Jackets Welcome Orange For First Time

Oct. 14, 2013

Jackets Welcome Orange For First Time
• After its longest road trip of the season, Georgia Tech returns to Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday to host ACC newcomer Syracuse on Hall of Fame weekend.
• Saturday’s game is also Heroes’ Day. Ticket specials are being offered to current members of the armed forces and first responder units, along with veterans and all family.
• The game can be seen on the ACC Network with Tim Brant, Dave Archer and Rachel Baribeau.
• On the radio, “Voice of the Yellow Jackets” Brandon Gaudin has the call on the Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network along with analyst Rick Strom and sideline reporter Randy Waters. The game can be heard on WYAY 106.7 FM in Atlanta and on the web at RamblinWreck.com.

Quick Hitters
• Georgia Tech logged nearly 5,000 miles and traveled three time zones over the last two weeks with a back-to-back road games at Miami and BYU.
• The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 in the series versus the Orange, winning both games at neutral sites — 2001 in East Rutherford, N.J. and 2004 in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando.
• Tech’s three losses this season are to teams that are a combined 15-3, with two of those teams currently ranked in the top 20 — Miami (No. 10/11) and Virginia Tech (No. 19).
• Tech’s average of 421.3 yards of total offense per game ranks as the sixth-highest in Georgia Tech history. In fact, three of the six highest total offense averages in Tech history have come in the last three seasons.
• Tech’s rushing average of 290.3 yards per game is the sixth-highest in school history, 17 yards per game better than Tech’s 2008 team that went 8-5.
• Tech’s defense has allowed just five running plays of 20 yards or more.
• Georgia Tech ranks seventh nationally in third-down percentage (.533), while Syracuse ranks 14th in third-down defense (.289).
• The Yellow Jackets are one of just six teams in the country who have blocked two punts this season and Tech’s Chris Milton has both of them this season – against Elon and BYU. `Cuse has also blocked two punts.
• The Orange has lost just one fumble all season.
• Georgia Tech (423.3 yards per game) and Syracuse (421.2) have almost identical total offense numbers.
• Seven former student-athletes are being inducted to the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame this weekend, including WR Kelly Campbell (1998-01) and HB Billy Williamson (1958-62). The class also includes Shilo Ayalon (swimming), Kele Eveland (volleyball), Andria King (track & field), Richard Lewis (baseball) and Troy Matteson (golf).
• Head coach Paul Johnson picked up his 150th career win on Sept. 21 versus UNC. Johnson is 150-68 in 17 years as a head coach and only eight active FBS coaches own more career wins.
• The Yellow Jackets have rushed for more yards than any FBS team since 2008, and in 2012, Tech surpassed the 20,000-yard rushing mark for the five-year period under head coach Paul Johnson.
• Georgia Tech is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Historic Grant Field in 2013. It is the most tenured stadium in the FBS and listed by ESPN.com as a bucket-list item for college fans.

The Syracuse Series
• Georgia Tech leads the all-time series, 2-0.
• The two teams are meeting for the first time as conference foes, and for the first time at a non-neutral site stadium.
• The last time the Jackets and Orange met came on Dec. 21, 2004 in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando – a 51-14 Georgia Tech victory.
• The first meeting between the two teams came on Aug. 26, 2001 in East Rutherford, N.J. as part of the Kickoff Classic. The Yellow Jackets won that game, 13-7.
• Syracuse has previously won a game in Atlanta, and the Orange beat a team from Georgia in the process. Syracuse knocked off Georgia, 19-18, in the 1989 Peach Bowl, played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
• Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson has never coached against Syracuse, and the Orange’s Scott Shafer has never previously coached against the Yellow Jackets.
• The Jackets are 5-1 all-time against teams from New York state.

Up Next
• The Yellow Jackets hit the road for an ACC Coastal Division showdown with Virginia in Charlottesville next Saturday. The game is set for 12:30 p.m. on the ACC Network.