Clemson vs. Georgia Tech: 10 Little Known Facts About Heated Rivalry
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech: 10 Little Known Facts About Heated Rivalry
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech may not be the premiere rivalry for either school, but it has become one of the most competitive in the ACC.
Both teams have more storied rivalries with in-state rivals South Carolina and Georgia respectively, but these games are arguably more important given their ramifications.
What makes this game so important and heated between both teams?
10. The Teams First Met in 1898
Clemson won the game 23-0. It was the Tigers' third year of having a program.
They finished with a 3-1 record.
9. John Heisman Coached for Both Teams
In 1904, Georgia Tech was able to lure away former Clemson coach, John Heisman.
The man whose trophy is named after him left the Tigers for a substantial pay increase.
After going 19-3-2 in four years at Clemson, Heisman would stay at Georgia Tech until 1919 where he amassed a coaching record of 102-29-7.
8. The Rivalry Almost Got Canceled
Before joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets decided against playing Clemson in their yearly match up.
A Clemson athletic booster urged fans to attend the final game and pay with bills that were marked with tiger paws. This move was an attempt to show the money generated by the Clemson faithful.
7. 67 Years in Atlanta
Most rivalry games see teams rotate who's the home team each year.
From 1907-1974, the Yellow Jackets played rival Clemson in Atlanta. This helped Tech amass a very successful home record of 42-13-2.
6. 1,000th Time's the Charm
The 33-12 final score of the 1987 meeting between the teams may not indicate anything special, but the Clemson Tigers erased some of their demons.
Coming into the contest, the Tigers had a streak of 999 combined punt and kickoff returns without a touchdown.
Not only did Clemson return a punt 78 yards for a score, but later in the game it also ran back a kickoff for a score.
5. First Meeting in Clemson
The first game between the two at Clemson Memorial Stadium was in 1974. The Tigers won 21-17.
Current Virginia Tech QB coach Mike O'Cain connected with All-American tight end Bennie Cunningham midway through the fourth quarter.
4. Expect a Close Game
From 1996-2001, every game between the Tigers and Yellow Jackets was decided by exactly three points.
Since Paul Johnson began his tenure at Georgia Tech, the average score differential has been less than seven points.
Recently, even when the teams have combined for a high offensive output, the score was close. The 2009 second meeting between the teams was for the ACC championship and saw the Yellow Jackets win 39-34.
3. Dabo Swinney's Struggles
In 2008, Clemson made the choice to go with a new head coach. Dabo Swinney was hired on Monday and went up against rival Georgia Tech on Saturday.
In Swinney's first game as head coach, the Yellow Jackets defeated the Tigers 21-17.
Swinney has since gone 1-3 against Georgia Tech, although all three of his losses have been close.
2. Upset Alert
Clemson is ranked No.5 in the nation and is easily the odds on favorite to win given Tech's recent struggles.
But as we know, "games aren't played on paper," and we could see an upset on Saturday night.
Before last year, the Yellow Jackets had won four straight in the series. Georgia Tech has also won the last three games in Atlanta.
1. CJ Spiller Is MVP for a Losing Team
In the 2009 ACC Championship game, Clemson lost a close one 34-39.
The game marked the first time the two teams met in December and the first season the teams played each other twice in a season. The game also had a first for college football.
CJ Spiller had the biggest game of his college career, gaining 301 all-purpose yards. Spiller's performance was so impressive that he was named MVP of the game—even though his team lost.