Dec. 16, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
#9 Georgia Tech, #10 Iowa Meet In Jan. 5 FedEx Orange Bowl
Georgia Tech, which won the ACC title outright for the first time since 1990, will take on Iowa Jan. 5 in the FedEx Orange Bowl at Miami Gardens’ Land Shark Stadium (8:00 p.m./Fox).
The Yellow Jackets, 11-2 overall, defeated Clemson 39-34 in the Dec. 5 ACC Championship Game in Tampa, Fla.
Tech (ranked 9th by Associated Press, 10th in USA Today and 9th in the BCS standings) is appearing in a bowl game for the 13th consecutive season. The Yellow Jackets will play in a major/BCS bowl game for the first time since playing in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2, 1967.
Iowa, 10-2 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten Conference, won its first nine games of the season. The Hawkeyes are ranked 10th in the AP poll and 11th by USA Today. The Hawkeyes have seven players who were named first team All-Big Ten by the league’s head coaches.
The FedEx Orange Bowl will feature the coach of the year from the Atlantic Coast Conference (Paul Johnson) and the Big Ten Conference (Kirk Ferentz).
Georgia Tech, 22-15 all-time in postseason bowl play, will participate in a bowl game for the 38th time. Tech ranks ninth all-time for bowl victories (22) and 12th for bowl appearances (38).
Tech will play Iowa for the first time.
Something Has To Give:Tech Offense vs. Iowa Defense
The 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl will match one of the nation’s most high-powered offenses against one of the nation’s strongest defenses:
• Georgia Tech ranks second nationally in rushing offense (307.2 ypg). Iowa holds opponents to just 122.0 yards rushing per game.
• The Yellow Jackets rank 11th nationally in total offense (442.7 ypg). The Hawkeyes rank 11th nationally in total defense (286.7 ypg).
• Tech ranks 11th nationally in scoring offense (35.3 ppg). Iowa ranks 10th nationally in scoring defense (15.5 ppg).
• Tech has a +7 turnover margin, while Iowa has a +6 turnover margin.
Yellow Jackets Playing In 13th Consecutive, 38th Total Bowl Game
Georgia Tech is playing in a bowl game for the 13th consecutive season, tying for the fourth-longest current streak nationally.
The Yellow Jackets are playing in their 38th bowl game overall (22-15 record). Only 11 teams in college football have more bowl game appearances.
Tech’s bowl winning percentage (.595) is the fifth-highest in college football.
Tech Playing In Major/BCS Bowl Game For First Time Since 1967
Georgia Tech, despite much success throughout history, will be playing in a major/BCS bowl game for the first time since playing in the Jan. 2, 1967 Orange Bowl.
That game — a 27-12 loss to Florida — was Bobby Dodd’s final game as Tech’s head coach.
The Yellow Jackets were the first college football team to win games in the Orange, Sugar, Cotton and Rose bowls.
Even in the Jackets’ most recent national championship season of 1990, Tech did not play in a major bowl game. That season Tech defeated Nebraska in the Florida Citrus Bowl.
Yellow Jackets Will Play In Orange Bowl For The Sixth Time
Georgia Tech will play in the Orange Bowl for the sixth time, where it has a 3-2 record.
Quick Notes On The Jackets
• Tech ranks second nationally in rushing offense (307.2 ypg) behind Nevada.
• The Yellow Jackets have rushed for more than 300 yards in a game 10 times this season.
• Tech has produced more than 300 yards of total offense in 17 of the last 18 games.
• Georgia Tech has rushed for 400 yards in a game seven times over the last 20 seasons. Six have come under Paul Johnson.
• Tech might not pass that often — 159 attempts in 13 games — but it averages a remarkable 23.2 yards per completion and has completed 11 passes of 50 yards or longer.
• Georgia Tech ranks eighth nationally in passing efficiency (157.4).
• The Yellow Jackets scored at least 30 points nine times this season.
• Tech ranks 10th nationally in punt return average (14.3 ypa).
• The Jackets are 5-0 this season in games decided by five points or less.
• Tech has produced 67 plays of 20 yards or longer, 38 plays of 30 yards or longer and 16 plays of 50 yards or longer.
2009 Highlights, Milestones
• Georgia Tech won the ACC championship outright for the first time since 1990.
• The Yellow Jackets’ 11 wins are their most since 1990 and one shy of tying the 1952 national championship team’s school record.
• Tech was ranked as high as seventh in the Associated Press poll — its highest ranking since 1999.
• The Yellow Jackets are playing in a bowl game for the 13th consecutive season.
• Georgia Tech will play in a major/BCS bowl game for the first time since Jan. 2, 1967.
• Georgia Tech’s 49-10 win at Duke (Nov. 14) gave the Yellow Jackets their first ACC Coastal Division crown since 2006.
• Tech’s 34-9 win at Virginia (Oct. 24) was its first in Charlottesville since 1990, breaking a streak of eight consecutive losses at UVA’s Scott Stadium.
• The Jackets’ 28-23 win over Virginia Tech (Oct. 17) was their first win at home against a team ranked in the top five since 1962.
• Tech’s 49-44 win at Florida State (Oct. 10) marked its first win ever in Tallahassee, breaking an 0-6 streak.
• Tech won 10 games overall and seven ACC games for the first time since 1998.
• The Jackets won five road games in a season for the first time since 1998.
• Tech’s eight-game winning streak earlier this season was its longest since 1990.
• Tech went through an extremely difficult October — five games, including four road games — without a blemish.
• The Jackets went 5-0 in games decided by five points or less.
• Tech broke the ACC record for rushing touchdowns (46) and rushing yards (3,993).
• The Yellow Jackets lead the nation in time of possession and rank second in rushing.
• Tech earned its success with just six scholarship seniors (10 seniors total) on the roster.
• Paul Johnson was named the ACC Coach of the Year for the second straight year — just the third coach to win the honor in each of his first two seasons in the conference.
• Junior defensive end Derrick Morgan was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
• Morgan became the 51st player in Tech history to earn first team All-America honors.
• Six Yellow Jackets were named first team All-ACC.
• Senior guard Cord Howard and junior running back Jonathan Dwyer earned first team All-ACC honors for the second straight year.
• Junior Josh Nesbitt broke the Georgia Tech single-season and career records for rushing yards by a quarterback.
• Tech will have two 1,000-yard rushers in one season, for the first time ever, if Nesbitt can rush for nine yards against Iowa.
