It’s official: Koenning is at Illinois

(Updated 2:30 p.m.)

Athens — OK, you can officially remove another name from the list of candidates for Georgia’s open defensive-coordinator job: Vic Koenning was introduced as Illinois’ new defensive coordinator at a press conference in Champaign, Ill., this afternoon.

While Georgia discussed its DC job with Koenning, his reported salary with Illinois — $325,000 — would suggest UGA didn’t aggressively target him. That’s almost the same salary Willie Martinez was making ($325,815 plus bonuses), and indications are that Georgia is prepared to go well beyond that figure for the right hire.

“There was some dialogue [with Georgia],” Koenning said at today’s press conference, “and it made for an interesting last 16, 18 hours, you might say. But when push comes to shove, the character and the drive and the enthusiasm that [Illinois] coach [RonZook exhibited makes sure there was no doubt in the outcome.”

A couple of hours before Illinois’ press conference, Georgia coach Mark Richt passed when asked to shed light on Georgia’a interest in Koenning.

“I think everything is just –- this whole search stuff -– I’ll just say there is nothing to shed,” Richt said. “I’ve got nothing to shed on it.”

Richt did not signal that his search is any closer to resolution than on Wednesday, when he said it might last into the new year. He noted that many prospective candidates are committed to completing the season with their current teams. That would apply to college coaches whose teams are in bowls, as well as to NFL coaches.

“It’s just a really crummy time of year to be trying to do what we’re doing here,” Richt said, “but that’s just part of it right now.”

He did say Georgia’s three staff openings are generating a lot of interest.

“I know I’ve got a stack of stuff [from] an awful lot of people,” he said. “It’s more than just the D-coordinator job too -– there are lot of position coaches looking –- but we’ve got to get the D-coordinator thing squared away before we move forward to anything else.”

296 comments Add your comment

MUTTS CANT PAY ANY1 ENUF $ 2 COACH THEM

December 18th, 2009
9:29 pm

MUSCHAMP AND KIRBY AINT LEAVING TEXAS OR ALABAMA! TO COACH AT UGAY! THE MUTT PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN TO A NATIONAL TITLE GAME SINCE 1980!

/

December 18th, 2009
9:46 pm

Enter your comments here

?

December 18th, 2009
9:48 pm

Why do you want Bumpus off Christmas Story to be your DC?

Great News!

December 18th, 2009
11:09 pm

UGA doesn’t need some mediocre coach who considered a low quality program like Illinois with ron zook! He’ll be fired next year anyway. The Dawgs need a top coach from a big program, like K Smart!!! Just pay the big money and get Smart ($1-2 mil per year!!!)

Chip Kelly and Mike Riley

December 18th, 2009
11:14 pm

We would just like to remind all of you silly posters that the Southeast does not have a monopoly on football coaches. We are the two best coaches in all of college football and we are both in the Great Northwest. Actually, you all suck.

Floundering Fox Hounds Batman!

December 18th, 2009
11:48 pm

Boy is there gonna be some property destroyed in dawg nation when a Mountain West Conference Guy will be named at UGA in a few days as the defensive coordinator.

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
2:02 am

Georgia Tech has ZERO players on your Entire Roster who have ever won a bowl game at Georgia Tech.

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
2:04 am

Since Georgia Tech was last in a Major Bowl, UGA has been to 8.

Auggie Doggie

December 19th, 2009
4:27 am

No decent up and coming DC wants to come to a rat hole like Athens to clean up this nightmare.

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
5:03 am

Is that your explanation why your Defense is actually FAR WORSE than our Defense, even with Ga Tech playing 6 games against teams not even in a bowl game ?

That no decent up and coming DC wants to come to a rat hell hole like the slums your campus is in in Zone 5 ?

If ever there is a nightmare, it’s the slums where all the crime is and where all the drugs are on North Avenue.

Auggie Doggie

December 19th, 2009
5:06 am

You dilusional scrotes who think moving from UA to UG is a “lateral” move are hilarious. Jumping out of an airplane with no chute is a “lateral” move. Give me a break!

