Nov. 15, 2002
With a chance to solidify a postseason bowl berth, Georgia Tech (6-4, 3-4 ACC) hosts Duke in the Yellow Jackets’ final home game, Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field.
The game will not be televised, but radio coverage is available on the Georgia Tech-ISP Radio network in the Atlanta area on flagship station 790 the Zone (WQXI-AM) as well as South 107.1 (WSTH-FM) and Magic 98.1 (WMGP-FM).
Georgia Tech’s 22 senior football players will be honored in pre-game ceremonies as they make their final appearance at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field. Tech’s permanent team captains for the 2002 will be announced at that time.
Georgia Tech will also hold its on-campus salute to the Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary. In conjuction with the conference’s 50th season, the Top 50 athletes from each sport have been selected, and Georgia Tech’s honorees will be recognized in halftime ceremonies.
Fifty-seven current and former Yellow Jackets earned 70 spots on the various 50th anniversary teams, and approximately 35 of these honorees will be in attendance at Saturday’s game, including football standouts Joe Hamilton and Ken Swilling. Tech’s third football honoree, Marco Coleman, is playing professional football and is unable to attend.
Other Tech luminaries who will be honored Saturday include basketball stars Mark Price and Dennis Scott, PGA golfers Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, and major league baseball players Kevin Brown and Jason Varitek.
With six victories, Georgia Tech is already bowl-eligible, but head coach Chan Gailey and his Yellow Jackets would feel all but assured of a their sixth consecutive bowl berth with a seventh victory.
“I think everybody knows where this thing sits,” said Gailey. “We need to win this ball game to assure ourselves of anything, Nothing is guaranteed, but you’ve got a great shot if you win this one. At least you get back to even in the conference. As far as where we finish in the conference, I think we can finish anywhere from fourth to seventh, and this will be a big game in that respect and when you start talking about bowls. I’m not concerned about which bowl right now, but more about having the record to get to a bowl and I’ll worry about the other when we get to that point.”
