A case of mistaken identity led to Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas taking a dim view of Georgia Tech.
The junior can laugh about it now.
“In high school, I had a teammate, Timothy (Coleman), who plays at Richmond,” Thomas said. “Georgia Tech’s old OL coach on the former staff came to school, and I guess he thought I was him. He called me Timothy, so that turned me off to them.”
Saturday’s showdown at Bobby Dodd Stadium isn’t called “Clean Old-Fashioned Hate” for nothing, and yes, that extends to players as well as fans.
Just ask linebacker Tae Crowder.
“It’s Hate Week,” Crowder said. “It doesn’t matter what record they’ve got; it doesn’t matter what record we've got. We’re going to come out and play the best game we can.” Don’t let Georgia’s success in the series fool you, either. This game and rivalry is still a huge deal.
“You don't think it's important, then lose it, and then it will be really important,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “I know the importance of this game, and I know the significance it has to so many of our fans, especially the crowd that may be older, that traditionally Georgia Tech was a national powerhouse year in, year out. It means so much to them.”
The Bulldogs (10-1) enter Saturday’s contest (Noon, ABC) having won two straight against Georgia Tech, including victories in their last nine games played in Atlanta.
“I’m sure everyone on defense, everyone on offense, we all are going to come out with a chip on our shoulder,” Crowder said. “Especially the guys who are about to play their last game against them. We don’t want to go out with a loss.”
Thomas wasn’t yet a member of the last Georgia team that lost to Georgia Tech in Athens back in 2016. But he remembers the game well, having attended it as a recruit.
“That game still sticks with a lot of the guys,” said Thomas. “I remember them being on the field after the game, putting pieces of the hedges in their mouth, stuff like that.”
In case anyone needed reminding, Thomas said Bulldog staffers have taken care to post pictures of the post-game events from 2016 in and around the team weight room.
“They just want us to remember,” Thomas said. “We do.”
Of course, this year’s game will welcome new Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins into the fray. Collins, who came to Atlanta from Temple, is someone Smart actually knows quite well, having served together on the same staff at Alabama.
“Geoff and I have worked on the same staff at Alabama. I have a lot of respect for Geoff—he has a ton of energy,” Smart said. “He does a tremendous job; he leaves no stone unturned. He's looking for every competitive advantage he can get, whether it's through recruiting, whether it's through innovation, whether it's through scheme, whether it's through motivation. He's a high-energy guy.”
Collins isn’t exactly a stranger to the rivalry. Collins was a graduate assistant on George O’Leary’s staff in 1999, which ironically is the last time the Yellow Jackets beat the Bulldogs there. It was won in overtime, 51-48.
For those unaware, Georgia Tech won the game after backup quarterback and holder George Godsey recovered a blocked field goal on third down. With another down to go, Luke Manget was able to kick the game-winning field goal. Georgia Tech hasn’t beaten Georgia in Atlanta since.
“You watch that and just the presence of mind by coach O'Leary, and just the coaching and the way we attacked, and all of those things are really, really special,” Collins said. “You know, so that was a really, really good memory. I didn't know it. I didn't know that part of it, but that was the last time.”
If Bulldog linebacker Monty Rice has anything to say about it, that streak will continue.
“It’s an in-state rivalry. You want to win the state and be state champs this week,” Rice said. “It’s always good to beat Georgia Tech just because they have a lot of guys over there who take it personally when they play Georgia. It’s the last game of the season, so we want to go out with a bang. Winning is always good, but some wins are more exciting than others.”