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
5:54 am

Here Is How the Play-off in 1-A football would look, if applied to this season :

THESE GAMES WOULD HAVE PLAYED LAST SATURDAY 12/12:

8-Team Play-off touted by so many :

Play-off Round :

1 ALABAMA vs 8 Ohio State.

5 Boise State vs 4 Cincinnati

6 Florida vs 3 TCU

7 Oregon vs 2 Texas

THESE GAMES WOULD BE PLAYING TODAY 12/19:

Semi-finals :

1 ALABAMA vs 4 Cincinnati

6 Florida vs 2 Texas.

This sport is so screwed up. Obviously, I believe that Florida would destroy Texas, and that The SEC would have a Alabama vs. Florida TITLE GAME. The other conferences are so fearful of this, that they cannot allow this.

The 2nd part of this is, what does the Rose Bowl have ? Iowa vs Arizona ?

What does the Sugar Bowl have ? LSU against whom ?

What does this leave the Orange Bowl with ? Penn State vs Georgia Tech ?

What does this leave the Fiesta Bowl with ? Oklahoma State against whom ?

The object of college football is to play in the easiest conference possible, win all your games, be ranked therefore at the top of the polls, and get your brains kicked in by The SEC the same as every other year.

I always figured we could co-exist the bowls with a Play-off.

Putting it to paper, it doesn’t look possible.

Have you figured out how many SEC teams win their bowl games again this year ?

8 SEC Bowl Wins.

There are 3 Conferences who LOSE 6 bowl games : Big East Big XII and Big 10.

If the Conference has a BIG in its name, it will LOSE 6 bowl games.

SEC wins 8 bowl games.

Since I cannot apply an 8-team Play-off to the bowl schedule this season, we should just have a 16-team Play-off and cause complete upheaval by having all 34 bowls bid on having those games at their bowl.

But, you are not going to have more than 1 good game New Year’s Day. And, New Year’s Eve will be no good game.

I really hate the way 1-A football is set up, especially the BCS. I do like the bowl games, and I want a Play-off.

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
5:59 am

Note please that Georgia Tech is not, Auggie, in the 8-Team PLAY-OFFS.

That’s because Georgia Tech is NOT IN THE TOP 8 TEAMS IN ANY POLL.

KNelson

December 19th, 2009
6:27 am

WOW ! The elite are knocking down the doors for a chance to coach at Uga ! Really, Really? You homers love to brag because you won a NC long before any of the current players were even born and you have DC picking Ill over you! That says it all !

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
7:09 am

KNelson

Your Defense is a LOT WORSE than UGA’s.

A LOT.

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
7:18 am

In the old days, Tech fans (both of them) claimed they were smart.

Nowadays, the Dumb butt posters who post as if they are real Tech fans come running in here and talking about everything except that which they should be talking about, if they were smart.

Just imagine bragging about Georgia Tech’s Defense, or begging a discussion of UGA’s defense compared to Tech’s.

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
7:33 am

6 games against teams NOT EVEN IN A BOWL GAME played by Georgia Tech.

3 games against teams NOT EVEN IN A BOWL GAME played by Georgia.

.

.

67 NCAA # 67 Rushing Defense Georgia Tech.

40 NCAA # 40 Rushing Defense UGA.

.
.

54 NCAA # 54 Total Defense Georgia Tech.

30 NCAA # 30 Total Defense UGA.

.
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47 NCAA # 47 Passing Defense Georgia Tech.

33 NCAA # 33 Passing Defense UGA.

.
.

99 NCAA # 99 Tackles for a Loss Georgia Tech.

15 NCAA # 16 Tackles for a Loss UGA.

And, a Tech fans runs in here and posts that HE wants to discuss how Paul Johnson FIRED JON TENUTA and replaced HIM with the linebackers’ coach at So Miss as your Defensive Coordinator ?

Amazing stuff.

In the old days, Tech fans said they were SMART. Now, they are ANYTHING BUT.

GR82BAG8R

December 19th, 2009
7:47 am

Perhaps, BuLLdog,the Techies would be in the playoff since they are ACC champs. All the major conference champs qualify….the remainder from the lesser conferences and better ranked non-champs.

GR82BAG8R

December 19th, 2009
7:51 am

BuLLDog, why are you so obsessed with Georgia Tech?????

