anymore – they are just our little nerdy whipping boy.
red&black
November 24th, 2011
8:10 am
I was at the 2002 game, and by half time you would have thought the place was on fire, with all the Tech fans running (not walking) out of the stadium. It was like the Titanic going down. Some of them I believe wanted to just jump over the wall of the upper deck, and end it all. I still have the AJC sports section from the Sunday after. The great Furman Bisher said it quite well with his summary that included the line about the Tech players jumping on the mid field logo, I think it was something like “a thrashing of mortifying proportions”. It was truly a great day. Furman is the man. I wish he was still writing….
WhoLetThemDawgsOut
November 24th, 2011
8:39 am
We own you Tech! Notice that it is time for a good blowout looking at the past games. Our D is good enough to shut them out and after watching Tech, heck they can’t even stop Duke! LOL! Auburn is better than Tech! I see a 48-17 win.
OoltewahDawg
November 24th, 2011
8:51 am
Overall, Georgia self inflicts with dumb stuff like penalties, missed field goals, sacks, big plays, etc.
80 bad plays as f Nov 1, 11th in SEC.
http://mrsec.com/2011/11/mrsecs-fife-rankings-11111/
Ricky – that is another shining example of you cherry-picking stuff. You completely ignored this sentence:
“Georgia is the exception to the rule in this case. Call it grit, luck, stick-to-itiveness or something else, the Dawgs make a lot of mistakes, but they find ways to win games (ask Florida).”
What matters, Nerd, is the W. You can take the Gnats moral victories all you want. I’ll take UGA’s Wins.
red&black
November 24th, 2011
9:02 am
Ooltewah Dawg. I haven’t heard of your great town in years. Used to know some folks up there, that were my parents friends. What a great little town up there in Tenn.
red&black
November 24th, 2011
9:06 am
Of course Tech has a chance of winning this game……..The same chance I have of winning the lottery……..
OoltewahDawg
November 24th, 2011
9:49 am
R&B, Yes, great little town it is. in ‘79 I came up to Fort Oglethorpe, GA, then in ‘81 moved into East Ridge, TN. Got married in ‘82 and found a house here in Hooterville. At the time, we only had 1 traffic light, and now there’s at least 8. The hometown high school team used to be lousy, but now consistently goes to the playoffs. Still a good bit of farmland, but developers have put in a bunch of subdivisions. Ooltewah now boasts of two golf courses, the Honors, which is an exclusive private club, and The Champions Club at Hampton Creek, a very nice public course. I’m impressed that someone in the great State of Georgia knows where we’re located.
Wish a mother would!
November 24th, 2011
10:39 am
First it’s starts with coach Johnson and now Tech fans wanna beat their chest after getting the season started with all those cupcakes. Bottom line I would put Georgia defense making more plays than Tech defense. Who needs a running back when you can fun-n-gun!
BILLY JACK
November 24th, 2011
10:51 am
Ricky and Joe I hope your not driving-good grief.
3 generation jacket
November 24th, 2011
12:49 pm
Red-N-Black: Sorry but I don’t speak STUPID; what are you trying to say?
OoltewahDawg
November 24th, 2011
1:44 pm
3G, which statemnt of R&B’s are you referring to? Maybe I can help you out before he gets back to the blog
Vince
November 24th, 2011
7:58 pm
I sure miss Reggie Ball……………
Jordan
November 24th, 2011
9:56 pm
http://isportsweb.com/2011/11/24/clean-old-fashioned-hate/
Sandy
November 24th, 2011
10:06 pm
Tech will play legitimate student-athletes who will go on to successful careers in industrial management and engineering.
Georgia will play mostly bozos who would not have met the academic requirements to enter any college or university. The few who actually graduate will have worthless degrees and skills for which there is no demand. Most will be pathetic losers who are a burden on society. Fortunately the CEOs of Walmart and Waffle House are Tech alumni who will give some of them jobs, but even a graveyard shift fry cook has to have some skills and the ability to stay sober.
Yes, Tech fans would love to defeat Georgia more often, but not at the win-at-all-costs price that Georgia pays.
Next time you see a homeless drunk, be kind to him, he may be a former UGA player.
OoltewahDawg
November 25th, 2011
2:38 am
Sandy, does your “legitimate student-athletes” include the bunchthat got caught cheating a few years ago and caused GT to have to vacate wins and an ACC Championship? Thought so.
Kyle
November 27th, 2011
9:32 pm
Hey Bill, you should look in to the Tech fan and student reaction to Mr Munson’s passing, it will make any human being with half a heart sick! I’ve been hearing a lot of chatter about them disgracing his halftime memorial, and then there’s the GT blog…..
http://www.stingtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=42b286726f3dad1ef40394453ab96f42&t=60373
San Francisco Dawg
November 29th, 2011
8:28 am
Time to drop Tech off of our schedule…maybe play them every four years…replace with Georgia Southern as they would at least keep it competitive…lol