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Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech once again renew acquaintances as The Battle of the Techs (aka The Techmo Bowl) kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN. If you can't get to a TV, the game will be available live streaming online at WatchESPN for eligible subscribers.
Virginia Tech Game Notes:
The series
- Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech will be meeting on the gridiron for the 12th time in a series that dates back to 1990. The Hokies lead the series 8-3 after beating the Yellow Jackets 17-10 last year in Atlanta. The Hokies are 4-1 against the Yellow Jackets at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field.
- The last four games, while all won by the Hokies, have been close. Virginia Tech has won the last four contests by an average of seven points, including a seven-point win last year and a three-point, overtime win in 2012 at home.
- Georgia Tech's last win in the series came in 2009, a 28- 23 win over the Hokies in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets' only win in Lane Stadium came in 2006, a 38-27 triumph behind a big game from Calvin Johnson.
- The first meeting came in 1990 at Bobby Dodd Stadium where the Yellow Jackets escaped with a 6-3 win en route to a co-national championship.
- It's been an interesting series, to say the least. The two Techs were scheduled to meet in Blacksburg in the 2000 BCA Bowl. With the ball on the tee and just seconds before the referee was to blow the whistle, a bolt of lightning struck just a few hundred yards from the field. A torrential downpour and lightning storm ensued, flooding the field. After a lengthy delay, the game was called and never made up. One of the first bolts to strike hit the rental car of ESPN analyst Lee Corso.
- The 2007 game might top it all as four Hokie jerseys went missing before the game, including the one of quarterback Sean Glennon. While three of the jerseys eventually arrived on a private plane, Glennon didn't have a spare because his original jersey was ruined by paint from Clemson's field a few weeks before and therefore he had to play in a Georgia Tech jersey. He went on to throw for 296 yards and two scores in the big win.
Home Conference Openers
- Virginia Tech is 19-3 in home conference openers during head coach Frank Beamer's tenure in Blacksburg.
Battle of The Techs
- Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech are two of just four schools in the FBS that go with "Tech" in their school name. The other two are Louisiana Tech and Texas Tech.
Strong in September
- Tech has a 72-13 mark in September dating back to the start of its bowl streak in the 1993 season, including a 33-8 mark over the past eight seasons (2005-2014).
Georgia Tech Game Notes:
#5THINGS
Weekend Plans
For the first time since 2009 and for only the sixth time in 12 series meetings, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech will meet on a Saturday. The last four series meetings had been played on either Thursday (2010, 2011, 2013) or Monday (2012). All three of Georgia Tech's series wins have been on Saturday.
Solo in Georgia
Georgia Tech (3-0) is the only undefeated major college football program remaining in the state of Georgia (four programs in NCAA Division I FBS - Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Georgia Tech).
Postseason Formula
Paul Johnson is in his 18th season as a college football head coach. Johnson's teams have made the FCS playoffs or an FBS bowl game in 16 of his first 17 years. Johnson has led the Jackets to a bowl game in each of his first six seasons.
Turnovers to Points
All four Georgia Tech takeaways have resulted in a Yellow Jackets touchdown. Tech's first three takeaways came via interceptions at Tulane, and the Jackets' latest takeaway - a fumble recovery - resulted in a game-winning TD score to beat Georgia Southern, 42-38.
100/100 Man
Redshirt sophomore QB Justin Thomas recorded a career-high 137 rushing yards - his career-first 100-yard game - and added 188 passing yards in Georgia Tech's 42-38 win over Georgia Southern. He is the first Georgia Tech QB with a 100/100 game since Vad Lee in 2012.
(Courtesy of Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech athletics respectively)