MUTTS CANT PAY ANY1 ENUF $ 2 COACH THEM

December 19th, 2009
8:00 am

THE MUTTS BRAG ABOUT GOING TO BCS GAMES,BUT YOU MUTTS ARE NOT GOING TO A BCS BOWL THIS YEAR,THE ONLY SCHOOL IN GA IS GOING TO A BCS IS GA.TECH!

Sam

December 19th, 2009
8:20 am

GR82BAG8R, nobody is obsessed with Georgia Tech. Hell, nobody outside of Georgia even knows who you are. You’re pizzants.

DawginLex

December 19th, 2009
8:20 am

markpricht,

List of teams on UGA schedule that would whip the nerd herd:

OSU
SC
ARK
UT
LSU
FLA
KY
AUB
UGA

So to summarize, trade schedules with us and we go 12-0 and the nerd herd goes 3-9. The nerd herd needs a DC worse than we do.

30-24
8-1

WE RUN THIS STATE

SEND YOUR FATHERS DAY CARDS TO SANFORD STADIUM SINCE WE REMINDED YOU AGAIN WHO YOUR DADDY IS

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
8:30 am

Translation for the Georgia Tech fans (both of you) :

44 Rushes by Washaun Ealey and UGA’s other running backs for 339 yards and 2 TDs.
51 Rushes by Georgia Tech for a grand total of 205 yards rushing for Georgia Tech.

8 of 14 Passing for another TD and NO INTERCEPTIONS UGA.
6 of 13 Passing and threw an INTERCEPTION by Georgia Tech.

5 Tackles behind the line by UGA against Tech for minus 21 yards.
4 Tackles behind the line by GaT against UGA for minus 11 yards.

1 Sack by UGA for minus 12 yards, taking Tech out of field goal range.
1 Sack by Ga T for only minus 5 yards and no affect on the game at all.

2 QB Hurries by UGA.
1 QB Hurries by Ga T.

21 First Downs by UGA.
17 First Downs by Ga T.

Fumble Recovery by UGA Defense against Tech.
Fumble Recovery by Ga Tech Defense against UGA.

INTERCEPTION by UGA Defense against Tech.
NO INTERCEPTION by Ga T Defense against UGA.

30 points by UGA against Tech’s “defense” they now want to talk about. Right.
24 points by Ga T against UGA’s FAR BETTER DEFENSE, and this what you want to discuss.

8 yards per Rush by UGA against Tech’s “defense.”
4 yards per Rush by Ga T against UGA’s FAR BETTER DEFENSE than Tech’s.

Georgia Tech’s high school offense also set the Season Record against UGA for the MOST TURNOVERS against us, with 2.

UGA in the Red Zone 4 times, scored all 4 times.
Ga T in the Red Zone 3 times, and only scored 2 times.

Georgia Tech also set a Season Record for being the ONLY team we played who missed a field goal in the Red Zone.

20 rushes for 183 yards by Washaun Ealey, his Season Record against all opponents.
18 rushes for 166 yards by Caleb King, his Season Record against all opponents.
19 rushes for 41 yards by Josh Nesbitt, hack of a QB who throws wounded ducks.
14 rushes for 33 yards by J. Dwyer, real nice game there guy against your 1 good opponent.

A.J. Green NFL 1st Round Draft Pick who will be PRO BOWL NFL for 10 years, DID NOT PLAY.

Geno Atkins of UGA recovered only the 2nd fumble recovery all season long against Tech on our Defense.

Attendance 55,407 at Grant Field (in Atlanta of all places to name your damn field Grant Freaking Field)

LAST 4 PLAYS OF THE GAME for your HIGH SCHOOL OFFENSE :

(What’s the matter, can’t use that high school offense when it MATTERS MOST?)

G 1-10 U46 Nesbitt,J. pass incomplete to Thomas,D..
G 2-10 U46 Nesbitt,J. pass incomplete to Hill,S..
G 3-10 U46 Nesbitt,J. pass incomplete to Allen,A. (Reshad Jones).
G 4-10 U46 Nesbitt,J. pass incomplete to Thomas,D., dropped pass.

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
8:36 am

No.

Under the 8-Team Play-Off Proposal, the BCS Top 8 teams Qualify and NO ONE ELSE.

