Sept. 4, 2005
Recap | Final Stats | Photo Gallery
– ** Tech’s last victory at Auburn was a 24-10 triumph in 1978. Auburn had won the last four meetings at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the last three by an average of nearly 20 points. The Jackets are now 6-12 at Auburn.
** Tonight is the first time since Sept. 15, 1984 that Tech has opened the season with a victory over a nationally-ranked opponent. That year, Tech defeated No. 19 Alabama, 16-6.
** Tonight’s win is the fifth against a nationally-ranked team for Tech under Chan Gailey, and the fourth on the road. Georgia Tech has defeated at least one nationally-ranked team each of the last 11 years.
** Tech has won six of its last seven season openers and has a 78-31-4 record in openers. Tech’s last win on the road in a season opener was a 49-14 victory at Navy in 1999.
** Tech assistant coach and former Auburn QB Patrick Nix has now helped his current team defeat his alma mater twice in three years.
** Tech’s four interceptions tonight against Auburn are the most for a Yellow Jackets’ defense under Chan Gailey. Tech has previously intercepted three passes in games against NC State in 2004 and Brigham Young in 2002. The picks all came in the second half, by Dawan Landry, KaMichael Hall, Phillip Wheeler and Gerris Wilkinson.
** Tech held Auburn to 50 yards rushing on 23 carries tonight, the 20th time in 39 games under defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta that the Yellow Jackets have limited an opponent to less than 100 yards on the ground. Over the last two full seasons plus tonight’s game (26 games), Tech has limited foes to an average of 100.5 rushing yards per game.
** Four times in tonight’s game, Tech turned Auburn away with no points after the Tigers had driven within field goal range. In the second quarter, Auburn gained a first down at the Tech 25-yard line, but Tech sacked QB Brandon Cox for a nine-yard loss after a Tiger holding penalty, and Auburn punted. On Auburn’s first possession of the third quarter, it had 3rd-and-1 at the Tech 26 before Tech tackled Cox for a loss and the Tigers failed on fourth-down pass attempt. Later in the third quarter, Dawan Landry intercepted a Cox pass on a third-down play from the Tech 26. KaMichael Hall intercepted a pass for Tech in the fourth quarter on a first-and-15 play after the Tigers had made the Tech 29.
** Tech was credited for three QB sacks in the game, two by Eric Henderson, which gives him 21 for his career. He has surpassed Felipe Claybrooks for fifth place on the all-time Tech list.
** Reggie Ball started his 26th consecutive game for Georgia Tech tonight, which is still tied for seventh longest active streak among Division I-A quarterbacks. All six ahead of Ball are seniors.
** Ball surpassed Dewberry (4,193 yards) tonight for fifth place on Tech’s career passing list. He was 17-of-36 in the game for 174 yards and now has 4,317 yards. Dewberry’s total was achieved in three seasons, Ball’s in two plus one game.
** Ball completed 9 of his first 11 pass attempts in the game, including 5-for-5 on Tech’s field goal drive in the first quarter. He was 1-for-9 after that in the first half, and 8-of-25 thereafter for the game.
** Ball’s TD pass to Calvin Johnson was the 27th of his career, tying him for fifth place on the all-time Tech list with John Dewberry.
** P.J. Daniels picked up the 11th 100-yard rushing game of his career tonight, with 111 yards on 23 carries. That is tied for fourth most in Tech history. He now has 2,527 rushing yards for his career, No. 5 on the Tech career chart.
** Daniels’ second-quarter touchdown was the 21st of his career, moving him into a tie for fifth on Tech’s all-time list with David Sims. Eddie Lee Ivery and Leon Hardeman are next on the list with 22.
** Travis Bell, a former walk-on, is now 18-for-20 on field goals in his career, a success rate of 90 percent, and 33-for-33 on extra-point kicks.
** Calvin Johnson’s 35-yard TD catch on Tech’s first possession was his eighth career TD reception in 13 games. His next one will tie him for 12th on the Yellow Jackets’ career list.
** Chris Dunlap’s second-quarter reception was the first regular-season reception of his career. His only previous two catches came in the Humanitarian and Champs Sports bowls.
** Red-shirt freshman James Johnson made his first collegiate reception a big one, 25 yards late in the third quarter.
** Five true freshmen made their collegiate debuts tonight on the Plain – Tony Clark and Matt Braman played on the punt return team, Colin Peek and Michael Johnson played on the kickoff and punt return teams. Mohamed Yahiaoui came in to kickoff after Tech’s second TD.
