Battle of the Techs Has Been a Crazy Series

For a series that’s only 20 games long, the Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech matchup has created more than its share of moments. With the exception of 1990, the entirety of the series has taken place since the Hokies’ arrival to the ACC in 2004. Virginia Tech leads the series 12-8, and most of the games have mattered.

In the eight seasons between 2005 and 2012, one of these teams won the Coastal Division and appeared in ACC Championship Game. The yearly cat and mouse game between Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson and Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster from 2008 to 2018 were the stuff of legend. These teams have packed a lifetime of story lines and weirdness in their brief rivalry. But make no mistake; this has certainly been a rivalry. 

The series results are at the bottom of this article, and while we won’t detail every game, we’re going to hit on some of the more notable memories. Let’s dive in!

This was essentially the 0-0 Wake game, except one of the teams ended up winning a national championship. On a windy November day at Bobby Dodd Stadium, the Yellow Jackets got a pair of Scott Sisson field goals to squeak out a victory. Virginia Tech got into the Georgia Tech red zone on each of its first two possessions, but lost a fumble on the first and missed a field goal on the second to come away empty handed. Though both teams moved the ball at times, they also combined for 11 punts, five interceptions, four missed field goals (one blocked) and three lost fumbles. 

The Hokies would shake off the loss and end the season the following week with the legendary 38-13 victory over UVa. Bobby Ross would lead the Jackets to wins at Wake Forest, at Georgia and against Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl to split the 1990 national title with Colorado.

ESPN Gameday was in Blacksburg for the game. This was the first time Enter Sandman was ever played. And Michael Vick and his national runner-up Hokies were ready to take the field by storm, but a storm beat them to it. 

A bolt of lightning and torrential rain forced officials to send the teams to their locker rooms just before kickoff. Lightning hit Lee Corso’s rental car when the skies opened up, and the game never played. I’m still waiting on my refund; maybe this is the year.

The Hokies outscored the Yellow Jackets 27-3 in the second half in this one, erasing a 10-point deficit in Atlanta. Bryan Randall threw this 80-yard fourth quarter touchdown pass to Eddie Royal which, with the ensuing two-point conversion, tied the game:

Randall followed it up with another long touchdown pass down the left sideline to Josh Morgan. A 64-yard pick-six from Roland Minor, thankfully pre-replay because he fumbled prior to getting into the end zone, capped a 22-point flurry in the last 5:27 of the game. 

It was his only game against the Yellow Jackets, but it started to cement Randall’s leadership legacy. He threw for 304 yards, ran for another 64, and led a raucous locker room celebration that, believe it or not, would be eclipsed a few weeks later when the Hokies captured the ACC title in Miami. This was Randall’s lone 300-yard passing day of the 2004 season, and the third-highest total of his career.

Reggie Ball only completed nine passes for 176 yards, but Calvin Johnson caught six of them for 115 yards, 2 TD. Sean Glennon went 27-53 for 339 yards. Glennon’s 53 attempts was a Virginia Tech record for a single game at the time, and is still second to Michael Brewer’s 56 attempts against East Carolina in 2014. Justin Harper and Eddie Royal both over 100 yards in the losing effort.

Calvin Johnson was one of the greatest receivers I've seen in person, and 2006 was a special season for #21. He caught 72 passes for 1202 yards and 15 touchdowns. Here's a five-minute highlight video for that season, and it features his work against the Hokies: 

On a Thursday night in Atlanta, the Hokies shook off the crushing loss to Matt Ryan and Boston College seven days earlier. Big Boi from Outkast was the halftime entertainment, but the real fireworks came from career days by offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring and quarterback Sean Glennon.

Virginia Tech took advantage of Georgia Tech DC Jon Tenuta’s aggressive blitzing defense, with Glennon throwing for 296 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Hokies picked off Yellow Jacket quarterbacks 5 times. 

The story of the game was several Hokie players having their jerseys stolen before the game, and were forced to “customize” white Georgia Tech Russell Athletic jerseys with Sharpies and turn them into de facto Nike jerseys. The hand-drawn work was something, especially the backwards swoosh. 