Tech is NOT in the 8-Team Play-Off Proposal, if it were applied this year.

I noticed Georgia Tech’s game is NOT ON TV.

GR82BAG8R

December 19th, 2009
8:55 am

You mean the Orange Bowl????

GR82BAG8R

December 19th, 2009
9:04 am

My question to all you Bulldog fans is what will you do when Smart turns you down? Will you wish him, a Bulldog alumnus, the best in his career at Alabama and down the road or will you turn on him?????

BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA

December 19th, 2009
9:34 am

GLAD KOENNING IS NOW NOT AN OPTION ………
DIDNT DO THE JOB AT CLEMSON ……………
CMR WILL GET THE RIGHT MAN …………
BE PATIENT ………………………………………
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT …………………

FLA DAWG

December 19th, 2009
10:56 am

Smart has never definitively stated he was not interested in the Dawg DC Job. He may very well be headed this way. As a former player and with a wife who was also a UGA athlete I would think it would be a natural move as long as the money is there.

I’d be just as happy to see Ellis Johnson. He’s put together a Devastating Defense at SC with very good starting talent but limited talent depth.

Both are proven winners – as is Tubberville. I think the decision has already been made and if it were Tubberville there would have been no need to delay that announcement so it’s likely not him.

The new guy will be announced quickly after the bowl games. If not then we have a problem.

OldDawg

December 19th, 2009
11:09 am

Mr. Tucker….in another article with your name attached to it you say….Koenning…Candidate for DC at UGA…Candidate according to whom? Do you know something no one else knows? If you deem him to be a “candidate” then should you not qualify how you know him to be a candidate? something other than the fac that he has been named many times on these blogs by US so called experts as one of at least 50 “candidates” mentioned here?
Or is the non factual headline merely an attempt to create “hits” on the AJC site?
An attempt to “stir the pot” and make it seem as though CMR has been turned down by yet another?

Let’s see…..according to the ignorant masses UGA has been turned down b y Muschamp. Smart, Foster, Koenning, and God knows who else!

In fact the only factual info i have seen or know of is that there was a request to speak to and interest expressed in foster…which never resulted in an official offer or a specific mention of salary…which was smartly used by Foster to make Va. Tech pony up and give him a deserved raise!

Now. let me say I do want any and all info you or anyother person or so called reporter has, as the matter is near and dear to my heart! BUT I do resent you would IMPLY that Koenning or anyone else is a candidate unless you know that to be true!

FLA DAWG

December 19th, 2009
11:13 am

OldDawg,

I would usually agree with you but in this case Koenning himself stated he had communication with UGA.

VolsForever

December 19th, 2009
11:48 am

LOL

How many is that now? Unofficially or officially…let’s see
VanGorder – Sorry Dawgs
Muschamp – Sorry Dawgs
Smart – Sorry Dawgs

And these were all UGA grads that would not even coach for Richt in the last year of his coaching the team!

Then there was…
Ellis – Sorry Dawgs
Foster – Sorry Dawgs
Koening – Sorry Dawgs

he he he…Who wants to coach with all that pressure? Who wants to risk their career on a sinking ship???? It will definitely be someone unheard of since all the top DC’s refuse to accept the risk. How about the DC at Valdosta State, West Georgia, UTC, or better yet Middle Tennessee? LOL

Auggie Doggie

December 19th, 2009
11:56 am

Face it. No one noteworthy is going to this coach’s graveyard called Athens. It would mean the end of your career. Name one successful coach.

FLA DAWG

December 19th, 2009
1:05 pm

Hey Volsfornever & Auggie Dog,

Kiffin was a real find for you guys, huh? He is The Clown of the SEC. Even his UT base is embarrassed of him.

And Auggie (GT Fan),

Your coach just got raped by The Dawgs this season. Great coaching calls on that last series pass – incomplete, pass – incomplete, pass – incomplete, pass – incomplete.

The Dawgs will land an impressive DC with a winning history. It could very well be Smart or Ellis. We probably won’t know until after the bowl games. In any case, it’s great to see that you dopes are so worried about who The Dawgs will get.