Holding a 26-21 lead late in the third quarter, and having just stopped the Hokies on third down deep in their own territory, the Yellow Jackets made a crucial error in judgment. Linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu sacked Logan Thomas but couldn’t get him on the ground. Frustrated, Attaochu punched Thomas in the helmet with his bare fist, which probably hurt when he did it, then hurt a second time when the team watched the play on film the next day. The penalty kept the drive alive, led to a go-ahead touchdown and the Hokies didn’t look back. 

Logan Thomas threw for 209 yards (on just seven completions) and ran for 70, including a 12-yard sneak-turned-touchdown run, on his way to five total TDs (three in the air, two on the ground). David Wilson was a problem, with 23 carries for 175 yards. Once the Jackets were in play-from-behind mode in the fourth quarter, the Hokies pinned their ears back to the tune of five sacks. The Hokies finished with 476 total yards against Yellow Jacket defensive coordinator (and former UVa head coach) Al Groh.

Georgia Tech miscreants absconded with the “T” from the “LANE STADIUM” sign out front in both 2012 and 2014. This was an extension of a tradition of thievery whereby Georgia Tech students have stolen the "T" from "Tech Tower" on campus in Atlanta. Defensive adjustments were clearly needed.

As the saying goes, “Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” And by the time the Jackets returned to Blacksburg in 2016, the Hokies planted a staffer out front on game weekend because we didn’t just fall off the turnip truck.

The "T" still doesn't quite match the rest of the letters, which is irritating to say the least.

On another Thursday night in Atlanta, Bud Foster made Kyle Fuller a wild card, moving the cornerback up to the line into a disruptive shoot-the-gap role early in the game. The move was good for two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and it altered the complexion of the game early. 

The Hokies took a 14-0 lead on a Logan Thomas touchdown pass and run, and the defense had three takeaways and a key turnover on downs in the fourth quarter to seal it.

On a beautiful late afternoon/early evening in Atlanta, the Hokies gave Coach Foster his penultimate shutout (his final shutout would come a week later against Pitt in his last home game). This was Georgia Tech’s first home shutout defeat since 1957, and it was never close. 

The Jackets netted just 134 yards, 55 of which came in the 4th quarter when all was decided. To be fair, this was year one of the post-Paul Johnson era, which meant a pre-portal overhaul of the offensive scheme and talent to support the scheme. 

Incidentally, these two shutouts (GT and Pitt the following week) at the end of Bud Foster’s tenure were the last for the Hokies. There have been none since. And this three-game win streak Tech was on (Wake, GT, Pitt) has been matched against P4 opponents just once since (Stanford, BC, GT last season). 

• Logan Thomas (2011-13): 47-76, 660 yards, 6 TD, 168 yards rushing, 3 TD, 3 wins
• Sean Glennon (2006-07): 49-85, 635 yards, 3 TD
• Tyrod Taylor (2008-10): 34-53, 344 yards, 2 TD, 214 yards rushing, 2 TD
• David Wilson (2009-11): 396 all-purpose yards, 2 TD
• Ryan Williams (2009-10): 156 all-purpose yards, 3 TD
• Eddie Royal (2004-07): 14 receptions, 282 yards, 2 TD
• Josh Morgan (2004-07): 10 receptions, 196 yards, 2 TD
• Isaiah Ford (2014-16): 21 receptions, 245 yards, 2 TD
• Cam Phillips (2014-17): 24 receptions, 264 yards, 1 TD
• Derrick Hopkins (2011-13): 27 tackles
• Jack Tyler (2011-13): 35 tackles, 3 TFL
• Darryl Tapp (2005-07): 16 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 pick six
• Tucker Holloway (2022): 188 punt return yards, Virginia Tech single-game record

• Brandon Pace (2004-06): 6-6 FG, 12-12 PAT

   

• Calvin Johnson (GT 2004-06): 15 receptions, 289 yards, 4 TDs
• Josh Nesbitt (GT 2007-10): 61 carries, 391 yards, 6 TD
• Jeremiah Attaochu (GT 2010-13): 25 tackles, 4 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 fateful punch
• Harrison Butker (GT 2013-16): 6-7 FG