RED DOG 77

December 19th, 2009
1:23 pm

CMR threw out the name of Bud Foster to let us know he is serious about bringing a big time DC to UGA , hell Foster has been at VA Tech for 30 something years. Relax UGA people ,he has someone in mind and all will be well after 1/7.

RED DOG 77

December 19th, 2009
1:27 pm

Valdosta Dawg 1;01 pm 12/18 ; Well put, I hope you are right, Kirby might be a stretch, but then again mabe not, We will all know soon enough. GO DOGS!!!!

RED DOG 77

December 19th, 2009
1:29 pm

Bremen Dawg 1;02 pm 12/18; Aint happening, shouldnt happen !!

RED DOG 77

December 19th, 2009
1:32 pm

DOG FAN 1;05pm 12;18. DRAVO, You are my kind of Dawg, DOG, GO DOGS !!!!!

BuLLdawg

December 19th, 2009
1:50 pm

GEORGIA RECORD IF WE HAD PLAYED TECH’S SCHEDULE :
.
.

JACKSONVILLE ST. 43 – 17 W

CLEMSON 36 – 27 W

Miami (FL) 23 – 33 L

NORTH CAROLINA 30 – 7 W

Mississippi St. 48 – 31 W

Florida St. 55 – 44 W

VIRGINIA TECH 34 – 23 W

Virginia 40 – 9 W

Vanderbilt 34-10 W

WEAK FOREST 36 – 27 W

Duke 55 – 10 W

GEORGIA TECH 30-24 W

Clemson 45 – 34 W

UGA 12-1 PLAYING TECH’S “SCHEDULE” BE PLAYING FOR N.C.
,

,

,

,

TECH’S RECORD IF TECH HAD PLAYED UGA’S SCHEDULE :

.

Oklahoma St. 10 – 30 L

SOUTH CAROLINA 41 – 43 L

Arkansas 52 – 47 W

ARIZONA ST. 20 – 23 L

LSU 13 – 26 L

Tennessee 19 – 51 L

Vanderbilt 56 – 31 W

Florida 17 – 47 L

TENNESSEE TECH 38 – 6 W

AUBURN 31 – 30 W

KENTUCKY 27 – 40 L

Georgia 24 – 30 L

4-8 NO BOWL GAME FOR GEORGIA TECH PLAYING UGA SCHEDULE.

steve

December 19th, 2009
2:24 pm

DeRuyter from Air Force is our man – I’m not kidding, look him up. GT seemed to do well with a Service Academy hire….

GT IS STILL A 4TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM

December 19th, 2009
3:38 pm

HEY JELLOW TICKS. ITS ABOUT TIME YOU USE THE WATERLESS URINALS OF CALLAWAY GARDENS AND YOU WILL FIND YOUR PROPER PLACE IN THE ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE—- SEE THE JELLOW JACKET AT THE END OF YOUR STREAM — YOUR PROPER PLACE FOREVER AND EVER. CHECK IT OUT, EVEN SANAT CANNOT STOP LAUGHING HHOHOHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOHOOHOHOOHO AND MORE HHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOHOOHOHHOHOOHOHOHO FOREVER AND EVER.

Big AL

December 19th, 2009
5:26 pm

Georgia …..Back to “Mediocrity” where they’ve been for 99 per cent of their history. You’re “dreaming” if you think either one of Texas or Bama’s DC would leave Championship caliber programs for Athens,have a great time in the WeedWacker Bowl !

superDawg

December 19th, 2009
7:06 pm

UGA just sent their hostesses to tenn.Monty Kiffin will be in Athens when Lane shuts his mouth.NUFF SAID!

Smokie

December 19th, 2009
7:09 pm

now thats funny.

jq2122

December 19th, 2009
7:27 pm

For the last time, Mack Brown did NOT sign a contract extension. He simply got a raise for the remainder of his current contract, which already ran through 2016. On the very same day, Will Muschamp also got a raise and signed his official agreement to become the head coach when Mack Brown retires. Muschamp is not going anywhere, least of all to be the defensive coordinator at some other program. He’s already the highest paid defensive coordinator in the country and works for a perennial national title contender. I realize he’s a UGA alumnus an all, but this would not even be a lateral move, considering how much more money he would make at Texas for the same job, not to mention the guarantee to be head coach.

DRC

December 19th, 2009
8:14 pm

Whats going on with the uga bowl game ? Been reading uga fans bashing Tech about not buying tickets for their bowl game and see where uga has only sold half of their allotment. Need to put up or shut up.

OldDawg

December 19th, 2009
9:23 pm

DRC….
uga has sold 7000 tickets to a crappy bowl which they have aqbsolutely no interest or enthusiasm about! After a sorry tech like year! honestly they do not deserve to go to a bowl after their performance this year! The ONLY reason they are going and will actually benefit from is the extra 15 practices…..IDIOT!

you see IDIOT I as an avid UGA fan and supporter I just told you the TRUTH! when we suk like tech does nearly every year, we do not try to call it something it is not! PERIOD!

Now IDIOT….look at the last 7 or 8 bowls the techies have been to…..tell me which bowls they were…how many times you go to the blue carpet bowl…and it is a documented FACT that one year tech sold 241…thats right..not a typo…241 tickets!

you coming here to degrade UGA re: ticket sales to a bowl game would be about as lame as my 4 year old grandson trying to whip Mike Tyson’s azz! IDIOT!

Now, what UGA fans can say is even when we are sorry as hell, even when we have a tech like year and we suk….we are still good enough to beat techs azz! IDIOT

30-24

Best college football team in the state of Georgia
AGAIN! for 14 of the past 18 years!

tech=UGA’s female dog for longer than you been alive and will be when you are dead and gone…..IDIOT!!!!

Red Stick

December 20th, 2009
12:43 am

Does anyone know if Tech has sold out its Orange Bowl allotment? just asking..

BuLLdawg

December 20th, 2009
5:40 am

Are you kidding me ? Their game will not even be on TV.

BuLLdawg

December 20th, 2009
5:40 am

Big AL

December 19th, 2009 5:26 pm

“Georgia …..Back to “Mediocrity” where they’ve been for 99 per cent of their history.”

UGA is mediocrity in our history ? Really Al Ciraldo ?

Team Won Lost Tied

1.Michigan 877 302 36

2.Texas 858 314 33

3.Notre Dame 837 290 42

4.Nebraska 833 341 40

5.Alabama 812 316 43

6.Penn State 810 351 42

7.Ohio State 808 309 52

8.Oklahoma 796 304 53

9.Tennessee 790 337 55

10.Southern California 774 307 54

11.Georgia 730 389 54

12.LSU 709 386 47

13.Auburn 688 400 47

14.West Virginia 682 449 45

15.Syracuse 678 479 49

How far DOWN do you have to look to find the MEDIOCRITY that Georgia Tech is in football HISTORY Al ?

I see 5 SEC teams in the Top 15, but there isn’t even any ACC team.

I see 3 Big XII teams, but where are any of the ACC teams ?

I see 3 Big Ten (11) teams, but zero ACC teams, right ?

I see 2 Big East teams, but where are any of the ACC teams ?

I see 1 Independent, and no ACC teams.

I see 1 PAC-10 team, but I cannot find any ACC MEDIOCRITY.

Duh.

Top 15 Programs in College Football History. The rest ARE MEDIOCRITY IN HISTORY.

Right Al ? That what you said ? Mediocrity in history ?

MEDIOCRITY IN HISTORY ?

THAT WOULD BE :

Al, if you subtracted the 60 LOSSES TO UGA Georgia Tech has in HISTORY, then Georgia Tech would not be MEDIOCRITY IN FOOTBALL HISTORY.

But, Georgia Tech would STILL BE 57 WINS BEHIND UGA.

MEDIOCRITY IN FOOTBALL HISTORY. HERE IT IS :

Georgia Tech 673 445 42

BuLLdawg

December 20th, 2009
5:48 am

I have no idea what you are talking about on

BOWL STANDINGS :

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.

.

Georgia 44 BOWL GAMES 25-16-3 .602 WIN %

Georgia Tech 37 BOWL GAMES 22-15-0 .595 WIN %

.

.

Georgia Tech is NOT AHEAD OF UGA in

# of Bowl Games

# of Bowl Wins

Winning % of Bowl Games